One of this months auction buys!

A poor little sideboard that nobody wanted, it wasn't  going to sell and so I just had to buy it and give it a new lease of life!

Before..... Painted in some awful mahogany stain/varnish

With it's mirror

After.....

Before and after mirror detail

Before and after top

Before and after leg

 Really hard work, but worth it I think.
Now I've just got to try and sell it!!

Tunisian (afghan) crochet

I've had a go at Tunisian crochet - a cross between knitting and crochet. 

I've seen images on the web of these wonderful warm blankets, scarves and hats etc, so after doing a bit of research on how to do the basic stitch I had a try.

I love the woven effect that you get (especially if using variegated wool) and the finished material is thicker than it would be if just crocheting, so warmer. But I don't know if I could tackle anything much larger. It's not as quick as crocheting (but that might be just be a very slow beginner) and I imagine it would also get quite heavy on the needle, but who knows one day I might have a proper go!

The easiest thing for me to do was another neck warmer, as it wouldn't need a special hook.

I added a vintage hand painted button to this one

front and reverse view

Shop update, so exciting!

I sold my first bag yesterday on Folksy, yippee! 

Anyway after the excitement had worn off overnight and I went to the post office to send it, I have finally managed to get my act together and list some other items that have been hanging around for quite a while, waiting for me to pull my finger out. 

We've been on a mushroom hunt

On Sunday we went for a woodland walk to hunt for mushrooms, not to eat as we don't know enough about them yet, but to photograph.

We found lots of different types in a very small area...

And what did I get for my efforts.... So many bites that when I got up on Monday morning I actually thought I had chicken pox, needless to say I had a very uncomfortable nights sleep last night. I assume they are bites anyway, otherwise I have got some horrible lurgy!

I also think it's high time I went on a course on mushroom hunting, so that at least I could enjoy the fruits of my labour in future, oh and I will definitely be covering myself from head to toe in insect repellant. 

Abstract portrait

I was asked last week to do another abstract painting of a work colleagues husband.

She sent me over the photograph to work from....

And I did this....

It's quite big, 60cm by 60cm and I really, really hope she likes it. 

I always feel very nervous about giving people things, as although I know they will be nice and seem pleased, you never really know what they are thinking, oh well fingers crossed.

A bit blue...

I've been browsing patterns on the internet lately looking for things to make from my wool stash and found this scarf on Raverly, which I thought was a little bit different. Even better no brain power is needed, you just have to be able to count to 15 for the chains, definitely one for me then!

I just wish I had made it that little bit longer. Oh well if I ever do another one I'll check the length when doing the original chain.

Then I found this pattern for a necklet and decided to use my beautiful Queensland rustic tweed wool. Ooh its so soft and lovely to work with and such a beautiful colour. I brought 3 balls and have been saving it for something special, so I have made 2 of these necklets, slightly different from the pattern, one for my mum and one for my auntie.  They only use a small amount of wool and are very quick to make.

Very pretty under a coat and much less bulky than a scarf, warm too.

I've actually managed to finish a few more things but for some reason I can't yet get the photographs to good enough to show them. More practice needed in the camera department I think!