Love of Letters Stationery Swap

I recieved my Love of Letters Stationery Swap on Friday, from 'Kmessier27', aka Karin from Rhode Island, USA. I am chuffed to bits with the gifts she has sent me, she really is a good Swapper!

This is waht she sent me - 5 hand made notelets, a ball of purple hemp yarn, a ball of lilac Terra, a ball of pink Amaizing, Hand made soap, a garden themed two year diary, two pens, a notebook with pen, a pretty notions bag - within is hand made stitch markers, cable needles, stitch holders, point protecters, row counters and binder clips; and three cloth patters (one of which I've been trying to hunt down!).

The yarns I've never come across before, so on Sunday I was itching to cast on! I used the pink Amaizing - this is made from Corn Fibre - and the Hearts Pattern from the parcel. So this is my finished result! Fab!

Thank you for my gifts! I just hope who gets my parcel will like it half as much!

Knitterati in the Snow

I went to the Monthly Knitterati yesterday. The roads were hazardous at best. Three quarters of the journey was driven at 15 miles an hour, due to ice and snow. The snow wasn't deep, but well covered the roads. Arriving at Great Gate, I was guided on the car park by Carol's husband. When I got out of the car, he said,"Flood, fire and volcanoes won't stop some of you coming here to knit!" I really couldn't argue with that! I bustled into the house declaring 'I need a Brandy!' I settled for tea instead!

The journey back was better, plus I was in a convoy of three vehicles.

On the way back, I stopped at a down hill junction. In front of me I could see fields and hedgerows covered with snow. The winter sunshine was bright and casting long shadows. On the radio, Ultravox's 'Vienna'. An absolutely beautiful moment. I was glad I had to stop at the junction, otherwise I'd have missed it.

The Garden in December

Here's the garden this morning (albeit a little blurry!) There was a hard frost last night and a very light layer of snow. HobbitKeeper doesn't like the garden like this as he says it bare. But I think we can't have produce in the summer unless we have bare in winter. It is a great shame that the garden isn't bigger so we can grow veg in winter, so that we can have produce all year round. Never mind, we use to the optimum what we have!
This is the last of the leeks. We are considering not growing leeks next year, only considering.

The garden from the other angle!!! With Rhinog on the move and the girls in the background!

Not a brilliant shot of the Girls. They are doing very well and have been for a good few weeks now. They are getting quite friendly and curious. Guess will feed from your hand. In fact, when we go to feed them, she comes running straight over. I love it when she takes banana and lettuc from me! The others are quite curious when the see Guess feeding. What is now bold enough to come over and has started taking things from me as well. Radar is thinking about it and plucking up courage. Sage is interested but skittish. And Roast, well Roast lives on Planet Roast and appears oblivious!

Christmas has come early in Carpedyem's Home!

Christmas has arrived early in my home!

At the weekend I recieved gifts from Tavish, my friend in 'Friends That Swap' on Ravelry. In the parcel was three pot holders, crocheted in Christmas red, green and white. They are abolutely wonderful! I am going to put them on display in my kitchen and use them over Christmas. Tavish also sent me a CD with Chistmas songs on - perfect for Chrismas Morning whilst we are prepariong Dinnner. The long socks aren't going to be kept till Christmas - I shall be wearing them before that! They will look good under my denim skirt.

Tavish said the aim of the parcel was to kick start my Chrsitmas and she has definitely done that! Thank you so much for your gifts, your thoughtfulness and your kindness! Oh and your friendship!!


As part of my chrimb pressie, Hobbit Keeper got me a top of the range breadmaker. The last breadmaker well, what can I say, died but didn't go to breadmaker heaven as I still tried using it, in vain hope...... It's at rest now.

My new Breadmaker was to be put away till Christmas, but the next day, (and no I wasn't sulking completely all of that time.....only some of it!) HobbitKeeper said I could have it as he knew I could make good use of it!

My first loaf turned out rather disasterously, but this is my second loaf - taaaa-daaa!


Yes I am over the moon with it! It tastes wonderful, it's so light and airy and way better than one you could get in a shop. It's a crusty white. I'm planning to do another one this afternoon! Thank you HobbitKeeper!

PS - Why a breadmaker and not properly make my own bread you ask? I have problems kneading bread, in so far as it triggers off my arthritus in my hands.........

Noro Shawl, my car and parking!

