One-a-day Tuesday Tallies and The beautiful Blogger Blanket gets squares from South Africa!

It is Tuesday...TUESDAY and I am doing my Tuesday Tallies!  

This has often been done in a late rush on a Wednesday 

so you can imagine my delight at being on time this week.. 

Here are the FOUR squares I made this week.. 

hence falling even more behind, when I have 

promised all and sundry that I will catch up 

by 31st January... 

Still 4 is better than none.. 

Pop over to Carole's blog Gingerbread Girl, 

to see how everyone else is getting on with 

their Tuesday Tallies...  

You can also check them all out at the Ravelry 

One-a-Day group page...

On Saturday morning the postman caused quite a stir 

when he brought me this.....

An envelope all the way from South Africa! 

Laura from My House in Africa had sent her 

squares for the Beautiful Blogger Blanket of 2012.. 

and look... 9 of them!  How generous! 

 It didn't matter how much I tried, I couldn't 

get the camera to pick up what a lovely colour 

these squares are..

                                                       

                                                Sorry Laura! 

A small plain dark Teal-green square measuring 10cm x 10cm

 This one is the same size, the same colour, 

but has a beautiful pale teal flower with 

a blue centre ...WOW!

 A larger (15cm x 15cm) granny squared circle

 in the same 3 colours...

Another smaller square - this time with the base 

ground in the paler teal green with a darker 

flower centre.. WOW again!

 Another smaller square (10cm x 10cm) 

in the paler teal-green....

One gorgeous larger lacy square (16cm x 16cm),

which has a star motif in the centre, 

surrounded by bands of trebles (UK term) 

and single crochet (UK term)...

This one is bigger again (22cm x 22cm) and 

is 3 bands of the previously used colours in 

single crochet.  

There is a pretty little centre too....

 The same size (22cm x 22cm), same colours, 

a centre that reminds me of the sun, with 

groups of trebles in bands and then a 

band of single crochet... lovely! 

 Finally, a 20cm x 20cm square in the same 

3 colours, rows of trebles and single 

crochet (UK terms)...

Some close ups...

 Well done Laura... I can't believe you sent 9 squares... 

thank you very much! You now have 9 entries 

to win the...Beautiful Blogger Blanket of 2012... 

Good luck! 

As well as all this, Laura sent  me a gift 

all the way from South Africa.. a beautiful 

traditional African beaded bowl or jug cover.. 

I put it over a wine glass to 

show you all the lovely beading dangling down.. 

 Thank you so much Laura! 

Wait for meeeeeee....... I'm late for everything this week!

It's Friday already and I haven't done Tuesday's Tallies at Gingerbread Girl !


Nor have I blogged even once about the beautiful Advent Swap presents that I have been opening daily from lovely Madison at Madison Makes.  I haven't even had time to update you on the progress of the Beautiful Blogger Blanket of 2012! 


SO.... Tuesday's Tallies... everyone else in the One-A-Day project seems to be in various states of getting behind, so at least I can feel that I am in good company there...For the record I now have 100 squares...and should have had 104 on Tuesday, so not so far behind.

The Advent Swap - Organised by Lynda at Hookinwithlaalaa ... I am so glad that I chose to join in with this swap... Madison has sent me so many lovely presents.  It all started with the big box that arrived...

It was all I could do not to start opening them all immediately.. after all, who would know?? But I decided to put the naughty girl in me to bed and open them daily.  Madison organised it like a 'lucky dip' box so that I could just chose one a day.  


The first 5 days went so fast the I didn't have a moment to show you the pressies... but here they are....

Ahem... sing along ladies......


On the first day of Christmas Madison sent to me... One huge ball  of DK 
(beautiful colour Madison).


On the second day of Christmas Madison sent to me... One ball of red mohair wool (are you surprised that I opened the squashy 'yarny' type pressies first?!)


On the third day of Christmas Madison sent to me... A lovely vintage glass vase!  (You've been reading my blog Madison... I swoon at the sight of vintage glass and this little vase is beautiful)!


On the Fourth day of Christmas Madison sent to me..... a hand sewn strawberry (which smells beautiful).


