Rainy Day Post

I love summer, I love the opportunity to soak up warm sunshine on my face. I love the days when we can picnic by the river or dip my toes in sea water at my favorite beach. I even love warm sandwiches, eaten with tea from a flask and a nice piece of leftover cake from Sunday lunch. I love watching Ella and her friends pier jump over and over again and Ezra crawl in the grass and maybe eat some daisies while he's at it. I wish the sun would shine for three whole months while school is out. 

But this is Ireland, beautiful green Ireland where we have plenty of rainy days to maintain the jewel green landscape i do so love.
So instead of moaning today and feel bugged at the rain I decided to finish a baby bag, read some of my new book (it's almost done), crochet a wee bit more on my latest mandala (pattern from Red 
Agape) a wonderful blog.......... and munch on a simple cupcake accompanied by an extra large coffee.
I'm loving mandalas at the moment, guess it's because crochet is generally slow for me, but I can hook up a mandala in a day or two if I'm not too busy. I love to see results, I love having something new to look at and show off. I love wondering where to put them, will I use them on a cushion or will I put a pretty photo frame on them. Cushions I think, I adore cushions, lots of them, sweet, colorful, soft cushions.

The rain has stopped so we might go for a walk, needing those steps, am a slouch these days. Hopefully the rain holds off, a good stretch of the legs is a must.
Wishing you all a wonderful week, praying for sunshine, loving the lazy summer holiday time despite the weather and looking forward to catching up on my fav blogs
Loads of Love Karen xxxxxx

Yep Blanket Finish At Last

I DID IT, at long last I actually finished this blanket. Started it way back HERE, quite a while ago!!! I began in colours I liked, but got a bit bored with them, so added a few I wasn't too sure about & bang that was it, I put it away cause I really DID NOT like it at all. I wasn't bothered frogging back and taking the yuk out of it, it was just plahhhhh!!!!
A few months ago however I fished it from the bottom of a much neglected crochet basket and dove right in rip it, rip it, rip it........out they came, gross horrible colours (not really, they just didn't suit the original palette). I cracked on slowly but surely, determined not to consign it again to the shady abyss of crochet basket land.
Until one day (yesterday actually) I stitched in the last loose strand of yarn. Hey heyyyyyyy I'm a happy cookie, a real sense of accomplishment. I'm not in love with the blankie or anything like that, but I do love that I finished it and I do love the fact that I didn't waste it. I think I'll keep it tucked away, save it as a gift for a friend or I know one things for sure, when Lauren sees it....."oh mom PLEASE can I have it". Couldn't think of anyone who will love it more.

Then there's this...........

Saw this blanket on this beautiful blog and started another. I think I began this about a year ago, so now that the pastel wavy one is completo, I can hook to my hearts content & finish this. I want to do at least 5 by 5 squares, 25 in all, I'm on number 14, so a wee bit to go yet. I could conceivably do one a day, but I KNOW ME.......that won't happen. But I will work away at a leisurely pace, I'll enjoy it, stitch by stitch and I, with great excitement, will tah dah the finished throw, which I will absolutely LOVE.
Crochet is a pleasure at the moment, the weather is lovely and outdoor hookery is a must. I do love to soak up every bit of sun we get, Ireland isn't exactly known for its sunshiney days, so I insist on making the most of it. I'm desperate for more, praying for weather favour, longing for it, and adoring it when it's here. Today it's here, tomorrow, who knows!!!!!!!

The weekend has begun and I'm in a relaxing mood.
I'm in the mood for family, friends, a picnic by the lake on Sunday after church, good food, elderflower cordial, a swim (maybe), grandson love and movie or two in the evenings.
Hope yours is lovely too
Loads of love Karen xxxxxxx

REALLY LAZY SUMMER

The title sums up my life right now. I've called it lazy but really it's a serious lack of energy. I've been super busy for the last month between Ezra minding, house, and fund raising I feel wacked. I started grandson sitting when Lauren went back to work in April.....seriously how in God's name did i do this full time with four kids. Must have had super powers back then......def lost them though. Ezra is a super sweet lil guy, always happy, always hungry and always on the go. He started to crawl a month ago and boy has he gained mega speed in that time. He is into everything.......EVERYTHING hahaha!!!!!! It's so enjoyable but so tiring. You know I think I'm just really unfit, I need to get my act together and start walking again....at least. That's def why i feel so sluggish. I've been a lazy sod. I'm so unfit .....oh for a shot of energy.

