Category: Around the House

More and More of Less and Less

21 November, 2016 / Katy / 0 Comments

Painting with Toddlers - Misericordia

We’re hitting the Age of Great Turmoil (nothing political for a change, just a Little Lion starting to navigate the 18 month – three year rapids) and I’m finding myself stripping things down to my most basic needs.

Designing a Prototype Bag

Cutting a Prototype Bag

After a rather unfortunate run of bag disasters while in Japan (I broke two straps in two weeks), I decided that the solution was not to carry less stuff but to make a stronger bag. So I’ve made a prototype bag and I’m road testing it. I’m pretty pleased with it, but I’ve hit a snag at the fabric stage.

Waxed Fabric Choices - Misericordia

While I investigate the options (I’m pretty sold on the yellow for the body of the bag, but I’m not sure what to make the waterproof base out of), I’m trying to finish up another pair of trousers and knit myself a hat. Pretty much anything in order to avoid going to the shops and participating in the seemingly endless awfulness of people to other people in the name of commerce.

Prototype Bag - Misericordia

I’m even stripping back my camera usage and seeing what happens if I use my phone photos for the blog (reviews are welcome).

Kipling at Work - Misericordia

If you need me, I’ll either be sewing or resorting to the prop of all parents of young children, hiding in the cupboard eating cake.

Musn’t Grumble?

2 September, 2016 / Katy / 0 Comments

It’s not technically true that I have nothing to report.

Myrtle and Willow - Misericordia

I have been working away on the myrtle leaves, but the progress isn’t visually thrilling (neither is it giving much of a sense of progress).

Ibuprofen - Misericordia

So instead of progress, I have a cold, a professionally embarrassing back injury (I did it while sitting down and putting my teaching shoes on), and a pair and a half of trousers.

Trousers with Cat and Hankies - Misericordia

Churidar trousers notes - Misericordia Trouser perspective - Misericordia

Still, each leaf snufflingly stitched is one more increment towards leaflessness.

On the Shelf

19 August, 2016 / Katy / 0 Comments

Do you remember Emmeline? Little Lion’s godmother Liz made her, and has been adding to her exquisite wardrobe, in the manner of Sarah’s doll in A Little Princess.

Emmeline - Misericordia

I felt bad that she was tucked into the bookcase (to keep her safe from little hands), so an appeal to eBay gave us this rather lovely handmade wardrobe.

Emmeline's Wardrobe - Misericordia

I think it might take a little renovation (I might paper the inside and at the very least change the knobs on the door), but at least it gives her a safe space to sit.

Hang up your things, dear - Misericordia

(Does she look like she wants something to read?)

You’ve Guessed It

29 July, 2016 / Katy / 0 Comments

A dinosaur looks on - Misericordia

More leaves.

Myrtle leaves - Misericordia

At least they’re myrtle instead of willow, which adds a (very little) variety.

String of myrtle leaves - Misericordia

Trails of leaves - Misericordia

By the Burn, By the Sea

26 July, 2016 / Katy / 1 Comment

You find us in the middle of the middle week of the summer holidays.

Summer Book - Misericordia

We have explored the country and the sea and now we are returned home to test the limits of our imagination, patience and co-operation.

Summer Book journal with kids - Misericordia

In the hopes of creating a new tradition, we’ve started a Summer Book. There’s a slight nod to the educational goals of writing and drawing, but mostly I want to promote journal-keeping and delay the inevitable ‘Can I watch something?’ for another 10 minutes or so. It was great while we were away, but it’s suffered a little since we got home and have been surrounded by our familiar pursuits.

Last gasp stash - Misericordia

I did manage to finish my shawl, even though I ran out of both the original wool and the emergency wool just in time for the bind off. I’m hoping that the contrast edge evokes sea foam and not desperation.

Diving In Shawl - Misericordia

As a first piece of lace, I’m very pleased with it, but as a shawl, I’m still looking for the best ways to wear it. Maybe a shawl pin?

Myrtle Leaves in stiffener - Misericordia

There was temporary relief from the willow leaves by way of some myrtle leaves, but I’m hoping to get the last of the willow applied this week. Off I go!

A Silver Bullet?

17 June, 2016 / Katy / 0 Comments

The Lovely Young Man is in the habit of sending me articles every now and again, and this article about the Bullet Journal was the most recent one.

I took one look at the combination of diary, sketchbook and planner (on paper no less) and decided I should give it a bash. It corresponded serendipitously with the purchase of a new notebook, so I could get started straight away.

