Lulu Carter

its good stuff

'Skacel' crochet hooks in lolly colours from Purl.

Gorgeous tones from Den Gode Feen.

Happiness from Jikkes.

Basket of joy from Purl Bee.

Aahhh.Heaven.Sitting here rolling up new skeins of Cascade 220 in delicious shades ready for more "work" on the ambitious project.

This clever lady and knitter extraordinaire suggested I combine the ripples with some lovely quilting thus using it more as a feature, as rippling something to fit a queen size bed (I think in Europe you have 'king' which matches our queen size?) will be a monster.It would be really beautiful to do that but I think, once completed,this blanket will be so satisfying.

I will have hooked a giant.

xxxx

lost the plot

Be afraid.This is sure to become "Lulu Carters Chook Ramblings" or "Lulu's Garden Goings On".Its quite possible.Feel free to shake some sense into me if you must but I think my feline narcissist hanging out-sunbaking no less -with the new feathered ladies is somewhat amusing.They are out there now lolling about within a whisker of each other.I am sitting here nibbling digestives(well you'd be crazy not to) and just shaking my head.If someone starts cleaning someone they really shouldn't I may have to put a stop to it.That probably depends on whos doing the cleaning......

Do you think she's trying to lull me in to a false sense of security and one day I will come home to find veges roasting in the oven and Alice on a spit in the garden?????????

But its not all fluffy bottomed girls!! There are hexagons galore.In Zara merino-mmmmm.

These are great.Fast.Easy.Perfect tv watching activity.Thanks Lucy!

On school holidays here and I am sooooo relieved.They need it and I need to stop telling them to get up/get dressed/pick up your pajamas from where you tossed them/eat your breakfast/stop fighting/put your shoes on/pick your bag up/HURRY UPPPPPPP!!!!!!!!! Its exhausting.Heres to sloth like hanging out time.And a few days at soccer camp thrown in just for sanity.Shhh.

And let me just say POOR ANDY : ( Stayed up till four am with my fingers crossed but it did him no good.And Roger got another white and gold number.Do you think Nike could design something a tad more masculine for him???

This from the Telegraph

There were two very different tennis players out there on the grass. Federer walked out to play in a white-and-gold outfit of jacket, trousers and man-bag. If Sacha Baron Cohen’s camp Austrian fashionista, Bruno, was into tennis, he would not dress that differently to how Federer did.

xxxx

freedom and weeds

We let them out.Wait two weeks we were told.Today was 'free range' day.

The benefits of being the smallest-you get to catch the chooks!

Cuddles before a wing clipping and the big release.

OMGTHEY'VEGOTWEEDS!!!!!! Well they would have said that if their mouths hadn't been stuffed full of well.....weeds.

Making friends.

Henry put corn skewers on the end of his cob and was rotating as fast as they could eat.At one point they were both standing on him and munching away.Too funny.

Consoleing Harriet.

Having a closer look.

Do you see her?

At one point the three of them were all lolling about in the sun around the tree.Harriet obviously decided they were much to big to serve with gravy so pretty much ignored them.They did get a little hiss out of her though when they disturbed her sunning slumber and walked over the top of her to get to more grass.Husband swears they snorted and kept right on going!!

And they dug a hole in my garden! Which they proceeded to roll in and flick the dirt all over themselves.Lucky its where the deck is going huh.

I do think Rhubarb might turn out to be a 'he' though.Shes so bolshy.

Thankyou for your nice messages about Rupert.You were lovely as usual.xx

I must mention that the ripple pattern used in my 'ambitious project' comes from Lucy.I have started making hexagons now too also using her pattern.She writes a very good tutorial.

Ok I'm going back to the tennis.I am torn between the two.I want Roger to achieve his record but I want Andy to win so badly.And Roger has taken to wearing odd spiffy outfits on to court.That bugs me somewhat.Oh its neck and neck....I'll see you later lovelies.x

moving on

For over a year now my Dads best friend has been ill.His best friend who gets the paper for him,licks him all over the face for a morning wake up call,likes an ice-cream as much as the grandsons.Rupert.

His deterioration has been really hard lately and on Tuesday I took the boys over to say good-bye.We didn't know when, but we knew it was going to be soon.It turned out that 'soon' was yesterday lunchtime.They then drove him the three hours to bury him at the farm in the perfect spot.

