Verb: pootle
poo-t(u)l To move in a leisurely unhurried way,
with no real purpose


Tuesday 31 December 2013

50% less !

 
Oh WOW !
I have soooo enjoyed looking at all my favourite blogs in the last couple of days
and reading everyone's year end reviews.
There's definitely something about the end of the year that seems to make us all
 more than a little reflective on what has been.
And true to form, reading through everyones lovely posts got me thinking about
what I had been up to this year.
Being new to the land of blogging, having only started justpootling in June this year,
I'm afraid there will be 50% less on my review, but then it is January sales time isn't it ?

I had to chuckle when looking back through my posts as this blanket seems to feature quite heavily throughout the last few months as it gets picked up and put down in amongst all the other little makes taking place.
 
 
A very special 'home' blanket was made for Meg, our eldest, who moved into her own house back in August, as of course she needed a snuggle blanket of her very own for her new sofa.
 

We had a couple of lovely short breaks away in our caravan in early summer and I bought these gorgeous fairy lights back from Lyme Regis. I gave them a little 'paintover' and they now hang happily in the caravan reminding us of holidays past.

 
I have to admit to falling in love big time with Converses this summer and I just couldn't resist adding a little extra something to these ones.

 
Next, there was a daisy blanket waiting to be finished off. I love this blanket, it's so warm and snuggly and this too is in our caravan ready for the chillier evenings when we hopefully get away again next year.


Ooo - here it is again ! But this time out in our garden , catching a couple of minutes of quiet crochet in the early morning.
 

Being surrounded by lots of very soggy fields at the moment it is lovely to remember back to the amazing endless days of sunshine we had back in the summer.


In amongst the crochet there were a few fun makeovers as well. I so enjoyed transforming this junk shop lamp from this...
 

...to this.
 There was sewing, painting, sticking and lots of pin pricked fingers,
 but I was so proud of it when it was finished.
 
 
It was just perfect for warm evenings in the garden as the sun went down.
 

A bit of time out in August to make way for lots of partying - well you're only 50 once right ?

 
Can't recommend being 50 enough !
 

Bizarrely I picked the hottest summer in years to make a very huge and
very chunky blanket for Beth,
our middle daughter, to take back with her to Uni.

 
Yep, it sure was huuuuugggggeeeee ...
 
 
...lots of room for several housemates to get under.
 
 
A bit more painting made a
rather dull mirror...
 

... into one that had a lot more character,
as well as being the perfect place for my Skipton Hare
 to sit, a little souvenir from my Yarndale weekend.


A new arrival of the four legged variety came with a request for some
 special dog blankets
 - tick, job done.


And then there was a fun weekend making Innocent Smoothie hats.

                                                

Suddenly Christmas was on the horizon so time to set to with a few present makes.
This fell in very nicely with my little dishcloth obsession.

 
 
Parcels were packaged up and sent off to America,
 
 
and also to Gilly, as my part of the Ladybird Diaries Christmas Decoration Swap.
 
 
Back to Christmas presents...
 

...and lovely evenings spent crocheting in front of the fire.

 
 And in amongst it all, a little present made by me for me .
 
 
Snow ? Bring it on !
 
 
And before you know it, here we are, full circle,
back with the stripey blanket, nearly there now, the final reveal will be soon.
So there it is, my very first year end review.
I love being a part of this bloggy world and like so many of you my head is full to bursting with lots or planned projects for 2014. It has to be said they mostly seem to be of the blanket variety, there's just something about the quiet, repetitive crocheting of a blanket that I am quite utterly addicted to.
First one ? Another snuggly home blanket for Immi, our youngest who is off to Uni later in the year to study midwifery.
 
Many, many best wishes for the New Year to everyone.
Thank you for popping by throughout the last six months and welcoming me in to the fold,
and for leaving so many lovely comments.
 I hope you will visit again throughout the coming year and I look forward to discovering more blogs to follow and to making more bloggy friends.
x
 
 
 

Monday 30 December 2013

Whoosh - there it goes...

 
With floods kept at bay, the final decoration hung,
 
 
 
the last presents made,
 

and sparkly toes to match the sparkly Christmas tree ...

 
Christmas began !
A dinner party for 10 on the 21st,
 
 
with VERY naughty Baileys Ice cream for pudding.
 
 
 
Just time for a quick 40 winks


 
before stockings are hung out on Christmas Eve
and found full to bursting the next morning.
 
 
Lots of giving and receiving.
 
 
( How much do I love my new slipper socks ! )

 
followed by Christmas Dinner for seven
and lunch and tea for 22 on the 27th.
 Sunny dog walks,
 

one happy dog,
 
 
 one pooped puppy,
                                 
 manicures all round as Immi received a Gel nail kit

 
and now has a little nail bar in her room
 
 
and yes, of course there was turkey pie!

 
And after, when all was quiet and calm...
new books and Tiddly Reindeers from Hotel Chocolat to be enjoyed,
 

and long neglected crochet discovered hiding behind the sofa waiting to be finished.


( very glad I thought to attach little reminder tags way back then.)

 
And then,
 just before the New Year celebrations begin...
a lovely cup of tea and a bit of a sit down.
 
 
I hope your Christmas too was just as special
with many happy memories made.

Tuesday 24 December 2013

Oh !

Oh !




 
With three sides of our house looking like this it feels a little as though
 we are on Noah's Ark this morning.
But all is well, the family are nearly all aboard,
the animals have all come in two by two,
Dave is steady at the helm and we'll be sending
out a dove to look for an olive branch sometime around Boxing Day.
Happy Christmas Eve everyone ! x