Crafty goings-on...

How pretty are these stitch markers!? 

The only stitch markers I had before were these awful ugly plastic ones that kept catching on my knitting so I decided to look for something a little more pleasing to the eye and hopefully something that wouldn't have an opening for the yarn to snag on. I found these stitch markers here on Etsy for a brilliant price and they came in the post today. One of the cute little blue ones was put straight to use on my current knitting project.

I've been crocheting a little too.

I made up a couple of sweet little coasters that will be a present for a friend, well... they will help to make up the whole present anyway.

I had enough of the Debbie Bliss Cashmerino aran yarn to make up 3 coasters and one of them now has pride of place on my desk in the living room. :-)

The petals of the coaster look really pretty even when it is in use and you can't even see half of the coaster. I'm definitely going to be having a search through my little stash to see if I can find anymore aran yarn to make up a few more. I came across the pattern on Pinterest and here is the link for you.

Here's a little sneak peek of what I've been working on most recently for the little bubba that's due in December. I'd only tried knitting cables once before on a pair of hand warmers but this is the first time I've used them in knitting a garment and especially when there are so many of them! I made on mistake but I don't think it's tooo noticeable. You can also see one of my new knitting stitch markers in use, So pretty!

It's been one Busy day today so am definitely looking forward to my bed tonight, I'm going to attempt to catch up on some of my emails first though.

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(This was the bump just over a week ago)

A little photo round-up post...

I thought I'd just share a few photo's that I'd uploaded the other week of recent goings on around here before it's way too late... I just didn't get round to it before and I'm now running behind on things I need to share with you all.

Rose is getting bigger and bigger every day, she's starting to grow into those big feet of hers! She's now 19 months old and I'm 24 weeks pregnant with this little bubba, he's been kicking like a good'un lately!

We've been enjoying time outside when the weathers been nice, thank goodness we've finally had some sunshine!

The gardens looking... okay-ish! It took a bit of a battering with the awful weather we were having and now it's just been so dry. This wouldn't be such a big problem if I actually remembered to water the garden! Our little courtyard garden is so sheltered which is lovely most of the time because the wind never bothers us out there but the soil does tend to be quite dry as the rain just doesn't reach some parts of it very easily.

 I try not to do the watering when it really hot in the day but then when it comes to the evening I'm focused on sorting Rose out for dinner then bed, then our dinner... and then I just completely forget to go out and do the watering. Can I blame it on baby brain and the fact I have an awful memory at the moment!?

This is only a very small post as I'm currently writing another about my crafty makes at the same time... keep an eye out for the next post soon. :-)

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A cute little hat to match.

I've been enjoying my knitting over the past couple of weeks since I finished 'that blanket'. It's so lovely to have the freedom to get on with whatever I want to make now...

I used up the remaining Debbie Bliss Fez yarn from the booties I finished the other day and set to work on knitting up a little hat to match. You can find the pattern to the hat here, it's a lovely simple knit that came together really quickly because of the Aran yarn I was using.

I especially love the little tassel's at the top of the hat, I think they're going to look so so cute on a little boy.

I'm so glad this baby is due in the winter time as well, otherwise I'd be a lot more limited on the amount of knitted goodies I can put the baby in... I'm now working on a cute cable knit vest. I had to frog the little cardigan I was working on before, I went wrong on one of the increases and had gone to far with the mistake to make it worth only pulling back a few rows. Plus I hadn't paid proper attention to it being so diddy and I very much doubt it was going to be big enough for this baby... well maybe for a day or two!

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The highs sometimes comes with the lows...

Today started out as a lovely day, we were all up early. Ray and I took Rose to get her first Proper haircut, my Nan has given her hair a little trim once or twice when we've been back in Dorset (she's a hairdresser) but it really needed a good all-over neaten up as it all seems to grow at a slightly different rate. It was definitely a challenge to get her to stay still, I was glad to have had Ray with me to help distract her!

We went to Petworth house for the day to meet up with Ray's Mum and brother, even though it's only about half an hours drive from us I'd never actually been and it was such a perfect day to go with today's sunny weather. Ray's brother that we were seeing today lives up in Scotland, which means that Ray rarely gets to see him so I think they really enjoyed each other's company.

We had a little picnic in the grounds and then eventually went for a walk through the house. Rose had on her backpack with the reins attached so I had some control over where she went and she had a great time, walking through the rooms pointing at the statues and paintings on the walls... The poor people walking through the house were trying to have a quiet and peaceful visit to the house but there was no way I could quieten down Rose's squeals of delight! Oh well, at least she was happy and not crying eh!?

I've been doing a spot of baking... only some basic fairy cakes but they were pretty yummy! I think I'm probably eating way too much at the moment but currently I have such a big appetite and I'm not hugggee yet, so I think I'll just carry on enjoying a fairy cake or two..!

So after our lovely day out, we got home about 4pm. Ray had to pop out for a couple hours at 5pm which was perfectly fine as Rose had been brilliantly behaved so far today and was looking exhausted so I thought she might even go down for an early night! Ha! I wish... 

