WOYWW 730 Colours and cakes

Hi all, I’m back for our Wednesday blog hop courtesy of Julia at the Stamping-ground.blogspot. 

My chevron blanket strips are growing and have taught me something about myself. I most enjoy mixing colours to my own design, which is why the Chevron blanket won out against the Frida cardi. One day! 

I had more happy mail this week - an ATC from Susan Renshaw in Australia 

I’m also deep into proofreading, looking at every word and punctuation mark. You can see from these tabs that I’ve found a lot to change, despite the number of times I went through my manuscript. 

It seems my novel will now be published in July. I’ll let you know. 

I also baked an apricot and almond bara brith, as a photo and recipe for that will go onto the bookmark along with the cover, which the publisher’s designer is still mulling over. 

Bella and Gracie send purrs to you all. 

And finally…

Take care and happy WOYWW!

Hugs

Lynnecrafts xxx

WOYWW 729 Happy post,, chevrons and publishing

Hi all, what a lot of happy post this week! Thank you all so much. 💕

ATCs from Christine, Julia (with a WOYWW badge!) Tracy, a 3D steampunk one from Angela (Felix the Crafty Cat),  Helen and Mary Anne. 

Mary Anne’s was an amazing multi-folded card:

And Tracy’s came with a lovely, inspiring card. Even the back of her envelope had a pretty label. 

I found a better yarn for my Chevrons blanket. 

It’s actually two, King Cole Harvest and King Cole Bramble. I’m using magic knots so I won’t have ends to deal with afterwards. 

Im enjoying mixing the colours. 

With help from Bella. 😻😻

Both she and Gracie send purrs to you all. 

My novel is being typeset and we’re starting the cover design. 

Here’s the back cover copy, which I spent hours over. 

A Sense for Silver is an intriguing mystery, setting the radiance of Paris in relief against its darker side, exploring Paris’s magic, its flavours and its diversity.

Ellyn Boswell, a young silversmith with an uncanny gift of discerning precious metals by touch, escapes to Paris after her father is reported killed in a cliff fall. Her signature Byzantine bracelets help her find work with an old jeweller in the city’s best food street, where her love of sharing food helps her make friends. She hates liars and thieves, but she has something they want. Is she being followed for her sense for silver or because of some backlash from her father’s shady dealings?

Remember, if you want to sign up for news of its publication, with the chance of an unboxing prize, please send your email address to me at lmcollis (@) icloud (dot) com, if you haven’t already. 

And finally.,,

This one’s for David Crosby:

We had Jehovah’s Witnesses at the door this week and should have sent Bella! I dislike other people’s religion being pushed at me. 

Take care and happy WOYWW 

Hugs

Lynnecrafts xxx

WOYWW 728

Happy 14th anniversary to you all!

I’ve had some lovely ATCs already. 

From Helen and LLJ below

From Wipso and Twiglet, above. The house is a keyring! 

I’ve focussed on elephants as 14 is the ivory anniversary and, of course, only elephants need any. The photo on the right is from a new cafe on Folkestone harbour.  

I tried using king Cole curiosity yarn for the chevron blanket but it hasn’t worked. As you see below, it lacks impact. I like the pattern but just need a yarn with the right number of colour changes. 

So now I’m back on the Frida cardi and I’ve ordered another yarn to try. It’s all acrylic dk, Jan, so I’ll add it to the bag for you 😉. 

Today I bought 2 ‘pieces of eight’ from a Spanish galleon in Ramsgate harbour. They’re Philip II (husband of Mary I, and lived till 1598 so was King during the Spanish Armada.) I’m not sure what to do with them - earrings? They’re a bit big mind!

We had a lovely visit to the galleon. 

In the day there would have been about 150 crew - hard to see how they all fit in. 

Lots of gruesome details about the food they ate and the state of it but all very interesting. It’s off to Weymouth next and is worth a visit. 

The day was glorious and we came home sun-glazed 🌞 from our walk. 

You saw Bella above helping with my crochet. Here’s Gracie, receiving due obeisance. They both send you purrs. 

And finally…

I’m off to enjoy the anniversary blogs care of Julia at The Stamping Ground blog

Take care all, and happy WOYWW elephant’s anniversary! 

Hugs

Lynnecrafts xxx

WOYWW 727 American distractions

Hi all, 

I’ve started to send out ATCs so if you want to share, please could you email me your address? (Lmcollis@icloud(dot).com

I’ve been distracted by a new American pattern this week, which creates a chevron pattern throw. It’s a $0.99 pattern from Mary Maxim. I love the wool they’re using for its colour contrasts but I’m not paying £10 for 100g of acrylic. If you’re interested in the pattern, send me an email at lmcollis@ iCloud (dot) com and I’ll send you more info. 

I consulted my favourite Yarnsub.com, which lets you enter any yarn brand and tells you the equivalents. 

I’ve ordered a ball of this King Cole Curiosity yarn to see if I like it. Different suppliers show very different combinations of shades for it so I’ll wait and see. 

These two are the same shade, from different suppliers. I guess it’s a lottery which you get. If you know of any other yarn in blue, teal, sand and white dk that would work, could you let me know, please? Thanks.  

I’ve had a play with some leftover yarn and the technique isn’t too fiddly. 

I couldn’t use that though, the ends would drive me bonkers. 

I’m just a sucker for any crochet that makes

 structural patterns.  

Repeat, Lynne, you’re just looking at this, you will finish your Frida cardi first!!

I've also re-done the map that sits at the front of my novel, A Sense for Silver, which goes off for typesetting this week. I had converted the original powerpoint into a picture but couldn't find the original - so I've done it again. It’s what Brian calls ‘hard colouring in’ but I enjoy drawing it by mouse. 

It's called Ellyn's Paris.

On Monday we went to the American gardens nearby in Scotswood. 

It’s an amazing garden: about 150 years ago, the valley was blocked by a badger dam, with the result that the soil is now about 15 feet deep in peat. 

They planted sequoias amongst the rhododendrons, and these redwoods are believed to be the origin of the name.

Brian trying to lean like the redwood. 

. Down on a muddy stream side path, they also have gunnera, which look like rhubarb gone mad.

Gracie and Bella send purrs to you all. 

And finally…

Ain't that the truth!

I’m off to have a peek at all your desks via Julia at the Stamping Ground

Take care and happy WOYWW 

Hugs

Lynnecrafts xxx

WOYWW 726

Hi all, That week went quickly! It shouldn’t make any difference, now I m retirex, but bank holidays still throw me out. No creative writing class and this week no University Challenge either. What is the world coming to? 

I’ve made more progress with my Frida cardi. 

And I’ve been having online conversations with a friend in Swansea, Chris Lewis, who used to be an art teacher. He’s produced this interpretation of my cover, with black and white areas for the title and my name. 

I must also make some more ATCs. If you’d like to swap with me, could you send me your address please, to Lmcollis@icloud(dot).com? 

We went to a locally run farm and tea shop today, Tuesday, to Perry Court Farm, firstly to buy some wool- based tomato compost and to have lunch. 

It was a glorious day so we could eat outside. They sell many varieties of apple and their trees are just coming into flower. 

Some of them look very old and knobbly, but that makes them all the more beautiful. I couldn’t get a good angle but I hope you can see. 

We came home through Wye along the top of the North Downs, where you can see all the way to the coast. They call this the Saxon Shore. 

Bella and Gracie have graciously posed for the camera this week, displaying their skills in advanced cuteness. 

And finally,

Take care and happy WOYWW 

Hugs

Lynnecrafts x