People who have not known the love for a pet don't understand.Perhaps they think its silly and over-emotional.I think they are missing the magic.

Its one of the most wonderful relationships you can have.Its wonderful for kids,its wonderful for adults.It helps in our other relationships.It certainly gives you opportunities to deal with various emotions along the way.Grief is part of the journey.

Right now its a wave.

xxxx

playing hooky

Simple unadulterated slacker blogging going on around here.Its a guilt thing I think.Can't waffle on during the day because I should be doing things,creating things.Something.Can't waffle on in the evening because betweens us husband and I can go an entire evening without so much as a nod if we are both with our other loves-the laptops and the world behind the screen-and what a world it is!!So I am trying to cut back.No offence.Actually I'm trying to get the laundry done but we're all trying to get that one under control.

Add to the mix children who have decided they can stay up as long as us(oh reeeaally?),my new ambitious project,tidying work spaces(that takes at least a week I'm telling you-thank god I don't have an entire room),mucking out the chickens blah blah blah.

    I was quite clear about my role in the fluffy girls department.

"I am not going to be the chicken lady" I squawked at them all.They blinked.Guess who's the dirty,count to 40 while you wash your hands,poo scrubbing chicken lady?????????Moi.And I don't mind a bit except that I now have one more thing that prevents me doing my things during my child free time.

The drawings in the notebooks are stacking up.The actual production is not.

Poor Horatio still has no lady friend although she is down on paper.As are the rest of tatty cronies.The poor pussycat girls never did get to hang out with their super cool owl friend.The new banner is not happening because Photoshop and I are not getting along.I need one of those"Dummies' books!

I am booked (and booking )in to a couple of markets in November and I am thinking that I should start now because at this rate I'll only just scrape through.I'm pretty happy about them though as one is for children products and the other is an art and craft show so I will be selling different products at each.I really hope I get in to the Art and Craft Show.Its the sort of arena where Horatio and his groupies will have a proper audience(customer!).

I did a super fantastic swap with the lovely Amy and am thrilled with my treasure!!Thankyou so much Amy for the best swap in the world: )

I was horribly spoilt by Cath who sent more than a magazine in a magazine swap.Thankyou lovely: )

I have new shelves which means my desk is almost clear so I can cut ,draw and sew all on the one surface without it being claustrophobic.And just for the record-in the Ikea assembly competition I win hands down.The other unit we purchased was being sworn at in the loungroom.......

Kids pencils from Carluccio's (our most regular eating spot in London)in a Bonne Maman jar from Galaries Lafayette food hall in Paris.Ahhh.Sigh.

Baking lots of raisin bread-so impractical those hearts in the kitchen but they make me smile everytime!

My ambitious project-I guesstimate about one year,2  million balls of wool and serious crooked finger disease at the end of it.But we'll be warm right?

I am getting the embroidery done for Henry's birthday quilt from last year so I can begin Olivers birthday quilt with a clear conscience.I thought I should get a wriggle on with christmas sewing so that October and November don't become 'pass-out with horror over deadline' months.

Rhubarb is busy growing back her tail feathers 

and we have discovered that they go INSANE over corn on the cob.All other kitchen scraps seem to be a mystery to them still though so slowly does it.

Alice went to school this morning for news and you'd think she'd been going all her life.

"Oh two classes of children giggling in a circle and touching me if I go near them?Bring it on-I am one super cool relaxed chicken". Until she got back in her box where she looked at me pleadingly to take her home again.And she only pooed in year two.Kindys carpet she left alone : )

Rhubarb actually pecked her rather nastily on the head several times when I put her back in there.We had realised that Rhubarb was the alpha chook but it hasn't been quite that fierce.Perhaps she was telling her off for going out without permission??

I am also about to commit yarn sin/chaos what ever you want to call it.I am going to have to mix cheap as chippies wool in with my Cascade 220 and my Zara.Poor Zara.You deserve better than this......

Forgive me but we need a roof over our heads more than we need a blanket.

xxxx

You know,reading all that it sounds as though I am getting some things done! Perhaps its just that they are not what I feel I need to be getting done.

Rhubarb and Alice

The girls are in.

Poor Harriet is stunned and thinking that whilst they are simply TOO big to contemplate chewing on-they do make interesting viewing.Rhubarb and Alice return the gawking.They are also hysterically funny when a plane goes over head-necks extended and heads bobbing in all directions.And they make this sweet gentle chirping sound as they go about their business.

