Feeling frumpy.

I had my left wrist injected last Thursday, it seemed much more painful than when I last had my wrists done and I admit to fainting as the needle was drawn out! The Dr was lovely (the vast majority at my little hopical are fabulous), and offered to do both wrists while I was there.
In a moment of gung ho insanity I said yes - then promptly changed my mind after the first one.
As I spent the next two days with my left hand in a splint and a sling I think that was  a wise decision - the image of me with both hands in slings is too silly for words!

Today the hand is definitely easier, but gives me a sharp reminder if I use it too roughly. By 'roughly' I mean dare devil things like pegging washing out or picking up a plate.
Apparently carpal tunnel pain is common in people with rheumatoid arthritis. The joy just never ends....

Poor little bruised chubby handy! And no knitting! Noooooo!
The good old methotrexate nausea decided it wanted in on the attention too, yippee.

Moving swiftly on.
Sunshine, bucket loads of the stuff. Fabulous.
I spent a lot of Thursday and Friday sleeping off the above, but managed an hour yesterday early evening, on my bench in my teeny tiny garden. A book, some easy crochet, and a visit from Frodo who lives next door:

Definitely the best dressed cat in the street.

The garden looks pretty at the moment, despite me not giving it the attention it deserves. The yellow poppies are from seeds mum gathered from her garden last year, and just keep flowering. Beautiful.

I have gathered quite a few seed heads, and will let the rest do their own thing.
Aren't seed pods beautiful?

I love the way they are starting to open, to let those seeds out.  This makes me want to attempt a painting, one day.

Triffid duck faced nastursium.

I started cutting out A Thing, and might start sewing it one day. Might.

Subtle, eh?

Enjoy the sun.
Toodles.

Hurrah for burnt bosoms!

That's more like it.
Sunshine.
Loads of the stuff.
Smiling people,  very dodgy 'summer' dress sense, the smell of sun cream and a corner shop freezer crammed with giant ice pops.
Bliss!

Not only was it sunny today but it was downright WARM. 20C, not bad at all thank you.
Fabulous!

I still have this horrible rash from the Tocilizumab, so I am hoping that the sunshine will help.
That's my excuse (if one were needed) for afternoons in the sun.

All of a sudden everything seems to be blooming and sprouting at once. These gorgeous poppies are from seeds my mum gave me, collected from her garden, They are stunning, and look! Do you also remember the way poppy heads bend from your  childhood?

I remember peeling them open to look at the petals curled inside (naughty me).
Isn't it funny what obscure things remind you of being a bairn?

Today I doped myself up with Piriton, propped my bad back up with cushions on the bench, had an illicit glass of Pimms (oh blimey, the new version is delicious!)  , read for a while and knitted for a while.

PSidney says he can read perfectly well and would I please turn the pages a bit faster.

Why yes I AM  we ARE reading a book that includes a Princess, a scorpion and  a Quest.
And Sid has suncream for his ears, bless him. How I love thee, Sidders.

And knitting a jacket for a wabbit.

Lovely Egyptian cotton, in one of my favourite bags. Not one I made (the shame of it), slightly larger than the ones I make, and  look at it!

Brilliant!
I bought a few of these in the sales in January, the only snag is that they don't have wrist straps and are definitely a pain to carry anywhere, especially as I always need my walking stick.

The other one I have is this:

They are from Kate Garey. The jewellery is worth a look too, I have my eye on the bluetit necklace.

This might just flower this year. Might.

Look at  the pansies,they are just beautiful.

The little things in  life, always look for the little things.

And look - it only took me 10 months to take  piccies. I really like how this looks,and it was a fun knit if a little boring by the end.

Venomous-Tentacula, free on Ravelry.

And that's it for now.
I have the urge to paint, and this arrived the other day - yes that is me reflected in it, and yes I DO have chubby little arms!

Toodles for now, enjoy the sun!

Warning - sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep!

Oh yes, a mini shop update.

sulkycat

Including - Tim.

and some more snag free stitch markers:

and some more bags:

including KNICKERS AND BRAS!

Enjoy!

Hello you!

Long time no see - how the dickens are you?

Well, I hope?

Sooooo.... what's new? Nowt much.

I have some rather nice material, all ready to chop into - must must must get some sewing done later today. Plus more brooches - amazingly almost all the sheeeeEEEEpsies have gone to their new homes. Watch this space for penguins too ...

There will be owls (oh, and owl brooches, prototype is almost finished), and Moomins, and more jumping sheep, and Herbie cars. It's all go.

I am quite mellow at the moment - or simply knackered, who knows. Healthwise, hospital appointment has come through (my Dr was not impressed - she requested it within a week, the hospital changed it to within 3 to 4 weeks - er, my Dr was the one who saw me, not the bloody hospital). Anyway, at least something's being done. Most uncomfortable all the time, I permanently feel as though I have just finished an enormous three course meal which makes eating a pretty unpleasant necessity - I eat a very small amount, yet my poor tum is swollen like a drum, Tis not nice.

My mum said - this is my favourite quote in ages - 'what if they have to cut you open and they find that your insides have turned to solid chocolate? There might be a whole Chocolate Orange in there!'

This is why I almost always have my camera with me. I was waiting for the little bumpy bus on Friday, and spotted this little chap having a damned good scoff over the road. I managed to grab a couple  of shots (with camera, nothing more violent) before he scampered off. It made me grin, there was a much bigger squiggle who helped himself constantly from my garden last year. I know they are flying rats really but there's something smile inducing about squiggles, I love them.

