futurashop green skirt

futurashop green skirt
Originally uploaded by cupcakedesigns

I love this baby - exactly what I'm looking for. If anyone wants to make me one.............I'd be SO excited :O) but its vintage and therefore no chance of getting a bigger size. Depressing.
I wanted to put forward an exhibit for the 10th annual Co. Down Crafts exhibition but didn't make the submission date cause I had two assignments to hand into uni on the same day.
So not too much happy news recently.
How about you??

Happy 21st Chrissy!!!

coffee cake
Originally uploaded by cupcakedesigns

here's to your next 21. take care of yrself over there in bonnie ol'Scotland. :O)

a wee stall at Virginia Pumpkinfest 27/10/07

Virginia Pumpkinfest
Originally uploaded by cupcakedesigns

continuing the busy schedule sadly but got the time to have a wee stall at the Virginia Pumpkinfest in County Cavan a couple Saturdays ago. It was so cold cause it was in a marquee so practically OUTSIDE. oh dear. it was lovely meeting ppl so interested in my work though! looking forward to the Christmas Craft Fair on the 1st december in the Community Hall in Killygarry, near Cavan town. Come see me :O)

favourite song

Its been such an eventful summer. I never got a job but was kept busy (a) running a café near our holiday home on the coast in Donegal, (b) having fun exploring with Sarah, Vicky and loads of other cool ppl, (c) boating, (d) making clothes, (e) setting Sarah up with Portugese barmen - more about that when I upload some photos of our holiday in Maaaaaadeira!!! I had a good, but somewhat confusing summer. The great love of my life still hasn't materalised/realised he loves me too. laters, xo

favourite song..

I am loving the White Stripes new album, Icky Thump. They rock :O) In other news, I am bumming around with no respectable summer job as yet. Going on hols to Rossnowlagh yet. Seem to have so little time to knit recently. It's quite depressing. I'm still working on the sleeves of Diane's bolero and am knitting a shrug for my American cousin Kayleen. I am set up a bebo homepage to deal with my everyday life at http://loflomilli.bebo.com if that interests you :O)

full time study takes over

cerise tree peony
Originally uploaded by cupcakedesigns.

i'm sorry i've been away for so long. I've been studying. first exam today. i will be finished in a week and a half - thank goodness! i promise i will be a better blogger in the summertime. in the meantime, enjoy this beautiful peony that just bloomed in the garden. pink heaven :O) xo

godzilla handspun

godzilla handspun
Originally uploaded by cupcakedesigns.

spun with rachel-marie's beautiful godzilla fiber batts. catch them while you can at http://knittydirtygirl.etsy.com
I am so proud of myself. It was spun entirely on my drop spindle. I am not entirely sure how to set the twist yet but I'm sure someone will inform me soon :O)
I'm off to Rossnowlagh, Co. Donegal for a couple of days (no internet :O( - aaaaaaaaagh) so hopefully I'll get some more spun then. What a beautiful day it was today.
Now it is too late to even think any more so must go to sleep.
xo,
Lorna

My first time on the etsy treasury

Etsy Treasury - what does it take!?
wheeeeeeeeeeeeee...thank you so much Blakeswork. xo

knitting, fulling, sewing, cutting, pasting, bagging...

sample bags
Originally uploaded by cupcakedesigns.

this is where I've been..! my sample bags are finally ready to send off to Shalana for our etsyFAST (etsy fiber arts street team) goody bags which will be available for purchase at etsyFAST.etsy.com from early May. Let's hope everyone loves them and we raise more awareness for all the talented fiber artists in our fabulous group. I <3 etsytFAST. Maria has also ordered three shrugs, the beginning of the first one can be seen here http://flickr.com/photos/cupcakedesigns and I'm still working on my essay.

introducing.....lucky's pups

lucky's puppies again
Originally uploaded by cupcakedesigns.

now fifteen days old (as of today,) these babies are so sweet. to the far left you can see future frisky, who will be kept as our pet. I wonder how loflo will adjust to having a puppy around. At the minute, when I go in to cuddle the pups she stands at the door wanting in and lucky snarls and growls at her. motherly love!! this is a split litter btw, a rare enough occurance but not abnormal. It happens when the bitch is served by two different breeds, in this case another jack russell (which results in pure bred jack russell pups-white with patches) and a west highland terrier (which results in jack russell cross westies-dark brown.) apologies about the red tinge, it is due to the infra-red light which keeps them warm at night and sometimes during the day! it dipped to -2 degrees on tuesday. brrrrr.

glasgow and stitch experimentation

I visited Glasgow last weekend from Thursday til Monday. It was a really lovely weekend. My friend Debbie (above with l'il sis Naomi) turned 21 the previous weekend so I flew over to spend a wee bit of time with her. Happy Birthday Debbie!!! Won't be long til I catch up with you :O) I visited some crafty shows that were on in the SECC. They were both great and I really enjoyed them. Got some great discounts on wool.

