By Helen

a cold and frosty morning….

The world seems to have had a difficult start to 2015: with the awful things that are happening. I hope that your 2015 has got off to a more peaceful start?  I am truly blessed that mine has.  Even when things get stressful (and really they aren’t in comparison) I find that it is incredibly important to remember just how lucky I am.  When I feel myself wavering, and things start to build-up (as they often do for many over the Christmas holidays) I try really hard to keep life as simple as possible, and reconnect with the little, but oh-so important things.  One thing I love to do is go for a walk.  It doesn’t have to be a long walk, I often like to go for a walk along the river, which is close (sometimes too close when it floods) to my home.  I am very lucky that I can head to the end of my street turn left and be in the middle of York and turn right and wander along the river bank of the Ouse.   This is what I did one cold and frosty morning; I took my camera along – so that you too can come along…

Not a person in sight, it’s just us…

Still just us as we near the Millennium Bridge…

Turned into Rowntree’s Park (yes, we have visited here many, many, many times before) where the grass was dusted with icing…

And the water frozen…

And the park benches had a frosty, fuzzy, coating…

And the leaves looked like they had been dipped in icing sugar…

But still there were reminders that Spring isn’t far away…

My hope for us all in 2015 it that we can have peace.  That we acknowledge that we are all different, celebrate that we are all different and not be afraid to talk about out differences.  Can you imagine if we were all the same?  So, please where ever you are, pray for peace, look for the blessings in your life and remember that beauty is all around. 

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Ps – I forgot to tell you.  Over Christmas I embraced the twenty-first century and set up a Facebook page for byhelen.  So, if you’d like to pop over and like the page, please do, this means that you’ll get notifications when I post and lots of other things that I want to share with you.  At the moment my Facebook page hasn’t lots of content, but it will come: we all have to start somewhere!

Like me HERE - thank you!

xxx

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Here in the UK we’ve been having an unexpectedly warm September: I’m talking about a proper Indian-Summer - it’s just lovely.  I love a warm September, when you don’t really expect the sun to be shining and to be outdoors without a jumper.  I feel that we really should make the most of the last few days of warmth, you never know when they’ll end, so Si and me decided to head to the sea-side.   There seemed to be something very special, almost magical, about walking along the beach in the September warmth, it was almost like we were cheating Autumn!  We took a very slow, gentle, walk along the beach: taking care to notice everything, from stones and pebbles to sea-weed and discarded beach toys.  I loved that looking at the sand was like visiting an art-gallery, only the works of art were ever-changing and created by that great artist Mother Nature.  Want to see what we saw?

Random pebbles in the sea…

Heart pebbles…

Sea-weed: I love the vibrancy of the green…

And the green and the purple together…

My Favourite!  Sea-trees…

Si and me...

I know that this being the UK, the weather won’t last: but for now I intend to enjoy every last little bit of sun-shine that is on offer. 

Enjoy your weekend.

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crochet rut and roses…

For the last few weeks I have been in a bit of a crochet rut.  I haven’t blogged about crochet for a little while, it seems like longer.  I don’t really know what the problem is.  I keep picking-up my crochet hook and getting out yarn, and then putting it all away again.  I am guessing that this must be how a writer feels staring at a blank piece of paper.  By complete coincidence, in the month’s Simply Crochet magazine, there is an article on crochet ruts.  I’m glad to know that it’s not just me!  I’ve read the article a couple of times and there is some really great advice in it.  I particularly like the advice to get out and try something new.  I like the sound of something new, something creative – I’ll let you know how I get along. 

To try and get me out of my crochet rut, and I will get out of my rut (I LOVE crochet too much not to), I have decided to give my crochet a theme for the month.  Roses.  This month, I’m going to focus all my crochet energy on roses.  Let’s start with the inspiration…

Ahhh – how can you not be inspired by the beautiful nature and diversity of a rose!

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I know really think that these flowers need words; the colours and loveliness speak for themselves.  Enjoy…

Pure inspiration :-)

xxx

Spring fabric flowers…

Gosh, it’s been a busy few weeks.  I can’t quite believe that it is already (nearly) half way through March:  that means 2014 is (nearly) a quarter way through!  I’ve been busy, busy, busy, crafting, lots of crochet but also lots of fabric flowers.  Actually I made these a few weeks ago, as next week I'm running a class on making Spring flowers, so these were my samples to get people interested.  The lovely Kath, from The Silver Thimble, which is where the class is, says that the class is almost full.  I’m guessing that I’ll be busy with all the lovely ladies (and men?) that come along.  Here’s what they are going to be making…

 

Remember if any of you lovelies would like to come along, let Kath know.  Or let me know and I’ll let Kath know!  If you can’t make it on the 14th I’m sure there will be other classes. 

 See you soon…

colourful crochet…

Do you remember the blanket I started to crochet last year? It’s a Lucy blanket, full of her typical colourful cheer.  Each evening I’ve come home and settled into the meditative rhythm of treble crochets.  The blanket, itself is very straight forward: row after row after row of crochet.  What I hadn’t anticipated was how I would find the use of colour.  Colour is fascinating; it is all around us, but how often do we actually stop and look at all the different tones and shades that are on offer?  Working with Lucy colours, has meant working outside my normal colour palate.  I am an Autumnal colour girl: drawn to earthy, berry tones.  So when it came to putting Lucy’s colours together I found it really difficult.  I wanted the blanket to look natural and random (though I am beginning to question the whole randomness of random) as if it had been thrown together and looked, well like Lucy’s.  I think the difficulty is because I am so far away from colours that I am naturally drawn to: but sometimes it is good to work outside your element.  It has really made me think about colour, how I use them and how they should be used together.  I am loving crocheting my blanket and so far I have used all of the seven-teen colours once…

…the challenge now is how to use the colours for a second, third, fourth, time and keep the look random (that word again)!  I’ll let you know how I get along...xxx

crafty Christmas…

Well hello: and welcome to 2014 – it’s lovely to see you again!  Did you have a good Christmas?  I really hope so.  I have to say that Christmas here is York was lovely, though if I am very truthful it already seems like a long time ago.  And if I am even more the truthful: by the end of the holiday period it was lovely to regain control of my home!  I won’t go as far as saying it was lovely to go back to work: as inevitably that can with it’s own challenges!

