Just a little post

I wanted to post a few piccies before I start getting ready for my late shift at the hospital. Late shifts start at 1.15pm and finish at 9.15pm. I like lates as it means I get a little lie in...... Haha..... That's a bit of a joke as Coco baby is usually awake and wanting breakfast by 7am.

A little while ago I crocheted a baby bib following a pattern from Cute and Easy Crochet by Nicki French. There are some fabulous yummy patterns in there.

Do you like my new rug? 

Must dash but hope to be back soon. 

Hope you are all having a fab Saturday peeps.

Melanie x

A lovely day

Well what a lovely day I've had. We have spent the day in the city of Bath. Me, my Mum and beautiful Coco baby have had such a fabulous time just browsing the shops and stopping for lunch and afternoon tea. We are very fortunate to live within half an hour of Bath. It's such a beautiful city and always such a lot to see.

Bath Abbey is huge. So huge in fact that I couldn't get a decent angle to fit it all in.

We found a little craft shop in the indoor market and I couldn't resist a few little bits and bobs.

I've seen a pattern to make little lavender filled Russian dolls and the felt and ric rac will be just perfect. When il get the time to make them is another matter as Coco baby takes up all my spare time these days not that I'd have it any other way.

I found some gorgeous little booties in Marks and Spencer for Coco.

Sooooo cute. She likes them so much she had to have a play with them when we got home.

She has so many toys to play with but only wants my crochet aghhhhh......

Help yourself to my crochet hooks why don't you. Can you see my little granny squares? 

So many lovely things are making me smile this week. Coco baby's birthday cards and sunny flowers from my lovely sister in law.

My collection of sea glass and pretty shells in my kitchen window.

Well I'm off to iron a uniform for work tomorrow and need to sort out Coco baby's bag to take to Nannys house. My amazing Mum looks after her whilst I'm at work in the week. 

Pasta and pesto for supper with plum crumble and ice cream to follow. A perfect end to a perfect day.

Melanie x

Busy times

Phew...... feels like my feet haven't touched the ground these last few weeks. I've kept meaning to post but just haven't had the time.

My maternity leave has finished now and I'm back at work doing three shifts a week. I'm just loving being back working as a nurse and seeing all of my work buddies. It's good to be me again just for a few hours but golly gosh I miss my little Coco baby so much. I'm also still breast feeding so I'm having to leave the ward a few times each shift to express, which isn't really a problem until I get busy and forget and then find ive got wet patches on my uniform which has happened a few times much to my mortification. I don't know why it embarrasses me as I'm so proud to still be breast feeding, and my work buddies are very supportive.

Last week was a big week for me as it was Coco baby's first birthday. I'm still in shock that she is a year old already. Where has that time gone? Her birthday means I can no longer say this time last year I was pregnant etc etc. This is a big deal for me and I can't explain why really. It may be because she will be our only child and I know I will never experience another pregnancy. Who knows, but I feel a bit sad that the last year has gone so quickly. She's not a baby anymore, in fact I have trouble remembering her as a tiny baby these days. 

I'm so proud of her birthday cake as I made it myself. I've never iced a cake before and I'm chuffed with how it's turned out. It was a three layer sponge with jam and butter cream in. The only bit I didn't make was the candle and the sugar flowers. The little bumble bees were very cute but the Poo bears were a bit crazy looking but everyone said how nice it was so I'm a very happy mummy. 

The garden has been quite pretty this year despite me not spending so much time looking after it. 

We've been fairly lucky with the weather this year. It's felt much more seasonal having some hot summer days but now autumn is definitely on the way. The mornings are chilly and misty and I'm having to snuggle in my jamas at night in bed. 

We've had a bumper crop of blackberries and apples and I've been very industrious indeed making jam. 

We love toast and jam for brekkie in my house, and Coco baby loves it on crusty bread.

The tomatoes have done very well also.

I only had five plants ( gardeners delight variety) and I've had an amazing crop of sweet juicy tomatoes so very happy indeedy.

The apples have also done well this year.

One thing that makes me very happy is good drying days as we say here in the UK.

This is a little windmill that Coco baby just loves to watch. She laughs and laughs when the wind whips the sails around.

On the crochet front I'm working on a granny square blanket and a pair of wrist warmers. Piccies to follow shortly.

Hope the suns shining for you all.

Melanie x

Miffy

 Really happy with my latest bit of crochet.

A Miffy bunny for Coco baby.

She loves him too.

I somehow managed to sew the arms on a bit far back and I could have used a bit more stuffing, but overall I'm pretty chuffed with how it's turned out.

I found the pattern for free on Ravelry.

Is Miffy a boy or a girl? 

This ones a girl for obvious reasons.

Will leave you with a picture of my latest purchase..........

Loving these colours muchly.

Melanie x

Hearting crochet

At the moment I seem to eat, sleep and dream crochet. I actually crave it when it's not in my hands. I find myself thinking about it when I really should be concentrating on something else. 

My first ever Mandala. This is a pattern taken from the Simply Crochet Magazine issue 7. The instructions suggested using an Aran weight yarn with a 4 mm hook, however, I used a double knit 100% cotton with a 4 mm hook. I'm pretty chuffed with the finished result as these were stitches I'd never used before, and I spent a lot of time on You Tube learning new tricks.

Next up are a couple of motifs I hooked up in a spare hour. Again trying out new stitches. 

I seem to have a few WIPs at present....... Who doesn't? I think it's because I'm so excited about learning something new that I'm itching always to start the next new project.

Next up is a cushion cover I started a few weeks ago whilst on holiday in Normandy. This is hooked up with a bamboo yarn on a 4 mm hook and the pattern is from a granny square book I got off Amazon.

Hehe that's me hooking in bed. Don't you just love a bit of crochet in bed?

Hopefully I'll soon have a finished item to show you...... Haha...... Don't hold your breath.

Away from crochet I'm still as busy as ever being a mummy to Coco baby. Every day she gets more gorgeous. She has two teeth now and this has made her even more cuter... Is that a word? She's saying Dada, Mama, Nana. She can even say row, row, row from row, row, row your boat, although it actually sounds like ra, ra, ra and she rocks backwards and forwards whilst shouting it out. She's such a happy, smiley good natured baby and I feel so blessed.

I'm back at work part time and loving being back with my work buddy's. It feels good to have some adult conversations that don't involve baby talk although most of us are mums or dads so baby talk often creeps into the conversation.

I'll leave you with a couple of pictures I took on a recent visit to Bath. These things made me smile muchly

This handsome fella is called Roycey and is a cross between a pointer and a springer spaniel. Although you could be forgiven for thinking he is just another chocolate Labrador as I did. He belongs to a lovely fella who sells the Big Issue magazine and every time I go to Bath we end up chatting.

Big hugs all,

X

The last few months

At last I've discovered how to blog from my iPad.

Yayyyyyyy it's a revelation.

My beloved has upgraded the iPad with iOS 5 and now I can upload photos properly.

I've also downloaded an Instagram app that let's me jazz up my piccies abit.

Just a few bits of what I've been up to recently craft wise.

I've been having a practice at crochet again and managed the cool clematis from Simply crochet issue 7.

I've also been enjoying downloading free patterns from ravelry and above are two cotton wash cloths that I knitted.

Most days I manage to get out for a walk with Coco baby. We are lucky to live in beautiful countryside and I love to capture it on my camera.

Wishing you all happy times.

See you soon.

X