WOYWW 765 cats and colours

Hi all, just a short post

At art class we’ve started a fruit and veg still life. 

Our tutor is very precise about drawing from life so it resembles the subject, so there’s a lot of drawings and rubbing out at first. 
 

I’ve changed the blue to a cooler one in my crochet jumper project, and am adding more contrasting colours. 

Most of my time this week has been looking after Gracie, who’s been diagnosed with tumours on her kidneys. She’s on pain meds, plus steroids and appetite stimulants. I found one way for now of disguising the pills by wrapping them in cheese, but cheese stopped working this morning so now I’m grinding up the tablets in a liquid treat she likes, Lik-e-Lix.

I won’t put her through chemo with lots of vets visits and injections as a single vet visit stresses her out, so it’s just a matter of time till she’s in more pain than reasonable. 

Here she is with Bella on the bed. 

We’re making a fuss of Bella too so she doesn’t feel left out. 

Yesterday was B’s birthday so we went to the recently refurbished Kings Arms nearby. B is clowning outside - one too many photos 😉

They gave him a ‘happy birthday’ plate with extra ice cream. 

And finally…

Take care and happy WOYWW 

Hugs

Lynnecrafts xx

WOYWW 764 Colours and crochet

Hi all, my watercolour class last week had us mixing colours for our own colour wheels. It’s harder than it looks to get the correct gradation of shades! At the end we had a much better idea of what colours we can make with our paints. 

We’re only supposed to use a warm and a cool red, yellow and blue plus the earth colours and viridian green but I snagged these Daniel Dmith colour samples in the sale, so I have them in my bag. 

This week we’ll be starting a fruit & veg still life. 

I’ve now started another jumper, using leftover Hobbii winter glow yarn. The pattern is Onward and upward

I like it because the stitches are simple - three trebles then a front post double treble. The placing needs watching but I get to mix colours. The rib is a mauvy blue in reality, but I’m still not happy with it so I’m starting again. 

Gracie has picked up a bit and is asking for food again rather than licking at it a bit when it’s put down next to her. I’ve talked to the vet but I’m not taking her yet as it stresses her out terribly. 

We’ve been trying not to laugh at Bella, who reached up and almost hooked a bit of lamb steak off Brian’s plate this week. We’re VERY disappointed 🤣. 

And finally…

Take care and happy WOYWW 

Hugs

Lynnecrafts xx

WOYWW 763 Cowls, cakes and Watercolour

Hi all, hope you’re keeping warm! It’s still glacial here. 

My desk this week was at my art class, where we’ve started this term’s watercolour with learning different techniques: wet on dry, wet on wet, dry brushing, lifting out etc. 

I now understand why ‘cauliflowers’ or runbacks occur (adding wet to dryer sections), although I’ve accidentally made them for years. This week will be colour mixing then we get to do a paint project. 

My Twixtmas cowl is now finished, and very welcome in this weather!

I’ve now worked out how to use one of my Xmas presents. It needs to hang freely to spin, so it’s suspended from knitting needles poking out of my craft shelf. The cats aren’t sure about it, but they know the rule, only Lynne plays with yarn in this house. 😉

It stops my yarn running away, anyway. 

I’ve just finished baking Seville Orange and almond cakes. I saw this recipe in Macknade’s site and felt like making a seasonal cake. Theirs doesn’t have almonds but I do like them in a cake. It’s a nicely tangy cake but I’d reduce the amount of sugar next time. The recipe has icing but I leave that out. 

Bella loves her Crispmouse mouse! Gracie sometimes shows an interest. They both send purrs to you all. 

And finally..,

😻😻

Take care and happy WOYWW 

Hugs

Lynnecrafts xxx

WOYWW 762 Cowl crochet and colours

Hi all, I hope you’re keeping well and warm. It’s freezing in Kent this week (not on a North American scale but cold for us.)

