Results are in......................

I was amazed at the number of people who entered my little giveaway  - it was so nice to receive your lovely sweet hedgehog comments. I have just filled a little tin with all of your names and some of you featured three times so lots of writing and paper folding. The little tin was given a very good shake and Mr R pulled out the winning name ( he declined the perfect photo opportunity!)

I am so pleased to announce the winner - it's Jo from "Three Stories High" you must visit her lovely blog over here

The two little hedgehogs watched over proceedings very carefully to ensure everything was above board and I think they are going to be pleased with the result.

I wish I could have sent you all a hedgehog but unfortunately my knitting isn't quite up to the job and I would have still been knitting them at Christmas.

I hope you all have a lovely week planned, I've just got home from a very busy super hero birthday party, Zachy was 5 this week and his party was a great success.

talk soon x
 

grey days.................

I’m still infatuated by grey and loving all the different shades and textures. I spent a few relaxing hours playing on Pinterest over the weekend and found some lovely grey images. I was so smitten with my finds that I’ve set up my own grey mood board. I also found that I wasn’t the only one enamoured with grey you must pop over to just pootling which is a fabulous blog I recently stumbled upon. 

Continuing with my grey theme I’ve finished my granny square cushion and it has worked out just as I imagined. 

The hard bit was deciding where to put it, so the cushion was a bit like Goldilocks having a turn of sitting on every chair, but I think I have found its final resting place. I decided on the dark grey chair with a smaller dark grey cushion as well.

I’ve also made a big cushion for the top of the toy box, in grey of course. I had found an amazing remnant in John Lewis’s sale. The fabric is upholstery weight, over a metre in length and it only cost £10. I was quite excited to set my sewing machine up as it hasn’t been out for ages and I’m always a bit anxious about using it. I’m not a natural machinist and seem to spend half my time threading the needle and winding spools. Things like stitch size and tension always faze me and the thought of sewing such heavy duty fabric was daunting. When I bought the fabric I asked the sales assistant if I needed special needles but she just advised I used a new sharp needle. I changed my needle which was without drama and my sewing machine behaved beautifully. I had enough fabric to make the toy box cushion and also a smaller cushion and I still have a sizeable piece spare. My room is really taking shape with all the finishing touches.

The walls are quite bare and I would love to buy some new art work but for now I have been rearranging what I’ve already got and have just added an inexpensive print or two from IKEA.

I wish my photos were sharper but the light continues to be poor on this murky cold grey day, I'm so looking forward to bright spring days.

I'm so pleased I started to write my blog again after having my few months break, my first post was on the 1st January and I can't believe the number of visitors old and new I've had. I have been thrilled with all the lovely comments you've left me and my followers have also increased. It is so nice to be part of such a warm friendly blogging community, many of the blogs I read are doing special little give aways and I hadn't really planned anything but such a lot of you have fallen in love with my knitted hedgehogs I thought I would knit a new pair and give them away to one lucky visitor.

I'm not very technical so don't think I will use one of those special random thingy me bob calculators, I will use the old fashioned way of names in a hat and ask Mr R to do the draw on Saturday 8th February. If you want to enter you can have up to three chances, just leave me a comment, you will get an extra chance if you are a follower, and another if you like my face book page. 

talk to you soon x

My lovely cushion has arrived..........

I recently entered a giveaway on Mademoiselle Poirot's blog and I have been lucky enough to win an adorable deer and stag cushion. My cushion arrived yesterday (thank you so much Carole) - it's so beautiful and looks perfect on my sofa. The illustrations on the fabric are exquisite. It's not the sort of cushion I would have thought to buy myself but looking at it snuggled with my other cushions it just fits in so perfectly.

I hope you like my lovely cushion - but before I go I need to apologise for not continuing with my Crafty Friday theme. I have had such a busy fun week with Jake that I haven't really had time to make up another kit. I have relaxed with my crochet in the evening as Jake snuggles down early, but somehow that seems different to actually starting a craft project which would  involve more thought and planning. 

Maybe Crafty Fridays can start again in the autumn, I have decided to take a little break as the next few weeks continue to be hectic with the school holidays and then I'm off to London for a few days.

Hope you are well and thank you again for following my blog and leaving me such lovely comments.
Talk soon x

the winner is...........................

My bunny giveaway has been such fun and I was delighted that so many people left me lovely comments and started to follow my blog which is just so fantastic - I can't believe how many people are starting to pop over to see me

I put everyone's name onto slips of paper, added extra ones for followers and people who had liked my face book page - all got folded up and put into a bowl. The very lovely but also very tired Daisy picked out the lucky winner..........................

The lucky winner was..........................

I am so pleased that Linda has won although a bit worried as when you visit her lovely blog  you will see her wonderful crochet projects - I hope she doesn't look very closely at my little bunny......................

Thank you all so very much for supporting me - talk soon x

Bunny give away................

It's a lovely bright sunny morning - still chilly but so nice to have the sun pouring through the windows.
I have started to pack away my Easter tree and pretty crochet eggs which are scattered over my shelves and units. My three little bunny rabbits look lovely on my dresser and I've decided to keep them out all year round.

I just wondered if you would like one - so a quick impromptu give away. Send me a comment telling me which one you would like and if you follow me let me know and I will enter you twice in the draw - this  is very exciting.

Talk soon x

PS like my facebook page for an extra entry in the draw, I will announce winner on Wednesday 10th April x

I am back up and running ....................

I feel like I have been away for ages - so much has happened in the last two weeks. I have been down to London again as Kate needed help with moving house, and unfortunately was without Internet access which put a stop to any blogging. As well as no Internet we had no TV - it's amazing how we get used to all of these distractions and it was lovely to experience a  renewed interest in the art of conversation - although to be honest Kate and I are never short of something to say.
On my journey home I was involved in a car crash - someone ran into the back of my car on the motorway - which was a very scary experience. Luckily apart from some back pain and whiplash I am ok and the other driver escaped injury. My car has been towed to the garage and I have my fingers crossed it can be repaired - I love my car. It was all such a shock it has left me very jittery but I am so lucky as it could have been lots worse.

Also, my lap top had to go away for repair so today is my first day with my repaired laptop and Internet access - yeah.

In my last post I talked about a mini  "give away" the closing date to enter was last Friday, so I am very pleased to anounce that the winner is  Barbara Good, Barbara left a lovely comment on my post and I will be sending her a special little package as soon as I can get to the post office,

It's so nice to be home and as usual I have been having a little wander around my garden which I miss when I am away, I have taken a few photos to share with you.

Lillie's in bloom

Water Lily peeping out

first baking apple on my  new tree - not sure it will make a pie

hanging baskets are full of colour

Asters about to open 

                                                                           Clematis climbing up the brickwork

The garden is looking lovely and vibrant and as the weather has improved I have been able to spend some time pottering in it over the last few days.

 

I have had a restful evening after a busy day looking after two of my grandson's, it's been lovely having the opportunity to catch up with my favourite blogs - although I've still got lots of catching up to do as they have all been very busy .

Talk soon x