March madness

Julia's daffodils

Where did March go? Here I am on the cusp on April....April?!! It's been a flower filled month as my sister has decided to chase her dream of running a cut flower business. We've been looking at all sorts of websites for ideas and inspirations for this years blooms as well as sheds and cold frames. It's all very exciting as gardening and flowers are her thing. 

I firmly believe we all have a medium, wood or wool or flowers, something our talents really shine through in. It may take you a time to find yours, or it will find you.

I'm always more than happy to have bouquets of flowers from her. Here are some from last year...beautiful!

So she has put in some new raised beds to grow all these beauty's and there will soon be her 'she-shed' cum potting, cum cutting room arriving. A new project is always exciting and I'm glad to be involved especially as she has helped me so much with mine.

Mad march hares were leaping out from the shop to ship all over the world. I had a first sale to Dubai so that was a new pin in the map.

I finally finished Megan's hat. Still in love with this yarn adriafil knitcol and there's still more stashed away.

I also completed my brief of a cowl that Megan could hide her face in...no idea why.The yarn is

a king cole riot DK from The Wool Stop in Thornbury chosen as the purple matched her hair!

Finished hat.

I couldn't resist these little 4mm beads when I saw them, just my colours. Not sure how practical these markers will be but they sure are lovely to look at.

I had a custom request for a nautical theme huge set of markers for a lady who lives on a boat and is mad on the ocean. Apparently she was very pleased with her wide selection of sea motif charms and shells. I like being given these little challenges to complete for custom orders. I can honestly spend hours looking at beads and charms and often end up purchasing items I didn't have in mind at the start!

There were a few warmer days and the Harley was brought out into sunlight for the first time in months. We had a lovely if somewhat chilly afternoon pootling about the Cotswolds. It never fails to make me smile to zoom about the countryside, it's such a sense of freedom and incredibly exciting as even 50mph feels like 100! I may only be the pillion but I get to see what's going on out in the fields we zip by and can relax and enjoy the ride. I can thoroughly recommend biking, as long as you're dressed up warm!

Three things I never knew I needed this month. I actually went into the shop to buy the owl cushion that was beautifully displayed in their window (with several similar but different owl companions) and told them off, for having lovely but unnecessary things for sale that unwary shoppers felt compelled to purchase. They told me I needed stronger will power! The scarf and the bowl were in the charity shop and the bowl is used every day as a picking bowl for gathering up the days stitch markers orders and I've worn the scarf most days too. The owl cushion has just kept me company and occasionally been snuggled up to by a cat.

I had a desire to design a shawl pattern and this was my first sampler test knit. I chose colours I wasn't particularly fond of out of the stash and they took on a scheme of their own and it pulled together. I have completed a full size shawl now to perfect the design and I am currently working on the second to get the tech right in the pattern....if I can understand my notes. I think I shall probably knit another afterwards just to make sure.....anyone want to buy a shawl?

Primroses from Julia's garden.How they filled the room with scent. One of my favourite flower scents along with freesias and sweet williams.

Laika was back up to full fitness after her injury, our patch work dog. Here they both are hoping for a squirrel so they can run about madly, whimpering with excitement.

The woods are slowly starting to change. The catkins and daffodils are out in one area and the sticky buds look fit to burst too. The hawthorn has been the first to come out in leaf and the blackthorn is out in flower. The birds are busy nesting and sound full of life each morning...aaah Spring!!!

I had a few days off making markers over Easter and worked on the shawl. It felt naughty but also nice, once I let myself relax to just enjoy a really slow few days. It is hard to switch off when you work from home as I feel 'downtime' is wasted time. That's why I like to knit during that time as I still feel I'm being productive.

Easter flowers

Primroses

Easter Monday we took the dogs down to one of my favourite walks along the Severn at Purton. These old boats were scuppered here to prevent the river eroding the bank of the Gloucester & Sharpness canal. 

 Some are wooden and some concrete (how did they float?). A group was started called to preserve this part of local history and all barge names are recorded on this pillar and other information boards. Wellies advised as the river comes up quite high and it's always muddy.

View towards Sharpness.

I'll finish with some of the crafty cat nonsense captured this month...it was hard to choose!