BEDM. Day 31. AKA the end

Just done a quick count and I make 25 posts for May. So I am missing 6 (possibly more as I think there were a couple of days when I posted twice) but I am ok with that. This exercise has made me see my blog in a different way. I am still frustrated with doing it on my phone as I cannot work out how to do links or amend the size of photos but I can always amend them on PC if it gets too much. I have really enjoyed BEDM. Here is a photo of my second Yarndale mandala- my first one is a little on the small side. This one is from Lucy's pattern at Attic24 (obvs this is where the link technology comes in). I will sort out that link later. I have got three more rounds to go.

BEDM. Day 30

The sun is shining. The birds are singing. The washing is on the line. I started another mandala whilst watching Question Time last night- no idea why (I started the mandala as opposed to watching QT). 

I have added something else to my list of tasks to do over the weekend. I am going to girl up and comment on some of my favourite blogs. Happy Friday. 

BEDM. Day 29

I am on a mission. I have the amigurumi puppy to finish and my Yarndale mandala  to glue (still!) and posted off. I need to get these done before Sunday and get my crochet put away (already sobbing a little at this but whilst typing i have just remembered that I have a train journey in a couple of weeks so I can think of a new project for then) and then get the patchwork out. I reckon a good few nights with this and I should have it ready to do the border. Although my heart is already sinking at the thought of all those half hexies....keep thinking Leanne how good it will feel to have finished something you started when you were 15......

BEDM. Day 27

Something is amiss with blogging on my phone. There is a HUGE possibility that operator error is involved. 

I have just found three posts on my phone that I thought I had published but actually they failed . Oh modern technology - how you test me. 

We are having a fire . In May. It has not stopped raining ALL DAY!!!!

Wet trainers from biking this morning. In the rain .

BEDM. Day 24

Yarndale mandala- nearing completion! Such a fun thing to make .

BEDM. Day 22

Home time greeted me with torrential rain, thunder, lightning and more rain. For about 45 minutes it was just extreme and quite good fun- from the inside of the car. Then it stopped as suddenly as it started and it was like it had never happened. 

BEDM. Day 21

It appears that I am doing this 

From this book

Who would have thought it??

I currently have half a body, a muzzle, half a head and two ears...quite cannibalistic! 

BEDM. Day 19

Update- cheat post as nothing really to report.

The shawl is finished (has been for a couple of days) but I keep forgetting to photograph it and I am going to block the ends. I did wear it last night and I am pleased with it. I have started another amigurumi project (who'd have thought!) and I have two cushions to finish as well as my Yarndale mandala. Must get on .....

Oh yes... The ducklings had a great weekend and have settled in really well. 

BEDM. Day 17 and day 18

22.45 on Sunday!!! Where did the weekend go? How did I forget to blog yesterday ? 

Well, we did loads and I ran out of time. I went to an exercise class then to return some clothes and then JGS and I drove camper to collect a car we bought off eBay - about 2 hours away and then drove back. We left at 2.30pm and didn't get back until 8.30pm. Then we took the new car for a spin- to the beach to walk the dog. Then back home for tea and sleep. 

Today we have been to a church blessing and sat in the sun having a G&T. Then home for an hour (I rang my mum- feels like I haven't spoken to her properly in an age) and then off to JGS parentals for tea. Mmmmmmm saffron risotto! Whirlwind! And now back home to blog and sleep.

BEDM. Day 16

I have no update on the ducks. I saw some bunnies on the grass when I was waiting for JGS to pick me up in Gert the camper. I tried to take a photo but they hopped off. Gert failed her MOT today and needs some welding and some tlc. I am now going to watch Suits ( love it) and have a beer. Oh yes, I also managed to cut my finger with the scissors. I have a neat shaped V (I caught finger with the end of the scissors) in my finger. 

Over and out .

BEDM. Day 15

In all my blogging life I have been waiting for a moment like this (that sounds like a song lyric). 

Today, something actually happened. Stuff obviously happens everyday but not this type of stuff. 

There were ducklings at work!! Eight of them. Count 'em

Now whilst the ducks might look happy they couldn't really stay. They were safe because they were in the courtyard so no cats or foxes could get in but it isn't really hygienic to have ducks wondering around at work. Plus there is no water nearby and nine fully grown ducks was chaos waiting to happen. 

So, in true gameshow style I phoned (emailed) a friend who knows about these things. And with the help of a sturdy box we went to catch the ducks. We caught mum first - she did give us the run around and then the babies came after. I ripped my dress on a rosebush (so spent the rest of the day - this was all going at 8am-looking like a Victorian street urchin ) and my friend looked like he had been through a hedge backwards. At one point, he actually did do that. We put the box in the corner when we had mum and three ducklings and then gradually the others came over and we could put them in the box. I say 'we' but I was more the Debbie McGhee role in this situation. 

