cheery hello....

my favourite thing on a friday is this cheery hello...

although graffiti can be destructive sometimes, i think it can also be beautiful and positive too, so even when i'm tired and grumpy seeing this on my way to the train station every morning makes me smile.  i wonder about the person who did this, what their intentions were, if they realise the joy it brings, if not to everyone, then at least to me.

i hope you all have something that has made you smile today, why not pop over to Emma's blog and see what has been making other people smile too...

whimsycate, x x x

it's nearly here....

i love winter, all that snuggly indoors time and festivity,  but waking up today to gorgeous blue skies and sun streaming in the window, i am sooooo glad that spring is nearly here!

and what's a girl to do in weather like this?  hot foot it down to the beach for a stroll, then grab a 99 and sit on the sand reading mollie makes of course!

back at home i opened all the windows, did a bit of 'spring' cleaning and hung some washing out to dry too, very seasonal i thought.

i wish i had more crafting to show you lately, but with only a few weeks to go till the big day i'm all wedding-brainy at the moment with no time or head space for much else.

hope everyone else is enjoying the approach of spring this weekend!

whimsycate, x x x

secret hen party

4 weeks ago i got this little box....

filled with confetti, lots of love and a bright pink note....

Dear Bride To Be

Your hens have planned a day especially for you!

Be ready to be collected from home at 7am SATURDAY 11TH Feb

Bring your gorgeous self & the following essentials....

One inflatable dolphin (kidding)

Camera, phone & charger

One girly dressy outfit

Make up

Warm clothes and non evil shoes

Knitting project

Wellies and head torch

Jim jams & overnight stuff

A big hen doo smile :)

All will be revealed...

lots of love, 

The Girls....

fairy outfit with a handmade wand and veil....

 

afternoon tea here...

with pink champagne and delicious treats...

Ceramic painting here...

 

with pink wine...

and then more pink wine....

i had the best weekend..... thank you!

Whimsycate, x x x

restorative little stiches

in the summer something Bad happened in my life, i won't go in to detail because i don't want this to be a sad place, but neither do i want to completely ignore what happened, so this is my acknowledgement, here in this place, that is a record of all that i love, that sometimes life is sad, but you can get through it.....

thank you to my friends, who variously hugged, listened, got me drunk and treated me like nothing happened (so that i could forget for one night)...

thank you also to the restorative little stitches.....i managed to fill my days, slowly adding more hexies to my quilt, slowly hooking granny squares, slowly knitting my laminaria shawl and..... slowly slowly the ache in my heart began to ease, the thoughts in my head began to unjumble and with each little stitch i found a little more peace....

thank you all, you saved me,

whimsycate, x x x

happy hooking....

i've had pretty little piles of granny squares cluttering up the surfaces of my living room for the last few months now, with no real plan of how to turn them in to a blanket.....

but during a post christmas, pre new year, cocktail drinking, crocheting and bagel-making extravaganza day with my super crafty friend Laura i brought up the subject, we did some research, i tried some ideas out and consequently found myself spending new years day doing some happy hooking and joining my squares together.

i'm using Lucy's joining as you go method, although at the minute i am still joining ready made squares, i'm finding that it's so easy, so neat and so so pretty, the colours really pop now that they're framed by the cream, i love love love it!

i've also done a little sampler of the blanket edging, once again, raiding the attic 24 archives for inspiration....

i've really caught the hooky bug, all of the yarn acquired since new year and allocated for knitting projects is still languishing sadly in their various bags and boxes with not a needle in sight!

whimsycate, x x x

heart of glass...

ok, this is a teeny tiny post but i feel like i must finally finally post something about the NGC in Sunderland...

NGC, the National Glass Centre: exhibitions, courses, glass goodies galore and delicious food, you really should make a trip here if you're in the area.

i went with Marie back in February last year for a taster course,  we made beautiful glass heart paper weights, so much fun dipping and rolling and moulding the glass, a little scary, but terribly exciting too.

Christine and Sue, the lovely ladies (mini girly crush) who showed us what to do were friendly and helpful, explained everything clearly, made us laugh and didn't complain when we did things wrong, everyone left feeling brilliant and looking forward to picking up their paper weight....

i adore mine, and what a perfect way it was to spend the valentines day weekend!

whimsycate, x x x

this weekend i've spent time with friends, eaten a lot of noodles, watched the big bang theory marathon and done some wedmin...

 i've double side sticky taped 80 invites together, slidey paper trimmered 80 black and white photos and sat knitting while watching my lovely friend Liz doing the trial for my wedding flowers.....

imagine the chrysanthemums as hydrangeas and you have my bouquet

corsages for the mummys

a chilli adorned button hole for the groom, though imagine it smaller, it's just proportional to the chillies at the moment

wrist corsages for my gorgeous bridesmaids

now i think i'll settle down for a little more knitting, admiring my fireplace and big bang theory before bed...

happy chinese new year,

whimsycate, x x x