The Best Laid Plans of Mice and Jen...

As Tuesday progressed, my will to be dragged around Porthkerry park with a list of things to be creative about (which I feel stifles my creativity anyway) wained, and as I'm working lates next week I won't be there to have my creativity critiscised, and after last weeks 'lesson' I was extremely unsure about the class anyway, so excuses made, we didn't go.
We did play around in the garden and take too many photographs of our Japanese Cherry Blossom, that is losing its blossoms thick and fast for this year.
One of my wishes for the garden, is that this tree blossoms throughout summer, its so beautiful for a few weeks in spring, then its gone for a year.
I feel a crafty project coming on here...

I'm really enjoying knit club on Wednesdays, and last night GypsyDancer was able to patiently tell me what I was doing with my crochet, and what I'd done wrong.  By the end of the week, I'll be able to join the freeform CAL on Rav with some confidence that I know what the instructions mean!

The Baby socks for my sisters baby (Due today) are almost done, the blanket, socks and hat will be posted Saturday. 
This project has felt a little odd, as I've never met this sister (loooong story for another time) and I don't know her tastes or anything about her yet.  Fingers crossed she'll like them though.

WonderWool Wales 2010

Meet Clop the Goat

I convinced hubby that this would be an invaluable opportunity to take lots of photographs so that he'd come with me to WonderWool, and although he barely got his camera out, he seemed to have a fantastic time, looking for a dark "boy" coloured yarn for me to knit up a phone cover with. 



He didn't find one he liked, but agreed that a trip to the haberdashery dept of John Lewis was in order.
I don't know if I conned him, or he came to that conclusion himself - but Result! :)

My purchases consisted of a lovely creation of GypsyDancer, (can't say too much about that yet as its a gift for someone who may read this) and 2 Spinning Batts.  Well thats what it says on the bag, I don't know what they are called really.  Hand died, merino, soft as heavens clouds in Lilac and Lime. 
Purchasing a spindle did not go so well.  I could only find three stalls selling them, one was selling pine, very basic models, another selling Turkish spindles which looked a little confusing, and a third guy putting on the hard sell, whose spindles were made of ebony.
I'm not an expert, but I know some types of ebony are endangered and I didn't feel comfortable to ask this guy about his sources.
Etsy it is for Spindles!

A lovely day out, I would recomend this to all, yarn-fondlers or not.  Next year I'll probably camp and go both days (after remortgaging the house and selling a leg to pay for yarn), lets make it a party?

On the way home, Erwood Craft Centre for a lovely brew and a nosey at the lovelyness there.  They now sell spinning yarn too, coloured by one of the WonderWool exhibitors who I was gutted not to be able to buy from (hence selling the leg next year), I'll be going back there when I have my spindle to purchase some Blue-Faced Leicester trimmings :)

Follow on from Tography

The only girl in the room, and one of the only two under 70, I felt a little out of place at the course I went to last night.

I think the level of the course, and the speed of learning may be a little below what we are looking for.  More of a hobby course than anything serious.  The teacher is using, and seems to swear by a bridge camera, (and seemed a little put off by my 50D) which makes me worry that he won't be able to answer my DSLR queries fully.  The class has been together a while, and have a lot of in-jokes and don't seem to serious about learning anything new. 
A lovely bunch of people, who seem to have a lot of fun, but not learn a thing.

Hubby and I are giving it another go next week, as its a practical session.  We'll decide then if its worth the money/time/stress of travelling so far on a school night - I think I have already given up, my NYIP course is so much more detailed and aimed at the level I need - my tuesday nights would be better served doing that and my own practical sessions, particularly at this time of year.

Codi Leigh

Codi Leigh

This is my newest neice Codi Leigh, the first time I met her at 10 weeks old. I got many shots with some fantastic expressions, but none smiling! My Dad was too excited to let her sleep long enough - Men!
I instantly fell in love with her regardless, and she seemed very interested and not worried by the camera at all (although she irked and complained about being put in pink frills, I think we have a tomboy on our hands).