Post op creations - part 1

I'm getting a little insight into what my life will be like when I am retired - at the age of about 99 at this rate - life is slow, things are taking a lot longer than usual and my mental faculties are not that sharp.  I blame the codeine but maybe it is just me these days!

Daytime tv holds no appeal but it has been on 'for company' and I have managed a couple of little creations so far.

I had a lot of grey cotton that I didn't know what to do with so made up this little cushion, lined it with some lovely raw silk I picked up at a car boot sale last year and finished it off with some mother of pearl buttons.  Anne declared it 'very boudoir-ish' - I think it was a compliment :)

In the spirit of 'using things up' I made this little crochet bag from some leftover pink cotton.

It's sweet but totally not worth the time taken to make it.

Lastly, whilst watching disc 2 of Downton Abbey I made up this little crochet bowl, being inspired by the little amigurumi owls I made for Michael (which he loves, loves, loves and wants to learn to make himself - woohoo).

It's sitting in the washing machine now waiting for some company to be felted.  My knees are looking similar in colour in fact. I might have to dig out some of my other pure wool odds and ends and make another one whilst watching disc 3.

It's a grey day here, feels like a Sunday but so has every day this week.  I do have lots of lovely flowers to cheer me up though - daffs, tulips, roses and lillies - lucky girl, am I.

Wishing you all a crafty weekend.

Jules

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R & R

Well, the knee ops are over so I have some time with my feet up to look forward to.  All went well apart from a rather spectacular bleed in my left knee which worried the nursing staff rather, especially the rather cartoon-like spurt across the room from one of the keyholes!  It was a bit like an Itchy & Scratchy sketch without the chainsaw.

I asked the surgeon if I should be worried that he had to draw on my legs to show where my knees were (what kind of training do they get at medical school?)  The lovely Malaysian theatre nurse didn't have to shave my legs - I was prepared. No 'Jules Hairy Legs' in that theatre, no sireee, Bob.

Tubi-grip bandages and surgical stockings - a very sexy look, don't you think?

I was only supposed to be in for the day but had to stay overnight.  I finished Stephen Fry's second autobiography (excellent, beautifully written, witty and poignant), managed to make a complete mess of a hat I was knitting on double pointed needles so pulled it all back and will have to buy a circular needle as the stitches kept falling off the dp ones and it was making my blood pressure go up.  Not good when you are being monitored every 30 minutes!

So, I have some time off, am not logging on to my work laptop and have already completed one crochet cushion cover - not ready for a reveal but this is one of my Mum's patterns that I managed to finish last weekend.

It'll be going into Anne's shop or on her website soon.

I have a big box of chocolate Brazils (courtesy of my Mum), a stash of wool, a plan to finally finish my quilt using the tied method as it's too bulky to hand or machine quilt, Stephen Fry's first autobiography, Ian McEwan's new novel, Solar and some of my favourite films to watch - Tea With Mussolini, Love Actually, Meet Joe Black and Cinema Paradiso to name a few.  

Life is good.

The wind is blowing furiously here so I hope you've all got your wigs glued on tightly!

Jules

x

If there's a bustle in your hedgerow, don't be alarmed now ...

..it's just a Spring clean for the May Queen.  The sun shone, the wind didn't blow and Spring seems just around the corner!  I have spent most of the day in the garden shifting a tonne of soil from the drive to the raised veg beds.  It's been sitting there since I moved the old compost heap and dug the pond!  No more Gypsy encampment here (apologies, no offence to Gypsies).  I can now hold my head up amongst my neighbours (who are all seriously ancient and have obsessively tidy gardens - we are the bad neighbours in the hood!)  Well, I would hold my head up high but I think I have done serious damage to my back.  When will I ever learn? A nice deep bubble bath has helped but I think I'm going to have trouble getting up tomorrow.

I'm afraid I've no photos to show you this post.  My week in Finland was a blur of meetings, no time for sight seeing but I did buy a couple of balls of wool.  I'm having my knee knobs operated on this week so will be putting my feet up for the rest of the week - need to have plenty of projects ready for the making.  Trouble is I've got so many ideas buzzing around I can't seem to settle to anything at the moment.  I've been spending too much time surfing all the fabulous blogs out there getting more and more inspiration.

Still haven't won the lottery so work will continue to get in the way but you never know what's round the corner, hey?

Hope you've all benefited from a drop of sunshine this weekend.

Can't wait until the garden is full of these

Jules

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