Monday 29 July 2013

The Catch Up

Hello Lovelies!
Oh my!!! It's been such a long time since I last popped by and posted here on my blog. For weeks I've been meaning to write a post or at least come and say a quick "hello" but it seems that time is always getting the better of me.

Not only have I been extremely busy at work, but Summertime has also finally graced us with its presence.
With the sudden appearance of the sun I've noticed a rather direct correlation between my crafting time and the changing of the seasons. I've not been crafting quite as much, mainly because the weather has been soooooo nice.  Locked up at home working up a crochet frenzy is not quite as appealing to me as it is on a frosty winters day. Instead I've been using my free-time by spending it out and about in the freshair and enjoying this rather splendid hot Summer spell we are having.

Lots has been going on since I last had a chance to catch up with you all. I spent most of my free time at the beginning of June enjoying my time with Dennis before he prepared to leave again on another cruise ship contract.

At the start of last month, having been talking about it for ages, Dennis and I finally got around to buying bikes. We both bought the same Dutch style city bike (except mine is a little smaller, as I'm only little). Its been amazing cycling around the city on our new modes of transport, enjoying being active and outdoors. Having a bicycle makes me feel very VERY happy indeed!


What else have I been up to?

I've been enjoying treats at my favourite local cafe.


Of course you can't have coffee without a little something to nibble on! Sandwiches with fresh crusty bread! MMMMMMMMM!


I took a trip with Dennis to the brilliant zoo in Hamburg and we enjoyed a day playing with our cameras and watching the fascinating and beautiful animals.




I been eating lots of ice cream!!!
For those of you that don't know, I am the biggest ice cream fan ever!!! I could eat ice cream all day if I had my way.



I've been enjoying the Summery flowers on offer at the local florist. They have certainly been making my apartment feel lovely and fresh. 


I  also took a quick trip home to England to celebrate my little sisters 18th Birthday along with the rest of my family. Here I am with both my Sister and my older brother. We had such a lovely evening laughing and joking the night away. A fun evening I won't forget in a long time.


As for the crafting........
I bought some new colouring pencils and have been doing a spot of drawing once again. I couldn't resist laying them all out and taking a rainbow picture...... I love a good rainbow picture!


And I have some new yarn!!!! Its the softest most vibrant yarn ever! Alpaca by drops. This yarn is simply delicious!


I'm working on a project using these 10 lovely shades:



Hopefully in the next couple of  days I'll get some pictures of my current project to show you what I'm working on.

So there we have it!!! The quick catch up I'd been meaning to have with you all for the past six weeks!!!
Better late than never!!!
I hope you are all enjoying your Summer?
I'll be back soon!

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40 comments:

  1. Dutch bikes are the best:)) Enjoy your rides.

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  2. Loving the colours of the wool and those pencils all laid out, stunning!

    Anne xx

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  3. So glad you are well and having a happy summer!!!
    Leah L.

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  4. I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream! :D Yummo. Nice to be able to relax, hope the show is going well, I wonder if you have come across my Sister in laws brother, Peter Cork yet? She, my brother and some other members of the family are going to see Tarzan in a couple of weeks, about the same time we are coming over to the UK. Have fun. :D

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  5. Beautiful photos as always. Love the zoo shots. Very happy to hear you are enjoying the summer weather that we take for granted here in Oz and looking forward to seeing what you are making with Drops Alpaca. I just finished something with Drops Paris.

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  6. Beautiful photos. The peacock photo makes me want to crochet something in his lovely colors.

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  7. I have really missed you! So nice to hear all is well. Enjoy your summer as ours here in Texas is very hot. Not much crochet being done in all the heat but Fall will be here before you know it. Stay happy!

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  8. Lovely to see you Matt. I have missed your posts. Great to know that are enjoying yourself. I also think my husband could give you a run for your money on the worlds biggest ice cream fan! Shaz xx

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  9. It looks like you two have had a wonderful summer! I love ice cream too.. wish I knew what those flavors are. ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  10. Hola Matt! que bien volver a saber de ti, maravilloso verano!
    me encantaron los colores de las lanas no me imagino que haras con ellas,
    seguramente algo lindo, un calido saludo desde el norte de Mexico.

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  11. Yays for you! Enjoy the summer while it's here... we'll forgive you this time.

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  12. Yays fur you! Enjoy the Summer while it's still here as Autumn is right around the corner, my favorite time. We'll be here ... and we'll forgive you this time (joking about).

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  13. Beautiful pictures and good to hear from you. I enjoy your blog very much!

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  14. Beautiful pictures and good to hear from you. I enjoy your blog very much!

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  15. Hello, I am new to following your blog, It is very good and interesting to read, thank you for writing it. The freedom of riding a bike, you can't beat it and the weather has certainly been fitting for bike riding of late. Your new yarn is a gorgeous array of colours and I can't wait to see what you transform it into on your next project.

