Sp gift, more Meret knitting and birthstones

I received my final SP parcel today and look what was in it:)
From a company I hadn't heard of before. Brooks Farm Primero kid mohair. Isn't it gorgeous? There is 8 ounce/500 yds in this skein and the colour is me most definitely:) I love the feel of the yarn and will really enjoy knitting with it. Must check out this company for possible future reference:) Thank you SP.

Then I have been knitting
Another Meret for YOSH. This pattern is offered free by Woolly Wormhead but while you are checking it out do look at the other patterns she has designed. Some beauties there.
The yarn is handpainted blues unnamed. 1 100gm skein made the hat with just a few inches over as you can see in the next picture. I love this pattern and will be making more of these.
A close up of side view and tiny amount of yarn left over.
Back view. I did an extra set of repeats to make a slouchier hat. I want one now:)
Yesterday we went to visit our friend who has a gift shop which she is sadly closing now. Mr Mog is helping her to move the stock into temporary storage. She is thinking of moving down to Cornwall as it is somewhere she has always loved. Hopefully she has found a shop to rent and a house. It is too far for popping in to visit so we will have to make plans for a few days at a time. No hardship as I have always wanted to return to Cornwall. It is almost 30 years since I last visited so I think I am due a return don't you? She had a sale on while we were there and while browsing I came upon the pendant you see here. I don't normally wear green jewellery but this called to me.
Do you know what the stone is?

It is Peridot, coincidentally my birth stone. Methinks it was an auspicious purchase. How about you? Must read up on why I need peridot.
The rash:-
Isn't any worse and seems to be possibly a fraction improved. I'm using aqueous cream with added lavender essential oil. I'm cutting out baths as I think the heat is making the rash worse. Showers only for now. I am certain it isn't eczema as both ArtisAnne and I have had the same thing.
Just so long as it vanishes then I'll be a happy moggie.
No visit to Mum this week due to the MRSA, my rash and Mr Mog's stomach troubles. We will be going next week when we have to tackle a social worker who thinks mum is fit to go home and believes her entirely when she says she has carer, shoppers and friends (also 90 and unable to walk very well) who will come in if she rings. They haven't inspected the cavernous monstrosity of a house that she lives in with a bathroom upstairs along a very long landing after tackling steep stairs, all with a zimmer frame? I don't think so.Despite Mr Mog being next of kin we haven't heard from them direct it has come via his sister. Not a problem who they contact but for the fact that I have telephoned 5 times this week leaving my number and asking for a call from her.
We have our list of key words and phrases to use when we do see or hear from them, this to ensure that she doesn't just get sent home with no signs of any back up . We just want to know that mum is safe and being looked after. Not much to ask is it?

Fabulous yarn colours for Spring:)

Just look what arrived in today's post. Doesn't it fill you with joy? The colourway is Y Gwanwyn which means the Spring.
Sent by the lovely Artis Anne and I am sure if you asked her nicely there would be some more in her Etsy shop Mam a Mi
I had mentioned to Anne that I was going to do Project Spectrum again this year. The theme is The Elements and first one is Earth for March and April. More details at the above link. It isn't just for knitters as you will see:)
I wanted some zingy green yarn for both the earth direction and for Spring. Something to cheer and make me smile while I knit. The kind of colour whoever wore the socks would smile at when wearing them. Anne offered to dye me some and donate it for YOSH. Thanks Anne.
Just look how the other items in the parcel coordinate with the theme.
A close up of the yarn which is double knit so easier for this moggie to knit.
Thank you Anne, yes it did make me smile and was exactly what I'd been thinking of colour wise.

We had a little stroll in the local park this morning and things are starting to bud and flower as you can see. The Goddess is awakening and the ground is starting to warm up
Lots of nest boxes around the park and a delightful place to sit and contemplate the return of Spring.
Forsythia is flowering.
Thank you for all the helpful hints for the manky rash. We are going to ask for a second opinion and in the meantime I'm trying out one or two of the suggestions. It is still very painful and sore.

Natural Eczema help please

Hi, I've been prescribed steroids now for this rash:( I do not want to take them if at all possible and I am looking for alternative ideas please. Doctor reckons it is a form of eczema, I'm not sure as most of the rash spreading is a result of using the steroid creams. I've tried tea tree oil, aqueous cream up to now
Thanks so much I'm getting quite desperate now as it is so sore.

Knitting(not socks) + goodies for YOSH + doctor

There has been knitting of a non sock nature going on. You will see the results shortly but first just look at what Vicky W sent for YOSH.

Well obviously not all for YOSH, I apparently have to eat the delicious chocolate, no hardship there then:) Also photos of my favourite place to visit, Glastonbury. Thank you Vicky it is much appreciated. I also love the cat card.