I have managed to do a few wee bits, a new cushion and a few more in process. I have an order for three baby bags, I will make those bags. Oh I am so determined to get it going again, I'm tired of feeling tired. I want to sew, to paint, to crochet, to clean my house properly hahaha!!!!! That's bad isn't it. Send me some strength through the net PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!

Soooooo what to blog about besides moaning in your ears. I started painting recently, for the first time in almost thirty years, yep thirty years. Shocking how quickly life passes by. I read an article recently about living your life to the fullest, you know the whole having no regrets, all the things you'd wish you'd done kind of article.....OH PLEASE.....I'm just about doing what I need to do. But the painting thing, for years I promised myself "I'm going to paint", so now I've started. I'm real glad too, it feels like I'm doing something I should do. Bet we all have those thing, like this one........... I used to play clarinet in an orchestra in my teens, used to love it, then didn't, then stopped. I'd love to play again.......but those clarinets, they are expensive hmmmph. So maybe not to be, but I will paint again and again and again.

Oh lookie here....... Ella, my super delicious youngest daughter, and her super amazing friend Yvonne, have just created this..........

Now that's seriously DELICIOUS Mmmmmmmmm. Cuppa tea and a nice fat slice, resuming fitness tomorrow heh heh.
Truly though, I need to do this, exercise and healthy eating...for the most part :)

Well that's my evening offering, my kind of RANT, my getting my act together talking to.
Wish me luck
Thanks for listening
Loads of love Karen xxxxxxx

What Do I Love More

I actually can't decide whether I love or like crochet more than I love or like sewing. For now I love both. I've gone between one to the other for weeks, and am blissfully happy. I don't mean that everything is bliss but right in the middle of life's problem, the valleys and lows, the day to day, the losses, the confusions.......there is this. A place to put away the things that seem to tug your heart way too harshly, even if its just for a few hours. I consider myself blessed and fortunate to have a talent or knack for this kind of work. It really does bring light and contentment when situations beyond your control are far too willing to make life seem bleak. Blessed indeed, that's how I feel.

Then there's the days when Ezra is here.......need I say more. I thought it didn't get any better than when I became a mom to four beautiful girls .....he came along, the son of my beautiful girl. I smile at everything he does. He just got his first tooth, how did I forget how devastatingly cute that tiny first tooth is, its a tooth, but an amazing wee tooth, I know, cheesiness overload .......yeah!!!
Ezra started to crawl, he followed me yesterday as I vacuumed the hallway. No fear, just fascinated by this "strange noisy potential toy".
Lauren put a video of him on instagram, sitting in front of the washing machine, watching the spin cycle.....my heart melted. Why are babies so heart meltingly wonderful.

I guess life is always ups and downs, and though the not so nice bits are just that....not so nice, the joy of family, the pure pleasure of making something others look at and say "Karen , I love it ", the giddyness I always feel in my stomach when my lovely man walks in the garden gate & i see him through the window, far outweighs the things that would attempt to steal my joy.

How nice it is just to put this in words, feels more permanent, more real and makes me realise that I have so much to be eternally grateful for.

I'm off to enjoy some star trek time....voyager....yep I like star trek.....all of them.
I'll probably crochet too, blankets doing well, growing...........
Hope you enjoy your evening too.......however you spend it
LOVE AND BLESSINGS KAREN xxxxxxxx

Somethings old & Somethings new

Hello again.
What a week I've had. I've discovered some of the most beautiful blogs that I had never seen before.....they now have pride of place in my list alongside some blogs I've loved FOREVER. Some of the new discoveries are sewing blogs, some are crochet. I recently read its best to stick to one main sort of theme when blogging.....for the life of me I can't seem to choose. I love so many different things,grandson love, sewing, crochet, baking, eating my baking heh heh, painting (recent addition), etc etc.....so i guess my theme will be things I'm in love with!!!!!
So just want to share a few new makes & a few old makes from my blog break, also a crochet make that i started before the break and have a renewed passion for. I do solemnly swear to finish it completely within two weeks......

