Thursday 2 June 2022

Stupid headache and other things

Handmade lampwork glass beads by Laura Sparling

More spotty beads. Spotty beads are my go-to when I'm not firing on all cylinders. This past week I've had a nagging migraine-type headache that I can't fully shift. Just when I think it's gone it makes another appearance. I did that thing that they always tell you to do and went and spoke to my local pharmacist about it, who told me that I need to go to my GP if I want medication that'll actually work. Helpful. I'm convinced the headache is hormome-related as I've had the same thing happen at the same time for the past few months, it's just this time it's being stubborn. Hormones, eh?! I never mess with them but they mess with me.

Poppies

I saw these glorious poppies on my way to the Post Office and pharmacy yesterday. There's a stretch of pavement where they grow, along with beautiful dusky purple ones, where the pavement meets the gardens of the houses that line the road. I nicked a couple of poppy seed heads from here last year and hopefully I'll be seeing some of the purple ones in my own garden in the near future.

Talking of the garden, we lost both of our fences to storm Whateveritsnamewas earlier in the year and in April we had them replaced with swanky new ones.


The posts are stainless steel and will hopefully last for many years. The garden has never looked this tidy (the old fences always made it look a bit shit) so now I'm determined to do actual gardening. I absolutely love the idea of gardening and I have tried so many times to grow things but it never quite works out and I get despondent, but I'm trying my very best this time.

I planted a sea holly at the weekend. I fell in love with these at the Botanic Gardens a few years ago and I've finally got one.

Sea holly - 'Big Blue'

This is a variety called 'Big Blue' and, fingers crossed, blue is what it should be in a couple of months' time. My garden assistant Nigel oversaw the hole-digging.

In crochet news, I'm halfway through yet another blanket.

Mosaic crochet blanket in progress

At least it's not a doily! I don't think I ever blogged about the doilies but for almost a year I've been fully obsessed with crocheting complex-yet-utterly-useless-to-me doilies.

Handmade crochet doily

Handmade crochet doily

I have a ridiculous stack of them and I put some of them on Etsy because I simply have no need for them. I thoroughly enjoy the making of them but once they're done I consign them to the doily stack and that's that.

Handmade crochet doily

Handmade crochet doily

I've sold a few of them to people who are actually using them, so it's nice to know that they're out in the world fulfilling their potential. I've posted just a couple of doily photos here but if you want to see more there are lots on my Instagram crochet account - joinwithaslipstitch.

But yes, back to the blanket. It's an overlay mosaic crochet pattern called 'The Twister' by GetYerHookOn. I'm using Stylecraft Special DK in the shades teal and silver.

Mosaic crochet blanket in progress

One of the things I like about mosaic crochet blankets is how you get to hide the ends in the border - no sewing them all in - which can only be a bonus.

Anyway, if you'd like the beads at the very top of this post, they're currently in my shop, along with some pairs of white and yellow spotties ...

Handmade lampwork glass bead pair

... and some ethereal teal and blue nuggets.

Handmade lampwork glass bead nuggets

Time for me to make a brew - which involves boiling a pan of water in the olden style because the kettle literally blew up yesterday and we're waiting for a new one to arrive - and to switch the kiln on. My headache is currently hibernating (I hope I've not just tempted fate) so perhaps today will be a non-spotty bead day? We shall see.

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