crafts & knitting · general stuff

Treats

Julie (little Cotton Rabbits)

Toby had a good birthday on tuesday – unlimited Green & Blacks chocolate ice-cream softened in the microwave, lots of cuddles and tickles, a few cards and presents (which he's not so fussed about) and a dry afternoon for bouncing and bubbles after school – all the ingredients for happiness in Toby's book!

I'm feeling a little more positive too, thanks to a few indulgencies. When you're a little down there's nothing like treating yourself to something a little special. At least that's my thinking and my justification for buying some gorgeous new yarn for animal knitting.

 

Alpaca

It's Misti Alpaca's new and wonderfully soft 'best of nature' baby alpaca yarn hand-painted with natural dyes. I think it will make some beautiful bunnies and fabulous foxes (After I finish the batch that I'm still working on of course!)

 

Alpacaclose

I didn't stop there on the treats though! I've been admiring the beautiful and unique jewellery in Silverpebble's shop since she opened and when she listed her latest collection inspired by nature I fell in love with her viburnum berries necklace, so now it is mine!

 

Necklace

I love that it's unique and naturally inspired but the thing that I love most is that it has 3 berries, because for me they'll symbolise the 3 people most precious to me; H, Amy and Toby.

57 thoughts on “Treats”

  1. Everyone deserves a treat now and then….and some deserve it more than most. Love your neclace and really look forward to seeing your next batch of knitting developing.
    Huge hugs,
    A x

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  3. Glad to hear everyone was treated to some nice things. Toby for his birthday and you some retail therapy. I love Silverpebbles Shepherds Purse necklace, I remember them from when I was a child in England. I always think of you and Toby on his birthday as he shares the same day as mine. I send you virtual hugs for the day and wish Toby a Happy Birthday day that he enjoys. Jen xx

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  4. Love the necklace it allways feels good to treat yourself . Glad Toby had a good birthday though I would have been worried about the combination of ice cream and bouncing .
    Hope you are having a really good day .

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  5. Aaah yes, Missus Pebble’s delicious confections – guaranteed joy for any neck.
    Nice bunny colours, foxy lady. Or – nice foxy colours, bunny lady
    And finally a belated Happy Birthday Toby.

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  8. Treats are, indeed, a very good thing. And you’ve chosen well!
    Incidentally, I had a very strange dream about having to shear an alpaca last night – perhaps it’s subliminally telling me I need to buy yarn too.

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  9. Unlimited Green & Black’s chocolate ice-cream sounds like my kind of birthday!!!
    Absolutely Julie, you deserve a treat.
    Your yarn is delicious, I just want to bury my face in it. I’ll have to check out the link and see if I can come up with a good reason for buying some! 😉
    Your little silver necklace is so pretty and it’s lovely that you have attached some sentiment to it! Emma is very clever.
    Have a lovely weekend Julie! 🙂
    Vivienne x

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  10. There’s a lot to be said for treats!!
    How I want to feel that yarn – oooooh!
    I was showing my daughter and my granddaughter (she was less interested as she is only 15 weeks old) your animal heads & bodies the other day and we decided we couldn’t imagine how you decide which goes with which. One of life’s mysteries, I think, as I could only cope with one creature at a time. Love your necklace and its box too.

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  11. Glad yo’ve found some treats for yourself – I’ve just indulged myself in some internet shopping after a fairly rotten few days here. It’s amazing how we all grit our teeth and carry on though isn’t it. Think I’ll just nip over to Silverpebble’s shop….

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  13. it is lovely to hear about Toby’s birthday, glad he had a sunny day too :o)
    Oooh i love your pretty new necklace and what a lovely sentiment x
    enjoy your new yarn and have a lovely weekend
    love jooles x

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  15. Treats are good! No question about that. Lovely yarn and necklace (and that box is so beautiful).
    Good that Toby enjoyed his birthday.
    Your last post ‘Ten’ made me very emotionally upset, I was very sad and angry but also glad you are willing to share this. And I wished I could give you a big long hug. OMG, you are amazing woman or should I say mother 🙂 BIG virtual hug to you. Hope you and your family have a very nice weekend.

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  16. Oh I’m going gobbly goop over your yarn! Baby alpaca is by far my most favorite yarn.
    I’m glad Toby’s birthday went well.
    That necklace is beautiful and I smiled and my heart melted when you gave your reason for loving it so much. The three berries of your life. Beautiful.

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  17. So glad that all went well for Toby’s birthday and very pleased that you have some treats for yourself. The necklace is lovely and the symbolism perfect.