We picked them up yesterday,driving for over an hour to choose them,hold teeny chicks and watch some hatch and get the pep talk on how to get the girls settled.They have never had a slab of watermelon or a peanut butter sandwich(I am told that chooks LOVE these!) or a lettuce leaf.Slowly does it with introducing our food when they have been used to the nasty looking crumble mix.They are very curious about us and getting used to the boys "perkurk perkurk"ing their way around the garden.

We also reinstated the worm farm ( we lost them to very ecstatic birds after heavy rain last year as they all wiggled free of the farm and became easy pickings on the lawn).The veges are going back in next weekend after the containers arrive.We are thinking of getting a couple of small fruit trees.

We have a tiny garden but so much can be grown in it and it is the loveliest feeling walking outside to see whats ripe.We missed it.Eggs and hen chatter will be a lovely extra.

The chicken man asked the boys yesterday where eggs come from. He was pleasantly surprised when they answered "chickens".He then asked them where milk comes from."Cows and goats" they replied.Apparently, when he does the school rounds with the hatchlings and asks the children these questions,the answers are usually " the supermarket" and "out of a bottle in the fridge".How sad.Are we missing something vital here?

We are a long way off from egg collecting as Alice is 16 weeks and Rhubarb is 18 weeks.Poor little Rhubarb has plucked her tail feathers out as had all the 18 weekers.They were bored.Pottering around our garden in a few weeks and munching on kitchen scraps should hopefully cure that : )

Ok,back to the weekend.There are a couple of sweet young ladies who are begging to be checked on!!

xxxx

scenes from a gingerbread house

Tinkering away here.I hope you are too.

Have a happy weekend xxxx

I LOVE THIS SOOOOOOOOO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!

Try as I might I don't have the right eyebrows.......xxxx

wings and toadstools

A little treat for a birthday girl.Fairys and creatures from the garden was the request.I do hope this little one delivers!

xxxx

my spice of life

This is heaven.

The book is the most regularly used and has been since the moment it arrived.Thats a better run than any other book on my shelf.About 18 months worth I think.Thanks Hugh.You rock!!

Never baked this though.I asked the small people what we should bake for afternoon tea (thankfully I asked them about lunchtime because there is some rising to be done here!) and they stroked the page with the sugar syrup glazed bun.Well you'd be nuts not to right?!?

Even a teensy bit ,shall we say......over cooked on the top?,once that glaze is on there OH MY OH MY!! And I don't even like raisin bread.Warm with butter straight from the oven.Gasp.Dribble.Fight over how many slices you all want.Eat the ends before anyone sees you.Who the hell needs dinner anyway.........

*I replaced the milk with buttermilk(soured milk) as I have a habit of doing this whenever baking and milk is required-it just seems to fluff things up a bit.

My enthusiastic helper-he just about took the dots off the plates!

We are also getting ready to welcome some girls.The excitement!!This is my pep talk to me-" You cannot wait for what you think will happen one day.Go with what you have now".

We have a small SMALL garden but a garden it is and we can get two feathered females in there along with the worms and the veges so why not!

The research on the breeds though......WOW. If we lived in the UK(when we live in the UK) I will get my dream chook mobile and they supply some lovely girls aswell.Until then though, we are building our own and I am trying to track down either Orpington buffs,WIndacottes,Rhode Island Reds,or Welsummers.They are just gorgeous birds and we simply don't eat eggs ever day or even every second day so we don't need to get the egg machines known as Isa Browns.Supporting the old breeds seems a much better idea and I have read more than once that the Isa girls tend to die after a year of daily egg laying.A rough life perhaps?

The boys have already named them in their excitement and the coup is not even completed nor the girls found!!!

And some pretty teasers.I can't show you everything as the recipient visits me!

 

Oh tidbit -How do you pronounce Kaffe Fasset? I've heard Kaffer and I've hear Kaff.Apparently it is 'Kafe' rhymes with 'safe'.Thats on the good authority of quiltland/blogland.Thankfully some who have met him so I believe them!!And he began by dying yarn.How perfect for a colour passion.

And speaking of yarn ,has anyone crocheted with Cascade 220 100% wool from Peru? I know its handwash only but the colours are the best I've seen and given the rainbow colours that have been requested in the form of ripple and hexagon blankets around here,I am going to need ALOT so want to get it right.

Thanks ladies!!

xxxx