By this point in time people had started to arrive at work so we had quite the audience watching us. One person even asked me if I had a net as that would be really useful!!?!

Once the ducks were safely in the box we put them in my office whilst we thought of a transportation plan. 

After about 10 minutes a car was sourced and by 9.30am the duck family were getting used to their new country home! 

Apparently some chickens were evicted so the ducks could move in. My afternoon report confirmed that all was well. They have gone to live with their fellow rescuer- who has a small holding so they are with their duck cousins and other animals.

Quack quack.

BEDM. Day 14

Wednesday is never a good day for me to blog ( prior to May, I was under the illusion that no day was a good day - but I have appeared to prove myself wrong.) as I work late and then go to yoga. So I thought I would post this now whilst I wait for my JGS collection. This is a photo of something that has been missing for far too long ....

Why, hello there sunshine .....

BEDM. Day 13

I was hoping to have finished my shawl. I am on the very last bit but also aware that it is already 10.15pm and I am having to concentrate on shawl and The Mentalist. I am unlikely to get a photo and a post done - which is deserving of the shawl. 

Here is a photo of a little bird that flew into the front door last week. I gave him some bread to build up his stamina and he flew off again so all is well. 

BEDM. Day 12

I didn't think I would have anything to blog about today. I thought I was going to have to hunt around my mind for something. But, when I got home it appeared that lampshade kit number 2 had arrived. So meet the Orla Kiely lampshade sister . This one lives upstairs on the landing.

I thought it would be easy to do- after all, number one was a breeze- apart from the fact that the pattern was upside down. I made sure the pattern was right on this one but boy did I struggle! The tape didn't seem sticky enough and the tape on the seam edge actually came unstuck and I only found out at the end so I had to do a bit of bodging. I didn't  enjoy that. But hey ho, we aren't going to tell anyone - are we? 

It was dark by the time I put it in place so sorry for the rubbish photo. More importantly, this marks a milestone in that I have unscrewed and replaced a lightbulb. Twice. And not electrocuted myself. 

BEDM. Day 11

Oooh I am doing well!! Day 11 and still going strong and I have done something today that I can blog about.

Today JGS and I took the newest Landy recruit out for some fun....

We got a bit stuck.. I took this by shoving my arm out of the window as I couldn't open the door. Someone did come and rescue us though. Although they got stuck later on in the afternoon.

Alas, the newest Landy recruit does not lend itself to crocheting on the move. Far too bumpy #extremecrocheting.

BEDM. Day 9 aka MIA

Um, the post I wrote for Day 9 has disappeared. I am sure I wrote something... I remember feeling so chuffed that I was still going (even if blogging from my phone does my head in a bit). I am sure it was something to do with linking back to Coco Rose because I can remember thinking I cannot work out how to do links via Blogger on my phone so I thought I would put the links in when I updated Day 10.
It appears none of this actually happened...(except for Day 10)

Edited- I have found Day 9 ! It is living in March 2014 so I need to see if I can move it.
And another edit... I found it and I worked out how to move it- this is turning into a whole post by itself !

BEDM. Day 10

Cake of the week- carrot. I have made carrot cake before and found it a nightmare - firstly, because life is TOO short to grate carrots for a cake and secondly, I don't really like carrot cake (which should be a reason for me to make more). I used the recipe from the first Hummingbird Bakery book. 

Anyways, cake was scored 9.5/10 by JGS (apparently I am unlikely to get a 10 in case I stop making cakes even though I have said several times getting a 10 would mean I would keep making cakes as my competitive streak would insist consistency - and also the possibility of a cake being better than a 10). Good grief, I do go on.

I also keep finding icing everywhere....

BEDM. Day 9

A while ago (March actually - is this cheating to use something from March? Awaits a decision ? I have decided NO!)

Anyways- I digress. I wanted a quick crochet hit. I found a snood pattern (Annaboo's House ) and I whipped up two super quick. This one I finished on the train to the parentals and gave to mum as an early Mother's Day present. It also was the starting point for a brilliant conversation with the ticket man as he was a knitter! Amazing what you find out about people.
In other news..... I bought the wrong wool for a project and I am undecided about keeping it? Can you return wool? 

BEDM. Day 8

As usual I have not paid attention and I am unsure if there is protocol or guidelines to BEDM or if I am to just blog everyday about random stuff. Eight days in and I am with the random blogging so here is a photo of a doorstop that I made my mum for Mother's Day 

That is actual Cath of Kidston fabric. God bless the Christmas sales. This was a 'proud zip moment' to the extent that mum thought I had bought the chicken. I did the zip by hand. The zipper foot on my sewing machine confuses me. Zips and socks - they are my things to conquer for 2014. Although in a knitting book that I was reading today it mentioned knitting a hat in the round first- as a practice run for socks. I can crochet in the round - do you think there is a difference ?

