Time flies when you are having fun! Have been busy with a holiday to Norfolk, my father in law having surgery and some 'sweatshop' work for daughter Lizzie who had a pile of appliqueing to do on one of her fabric designs - Mum was just the person to do it!
Went off to Norfolk thinking wellies and umbrellas but in actual fact had a lovely sunny week and had to go off and buy suncream. We (Tony, Hamish and I) stayed in a converted boatshed at the end of a broad, much entertainment outside as the big holidaymaker boats struggled to execute 3 point turns under the balcony. The boatshed was upside down with the bedrooms downstairs and the sitting room, kitchen and balcony upstairs. We had a relaxing time spent drifitng around - there were some lovely out of the way places - Horsey Mill and Waxham Barn that were absolutely delightful. We also had a trip on the Bure Light Railway - here is Hamish on the little train. The Shire Horse Sanctuary nr. Aylsham was wonderful, huge area to wander around in and lots of rescued animals - battery hens, alpacas (the wool would be wonderful!!), pigs, turkeys rescued from the 'bootifull' man - a lovely relaxed space to be in and a veggie cafe!
Back to the real world - the wool destash is going well, I am sending wool to all parts - Sweden, Germany, Holland, Denmark, Ireland and the UK, still got a lot but the pile is going down. I am making bags - a shopper/tote mainly from vintage fabrics, they are nice to use as a summer bag, for crafting or for shopping instead of the plastic handouts - they are fun - pink flamingos, strawberries, lighthouses, stripes and Harris Tweed. I have called them Tinshedbags as I want to keep the name going. Will get some pictures done and on line. I am knitting socks - of course and beach huts - did you watch Kirsty's Home Made Home? Mine are a bit bigger than the 'draught excluder' that was made for her and are more like cushions! They look quite good balancing on the back of the sofa. It was knitting group last week - I still don't think they 'get' me with my offbeat designs - still part of life's rich tapestry. My cousin Hil, who is a ceramicist, makes little knitted shoes that sells with her own design nursery set - porringer and mug, she is now making porcelain buttons - daisies and stars, when I lay my hands on some I will get them on here - she is down in Dorset but will hopefully be moving north to Derbyshire.
I am off down to Leicester again next week for Lizzie's graduate show. I had a demand for old deckchairs to recanvas - thank goodness for carboot sales! I want the vintage canvas that comes off though - lovely washed out stripes. Lizzie is replacing them with new printed canvas she has designed, she is keeping the wooden frames vintage not painting them. Looking forward to seeing the show!
I am busy choosing fruit trees for my orchard - planning on planting 5 trees (which is apparently an orchard) in the hen pen. The hen ark will hopefully be put up this week and I will get it painted - I thought wishy washy blue or pale green. Bit of fencing to do and I have told Tony I want him to pee around the perimeter of the hen pen as that keeps the foxes away and on that note I shall go - breakfast calling!

Being crafty and dotty

Here I am again blogging away! Lizzie has arrived home from Uni for a couple of nights bringing with her the 3m length of fabric she has been working on for sometime - she has designed the print, applied the print and is now embellishing which is where I come in - tomorrow is attaching day - lots and lots of little dots. Once it has been submitted I will put a pic on here of her work. She is in the final weeks of her degree and as yet no job!
I have had the needles clacking away making socks - here are some just finished made in Regia sock wool - it is lovely to knit with but makes you very lazy cos all you have to do is go round and round on the four needles. This pair and others are for sale on folksy.com along with other items - my little shop is called the tin shed and is full of crafty bits and pieces which are added to regularly. I have also made some cute little socks for a 3 month old in debbie bliss cashmerino, they are lovely - really soft and some birds in harris tweed. The teeny beanie is in rowan organic eco cotton - didn't like it very squeaky on the needles - I use lovely tasmanian oak needles. The hat is knitted from the top down so you start with the i-cord and then increase downwards on 4 needles giving a nice wheel effect on the crown of the hat.
The weather here on the Wold has been very foggy, very damp and dreek. The tractor has been in to cut the grass in the front garden - that is the job for Sunday raking it all up - hopefully it will be a bit drier by then. The Farmers Market is on this Saturday and I have been thinking about taking a stall there. Another lady has a stall doing crafty bits and pieces. The market is increasing in popularity and seems to attract quite a lot of visitors.
We have a bit of land at the side of the house and I am thinking (again) of hens. Didn't quite get round to hens on Harris - the hen house was built and ready, the hens just didn't arrive but I think we will get the bit of ground here hen proofed and go for it. I was thinking some Buff Orpingtons, some Aruacanas and some speckedly ones - maybe Scots greys. There is a breeder close by so will go along and see what he has at point of lay at take it from there. The hen house is still on Harris - Tony will have to get the hammer, nails and wood out and get going! Maybe the pheasants and partridges that live in the hedge will move in too!