family – Page 4 – Crochet blog

Looking for the lovliness…

Published on April 24, 2016 by Nicola Florence @ ayarnyrobin7 Comments

Well, I’m sorry for my noted absence, there are just two weeks left until exam and essay deadlines and to be truthful I’m worried that one of the boys might fall into the laundry pile and never be seen again!

I’m shattered and busy, busy, busy… my mind has many yarny creations whizzing around and I really need some colour therapy, but I feel overwhelmed and hence my hook has fallen silent (temporarily). So to keep my creative mind sane I have been looking for the lovliness that surrounds me daily… and taking photo’s…this is April.

A birthday breakfast

WP_20160412_10_53_31_Pro — elevenses with my Mom and Dad.

A heart from Mr R

A coffee made with a whistle always reminds me of Gran

A lovely present from a friend

Alf in his favourite puddle... — Alf in his favourite puddle…

Rhubarb sprouting

hellebore raising its head

WP_20160423_14_10_19_Pro — clematis budding

WP_20160423_14_07_32_Pro — climbing clematis well…climbing!

Spring is here sort of... — Spring is here sort of…

It was warm enough yesterday for the first cuppa out in the garden

but today it has been cold, so these tulips brought the spring inside

But mostly these lovelies have been the loveliest…

the Robins xx

xxxxx

Where did that week go!

Published on April 10, 2016 by Nicola Florence @ ayarnyrobin5 Comments

Well where did that last week go to?

With only about 8 waking hours left of the spring break, to cram in as much fun as possible…I will leave you with some photo’s which capture my week.

Hope you a had a good week

xxxxx

waiting…walking and a wooly dilemma…

Published on April 1, 2016April 1, 2016 by Nicola Florence @ ayarnyrobin9 Comments

As I have been waiting extremely patiently for the postman to bring me a yarn shaped parcel; walking has featured as a daily pass time since the weather has been so cheery.

We have stomped over fields in the sunshine,

rambled down pathways

and climbed over gates.

We have wandered through woodlands and I have admired the dappled sunshine dancing on the ground. In the evenings I have been hooking this…

a light weight artfully simple angled scarf (designed by the very talented Tamara over at Moogly) in a 4 ply Sirdar country style yarn. The colour is 0392….meh! I do so dislike it when a colour just has a number and not a name. It is a beautiful old pastel pink, which now I have started, I cant put down.

Still waiting…we have visited orchards

and walled gardens

and stumbled across these little guys (very cute indeed).

Finally, a yarn shaped parcel arrived and a dilemma.

Well, I just couldn’t resist this gorgeous wool alpaca blend in (0519) or charcoal grey.

Nor this beautiful compilation of cotton. So, now I have the Robins nest squares to finish, my artfully simple angled scarf and new yarn screaming “hook me, hook me!” What a fabulously fantastic woolly dilemma to be in. xxxxx

Soul restoration…

Published on March 26, 2016 by Nicola Florence @ ayarnyrobin5 Comments

After a long hard slog I now have 2 out of 3 of my essays done…but it has been hard, not just for me, but for the whole of the Robins’ nest clan. So with the sun shining it was time to restore the soul with some non academic (no not a single reference required here!) time together. However, it didn’t quite work out as planned. Mr R had to work… ON A BANK HOLIDAY! and summer and autumn robins, well they are growing up and wanted to go out with their mates…so that just left me and my little Robin to go and play.

Pitch and putt, all 18 holes in the sunshine.

I spent a lot of time trying to get out of bunkers…

and trying very hard not to misplace my golf ball in the river that ran alongside some of the course.

After the successful execution of hole 9, we had a half time interval of ice cream and popcorn…much needed foods when soul restoration is in progress!

before, more rounds of golf…

and more time spent trying to get out of bunkers!

Soul Restored…

xxxxx

weekend update and a BIG thank you…

Published on March 21, 2016March 23, 2016 by Nicola Florence @ ayarnyrobin4 Comments

So how was your weekend?

I spent mine amongst the study books, so didn’t get much hooking time. I did have way too many children in the house, making a lot of noise (not great for studying!)