...The next 2 hours ended up being absolutely awful. Rose usually has a beaker of warm milk before I take her upstairs and she goes to sleep by herself. I've probably been really spoilt lately with how easy she goes to bed as this evening she refused to stay in her bed.As soon I left the room, banging on the door.. crying hysterically! I'm not used to her acting that way before bed so I kept going up to bring her back downstairs when all she did was cry and whinge, she was Definitely tired but just refusing to go to sleep! A sort of vicious circle really... as the longer I kept her downstairs to try and make her happy, the more upset she was when I eventually attempted to take her up to bed again.

So anywayyy... to cut a long story short. Ray came home just before 7pm and I had only just managed to get dinner ready. I've never felt so tired and drained of energy in all my life... it was as if my lack of tiredness these past few weeks had been saved up for tonight. I ended up sobbing in the utility room with the relief of knowing he was home to help with Rose. I'm never like that! It must be the pregnancy.... must be! 

But on a positive note! I saw the baby kick as well as feeling it this evening, I've only been feeling small fluttering movements recently but over the last couple of days the little guy in there has gotten really strong! It's so exciting and every time I feel the movements, I feel so ridiculously happy. :-) Even after an evening like I had!!

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Did anyone see.....?

On Tuesday night on BBC2 at 9pm it was the second episode of 'The Midwives', the episode was called 'Make me a Midwife'. 

I was absolutely glued to the TV. It was a refreshing change to watch instead of Channel 4's 'One born every minute' which in the last series, I thought tended to show only the really dramatic births or the the strange kinds of people that make good TV. It was also nice to watch on the BBC and not have a million advert breaks that keep interrupting the programme...

I definitely recommend watching it on BBC iPlayer if you get the chance... it was Such an interesting programme and made me even more sure that I want to be a midwife eventually. Although, I plan to be a stay at home Mum for a good while yet whilst I have my babies... I have a few years until it's too late and I have to start hurrying up anyway!

I'm going to try and get a little more knitting done this evening (this is what I'm working on at the moment) before I go to bed, I planned to get a whole load more done today but it just didn't happen one way or another!)

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A couple of finished items to show you...

Yesterday evening I finished sewing these little booties together whilst catching up with some of the Olympic action on my laptop... it felt like I was the only one who hadn't yet seen Jessica Ennis win her Gold medal. I don't know if it's because of my pregnancy hormones or not but I got quite emotional watching it! Very exciting. :-)

They are made with a Debbie Bliss yarn called Fez, which is an Arun wool so they knitted up really quickly. The pattern was one that was given to me by my auntie, I don't even know the name of the pattern though so can't share it I'm afraid. The booties look very cute indeed and are so soft and squidgy. That's one item finished for the little boy in my belly anyway..!

I haven't been getting much crafting done recently as I have been getting on with this blanket. I said yes to a friend of a friend when she asked me to make it for her but that was before I even found out I was pregnant and began to feel totally exhausted. 

So it's been a bit of a chore to work on as the colours aren't really to my liking and everything just kind of felt like it took a huge amount of effort to do, let alone crocheting a big blanket.

But it's now finished! :-)

I can't wait to hand it over and get working on a few projects for myself that I really want to start...

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Our 2nd wedding anniversary!

I had a lovely day on Tuesday as it was our 2nd year wedding anniversary. Considering we weren't Supposed to be 'doing' presents this year (we are trying to save our pennies for Ray's big GP exam and our little arrival due at the end of the year, not to mention that big occasion in December that tends to cost quite a bit of money....!) I was thoroughly spoilt! 

Not that I reallllyyy minded all that much though! ;-)

Ray had hinted that I had to stay in for a morning delivery of the floral kind, he couldn't get to the shops to buy some nice flowers due to work apparently... but when the doorbell went I was surprised to have the delivery man hand me one Huge box, I thought it must be one Huge bouquet of flowers! haha

But inside the massive box was This shiny new laptop! :D I will point out that my previous laptop was really on it's last legs and as well as the hinge being so broken that the screen couldn't be adjusted at all, there were  dodgy wires on show... (not great when you have a very curious toddler in your home!), you couldn't unplug it even for a minute and the fan was so loud that Ray would have to turn the TV up high just to drown out the noise! So it was only a matter of time before it died and we Had to get a new one... but Wow was it a great surprise as I had no idea Ray had even ordered it. :-) 

I'm sat here tonight,  laid back on the comfy sofa as the laptop stays alive without being plugged into the plug point at all times... and it's pretty much silent as the fan is So quiet on this laptop. I'm chuffed to bits with it as you can Probably tell! 

I didn't expect flowers after that extravagant gift but in the afternoon the doorbell went again and I was given these beauties! The lilies are just Stunning and fill the room with the most amazing scent - Thank you my lovely xXx

Ray really earnt his brownie points that day as then in the evening my friend had Rose to stay for the night and we went out for dinner, then to a show at the theatre, it was amazing and it just felt so great to be out for a night out together in the evening time!

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