New Year's Resolutions

We had a visit this week from my Mum which was nice, we did something different every day and today we drove out to the village where we are trying to buy a house so she could see it.
Every time I have seen the house since we put in the offer (3 months ago!!) I feel a little panicked at it being smaller than I remember. It it a small house - a 3 bed with reasonable, but small rooms. For the last 16 months in Swansea we have lived in a very large 4 bedroom, 3 storey house with high ceilings, a lot of space and rooms that are barely used. It is spacious and airy but definitely too big for us and I feel like I spend a lot of time walking from one end to other, I certainly don't have the time of energy to keep it clean and tidy and all of that space fills up quickly with Stuff. In the past when Will has suggested living in a much smaller house, tiny homes etc. I have felt like that would only work if you have a lot of outdoor space and freedom, and your home is simply somewhere to sleep, otherwise you need the space and comfort. With the new house, assuming this final part of the process goes well, it feels as though we will have it all. There is plenty of space in the house - we will need to learn to live with fewer possessions which is no great sacrifice, but otherwise there is plenty of space for a family - and there is a very large garden as well as miles and miles of hills in every direction. I have a lot to be thankful for at the end of this year. It is a year that has blessed us with our daughter. It has been our first full year living in Wales and we have made many good friends. And hopefully it will not be long into the New Year where we will have our own home for our family to live and grow in.

With that, I will share my New Year's Resolutions (so far..!):

Don't put down, put away
Learn to tell the difference between what I need and want (it would be nice if these eventually became exactly the same thing)
Eat less salt and sugar
Reduce possessions
Spend less time bitching
Live deliberately and intentionally
Be generous
Learn to cross stitch, sew and follow knitting and crochet patterns properly
Start taking buses and trains to places
Join a knit and knatter
Learn more Welsh and speak it to people
Do something creative every day
Fix things as soon as they need fixing
Stay in touch with people
Get garden and house how we want it and plant first crop (no matter how small)

Lastly, we went to a new charity shop that's opened in Swansea and I picked up 20-odd balls of yarn, some cotton/linen, a few acrylic and wool and a handful of mohair and two large knitting machine cones, one DK, one chenille-type yarn, so I am sure I will find something nice to use then for. Also a few books on cross stitch, sewing and patchwork, all for 17.50

I have a pair of legwarmers in a cotton sock yarn on the go (only a few inches in) with a leafy pattern from Ravelry at the cuff. It's a 16-row repeat, so the other end I will do 2 or 3 repeats so the cuff is larger at the top. Once these are finished I'll do the dinosaurs for my friend's baby's birthday, and after that I have a pair of socks to start for Will in some of the wool I picked up this week. He has chosen the pattern, simple socks with a diamond pattern at the cuff.

That's it for now, a very Happy New Year to everyone.

Making Savings (& more socks)

It's been a busy time over Christmas, which is still ongoing (and very much appreciated!) for us as my Mum is coming to stay tomorrow for a few days, and we are going to do Christmas all over again with her. 

We cooked a big old meal for Christmas day, which we'd planned to be the more restrained one as we were going to be doing it all over with Mum, but still ended up making enough food for 8 when there were only two of us actually eating. It was a lovely meal though, and rather than stuff ourselves with the leftovers for the next few days I decided to freeze it all. I made the extra veg and cheese sauce into a crumble, and froze the rest of the pie and cabbage as they were. These will make a lot of extra meals. I also made a tiramisu trifle as a big treat which I wasn't sure about freezing, so have instead been eating this 3 times a day since Christmas - it's a hard life!

 

Although Will and I only made Ivy a couple of little bits, friends and family still gave us some gifts for Ivy and she had a lovely time opening the presents herself. She got some very sweet things, and only one gift that we will have to pass on, a really sweet gift from neighbours who just don't know us that well and have bought us something noisy and plastic. 

I have saved all of the wrapping paper, stickers and ribbons for next year. 

We had a short walk on Christmas morning but it was a grey, mizzly sort of day, the corker was Boxing Day which was crisp and bright. We went for a walk wit a couple of friends and Ivy had a mammoth nap (which unfortunately refreshed her so much that she had very broken sleep in the night!)

Lastly, I've done a little knitting over the last couple of weeks, not a lot. I finished my first proper fine gauge pair of socks made from a jolly cotton with elastic that a friend gave to me for helping her with some sewing. In the event, with a 4 month old baby each it was definitely a team effort and I'm not sure I deserved anything for it! But I am very pleased with my socks. 

