Thursday, March 23, 2006

New Kit on the blog

Hello all. More Moggy stuff here. I thought you all might like to see what little Mishka looks like. She's the new addition to the family. Poor old Pepper(as he is now getting older, nine enfact!) was pining terribly after his bossy little sister Madison and was getting in a terrible state everything I left the house. Which as you lot know is alot when my social life is as hectic as it is. And I have to say I was missing having two cats, as they interact with each other and keep each other, and me, company.
So off to Wood green I went, with a bit of apprehension, as I was not sure quite how I felt about getting a new companion so soon, 2 months, after loosing Madison so tragically to car. After 3 visits, this cute little frightened little mite had been bought in only the night before as her elderly owner had died. She was just so soft and sweet, and such a pretty little thing. So home with me she came.
After much hiding behind the tell I placed her in the bathroom with all her necessities so she could feel safer in a smaller environment and paid her regular visits to acclimatize her to me.
Well its now been 5 months and she has installed herself very well in to her new surroundings, she and pepper no longer run away from each other, they sleep next to one another. She is even more vocal and chatty than Pepper, and for those of you that know what Pepper is like you will know that, that is quite some feat!
So here are a few piccy's, some are a little blurred as she is still quite camera shy.

Saturday, March 18, 2006

Somewhat peeved!!

Here's me trying to put up stuff for you all to look at and blogger isn't playing properly. So you'll have to wait!

Ode to Madison


A much missed moggy who had a big heart, a big tummy, and a tiny little squeak of a voice. Who loved lying on her back with her paws in the air, stalking and pouncing on Pepper, cat nip on her fish, catching moths, playing tiddlywinks with live frogs, the little girl next door, and most of all, loved having her tail pulled.

Who you looking at?

I love my fish!
Mmmmmmm.

Me and my big brother Pepper (black and white) He always get the log!

Cat yoga whilst in bed, cats can multitask too you know!
See, its not just me who likes to sleep in silly positions!

Bye Bye Madi.

Pottery




Hello all

So its about time i put some more stuff on here for you all to look at.

As i have mentioned before i have been a very busy woman recently. Work, hobbies (new and old) new boyfriend and my ever hectic social life are conspiring to make life somewhat busy and full. And all in the best possible way. I am a very happy bunny at the moment!

One of these hobbies is my pottery evening classes.

So here are some photos to show you what i have been up too.
All these items are from the autumn term at the end of last year.

I have to say i am rather smuggly proud of this one. It was a total experiment and came out absolutely beautifully. And i wired it all up my self, bit of a dab hand with the re-wire malarky.

This next one is designed to be a garden sculpture. And when the weather gets better i will show you all a photo of it in situ. Far to chilly to be setting up garden scultures at the moment. And i have more to add to this garden sculture now too, as i have been busy working on some new items this term.


This was a extra deep lasagne dish made for Zareh's 40th Birthday pressie. the stencil that i used to create the morrocan star tessalation on the bottom was an experiment, one that worked very well. And i have been relialbly informed that it does exactly what it says on the tin.


This one is another lamp, in the photo unwired. This was another gift, this time for Martyns birthday.

This terms creations will be added shortly.

They all come out of the kiln next week!

Friday, March 17, 2006

The Scarlet Knitter

Hello again

I have just realised that one, of my two, current projects is also red, I think i might gain myself a new name, as The Scarlet knitter! See previous blogg pictures as a indication as to why.

Hot off the Knitting Needles! And other miscellaneous goings on too.



Hello again. I'm not doing very well at actually blogging very often. That is however because I seem to have rather a full life at the mo. Details coming up in another blogg.

Anyway back to the subject at hand.

KNITTING!

My current new pastime/obsession, call it what you will.

I have just completed two garments, that aren't just scarves in stocking stitch.

Number one, a gift of yarn for Christmas and a garment that was to be knitted by my mum, but she soon gave up. Reasons why giving up, a really crappy written pattern, plain English society for knitting needs to be set up I think. And this is not just the opninon of my mum, but me, and all those that spent some hours trying to decipher the damn thing. Shame on you 'Wendy' knitting manufacturers. This was enfact a very easy pattern for a beginner like myself to try. But with your horrendous wording it was a hell of a challenge for even seasoned knitters.
Anyway rant over!
Second reason for mum giving up was, eyelash yarn, and not being able to see dropped stitches. Mum is a speed knitter and doesn't look at her knitting when working. Where as me, I look at it and I'm a bit slower, so I guess easier for me to not drop stitches. Well mum gave it a go and I am thankfull for her doing so. And in a way glad she gave up, because knitting this garment is what got me hooked on knitting more! The pleasure at being able to knit what ever I like in what ever colour or type of yarn, rather than buying nasty acrylic knits from New Look, or having to save hard to be able to purchase lovely natural knits from, Monsoon, is just fantastic.

The yarn by the way is a lovely metallic yarn called 'Wendy chic' in Raphael colour way. And i loved knitting with it, it knits fast and slides over the needles with great ease. There are quite a few other colours available too. It apprently is very popular for knitting little wedding jackets and shawls etc for brides and bridesmaids.

I am now living in this garment and loving it! It's as warm as a fur coat and squishes down to pack in a bag if needed, without it looking all crumpled too. I have had a few complitments on it too and it sure is getting me noticed. Well more than before, people tend to see bright red hair and turn, now they see bright red hair and bright red fluffy jacket too.
It was quite intersting going to a recent rock gig at the Corn Exchange in Cambridge where generally there was a sea of black. And there was lil ole me in red! I did have some slightly merry 6ft 4, 20 something, very long blond haired goth (i know blond hair and a goth, quite unusual, i have to say though he did have really beautiful hair, the most beautiful i think i have seem on a man, it flowed all the way down his back to his bum) cone up to me and tell me how beautiful i looked. Which was cute.

And so the second project ensued. A knitting winter Olympics project. To be a challenging and interesting piece to be completed whilst the winter olympics was on.
Said pattern came form
Mary, a fellow knitter, who recommended a web site with free knitting patterns called Mag knits.




And so I started knitting my little hat called
Odessa. And as you can see it came out rather well. I decided I would rather stitch sequins on, you all know my love of the little shiny things with holes, than knit with beads. Leaning the new stitches and knitting in the round was quit challenge enough without adding to the complications.
And it went so well that I knitted another one in nice grey marl for new boyfriend Simon. Which also got lined with fleece so that he can wear it when he goes snowboarding. He seems to be quite taken with it, as he keeps wearing it and has told me that he has taken to wearing it to sleep in too. His place gets a bit chilly at night it seems. So not sure if I have broken the knitting curse yet or not. Technically does it have to be a sweater for that to happen, or does any knitted garment count? Opinions on this would be great! As knitting a men's jumper would be quite nice, simple and quick, to do I think. And i am trying to build up projects in advance so that i don't run out of stuff to knit as i did last week. I nearly went crazy not knowing what to do with my hands!