Vintage Sheet Addict: January 2014

Thursday 30 January 2014

The Colour Collaborative: January: Woolly

A whole new world has opened up to me.

A whole new world, full of the most amazing colour combinations. A whole new world full of the most scrumptious patterns and designs. A whole new Wonderfully, Wondrous, Woolly World.

I grew up surrounded by this world, but I never really saw it, never really appreciated it. It must however, seeped into my subconscious.

You see, my Mum was a knitter. There was always a knitting bag filled with a few balls of yarn, enough perhaps to complete her latest project...no more, no less.

She didn't do this......

Stockpile shelves full of yarn, revel in their deliciousness, line them up.....

Fill baskets full of yarn.......just because!

Oh no, just enough balls to complete the project, and that was that, as I said no more, no less.

But I do remember those trips to the Wool Shop. Oh my, I loved those trips. I can remember them so well.....they are imprinted in my mind.

The wool shop was really just a little terraced house, it's front room converted into a shop space. I would run on ahead, pushing open the heavy blue painted door.

Inside I would stand in the middle of this little room, looking at the rows and rows of colourful yarn. Shelves stacked high to the ceiling. It really would take my breath away.....exactly as it does today!

Now I was a child of the '70s.....gosh those colours, the purples, the oranges......I'm sure there were the more muted colours in there too, but my memories are of those popping, bursting colours.

Every Christmas Santa would bring new dolls dressed in woolly outfits, knitted by Mum. Then there were the clothes. I distinctly remember matching little pink dresses and cardigans, that she knitted for my sister and myself.

We must of looked wonderful in our matching outfits. There was however, a fine silver thread woven into the yarn, oh so itchy! (Please knitters out there, don't put your children in knitted outfits where there's a fine silver thread woven in the yarn....)

I never learnt to knit, I never sat alongside her and learnt this skill. And sadly, as she got older, her hands could no longer hold the needles as arthritis set in. But I do remember the joy she had in her knitting, and making things for her family.

Over the past year, after much sweat and tears, I have taught myself to crochet. And that my dear readers, has opened up a whole new world to me......full of the most amazing colour combinations. A whole new world full of the most scrumptious patterns and designs. A whole new

Wonderfully,

Wondrous,

Woolly World.

I love...

Love...

This Woolly World!

Thank you so much to The Colour Collaborative, for asking me to be one of your guest bloggers this month. I am very honoured. In true Vintage Sheet Addict style, I had no idea what I would write until I put finger to iPad, I hope you're not disappointed!

If you would love to read more about The Colour Collaborative you can visit....

Knitsofacto

Tales From A Happy House

Tabiboo

Cherry Heart

My Sister's Knitter

Bye For Now,

Ada :) xxx

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Tuesday 28 January 2014

Define Happy......

Hello There,

This ones a bit deep....so if you're not up for it, move away from the blog!

At the moment I feel I'm surrounded by sadness. Mainly I have to say, other people's sadness but like ripples on a pond, I'm feeling those waves too. At the moment I have a very sad, anxious child. As any mother knows when your child is sad, you feel it too right through the heart.

The opposite to sad is happy.....so how do you define Happy?

Is it in what you have, what you have acquired? Big house, holidays to distant shores? Who you have in your life, who you love, and who you look after? In your job/role on this planet? What is it that makes you Happy?

I'm sat here with my freshly brewed coffee, I've just had a little chat with a good friend, I'm writing this post.....and I'm Happy.

Most of you who visit me here, know I can get ridiculously happy at the strangest of things, vintage sheets and wallpaper, colourful yarn, a newly decorated kitchen! Yes I can get all giddy, my heart skips a beat, I really do celebrate those simple things. (Actually decorating the kitchen wasn't a simple task, was it Mr Bea!)

Don't get me wrong, there's some things I'd love to change if I could, they would certainly make things a whole lot easier, would they make me happy? Yes I'm sure they would, but I'm learning to make the most of what I have now....to be happy with me now, with my circumstances....as they are now.

I sat with my mum last night in her room, she was still awake when I arrived. I gave her the obligatory chocolate, and chatted to her about my day, about the birthday celebrations going on. She lay there staring at me, and I'm sure there's was a flicker of love in her eyes. (I may imagine this but it makes me happy!)

As she got sleepy I stroked her forehead until she went to sleep. Well actually I started to hum to her, I'm not a very tuneful person, so I think she falls to sleep quicker, just to escape the noise!

And when I got home, I did the same with my Little Bea, who is anxious and sad, who hates it when I'm not there.....

And I tried to define happy. I tried to explain to her what made me happy. I explained that being happy comes from inside yourself. Being happy with who you are is like having hidden treasure deep inside your soul.

I explained that it's wonderful to have people to love and who love you, but it's only you that can make yourself truly happy. It's great to be surrounded by things you love, but they can only make you happy a little bit. I explained to her that people might not always be with you, and 'things' can get lost, but being happy within yourself.......well that won't ever leave you, won't ever get lost.

Now these are deep things to explain to an almost 10 year old, especially late at night. She did however giggle, when I said to her be happy with yourself Little Bea as you'll always be there, whenever you walk into a room you'll always be there, whenever you have to do something very scary, you'll always be there......and when you experience the happiest moment in your life, you'll be there too!!!

I'm happy with myself, I'm happy in my own skin. That's treasure indeed, I'm very rich. Oh and of course I have this......

My Happy Blanket, it has magical powers you know!

This week we celebrate Eldest Beas 13th birthday, now she's one of the bravest people I know. Despite all the challenges she faces, she walks out of our front door each day and faces them! I'm not sure I'd have done the same at 13! Happy Birthday Lovely Girl xxx

Thank you all for your kind comments on my last post.....I will be back again on Thursday, yes I have a date planned! Very unlike me I know, although I have absolutely no idea what I shall write until I sit down with my iPad......until Thursday!

Bye for now,

Ada :) xxx

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Thursday 23 January 2014

Crochet Comfort......

It's been an emotional week this week, on lots of different fronts...

Sometimes dealing with such strong emotions, from others, as well as your own can be a real challenge.

I'm glad I can immerse myself in creativity, it helps me to recharge my depleted batteries.....

Coffee helps too.....I've added a little more to my Mothers Love blanket, very, very apt this week.

Cute cats in colourful blankets help too!

Being a parent is the hardest role I've ever taken on, it's also the most beautiful gift I've been given. It can be exhausting and exhilarating in equal measure.

It's almost the weekend, we have birthday celebrations happening, we almost have a teenager in the house.....I feel a whole new roller coaster ride on the horizon!

Have a great weekend everyone! Thanks for popping by....

Bye For Now,

Ada :) xxx