I also finished a pair of chunky socks which I actually started before I was distracted by the cotton yarn. They are a little big but lovely and warm. The heal is too deep - I thought I'd cast on 48 so was doing short rows from 24, but actually I was only cast on 44. I was at the toe before I realised my mistake so went with it and did the same for the other. It's fine, roomy. 

Lastly, I made a toy for a friend's son's first birthday. It's meant to be one of three - I brontosaurus, stegosaurus and triceratops. I'm actually going to redo it so that they are all smaller. It only took and evening to make and Ivy will like the first one I made. 

I hope everyone is having a lovely break and enjoying their homes, families and a bit of peace. It can be a fraught time of year - in fact this is our most enjoyable Christmas, where we've hidden away and declined visiting anyone - and it has been a struggle for us, more so at Christmas than any other time, not to feel a little hopeless about the level of consumerism and animal slaughter that has become traditional at this time  of year. We are far from perfect but we hope that our actions make some difference to everyone alive now - humans and other animals - and to future generations. 

With that I'll be  off, with love and peace to you now, and for the New Year.

Peas and walks

There's not been a lot going on lately - as predicted nothing has come through about the house. As long as things are ready to go in the new year I don't mind too much, but at this pace it's looking unsure whether that will even happen.
We had a very nice weekend - we invited a few people over for drinks and food and had a little Christmas party.

Will has  a couple of days booked off this week and then will be away in the office on thursday and Friday.
I am going to a friend's on Wednesday who has a son the same age as Ivy (two days older actually) to lend a hand sewing a mat for him to go nappy free on. I am no great sewer but I'm sure between us we'll get the job done.
Will and I have been for a couple of nice walks in the local parks - one very bright and crisp, one wet and soggy. Thankfully Ivy's rain cover for the carrier arrived from eBay and has been very useful. I also bought myself a pair of wellies, new unfortunately, after looking for weeks for a pair on eBay and gumtree. Obviously as soon as I bought them I saw about 5 pairs at the car boot. I got the long wool socks from the car boot. Itchy, but very warm for my knobbly knees.

I sent a care package to my Mum who is having a hard time at the moment with some Lush bath bombs and chocolates and a hat and fluffy bedsocks that I knitted, but naturally forgot to photograph. I liked the stitch in the hat though and decided to make another for someone as a Christmas present in green. It's come out a little odd though, I think it looks like frozen peas, so I am keeping it for myself and am going to try and make one that is a little more normal before Christmas comes.

I made the pieces of cotton that I batik'd into cushion covers. I wasn't that happy how they came out as I thought I had covered more of the pattern from the initial dye with the wax than I had. Actually, I may as well have just dyed them the once with the dark green, all the difference it would have made. They've grown on me though and I'm really pleased with them as cushions. Once again the new Toyota was a dream to sew on.

I have started another pair of socks on a 44 peg loom - One finished and the second cast on. I'm using a crazy patterned wool in bright pinks and blues, I had meant to do the heels and toes in plain purple but got half way through the heel before I realised I hadn't switched, so instead the foot and heel are purple. They are a little big and would probably be better for mens socks, but I 'm keeping this pair for myself as I love the wool. Will post a picture when they're finished.
Lastly, Will's hedgehog turned out to be a rather convincing mole, so that's what it is instead. Ivy loves it.

Quick knits and DIY gifts

*Excuse all of my gloomy yellow interior pictures recently - I do leave the house a lot, I just never remember my camera*

While Ivy is asleep in her moses (Her FIRST EVER non-Mammy-based nap, 45 minutes and counting); Another very quick knit - more yoga socks. I find these really useful and would like a few pairs. They are made on an 18 peg loom with extra chunky wool and I made them in a couple of hours while Will was at Welsh class.

Me and Ivy haven't been to Welsh in weeks, it seems like every Thursday Ivy has a bad day for some reason and we can't go. This time she wouldn't nap all afternoon until 20 minutes before it was time to leave, when she conked out for her big evening sleep (usually 4 or 5 hours). Dwi'n hoffi Dysgu Cymraeg. Ivy ddim yn hoffi dysgu Cymraeg. Wedi blino dwi. I have been listening to the CD a bit in the morning while I'm working which is helping with the basics.

