Working, Walking and Woodworking on Wednesday

This morning I got up bright and early before the sun rose... I'm not sleeping especially well at the moment, so thought I might as well get up after a restless night and get on with things.  In the morning I started clearing some of the stuff I should have done months ago that has just been sitting in our dining room waiting for me to sort.  I've crushed a load of cardboard for the recycling collection and there is also a load of what turned out to be rubbish that has gone in the bin.  I was certainly ready for my walk to clear my head after that lot.  Still a lot to be done though and I am going to have to be a lot more focused if I want to get it clear in the next couple of weeks and not get distracted by what I call 'Percy Cuddles', where he wants to sit on my lap and snuggle so I do that and knit instead of getting on with the things I need to be doing.  It is that time of year when you just want to hibernate!  

I redid the eyes on my rabbit, added a bit more detailing to his nose and added a mouth and am happier with him.  Hmmmm  I seem to be calling it a 'him' so I guess I better actually make some more appropriate clothes at some stage!  In the meantime rabbit can wear what rabbit is wearing.

I enjoyed this morning's walk with the group. We did a different route today even though we ended up walking through one of the local parks like we often do, so it was nice to see something different.  Although I enjoyed some interesting conversation today with one of the ladies who walks.

Hubby and I had lunch out today at the local garden centre.  It was roast turkey and I fear I ate too much as it was a big meal and I don't like to waste food.  It was nice, but just that little bit too much, so I think it will be a light meal this evening as I have band rehearsal afterwards.

The other week I started to make a 'Penny Wooden' doll...  

I then put it aside as I didn't have the tools to saw down the middle length of the pegs, so this was as far as I got.  Fortunately I was telling one of the men in the walking group and he said he could saw the lengths for me, so I gave him a couple of pegs on Monday and he then returned them today.  Of course this meant that this afternoon instead of continuing with my household chores, I was working on the little doll!  Although in between coats of matt varnish and paint I did do some housework.

The peg cut in half lengthwise.

I then had to cut in half across and drill some holes.

Plus holes in the body and leg pieces.

Checking out for size.

Seeing what the doll looks like once together.

Painting the stockings.

Shoes added.

Together!

Dressed.

Waiting for hair and features.

I love how the grain of the wood of her head almost has a natural smile before I have even done anything.

Well time to get on with dinner... I think we will have probably just have some soup and toast.

Soggy Saturday.

It was blowing an absolute gale and tipping it down with rain when I was due to set off for my group walk this morning so unusually for me I decided to forego it.  Of course an hour later, the rain had stopped, so wished I had gone after all!  Typical.   Mind you it didn't stay dry for very long and it was soon pouring with rain again by mid afternoon.

Yesterday afternoon I decided to make a new dress for my little wooden doll Morag.  Of course I didn't have enough of the chosen fabric for a dress, so it became an apron, which led to a dress, and then in the evening I knitted a little shawl and hat with some of the wool I bought from the Charity Shop the other day.  I hadn't planned on knitting dolls clothes with it, but the colour lent itself so well to the outfit I had made.

Fortunately I was able to get this photograph early this morning before the rains came down.

We went up to see our daughter in law, and we took my mother in law as well and had a nice wander round a local garden centre after having lunch there. I had a home made quiche which was one of the nicest I have had for a while.

Anyone would have thought Christmas was imminent, not almost two months away!

The decorations and displays were all out trying to tempt people to buy, buy, buy!

I have to say these two singing reindeer were rather amusing, but I bet after a while they would drive you crazy!

I've taken a photo of what I think is almost this exact display previous years at a different garden centre. I don't know if they hire these, or whether there is a special template to set them up.

I do love these miniature displays though as there is so much to see in them.

Lastly, I don't normally buy things I could knit myself, but I saw this on a friend's Instagram page and appreciating the amount of work that goes into such an item, I couldn't resist it.  It will be lovely to have something bright and cheerful to wrap round my shoulders in the evening when it is cold. 