[A note of caution for those who might be thinking of trying this out and turn to the t’Interweb for inspiration; Instagram and Pinterest are full of Bullet Journal aficionados who seem to spend inordinate amounts of time beautifully tracking their water intake in detailed and exquisitely shaded charts. This is not a requirement. If you want to draw pictures of square sausage, more power to your elbow.]

I’ve only been going just under a week and I know I’m under-utilising the long term planning element and the index (both of which are cornerstones of the technique).

But for someone who unnecessarily divides aspects of her life into different books and lists, it’s quite freeing to be able to lavish as much beauty on my ‘renew pet insurance’ lists as I do on blog posts and birthday reminders.

The habit of sitting down to plan your day, week or month is equally pleasing (or would be if I could manage to do it properly) especially if you are allowed to doodle in the margins! I’ve started embracing the limited colour pallette, and I think it helps the whole thing look a bit tidier as I swing from random list to random list.

Niggling in the back of my head is the memory that Emma (from The Gift Shed) sent me an article about the Bullet Journal and a way of organising your To Do Lists with dots, but it was more than my poor binary brain could cope with and I obviously missed the bit I could handle.

So are you all way ahead of me on the Bullet Journal train, or do you prefer electronic lists and the backs of envelopes?

Aches and Twinges

10 June, 2016 / Katy / 0 Comments

It’s been a grumbly sort of week.

Stem placement - Misericordia

Knitting chart, crumpled - Misericordia

A week of coughs and sore teeth, thrashing children in my bed, of forgotten phones, cheesecakes oozing out of their tins in the oven, sore shoulders, last kid collecteds, I’m hungry but not for thats and I’m sorry for shoutings.

Spikey balls - Misericordia

Measuring cups - Misericordia

I think I’ll just creep quietly into this corner and hope that the universe doesn’t notice me until things are looking a little more cheerful.

Myrtle stem and thimble - Misericordia

Myrtle stem - Misericordia

Pieces of Sunshine

3 June, 2016 / Katy / 0 Comments

This week has been sunny (which, in Edinburgh means impromptu picnics and running as many loads of washing up and down the stairs as humanly possible).

Kipling in the sun - Misericordia

It’s also required a change in beverage format to suit the weather.

Iced coffee - Misericordia

Unchanged was the repetition, so much repetition.

Popcorn texture drawing - Misericordia

Leaves, so many leaves - Misericordia

Serendipitous Stash

27 May, 2016 / Katy / 3 Comments

Stop me if this sounds unfamiliar…

You receive a lovely gift of a voucher to a wool shop. So you go along and choose something that costs ever so slightly more than the voucher (despite all your intentions to stick to the budget).

Fyberspates Vivacious - Misericordia

‘What are you making?’ the owner asks. ‘I was thinking of a lace shawl.’ you remark breezily, neglecting to mention that you’ve never knitted lace in your life.

It occurs to you that perhaps you should dip a preliminary toe in the sea of lace knitting before subjecting your gorgeous purchase to excessive ripping out. Into the stash you go, vaguely check your meterage and cast on.

Diving In Shawl - Misericordia

Of course, it becomes obvious that you don’t have enough wool to finish, and you even think about just having a tiny look in the wool shop on the off chance they have something in a coordinating colour.

Running low - Misericordia

Your sensible self is desperately running alongside shouting things like, ‘This was meant to be a stash-only project!’ and, ‘You weren’t meant to spend any money on it!’

You come to your senses (also, because it’s a Monday, the wool shop is closed) and check the stash again, only to discover a ball of wool so close in colour and weight it seems almost impossible it was bought 4,000 miles and several years apart from its new shawl-mate.

Stash rescue - Misericordia

This is why there is stash…

Rows and Rows

13 May, 2016 / Katy / 1 Comment

Spice rack - Misericordia

Once upon a time, there was a girl who lived in a little white house. On the wall in the kitchen were rows and rows of spice jars, each neatly labelled and alphabetised (except for the vanilla extract, which lived at the tippy top).

She would use these spices to make magic potions, surprising soups, and alarming cakes (see vanilla extract above).

Glass spice shelves - Misericordia

Ever since then, she has searched for just the right combination of shelves, jars, and labels, to no avail.

Sometimes there were shelves with mismatched jars, sometimes there were no shelves and piles of jars and packets. She even found the perfect combination of jars and labels, but the shelves remained elusive.

But good things come to those who wait, and this week her fairy shelf-builder granted her wish.

Glass and cast iron shelves - Misericordia

The moral of the story is, of course, to stay true to your dreams, buy your spice jars in lots of 200* if that’s what it takes, and…um, casually mention your shelving problems to very patient joiners.

*147 of which are living under our spare bed, just in case anyone wants to buy some.