dottyspots

My Peculiar Aristocratic Title is: Duchess Nicola the Fifteenth of Nether Wombleshire Get your Peculiar Aristocratic Title

LOL! As seen on various blogs on the blogring (not sure who started it).

Happy New Year everyone!

Tonight, in Oaxaca (Mexico) it is the Night of the Radishes, where you can see such wonders as this (apparently the Dios del Maiz or Corn God):

More pics, here and here. Well, it appeals to me as a festival anyway :0)

A couple of photos we had taken recently (not including Erk as he’s at school full-time - his choice).

… having (for a change) found someone to look after the children for the day - well, Ned came with me, but almost all the children.

It was really nice pottering about with a friend, looking in various shops. I bought a nice present for my Mum in Kindom (and admired the glass that I’m hankering after to go in the living room if we get planning permission to extend) and looked in a great shop of retro/customised clothing (my friend is looking for an *interesting* wedding dress). We had a late lunch at El Piano, bought some books (as listed in the previous post) and a funky hairbrush for Nin (to try to encourage her not to insist of ‘wild thing’ hair ) I managed to find two nice v-neck light wool jumpers (I’m a bit low on the top front as my size keeps changing atm - post baby an’ all that). Nice to have a quiet day out with some good conversation and a bit of (mostly window) shopping

I’ve knitted two sweet rose corsages and have also finished the matching mittens for the balaclava I made for Ned, so will get some pics up of those when I remember to transfer the photos onto the PC.

… and a few more books.

I bought a few books (always a good thing). The first, The Knitter’s Handy Book of Sweater Patterns: Basic Designs in Multiple Sizes and Gauges is fab! It lists basic jumper and cardi styles but in multiple guages - so rather than buy the yarn for the project, you can make from the yarn you have. Patterns are listed in multiple sizes (from child through to large adult). It’s great - I’d heartily recommend buying it!

Next on the list is a bit of eye-candy, Childhood Treasures: Handmade Gifts for Babies and Children. It’s beautiful to look at and some lovely ideas, but some of it caters more to my ‘fantasy home life’ rather than any sort of reality. Mind you, I did note some Haba wooden toy food that I sell in my toy shop pictured in the book I plan to sit down again with a cup of coffee and enjoy dreaming over it again some time this afternoon!

Although nothing particularly new if you have a few pattern books - I do like the colourways chosen for Great Knitted Gifts and have already earmarked a couple of ‘must-make’ patterns.

This one’s purely functional. I keep thinking about having a bash at dye-ing and it seemed a good basic book to start with: The Fabric and Yarn Dyer’s Handbook

I also bought a selection of Julia Donaldson (illus. Axel Shaeffler), some of which are showcased (along with the various books mentioned above) at my A store, all of which come very recommended!

You Are A Maple Tree

There’s not anyone in this world quite like you. You are full of imagination, ambition, and originality. Shy but confident, you hunger for new experiences. You have a good memory and learn easily. You are sometimes nervous and always complex (especially in love).

Shy? Nervous? Would anyone who knows me ‘in real life’ like to comment on this?

Your Christmas is Most Like: A Charlie Brown Christmas

Each year, you really get into the spirit of Christmas. Which is much more important to you than nifty presents.

Right, this is a bit wierd. I’m not known for my Christmas spirit - well, for a start, I’m more Yule orientated - but I do get very peed off with the over-commercialism of it all and would prefer it if more people got into the true spirit of Christmas (peace on Earth, love for one’s fellow people an’ all that). Anyway, I see a blog quiz, I can’t resist. This one was first seen at: I Think You’re Bonkers.

… listening to the Sonics (Louie, Louie) - oh no, just moved on to Green Onions - and waiting for dinner to cook (some sort of mix which FIL brought back from India, saying it’s nice).

I’ve knitted Ned a cat hat, but it’s a bit short (could’ve done with a few more rows before shaping) and a couple of the rows are a little tight (intarsia - not one of my favourite techniques - I carried some of the yarn a la fairisle and pulled a bit tight, but it’s not that noticeable).

One of the nice ladies in the wool shop in town photocopied me a pattern for a balaclava, so I’ve been making one of those for him instead - which has been *interesting* as it’s a rather old pattern and I’m using an entirely different yarn (pattern specifies 3ply, I’m using DK) but still, it’s making for a quick and easy knit. I’ve decided to stripe it in chocolate and blue to ‘update’ it a bit and I’m hoping it might be an answer to the hat-throwing problem (that’s common to most small children). Should it fit I’ll make some matching mitts and a scarf (and feel all smug). I’ll take some photos when the balaclava is done.

Ned’s still not entirely 100% and isn’t eating up to usual standard, which means he’s still a bit runny. Bfeeding such a boon when a baby has gone off solids a bit - although he does like toast (but man cannot live by bread alone, an’ all that )

The nursery paperwork came through a couple of days ago (because I thought I might as well apply to keep our options open). TBH though I don’t want Nin to go. It’s confirmed in my heart that I want her to be HE-ed from the offset and further confirmed that I really must learn to drive if I’m to have a hope of doing half the things I want to do with her (and Ned). I’m going to have a word with the toddler group parents to say that either we change Tuesdays or they find someone else to open up/organise on that day as I really want to start getting over to Sheffield a bit more regularly (well, at all, as I haven’t been of late). It’s a pity Bradway isn’t still running as that would’ve been a bit easier, I think, than Highfields (as I’ve got littlies).

Nin was also offered a further day at pre-school/playgroup with a view to going 5 sessions later on in the academic year, but she’s not going to go any extra days, two is quite enough with everything else we do in the week - sometimes it’s seems like I’m an everywhere-but-stay-at-home-mum!