Ivy's Nanny Sannie (my Mam) visited us quickly at the weekend as she had been in Cardiff and brought with her a high chair for Ivy that she picked up from a charity shop at home. Ivy can't quite sit unassisted at the moment but she's nearly there and seems quite happy in the chair. Lovely to have her at the table with us, it always feels a bit excluding leaving her in the pram but it's not always practical to have her on my lap (i.e. soup)

Will has been doing a bit of knitting for Ivy for Christmas. He is quickly mastering pattern reading in a way that I have failed to. He was given a couple of patterns for an owl and a hedgehog toy by a lady at Welsh. They both are supposed to use a tinsel wool, but they're not nice to work with and not that safe for a baby anyway, so Will has used DK instead. I think it looks fab and can't wait to give them to Ivy. The Hedgehog is still a WIP, but instead of the tinsel wool, Will knitted a few purled rows where he wasn't supposed to, to give the impression of spines. They are stuffed with toy stuffing that I picked up on Freecycle.

I treated myself to some lino cutting tools at the weekend and made myself a rubber stamp. I got a book a couple of months ago called Snail Mail, about encouraging and reviving the act of sending letters, something I have wanted to do more of, stay in touch with people, send love. I wanted to make myself a couple of rubber stamps to use for envelopes, so I have made the first now. I love it and it has made me want to start making art again. There is a little ball of excitement and inspiration burning in my tummy, now if only I had the time!

After what has been literally years of battles and frustration and unpicking things I finally booted out my old sewing machine (after attempting to make Ivy a Christmas stocking and having to unpick it 3 times). Against all odds, and despite my repeated warnings of its demonic nature someone from Freecycle came to get my old machine, and I bought a pretty heavy duty Toyota from Gumtree that seems better suited to my needs. I have only used it a little but so far it seems an absolute dream. I had to fix a pair of Will's shorts (only 2 years on the fixing pile) and it went through several layers of denim and curtain material as if it were nothing.

Will and I have made some spice infused vodka for Christmas gifts. We did taste it and unfortunately it is revolting, but we figure it's the thought that counts, and you never know someone might like it! I made labels for the bottles and will be sending them out in the next week or so. I cut out the Christmas shapes from the grease proof paper that soap comes in at Lush, so I'm sure they'll be familiar to a few people.

I have been knitting in the evenings and have finished a toy for Ivy (which Will laughed at! Saying it looked like a leggy tic tac. I think Ivy will like it!), a pair of legwarmers for Ivy, and some mittens for our Niece Maisy, who is about a month older than Ivy.

Lastly, we went to a car boot at the weekend and I picked up an old, but unused batik kit for £4. I've always wanted to try batik, and I love a kit, so double bonus. I did a little last night after Ivy had gone to bed, not using the wax that came with it, but melting and dripping on some tealights we found at the beach earlier in the year. Obviously someone had made some romantic gesture, and then gone and left all their rubbish behind! Anyway I thought I would do the bigger shapes for the first dye, and then use the batik-ing tool for the finer stuff for the next, which will hopefully be tonight. The colour has come out a little pale, I guess because the dye is ancient, but I'm very pleased. After I had dyed my two batik'd pieces we found a t-shirt and some fabric and tie-dyed it and left it over night. It was fun and we are going to look out for more dye on ebay.

Recently in the evenings, instead of watching a film (or sometimes as well as) or using the internet we have been knitting, or letter writing or doing some other craft, and it has been so lovely. We're spending time together chatting that we didn't even realise we were missing out on, and we're just getting so much done, finishing a project every two or three days. I have started leaving the laptop upstairs in the evenings. I work a couple of hours a day from home and need to check my emails throughout the working day in case any urgent tasks come in, but if I have my laptop downstairs in the evening I seem to just be drawn to it. It's been very refreshing not having that, like cutting out junk food and feeling the difference.
We have had the enquiries back on the house now so are just waiting on the local searches which the solicitor said should come back next week (we'll see!) so can look to exchange and complete after then. Will and I have agreed that however soon the searches come back now we won't be completing before Christmas as it's too close now and would be disruptive. Instead we can look forward to being in our new home early in the new year.
That's all for now!

