I’ve been trying to come up with new critters for the critter boxes,  when it struck me…….

The ultimate low maintanance pet………goldfish.  They’re kinda fun to make with the big eyes and lips.

This weekend is going to be great,  we are going to Madison to stay for the weekend.  Staying at the fancy schmancy  Madison Concourse Hotel and Governor’s Club to boot.  We decided to stay as The Detroit Cobra’s are playing the High Noon late Friday night,  and there is nothing worse than driving the hour drive back to Rockford when all you want to do is sleep.   Plus it will be great to just  get up and walk to the farmer’s market (our first one of this year…..kinda shocking).

So eek I can’t wait roll on Friday………yippppppeeeeee

cos I missed you!!!

But I have had the most fantastic 6 weeks……….ever!!!!    First of all I was in the UK  for Easter so I got to see the new Wallace and Gromit special on the telly……yippppeee (which was a completley happenstance incident as I had no idea at the time) and then I saw lots of awesomeness in the shops

How cool is the toast rack?  I mean it’s just a shame it was all so fragile looking.  Although I did manage to procure some less breakable goodies……yaaaaaaaay.

and then my 2 weeks in Spain flew by in a whirl of beautiful sunshine,  great food (god how I love anchovies in vinagre)  and fun day trips with the folks.

above is one of the Mijas taxis a little burro than you can ride around town,  I did this when I was a kid but I’d feel a little sorry for the donkey that had to cart me around now…..

Then a week in London

where (takes deep breath here)  I saw James Mcavoy in  3 days of rain

at the Apollo theatre on Shaftesburry Avenue.   We had fantastic seats and I swear I was so close to him I thought I even caught a whiff of his aftershave……….sigh how I adore him.  We also were lucky enough to get to see Romeo and Juliet at the Globe Theatre…..I have always wanted to see a performance in there since it has been built,  as it’s kind of cool to think that it is pretty much how it would have looked in Shakespeare’s day.   The night of the play was a gloriously beautiful warm night (so rare for the UK) so it made it extra nice to be sitting in the open air theatre….

I don’t think I could have managed to stand for the entire performance so I was very grateful to be in the seated balconies.  The rest of the time in London was spent enjoying the Tate and strolling around the Thames and drinking warm flat beer in fantastic pubs (although to be honest I’m still not really into the warm flat beer thing).   I also made sure to see platform 9 and 3/4 at King’s cross station (an homage to the fact that it’s the station that the Hogwart’s express leaves from…….

Then finally we had four  days in  Edinburgh

……….sigh how I miss Edinburgh and Scottish folk (but it’s a good miss and it makes you appreciate it more when you go back to it )  It was fantastic to walk up the Royal Mile admire the beauty of Auld Reekie and visit  Mary King’s close (spooky)….. We also enjoyed the much nicer colder Scottish beer in various locations…..(if you are heading to Scotland I highly recommend the Mcewan’s 80….yum) But of course like all Scot’s who have left Scotland permanently I have become so Scottish it’s scary………new tartan blanket throw for the sofa…….tartan scarves for winter……and the sound of bagpipes brings a tear to my eye……..

and although the new Scottish parliament building might be one of the ugliest buildings I’ve seen in my life…….I will tell you this boy,  I will defend it to all ney sayers!!!

So yeah,  I’m back and enjoying the full on hot temperatures of an Illinois summer (finally,  I mean was this the longest winter ever or what?)  and starting the critter making……..I can’t wait to show you my new guy,  he’s a little memento of my holidays……….

For now,  yup I’m heading off to London on Monday………..how exciting is that?  Got a few matters to take care of at “home” of the legal persuassion.  So I will be gone for a month or so,  and I can’t tell you how much I can’t wait to go to the nearest chipper for a bag of chips………mmmmmmmmm chips.

So I’ll try and keep the blog updated with my news and pics and crafting overseas………I doubt I will be able to not pick up the needles for a whole month, but we will see.  It has been a long time since I’ve been back and there is a ton of schtuff I want to see and do there.

See you when I get back………..lots of love

xx

Happy St. Patrick’s day everyone………anyone have fun plans for the holiday?  Green beer in your future?  All the parades and green river  happened in Chicago last weekend and I of course realised this to late to go,  which is probably just as well as I can only imagine what traffic must be like to get anywhere close to Chicago for the holiday.

So this week was lots of fun with cats and vets (insert sarcastic roll eyes here).  I just had to share this image with you though

My brave boys………..honestly these two are hilarious when they are in the vet’s office……..Floyd’s self defense mechanism is to pretty much play dead,  and Lewis’s is to stay as close to Floyd as possible…….dummies.   Oh and in case you were wondering about Floyd’s mould he has cat acne,  yup you heard right acne……..who the heck knew cat’s got acne………pretty gross but not life threatning, phew.

So I’m off to wear something green and make hairclips……..

slainte mhath

Last Saturday we headed into Madison and I got some fantastic hand painted roving from the knitting tree.  Now I am notorious for falling in love with wacky roving then either not using it for fear of not having enough to finish a project (it’s near impossible to get the same colours ever again) or just not having a clue how to use it to its advantage…… and so it sits unused in my rather large collection of wool a rather expensive testament at my serious lack of imagination.  But can you blame me for having to purchase this time?