Over the holidays I did manage to fit in lots of time, for little crafty projects. Want to see?

Repairing my much loved Christmas singers, which my Grandma and I made when I was little…

Check out, my earlier handwriting…

Upcycling curtains, so that Christmas guests had a little more warmth and privacy…

Crocheting a pot-cover for our teeny-tiny Christmas tree…

Starting crocheting a new phone-sock…

Contemplating starting crocheting a jumper…

I am very much looking forward to 2014.  This year I’ve even made some New Year resolutions.  I don’t usually make New Year resolutions, seeing then as unachievable.  The start of this year feels different, somehow – perhaps it is because I enjoyed 2013 soooooo much, that I wanted it to continue in 2014.  2014 really has a lot to live up to!  With my New Year resolutions, I decided to focus on doing more, rather than giving up things or doing less.

Top of my list for 2014 is more fun, whatever form fun takes, I intend to embraces it whole-heartily! 

I’d also like a new job, or new place to work.  Towards the end of 2013, lift got a little crazy: with me working four jobs (one regularly part-time and three casual, but all seemed to coincide over the last few months of the year).  Maybe I should be aiming for one job, in one place?  Nah – I’d be bored!  One thing is for sure: there will be more craft classes – my next one is in March, where we’ll be making Spring flowers.  Maybe I’ll see some of you there?

Lastly, I’m also going to be truer to myself.  This, again, started towards the end of 2013.  In 2014 I fully intend to follow the words of Dr Susses…

“Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.”

Hope that you are ready for the journey, fun of crochet, craft, life, laughter and fun…

crochet mistletoe…

Today is the most perfect day, for crochet.  Here is York; it is cold, wet and very, veRY, VERY windy.  The perfect day for lighting a fire, making tea and crocheting.  How about crocheting from thing for Christmas?  Are you beginning to feel Christmasy?  I am, it is slowly brewing up: I can feel it coming.  I thought I’d share my pattern for mistletoe.  Hopefully you’ll find it easy to follow: quick to make and after a happy afternoon you’ll have a bunch of mistletoe to hang and smooch under ;)

You’ll need some green and white yarn and a crochet hook that suits the yarn.  I used bamboo cotton and a 4mm hook: but it is really up to you.

Using green ** 13ch…

In 5^th ch from hook trtr in next 2 ch…

1dtr in next 2ch, 1tr in next 2 ch, 1htr in next ch, 1 dc in next ch**…

Don’t fasten off.

Repeat ** - **.  Join the two leaves together with a slss...

Don’t fasten off.

9ch...

slss in 2^nd ch from hook then slss in each ch…

Slss to join leaves to the stem…

Fasten off!

To crochet the berries

Using white 2ch, in 2^nd ch from hook 1dc and 1tr, fasten off…

Crochet two and sew them on the leaves.  Block if needed. And ta-dah…

Make lots: hang and find someone wonderful to smooch!

illuminating York…

Each year at the end of October York holds an illuminating festival.  This festival is a city wide event, where artists project light shows on to various historic buildings: making them look even better than usual.  Si and I went around for a look, and I took my camera so that you can come along to.

We wondered over to Clifford's Tower (the one that looks amazing all year round), where projections were inspired by more Viking kings ; Sweyn Forkbeard and his son Cnut the Great, who both influenced York’s history…

We went to the York Museum Gardens, where the projection was onto the Yorkshire Museum.  The project told the story of Viking king Eric Bloodaxe…

Next we went to the Memorial Gardens, where there were the most fantastic fire sculptures…

Perhaps my favourite element of the event was at York Minster (yes I am biased as I both work and volunteer at the Minster).   The Minster had invited street artists; Inkie, Squirl, CBloxx and Neil Ennui to paint four large canvases, and on light boxes, over the four nights.  The artists took inspiration from the Minster…

Local schools had been invited to decorate lanterns, which were hung from the advent wreath…

People were invited to light a candle, in the Chapter House, in remembrance.  The candles were placed grow into a large, beautiful spiral, creating a very special atmosphere for All saints and All Souls days…

I hope you enjoyed the festival?  York is beautiful all year round: just sometimes it is more beautiful than ever!

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Thanks to Si who took the picis at York Minster (I was busy working)!

 

Yarndale…

Last Saturday I went to Yarndale…

Yarndale was the very first festival of, er yarn, all things yarn related to be held in Skipton.  Skipton is a lovely little market town in the Yorkshire Dales, it is where Si indulged in some re-enactment, a few years ago.  Yarndale was very, very, ve-ry, ve-RY, VERY, popular to say the least.  There were people everywhere; all looking at the wonderful things on sale.  There was also amazing craft from some very talented artists, who had things on sale and had well-and-truly yarnbombed the whole entire place…   

You could tell that everyone had a wonderful time…

Here’s hoping for a second Yarndale: it would be a shame not to..