The Monsters are Coming!!!

I started Knitting Monsters two years ago while l was undergoing Chemo as l wanted something to do while l was in hospital.

I came across the above book from a friend who was talking about it on a knitting forum l go on, when l first got the book l didnt take to it as it talked about knitting in the magc loop method, l've only every knitted on two long needles before and l couldnt be doing with trying a new method. The book - The Big Book Of Knitted Monsters by Rebbeca Danger.

Just before l went into hospital l took the plunge and tried the Magic Loop method and knitted the  Monster called Claude he is with Dot whom a very dear friend knitted for me before l went into hospital for the Chemo.

Well to be honest l havent looked back from since knitting Claude and to say l'm hooked is an understatment!! l love love love knitting Monsters and have knitted well over 40 Monsters to date. A few of the Monsters have gone to live with my son in his bedroom!

The other Monsters have all now flown the nest and have gone to live with other people. The above photo if my son Aston with one of the Monsters l knitted him.

The above Monsters went off to live in America with two sweet little girls who's mother l know through the knitting forum Ravelry.

The above Monsters went of to live with a very special boy called Charles his story can be found here
http://kkhymn.wordpress.com/2011/07/28/monster-giving-and-duchenne-muscular-dystrophy/

 Mlatest Monster is caled Vienetta, she's Vinny V's second cousin twice removed, The Vinny V pattern is from Rebecca;s New book below.

Over the coming months l am quite sure that l will be posting more about my love for Knitted Monsters.

Toodles for now

x

A Sad Day Here At Wigglestowers

It's been a while since l last came on and blogged. a lot has gone on in this time one way or another!

It has been with heavy heart that l no longer design and make bears. My bears were infact my first love but due to health reasons l can no longer make them.

The pictures here in this post are of the bears l have made in the past, l hope you all like looking through them while your reading away!

I have been thinking for a while now about my crafting and what l like to make and as you all know l love my crafting but l have felt for a long time now that l had become ''jack of all trades master on none'' as they say. and during this break from blogging l have made a big choice.

My health isnt getting any better and since having Chemo two years ago it seems as l cant concentrate as much and for as long as l used to and l find if l do lots of things l tend to get stressed and l really dont want that any more.

Dont worry l'm not giving up my crafting all together, no way l couldnt do that, l'd be like a lost little sheep with no where to roam lol

l will still continue to knit Monsters and make Sock Creatures and do the odd bit of crochet here and there.

Come back again real soon and hear all about my journey in to Knitting Monsters.

 

Toodles for now

 

x

 



It's all go here at Wiggles Towers

Well here at Wiggles Towers it is non - stop.

I'm always a busy busy busy bee at the time of year with sewing stock for the craft fairs do, making Christmas gifts, trying to keep my facebook page updated, hospital appointments you name it l do it, as l sometimes say

''l'm a jack of all trades and master of none''

A few weekends ago l was asked if l would like a stall at a craft event at the rather posh Luton Hoo, it was the annual Pumpkin and Apple Gale Day 2012, l have never done this event before but l thought why not just do it.

We arrived an hour before the event started as we were told we needed to be set up ready and waiting for the doors to open. On our way to Luton Hoo we both said to each other look at the weather and how awful it was. It was thick fog, frosty and very very chilly.

We sat up and lay in wait for the first visitor to come through the Marque where we were. Hour or so went by and not many peeps were coming round, we thought 'well that's it another event wasted'

About half an hour late it was packed and l mean packed, in the Marque where l was there were other crafts peeps selling there goods and out side there was Hog Roasts, Beer Tents, Burger Bars, Charities, a man who was dressed in a Bee Bumble outfit selling honey, well l felt sorry for him in a way as the weather came alive at lunchtime and was sunny and hot, so he must have been hot hot hot!!!!!

As you can see from the photo's my stall was full to bursting of all the things l was selling, l worked my pretty little socks off before hand making things for this Event.

 

So how well do you think l done?

All l came home with was one Sock Monkey and five of the Bears l make. l was stunned and still am on how well l done. l even made seven Sock Monkey's while l was there, l couldn't make them quick enough and some people waited for them as l was sewing asking 'how long will that one take you'

l am now busy sewing like a mad women possessed as my next fair is the 25th November and on the 8th December.

Got lots to make and today l have been sewing some different sock animals - a caterpillar and a snake!

Toodles fpr now
x

Spider Webs

Spider Webs always fancinate the life out of me, you only seem to see them on cold misty/foggy days early in the morning when the air is quiet and still.

I took these photo's last Sunday on our way out, we were going to Aston's Boys Brigade service, l spotted these Spider Webs and thought l must take some pictures of them.

There were 100's all over the garden in serveral different places. it must take each spider all night to spin these webs, some are huge while others were small.

 

 

Sorry for a short post, l'm very busy getting ready for a craft fair l am doing on Saturday l only hope this bad rainy weather that we are having at the moment holds off or l can see the event being cancelled,

 

Anyway

 

Toodles for now

 

xx



Back in the fold of doing Craft fairs

It's been quite sometime since l done a craft fair, in fact well before l started Chemo last year, doesn't time fly when your having fun!!

