white christmas...

after seven days of snow, late on christmas eve i have regained my internet connection. (but alas not my sanity)

just in time to wish you all, whatever your celebrations might be...a very happy and jolly time with 'nearests and dearests'

she will see you in the new year ~ Tif

no school and no snow...

the 'weather warning' is bad and so it would seem the schools are not taking a risk and the kids are staying home.

there is no 'glee' in my shed today.

having a day off school is all well and good if there is snow on the ground to mess around in...but no school and no snow makes for 'unhappy' folk. i have tried to maintain an air of 'joyfulness' around the place...whilst all the time inside my head thinking "oh no Tif, one week to go...this will teach you to live by the 'seat of your pants' when it comes to christmas and the birthdays"...

so to calm my thoughts i have taken up a 'spot' of knitting...in my favorite corner.

now dearest readers i have to confess it has been a wee while since the 'clickity clack' of knitting needles has been heard around here...since i started my love affair with a 'hook' my 'needles' have lain idle.

but i have had a 'must do' in the back of my head since September when my lovely friend Debbie came to visit from the UK...she found the most prettiest of 'knitted/crocheted' collars and i was 'green' with envy...not being able to find a pattern that i liked (and quite honestly we all know that when i follow a pattern it always goes hay wire) i decided to take some measurements and make my own 'version', using a lovely soft organic chunky cotton (lion brand) i had in my stash waiting for such an occasion to 'shine'...

i have managed several rows and now my wrists are complaining...but i am quite confident that this little 'scarflett' will come out a treat. it is doing the perfect job at keeping me 'contented' and 'sane' today...just what 'knitting' is best at.

she's hoping the snow stays away and school is back in tomorrow ~ Tif

Gladys and the cold...

it's been a bit 'brass monkeys' around here...not a lot of snow to show for it yet, but i've been informed by my lovely 'dears' that more is forecast and this time it's gonna be big.

they are keeping fingers and toes crossed there will be no school...what they haven't fully comprehended, is their mother has not done the best part of her christmas shopping, therefore requiring the few remaining days of school to complete her task. without those days, it isn't looking good...

but let that not distract from Gladys looking a treat at the weekend...

however something was missing...

as i don't do well in cold climates and must remain indoors at all times swathed in knitted attire and crocheted blankets, it became apparent there was only one person for the job...

the mistake i made was not to supervise the job, by the time i looked it was too late...i desperately wanted to correct the non evenness (why didn't i just put unevenness? what is with the 'non' business) of the lights but alas my

'snow and cold' allergy did not allow me the comfort...

shouting from a window

"but it's just not quite how i imagined" did not go down too well.

i quickly retreated so as not to catch the barrage of abuse that was hurled in my direction.

i have decided that it is good for me to 'suffer' this way, after all i have had full control over mantelpiece decorating (i caved at 10 trees and just shifted the whole display along) and must allow my man his 'uneven' lighting of Gladys...

she's out and about tomorrow, snow willing ~ Tif

FOOTNOTE: having just taken a second look, i see now that my man was only 'mimicking' my uneven garland hanging... thinking that's how i like it...sigh

christmas 'crafty' part two...

the corner of my studio is fast becoming a 'little' grotto and some might say a 'little' grotto with 'little' taste...the 'jaunty' trees have multiplied to a count of eight.

they have been joined by some 'pesky' little wood cutters from here, who do not appear to treat 'furry woodland' creatures as one should...(can you tell when a 10 year old boy has helped...i have corrected most of the massacre, to save your delicate dispositions...)

the 'garlands of joy' were created ever so easily...when the idea came to me a few weeks back i had dreams of vintage wallpaper etc but alas i do not have stacks of vintage wallpaper in my possession and even if i did, i doubt i would be able to cut it up for this purpose...

so the next best thing i feel is 'scrap booking' paper, i live in a land of 'scrap bookers'...it really is 'big' here, thus our local craft shop is just full of beautiful printed card stock ready to be transformed into a paper garland for my little 'grotto'...

this is where i shall mention a few items that are needed.