Then to the knitting. I've read a lot about Meret the gorgeous FREE beret pattern by Woolly Wormhead and seen some beautiful finished items on Ravelry. Well last week Laal Bear came a visiting and brought the red one that she recently completed. I loved it and thought I'd better have a go at making one.

Unfortunately the yarn I chose doesn't show the pattern to its best advantage but is very warm and very comfortable to wear.
The yarn is Kilcarra Aran tweed, a green product donated by the lovely Clarabelle. It is 100% pure new wool.
It knit up very quickly and easily once I followed the pattern exactly:( I started with the 1st row of pattern and then found out that for the size I was making I should have started later. Once this was ironed out it was plain sailing. This is the second hat for YOSH and joins the other completed items in the hospice cupboard.
I loved the hat so much I've earmarked some vivid blue to wind for the next one later today.

I went back to the doctor today and apparently my rash is a form of eczema. I was offered stronger steroid creams or steroid tablets. I am going to see what I can come up with as an alternative first.

A walk in woodands and hennaed hair

When we went to Cumbria to visit mum we stopped off at our favourite spot.
Following are some of the photos we took there. I hope you enjoy your visit.
The snowdrops are in full flower and these were just by the secret entrance.
Everywhere there were garlic leaves coming through as well as the start of bilberry leaves.
I wonder where this ladder takes you?
Do you think perhaps someone or something was sitting in the tree watching us?
This is the view over Bassenthwaite Lake. Despite there being a dual carriageway beneath us it is invariably peaceful and in all the years we have been there we have never seen another person. People do visit, there is a fire pit that always shows signs of fresh use and sadly there is quite often rubbish left on the hill:(
Can you see the boar watching from the top of the tree?
Another view of Bass lake with the mountains behind it.
There are lots of these tree stumps to be seen, all offer the promise of entrance to another world.
As you can see there is slate beneath all the plants.
and also in amongst the garlic. It is amazing how plants colonise
This is the most peaceful place.


Entrances to other worlds abound.




Not a soul to be seen

Now for Angeluna, my freshly hennaed hair:)

Colour and its effect

Does colour have a big effect on you? It does on me. The reason for the blog title is I have just hennaed my hair.
I had noticed that the grey was looking scruffy and the hair was flat:( Some of that is this silly rash which is also in my hair. I would quite like to be grey if it was grey consistently but it isn't. I have approx 20% grey and that just looks so silly. Also I love being a redhead, it goes with my Leo character and also with my love for bright bright colours:) Anyway I digress.
This afternoon I finally got round to colouring my hair and it is now vibrantly red again. It cheers me and makes me smile, not a bad thing.
I decided I would show you some of my older projects that I don't think have been on the blog. There will be a current knitting update , maybe tomorrow.
This was a knitted bag I did from some colinette mixtures. I added the fox as a fastening because it looked well with the bag. I beaded a fringe for the bottom. Pattern my own.
I used to do paper arts many moons ago and took part in a postcard exchange. Each month you made and sent 5 postcards to random people on a list. You in turn received 5 different ones back. I'm thinking of starting to play again in this exchange as I have a yen to get back to paper crafts as well as knitting etc. Can you read the writing? It says "Faery is visible from the corner of your eye, a glimpse a glance as you pass by, the merest sight then goodbye"
This piece was embroidery. I dyed the fabric and most of the threads. Then a simple matter of layering threads and hand and machine stitching. This piece was sunset.

I also used to do beading, as did Mr Mog. We went to weekly classes. I much preferred freeform beading(naturally) to doing set pieces. This is a pin I made.
This is a collection of tiny witches on broomsticks I made.
We had a long day yesterday visiting Mr Mog's mum. It started out quite well, we visited Castle Howe and it was fabulous to be among all the old trees on the grove.
Sadly when we got to the hospital mum wasn't in the ward. When we asked a nurse where she was we were told she was in a room on her own. She had contracted MRSA. I asked the nurse why they hadn't phoned Mr Mog or his sister and was told it isn't hospital policy to phone. They tell family when they arrive?
Mr Mog wondered what would happen if family lived abroad?
We had to don apron and gloves before going in. Mum is not doing too badly and was quite well in herself. We however would not have gone that day if we had known. I still have this awful rash all over the body and obviously don't want to catch anything else. As doesn't Mr Mog. We did see mum but didn't stay too long. What also surprised me was that we had to don gloves etc yet nothing was on the door and a friend of hers called in with another patient from another ward who she was visiting. They didn't cover up. No wonder that MRSA is rife if this happens.

Fabulous sunset.

Just look at today's wonderful sunset over the houses. Isn't it beautiful? I caught it by chance as someone parked on our front and whilst checking who it was the sunset claimed my attention.

Good job I was nosy wasn't it?