Anyway, l was asked if l would like to do a fair locally to where l live and l jumped at the chance but l only had 2 weeks to prepare for it. Oh hum l don't do things by half do l LOL

I set about getting all most bits and bobs sorted in ready for the fair, l sorted out some bears that l had, re-named them done fresh labels, l made sure that the monsters looked good enough to sell, l mean l made sure all the eyes were equal and not squ-wiffy:) and then came the sock monkey's, l made 33 sock monkey's in two weeks, l go to the stage where l was eating, sleeping and breathing sock monkeys but l love all this build up to a fair, l really do.

The photo below is the only one l took of the things that l made to sell, l meant to take some of the fair it self but l was so busy l didn't have time!

To begin with the fair started of slow, really slow then by lunchtime all hell broke lose and my feet didn't touch the ground LOL

All in all after taking the money for the stall out of my takings l made over £100, l couldn't believe it l was so chuffed l still cant believe it.

In the last few days l have had 4 people ask me if l can do more fairs and I'm due to do a larger one at Luton Hoo on 13th October, not long to go, l went out yesterday and bought 30 pairs of socks! l need to get my finger out and start sewing LoL

 

Toodles for now

x

 



l'm now Cancer free!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well its been a funny old time since l last wrote,

Aston's been bouncing off the walls, wishing the school holidays were over.
It seems like ages since we were on holidays, feels like a distance memory!

Then we come to the round of hospital visits, tests and MRI scans in all sorts of wired and wonderful places, believe me you really dont want to know what they do to you! Then going back for all the results, feeling so stressed to the point where you dont know what to do with yourself :)

l've been told that l am now Cancer free after 2 1/2 years of one of the biggest fights of my life, it feels kinda strange to be honest, not a month has gone by where l didnt have an appointment for some thing or another to do with hospitals and now no hospital appointments, well not for the next three months anyway! l still have to go back every three months for all the lovely tests that they put you through and then go back for the results but that seems like nothing compared to what l've been through.

l know my fight continues in many ways but at last l can finaly see there is a little bit of light at the end of a very long dark tunnel.

Toodles for now xx

Beside the seaside Beside the sea!!

We arrived home very late last Thursday night, after a 2 1/2 hour journey from our family holiday beside the seaside at Hemsby in Norfolk.

We have had a lovely time, eaten far too much and seen lots of different places. The picture below was taken at one of our favourite places to eat near Hemsby, the restaurant is called The Wheel Pit Stop. They serve some super steaks, this time we had steak Diane and it was to die for.

My boys even got me to go on to the Log Flume Ride at Gt Yarmouth, l screamed my head off and got very very wet indeedy.

Of course we took our doggie with us, Paddy. He's only been with us for a month now but is one big part of our family. He loved going for daily walks, being let off the lead and meeting new doggie friends.

While we were away it was Aston's 7th birthday, time has flown by so fast and he is growing up so fast.

Aston chose to go to an American Diner for his special birthday treat out, we went last year to.

On one of our many drives out during holiday we came across a lovely little village called Happisburgh, we stopped in the car park, while the boys went for a walk l took this photo of the Lighthouse there.

Happisburgh is only a small village but they have their very own little tea shop, of course we stopped and went in to have the most scrumy hot chocolate l have ever had. As you can see from the photo's below, we all had a cup of hot chocolate.

As we were leaving Happisburgh we saw a sign for an Owl Rescue Farm, so we popped along to lend our support.

Aston was invited to hold a Barn Owl and loved the experience.

Big Boss was asked if he would like to hold a Snowy Owl, like the one in Harry Potter called Hedwig. The Snowy Owl in the picture is only 8 weeks old and the lady said that 'Hedwig' is in fact a female Snowy Owl, as males apparently are darker in colour.

On our family holidays to Gt Yarmouth we always go to Harry Ramesdens Fish and Chip Restaurant for lunch, this time when we went along after the meal when we were walking back along the sea front we both said that we were a little disappointed in the food there, which is a shame as you cant go to Gt yarmouth and not go to Harry ramesden's can you :)

 Almost every evening we went along to the club house which is on site of the holiday park we stayed in. Aston runs around like a mad thing, Big Boss likes to play bingo and l just sit there people watching!

l don't think there was a minute of the day where Aston didn't say 'can we go to the arcades' or 'can l go on this', if we heard it once we heard it a million times over. arcades are like the Mafia, once your in, your in for life and you never get out LOL

 When the weather wasn't great we would often just go for a drive and see where we would end up. The next few photo's are on the seafront at Lowestoft early evening time. It was quite cloudy.

 In Lowestoft we indulged our selves in the art of having seaside doughnuts, l mean you cant go to the seaside in the UK and not have seaside doughnuts, the smell of them cooking and the smell of them as you open the bag with them in full of sugar is quite something too.

The picture below is where we got our doughnuts from, one of the best places l've been to if l say so myself. 

 We have had a lovely relaxing time away from it all and l know myself that l didnt want to come home.
The final picture below if of the sun set coming home just as we left Norfolk.

Here's to our next years holiday besides the seaside.

Toodles for now xx