1. several yard lengths of lace and ribbon

2. 'die cut machine' or 'patience and a stencil'

3. parent to operate 'die cut machine' in craft store

4. preferable a parent with lots of technical ability and 'calmness'

5. parent who is willing to spend the best part of his first day of 'visiting' in a craft store surrounded by females cutting out tons of snowflakes and deer

i am actually pausing here, while i am thinking...is it really necessary for me to even tell you how i have made my little paper garlands, it really is a 'no brainer' for you crafty lot and let's be honest, it's really a little late for it as well.

but on second thoughts, i shall go on, just in case somewhere in a far corner of our globe, a little person like myself is wishing to make a 'little' grotto and for the life of them can't think where to get started...

continuing on, take home your 'cut outs' and parent...congratulate him on a job well done, give him a cup of tea and then set him to work on yarn 'snowball' making whilst you continue with the garland...

now it's all a little 'hodge podge' from now on, but all one does is stitch with the machine the said piece of 'cut out' (for example, a snowflake) leaving threads to dangle and moving on along your chosen 'strand' of lace or ribbon, stitching 'cut outs' in place. i made various differing lengths of garlands to add to the 'i just threw it up there' look i was aiming for...("we don't believe you Tif"...i shall ignore that)

i have only the trees left to work on and then my 'decor' for this christmas is complete...and just before i go, i have decided if it's good enough for the great british broadcasting corporation then it's good enough for my little blog...here's a repeat of my door wreath and door hanger for anyone who likes 're-runs'

she's off to 'batten down the hatches' as snow is forecast ~ Tif

FOOTNOTE: the circle garlands were not made by moi, i picked them up a few years back at a craft show...they are just perfect with my 'little' garlands, in fact quite honestly they make the whole thing have a 'wow' factor that it was missing before, would you not agree :)

FOOTNOTE #2: i do believe i have found the 'crafty' person behind the 'dot' garland on etsy...

kate greiner

i was just doing a little trawl around and 'hey presto'...

christmas 'crafty' part one...

i'm not quite sure why i feel the need to create a 'winter wonderland' on the mantelpiece of my studio with only two weeks to go...and more to the point why i feel the need to 'crochet' this winter delight. however i am determined just like i was with the 'snowball' scene to 'see it through'...

i spent most of yesterday in between answering the door to 'pesky gnomes', thinking...yes that's right dear readers i had my 'thinking cap' on, i haven't worn it for a while so it felt a little 'odd' but never the less i kept it on and continued for the best part of the day to 'think'...

and then after all that 'thinking' i took up my 'yarn and hook' and started to crochet...to be honest i really didn't know quite what i was doing and where it would go but if i'll be darned, i actually managed to make three little cone shapes that i do believe could pass as winter wonderland trees. they get their 'jaunty' shape from the fact that i 'made it up as i went along' and not because of some 'preplanning' on my behalf...

i only have another twenty or more to go. ("are you insane, Tif?" i hear you cry) but that's where you do not need to fear for my sanity dear readers...you see, i am looking for an excuse every minute of the day to sit down in my 'where have you been all my life' 1950's George Mulhauser chair that i found whilst out and about with my folks last week...

all dusty and unloved, way up high in the eaves of an antique mall...the price was a steal and now he sits in the corner of my studio by the window all polished (thanks to my mum) and loved (thanks to my bottom)...the most perfect 'crafting' spot to sit and spend some time with a ball of yarn, a hook and a lovely cup of tea...

so i am now going to give you the low down on how to make a 'jaunty' crocheted tree for yourself, a loved one, a passing stranger, a pesky gnome or perhaps a squirrel in your back yard...and once again if you can follow my instructions and actually produce an item that resembles a tree, i think we will all believe in miracles at christmas time...

(deep breaths and here we go)

INSTRUCTIONS FOR A 'JAUNTY' TREE

*you will need a mix of green colors if you wish to make a 'collection' of trees (of course you can use any color you wish but i used green), i used a medium weight yarn that called for a 6mm hook, which i changed out for a 3.5mm hook so i got a really tight solid material at the end, thus helping the tree to stand on it's own...without help from cardboard, stuffing or perhaps a passing rock...

the trees are made from the bottom up, just so you know.

*make a 'chain ring' of say around 30 (this doesn't really matter, the longer the chain, the bigger your tree will be...it's nice to make them all different sizes)

*row 1: chain one, sc around the ring, sl st to complete first row

*row 2: chain one, 1 sc, skip one, sc until you are a third way around the ring, skip one, sc until you are two thirds of the way around the ring, skip one, sc until end and sl st to complete second row

(are you still with me...)

*repeat rows 1 and 2 making sure you decrease three stitches every time on row 2, evenly around the ring...this makes the twisty spiral shape as the tree gets narrower

*once you have reached the top, with say about 6 sc left, you just keep spiralling and decreasing and 'making it' look right until you are happy with your pointy bit on the top of your tree. (that's the beauty of crochet, if in doubt just make it up)

*finish off and thread in ends.

here's a close up for you to see of how the end result should look

*"voila" should be the words you say, then with a bit of luck you will have a 'jaunty' coned tree shape, just add or subtract the number of chains at the beginning to make your tree larger or smaller...but continue the pattern just the same repeating row 1 and row 2.

right ho, she's thinking that she has made a complete pig's ear of relaying a very simple idea...and thinking she needs a 'pattern' writer to aid her ~ Tif

knock, knock...

if you are sitting comfortably, then i shall begin...