Shame about the street lights but they are quite put to shame by Mother Nature's own light.
Rash is a little better, hands not quite so painful and back is clearing slowly. I've 3 days of antibiotic pills left so hopefully they will clear the remainder of the infection. I'm not keen on the gloves for knitting but needs must.
I've nothing to show you yet but take my word for it, socks and shawl are progressing.

My word is - and Kreativ blog award

Your Word is "Fearless"

You see life as your one chance to experience everything, and you just go for it! You believe the biggest risk is being afraid and missing out on something amazing. Sometimes your fearlessness means you're daring. You enjoy risky activities. And sometimes your fearlessness means you're courageous. You're brave enough to do the right thing, even when it's scary.

What's Your Word?

Does this sound like me? Possibly:)
I've been awarded the Kreativ blogger award by Needledancer
Thank you so much, I really appreciate it:)

The rules are:-

1. Copy the award to your site. Done

2. Link to the person from whom you received the award) Done

3. Nominate other bloggers.

4. Link to those on your blog.

5. Leave a message on the blogs you nominated.

I love so many blogs that fit the kreativ category and it is hard to choose but here goes.

Sue at Creative spirit, her calligraphy is very inspiring and she comes up with such marvellous ideas

Helen at Drop one, her yarns are fabulous, the colours zing. Her photography always inspires me as well
Joanna at Friendsheep, her knitting makes me so envious. The colours she uses and the speed of knitting. She also makes beautiful painted art and cooks:)
Artis-Anne, Anne dyes the most wondrous yarns and fibres and is always willing to share her dyeing skills. I love the colours she comes up with and the Welsh names they are called. A touch of magic from Wales. Her knitting and spinning are so good I can only wish I could knit the things she makes
Laal Bear. Ursula has so much energy she puts me to shame. She always seems to have yummy yarn drying or being knit up. Her colours also inspire me. In fact Both Ursula and Phil (Mr Laal Bear) are creative. Their home is a treasure trove of art.

Valentines Day, say it with socks, Femmes update

I thought I'd post my latest socks in a Valentines theme:)
Yarn was unnamed sock yarn which I've used double. They feel lovely and soft and I'm sure the hospice recipient will love the colour.
A long day yesterday, early doctors appointment then off to Cumbria to visit mum. We stopped off at friends for lunch which was great. It broke the journey and gave us food before continuing to the hospital. Mum is much better, she apparently has an infection in the ankle bone but it appears to be improving with the treatment. She is still confused but very happy at the hospital. She is also talking about the friends at the local sheltered accommodation and not poo pooing the idea of maybe going there. I think she likes all the attention as well, it is bound to be doing her good.
Doctor has put me on strong antibiotic pills and new steroid/anti bacterial cream for the rash. He thinks it is a bacterial skin infection and I've caught it from having a virus and being run down. Don't care how I got it I just want rid now , please. I'm wearing cotton gloves for knitting and that is helping me.

Now a femmes update. With all the kerfuffle of the past week I'm not sure who asked for what. Please can you get back in touch and let me know if you wanted one of the femmes so I can send them to their new homes. I know Aknita is having one for her prize giving and that one is winging its way overseas to Canada it is the rest I am unsure on

Project spectrum and rashes:(

No photos tonight but tomorrow there will be Valentine socks.
I've finished them and I love the colour. I hope you will too. I knit them with cotton gloves on:( The hands are worse, I now have what look like water blisters and they are sore. The rash is all over my body and I even have some spots in my eyebrow and hair which is a bummer. The ones on my hands and feet give most trouble though. I've an appointment tomorrow morning with the doctor. The anti histamine pills and antibiotic cream don't appear to have helped, the steroid cream certainly didn't. I've tried calendula cream, plain aqueous cream, plain cream with tea tree and plain cream with lavender. No avail. I'm starting to wonder if the yarn is at fault. I'm hoping not. I painted the nickel on my harmony needles with nail varnish so that shouldn't bother me now. I can understand an allergy making my hands bad and even my feet wearing knitted socks, but the rest of my body?
So I purchased the cotton gloves at Boots(thanks Vicky) and they are keeping the yarn from my hands, yes I'm still knitting. It helps keep me sane so would you have me stop? Certainly not at the moment that's for sure.
Tomorrow after doctors we go up to Cumbria to see mum and get results(hopefully) from the doctors. A long day.

Now Project Spectrum, Lolly has organised this the past 3 or 4 years and this years theme is the elements. I'm playing along are you? Check out the link for more details. It isn't just knitting, it can be any form of artwork within the elements/seasons. Right up this Mog's street.
There are the femmes for a start, the knitting, the dyeing, photos of wildlife, plants and flowers. The list is endless.

More socks and snow pics, cotton gloves question.

