Snowy December and Makes

Apologies for the hiatus. I locked myself out of here then google complicated things by thinking I was my husband and wouldn't let me in with his identity (surprise surprise). I think because I don't have a mobile phone, it doesn't think I am a person in my own right! PAH! Anyway I am back, as myself, and still don't want one of those devices. You can't get a signal in a lot of the forest anyway, so it is useless to me.

Come for a walk with son and I in the Forest on December 10th. 

It was like Narnia with the White Witch in charge.

The only touch of colour in this photo is ochre in a puddle. The monochrome made you notice little details. 

A snow laden seed head. The little birds can't dig through the snow to find food.

This Robin befriended us on the walk. As a thank you for the photos, we scraped a patch of snow away so he could get to the ground for food in the soil. I wished I had had some meal worms in my pocket for him. 

Steam Mills Pond.

The chaffinches started coming into the garden when I scattered some grain as well as more on the bird tables.

One of my jackdaw regulars.

Robin.

Coal Tit

Great Spotted Woodpecker

My winter wonderland garden.

Blackbird

Heckle one of the 2 magpie regulars. Heckle gives me an early morning wake up call if there isn't food in the feeders. I think the 2 magpies rule this area. They certainly are the ones who warn about predators like cats, to the little birds. 

Great Tit

Sparrow

Even the woodpecker was grateful for a free feed of nuts.

These colours reminded me of the blue and white of Finland.

It looked like the pigeon was having an interesting conversation with the jackdaw while they waited to feed. It was a real joy to help out my feathered friends. I am hoping they will remember me when the aphids hatch. I will need their help in Spring to keep the garden nasties at bay.

Icicles on the bird water. I boiled more water to defrost the ice. It was appreciated. There were so few places to drink with puddles frozen over. 

2 of the hounds Dobby and Squeak playing in the snow.

It hasn't been all walks in the forest. I did get around to making things.

I set myself a goal to use up the remaining cotton yarn ball ends I had in stash. This pink dress was the first finish.

These socks were made years ago from Noro yarn but there was an incredible number of joins in the thread, that it made it hard to make the socks alike. Such a shame as it has put me off the very expensive Noro yarns. Anyway with snow on the ground hubby and I both put on thick socks and then laughed as they were from the same yarn. 

The Winter skies have had amazing colours. I often take photos for future inspiration. I hope they inspire you too. 

A bird themed bag for a friend. She likes to feed the birds too, so hopefully this will help her keep all her bird foods together and she can then carry them to her feeder without juggling them. 

A vegetable bag from white cotton crochet yarn. It will stretch to hold lots.

A little turquoise cotton beret for the one day box. 

Winter sunset. Love the colours!

Close up of the tree in the above pic. 

An elderly friend has yet to have a panic button which summons help if she falls, so I made a little leather bag for her phone which will make it lightweight for her to wear at all times until the button arrives. 

Bad pic of the pink tunic as above, but I made a blue cotton version of it too, using the yarn up in single crochet for the skirt. 

A pink cotton beret to match the tunic dress. 

Baby blue cotton booties. This i my fav bootie pattern. 

Moss stitch pink and lilac cotton bonnet for a child. 

Da dar! My goal of using up the cotton yarn odd balls and ball ends was achieved! I have some unused navy cotton balls for larger projects left.

I wanted a friend to feel like angels were surrounding her, so I made this lap quilt from a craftsy pattern. 

I turned my attention to the acrylic DK stash.  I have a lot of odd balls and ball ends. I used up all the burgundy red on this set. I set myself a goal to use up all my acrylic DK odd balls by the end of 2018.

This isn't a make of mine but I had to share! When we moved in there was a tree stump which was 6ft high and huge, still alive but needed taking out. Son made this bowl from some of that lime wood! It needs some hand sanding still and oiling or varnishing. But how marvellous that a real something was made from a nuisance we inherited.  

These Cath Kidston toiletry bags were in a sale. It has been such a bird themed Winter, that they seemed perfect.

Nautical themed acrylic jumper for a 3-4 year old. I'm working on a red striped one at the moment. Every item means that little bit less of acrylic stash. 

Close ups of the inside of a new bag I made. The main fabric is grey stars on black but I used touches of red and black fabric here and there so it will look good with a red coat. 

Inner zipped pocket. I had to use the white selvedge edge then colour it in black sharpie and close black zig zag. Not the neatest, but it is on the inside of the bag.

The bag folds over to this shape. At the back is the pocket for my ipad. 

The front has a patchwork gusseted pocket for things like a glasses case. 

That reminds me- I needed new glasses. The past year the atmospheric lighting in the new cottage was useless for crafting in, so I have a couple of angle poise lamps and daylight simulation bulbs to work under. I was struggling though. My eyes felt permanently tired. When I went to the optician, it turns out I have gone from being conveniently short sighted to being inconveniently long sighted! 

PAH!

I dislike this growing old!

I can see to sew again though, which is a relief. 

This Snowmen Quilt from a Bunny Hill design was used to commemorated the days we had snow on the ground in December. It is my last "half blind" project. 

The gentle colours were inspired by the Winter in the Forest. 

That is my makings all up to date now. Hopefully productivity will improve with my new eyesight. 

 I'm currently working on some bags to tidy up the mish mash of bedroom bottles, hair decorations, essential oils, and make up. Yes more birds are involved and creams and blues. This Winter and end of Summer blues have become my favourite colours. There is a shade for every mood and atmosphere. Just look at the sky if you don't believe me!