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  19. I too was moved by your last post, Julie and the other birthday posts you linked to. I have been thinking of you over the last few days. I am so so pleased that my little necklace has cheered you a little. That yarn is exquisite – I thought of little foxes as soon as I saw that russet-coloured one. All best wishes Emma x

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  20. I’m glad Toby had a good birthday & I’m glad you’re feeling a bit better too 🙂
    There’s synchronicity in your last two posts – I’ve given myself a yarn treat today to chase my blues away. My son is five on Monday, he has autism & I find his birthday very very difficult.

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  21. Dear Julie!
    I read your blog for perhaps 2 years and I feel that I like to comment this time. 1) I like your woolen animals SOOO much! 2) I like the way you describe your days and your situation. 3) I am brave and so I read about your thoughts about Tobies birthday. You cannot immagine how I admire you! But I had to cry sometimes when I read your lines because of there is no justice about some people have to bear such a lot. I know that our stranghs grow with our exercices but…
    I wish you and your family really all the best and God bless you. Please excuse my bad English, I am from Vienna – yours, Barbara

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  23. I read you blog from Australia. I work with children who have autism and my best friend has an eight-year old boy who is autistic, so, whilst I can never understand, I do have some insight. More power to your arm and keep on loving your beautiful boy.

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  26. I just want to say that because of you, there will now be so many women, who, when coming upon a situation (such as yours at the grocery store) will stop and not scold, but will give a look of compassion, and may even offer a helping hand. Because we understand. Because of you.
    You have blessed hands.

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  27. Hello Julie
    Big hugs for you and Toby – motherhood is so hard , even more so when things don’t go how you expect them to be and you don’t know what will happen in the future. People can be so thoughtless and lack understanding but I think you are doing a brilliant job at raising awareness through this blog.
    Every birthday is always going to be painful but every one is a celebration of your hard work and devotion and that is something to celebrate.
    I find my children’s birthdays (and Christmas) incredibly painful because they no longer have their father in their lives and it is very difficult sometimes to feel happy but I have to keep telling myself that we have made it this far and we will be ok.
    Sending you very big virtual hugs and wishing you the very best.
    Alison

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  28. Julie, so glad to hear you’re taking care of yourself as well. I was very moved by your birthday post. You must be the world’s greatest mother! I have a 14 year old son with ADD. Nothing near what you are experiencing, but he has also been a challenge to raise. One question – have you considered getting an autism service dog? It might help to provide Toby with a non-verbal companion. Our dog has been such a boon to my son – very loving and accepting of all his moods.

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  30. I am so gald you treated yourself. You deserve it. I am also going to have a look at that yarn myself. So delicious and enticing was that photo in my blog feed. Happy Knitting xxx

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  33. I so pleased Toby had a nice day for his birthday. It was my birthday on Tuesday too. Your yarn is beautiful and really, I am rather excited at the idea of seeing a fox from that beautiful yarn. It looks so lovely and soft to work with.
    I must admit to having been tempted by silverpebbles myself. I think there was a lovely blossom one that I admired. I think I will go and have a look…..
    All my best wishes to you. Thank you for your last post; people need to hear it. I love the symbolism of the berries on your necklace. Simple but beautiful.
    xx

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  34. I read you previous post and just wanted to hug you.
    I am so glad Toby enjoyed his birthday and that you treated yourself. That yarn looks scrummy it will make lovelyl bunnies. The necklace is beautiful.
    xx

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  35. Just couldn’t read and run after reading about your supermarket visit.
    Makes me feel so sad for you. Life can be so yuk and despairing at times.
    Admire the way you cope.

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  36. Glad Toby had a fab day, a big bappy birthday to him. I was chatting to my Mum about your last blog post as her best friend has two children with Autism, one had the same sort as Toby and I was telling her how hard birthdays must be for you. I find them hard enough with the kiddies growing up but I can understand how hard it must be for you.
    Love the yarn, so soft looking. The necklace is gorgeous too, I have a few of Emma’s makes as she lives down the road from me, she makes gorgeous things.

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  38. A belated happy birthday to Toby, and big, huge hugs to you. Ten was a hard one for us this year, too.
    A few weeks ago Olive pulled the hair of one of my older child’s friends, when her father came over to retrieve her. The dad was horrified and gave LB and me contemptuous looks for not disciplining Olive beyond removing her from the situation. Since the friend knows Olive and that no malice was intended, she shrugged it off and even patted her hand “good-bye.”
    I can only hope that when the dad was alone with his own child in the car, she educated him about Olive…and autism in general. That’s one consolation: the younger generation is much kinder about cognitive disabilities than we were.

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  40. Glad that your feeling better. It’s amazing how yarn can make you feel better — a unique feeling. That sense of peace that falls over you when you get the feeling of the yarn in your hands and what will be produced from it. Enjoy – you deserve it.
    Deb M

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  41. Please don’t feel bad about your previous post. It does good to get things out. Although I can’t and never will understand the extent of what you go through on a daily basis I do understand a little as my Son is also on the autistic spectrum but only mildly.
    It takes courage to bring happiness to your Son’s life and he is truly blessed with a beautiful caring family.
    Take comfort in the fact he is a happy boy and he is lucky to have you just as much as you are lucky to have him.
    I hope your post does make a difference and people’s ignorance can disappear.
    Stand tall and be proud of what you have and will achieve.