I’m re-reading Bill Bryson’s wonderful Notes from a Small Island at the moment and he reminded me: “A blizzard is when you can’t get your front door open. Drifts are things that make you lose your car till spring. Cold weather is when you leave part of your flesh on doorknobs.” 

I know, Bill, but I feel cold, apart from when I’m helpless with laughter at your antics in a Dover guesthouse or at you drunkenly trying to get back through a revolving door into the Adelphi in Liverpool. 

My cowl is progressing and I like the variegated purple against the green, as well as the lighter border. 

Bella is helping me, here, while Gracie practices radiator worship. 

I’m getting ready for my watercolour class, which starts on Thursday. 

I’ve had a list of which colours and brushes to bring, but there are a few extras in the tin of tubes, just in case!

And finally…

Stay well and happy WOYWW 

Hugs

Lynnecrafts xx

 

WOYWW 761 Happy New Year!

Hi all, I wish you all an amazing new year, full of good health, wellbeing and great creativity, as Neil Gaiman says:

Well, I struggled and struggled with that horrible sorry cowl pattern and eventually decided I just wasn’t enjoying it so I’ve learned a new stitch, and have started a different one an American pattern from:Crocheted simplicity

I’ll get round to undoing all these dotty cowl bits at some point. 

There are more important things to do than struggle with such badly written patterns. 

Gracie and Bella send you purrs but they’re virtually hibernating at the mo!

And finally…

Take care all and happy WOYWW 

Hugs

Lynnecrafts xxx

WOYWW 760 Brain twisters and Christmas

Hi all, I hope you had a great Christmas. It was just us two and the cats, a haunch of wild boar, some good French wine, B’s mince pies and my Christmas cake. 

 I finished B’s slipover so it became a Christmas present, switched with his birthday present for the end of January. 

I had some excellent crafty presents:

Crochet hooks from Henryetta’s Hooks

An alpaca wool bag

And a curious but useful wool holder, as well as jewellery and clothes. 

I set myself a right brain twister for Twixtmas. 

This cowl looks so pretty. It’s a double sided crochet, worked on both sides alternately. I thought it would be nicely intricate. 

I treated myself to some fancy Uruguayan 4ply yarn ( my annual present to myself in memory of my Mum) and set to. The trick I’d learned for not twisting a long chain came in handy:

avoid twisting crochet chains 

Rows 1 and 2 were ok, but then came the dreaded row 3. There are even blogs about how horrendous it is. https://cup-of-stitches.blogspot.com/2019/07/dotty-cowl-free-pattern-and-tutorial.html?m=1.  It is quite the worst-written pattern I’ve ever tried. 

I think I eventually got through row 3 and am now on my um 5th try at row 4! The trouble is that those who’ve succeeded have made a beautiful cowl. It’s not going to beat me 😡.  Bella’s helping 😻

Bella and Gracie had catnip mice for Crispmouse and really like them. 

I haven’t managed to snap Gracie with one yet, but they both wish you all happy Crispmouse and all the best for the new year. 

And finally…

A happy and healthy new year to you all, 

Hugs

Lynnecrafts xx

WOYWW 759 Happy Christmas

Hi all, I hope you’re warm and well. I’d like to wish you all a merry Christmas and all the best for a happy and healthy new year. 

Brian’s slipover is nearly done. It’s for his birthday in January. This is the front. I’ve just the neck and arm borders to do. He’s not keen on having his photo taken 😘

My Christmas tree is up and it’s like welcoming old friends back. The fairy is as old as I am:

Our LLJ made the Christmas puddings for me

This lovely cracker was made by my friend Paula

This bird came from our friend, Liz with our card this year. 

We had a nice Xmas party with my writing group and partners, plenty of food and drink, with Xmas themed stories. 

Bella and Gracie send purrs to you all and hope you have many crunchy mice in your midwinter feasts. 😻😻

And finally…

See…😹😹

Merry Xmas and happy WOYWW 

Hugs 

Lynnecrafts xx