Here is Chops on the beach ! She is loving it! Look how happy she is. 

And here endeth Day 8. 

BEDM. Day 7

'I'm doing it... I'm really doing it' to steal a phrase from Nathan in Queer as Folk although I doubt very much that Nathan was referring to blogging every day.... I do find it amazing that the three main characters in QAF ended up in Corrie/The Wire/Game of Thrones and Sons of Anarchy (the last three being amongst my favourite TV ever).   Aiden Gillen  and Charlie Hunnam are a long way from Canal Street, that's for sure. I have just found out that Charlie Hunnam was in Byker Grove !

Anyway, I digress and I need to post this before I go to yoga.

Mindless crochet number 2 is finished. Mindless crochet number 2 is maaahoosive ! Mindless crochet number 2 taught me about blocking (using this nifty ironing method from Attic 24) and I was AMAZED. The foundation chain was way too tight on mindless crochet number 2 and it was curling madly. A bit of steam blocking straightened it right out.

So yes- check out mindless crochet number 2 as a 'FINISHED OBJECT' and see her sitting with her older cousin, Granny Square.

ps- a lot of housework went on before I took these photos!

BEDM. Day 6

It is official. The lovely lampshade is upside down - pattern wise, everything else is in the right place. I got confused when reading the instructions about rolling the frames, they have to be rolled at the same time which was freaking me out. Oh well... At least it is an original and lessons have been learnt for next time.

I am on a bit of a crafty sticking point it would seem. I am stuck with the last bit of the Nordic shawl (I cannot work out the point). I also started a little project as a present and realised last night that I have bought the wrong wool. Everything is coming out tiny!

I haven't plucked up the courage to start the socks (and I REALLY want to start the socks. So much so, that it is hard to think about knitting basic socks with wool I  already have as I actually want to knit some super stripey knee high, kick ass socks) and I have patchwork upstairs that I need to finish before parentals visit in September. Mindless crochet number 2 is finished and is in use ( and a draft post is ready- why haven't I pressed publish?) and I want to unravel mindless crochet number 1 (does a girl need 2 stripes?) and make a number 1 my first ripple.

If only I hadn't committed to blogging every day in May - like that would make a difference. Cue hysterical laughter - !! 

I am going for a lie down ;)

BEDM. Day 5

I have been thinking about getting a new mixing bowl for a while but have never actually got around to actually buying one. I have a couple of glass bowls that JGS got me but they are just a little bit too shallow (that or I am an over enthusiastic mixer- which is a definite possibility) and ingredients tend to scatter everywhere when they are supposed to be binding together in a bowl. After an icing incident (and the need to buy something from Lakeland) I bought a HUGE Mason and Cash mixing bowl (I even measured the cupboard to make sure it would fit inside).

Look at the lovely hearts. It arrived last week so this weekend was playtime . I used it to mix some pizza dough last night....

MMMMMMM and then I used it to make a vanilla cake this afternoon. I know... the tray cooling lines would lose me points in a cake contest but never mind.

I am sure everything is tasting better already . 

BEDM. Day 4 (part 2 to make up for missing day 3)

Drumroll please ...............

The lampshade!!!! #wellchuffed

I keep looking at it. I think the pattern might be upside down 🙀

BEDM. Day 4

It appears I have missed BEDM day 3. And every time I type BEDM the predictive text magician wants me to type BEDMATE, which I am pretty sure is a different type of blogging experience.

My sis has become a bit obsessed with smoothies and juicing and has been telling me to have a go. This morning JGS had raspberry and yoghurt and I had blueberry and banana (no yoghurt). 

The verdict was delicious (although JGS would like a bit of honey next time - oh the curse of a sweet tooth.)

I am now off to make a lampshade.

BEDM. Day 2

Logging in and writing - counts as blogging ... Right??? So far, I have blogged every day in May. Go me.

This does feel a bit like cheating ...

BEDM. Day 1

Randomly reading my through my favourite blogs (of which I should add more down the side, if only so it makes it easier for me to find them) I noticed that Just Me has a new post. I LOVE this blog. Love/hate relationship with running? This post sums it up perfectly. Anyone who names pets after characters in Game of Thrones deserves a medal and anyone who has read the books deserves several medals and possibly a holiday. I am watching the TV series and I struggle with remembering who is who and where and what and why.
Reading that first bit back I realise that I am sounding like a blog stalker so I shall stop now (other blogs are available) but I will attempt to blog every day in May. Even though as I write I am thinking that I should have done this in February- only 28 days.