A few new projects this year

I can now crochet in the round ....yippee !

I have also learned the best way to applique thanks to Wendi Gratz on her Shiny Happy World website

An experiment that didn't work !  I tried bleaching denim but it wasn't successful. I sprayed the bleach on. It was patchy and uneven so my butterfly went in the bin

I crocheted an owl brooch ....

.... and a rat toy for our cats.  Just a few projects to show what I have been doing this year. Marion x

Happy 2018

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2018 

I have been tidying up my little old blog for the new year. Lots of old posts have been deleted

I have started using Instagram which I find quicker but it can be so addictive !  I am following lots of people on Instagram who I have been following for years on my blog

I will keep this blog for now as I like doing Tutorials and adding bits and bobs somebody in the world might find interesting

Take care now. Marion x

LANDMARK TRUST Elton House Bath October 2017

Me being very silly in the Museum

I have just returned from Bath. We stayed at ELTON HOUSE which has been restored by THE LANDMARK TRUST Charity

https://www.landmarktrust.org.uk/

This is the front of ELTON HOUSE. It is only a minutes walk from

 Bath Abbey and The Roman Baths

The back of the house and the gardens are beautiful

One of many beautifully restored rooms

One of many photos I took in Bath

ELTON HOUSE Sleeps up to 10 people

https://www.landmarktrust.org.uk/search-and-book/properties/elton-house-6857

We went on a Ghost Walk on Thursday evening. We heard about the many Ghosts in Bath

This bedroom was spooky. None of us wanted to sleep in it

 We saw Orbs and had goosebumps as soon as we walked into it !

I hope to return to Bath. It is a wonderful City

LLANDUDNO Somerset Hotel in Wales Holiday August 2017

The Somerset Hotel in Llandudno in North Wales. Seaview Room on the 3rd floor

There are signs everywhere in Llandudno saying " Please don't feed the Seagulls " 

It was hard not to feed them as they were crying for food on our window ledge

View from the Pier in the evening

The Hotel runs excursions. This was Beaumaris  

Beaumaris has a Castle but we didn't have time to go inside

Betws-y-Coed was beautiful. We also went to

 Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch which translated into English means

 St Mary's Church in the Hollow of the White Hazel Near to the Rapid Whirlpool of Llantysilio of the Red Cave

Carnarvon Castle. There are lots of Castles in Wales !

 The Great Orme is a massive hill overlooking Llandudno with stunning views.There is a Visitor Centre, Childrens Playground  and a Cafe on the top. We went up in a Tram but could have gone by Cable Car. There is a Car Park at the top

I would love to go back to Llandudno for more than three days 

CROCHET Working out how much wool I needed

I have been practicing making Granny Squares after a few failures

After a lot of thought I decided to measure how much wool I needed to Crochet each round
I was using Double Knitting Wool and a 5.5 mm Hook

ROUND ONE  I measured the Wool and marked 20 inches with a  Clip. When I reached the Clip I moved it on another 20 inches. I was surprised to find that I used 66 inches of Wool for Round One

ROUND TWO  Used 110 inches of Wool

ROUND THREE  Used 154 inches of Wool

ROUND FOUR  Used 200 inches of Wool

ROUND FIVE  Used 250 inches of Wool

This has been an interesting experiment. Every new Round used about another 50 inches of Wool

Now I can use up my spare oddments of Wool without worrying about if I have enough to finish each round. Yippee !
Different Tension, Wool and Hook Size will be different for everyone It is worth doing this if you have oddments of wool to use up.  I hope this post is useful to someone in the world 

HOLIDAY Ship and Castle Hotel in St Mawes Cornwall

We have just returned from a holiday in Cornwall
Dicky Fox has put a very good short video of St Mawes on Youtube taken from a Drone
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXoNCuFknOc
You can see the Hotel on the video. It is the big white one overlooking the small boats in the Harbour 

Ship and Castle Hotel St Mawes Cornwall

Lovely Hotel Room. We would love to stay in this Hotel again

St Mawes Castle 10 minutes walk from the hotel. I love castles

We went to Port Isaac a small Cornish Harbour Town where they filmed Doc Martin

Doc Martins's Cottage

The Seagulls in Cornwall swoop down and steal food from your hands while you are eating it !

 I have added a Seagull project to my to do list 

Furry Toys I made for my little Sister

I made these furry toys for my little Sister many years ago

 I wish I still had the patterns to make them again

Our week on the Isle Of Man August 2016

We have just returned from the Isle of Man

It is a beautiful unspoilt Island and there were not many Tourists 

This is one of many Horse Trams which carry people for two miles up and down the Promenade in Douglas

Our Room had a Four Poster Bed which was a surprise

This is Castletown with a real Castle to explore

Snaefell Mountain Railway goes to the top of the highest Mountain

We travelled by Steam Train quite a lot during our week there

The famous Laxey Water Wheel

It was one of the best holidays we have ever had and I would love to go back to the isle of Man

Have you visited the Isle of Man ?

Playden Oasts Inn near Rye Jan 2016

PLAYDEN OASTS INN near RYE

A few photos of our short break in this converted Oast House just outside of Rye

We had a big round room with a big round bed in one off the Oast  Towers. It was very quiet at night 

The Inn was so warm and cosy and all of the Staff made us feel so very welcome

They have a fantastic Chef. 

One of many meals we enjoyed. Roast Lamb

If you are ever near Rye this Inn is a wonderful place to eat or stay

My Paranormal experience working in a haunted Care Home

GHOSTS OF CHILDREN HAVING FUN

After four years I was used to the harmless spirits in the Care Home where I worked. The Kettle was often turned off by invisible hands. I had seen the Ghost of a young boy in a Sailor suit in Room Four. A pair of children's shoes disappeared before my eyes in the Hall. On Night Duty one night I was touched on my shoulder and someone called my name. I also often felt someone touch me on the stairs going up to the Loft Rooms.

In December the Care Home was beautifully decorated for Christmas. Our afternoon shift started normally. I took Mrs Jones afternoon tea in her room and found her to be very angry. She said “ Please can you stop those children running up and down the hall “ I agreed to, knowing full well that there were no children visiting the home. I will never forget the next five hours. The Lift kept stopping between floors. Being a Senior Carer I had to call the emergency Lift Engineer who found nothing wrong. All of the Residents were seated for Dinner when the buzzer went off in Room 10. A Reindeer and a Christmas Tree had been moved from the Hall Table onto the floor.

What an evening ! Every time we left the Kitchen to serve Dinner we returned to find things had been moved or hidden under napkins. Potatoes appeared on the Food Trolley and Fairy Cakes were spread around on different shelves in the the Larder. Lights were turning on and off by themselves. After Dinner we sat down for a Tea Break. My work Colleague felt an unseen child give her a warm hug.

 After six hours the Nightshift arrived. I said out loud “ Children you have had your fun now please go to bed “ Thankfully they did and the Night Shift had a quiet night.