I know it has been some time since I have last blogged or even read my favourite sites. I've been so down with bad news from my family that I didn't even feel like doing anything at all. We've just found out that my dad is sick and I will be flying to Brazil soon. And with all that is the problem with my back so I will have to stand for most of the flight. But I guess it's a sacrifice that I have to make and it will be great to finally meet his new wife.

So, apart from all this that I hope will be solved soon, I finished my cushion and I am enjoying it a lot. I know that the bedroom looks very feminine now but it is so much better than before that sometimes it's difficult to believe the state it was before I moved in.

I chose the colours from our new duvet set.

And created a new way to close it, since I didn't want to have bottoms on it. I don't know if anybody has done like that (as a shoe lace) but I think it's better so I can wash it without the cushion.

So that's how it looks like right now... beautiful ans comfortable..

Last craft from 2011

Wow, it took a while but I am finally here posting again!

I've been crafting a little now that I feel much better. In fact, I don't know where to start! I have a crochet scarf to continue and a cushion cover but I started to knit a sweater! But I have to control myself so I don't hurt my shoulder. Well, to do little is definetely much better than doing nothing!

So, this is a hat which I made last December and my first cable project. I confess that to try cables in the round was a big challenge and try to keep in moss stitch with decreases pretty difficult but I finally finished it.

You can find the pattern here in Ravelry for free.

Knitted dress with crochet yoke finished!

Yes, I know it has been a long time since I last posted... the truth is I really didn't feel like, I didn't have anything nice to share and having ups and downs with my health is not a help at all.

So, I finally finished my dress which I've been working on since may according to Ravelry. I am very happy that I managed to finish this winter so I have plenty of time to wear it and the best of all is that it turned out to be wearable!

I didn't want to post my picture wearing it at first but we are who we are! I made it in large size but the yoke following extra large instructions because my squares were small.

If anybody is interested on this pattern you can find it here at Drops design website.

A note on Halloween

I am very glad some kids showed up yesterday. The weather was not very nice but even though some children had some fun. One of the mothers said that around here I was the only one who decorated the door. I was surprised that some of the kids had coins on their pots... I felt sorry for them in some way. Well, next year I will be even more prepared, because there were more visitors than last year and I also think that the kids wait for it and parents look for a costume and go out with them, you know.

Hope everybody had a good time!

Halloween

Well, four years ago I happened to be here in England during this time. I was really scared when I heard people knocking on the door and making a lot of noises and flash lights... I went back to the living room and told my husband (that time boyfriend) 'I think something is going on outside, can you have a look?' Then to my surprise he said, 'It is Halloween!'.

I didn't know people here celebrate Halloween... so, last year we only had some eclairs to give away. Today I am prepared, I just put some sweets in tissue paper. I thought, better safe than sorry. So, if at least one child shows up I am glad enough.

I put some bats on the door so they can guess we will have some treats. We don't need much work with decoration... the construction work the council has been doing is spooky enough!

Cross-stitch book

I just want to share some pictures from a cross stitch book I've bought from the library for just a miraculous £1!

The name of the book is Classic Storybook Cross-Stitch by Gillian Souter as it says "storybook" you can guess that it is designed for kids but it was love at first sight.

What called my attention was the graphics from Beatrix Potter and the Little Prince. I might start doing some for my future baby (I hope) or even for myself :).

Blogging Again

It has been quite a while since I've last posted. The fact is that even getting better I felt I bit lazy and all... and I was thinking maybe I don't want to blog anymore. But here I am!

I've been working on my Drops Design dress and I've made quite an improvement finishing the sleeves and now knitting the skirt. I shouldn't have gone for a big project like that since I wasn't felling that well but now that I see how much I've done is really a good feeling and I really hope I will be able to wear it this winter!

I've been knitting using the continental method and I think is pretty fast, although in my opinion it's only good for the knit stitch... I  find a little bit annoying the purl stitch in this method.

And as most people I also get bored working on the same project, especially if you use the same stitch over and over again. The good thing about it is that you can what tv and don't worry about counting the increases and decreases. So I started a cushion cover to match our new duvet set and although it is not as neat as I thought it would be but I am having quite a lot of fun.

I know my husband will think it's very girly and colourful but I want a change. All the black and white bedding is going to be gone for a while!

Here is a preview:

I hope the stitches get better after blocking!

Lucky Clover bookmark in crochet

Hello once again! I am finally feeling better from my pains and I've been crafting a little already. So this morning I made this bookmark that was on my Ravelry list for some weeks. It's simple, easy and beautiful. I blocked with cornflour because I don't have the spray right now. It's a pity that the picture didn't catch the right colour...

You can find the instructions here but you have to be a Ravelry member and it's for free.

Birthday

Yesterday was my birthday, I've a beautiful card from my husband and we had our dinner in a pub. I had some lovely messages from my friends and family through facebook but I must say that's is not the same having them close. 

What I learned on being far from friends and family is that we are the ones responsible for keeping celebrations going on so I made Brigadeiro sweets, very traditional in Brazil, and we went to a pub to have our dinner. Very simple but we had fun.

 

The recipe for this sweet is easy and you can find it here. It's ideal for kids and you can decorate the way you like.

Crafting with felt

I saw this mushroom pincushion tutorial some time ago and I was crazy to give it a try. The tutorial is super! It's from the blog The little house by the sea which is so cute! I started the mushroom last night and I couldn't leave it this morning I had to finish it. I really don't think I will use it as a pincushion though, so beautiful and delicate... and some work with the embroidery which is also a challenge for me specially with all those French knots! I tried to keep the same design from the creator and I am loving it!