miss marie's miscellany

New to me

There's been a little retail therapy going on here. A girl needs some new things for spring!

Firstly some new boots, which I've been eying up here for a while - now they're mine!

 

I think it was love at first sight!

And this bag was too good to miss; ideal for all my wool and crochet bits and pieces.

 

Shades of Cath Kidston, but it was a snip from Primark for £6 (and thanks to Lucy at The Antidote for the tip-off). I have managed to get an enormous amount of wool, notebook, 3 little pouches with hooks, pins, needles etc, and the latest WIP in here and there's still room for more. Brilliant!
 
 

Making me happy today

It's Monday and March 1st already and there are nice things to show from today and the weekend.

Green shoots appearing in the garden;  despite the cold, spring is on its way and I found myself out pottering in the garden yesterday for the first time this year

 

 

A peek at what I'm making just now.

 

 
 Finding these in trouser pocket about to go in the washing machine! Happy days!

 

 Lemon, sunflower seed and blueberry muffin with coffee

 

Some views of the hills surrounding Glasgow which I took this morning when I was in the north of the city.

Looking north - I think this hill is called the Sleeping Giant, today he has a snowy blanket!

 

Looking south, at the cranes at the Govan shipyards and to the Ayrshire hills

And after day upon day of unrelenting grey, the sky is so blue today

 

Happy Monday,whatever it brings you :-)
  

Train trip

I've been away for a little break. Can you guess where from the pictures I took from the train window?

Leaving Glasgow Central

 

It's a bit grey and murky as we head east

Past Edinburgh and the sun comes out

passing through Berwick-on- Tweed

 

and Durham 

Nearly there, have you guessed yet?

 

That's right, it's York!

 

The Minster is stunning

 

 
 It was great to wander round and enjoy the unique atmosphere

 

 
so much history

 

so many beautiful and very old buildings

 

 
 One day was sunny and springlike

The next day freezing fog and chilled to the bone cold 

  

No matter, that's the best excuse for a day of shopping and cafe visiting anyone could ever need!

and to cap it all, I found the best button shop I've ever visited

 

Back home now, with the plastic put firmly away and cake off the menu for the time being!
 
 

  
  

 

Hearts for Valentine's Day

There are some lovely crochet patterns for hearts out there on t'internet, something for hookers of all abilities, and very apt for today :-)

 This one

This one

This pattern, over at The Royal Sisters

and this one from Sarah London

They're all lovely, cue for a group photo!

 

* Happy Valentine's Day! *

Working weekend

I worked on Saturday and Sunday, quite normal for professional musicians to do so, as that's when everyone else likes to go out!  I took photos as the weekend unfolded

Saturday ; Always start with a good breakfast to get through a tiring day; porridge with blueberries and yoghurt, yum! 

                                                                                                 

And a row or 2 of crochet before I leave

 

Eating lunch sitting under the lovely stained glass

 

The view from my chair

 

Sitting at the traffic lights on the way home

  

Sunday; concert in church with amazing ceiling cornice 

and ornate clock

Waiting for the audience to arrive

A little sustenance before the concert  

I'm all Beethovened out; time to head home with a last look at the concert venue, beautifully lit for the evening.

   

 
 

 

New books

Quite a few lovely books have come my way recently, 2 lovely crochet pattern books and 2 books to sit and enjoy reading. 

 I thought this would be useful, a collection of edgings and trims which I hope to be able to put to good use in all my crochet creations this year. It's a Harmony guide; I have several of these and find them invaluable, in fact they probably helped me learn to crochet more than any other reference book I used.

I haven't made any garments other than mittens and scarves as yet, but there are a few things in this book which I'd like to try

 

although probably not the socks on the right of the cover! I fancy this jumper though

 Crochet Me is a great site for any crocheters with patterns, links to blogs, forums and tips and advice. Well worth a look if you're into a bit of hooking.

 

After my last read (for book group) turned out to be a big disappointment and hard going, I needed the next book I read to be witty, charming and a little different; my choice was Howard's End is on the Landing by Susan Hill and is proving to have all of those wished for qualities. It tells of the author's endeavours to only read books already in her home, read and unread. As well as discussing the books, there are memories of family and home, thoughts about authors and well loved classic books along with anecdotes from Ms Hill's life as an author and publisher.  Very enjoyable so far!

I picked up this anthology, Modern Delight in Waterstones this weekend. It's a collection of essays by writers, TV and radio personalities, actors and musicians of what makes them happy, what brings delight to their lives. Very happy to see amongst those writing are William Boyd, Jo Brand and the cellist Steven Isserlis. A varied and humourous miscellany which looks like it will prove entertaining, and half the proceeds go to the Dyslexia Trust too.

 

Colourful

Primulas, to brighten up Saturday

These flowers never fail to cheer me up;  they're so pretty and such beautiful colours too and spring is definitely on its way when they start appearing.

Happy Saturday, whatever you get up to!