While i was away from here I had really lost interest in all of this, just couldn't seem to feel any kind of passion at all. Thank God its all come back. All my life I've loved to create, it was like a great big gaping hole in my heart, a weird feeling. Guess I could call it my BLUE PERIOD or something like that......ach..... sounds too dramatic!!!!!!
I'm just glad to be here again ....really glad. I've been inspired by your blogs, so big thanks to my fav creative people & to those I've yet to discover. I love your work, your style & your willingness to inspire people like me.

Hope you all have the best weekend, praying for amazing weather and new & fresh ideas
See you soon
Karen xxxxxxxx

Making Stuff Again

Hi again......Wow two posts in two days, guess I have a lot of catching up to do. Seriously, now that I've made the decision to get back in the blogging saddle again I feel soooo good. I'd forgotten how this place of bloggy prettinesses can get you out of the every day into a space of...hmmmmm.....not sure of the right word, but its like a form of escape from stresses & details & annoyances & the general mundane of day to day. Not that life is bad or anything like that, but my brain absolutely needs to feel part of a community or world where creating creative stuff is the aim, the focus, the centre. Do you know what I mean????

I browsed for far too long last night, in fact my fingers almost seized. So worth it though!!! Found some mega cute blogs I'd never seen before & caught up with some I've missed like a favourite teddy I thought I'd lost.

I also decided to get a new look, I found a very lovely simple template for my space on Etsy, felt I needed to have someone who knew what they were doing pretty this place up. It feels a bit like .....who remembers the movie "Calamity Jane"......well the scene when the new girl comes to stay and gives the old shack a makeover.....a womans touch....in this case a grafic "know how" person's touch. Can't wait!!!!!!! Should be done in a day or two.

So a little catch up.....besides being a granny now.......post. I'm gonna drive you nuts with Ezra images.......but not today. He is my new obsession :). I've been trying to start a wee online business with "of course" a baby theme......diaper bags, name cushions & a quilt or two. The blog will be my vetting place, where I can hopefully get feedback or helpful advice on whether this stuff will take off or not. But most of all because I love seeing the work produced by the many, many talented hands in the arena. I hope you'll enjoy mine & my ranting & strange Irish sense of humor (when it surfaces).

Oh man the photos are a wee bit fuzzy, probably because they're off my phone. Def time to dig out the camera :)

Well, its Saturday......"do nothing day", except blog posting, maybe bake some brownies, I'm in a kinda chocolate mood, does that happen to anyone else, I know I'm not alone in this....?????? Chocolate is without a doubt one of my very bestest friends, sweet always, never changes and only sometimes makes me feel bad, not very often though!!!!!!

So my friends have a wonderful weekend, be bright, be hopeful & if that's not happening for you take a seat, pull out a crochet hook or needle & thread or a paint brush (thats something else I've tried my hand at recently) or if all else fails i like to watch a few snippets of Michael McIntyre on You Tube (the more appropriate snippets OF COURSE) he does make me laugh and as we all know laughing and sore ribs are the best of medicine

Loads of Love Karen xxxxxx

Ezra Daniel

Goodness me, how long has it been........far too long. I've found myself longing for this space again. Life seems to have gotten far too busy and out of focus. I feel I've strayed a long way from working with my hands. But no longer.....its time to go back to some of my real joys, making things I love, writing a post, interacting with blog friends I've lost contact with and browsing endlessly on your pages. I think the last time I posted was just after my daughter's wedding. A great memory and a happy, happy day. Now two and a half years along and I have the giddy excitement of introducing you to my grandson......Ezra Daniel. I'm soooooooin love it's not funny. He's too wonderful for words and right in the centre of our lives. Say hello.......

Just had to show him off. Will be back really soon. Love & hugs Karen xxxx