A granny? Me?

Hello Peeps, have been very, very busy this week.....

We have driven over 500 miles to welcome a beautiful baby into our family, a girl after two gorgeous boys so all the more exciting. Nancy is over 9lb in weight and 54.5cm long so a BIG baby! 

Here I am sharing the joy with one of Nancy's other grandparents, and the joy really is how we all feel.... I never imagined that marrying a second time would bring me a wider family, and the fact that M is my husband's ex is irrelevant, we all get on so well. I share 5 grandchildren with my husband, though sadly they all live in Halifax, West Yorkshire. We have to travel up every few weeks in order to see them - but it's always worth it.....if exhausting!

Both brothers are already besotted with their little sister, and here they are showing us her "soft skin like butterfly silk" to quote Sonny aged 5. 

Isn't she just adorable? 

So, how can I follow that? Well, more excitement that's how... I have been inspired to learn to crochet in the last few months by discovering blogs like Attic24 and Planet Penny. I came across a post by Oran on Misty Mountain and was HOOKED! So here is my second Tadah Moment......

        

I have turned learning a new skill into a practical and beautiful bag for my laptop. I practiced new stitches, scouring the internet, even russian sites, reading old crochet books. It still needs lining and the ends stitched in, and a button or flower fastening - I can't decide which. There are loads of mistakes, at one time I found I was about 10 stitches short, because different patterns need more or less stitches but hey, who cares? Not me. I sort of added more or less in as I went along. I even found a use for granny clusters, to join it together at the sides and the final border. I never thought I would use granny stitch... too old fashioned for me. Ha! Ha!

One day soon, I hope to find time to make a note of what stitches I used for which rows but hey I was too excited to do it at the time. I used Planet Penny Rainbow Cotton and a size 4m hook. I know there are ripples, bobbles, stars, shells, 'V' stitches, blackberry and that difficult interlocking chain stitch. Probably others too. I have discovered that I love the mathematical side of crochet (and quilting) but that's another story. 

So could there possibly be any more excitement in one week? World book day at school where a young colleague thrilled me with her approach to the topic...

We spent the afternoon singing along to songs from Mary Poppins, so that took me back to my childhood, going to the cinema with my own Grandma to see the film at the "pictures."

There you have it, a week in the life of.... oh, but I didn't tell you about my husbands birthday, or going to the allotment, or my doodles, or my online felting and embroidery course. Maybe I'll leave something for next time.  Come back soon, and please leave me a comment. I'd love to know if anyone is out there.

Love Mary