I bought myself this on Friday - would have been rude not to. It seems like a very long time since I bought clothes (other than black tee shirts, I have a large amount of assorted black tee shirts), but I couldn't resist this scarf - plus it's pretty huge too. And cheap. And possibly slightly chavtastic but who cares.

Knitting - well, I am still plodding on with Delphine which is the slowest thing I have ever knit - have just decreased for the armholes on the back so that might get finished today. I absolutely love it but it's just soooooo sloooooow. I have two pairs of Christmas mitts lined up next, they should be a bit quicker. Then oh, another 3 cardies lined up too ... I luvs cardies. Luvs 'em.

Well, I am going to have a quick tidy up in here then settle down with the Grand Prix and my knitting. Happy weekend to you!

Shocking!

I know, I know - it is indeedy shocking - I have been knitting.

Not much, but some - started on the train to Stirling (did you know I had been to Stirling? Didn't I mention it?) and then abandoned as too complex to have on the go all week. Plus the irony of needing stitch markers on the train and having none handy - and 350 of them tucked at the bottom of my suitcase ...

So far I am really enjoying this - it is Delphine, from Kim Hargreave's Winter Blooms book. Nothing in her new one grabs me which is probably just as well, far too many calling my name as it is.

It is knit in charcoal grey Felted Tweed dk, and I really like it - I love the shaping of the peplum too, very much. Slow going as I am in the middle of an ME slump, but enjoyable knitting.

And of course I am using my own markers.

A big bundle of this arrived the other day - I simply couldn't carry it back from Stirling so had it posted - it is nice think Lopi from Woolfish, I got 10 balls of it but might need more - possibly destined to become a Sylvi which I started ages ago and threw out because I hated the wool.

I love these - I treated myself from M&S the other day and they are just past their very best now, but smell fabulous. And right at the other end of the spectrum, I also treated myself to - oh yes, extravagant or what -

A PINK IRON!

I can't find a solid, ideally not mesh topped ironing board anywhere for under £70 though, what's that all about?? I currently have a tiny ironing board and a small iron, because I am titchy - but I used my landlady's huuuge board and powerful iron at the hotel, and by hell it sped through everything. So now I want a whopping great board - but not at the price! £70!!

And just when you thought my purchases for the week couldn't get more exotic - brace yourself - hoover bags. I know how to party.

I also have some shameless promoting of friends to do - Rebs on Ravelry made some - erm - 'hand relief' cream recently, and sold mini pots of it as testers.

I am utterly biased as one is called Sulky and smells of rose geranium - this travelled around Scotland with me in my handbag and survived (the tub on the photo looks a tad the worse for wear). There's also a lime version, and a lavender and patchouli one - excellent cream, especially for dry knitters hands - do hunt her down on Rav and ask when she is making some more, it's definitely worth trying!

There are a lot of photos in this post, sorry!

This little bundle is the next lot for new bags, amazingly the massive majority of the 97 I took to Stirling (did I mention I had been? no?) have sold - thank you all! - and it is almost time to get sewing again.

and this little beauty is a pressie for a friend.

There, not much by way of actual writing, but many piccies and a post at last!

AHEM, you Britsh Knitting rabble.

YES YOU.

Ironing does not make me a bad person

Neither do the hoover bags - I have put one in the hoover but haven't gone as far as turning the damned thing on.

SHEESH.

Update!

A few things have been added to my artfire shop:

sulkycat

Some of these sheeEEEEEp are being very vocal about wanting new homes, so please do go and have a peep!

Also some more bags added:

More to come including needle rolls.

(It's a bit of a crappy ME day today and I spent most of it asleep in bed, but hopefully that's knocked the worst of it on the head and I can get more packed up tonight to post asap - many packages went out yesterday, thank you for the orders!).

A commercial break.

This might be faster than updating etsy and artfire - for those who are asking (and thank you!) here are some of the bags I have unpacked and photographed, which are for sale.
The box bags - all are fully interfaced, both the outer fabric and the lining fabric, and all seams inside are fully bound. No raw edges, nothing flimsy - I do include a note saying hand wash, but I chuck mine in the washing machine.
They are large enough to hold a ball of wool, dpns and a pattern - I can squish two balls in, a pair of mitts on the go and a pattern easily. They also work well as a makeup or toiletries bag.
Roughly 8 inches long, 3 inches high, 3 inches wide.
£11.00 each (I lowered the price slightly for the market place and will keep them at those prices until I list in the shops), £1.20 postage within the UK and I am very happy to post elsewhere.

I am online now, so it's a first come first served way - and I will be at home all day tomorrow so will update my shops with more bags for anyone who prefers to buy them that way.

** please post a comment if you wish to buy anything - first post gets the bag!

Knickers and bras! In pinky reds on black. SOLD, thank you

Tea pots and egg cups. SOLD, thank you

Breast cancer care - I will donate £3 to breast cancer research from the sale of this bag. SOLD with many thanks

Hearts. SOLD with many thanks

From top left to top right :

a) flowers and bees

b) purple, reds, black

c) beach scene

d) purple geometrics - SOLD with many thanks

e) trellis and roses

Bottom row from left to right:

f) celtic knots in blues - SOLD with many thanks

g) zingy greens with flowers

h) small hearts and flowers - SOLD with many thanks

i) mini shrooms

j) zingy greens, blues, swirls

Needle rolls, sheep brooches etc to come - and as I say, if you are more comfortable buying through etsy or artfire they will be back up and stocked tomorrow, most realistically in the early afternoon.

Thank you!

PS Blog posts about ShitCampKnitCamp will be back in the next couple of hours ....