So, I have a reasonable amount of stuff to report on - nothing too exciting, don't worry! First I would like to introduce you to Augustus. He is the Science Departments new pet snake! We had a name the snake contest last week and Augustus won - I was calling him Bob until we did the contest. Gus is a Royal Python and was hatched in May.

I knitted myself a new hat on Saturday and it's way too big. My tension was the same as the half-hour-hat I made so don't know what went wrong. I measured this one and worked out I'd need to start again with 6 less stitches - looked at the pattern and the corresponding size would be for a 7-9 year old.....I have a  freakishly small head! Pffff! :)

I'm also doing quite well with my sock. For anyone interested in a novice knitters adventures here it is so far. I got a little scared at the instructions when I got to turning the heal but that went well. I managed to pick up the stitches at the side of the heal flap and now I'm on the instep (sorry if this means nothing to you!). It already feels like it's going to be a very comfy pair!

Sunday we popped to J's parents as it was their 35th wedding anniversary in the week. My lovely Mother-in-law had got me a present. Lovely sock wool and 4 gorgeous fat quarters - now destined to be a little sock bag just big enough for a ball of wool and set of DNPs and possibly a DPN case as mine are just stuffed in the pocket of my knitting bag!

And finally.......Thanks to I'm a Ginger Monkey for the reminder, I had to go and buy some of these from Tescos! These Cath Kidston bags cost a mere £3.50, are made from recycled plastic bottles (9 to be exact!) and the profits are going to Marie Curie cancer care. Until next time....Hasta luego!

Just a little post today - I shall say: I'm feeling a little less fed up, Jupiter is going to be finished soon(!!!) and I made these cute little pumpkin brooches that are now listed on etsy. (I did also mow the lawn, but that's less crafty!)

The front one looks more worried than scary. Poor thing must know he's going to be made into a nice pie! Have a lovely weekend and enjoy the nice weather!

these are the voyages of a large felt pincushion. To boldly sew where no-one has sewn before! *imagine star trek music*

I managed to remember to photograph my newest pincushion when I got home from work today! It's the solar system! Including asteroid belt and Pluto. They called me a big nerd at work for this "only a nerd would include the asteroid belt" was one of the comments. I'm a nerd and proud!!!!!!! The solar system pincushion is now available to buy in my etsy shop. It's a bit of a whopper at 9cm across and 8.5cm high so plenty of room for your pins!

I also have some good news! After feeling rather fed up with everything for the last week or so, I'm starting to feel the return of my mojo. Making this pincushion has certainly helped it along and I'm going to make a start on another big pincushion tonight and do a little more work on Jupiter - He's ready for his stripes and big red spot! Hopefully I'll feel "normal" again soon and be back to more regular blogging. Thank you to everyone's lovely comments over the last week or so, I really appreciate them! I'm off to iron now - not clothes! My felt for this evenings sewing!!! :D

Hello readers, It has been brought to my attention (thanks Joy!) that I've not blogged since Friday - Blimey! what happened there?! I would love to be able to tell you that I've been doing fun and exciting stuff, but I haven't! We enjoyed a nice rain-free weekend by starting to give the garden its autumn tidy. The patio has been cleared and next on the list is to build a leaf bin behind the composting area. I have been doing a little crafting. The sock is coming on slowly - I'm using a top-down pattern for my first venture into socks - I'm a bit of a novice knitter really and this is probably my first adventure out of my 'squares and rectangles' comfort zone. Photos later in the week once I've made it to the heal!

Here are my offerings for Oxford Handmade. I'm sending 20 holly brooches and 20 mini moo cards to be included in the goody bags available for the first hundred or so visitors. We are hoping to visit but I didn't want to commit to doing the fair. To tell the truth these things terrify me! If you are around Oxford on the 9th November you should pop by and have a look at all the lovely items that will be on sale!

I've made a Smiley Pumpkin in the last few days and he's already listed in my etsy shop. I'm in the middle of a few other things as well as several knitting projects! Hopefully I will have a new pincushion to show off tomorrowand Jupiter should be finished over the weekend. I'm hoping my craft mojo is going to come back soon, I fell a bit 'pfffffffff' at the mo. Work is very busy and I get home feeling a bit pooped and really can't be bothered to do very much except wait for inspiration to strike - it's due any day now! ;)

Good evening! I'm a little late in the day with today's post - I was watching Ugly Betty (I love it!). Anyway, another week at school over - 5 more to go before half term! WOOT! Not that we are all counting down or anything...'onest guv!

