family Archives - Page 4 of 5 - Crochet blog

Happy Birthday Jess

Published on September 22, 2015 by Nicola Florence @ ayarnyrobin9 Comments

This last few weeks has seen Jess turn one…

at 8 weeks old — at 8 weeks old…so cute xx

at 1 year old... still cute x — at 1 year old… still cute x

It has also seen my eldest two robins start year seven at High school…

they are growing so quickly... — they are growing so quickly…

I also passed my return to practice course in nursing… (happy dance) and have commenced training as a Health Visitor (happy dance…feeling overwhelmed…happy dance)

my study buddy... — my study buddy…

not sure I have time to celebrate with another yarn bomb! There has also been a lot of disruption in the Robin’s nest

rennovations... — renovations…

Which is still ongoing, but will be worth the extra grey hairs it is giving me.

So far this year I have truly lived by BRAVE… and now Autumn is nearly here… my most favourite time of year and to embrace this season and welcome it with open arms… I’ve spent a little time pinning my Autumn happies… I just hope I can weave in some time to create.

xxxxx

Introducing Percy.

Published on April 25, 2015May 5, 2015 by Nicola Florence @ ayarnyrobin9 Comments

Last weekend, we went to collect the newest addition to our family… on our way we stopped of with friends and ambled over the sheep fields in the most glorious of sunshine…

up the windy road

over the gate

past fields about to burst into bold, rape flower

over the fields

then finally at the top

just perfect for kite flying

told you!

Taz enjoyed all the fun

not so sure about the sheep... — not so sure about the sheep…

pretty pale lemon primroses still in bloom

and blossom on the trees

All in all a perfect April afternoon…and here is Percy…

Percy...our cockerel, a fine black silkie...the girls will be pleased!! — Percy…our cockerel, a fine black silkie…the girls were pleased!!

Have a fabulous week.

Another busy week…

Published on March 15, 2015 by Nicola Florence @ ayarnyrobin11 Comments

It’s been another busy week at the Robins Nest…but we have still found time to get together and just be together…and I love that!

through the gate and down the path...

through the gate and down the path…

enjoying the very new spring sunshine

enjoying the very new spring sunshine

a birds eye view from the top

a birds eye view from the top

whose home could this be?

whose home could this be?

grape hyacinths

grape hyacinths

and tete a tetes

and tete a tetes

looking very spring like in my kitchen windowbox

looking very spring like in my kitchen windowbox

with University and work and the boys, life is taking over somewhat and not much hooking has been done. I have one blanket that is almost done and that I really want to get finished and sent off before I start my placement at the hospital in a couple of weeks. It’s just a simple granny and I am so near to finishing…

Alpine Nanna

Since this photo I have added a 3″ border of the base colour, which has given it a more finished edge…just deciding whether to fringe or not…What do you think?

AWOL

Published on February 23, 2015 by Nicola Florence @ ayarnyrobin10 Comments

I LOVE THIS!!!

I just wanted to let you all know that I am still alive and kicking…. what a hectic few weeks… juggling university with work and family…is proving tricky. I have not had much time for craftiness, but I have managed a little. Here are some pictures to prove it…

home made chocolate hearts

Valentines was a home made affair as you can see… the chocolates were very simple to make and strangely didn’t last for long as they were so delicious!

date jar

With my trusty glue gun, buttons, some lolly pop sticks and a jam jar I made Mr. R a date jar… it really is awesome and it is not only very simple to do, it’s really fun to use… most of the dates are virtually cost free and a lot of them don’t require a baby sitter as they are home dates. My inspiration was drawn from pinterest and if you are thinking of recreating your own then take a look here for some date inspiration.

I have also been hooking a giant granny blanket, for a friend…but I do not have any pics yet…I will try to get some tomorrow.