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  16. Hi Matt,OH NO!!!!You haven't met me yet!!!!I am the biggest ice cream fan in the world!!!!I am!!!I love all ice creams,doesn't matter if it's on a stick or a big swirl but my favourite is my own homemade loveliness!!!I take a big 5L vanilla and mix in cashews, cherries, nougat, whispers,peppermint crisp and a bottle of ice cream sauce!!!Swirl it through the soft vanilla and freeze again!!!Now the self control issues starts,managing an ice cream addiction!!!Oh what a wonderful addiction to have!!!So glad you're enjoying time with Dennis!!!The bikes are a wonderful idea!!!Have a great week!!!
    Love
    AMarie

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  17. Enjoy the rides you're making on the bikes. So Dutch ;-)I love riding on my bike. I have a mum-variant; whit two seats for the children, bicycle bags at the back, a basket at the front and new the follow-me system so I can hook-ip my daughters bike ( she is learning to ride )

    Now You only have to pimp up your bike with hooked dress guards ;-)
    http://www.landleven.nl/Wonen/Algemeen/2010/2/Zelfgehaakte-jasbeschermers-LANDART000538W/

    http://bohofreax.blogspot.nl/p/gehaakte-staphorster-jasbeschermers.html

    I love the colors for your new project. please blog more, I love your colorful and lovely written blogs

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  18. Oh, you bought Oma Bikes! Fabulous :-) I also have one, but not one with hand brakes (we Dutchies are terribly lazy when it comes to cycling, teehee!). Enjoy your summer, Hamburg really is the place for it!
    Esther.

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  19. Matt !
    Such a lovely post.. Loved the colour of the yarns that u have purchased ! Lovely colourful pencils too !
    So lovely to see you all happy !
    Looking forward to see what you will come with these yarns !
    Lots of love to u and dennis !

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  20. Hi Matt,
    Thanks for the update - great photography skills - love the elephant pic - nice colour yarn and pencils- will watch with interest...
    Hugs
    Tracy SC
    Somerset

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  21. so lovely to read your catch up - looking forward to seeing your new crochet project, I love drops yarn x

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  22. Good to hear from you Matt! Summer gets in the way of crafting here too, too hot to have a growing blanket on my lap :). Thank you for sharing those beautiful pictures from the zoo. I love the one you took of the sea lion (I think?).

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  23. I really love your elephant picture, stunning!

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  24. You look great on your "opoefietsen"! And I'm really curious about the new alpaca-project... please keep us posted :-) Enjoy your summer!

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  25. just take your crocheting wuith you ! I always have a small crocheting piece with me ! Have fun in the sun !

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  26. Phew, I'm glad you're back, I thought you'd deserted us! Please don't stay away so long again. Love the pics from the zoo, you missed your calling, you should be a photographer! And I loooooove ice cream, and ate it almost non-stop through my first pregnancy 22 years ago, and that was all winter long! My favourite flavour is Pralines and Cream from Baskin-Robbins, but I'll pretty much each any flavour of ice cream. Great bikes too, such a good way to get around, especially in a flat country. Where I live it is so hilly, very frustrating for a biker. I can't wait to see your new project, such pretty colours of yarn! Nancy

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  27. Looks like you're having a great Summer! Love those yarn colours!!

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  28. It's nice to see you again. It looks like you've been having a wonderful summer. Take care. :)

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  29. Nice to have you back! Enjoy the Summer! X

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  30. You're back!!!! Cool!!! I love the elephant picture!!! I am a big fan of biking too. It's good to see you two are having a great summer.

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  31. We'd been wondering where you'd gotten to. Good to see you and Dennis having a fun time with your new bicycles, along with an adventure to the zoo.

    Lunch looks delicious!! and even better that it was complimented with Ice Cream.

    The colours of the yarn are lovely. You have definitely inspired me to expand my colour choices!

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  32. Hi!Your blog is so gorgeous!Nice to meet you!
    Greetings from Italy.
    Tajana

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  33. Nice to hear from you again! You two look great on your bicycles, it is lovely to ride them in this summery weather, isn't it :)

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  34. what a lovely post and lovely pictues. Your, as we call it in the Netherlands, grandma-bike is great and you can eat even more icecream as you loose calories pedaling away.
    Emma

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  35. great !
    Greetings from Poland :)
    Katarzyna

    www.sajuki.blogspot.com

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  36. Great to read something from you again :) I know the feel that sometimes blogging just seems to be a priority but never actually happens (as proven by my sporadic blogging in the past few months).

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  37. It's so nice to visit with our family...lovely memories that will last forever . Beautiful yarn :)

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