In other news I've been experimenting with different stitches for my promotional items for our etsyFAST group. exciting little things. I am way behind though. I have to rush. I also have a slightly more scary assignment due in two weeks (3000+ words) so it's going to be fun all the way.

keys for christine 150307

keys (2) 150307
Originally uploaded by cupcakedesigns.

made especially for someone but if you ask nicely I could make you another one (._.) featuring new stamps and a vintage mother-of-pearl button I snatched from some bonny Scots when I was in Glasgow.. The images are from the Part Two ad campaign/brochure and the text is some random page from a textbook that I found in the photocopying room in the Heaney library. It's all random and therefore excellent. (if I may say so....)

an eventful month

I am a crap blogger - its official! I am a full time student though so that kinda shoves important things (like photography and knitting) to the side. Right now its 3pm here and I haven't had lunch yet (hungry!) and I have an assignment to hand in tomorrow. But its only an 800 word assignment so I can spend a few mins with this poor blogspot of mine.

Enough about that. I have lots of new photos up on my flickr site - go and have a look.. http://flickr.com/photos/cupcakedesigns

My favourites are below:
firstly some hellebores from my mummy's garden..

My sister Helen and I went to Rossnowlagh on Saturday (my second home) I love it so much and you can see why from the above photos! Next on the to-do list: learn how to kite surf. Great for the tummy muscles by the look of it!!

I've also uploaded some new hats onto my etsy site. (http://cupcakedesigns.etsy.com) One in blackberry stitch (in my own handdyed wool - all the rest of the skeins in that batch turned out a perfect magenta (like they were meant to) but this sweetie turned out cranberry!!)

and another one in a golden ochre that I dyed on the stove top just before Christmas. I paired it with a colinette pierro handspun point five. I also used a few wee pieces of my own felt to rustle up a pretty brooch. fun times. Not much else happened on the knitting front though. I'm working with some cotton tape for summer although I think I'll just concentrate on winter stock and then really push to get this business off the ground at the end of the summer.

Not much else to report. Lucky is pregnant (I have NEVER seen her so big,) loflo is still anorexic. One of the Scottie dogs has had some Kern/Scottie pups. They look pretty cute but we haven't really ever bonded and she looks a tiny bit evil.

Until next time, xo

loflo and some aran experimentation

as promised, some shots of my photogenic little loflo.. she turned up outside my window and started moaning and groaning.. attention wanted! so she got plenty for her trouble! and managed to sit semi-quietly for a while to let me snap some pretty photos of her.

I refer to this one as her favourite "yoga" pose although I do think it's just a big stretch. Her granny used to do it a lot when she was still alive. I guess loflo is just carrying on the tradition :O)

I've been experimenting with the pierro skye aran from colinette. I think I will knit a nice cushion with it. Being mostly used to large needles and chunky wool it takes a while to get your hands around 4mm needles!! but the results are beautiful, with lovely stitch definition so I will persevere.

Farewell, friend..

In memory of Bertie Anderson, a great friend and an inspirational man. His memory will remain in my heart and all those who knew him long after he is gone.

a belated happy new year..xo

I had a lovely Christmas and 2007 has been great so far on all fronts. My sister Helen made her first trip to Belfast on 16/12/06 - a momentuous occasion. She had a great day and the continental market was still on (visible in front of the city hall in the background of the photo to the right) so we had a good time walking around it, buying smelly cheeses and eating sickly sweet confections of all sorts. A great day.

Just before Christmas (20-23 December) something very mysterious happened over the UK and Ireland. A dense mist descended. Airports closed, travelling anywhere was tiresome, all that straining through the fog etc. Thankfully it was the week I chose to work for my Dad. Being cooped up in an office all day doesn't really require good weather. It was pretty cold too. Pamela and I wrapped up warm one lunch break and explored the garden. Fun times.

Lucy's pups are coming along nicely and are nearly ready to be sold..anyone in the Ballynahinch area is welcome to them except for one...photo to the right. He has my heart. I think I should be allowed to adopt him but Chris isn't so sure.. maybe I should just kidnap him??!!!

The wheelbarrow..

it was the only way I could keep them together..but they seem to like it. they are so full of life. I wish I had half their energy!!

..and my big sis Helen turned 30 on Tuesday. She had a big party last Friday. Here we are, me looking pasty on the left and her glowing on the right..

I will put up some more of loflo that I took yesterday. She is getting very photogenic!!!

xo,

Lorna