Lets start with the snow shall we? We went up to Cumbria at the weekend to see friends and to visit mum. Luckily we did as you saw in my previous post. BTW she is comfortable in hospital and is having treatment and various tests. More info as we know more.
The journey up was delightful as there was much snow. The journey home not as nice as we had a blizzard all the way home. But these pictures show a little of how beautiful Cumbria looks in the snow.

The picture above was at Westmorland services Tebay. As you can see there has been quite a lot of snow.
This was the M6 near Sedbergh
Then there has been much knitting This is a skein of natural dye studio 4ply and a skein of unknown that I mixed together for a pair of hospice socks.

A better picture of the colour when wound together.

Here you see the first sock

Then these were double knit yarn I traded with Laal Bear. Wasn't sure there was enough for a pair of socks so added the orange .
This is my valentines day sock in progress. Also for YOSH. Yarn is 4ply hand dyed that I've used double. They will be ankle socks.
Now a plea, my hands are still really sore and I'm wondering if a pair of cotton gloves would help. Any ideas where I could get some fine ones please?

Socks, snow and family

This has been a roller coaster of a weekend. Yesterday we went up to Cumbria. Several reasons, to visit a friend or two and to see Mr Mog's mum.
The first parts went fine we had lunch and much sociability with Cae and Graham. Didn't want to leave as the log burning stove was so cosy. We had a magical journey up to Cumbria as everywhere was covered in snow. I'll upload pictures tomorrow, too tired tonight.
From Cae we journeyed down to Aspatria to see an old friend who we haven't seen for a few months. Had a great evening, lots of laughter and general enjoying being there.
This morning we had a cuppa then decided to leave breakfast til we had seen mum.
You can imagine our horror and upset to find her sitting between 2 rooms unable to move and extremely confused. To cut a long story short we got the emergency doctor and they have taken her into hospital for tests and care. We arrived at 10am and although doctor came as soon as possible it was still after 11 when she arrived. We then had to wait for an ambulance. We were told it could be 4 hours. We didn't want to take her in the car as we weren't sure if she had damaged her hip. Ambulance wasn't that long but it was still nearly 2 when we went over to the hospital. On the way we grabbed a quick sandwich as both of us were flagging.
We left the hospital around 3 to come home in a blizzard. It snowed all the way home. We have to wait to see what doctors say about mum and what options there are for care etc.
Mr Mog is very upset as you can imagine, in fact we both are. Mum is 90 in May so not a spring chicken and any fall, illness isn't easy to cope with.
I've uploaded a picture of my latest socks for the hospice appeal. I thought it would add a little colour

Imbolc, femmes and snow

Look what we woke up to today:) The earth wears a white gown for Imbolc and it looks so pretty, especially now as the sun is shining and it is snowing again. We were supposed to be going to visit ArtisAnne but as she also has snow the trip is off.
When it looks so pretty you can't help but smile can you? Especially as we don't have to go too far. We will be going up to the prom to see how the Lake District Hills have fared. I suspect they will have lots of snow if we have this much. Normally the seaside doesn't suffer.

So a little colour to add to the monochromatic snow:)

Here you see Belissanna,named in honour ofBelissama the Celtic Goddess of light and fire, crafts and incidentally Goddess of the River Mersey:) On her pocket she has the word dream signifying the connection between the spiritual and the physical planes. She also wears an aspect of the goddess on her together with a leaf. She is connected to the earth to ground her in her endeavours.
Birgitta, keeper of the flame. A water femme and dedicated to Brigid lady of the wells and bright waters. She carries a charm representing Aquarius the water carrier who is the zodiac sign for this time of the year. Also a wishbone for luck in any ventures. She has some purple streaks in her hair,a touch of the old wisdom which she brings forward into the new season.


This next femme is dedicated to Airmed who was a Goddess of the Tuatha de Danaan of Ireland. She had great magical power and specialised in herbcraft, rather appropriate at this time of year with new growth daily. She is ready to dance around the new bulbs. The light golds and yellows in her hair represent the upcoming snowdrops and aconites. The fairy and dragonfly look forward to the brighter days now the wheel has turned once more.
This femme is Iridicassia named in honour of her favourite flower the crocus. Who's Latin name is Iridicae. She carries the crescent moon for new beginnings. The amber pendant carries a representation of the goddess.
Flidhais, Goddess of the woods and trees. She wears a silver oak leaf, a sign of new growth. In her hand the Eye of Horus or Eye of the Moon to watch over her and keep her safe in all endeavours.
This femme is Blancheflor, the Celtic Lily maiden aspect of the triple Goddess, who's charm she wears around her neck. She carries a key to unlock new ventures. On her dress a heart which she shares willingly.
Here you see the crocus I showed the other day. We now have 7 flowers to honour the day.
Well worth the 79p we paid, don't you think?
As always if any of the femmes call to you, message me. They are ready to go to their new homes.