A couple more knits, Christmas, & cheap eating for the very healthy

The slippers that I made for myself the same as Will's are finished, and very warm they are too! I also finished a nice thick pair of socks with a roll top  - these are very comfy and I will definitely be making more pairs.
We also got news this week that our power bill has gone down from a whopping £132 a month to £44. We have been paying the higher price for over a year because that is what Ecotricity estimated for a house our size, so we knew we would  be racking up a credit, but with all of the washes now (one a day because of Ivy's nappies), and having the heating on more for Ivy, I was surprised to find our power consumption was still so (relatively) low. A big help as with the extra washing our water bill has gone up, though only by a few pounds. We try to save water by using the morning's bath water for the nappy bucket, and a couple of toilet flushes, but will have to look into what else we can do.


W have been decorating the house ready for Christmas. Will likes to do it nice and early - we've had Christmas music on since Halloween. We have quite a lot of decorations, almost all of which are either homemade or hand-me-downed, and it's always very cosy and familiar seeing some of these old friends come out after a year. There are a lot of decorations on our tree from my childhood. Ivy has loved it and had a fairly major laughing fit at one of the shiny foil decorations.

I'm not sure what, if anything we're doing about presents this year. We don't like to buy new things and every year have paired it down more and more. There are a couple of little bits we are going to post to people and I have a couple of projects in mind for Ivy. Will and I rarely get gifts for each other as we get each other little things throughout the year. I have saved some rose petals from a bunch of flowers we were given a couple of weeks ago, so I think I will use them in packaging.

Lastly, I am going to make a really good effort to be cooking healthier and lighter meals for us. Will and I eat very well on the whole, even when we consider ourselves to be eating poorly, we are pretty healthy really, but that just means that when we eat badly we feel terrible. I still have a few lbs of weight I gained during pregnancy that I'd like to lose, and our food bill is coming to 3 times what it needs to. Today for lunch we had vegetable & chickpea dumplings with tofu & wakame miso. I estimate that the whole meal came to about £4.00 including condiments, and there was tonnes, enough for dinner as well. It was also all organic & veg from a local farm, so no compromise on quality. Can you beat that?

Slippers & Whinging

There's not a lot been going on this week really. Everything is at a bit of a standstill with the house while we wait for the solicitors to complete the searches which is a little frustrating, and it looks like we might be spending Christmas still here in  the Uplands, which will be nice at least, although a shame not to be in our new house. Ivy has had even more of her jabs and was very brave about it at the time, but got a bad fever the next day. It feels rotten and I really deliberated about whether or not to have her inoculated, but the risks when living in a highly populated area are too great, to her, and to other children who are not inoculated.

We have been packing a little, but mostly working away at making bits and bobs. Will finished crocheting a blanket he started working on a while ago, which takes our total number of blankets up to 300. (ish)

I should be working away at the fixing pile which is now as tall as Ivy, but instead I finished Will's welly socks, and have made us both a pair of slippers. (Ivy helped)

I also need to make a pair of legwarmers too for Ivy quicksmart as it's getting very chilly and her legs get cold when I have her in the wrap. I bought a babywearing-waterproof-thing off eBay this week so hopefully that will arrive soon as we have definitely had plenty of rain and can expect a lot more.

I also bought myself a new (old) phone of eBay as I'm not getting on with the one I have (the buttons are too hard to push). I don't really like having a mobile phone and it's out of charge more often than not, but feel we should both keep one for emergencies. It feels a little compromising, but at least they aren't smart phones, which I can't stand. But as everyone I know has one I won't rant on about that. Will says we should get a doormat that says no smart phones allowed as it often feels like the first thing people say when they come to out house is not Hello, but 'what's your wifi password?'.

This week the battery on my laptop went kaput. It still works when it's plugged in, but I'm going to back everything up and then use the desktop as my main computer. She's an old girl and could go to laptop heaven at any point. I think it would be better to use the laptop a lot less anyway as Will and I both use the computer a lot more than we ought to, and as Will pointed out, not only is it a bit hypocritical given our dislike for smart phones and how instant everything is when you have one, but also neither of us has a commute or time-consuming hobbies or commitments (not by accident), so we should have a heck of a lot of spare time, and yet time seems to quite often run away from us both.

At the weekend just gone we had the Swansea Vegans Social Club Christmas dinner at Garbos which was lovely. A whole restaurant packed out with 30 vegans - great food, lovely people, very Christmassy! We also went to the Uplands market in the morning which is very vegan now, much more so than when we moved here last year, and we bought treats, so in all it was a very expensive treaty weekend, I think a bit of spartan living would do us both some good now.