Baking, decorating, visiting, knitting, sewing...

...it's all been going on this month.  Cannot believe how quickly time is flying but since I declared 2015 the year of getting on with things I'm just cracking on!  

My sister and I are toying with the idea of applying for a stand at Yarndale this year.  Time is running out for us to make our minds up but the thing that is flummoxing me is finding public liability insurance to the tune of £2million.  Anyway, I thought I'd better start making some things just in case I do get a stand.  So far I've produced some crochet rolls - this one is for me :)

and a pram blanket, knitted in moss stitch with King Cole Funky Felt yarn

I did not enjoy knitting this as the needles were huge and I couldn't get much momentum.  Still, it's one more 'thing' made from my 'stuff'.

I have also been fiddling about with teeny tiny half inch hexagons and made some little pin cushions

This I really did enjoy making despite the hole I now seem to have in my finger!

Son number one lives in Dublin and he and his girlfriend are gearing up to move into their first home which has been gutted and put back together so I headed over there to help with the decorating.  7 rolls of lining paper hung - no pasting table so we improvised.  The old knees took a battering and after 2 days up and down a ladder I have to say I was feeling the pull in the old buttocks too!

They had no working loo either so my bladder control is much improved :)

Inspired by the thought of a trip to Dublin and son number two being home it was time for a spot of baking.  Guinness Chocolate cake anyone?

The topping was supposed to be all over the top but the cake was still warm and we couldn't wait so served it on the side.  Greedy, us? No way!

As soon as I got back from Dublin I had a surprise visit from a dear friend from one of my previous lives.  Gill and I have known each other since baby days back when I lived in Winchester so that's at least 28 years.  We haven't seen each other for about 3 so there was a lot of talking to cram into just a few hours.  We managed, especially over afternoon tea at Mallyan Spout Hotel.  Four pots of tea later we headed down to the Beck Hole pub just to see if there was room in this tiny bar for us.

Happily there was so we enjoyed a bit of banter, a lot of selfie taking and then sadly it was time to say goodbye.  That's Gill's halo shining bright on the left

And maybe a spot of Black Sheep beer shining out

 of Alan.

Another ray of sunshine in the month of March has been this little cute-pie.  My god daughter and great niece, an absolute tonic on any day of the week.  Her mum always has her hair done very nicely but Freya decided to try out all my hair brushes giving her the slightly more dishevelled look. Bless her little cotton socks.

So, I'm heading across the pond at the weekend and hoping to have time for a little fabric shopping amidst all the meetings.  Then I head to see another very dear friend in Philadelphia on the way back and that will bring us almost to the end of March.  Where is the time going?

Hope the sun is shining wherever you are like it is here today.

Jules

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