I've been busy over the last week or two knitting cloths for swap. I've enjoyed doing them and want to do more! Some of the cloths I will knit again for me. Before I do that - or anything else - I want to finish my Noro Shawl. The cable is the largest I've got so it does look a bit hunched together and difficult to see how wide it actually is. There is appoximately 250 stitches, give or take, so you can imagine that I cannot fly through a row as I would if doing a cloth! I would definitely do another one and then go onto other shawls. I have some wonderful laceweight yarn from Jamiesons and some Rowan Kid Silk in my stash for when I'm a little more adventurous! I got these yarns for my birthday this year so I want them to be special!


Now this rather mucky little red car with cow print chair covers - which I haven't knitted - is now soleley owned by me! As of last Saturday she was fully paid for, lock stock and barrel! It's taken four years and I've had her since she was 18 months old. She is a brilliant work horse, can fit no end of large and odd shaped things in her. She has safely taken me over 107,000 miles (I wouldn't like to think of how much I've spent on diesel doing that mileage!) So now we can ride into the sunset together! She is the third car I've owned and I think we shall be together for quite some time (all things being willing!)

I've promised her new tyres - she is in sore need of them and then she is going to have a full service - I've got to look after her if she is going to look after me!!

If you look at the picture and think it's odd that all the cars are pointing in the same direction, it's not a fluke thing, the street is one way. Parking is an absolute premium. I often (often as in everytime) get annoyed at people who need landing strips to park their cars on the street as lots of space between cars means less parking and there are idiots who have to have soooo much space either to park or to just have space around them. Not thinking that some poor sap can't park their car cos they've taken up unnecessary space.

It does make me smile wryly though, when I see people who are new to the street doing parallel parking! You can easily spot someone who has lived here for a while - they can park in the smallest of spaces! I must admit that I'm better parking on the left hand side than the right. On a good day, a very good day, when my spider senses are heightened - and I'm being very stubborn as in 'I will park in that blooming place' - I can get the car in such a small space that I have to walk sideways to get past the car and onto the path!! Only if it's on the left though........

Ha! And ater all that ranting, I've just looked back at the picture and there it looks like I'm parked on an aforementioned landing strip - I forgot to mention that during the day, when everyone is at work, there is lots of space to park.............. ;-)

A Few of My Favourite Things (UK) Swap

On Saturday I recieved my swap parcel from Faerynuff. I am absolutely thrilled to bits with the gifts she sent me! Thank you so much! The bag is crafted by Faerynuff, and is so 'me'! In the bag was two balls of Regia Sock yarn that I can't wait to cast on! Also a set of DPN's, a book of Knitting with a small charm on the page marker, a set of sock shaped point protectors, a set of purple flower buttons made by Incomparble Buttons and a packet of green and purple glass beads!!

So you can see why I'm thrilled to bits with it! The Swap was organised by Moonmamma on the A few of my favourite things forum on Ravelry. Thank you again, Faerynuff!

Shawls, cloths and mittens!

I've done a fair bit of knitting over the last couple of weeks, mainly because I've had Urticaria and not been able to go to work. Good job I've got a stash! These mittens are Noro Cash Island and soo soft - much recommended yarn. Not that I brought some more to do more gloves, scarves and hats. Ahem. The pattern is taken from the Noro Mini Designs - a very useful book! I still find mittens difficult to wear but I shall persevere!

I started making my first shawl on Wednesday at Knitterati, in between eating loads and loads of cake! The yarn is Noro Kureyon Sock Yarn, done on 5mm circulars. The pattern is from Lionbrand - easy triangle shawl, I think. I must say, I am very pleased with how it is coming along, although the rows now are getting a bit long, if you know what I mean! A friend has done this shawl and she said she got up to a bout 300 stitches per row! I think I may have kickstarted a 'shawl thing' in me, although I'm still getting a sock calling.....

Over Halloween Weekend, I wanted to do some themed cloths, so this is what I came up with. The patterns I got from Ravelry. The pinky purple one has a bat on it and the orange has a pumpkin. They would look better in single colour, but this is the nearest I had!

I've also made a Grrlfirend Market Bag - and used it! It's quite surprising how far they do stretch. I will make more, as they look good and are well worth the effort. Unfortunately I forgot to take a picture, so for now You shall have to take my word for it!

I'm sure I've made other things........ oh yes! Not one pair of Fetchings, but two! The first pair I used Debbie Bliss Donegal Aran Tweed, which was a little too chunky, and have been pinched by HobbitKeeper, along with a promise of a black pair for work. For the second pair I used Jaegar Merino. It gave a much better finish and more noticeable picot edging. This pair I put in a Ravelry Swap parcel. I may make myself another pair, but then again I may make some with fingers in as it's that time of year where my fingers need to be warm! No doubt come spring, I will have a veritable collection of gloves and mittens, with and without fingers!