Crochet WIP's

Works in progress. 

Oh my goodness, it feels like it's taken forever for Friday to come around! I have so many ideas and projects and things to show you that I've been taking photos of everything. 

I've been making cushions and a hat but also I'm carrying on with my temperature blanket AND I've done the research for my little girls temperature blanket. Oh and I've been commissioned to make the ever so popular at the moment mermaid tail blankets! So lots going on here at the moment and plenty to show you! 

One cushion cover I've been making. 

The other cushion cover I've been making. I've totally fallen in love with the even moss stitch. If you can do HDC and a SS (slip stitch) then you can make this beautiful pattern with no problem what so ever. There is a fantastic step by step on how to make it on this website: 

http://newstitchaday.com/how-to-crochet-the-even-moss-stitch/

Take a look at all the other stitches on this website too because they're really easy to follow. 

I have a detailed guide to the temperatures of 2013 from June 5th to the same day in 2014. It has taken me forever to decide the right colours and the temperatures included in each colour. But I think I've figured it out now. I'll be posting a photo once I get on my laptop. 

A while ago I saw a really awesome stitch called the crocodile stitch and I tried it a few times but couldn't get the hang of it but last night I decided I was definitely going to try it and here are my efforts:

Tada!!! I finally did it! I credit this wonderful website for helping me with a really basic how to do that I followed easily! 

http://www.lostandfoundlane.com/p/croc-stitch-easy-way.html?m=1

More pics soon! 

House Organisation Tips

The Fly Lady website has some good ideas on what to do and Pinterest is chokka full of loads of age appropriate ideas of chores for younger ones. Ava was brilliant at tidying up today and I'm even going to slowly put her toys back in her bedroom as they seem to have leaked their way into my living room again! 

Our hallway looks like a clothes bomb went off. The more clothes we have the less we wash them which is silly. Half the clothes I have don't even fit me anymore because of all the weightloss which is obviously a good thing but on the other hand, it's not a great idea to just take off the clothes that don't fit and put them on the floor, I need to do something else with them. Our wardrobe is full of baby clothes in bags so I'm either going to make t-shirt yarn out of really big tops or I'm just going to get rid of them. More on the t-shirt yarn tomorrow and the other projects I'm working on. 

So, before bed, I AM going to put the dishwasher on.  I am. Honest. Just really getting lazy with it at the moment. Ava is out tomorrow night to stay with the in laws so I can blitz the house. Fun fun! 

Slowly Down I Go

Checking In

So today was weigh-in day again. At least this time I hadn't put on weight! I have lost 3.5lbs this week. I know for a fact I could have done better but little me was in the hospital on Monday and Tuesday and the stress just got to me too much. I was eating with my eyes and not my stomach and bought far too much junk food instead of healthy stuff. I did eat a concoction of fruit but it wasn't as good as it could have been. I really need to restrain myself a little when it comes to junk food.

A couple of women in the group today mentioned that they had been stuck on getting their body to work properly, mainly in the bowel movements area. I think it is a problem we all come across every now and again, particularly it seems when we have had a couple of bad weeks and our bodies are trying to get back into rhythm of the good week we are having. Obviously natural bowel movers are the first thing we should be trying to get everything dancing again, laxatives should only be used under consultation from a Doctor or Pharmacist :) just to be on the safe. However, here are some natural/organic bowel movers that are sure to help you at least a little!

Apples
Legumes and Beans (yes that includes baked beans)
Beetroots (which I love, I could eat by the jar full!)
Water, Water, Water - can't be said enough can it?!
Prunes
Flax seeds, walnuts & cashews
Tomatoes
Coconut Water
Cabbage
Aloe Vera

(source: www.skinnywithfiber.org )

Out of the above I probably eat the beetroots, tomatoes and cabbage more than anything else. But I am certainly going to try and eating beans, apples and try coconut water more often! I have tonnes of baked beans and other sorts of beans in my cupboard that I really should use. Apples are another one I have loads of. I think, "yeah I'm going to eat them this time" but then I never do!

So far I've lost 2st 2.5lb on Slimming World, and I need to lost abother 5lb to get back on track after the holiday period. I am hoping to push for losing 4lb by next week. Not impossible if I stick to plan!

Cleaning Conundrum

Is it just me or do I seem to be going round in circles? 

How do you stop your cleaning schedule from becoming monotonous and boring? 

