My week

consisted of a wheelie bin, a traffic cone, L plates and dumbbells. Plus Dizzy and a polar bear. Yes, a polar bear.

Oh and a few penguins! You'll have to wait to see just how these are connected.

It also saw a raging battle between me, Google Analytics and a certain online shopping site. I refused to surrender. After downloading new browers, adding codes, changing codes, entering new codes, deleting sites and a lot of swearing I think I've won.

It helped that I had the massed weight of the Folksy forum on my side. Thanks go to Mary from Polkadots and Posies and Dave from Gelert Design for their help with Google Analytics. If you are using Internet Explorer and click on their link try Chrome or Firefox. It will look much better.

Remember my list one a day pledge? You won't be surprised to find out that I haven't kept it. That's where the wheelie bin et al come in. I have, thanks to Folksy bootcamp, kept pinning, tweeting and stumbling. Still no Facebook but why rush things? As I'm in the mood, special thanks to Natalie from Nofkants Curios for oragnising and keeping tabs for November Nexus. Also to Mairi from Maram Jewellery from running bootcamp.

Now for some lovely gift ideas. All available from those lovely sellers on Folksy.

This week I have been ...

all yoyoed out!

suffering from RSI after making 648 said yoyos

really not wanting to look at a crochet hook for a while

busy cleaning (yuck)

getting to grips with social networking
(you're impressed now!)

I have signed up to the Folksy bootcamp. It's a lot less threatening than the Etsy version.

On Monday I grappled with Stumbled Upon.

On Tuesday I tweeted at Twitter.

On Wednesday I pinned at Pinterest.

Today I'm reinforcing my learning by doing all three but not all at the same time because that's just plain dangerous. I've also added the little buttons on my sidebar. Have a go. See where they take you!


I don't really get Stumbled Upon. I quite like tweeting. It helps if you follow people like Alan Carr. I'm addicted to Pinterest.

I've also stuck to my promise to list an item a day. I did have a slight wobble on Saturday. I got home late and Dizzy had been left out in the dark. Bonfire Night and cats are not a happy coupling. She was terrified and I spent the night with her in my arms like the baby she is. I was forced to watch Strictly, X Factor, X Factor Extra and series 6 of my Sopranos boxed set.

These are just some of the items I've listed

I know I've gone for Christmas overload but this is the first Christmas that I've not worked and I'm getting really excited. It's made me realise that all those year in education ruined Christmas for me. But not this year!

The little crochet hoop at the bottom has been chosen as a potential entry into the spring lookbook for Etsy Europe. I'll have to get more photos done.

I'll be back tomorrow with my favourites of the week. Have a great 10th!

Yoyos finished!

OK, I failed my October promise of a listing a day but I did have a very good reason. I finished the yoyo blanket and it's winging its way to Australia as I write.

Of course the light was awful but there are very few places I could have put it to get good light. The colours are gorgeous and almost jewel like. I'm glad I didn't add the white.

So that brings me to November and the daily listings. It's also a chance for me to put all forms of social networking into play. This week should see me fully signed up.

Today I have Stumbled Upon. When I work out how to add the button to my blog I will link them.

Promise!

Have a great week!

Busy yoyoing

I've been very quiet on the blogging front for the last few weeks. I can't believe it's been so long. For the last two weeks I've been surrounded with crochet yoyos.

It's nearly finished. One last push over the weekend and it will be cot size.

Have a great weekend everyone! You can guess what I'll be doing!

Art in Wales

Kevin Sinnott is an artist whose work can be found in several leading galleries in London and major galleries in America and Europe. His work is featured at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. One of the most popular paintings at the National Museum of Wales is his large canvas, Running Away with the Hairdresser.

I might not be lucky enough (or rich enough) to have an original but I do own a signed print of this particular painting.

Kevin trained in Cardiff and at the Royal College of Art. He spent many years in London before moving back to Wales. His new paintings can be seen at the  Martin Tinney Gallery in Cardiff. This collection has brought back so many memories. The paintings capture a moment in time, a fleeting look at life against the backdrop of the crumbling coastline near my home. The figures in the paintings appear carefree but they are too close to the cliff edge. For me the paintings represent that fine edge between life and death.

I know these cliffs so well. I fear that drop where many lives have been lost. I can hear my voice now as I've shouted to my children, 'Stay way from the edge!'

Your allegories might be completely different.

The last painitng I love. The young mum with two children, the crochet skirt from this year's collection. Kevin Sinnott does high fashion.

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Pantone colours

Orchid Hush

It's rather a sad day as this is the last offering of the Pantone fall 2011 series. The new colours for spring/summer have been released but I won't focus on those until the new year.

What does Pantone say about orchid hush?

Orchid Hush, a unique tone of gray with complex orchid undertones, blends well with any other color in the palette.

Another informative description by Pantone. It has a definite undertone of lavender or lilac making it a warm grey. It hasn't the coldness of an ice blue.

I've put together my interpretation of it. Included is another print by gorjuss because this one reminds me of Beth.



Have a great weekend! I'll be off to London.

Do you know, I've got an awful feeling that cat has been in this room.

Psst! Oi, you!

Do you like my shiny winter coat? Nice isn't it? It's the best I've ever had!

You don't know me but my name is Dizzy. It's a stupid name I know but it's better than the last one, Sunny. Now, come on, do I look like a Sunny? I don't remember the one before that or the one before that. I do remember the one before that but I'm not allow to use bad words.

That Cat, the one that's always blathering on, well, we played a good game the other day. She didn't enjoy it much but I thought it was fun. Shall I tell you how to play it?

You need a very tall tree and a very stupid human. Tall trees are hard to find. If you haven't got one use a roof or a post or something high as the sky. You can find a stupid person anywhere. Maybe you even own one.

First thing. Spy on them. They're used to it. They won't notice.

 

Next climb the tree.

Higher than that!

 Can you still see me? Yes? Not high enough.

Higher! They can still see you!

 Nearly there!

 

Gone!! Now when they pass the tree in their muddling thoughts you do this. Drop and land on them! You won't hurt. They are stupid and soft.

If you can go RRRAWRRRRR! They'll think that you are a lion or a panther or something and they'll really squeal. Just like a big mouse!

I've got other good games. Have you?