It’s short and sweet, but it feels good to be back!

xxxxx

This Cosy Journey continues

Published on December 14, 2014 by Nicola Florence @ ayarnyrobin21 Comments

I posted earlier in the week about my big disaster in the Christmas present crochet arena… a calamity which at any other time I would have perceived as a mishap, but at this time of year, has escalated into an undue burden, helped only in that it was as a consequence of a school girl error on my part…in short I only had myself to blame!!

almost done!

After long evenings of hard pressed hooking I have completed the body of the ‘her’ part of the ‘his and hers’ blanket set…and have commenced the ‘his’ blanket. To relieve the pressure, I have decided to set my goal more realistically and I aim to have both blankets finished to border stage…after all Christmas is all about love and as the intended recipients are my Mom and Dad and they love me very much…I can complete the borders if necessary on Boxing Day.

even the ends have been woven in!

The Cosy Cottage blanket is just so beautifully girly and I have, despite my error, loved, loved, loved hooking it… I think my Mom will be so pleased with the colours too. I have followed the colour sequence that Lucy from Attic 24, used in her cottage ripple blanket, take a look if you want all the details of Lucy’s exquisite colour placement.

colour therapy

This is how the ‘his’ blanket, which I am naming the Eastern Bluebird Cosy blanket is looking so far…

6 bands done!

I love how the essence of the blanket changes and grows with each colour band that is lovingly added.

for my Dad

Guess what I’m off to do now…. yes, this cosy journey continues.

xxx

A peek in to Christmas

Published on December 9, 2014 by Nicola Florence @ ayarnyrobin5 Comments

One of the things that I have really enjoyed this December, when peeking into other blogs and generally taking a good look around, is glimpsing how other people do Christmas… so here is a little peek around the robin’s nest.

our Christmas tree

I love the designer trees and the minimalist trees in the shops and I always catch myself thinking how I would love to get one. This year I fell in love with an all white one with sherbet coloured decorations… but I adore more, our tree, decorated by the boys with our mismatched decorations that we have accumulated over the years, most of which are attached to a lovely memory…like the spherical robin bauble at the bottom of this photo, gifted to us by dear friends.

deck the halls... — deck the halls…

pretty Christmas bows

stockings...just waiting to be filled — and stockings…just waiting to be filled

party shoes! — party shoes that I just couldn’t resist!

the nativity — and the nativity

Certainly the most important part of Christmas for us…the reason for Christmas…the birth of Jesus.

16 days to go!

Published on December 8, 2014 by Nicola Florence @ ayarnyrobin15 Comments

colour therapy

Just a short update this week and here is why…..

It is with great panic that I have to report that I am still hooking the main body of this blanket, which is my Mom’s Christmas present (I have one to start for my Dad, yet, hence the panic!!)

I had almost finished it last week, when I noticed a distinct increase in stitches, meaning the sides were not straight. The reality of this meant that I had to rip out over a weeks worth of hooking and so now I am behind…seriously! My ONLY saving grace might be that I finish work on the 18th so may be able to make some time up then.

My error…simply becoming complacent and not counting every 4th row or so as this is such a simple pattern. Anyway, let’s not dwell, lesson learnt and it is such a lovely pattern that I am still very much in love with it.

Now, I must get back to my hook

Cosy Afternoon

Published on November 24, 2014November 24, 2014 by Nicola Florence @ ayarnyrobin21 Comments

Today I have had a lovely cosy afternoon hooking happily, listening to the radio, I will show you some pictures of that gorgeousness in a minute.

down by the brook

This however, is where I walked this morning with the dogs, unbelievable that this little path which runs alongside the brook, is just 2 minutes away from my home.

going up the hill

This morning was so sunny, but very cold, in fact my little thermometer read -0.5 degrees centigrade, so I didn’t stop for long but instead walked briskly up the hill!

at the top!

Once at the top I was rewarded with this… I see this most days as this is where I walk the dogs, however, today I appreciated it more than ever…maybe the bitter cold coupled with the glorious sunshine had something to do with it.