I have a 2 yr old. She creates mess. Lots of mess. My house will never be sparkly clean until she is about 20 or something haha. I clean one mess then turn around and she's making another. 

I've decided that the telephone was a bad invention because in years gone by people would clean their houses all the time because they'd never know when someone would be dropping by so you'd have no choice but to keep everything shiny, nowadays though we know when someone is popping by so some people don't clean their houses all shiny shiny because it's their space and they'll do it when they want. Phones made people lazy I reckon. Me included. I tidy, mainly because Ava needs somewhere to plays and because I need space to walk. I'm not a perfect mother and an even less perfect housewife but I just hate the going round in circles clearing the same mess. 

My mum was here over the holidays and was telling me what she used to do to keep our house tidy when we were kids so I'm going to follow two pieces of her advice. Yes, that's right mother. You heard me correct. At night before bed I'm going to either set the dishwasher off or fill it with things used from the day and I'm going to set the washer off with one light and one dark wash. Let's see how I go. 

Post Holiday Judgement Day

So I went to Slimming World today. First weigh in since the holidays so I knew it was going to be a big one! I gained 9lbs in 2 weeks. But that's done, over with, time to put the past behind me. I'm hoping to be back on track by the beginning of February. First there is my birthday to get out of the way though! 

Slimming World Cooking Tips! 

Cauliflower rice, mushy pea gravy & swede - cooked without peeling!! 

Cauliflower Rice 

Chop cauliflower into chunks and put into food processor, or, grate with grater. 

Put in microwaveable bowl and cover with cling film. 

Set the timer for 7 minutes then take out. Voila. Finished. Serve instead of rice. 

Always put in more cauliflower than you think you might need as it shrinks when cooked. 

OR 

You could buy the pre packed whizzed cauliflower rice from places like Asda and Sainsburys. You can usually find them on the fresh veg isle or the microwaveable rice area. 

Mushy Pea Gravy

Empty mushy peas into blender. 

Fill empty tin with water and add to blender. 

Add 4 oxo to the blender then give it a good WHIZZ. 

Place in a pan and heat until slightly bubbling. Voila 

Turnip/Swede cooked without peeling!! 

Put into the microwave for 10 minutes. 

Turn it over and put on for another 15 minutes. 

It SHOULD be cooked and you'll know because when you take it out of the microwave it'll feel squishy on the inside. If it's not completely finished put it in for another 5 minutes. 

Take it out and chop the top off, the scoop out with a spoon and ENJOY.  

Now don't mind me whilst I go find some new recipes for my amazing Actifryer! 

Organisation of Me

So I don't seem to be writing as much as I wanted to and I think it's because I like to be organised, with my paperwork at least. I was thinking about how I could incorporate the things that make me into me into my blog and I've come up with an idea.

Wednesday's and Saturday's will be about Slimming World, whether it is about my weigh in or a new recipe, or idea that I've found from going to group, maybe even the food I've been eating to keep up with Slimming World, it'll be posted on these days.

Sunday will obviously be a Church and gospel related day, for me it is important to really keep Christ in my life and most of the week it is hard to do that. However, this is what Sunday's are specifically designed for so that's what I'll keep a focus on,

Monday and Thursday I'll post about mummy stuff, house stuff, organisational stuff, mainly because I'm always trying to find new crafty things to do with Ava or new ideas to keep her entertained WHILST trying to keep my house tidy... doesn't always work though! But I shall try my best :D

This will leave Tuesdays and Fridays as my crochet project days! I am always doing something. Maybe even some times these things might merge on some days if I am doing something that I want you all to see but for now this is how my week will go!

Today is crochet day! I'm doing a temperature blanket for this year! Or rather two, because if I do one it'll be about 3.5m long! So I'm doing a nice lap blanket. Temperature blankets are apparently a really massive thing in America and I'm only just cottoning on to them now. But basically you take a colour of wool to a corresponding temperature and crochet a row in that colour. For now I have chosen a light blue for my 1 - 6 degrees CELSIUS, not Fahrenheit and I have 3 light blue stripes. My white will indicate a new month and days with an important birthday on them with have a sparkly stripe incorporated! I cannot wait to see what the finished product will look like! I'll take some photos and post them later!

I'm also working on a scarf for my Niece, late birthday present, but it is the 'daisy' or star stitch in a funky rainbow colour wool! I shall post pictures later on of the scarf and the temperature blanket idea. I need to work out my other colours first though!