About Me

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My name's Alison but for reasons too long to go into I'm known as Cockney Blonde or CB for short. I've been rubber stamping for several years but now spend most of my time either knitting or crocheting. However, with the advent of a New Year I have bitten the bullet and am tackling my usually hated pastime of sewing. I've even bought 'Sewing for Dummies' to guide me on my way. I've been with my hubby Dave for 24 years and between us we have 4 kids and 5 grandkids. We also have 2 cats and a dog, the latter features as my 'photo' image. I used to be able to blog daily but these days I struggle to blog weekly. Hopefully now we are settled into our new home in the country, I can get back to a daily (well almost) update from the room I now have to share with hubby. No more personal crafting space for me!!! Thanks to all the blogs and sites I follow for all your brilliant inspiration, and thank you to everyone who finds the time to comment on my blog.

Saturday 11 January 2014

Happy New Year

My first topsy turvy doll (Susan B Anderson)

Oh my goodness, I can't believe the last time I blogged was in April.....
I don't know where the time has gone although I must admit life has been a little crazy, but what's new in CB-world. On top of crazy stuff I just totally lost my mojo for all forms of crafting last year. I think not having my own private sanctuary to make a mess and leave it hasn't helped. So although I am crafting again I'm afraid the rubber stamping is still not happening.... My New Year resolution was to attend every monthly meeting of our little rubber stamping group.....FAILED....I had to dip out of the January meeting because of work so now I am targetting the February one.
So what's been happening here in the forest....well, in May hubby had a big reconstruction job on his leg to try and correct the damage he had done in China. That involved quite a long post-op recovery which is still on-going. He is still attending for physio on a regular basis and now has 2 further operations to look forward to as the leg still isn't right, despite being like the bionic man with a load of metalwork inside.
Simple quilt for youngest grandee's dolly
In July, despite being on crutches still, we hobbled down to the forest to see Blondie in concert. Absolutely amazing.
Then later that month we hot-footed it to London to spring a surprise birthday meal on #1 Son who was turning 30. I think there was about 15 of us in total, including grand-daughter, and it was a brilliant evening even if he did keep us waiting as he was shopping in Next.....
August wasn't such a good month as it saw us saying goodbye to our beautiful labrador. It was all very sudden and totally unexpected and is still very raw for us.

Bunny #1
Bunny #2

September wasn't brilliant either as I managed to write off my car.....fortunately I wasn't hurt and it could have been much worse, but another drain on the purse strings as #1 Son took me car shopping. I shocked everyone by getting a bright red car....I always vowed I wouldn't have a red car but hey ho. I love it despite the fact that a stupid woman drove into it while it was parked last week and has done over £600 of damage...NOT HAPPY. On the plus side, 2 witnesses came forward and I waited for her to return to her car where she declared that she had no idea that she had hit my car.....least said.
Triceratops for #1 Grandson
Sometime after September I started getting my mojo back and started knitting like someone possessed, as you can see from the pictures.I had to take a break in November when hubby and I took a weekend city break to Berlin, fabulous. Its about as much as we dare risk given his leg problems.



A hectic Christmas soon followed and now it is 2014 and I promise, yet again, to blog more regularly.
My first Christmas cake in a long time
Topsy turvy snowman/christmas tree (Susan B Anderson)
I hope you have enjoyed looking at the piccies of my recent projects and reading just a snapshot of what I think was quite a busy 2013.

Off now to read what everyone else has been up to.

My first knitting loom creation
 Bye for now, x









4 comments:

  1. Lovely to have you back in blogland Alison - you've had quite a year.
    xxx Hazel.

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  2. Great to have you back in Blogsville and hope you keep on visiting. Life throws lemons at us for sure but just be sure next time to make lemonade from them.
    Great makes nonetheless but, like me, it's all wool and fabric now.
    Hope to see you soon,
    love Jo x

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  3. Glad you are okay after your accident, you must have been furious when someone bumped you car and I love all your knitting projects, the tree and the snowman is my favourite :) Take care hope to hear more from you this year.

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  4. You've certainly had an eventful year, Alison. Hope this year's much, much better and your new car stays like New again, after the repairs! It still breaks my heart to think of Etta, so I can only . imagine what it does to you. Happy New Year! Praying that you'll be richly blessed. Cath xxx

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