Tif was looking through her stash of yarn, hoping to find some 'warmth'...the shed was cold and lonely since her folks had left. she was also looking for 'inspiration'...

the snowballs had been completed and now she was turning her attention to 'christmas trees'...minatue ones made from yarn, a little something for the wee pesky gnomes to make them feel 'more loved' as it was becoming quite clear they were not going to 'get over' eleven months in a box quite as quickly as she had hoped...

knock, knock...

"oh" said Tif to used dog, "who can that be, shall we go and see?"

(she opened the door)

"hello, are you Miss Tif and is this Mossy Shed?" asked the visitor

"what if i said it wasn't?" Tif was quick to answer.

from behind her a roar of "hurrahs" somewhere in the direction of the mantelpiece were to be heard...

"Ceril, Ceril...is that really you, did you get our postcard about needing to brighten the place up a bit...come on in and make yourself at home"...

next thing Tif knew...Ceril, a rather dubious pesky gnome pushed through her feet and marched on into the shed...she noted with some 'horror' that he bought a pot of yellow paint with him and worse still he had mislaid the lid...

Tif returned to her 'yarn stash' and empty corner of the shed where her folks had sat just the day before to knit and read...

a few minutes later...

knock, knock...

"oh no" whispered Tif to used dog "let's hope it's UPS or FedEx and not who i think it could be"

(she opened the door again)

"hello" said a rather jolly looking christmas gnome (quite obviously pesky and well fed)..."is this where wee 'pesky gnome in charge' and his cronies live?"

"what if i said it wasn't?" asked Tif

too late...another cheery welcome was called from the mantelpiece...
"uncle Bert, is that really you, did you get our postcard with the S.O.S on it...and more importantly did you bring your sack of 'christmas cheer' with you...quite honestly Tif is a 'crap' host and we haven't had a drop to drink since last christmas when we found her 'wee supply' for light weights"

"i, that i did my wee pesky gnome nephews" uncle Bert replied, whilst pushing past Tif and into Mossy Shed "i knew it was a matter of most importance and so i came a running, never one to miss out on a 'wee party' with my family"

Tif and used dog returned to yarn hunting...

knock, knock...

"i can't face it used dog, you will have to go alone this time"

used dog answered the door and looked around, nothing there...just as she was about to close the door and report back to Tif, a little voice squeaked...

"down here"

and sure enough used dog counted eight little pesky ladies on the door mat...

"we're here to spend christmas with wee 'pesky gnome in charge' and all his cronies...we come from sweden and we like to party..."

and the roar of appreciation from the mantelpiece inside the shed was heard from several blocks away...

"oh yes, boys" cried 'pesky gnome in charge', tears of joy on his cheeks..."all our christmases have come at once"...

she's thinking those wee pesky gnomes aren't going to need crocheted trees to keep them warm and cozy this christmas ~ Tif

christmas countdown...(oh yes! it's nearly here)

i have not been completely idle for the past week, no, no...quite the opposite, i have been quite the 'hostess', showing my lovely folks the 'sights and sounds' of 'post thanksgiving' nutty sales shopping and also the inside of some craft shops...

inbetween such exciting adventures i have put them to work in my little 'santa sweatshop' rolling ball after ball of 'woolly snowballs' for my mantelpiece...

here's a little sneaky peak...my folks still have much work ahead of them...i am seeing 'an avalanche of snowballs' in my head and my vision needs to realized...

some of you more 'observant' readers (or ones with 'eagle eyes') may note that in the picture there lurks a pesky gnome or two...it was just typical, there i was getting out my 'crocheted popcorn' garland from the christmas box when they escaped...

"blimey Tif" said 'pesky gnome in charge' ("how do you know he was the one in charge?" i hear you ask...well, with my vast experience of pesky gnomes it has become most apparent there is a hierarchy in 'gnome world', all based on 'noses'...he was in charge 'cause his nose is slightly bigger than the others, therefore he has an air of 'in chargeness' about him).

and so 'pesky gnome in charge' with the slightly larger nose continued to speak "i don't remember when you suggested a game of 'hide and seek' last january anything in the rules about us 'hiding' and you not 'finding' for eleven months"...

so that's that, they are now staging a 'sit in' on my mantelpiece, apparently chatting up the pretty girls who quite honestly aren't impressed with their 'uncouth' ways...

and frankly neither is she ~ Tif