SOCKS! or small part of one sock (more of an ankle warmer!). With my lovely magic sock wool I bought last weekend I've made a start on my very first sock. So far so good! I'm even liking the wool more and more as I get further along! This was my goal for the year....learn to knit so I can make socks! At first I thought using DPNs would be tricky and it is! They do take a little getting used to and I've mastered the whole knitting in a round thing. My next test will come in about 53 rows time when I have to start the heal! I'll let you know if I'm still enjoying knitting my sock then!

I've also managed a little sewing along the way too. Smiley Earth is now complete and in my Etsy shop, more planets coming soon! And this little yellow fella (if you haven't guessed) is going to be a Rolley Bee! I've sewn on his stripes this evening and given him a cheeky little grin. He just needs wings and antenna.

Hello lovely blog readers. I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for reading my ramblings and offer you a discount too! From today to the end of October I am offering 15% discount on all orders (not including postage!) for blog readers.

Just visit my ETSY SHOP, let me know that you are a blog reader (secret code: SMILEY SATURN) and what you would like. I will then reserve the items for you and alter the listing prices to include the discount! Easy-peasey-lemon-squeezy! I will also include any custom items in this discount - so if I've made something that you have just got to have that isn't in my shop let me know - I've got lots of lovely stocking fillers! ;)

hallo again! Yesterday my blog wasn't working so I didn't get a chance to tell you all about our trip to the NEC on Sunday! We went to the knitting and stitching show. It wasn't too busy - which as nice. I've been the gardeners world live and the good food at the NEC and it was nice to be ale to walk around without people walking into you or running you over with their trolleys! There was so much lovely wool I wanted to buy it all! And the exhibitions were just lovely. I was very restrained and only bought 17 balls of wool, some double pointed needles and 2 pattern books. Here they are!

I'm quite excited to finally find some lovely sock yarn. J even chose a ball so I can have a go at making him a pair once I've got the hang of it. I really love the idea of knitted socks! I've already had a go at the lovely blue hat on the front of the sirdar book. It's called the "half hour hat". PFFFFF! I want my money back. the first one I made took me 90 minutes!!!! I made another in some other wool I had and that still took me an hour to make!

We've had open evening today and I have a stinking cold so all I want to do is sit on the sofa and relax. Normal crafting will resume shortly! Thank you everyone who have given my planets some love. I shall be working on another one this week :)

Discovered in 1930 and proud to be named as the 9th planet in our solar system. That was until 2006 when he was reclassified as a minor planet and made very very sad :(

Poor-non-planet Pluto is available to buy in my etsy shop. Smiley Saturn sold straight away! He's all parcelled up and looking forward to heading to Ohio. Next on my planets list is Jupiter - watch this space (hehe!)

...well, I have Saturn in my hand!

I spent most of yesterday (on and off) making this little fellow! Say Hello to Smiley Saturn! He is my entry for the September MSOE team challenge; the theme being Copernicus! Smiley Saturn will soon be appearing in my etsy shop along with Sad-non-planet Pluto once I've taken better photos! I'm also mid Smiley Earth too! My intention is to make all of the planets eventually!

Look what loveliness was on our doormat when I got home from work!

I was picked out of the pumpkin by the lovely ladies who run Buttonberry! The plan is to make a lovely half apron with a white frilly edge and possibly a smiley pea for a pocket. First I desperately need to get my sewing machine serviced before I try sewing anything that isn't felt!

I have been sewing this week, honest! Although work is very busy at the mo. This year we have an extra teacher and we're supposed to be doing more practicals, but still there are only two technicians (there should be 3!). I'm just so tired from being on my feet all day that I haven't done an awful lot when I get home...but here's a few things.

A batch of red blood cell brooches as I sold my last one at the weekend - its on the way to Australia!

And some kitty brooches - the middle one looks a little like Willo, one of our naughty kitties! These will be appearing in my etsy shop in the next day or so! I'm also in the middle of a few other kitty brooches, one that looks like Saus (our other kitty) and a pretty pink one! You'll have to wait till tomorrow :)