How pretty is that?  I think the woman in the store was rather disappointed to hear I wasn’t going to spin it and instead turn it into Easter Peepers

I really love how he turned out…. every time you turn him he’s a different composition of colours just like a real birdie,  although he may not be that Easter(ie)  oh well.

I was hoping to go to Madison today to go crafting at Anthology.  I really want to make the brass stamp charms that they do but Floyd (middle cat)  has been having mold issues (it’s the weirdest thing he’s like a peach) so I had to cancel my plans to tend to his chin instead (does anyone know anything about moldy cats? )

Speaking of Anthology it’s their one year birthday on the 14th,  so if you are in Madison head on over there for some cake and crafting details can be found on their blog.

groan I am sick,  and in the full on feeling sorry for myself mode that only being really sick can trully inspire.  I am not sure how I caught it but I would really like it to go away now.    I have even closed the Etsy shop for now as the last thing I want to do is make anything or have to go out to the post office to send it on it’s way.

Bleurgh I really am the worst sick person,  I instantly revert to being a whiny 5 year old……..sniff, sniff and feel sorry for myself.   Hopefully I’ll be better soon and then I’ll reopen the shop……. but for now it’s nice to have the break.

write a Christmas post a little earlier but I’ve been far too busy stuffing my face with choccies and working my way through watching our Christmas Amazon order (lots of British dvd box sets).

However I had a lovely Christmas did you?   I took a picture of our first course yummy prawn cocktail………mmmmmm

and of course my dining companion

just kidding,  and besides it turns out that Lewis isn’t a big fan of prawns……how weird is that?   I got a pretty good haul of goodies this year (Markie did well)

Lots of kid robot goodies (a whole bag full)  and this is the pine cone necklace from Charmaine Anthony

I love it and these are the items he picked from Steve Tomashek’s Miniature Menagerie booth also from the Bucktown Bazaar

I love the little cat,  it’s as if he had seen Floyd and made him just for me……and who couldn’t love a raccoon on skis?

Oh and do you see that green rectangle in the background?  well that’s my new iphone….I wasn’t that fussed about getting one before but it’s brilliant!!!!  no more printing out directions to shows cos I have the whole internet at hand…….yaaaaaaay

Anyway I shall especially love  the convenience of my iphone next month, as we are off to San Diego again.  I can’t wait to be somewhere warm and mega excited that we will be staying at the Del Coronado,  or as I call it… Marilyn’s hotel as it was the hotel used in the movie Some like it hot.  

Well hope you had a fantastic Christmas and got everything you wanted (I did) and that you have a wonderful Happy and Healthy New Year.

We certainly can today as we had so much snow last night…..

It certainly is beginning to look a lot like Christmas round here,  oh and talking about looking a lot like Christmas check out my holiday decorations

I love my fireplace……..I got these excellent star stung lights  from Ikea in their sale last year (I think they cost a whole dollar)  and they are so cool

I may have to leave them up all year………we will see.  Oh and the tree of course

Geeesh I completely underestimated the size of the tree……..it’s huge!!!!!  I have a huge collection of ornaments but on this tree……you wouldn’t know it,  it has been suggested by a few people that I should make some more to fill in the gaps,  but no!!! I refuse it’s the holidays dammit and I don’t wanna!!!!! Although I did have to break my no stabby rule and  make myself a  little deer,  Oh how I wished I had kept one for myself which meant I had to suck it up and get on with it……Hope you guys are hitting the nog!!! hohoho

Shows that is,  yup as my last show is rapidly approaching I figured I should have some new goodies for the table….

I was asked to make a little black santa ornament by one of the lovely vendors at the Bcktown bazaar……and here he is

I hope she likes him as she will be picking him up on Sunday at the Holiday Show.  Of course making him set the ole noggin’ to ticking and now I have amassed a little Santa army

Now I would love to tell you he’s my new favourite thing to make……but he’s not.  Why? I hear you ask well simply because these guys are..

They are kind of a bigger version of my little snowmen ornaments with pipe cleaner arms and I am determined to keep a few for myself I absolutely love how they look………I am getting worse!!!!!

So these little goodies (and lots more)  will be available at the show on Sunday I hope to see you there

Wow it really was,  it felt like the whole of Madison at some point was in the hall.  I would like to thank all the wonderful shoppers for supporting  independent artists,  vendors for having the coolest schtuff  and most especially the organizers (glitterworkshop) for such a brilliantly organized and promoted show.

I managed to get a piccie of my booth in one of the 3 second lulls I seemed to get and also a rather fab pic of the hall

Lots of critters found fabulous new homes and lots of young artist were inspired,  check this out

How cute is their little penguin?  I am so impressed  as they made him only a few hours after purchasing the stabby kit from me!!!!   and  I am so thrilled to be spreading the needle felting obsession to others……yaaaaay a stabby invasion,  we will take over the world!!!!!  mwah haha

So I am going to be a very busy lady as The Holiday show in Chicago is this Sunday.   I had better get back to the stabby stabby.  But don’t forget

I’d love to see you there.