On the fifth day of Christmas Madison gave to me.... (I know it should be 5 gold rings, but it is...) a hand made felt Christmas tree with little button decorations which is hanging in pride of place on my dining room mirror now....

Breathe!  Aren't I lucky?  


If you haven't heard of Madison you should pop over to her blog Madison Makes ... Madison has a slight ( I'm sure she won't mind me telling you) passion for vintage china cups and saucers... she has a fantastic collection! She also loves to scour car boot sales for beautiful vintage finds... and has blogged about many of them.... 


I'll show you the next few pressies tomorrow.

On the Beautiful Blogger Blanket of 2012 front I have been sending out my postal address and happen to know that squares are battling their way through the Christmas post to me right now!  I can't wait to see them... 


Lovely Shelley from all4meggymoo.blogspot.com has sent me her squares and they will probably be the first to arrive.  


Carole of Gingerbread Girl blogged about the square she is making here.....http://gingerbreadgirl-carole.blogspot.com/2011/12/time.html.... I was so excited to see it.... and I think you will agree that it is gorgeous! 


Thank you so much to those of you who have posted the Beautiful Blogger Blanket button on your blog and encouraged others to join in. It warms my heart to see it popping up everywhere.  


Okay.... IT'S FRIDAY!! I know many of you will be at the front end of the Christmas holidays with your children at home (oh I remember it so well)..have fun...make the most of every minute...you are making your children's memories NOW - so make them good ones xxx

Let's hope today isn't groundhog day!

Only a very quick update for Gingerbread Girl' s Tuesday's Tallies today, 

with a photo that looks like it was taken on a Box Brownie! 

86 squares...

Sorry- it's dark outside already and this day has been one of those you prefer not to repeat - 

I didn't get a job I wanted, and my little poodle, Molly, has gone into the vets for big surgery ...

Crochet therapy is much needed... and that is all I plan to do this evening... 

so on with the slippers, the tea is in the pot, and I am off to hooky-land... 

I'll be back with better photos I promise....

One-a-day Tuesday Tallies - Week 11?

I'm getting confused...I think this is Tuesday Tallies Week 11 on the One-a-day project... time is flying far too fast! I am usually late for the tally, but this week I am determined to be on time....My current tally is 81 squares for my Sunny Spread... I should have 76, so obviously I am still a bit too keen....now I have sewn up a big square, a middle-sized square and a baby square...

it sounds like a Goldilocks episode.  

I think I am going to aim for 4 of the big squares sewn together to achieve anywhere near the size my daughter would like... I know I'll have to stop somewhere... so I will aim for a total of 256 squares, minus the 81 I have already...oh my goodness that is another 175 to make.... if I continue making one a day I would finish on 21st May 2012!  Oh wait... the border..  I think the 'Ta-Dah' will be sometime in June 2012.  Phew... 

I have been busy looking for presents to go in the Advent Swap over at Lynda's blog: Hookinwithlaalaa... I have been paired up with Madison from Madison Makes.   I think I have 20 gifts ready to go... of course I can't show you any of them as it will spoil the surprise.. I'll give you a little peak at the one I was working on yesterday...

The idea is that I send Madison little 24 presents - one to be opened each day of Advent... and she sends me the same... It's a lovely idea isn't it.. a little bit of 'something for me' in amongst the Christmas preparations... I'm getting excited!  It is harder than I thought though...choosing presents for someone you have ever met... 


Last Saturday Hubby & I went to Blackthorpe Barn in Rougham, which is near Bury St. Edmunds.  There is a huge barn full of craft stalls.. including jewellery, china, prints, wood carving, metal work, textile art.. oh and my absolute favourite of the day.. Herbert.  Okay, this is Herbert...

Isn't he gorgeous! He was made by a lovely lady sculptor called Sally Dunham.  You should see the antics Herbert gets up to... rock climbing, shelf sitting, reading and of course...cuddling! My little Herbert has angel wings for Christmas... and the reason I find him so funny is that he reminds me of my hubby... Hmmm... must be that bald head!

Happy Tuesday everyone.. 

Don't forget to check out everyone else's progress in the One-a-Day group at Carole's blog:  Gingerbreadgirl