7 years

September 3, 2013 Julie (little Cotton Rabbits)1,083 Comments

Hello again. It's nice to be back now that the children are at school again. It's been longer than I planned since I popped in here and I had intended to write another couple of blog posts over the school summer hols but circumstances conspired to keep me away from the computer. I will write up a post soon about my summer knitting exploits but today is a special day as it is my blog anniversary – it was exactly seven years ago today that I first dipped my toe into bloggy waters.

Candycoco

At the time I didn't have any long term plans for the blog. All I wanted was a distraction from worrying about Toby (who was having his very first day of school), a way of connecting with other people who like to make things (because it appears that none of them live very near me) and maybe a way of selling a few knitted things so that I had an excuse to keep making them. I count myself extremely lucky to have had all 3 of those wishes come true and so much more besides. I've made real life friends through this little blog, built a small business which does indeed allow me to justify buying lots of yarn and knitting each and every day and I have a lovely place to come to escape from some of the worries about Toby's future.

But all this would not have been possible without you – all you lovely visitors who pop in and say Hi, offer encouragement, support and generally just make me feel happy and part of a like-minded community.

As a small thank you I am giving away the two bunnies above (called Candy and Coco). To be in with a chance of winning one of them just leave me a comment below and tell me something you like to do with your free-time. I'll pick 2 winners using a random number generator a week today (Tuesday 10th September)

I'm also giving away a free supplement to my bunny girl/seasonal dresses knitting patterns. This is for the dress design on the bunnies above and includes charted and written instructions (please note that you will need one of my patterns as the supplement is just the design notes rather than the full instructions for the dress construction). If you'd like a copy you can download it for free here.

Thanks again for continuing to visit with me and for all of your lovely comments over the last 7 years, I hope you'll stick around for a while longer x

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As always after the long summer holidays I am woefully behind with replying to emails. I hope to catch up over the next week, sorry if you are waiting to hear back from me.

garden stuff · general stuff

snippets of summer: garden

August 7, 2013 Julie (little Cotton Rabbits)44 Comments

I'm afraid I'm not getting much computer time
at the moment – young master Toby has other ideas for keeping me busy. Today though he is elsewhere so I
thought I'd pop in and show you some snippets of recent days in the
garden.

We've been…lazing in the hot sunny weather and blue summer skies and then
scrambling about like mad to gather in washing and toys in the sudden
heavy downpours, marvelling at the dramatic clouds as the storms blow over, eating chilled
nectarines from the farmer's market and homegrown salads picked fresh from the garden and enjoying the rampant growth of
everything in the garden and all of the attendant wildlife.

Doubleweb

Summer rain

Cloud

Blueskies

Nectarine2

Lettuce

Hydrangea

Violas

Frenchbean

French bean

Bee

As I mentioned keeping Toby occupied and safe is a full time job as he needs constant supervision to keep him out of mischief (thank goodness for CHIPs summer club and respite days that have given me some time off). Sometimes though the mischief is of the playful kind – I snapped this yesterday evening when I was making a cup of tea, I turned my back to empty the pot after warming it and turned back to find him wearing the warm cosy as a hat and sniffing the teabags (sniffing everything is his new thing at the moment). He found it very funny!

Toby tea

I hope to pop back soon with some snippets of summer knitting. All of
the hot weather hasn't made me feel much like plunging my hands into
wool but I have still managed to add to my large basket of stuff in
progress 🙂

See you soon, keep well and happy x

garden stuff · general stuff

summer hols

July 22, 2013 Julie (little Cotton Rabbits)46 Comments

The school summer holidays have arrived here. Amy is excited and busy making all sorts of plans to be out with friends, while I'm doing my best not to feel panic at the thought of 43 days to fill with activities for Toby. Previous experience though has taught me to take each day as it finds us and go with the flow as much as possible, so in some ways I feel prepared and he does have a few CHIPs club and respite days booked in so I'll definitely be putting my feet up with my knitting on those days. As usual we're holidaying at home but I'm happy with that. With the new room at the end of the garden and the weather being so hot and sunny it feels just like being on holiday in the Mediterranean but without all the hot and bothered hassle of actually getting there 🙂

The warm weather paired with lots of watering has really helped the plants grow here. My little mixed bed of herbs, vegetables and flowers is doing very nicely…

Vegbed4

Vegbed3

Vegbed2

and I'm really pleased with the rusted iron plant support which is forming a frame for dwarf french beans to climb.

Beans

H has worked so hard and completed all the paving and laid new grass.

Room3

Room4

And the room itself is now completely finished and getting lots of use. It feels like a little haven of peace and a place for year round holidays for us all.

Room

Room2

Window

So that's us for the holidays, what are you up to?

Whether you're venturing afar or staying at home I wish you happy times. I plan to pop in from time to time so hope to see you soon x

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PS: If you're a bunny knitter and have made one from my patterns then please come over and join the little cotton rabbits ravelry group. At the moment we're have a fun and friendly contest 🙂 with the theme of bunnies on vacation.