Treasures.

Today Wonderful Man and I did our weekly trip to the recycling bank, (not very exciting!) This done, we were then free to do a spot of shopping, which has to include a little trip to the local charity shop (much more exciting). Now our local charity shop is tiny. And when I say tiny, I mean tiny! It must only be about 12'x12', but it's absolutely full to the brim. There is one path through the shop and you have to shuffle around it! If you bend over to look at something, you knock something else over with your bottom. It's that full, that you can't possibly see everything, so although the stock doesn't change a lot, a bit of poking around always reveals some treasure you've not seen before. Today's treasure was a set of encyclopedias for my WM and this very chintzy fabric for me. I just fell in love with the colours. I can see a couple of summery bags being made from this.

Then it was back to the car and a visit to the Wensleydale Longwool Sheepshop. I love this shop, it out in the middle of nowhere, attached to the farm where the Wensleydale sheep are kept, and it's lovely inside. I want to buy everything!

The wool has a fantastic lustre to it, and it's so soft. I controlled my spending, as Wonderful Man and Lovely Children will want to eat next week! I bought a ball of 4 ply wool, as I fancy crocheting this and then felting it in the washing machine.

Also to use when I'm hand felting, these beautiful dyed wool tops, they are so silky and long,

and this is why... they come from this curly fellow

I must share this charity buy with you too.

It's a beautiful table cloth, embroidered with a panel of flowers down the centre. There a flowers for each season.

winter
autumn
summer
spring

Now this cloth doesn't fit my table, and I don't really want to hide it away in a cupboard, only occasionally taking it out to stroke it and ooh! and aah! at it. So I have an idea brewing that I might make it into a roman blind for my kitchen door. This way it will constantly be on display. I'll be able to enjoy those embroidered blooms every evening when I lower the blind.
(Well, that's the plan anyway!)

AAARGH! EMAILS DOWN!

Lucy at Attic24, I have received your emails, thank you and I will reply. Just as soon as I can access my email account. They seem to be having problems as all I'm getting is an error page. AAARGH!

It Did!

the pennine way

Well, it decided in the end. ( the British weather) I woke this morning to a blanket of snow, and being new to the Dales, I felt duty bound to go out and record all this snowiness as best I could!

Looking down the Dale

they've spotted us!

Coming in for a closer look.

These sheep, far from being timid, came up for a closer look. It wasn't me they found interesting. No! It was sneaky dog who was the centre of attention! Sneaky dog was not happy about this and backed up against the wall, whimpering. What a big baby!

And talking of babies... lambs! Awww!

And then back home for a cup of tea and some toe toasting, in front of the fire!

Happy Easter.

Happy Easter to you all.

Birthday Bears

Here are two more tiny teddies. Birthday gifts for my daughters best friends. ( they're identical twins, hence two bears) But how to package them for posting?

Stitch them onto birthday cards!

Happy birthday girls! Love Fi x

Dipping My Toe

Well I thought it was about time I dipped my toe in the blogging pool. It looks so inviting! What a fabulous community of crafters and homemakers I've discovered since Christmas, when I accidentally came across blogs whilst searching for images of crotchet cupcakes! Yes I know that's an odd thing to search for, but hey! It keeps me off the streets!


Today the weather here in my part of the UK has been lovely, for a change. So I took the dog for a walk. When really I should have been finishing off some more of these little teddies.

We walked here...

and then we walked here...

and then we went home.