I’ve had a heck of a week, and one that I certainly don’t ever want to live through again.  As a result Happy Stats are cancelled this week as I’m finding it very hard to celebrate anything.

I was told at work last Thursday that I am to be made redundant after over 11 years working in the same place.  I will be here until just before Christmas and there is a chance during that time something else will come up and I could be redeployed, but I have to admit I am already be finding it very hard to stay motivated and positive.  It wasn’t completely unexpected, but I certainly wasn’t ready for it right now and had hoped that other options would have been discussed and considered before it came to this.

I’ve heard and thought ‘oh, it could be an opportunity’ and ‘what about doing more craft based work’ and yes either or both are a possibility.  But for now I need to think a lot, wallow a bit, get used to the idea, get angry, get upset and then eventually start working out what I’m going to do.

On top of that, the very next day actually, someone very close to me had some tough news health wise and it did give me a bit of perspective.  However, it’s horrible when everyone is so upset and worried and all I want to do is be there and help.

I have managed to get some respite in crochet over the weekend and been back working on the granny stripe blanket but I’ve been so tired its not really given me any pleasure.  I am hoping that once I’ve caught up on sleep and got over initial shock and upset that things will start to feel a bit more normal.  Not least because I have present making to get done this week.

Normal frou-frou should be resumed soon but in the meantime, I intend to pootle about a bit, moan a bit and have a good boo from time to time.  But don’t worry, there will still be crochet!  There will always be crochet!

Oh dear, late again!  But I’ve got a good excuse, honest guv!!!  Got back from my hols yesterday to find I have en extremely on again / off again broadband service.  Thankfully it’s having an ‘on’ moment!

I lots of happy stats from the past week, aren’t I lucky!!

I had an amazing week in Scotland visiting my folks. 

I was able to spend their birthdays with my 2 nephews birthdays which made my break extra special.  James turned 4 and Luke turned 3.  And, yes, there was birthday cake!

Getting home after my week away.  Much as I love getting away and seeing my family, there is no place like home and , more importantly, my own bed.

Surviving my first day back at work.

Finally getting round to starting the cushions I wanted to make with the yarn I bought from my Hobbycraft winnings:

Working out (in my head at least) how I can finish the aforementioned cushions so that I the covers are removable.

Spending time with Caveman in Glasgow and laughing at him (in a nice way) getting all sentimental and feeling old because of how much it’s changed since his student days there, 20 years ago!  Here’s a picture I took of the University:

Just a quick and late happy stats this week!  I’m away from home at mo and haven’t got all I need to get any pics in this post either – so all words I’m afraid!!  Oh so many negatives to start.  But here’s the happy bits:

Driving along in the car with my sister and my nephew and niece singing Hannah Montanasongs.  Not my music of choice but the kids love it and there’s so cute singing together!

A great time at the British Yarn Knit Camp.  I was only there for the marketplace on the Saturday but it was brilliant.  Spoke to lots of lovely people, saw lots of beeeeeeeeeautiful and colourful yarns and spent all the cash I took with me [blush] on yummy things.  Will do a full post on it when I can get the pics sorted.

Visiting Stirling after many years away.  It’s one place I have lived when I had a real sense of the place and its importance in Scottish history.  If I ever move back to Scotland that will probably be where I will live.  I only lived there for a short time many years ago but it has always stayed with me as somewhere special.

Spending time with my family and doing the tourist thing in Glasgow!  Nuff said!

As I mentioned in last weeks Happy Stats I have been investigating broomstick lace / crochet and managed to get my head round the fundamentals.  So off I went with my broomstick!

There are so many places online that describe how to tackle this so much better than I could, so I won’t even try.  What I will say though is that it needs 3 hands, so I was on a losing battle from the off, along with a normal crochet hook and a broomstick, or a similar sized and shaped stick type thing to make the loops.  I used the biggest knitting needle I have which is 15mm but I think a bigger one would have been better, or even a bit of broom handle or dowelling.

So without the aid of a 3rd hand I managed to get off the ground.   It’s rather unusual technique in several ways, not least because you work from left to right making the loops, so it all feels a bit back to front!

I love the look of the loops crossing over each other.  It somehow reminds me of art nouveau styling.  Does that make sense, or is that just in my day dreamy head? 

I think it would be great as a scarf, cushion cover or even some jewellery items.  I still need to work on getting the hang of it, 6 rows does not an expert broomstick crocheteer make!  But as a starter I am impressed with the technique and will stick (sorry, no pun intended! Honest!!) with it!!

 This week I’ve been enjoying:

Finally ‘getting’ broomstick crochet, thanks to the youtube film on Naztazia.  Will give it a proper go this week and share the results.

A little tweak on this site.  Can you spot the difference?

An incredible woman being incredibly strong!  Lots of love to you xx

iCrochet!  Brilliant!!!

Time off work and a week with my family getting closer and closer!

Have a good week xx

I have come across something from Sarah London on her website that’s brilliantly simple and simply brilliant!

It’s a new way of sharing all things crochet in a gallery where you can upload a crochet image from your website and browse all the beautiful, colourful and inspiring things other crocheteers have finished or are still working on.  Each week images are updated so there will always be new and exciting things to see.  Have I added mine?  Of course I have!

Get yourself over to iCrochet (but do have a look round here too!)