I also had family over for Sunday lunch, which was so great to just kick back and relax. Although I didn’t get to hang out with my yarn stash much, I did manage some sneaky hooking during a long game of monopoly.

and I just want to say a BIG thank you to everyone who has sent me comments about the new look around here…you are always so positive and it means the world to me

xxxxx

clutching at straws

Published on February 7, 2016February 7, 2016 by Nicola Florence @ ayarnyrobin1 Comment

This was definitely one of the highlights of my weekend, Friday evening spent with good friends, a wee bit of ale and some awesome live folky music, all in a quirky little venue named Scary Canary. This trio of very talented, (and extremely humble) guys are Clutching at Straws, well worth a click on the link to take a listen for yourselves.

Clutching at Straws

crochet granny squareblanket with bobble edging

A glance back at 2015…

Published on December 29, 2015November 20, 2018 by Nicola Florence @ ayarnyrobin10 Comments

2015, well what a year, a roller coaster in a lot of ways, but a good year. A year of progress and accomplishment and growth…. and of course craftiness.

There have been walks that have embraced the changing seasons.

Beautifully chilly

Enjoying the very new spring sunshine

November 2015

December 2015

There has also been craftiness that has not been yarn related…

Valentines craft

pretty pumpkins

Christmas dog wreath.

Of course I did indulge in yarniness too, although at times making time for this proved difficult, but nevertheless, I did…

Rows of popcorn stitches

A pretty granny.

Blooming flower cushions.

100 patch granny

tree house pimping

Sprinkly donuts

Winter blooms.

Sunflower in progress.

Certainly, a lot less hooking than previous years, but for very good reason. As I eluded to at the beginning of this glance back, 2015 has been a year of progress, growth and accomplishment.

from this…

to this.

Walls demolished and a new kitchen installed, a new lounge and a whole lot of decorating. And as for the little Robins…

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

well, I guess they’re not that little any more.

Then there was the small matter of studying…

my study buddy…

A new career on the horizon!

assignments...aaagggh!!! — assignments…aaagggh!!!

and throughout it all, through these last beautiful, hard, tiring, challenging and wonderful twelve months that has been my 2015… I have clung to my motto BRAVE... and it has seen me through, it has inspired me, encouraged me, comforted me and at times kicked my butt… it has also taught me…

to be still…

Herb bench

to self soothe…

and that the smallest achievement is better than the greatest intention.

a glut of granny's — a glut of granny’s

So thank you to all those that have journeyed through 2015 with me here, this little, mostly yarny space of the ether. I value your encouragement and appreciate the time you spend dwelling here with me… more than you will ever realise.

Here’s to your 2016…may it be blessed and beautiful and of course yarny.

xxxxx

The Lion, the witch, the wardrobe and the sunflower…

Published on December 28, 2015December 28, 2015 by Nicola Florence @ ayarnyrobin6 Comments

I spent such a lovely afternoon at the theatre yesterday, in fact I have done nothing but have lovely afternoons lately.

Good old Santa left us a family treat at the bottom of our stocking, tickets to see The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe and it was simply MAGICAL, if you get the opportunity to book and go it is well worth a visit.

The Rep, is such a small theatre, but a gem in the heart of the city. I can honestly say we were all enthralled.

WP_20151227_18_44_59_Pro — big wheel

and as we left in the darkness, the city held yet more delights…

WP_20151227_18_53_48_Pro — Birmingham city lights

and we were home in time for some snuggly hooking, the perfect end to a perfect day.

fuschias

daisy

sunflower — sunflower in progress

xxxxx

Christmas Tree Hunting…

Published on December 8, 2015 by Nicola Florence @ ayarnyrobin3 Comments

Christmas Tree Hunting... — Christmas Tree Hunting…

Pretty Pumpkins

Published on October 28, 2015October 28, 2015 by Nicola Florence @ ayarnyrobin11 Comments

pretty pumpkins

Oh, my delight in these pretty pumpkins. Whilst we do not celebrate 31st October, halloween in the Robins nest, we do celebrate light in this beautiful, busy and sometimes dark world. As you know I love autumn, and pumpkins certainly contain light and autumnal(ness) in abundance.

I also love spending time with friends and that is exactly what is happening here tonight. We are having some very dear friends over to mark the very significant occasion of our homes transition from ‘no space to have anyone around’ to ‘being able to say come on over for supper’ a transition which has taken many years.

the chickens enjoyed a pumpkin feast

So with a three bean chilli and a hearty beef chilli planned for later, accompanied by a bottle or two of red, these pretty pumpkins will help to create the perfect atmosphere for chatter and laughter late into the night.

pretty pumpkins

xxxxx