Jess at 16 weeks

Little Jess enjoyed it too, Alf didn’t hang around for his photo! Anyway, here are the pictures of ‘that gorgeousness’ I promised you…this is what I have been hooking this afternoon

Cosy blanket by Attic 24

Yes this is the glorious, heavenly to hook Cosy blanket which is currently part of a crochet along that is being hosted by the enormously talented Lucy of Attic 24. This one is the ‘her’ part of the ‘his and hers’ set I am making for my Mom and Dad for Christmas….the colour way is beautiful and is from the Attic 24 shop at Wool Warehouse and comes as a pack called ‘cottage’… my Dad’s colours I selected individually and look like this

for my Dad

My Dad’s blanket will be the same pattern as my Mom’s to complete the set. Do you want to have a look at that pattern again… close up

colour therapy

So simple, but so beautiful.

All the fun of the Circus!

Published on November 2, 2014November 11, 2014 by Nicola Florence @ ayarnyrobin8 Comments

Well as the title suggests, we’ve been to the circus this half term and had sooo much fun…. I’ve got some hookin’ done to show you and some exciting news to tell you also.

all thrill is an understatement!

The Circus came to town quite literally and up went the big top and the signs and I thought that sounds like quite a lot of fun, so we headed off and that’s exactly what happened… we had lots of fun together and were treated to some outstanding entertainment that in places were quite terrifying to watch. Not a harness or safety net in sight, there were gasps from the audience and the modern day clowns (that were not scary at all!) made us chuckle out loud.

balloons

our ticket in

mmm...candyfloss — mmm…candyfloss

So, if this circus should come to a town near you, then it is well worth a visit. Did you notice my hat… that is one of this weeks finishes… It’s not on my YOP list, but I needed a beanie and it only took an afternoon to make. Here are some clearer pictures of it…

my beanie love

love notion

I adore the love notion which really finishes it off a treat, the yarn is delicious and was not only lovely to hook, but it is warm and snuggly too! Project notes can be found here.

I’ve also made lots more poppies, much like these ones as I have been inundated with requests for them, as I have for brainwave beanies so guess what I am currently up to!

So to my exciting news… I have been short listed for interview, this Thursday coming for my Return to Nursing Course at Uni….. as I’ve written that I realise that may not be hugely exciting for you and it might just be for me… so I will also let you know that this week I have started on my first crochet pattern, that will be free to my lovely readers and will be coming very soon.

I have also received a nomination for the above, which is lovely, so will post about that separately in the week! If you would like to be nominated for the award click here and leave me a message!

So with all my news shared, I’ll be off…have a good week and enjoy the fireworks!

xxx

Year of Projects Progress

Published on October 27, 2014October 27, 2014 by Nicola Florence @ ayarnyrobin7 Comments

This week has come and gone in a flurry it now seems and I am happy to report that some progress has been made on my year of project list.

bliss x

I had a lovely couple of days at the beginning of the week, catching up with friends sharing latte’s and maybe the odd cake here and there! I have enjoyed several long walks with the dogs through the autumnal leaves that are now carpeting most of the fields and parks nearby.

walking the dogs x

We also had a Parent’s evening thrown in mid week – which was a pleasure on all 3 counts I am both pleased and proud to say. Even work has come and gone quickly this week and so I find myself as I write this at the start of half term, looking forward to and easing into a long weekend (4 days) to be precise, of fun and family and no alarm clock!!!

I have some finishes to show you, if you are a regular reader you will have already seen a couple of them in the last 2 posts….

brain wave beanies for the boys... — brain wave beanies for the boys…

remembrance poppy

If however, you have not read the finished posts, more details on patterns and yarn can be found on these links:

Beanies

Poppies

I did manage another brain wave beanie, this time for Mr. R, who was super thrilled as he is working on a roof this coming week.

Mr R's beanie — Mr R’s beanie

Details of how my list is now looking can be found here and if you would like to join in or take a look at other folk’s progress you can check out the group just here

xxx