WOW, I finished

Whilst I love this ripple blanket, I'm not completely happy with it, I used all the colours three times, and had enough to do more rows, I am not happy with the size. The first photo shows it on the bed it's was made for, and you can see it does cover the bed but with very little falling down the side showing and even less on the other side. When I started, I measured the chain row across the bed slightly stretched, as I thought the design would lay flat, BUT I did not allow for the ripple effect which shortened the width.
I kept going because I did not want to unpick, and I still won't unpick. I loved the random way I have used each colour, never planning more than two colours ahead, it has been very fluid all through. As the biggest project I have made, I have enjoyed every moment.
So last night I sent photo's to my sister asking if she would like to purchase it for her craft stall, for just the cost of the yarn as a one off item. She loved it and wanted it for her sitting room, she has new sofa's and would love this to drape, so I have sold it, now I am going online to order more yarn, this time I will get two balls of each colour, not including the 4 colours I already have, I am staying with Patons, Baby Smiles, 4ply, I love the feel in my hands. The extra yarn will allow me to make it much wider and the full length of this bed.
I have nothing to add to my stash list as the replacement yarns are just cheaper than the amount my sister is paying for this, because without the sale, I would not be purchasing yarn to redo this blanket.
I am pleased and excited to be starting another ripple blanket, and at this time of year it will keep we warm as I am making it.
I'm getting a bit fed up with all this rain!!

Nothing much

 I love these books on this shelf,

 so many fun subjects, collected over many years.

The hall is finished, and everything is back in place

The floor area is our cats feeding place, 

dried food and water stays here, wet food dishes are removed once cleared. 

I purchased this wool in a sale, thinking I like the colours for socks, but I think I prefer to use lighter colours, so I am making squares for my scrap blanket, I have 2 x 50g balls. I do like the random look to the finished squares. 

A couple more books,
Erica James a simple easy read
Peter James 1st book, not as polished as his later books. 

I am having another sort of my wardrobe, it's almost end of summer, with all the beautiful weather we have had this summer, I have worn loads of summer clothes, but I have a pile of stuff not touched, so I am sorting and taking it to the charity shop, plus a couple pairs of new shoes, one pair I brought a couple years ago, and the second my daughter gave me (she did not find them comfortable) both unworn and brand new. I have one section I don't wear much, it's some of my work clothes, I have thinned this section out last year, but I am happy to have these items, just in case I need them ( no I have not any plans to go back to work)
I am also looking around the house as we put things back after decorating, I spent a day sorting the photo's on our stair wall, I took some from the dining room to put on this wall, and removed a couple to pack away. It's so very hard when you have cute photo's of our grandsons, even now they are growing up, I still want to see their photo's.
Josh our eldest grandson turned 13 last week, how quick those years have flown, he is a smart lovely boy, still can't believe he's a teenager. I am spending the day with Josh and Sam, plus Will and mummies tomorrow, the weather is promised to be good as we are spending the day at a local country park.
Today is another stay at home day, I have a parcel due to arrive, and a visitor this afternoon.

Bank Hoilday weekend

Hubby has managed some more painting, this book case is set into the wall where the old door way was. I am hoping to be able to put back all our books, we keep quirky titles and short reads here. 

Pulling out fabrics for a huge sewing marathon. 

Front pile, 4 items cut out and ready to sew, 

pile with purple fabrics waiting to be cut out

at the back Christmas fabrics. 

Loved Girl on the Train, 

Paula Hawkins has done it again, 

very good book, loads of interesting turns along the way. 

While hubby paints and I sew, Purdy lays in the middle of our sitting room and snores, Grace is in her basket behind the sofa, it is a cat's life here. 

This morning it's wet again, but that's our normal summer, yesterday was sunny, so we are having a good mix of weather. The garden is looking much better, but I'm not outside much, the flies are still a huge issue. We had a long line of white towels out yesterday, looking lovely in the sunshine, I do love white towels and linen, it was perfect drying weather.
My dear hubby has finished the hall book shelves, he did the top coat this morning, so just the skirting boards left, but he is driving this afternoon for a few hours, I would rather he did not paint on driving days, but he does like to get things finished.
Friday I created patterns and cut out 2 reading cushions, with a pocket front, using the ABC offcut I had. Plus a couple plate carriers using some thinner tea towels. I have sorted material for 4 shopping bags. I spent time yesterday on Esty, looking at prices, I need to ensure I am not losing out on these home made items, and at the same time, my sister will want to have her mark up as well.
I was thinking of adding a page to the top of my blog, and put a few items for sale, using the same prices but with free postage in UK, what do you think, would anyone be interested, this is some of what I have made.

Day out

Lovely view of Spinnaker Tower, people were drop jumping from the tower, we sat and watched them whilst having lunch. I assailed down this tower back in 2014, but I would not drop jump.

 There are loads of huge boats here

 Isle of Wight ferry with one of many sailing club on the other side. 

The huge ferry's going to Europe also come through this channel, 

The Pride of Normandy sailed by whilst we ate lunch. 

Total purchases on day out with daughter, smells wonderful

 Another book finished, not a crime/thriller this time, I enjoyed it.

