Santa's Little Elf

Hello everyone. How are you all? Anyone still snowed in? We have been in a tiny pocket of the country that didn't get much snow at all. We got about 2cm but LOTS of ice which has made my journeys to work interesting, traveling sideways down our country lane when you started out pointing forwards!

 I am sorry I haven't written a proper post for a while but I have been a busy girl working an enormous amount of hours producing my new brochure for work and organising our big Christmas events which this year included, visit from Santa, Children's pottery painting day, buffet for 90 people, a Swing Band and so on, but also trying to get some Christmas presents ready for family and friends.

So you lovely people, shall I show you what I have been up to?

I went to my friends studio to do some glass fusing and made some decorations for the Christmas tree.

I love how different they are when they come out of the kiln, all smooth and tactile.

Don't they like boiled sweeties?

I also did some copper foiling to make some more stars for the window............

..................and some mirrored tea-light holders for presents. They twinkle so nicely when you light the candles, it shows the jewel like colours so beautifully.

Candle light and stained glass is an amazing combination.

And so to the softer side of my life.......... I have been crocheting my socks off over the last couple of weeks (I should be knitting those scrummy socks for my niece really, but I needed some instant wooly gratification.) Crochet is sooooo much quicker than knitting. I get such a kick out of making something in an evening rather than it taking weeks. I have mostly been making presents but I have had to make some other bits and bobs for myself too as it has been flippin brass monkeys outside!

A Queen Anne scarf for my Mum using the yarn I bought ages ago. I used this pattern from Ravelry it was written by a very clever guy and is available for free. It took one and half evenings to make and really shows the beauty of the colours in the yarn. I liked it so much I made this one for me ......

It's such a therapeutic pattern to do and is one of the most enjoyable patterns I have every used.

I felt I was neglecting my niece's socks (which made me feel like a bad Auntie) but I wasn't ready to start up on them again, so I made her another Martha Cowl for Christmas. This is another freebie Ravelry pattern that is so quick and easy to do.

 This is the pattern I used for her birthday in this post and according to my sister she has been wearing it ever since. I think she may appreciate a different colour and texture. I wish I had taken a photo of the yarn before I made it. I was very tweedie hence the name Sidar Tweedie!!! Clue is in the title. It has a gorgeous texture and a really cosy feel. The do a really lush blue one

 which I think I may have to treat myself to. I am such a pain when I start making gifts, they really bring out a selfish side I didn't know I had! I just don't want to give things away I want to keep them for me ....... mine I tell you ...... mine ....... mine. I come over all Gollam. My precious! Theives and Bagginses. I may have just taken that a little too far but you get the idea. 

To satisfy the Smeegle side of my personality I made myself a hat last night.

Oh boy oh boy it's cosy! I LOVE IT. It's Stylecraft Aran in Blue Haze which is navy but has a lovely fushia tone to it. Yes you guessed it, it was another Ravelry freebie pattern. I had to alter the pattern slightly by putting in another 3 rows one puff stitch row and one double crochet row and one more decrease row to get the right amount of slouch to the back. The puff stitches are great and give a lovely effect.

 I'll show you in a Wayne's World type extreme close up.......

Aren't the pufftastic???? Sorry about all the shadows in the photos today the light is so wrong for photos indoors.

This afternoon Mr TB is working and the littlies want to play on the Wii so I think I am going to try making a Lacey Infinity Scarf by Beth Attwood this pattern isn't a freebie but it cost $2.00 so hey I call that a bargain! I am making it to match my new hat. I will show you the result in my next post.

Whatever you are all doing I hope you enjoy the rest of your weekend. xxxxxx