WIPS Wednesday

So at the beginning of the month I had grand plans to blog everyday in May with Cate but then I feel off the wagon big time. I went great for the first week and then the weekend came around and our weekends are BUSY so I thought to myself no worries, I'll just skip the weekend and then Monday came and I had sick kids at home for most of the week and then I had a huge to do list to get through and blogging was on the bottom of that list so another weekend went by and well I decided that blogging every day was a bit to much to expect of myself. Maybe 3 times a week is a more realistic goal considering I've also got posts to write for ASWC and so many other things that take up my time. 

And honestly, lately I'd rather be crocheting than blogging... Sorry!

Anyway, back to the point of what I was originally blogging about. And that's my WIPs, I have so many but I thought I would share my current once. 

Of course I am still working on my ASWC Crochet Along blanket. It's almost finished by the way! 

And then there is my gifts for the Gnome Swap

My swap needs to be sent in the next fortnight so I'm hoping to get it all finished this weekend. 

Then I might get to work on a few other WIPs I have sitting around... 

I'm linking up over at ASWC

The week that was

1. Ollie the poser
2. Back to school baking
3.My Granny has been knitting for the new baby
4. I pulled out all my scrapping supplies and did a few new pages for my scrapbook. I'm sharing them over at ASWC soon.
5. We are finally back at soccer training after a long break for the holidays
6. I finished the babies blanket
7. Ethan was less than impressed by our Sunday morning soccer games
9. I made a huge stack of burp cloths for the baby
10. Ethan's crochet blanket is getting bigger.

Winter Sunshine

This morning I packed some food and herded the kids out the door with their soccer balls and I took along my crochet. We were destined for the outdoors out of necessity as B is on nightshift at the moment and I needed them out of the house so he could sleep.

But what started out as necessity turned into a very very very pleasant morning spent in the winter sunshine. The kids ran around, played soccer and explored all without ANY fighting and I sat in peace with my crochet and well, simply enjoyed the peace and quiet.

There was no one else at the 'lake' the whole time we were there as well, so it really was just us and the birds.

They are all having quiet time now and I'm going to have a cuppa and do that same before the afternoon madness starts.

WIPS Wednesday

It's school holidays here so the crafting has been minimal, but my most recent WIPs seems to be crocheted blankets. I ran out of wool for the blanket I was making for the baby so decided to start the one pictured above.

I'm hoping it won't be a WIP for long!

Crochet Along Update aka Amy's awful eyesight...

The crochet along has been going on for over a month at ASWC and so many people have made great progress on their blankets. Me, not so much.

I am only 4 rows in. Sad I know! The thing is my I recently found out I was long sighted and that is why all hand work has been a painful experience for me lately. My eyes were getting tired really really fast and I was ending up with awful headaches ALL. THE. TIME.

So I have always been putting it off because I knew that the headaches and sore eyes would be coming not long after I started.

I had my eyes checked a few weeks ago and received a call the other day to say that my glasses are still a few weeks away (the beauty of living in a remote location!) So crochet and me won't be buddies again until my glasses arrive.

And then I can also finish a few more projects that require some hand sewing! Yay!

Do you wear glasses? When was the last time you had your eyes checked? Do you crochet?

ASWC Crochet Along Progress

Or lack thereof...

Crochet and me, we have a troubled relationship. I have finally got me head around the concept of it, but I still struggle with it.

It is also slow going, so bets are on that when this crochet along winds up, I won't even be half way through my blanket. It will also be full of mistakes.

But as I was sitting down and doing my first row of double crochet today I think I came to peace with that fact. I mean who cares if there are mistakes in it? I am making this blanket for myself and no one else. It will also be my first ever crocheted blanket, no one is going to expect it to be perfect. I should have probably used a smaller hook too, but hey you only learn from your mistakes...

So I am just going to keep on keeping on, mistakes and all.

Are you crocheting along too?

ASWC Crochet Along

 So I am finally going to finish a crochet project that I start. At least that is what I am telling myself at the moment!

You see, Tonya aka The Crafty Mummy is hosting a Crochet Along over at And Sew We Craft and it starts today.

I have my yarn picked out and my crochet hook ready and I am pumped for some couch crafting but first I need to wind these skeins into balls, FUN!

The timing of this crochet along actually works out well as we have a few long drives in the next few weeks so it will make for the perfect car craft. Yipee!!

Will you be joining in?

Making

This week has been a bit of a mixed bag craft wise.

I've done some sewing for the kids quilts

I've been crocheting- I started to make a simple stripe blanket

but I put that on the back burner and decided to just focus on some dish cloths first. That seems like a much easier project for my skill level!

I've painted and then let the kids take over my project with some coloured buttons. 

It's not finished yet though.


I even had time for some stitching!

What did you get up to this week?

Learning.

This year I really wanted to learn some new skills and one of those skills was crochet. I really really want to learn how to crochet. I have been trying to teach myself for about 2 years and it is just something that I can't do. I always get annoyed at myself and give up. Then try again a few months later, it is a revolving cycle of frustration.

But since I noticed the Crochet Ripple A Long going on over at One Crafty Mumma I have had a renewed passion to give it another go!

 I have been watching You tube video after You Tube video,

I ordered some new wool,

dug out my crochet hooks and well I have chained 199 stitched and pulled them out repeatedly.

I've chained another 199 stitched and tonight once the house goes quiet I will be tackling that first row of stitches... again.

Wish me luck!

Piquing my Pinterest

This week my Pinterest Pins have been pretty much all about crochet. It is something I have been trying to teach myself for the past 12 months, but I always throw my hands up in the air and give up.

Well, that is no more! My new blog will be going live this week and the first crafty challenge I am setting for myself is teaching myself to crochet. I figure if I do it publicly and have people follow my journey, then I will at least get one project finished!

Here are just a few of my 'Learn to Crochet' pins... I went a little pin crazy again!

Source: tipjunkie.com via Amy on Pinterest

Source: easymakesmehappy.blogspot.com via Amy on Pinterest

Source: sixinthesuburbsblog.blogspot.com via Amy on Pinterest

Source: innerhooker.bigcartel.com via Amy on Pinterest

Source: olavas.blogspot.com via Amy on Pinterest

Source: creativejewishmom.com via Amy on Pinterest

Can you crochet? Or do you think it is a skill best left to your Nana?

I am linking up with Tina from Tina Gray {dot} me for Piquing My Pinterest and Natasha from 5 Minutes Just For Me for Pinning and Singing.

My creative space...

So as you may or may not have read, we a busy planning our holiday that is happening in just two short weeks. For part of our holiday we will be staying with my Nanna, aka the crochet extraordinaire in the family, so I have been stocking up on patterns and wool so I can exploit her talents whilst I am away. She is all excited by this because apparently none of my family that live near her care for her crocheted goodies, I have always told her we would love anything that she would like to send our way.

So I have stocked up on these books

and my wool pile is over flowing,

B has no idea I am planning on taking that much wool with me, but hey I figure I can smuggle it into the car!

Who taught you your crafty skills? Did you learn from your Grandmother/s and Mother? Did you teach yourself? I am majorly self taught, with a little input by my Granny and Nanna. My Mum can stand craft except maybe a little but of cross-stitch.

I am linking up with Our Creative Spaces today. Pop on over and bask in all the crafty glory!