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  42. Good for you treating yourself. You deserve it. I read your previous blog the other day and was desperate to send you a hug via a message, but I couldn’t find where to contact you. So am sending you a virtual hug now. Being a parent is incredibly hard anyway without adding autism into the mix. You’re doing great and don’t listen to stuffy folk in supermarkets. They don’t know what it’s like so have no business making you feel that way. Enjoy the yarn and the necklace. Dawn x

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  43. You don’t realize the power of your posts. You are gracious and kind. My child, who is on the autism spectrum, had a store-like event a couple of weeks ago. I tried to explain; the person wasn’t so understanding; I became angry and wish I would not have done so, but I tire of crying. I guess you can’t make people understand. Maybe next time will work out better. Bless you for being open — and bless your family. I’m so glad Toby’s birthday was good; thank you for your inspiration creatively and motherwise.

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  44. Julie. You deserve all the treats in the world. Your patience, love and disarming honesty are incredible. I know that there are other mothers out there who will really benefit from your comments. Stay strong!

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  45. Glad you treated yourself you deserve it – your last post made me cry – the future is so uncertain but actually it is uncertain for all of us in different ways. Nobody knows what will happen. We lost a daughter last year in tragic circumstances and I would give anything to have her here with autism than not at all if that doesn’t sound rude – it isn’t meant to be. I remember standing in a supermarket last year just after it happened looking at all the people pushing and shoving stuck in their seemingly selfish little worlds and thinking – what do you know of how hard and cruel life can be but the truth is we don’t know what the person standing next to us has survived, is dealing with and might have to face in the future. Pity the ignorant people. I do appreciate how hard your life is and I am not belittling what you battle with every day. On the contrary, I really admire your strength to keep going despite everything. You are a mum in a million.

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  46. There must of been many people across the world who felt moved by your last post. I hope you feel the support and blessing which must have all sent you in our hearts. You are an inspiration, an encouragement and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for being so brave and kind sharing this life with us

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  47. Keeping you and your family in my prayers. Some people can be very cruel and it’s sad that they can’t try to be understanding. You are a wonderful mom.

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  48. I read your last post and yes, I admit I’m glad my children are not autistic but I’m truly grateful for parents like you who love and care for their children unconditionally regardless of the cost. I just think you are so extraordinary for all the work you do.

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  51. You are right about the occasional treating. Children have parents who will sometimes unbend enough to notice what they delight in and bless them with it. And I’m sure God does the same for us on a regular basis. But when you are an adult human, even a married one, you pretty much have to be the one who showers your own self with the occasional amazing and delightful luxury – because who but you knows exactly what will do? I wish I had given you one of those things though. That would have made me feel a little showered with crescent-eyed pleasure.

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  52. Your treats are well deserved Julie. Enjoy. My little boy turned 10 this week too, so your last post touched a nerve made me cry a lot (but in a nice way if you know what I mean…). I admire your courage and strength. People seem less accepting these days and much more selfish and quick to judge others, which is sad. Everybody seems to expect eerything around them to be perfect -and life just isn’t like that. Wishing Toby a good year ahead xx Lynne xx

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  53. I read your blog often.I feel very drawn to it.I read your post about your sweet Toby turning ten.
    I have a daughter who is 31.She has something called Albrights,Inherited from me.
    People are unmercifully cruel.
    But My daughter is fine and she can live on her own and she is a hard worker.
    She had a baby boy a month ago,and I know God has been good to us,But I do fear this Autism.Iunderstand it is on the rise.
    I did not mean to write all of this wanted you to know ,my heart goes out to Toby and you.And I admire you very much.

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  55. Hi Julie, I’m in the US and just got through watching 60 Minutes, a news type television show here in the States. I’m not sure if you’re familiar with it, but this evening they had a segment where they discussed the Apple IPad and how it has helped autistic children and adults communicate with those around them. There’s a special program that can be downloaded that helps them. Pictures appear on specific “pages” and by touching them a voice speaks out loud what the person is communicating. There are “pages” for food, drinks, needs, feelings, etc. I didn’t think about Toby until the show was over, otherwise I would have made notes on the specific program installed on the IPad. There appear to be several videos on YouTube concerning the IPad and autism. What I saw on 60 Minutes this evening may be more current that the YouTube videos. What teachers have discovered is that non-speaking autistic children have a tremedous amount of information locked in their brains and sometimes feel very frustrated that they can’t express things. I hope my writing hasn’t upset or offended you. If it has I hope you will accept my apologies.

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