Brontë Parsonage Museum

I live in Haworth and thought it'd be a nice idea to visit the museum with my mum and brother to get everyone out of the house and see the new exhibition of the costumes from the most recent Jane Eyre film starring Mia Wasikowska and Michael Fassbender <3 I couldn't believe how small the costumes were! The intricate detail however, on miss Ingram's clothing was especially beautiful compared to the plain grey shades of Janes' dresses. I am very happy that I've seen them, it was just a shame I couldn't take photographs! So here's one of the Parsonage from the outside and the graveyard :)

Half way there...

I've been plodding away with making my cushion cover, it's the most challenging pattern I've done to date so I'm quite excited as to how it will turn out, but so far so good!!
Already my mum has asked me to make one for her, so it must be semi good for her to want one already without seeing the finished product! Hopefully other people will want one too!! Etsy.com here I come ;)

Dancing Backwards

I've just finished the book 'Dancing Backwards' by Salley Vickers. I picked it up in a charity shop just as a quick read but after about a year, I've only just got round to reading it.

I really enjoyed this book, it was a comfortable easy going read that had a steady pace, and a nice story with interesting characters. My only annoyance was with how timid and weak she seemed to be around her first husband, Bruno. I felt that the relationship only carried on because she was too scared to leave him. I also found the shaman theory of 'suggestion' quite interesting, it put a new spin on the situation.
What I liked the most was how Vickers changed the scenes from past to present by using coincidences and deja vu as triggers. It really made it appear that she was thinking about her past and suddenly brought back into the present.
I don't think this book will live in my bookshelf, as I doubt I'll ever read it again, however, I know afew people who would enjoy this book so I'll pass it on!

On my travels to Repton...

I went for a short walk to Repton on footpaths through fields and as I was by myself I was left to my own thoughts and decided I'd take some photographs, which I don't do often enough really! It was a great walk, the air was humid and the clouds were ominous and dramatic, I was surrounded by wildlife and in my own company. How peaceful.

In the post!

 Finally finished my sisters wrist warmers, I felt a good sense of achievement and now they're in the post on their way to her! Hope she gets a nice suprise! I think I might make these again but with a thumb piece so they stay on your hand better.

They were super easy to make, I got the pattern, yarn and needles (3.75mm, 4mm and 4mm cable) from a stall in Halifax Market (West Yorkshire). In the process of making these I learnt the skill of cable knit which was alot of fun and looks great! If I were to modify the pattern though, I'd make it so the cables were on the front of the wrist rather than the sides, it left a huge gap so I'd sewn in buttons to fill the space. Despite the fact that I took a massive break in making these, I believe they would only take around 5 days to make due to the simplicity and length.

Now let's hope she actually wears them!!

Knitting to the theme of 'Jurassic Park'

Things are getting serious!

No I'm not knitting dinosaurs, but I feel that I should be.

My sisters birthday is soon and I need to finish her present off and post them to her before she goes on holiday on the 17th! What better way than dramatic music spurring me on ;)

(my first attempt at wrist warmers)

A Piece of Cake

**Spoilers**

'A Piece of Cake' by Cupcake Brown is a tumultuous story of a young girl experiencing first hand the death of her mother, to be torn away from her loving family and thrown into the foster care system. From here she was physically and sexually abused, using alcohol and drugs as a means of escape and 'turning tricks' for money. Upon leaving foster care, she becomes exposed to the life of dangerous gangs and harder drugs. Her life seems to just go downhill from there, however still maintaining a job, she convinces herself that she's not an addict, but just needs to learn how to control her using. After hitting rock bottom, finding herself raped and beaten behind a dumpster, she stays there for four days thinking about suicide until the little voice in her head tells her she needs to sort herself out. 

She checks herself into rehab with support from her boss and slowly starts building up her life and trusting God, she begins experiencing things in a new light as a sober woman, surrounding herself with sober and loving people, everything is turning around for her, even starting her education with the goal of entering law school. she finally gets the love, support and life that she deserves.

On finishing this memoir I was in floods of tears. This book will stay with me forever, such a strong heartfelt story which will no doubt touch other lives and help others struggling with drug and alcohol addiction, and for others, it will make them realise how lucky they are and to be grateful for what they have!! A higher power was definitely watching over and protecting this young woman. I'm so glad I read this book, and highly recommend it to everyone!

www.cupcakebrown.com

Made With Love

I recently finished making a slouchy beret. I learnt how to crochet that afternoon and by evening I was away! It was so much fun to make and very thereputic. I figured, why spend £15+ for a beautiful hat when you can buy some yarn (this ball cost £3.45) and learn something at the same time as owning a cheap awesome accessory!

I got the tutorial from youtube, a girl named Tracey Nguyen, who to me is an expert in crochet and all things DIY, here's the link to the video I used: 

Tracey's chunky beret tutorial

It's perfect for beginners, just follow her steps and you'll have your own chunky beret in no time!

I must say, I was being hasty and just wanted to get started, so i used my only hook and my one ball of yarn and just got started, this meant that my beret isnt as chunky as it's supposed to be as my yarn was thinner than reccommended and also, i used my 4mm hook instead of 5.5mm which made the knit alot tighter. This meant that when i first finished the hat it was tiny! it only just fit my little brothers head, so i modified it. 

If you do the same as me and cant wait to get started, then before the video tells you to decrease, just add a couple more double crochet rows until you think it's big enough and then don't decrease as harshly as Tracey does (I decreased every other stitch instead of every three), to me, this just makes it look a little neater.

It fits perfect and looks amazing :) now I just need autumn to hurry up so I can wear it! (and the other's i'm sure I'll make in the mean time).

Judy's Affordable Vintage Fair

I've just come aross this poster and now I really want to go! I once went to one of these fairs held at the University of Derby and it was brilliant! I got some gorgeous earrings and a big mustard jumper! which is a little too big, but still beautiful and vintage!

Fingers crossed I have pennies to spend by then (it also means I can see my much missed Matt)

Blog: Revisited

So blogger, It's been a while! So I'll catch you up to speed!

Just finished my second year of uni, and now I'm wishing the time away to get stuck in to my third year, ideas are brimming! I think I'm going to get started early though, make a sketchbook and start scribbling. Actually, I made a sulpture as part of a week long residency for the National Trust and this base idea has completely changed my thoughts from my work from the past two years! Let's hope it'll be a good change for my third year, once I get started on it I'll post the pictures.

I'm now living with a close friend that I've worked with for the past two years. It's in a beautiful little village in South Derbyshire, I'm basically living in my dream house for a year! The move went smoothly from one house to the next and I'm settling in. Missing home so I'm going back shortly for afew days soon which will be great.

Just realised that's pretty much it, but it feels as though alot has happened in the last few weeks! I'll leave it at that, short and sweet - I'm also going to try and blog once a week as I tend to just forget!