Last Day in October!

Well I didn't intentionally start out to write a blog post for every day in October, but I did and feel quite pleased with myself as it has given me some focus, even if the subject matter isn't always especially stimulating or interesting.

I'm not sure what November will bring, but I know it is going to be a really busy month for us for many reasons.  Hopefully I will be able to share more of that soon.  Part of that will be having our son home so we will hopefully see quite a bit of him too.  

Today I started work on trying to sort out stuff in our utility/conservatory, sewing room, come lets stuff everything in it room!   I have sorted out quite a bit and now have packed relatively neatly three boxes, one with painting/art books, one with patterns and the other with scrapbook supplies.  Some rubbish and cardboard recycling was also sorted.

I have faffed around a bit with some other things, and folded some washing...oh the excitement!  But it is a job done so that is good.

On Friday last week when my friend came down for the day she brought with her a doll I carved back in 2014 and returned her to me.  I was delighted to have this doll back as out of the nine I had carved, I had only kept my first 'Hitty Madge'.  This was number six, she is a little chunky, but she is making me happy and I have made her a little reversible apron, and last night knitted her a shawl.  Her name is Morag.

This is the back and yes she does have blue and red striped stockings!

I took the dogs on a slightly different route this morning for their walk and was surprised to see how little mileage my phone recorded I had done, so I mapped out the route on Google Maps and it was a lot more.  Clearly my phone underestimates how much I am actually walking, which is quite good as it means I'm doing more than I thought I was.  Always an added bonus.

I succumbed to some Corn bread today for lunch so will be interesting to see if I have any ill effects.  I hope not as I really enjoyed it, but have to be restrained as I'd love to have some more slices!

It is almost 3.30 pm and the sun is going down already.  The days really are drawing in.  Time to feed the guinea pigs and close up their shed for the day.

Wandering and Working on Wednesday

Percy was dropped off at the Veterinary Hospital first thing this morning for his five weekly round of chemo.  They are supposed to be extending the duration between treatments this time, but we have asked them to speak to the cardiologist with regards to the steroids and his heart murmur.  If there is a likelihood that they are causing it then we want the steroid dose reduced more rapidly.  We have been recording his at rest respiratory rate and the vet was very pleased with that which is good.  It is heart breaking leaving him there each time.  

I went for my group walk this morning which was very pleasant, although unfortunately not as nice weather as we had yesterday.  It was such a gorgeous day yesterday with a lovely clear blue sky.  I thought typical, on the days the group walk isn't on we have a fabulous day!  I think I could probably duplicate the walk we did today now...  It is mostly over fields which is really nice.

My daughter in law recommended a hair treatment that my son had bought her, so I ordered that and it arrived today, so looking forward to trying it.  

I also ordered a lamp that goes round your neck which I hope will be useful in the evenings and during darker days when sewing, knitting etc.  I will report back once I have used it!

The other day I pulled out the wooden doll I had started carving, gosh, a long time ago now.  This is how she was left.

 Some grain has appeared since I first started carving her, which is a bit of a nuisance as it is down her face on one side... which goes against my 'symmetrical' leanings.  I've been waiting for a day when it has been dry enough to sit outside and do some more work on her.  This afternoon I also had the time so made a start.

I got a bit carried away with the carving on the shoulders of her arms and they have ended up thinner than I wanted, so now I need to thin down the rest of her arms.  It is so easy to just carve a little too much off!  I used some carving knives I have as well as the dremel.  Turns out the dremel is not nice to my nerve pain. Now I know why I had stopped carving her!  My right arm from the top to the bottom, and the side of my ribs is now tingling, and has been for some time, with pain running down the arm as well.  Hopefully it will ease up soon.  

I find the faces extremely hard to do...  I was reasonably pleased with how it was starting to look when a bit of her lips shaved away, so I had to start again!

Still quite a bit of work to do on her before she will be ready for her final sanding and painting, but she is starting to look a bit more like I want her to.