 Old and new, the hall in the new pale green, dining room in the old magnolia. 

Hubby has just the gloss skirting boards and door frames to do in the hall, he will remove each door and paint it in the garage allowing it to dry before rehanging, just 3 to do, but it's on hold until next week, he has a few busy days driving. 
We had a great day shopping, most of the shops at Gunwharf Quays are top named brand outlet stores, so plenty of bargains to be found, and we went into most shops, daughter purchased a few things, I passed on everything, even in M&S, where I could have picked up loads.  We then walked to the city center and had a look around. We used the park and ride, allowing us to use a choice of bus stops to get back to the car, it's just 15 minutes from our home to the park and ride. 
Wednesday in contrast, I had a day at home, ironing and loads of housework, I can't believe how dusty everywhere gets when you are decorating, and our wooden floors were terrible. The spare room is still full of items to go back out, but they can wait until next week, there is so much in there, the items I can put back are right at the back. 
Today I plan to speak to my sister and then cut out more bags, she says she wants loads, I plan to have a sewing day on Sunday. 

All done

The bathroom is finished

 We are both pleased with it

 The shelf and window sill was always cluttered

 Plenty of storage

We are both delighted with the work hubby has done, he is a perfectionist, and it always shows in his finished work.
I love the sink unit, the large sink looks good and is not to big, the storage below has plenty of room, I purchased a tray for underneath, which holds our cleaning items. The plan is to keep is clutter free, but have spares of items we need close by.
I love my bathroom white, with just a hint of colour, with white towels, everywhere looks so clean, I'm the same with sheets and quilt covers for our bed, they are all pure white.
I read some brilliant post on cleaning from Mum's Simple Living Blog, my cleaning routine has slipped since I retired, I have plenty of time to clean, but I'm not cleaning as much as I did. In truth, I cleaned to a routine when I worked to ensure the house stayed tidy, All my life I have cleaned a clean house, and when I retired I thought I would cut back. But I need the structure again, I don't want cleaning days, where I blitz the house, I prefer routine like Mum's (sorry I don't know your name), so this morning I did our bedroom and bathroom and stairs.
I have done nothing since Friday morning, I have picked up Will's tummy bug, and have been off my feet for three days, spending all of Saturday in bed, I am on the mend, but I have no energy to do anything, including craft and knitting. I am beginning to think I was healthier when I was working, then I did not have time to be ill.

So what's new

This corner looks as if everything is new

we have saved loads of money, it was hard work, but worth the effort. 

Half price in Co-op, £2 per bunch, so I got 2 lots

Our upstairs bathroom is back tidy, hubby is a perfectionist, so things take longer, but the finished job is always great, it's hard to tell what is new and what we refurbished. Hubby is driving for three days this week, so on Thursday we (he) will sort the sink area, we plan to remove the sink, so he can paint the skirting boards, once dry he will install the new sink and cabinate. He will paint the bathroom door and our bedroom door, we are doing our bedroom next, again we are using the left over paint, no colour change.
Last night we had a restful evening, watching some TV. We also had another flutter of snow, our local roads look clear, but we have lying snow on our garden, not as pretty as Sunday morning.
Will and mummy popped in yesterday, just in time for hot drinking chocolate, Will was not too happy, not his normal self. In the evening he was sick alot, so mummy and daddy took him to A&E on the advise of the doctor they spoke to, now we all hear of the long waits, but when you take a child in, they have their own area and a nurse accesses them as soon as they arrive. They finally got him to sleep about 1 this morning, they think he picked up a tummy bug, so no Will today, Nanna will miss him.
Today is a home day, no plans, nothing requires my attention, can't get out in the greenhouse. What bliss a free day. Still watching for the postman to bring parcels.

Planning, spending, waiting

My title says it all....

Mr postman come as soon as you can, I have purchased 

Fabrics, all 100% cotton from So crafty Ltd, none of them expensive, 5 different designs. I am not expecting the quality to be high, adding to my stash, it will be interesting to see what I get.

Yarn, Drops Alpaca, in 3 shades of brown and off white for a jumper, I really fancy making some fairisle, which I have not knitted for years. I wanted a design which I can knit on circular needles, with a yoke top.  I did look at shades of blue, but decided to stick with the browns.

Savings

Our shower looks new, just the new screen and doors to go back on, hubby has worked so very hard, he replaced all the stained grout and silicone from the tiles, it was hard work removing all the old grout, he has painted the ceiling and the walls. This work has saved us loads, we thought we would have to replace all the tiles. We repainted the same colour, the room is small and we have loads of paint from the original work we did. All the chrome has been cleaned and polished, this towel rail is a pig to clean, but there is nothing wrong with it, so it won't be replaced.  Just the skirting boards, door frame and door to gloss, that will be done next week. Then we can replace the old sink with our new modern sink with cupboard below. 

We had another pie and mash night in last night, the pies we purchased from Cook are brilliant, we have used all of our recent purchases, and will pop and get some more, I was very happy with the flavours I had, I think hubby will change one of his. I used a £1 stew pack and made soup, enough for lunch for us both yesterday and today, with a fresh baked roll. 

Yesterday was cold, we had snow falling for hours, but none of it settled. This morning......