TV, Film and Period Drama

I love TV and Film. Absolutely love them. No, I'm not just lazy and spend all my time watching the TV! It's what I studied at university!
Anyway, I dont watch that much TV, only if it's something worth watching, and even then it's usually once it's out on DVD that I'll watch it! But this last week I had the absolute pleasure of watching both a TV series and a film that were truly excellent in every way (I tend to get a bit 'film buff-y' sometimes and start raving about production values and mis-en-scene!)
First of all I watched Season 1 of Downton Abbey. My mum bought it for me for Christmas because she knew I would like it. She wasnt wrong - it was absolutely fantastic!! And I would love to live in that house! Hugh Bonneville and Maggie Smith were both superb too. I watched the whole season in less than a week!
Secondly, I went to see The Kings Speech on Wednesday night. I can honestly say it was the best film I have seen in years, and deserves every award going. It was absolutely perfect from start to finish. The acting was brilliant, and the casting choices were very clever! If you haven't seen it already, go and see it now!!!

So lately I've been very much absorbed in period drama and all the lovely 'englishness' of the time :-) luckily for me, the new Cath Kidston catalogue dropped through my door yesterday! I plan to have a lovely hour this weekend with a pot of tea and some custard creams, indulging in some Cath K wanties! One day I'll be able to afford some goodies!

Next on my TV to watch list is the brilliant BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice (yes the Colin firth one!) I love this series, and my other half bought it for me at Christmas :-) I also downloaded the Kindle app for my iPhone and got Pride and Prejudice for free! :-)

That's all from me for now!

Louisa xx

Ready for my blanket....

Hello!

After an eventful day on Friday which started with me getting a new iphone (!!!!) there was a loose circuit in mine, and although the phone worked fine, the volume had a mind of its own.... and since it was less than a year old, the Apple Store just replaced it. Mine had been backed up on my itunes (luckily I have a friend who works for Apple!!) so I didnt lose much (only a few apps). I was sorted again by yesterday so I could get the photos of my Special DK stash!!

So here it is!

I have:
Top row:  Cream (for the border)
                Bluebell
                Aster
                Cloud Blue
                Turquoise
2nd Row: Pomegranate
                Lipstick
                Shrimp
                Saffron
                Spring Green
                Meadow
3rd Row: Fondant
               Pale Rose
               Clematis
               Magenta
               Plum
               Emperor

I'm 99% sure this is the order that the colours will go in (if you reverse the middle row!) I'm a bit OCD and need my colours to follow a pattern....
I just have a couple of baby blankets to finish off first, then I can get started on my big granny stripe!!! So excited!!!

Louisa xx

p.s. I made some of Lucy's Cheesy Nibbles this morning, and she is not wrong - they are incredibly moreish!! And so easy to make! I can see these becoming a staple in my kitchen!!

sneaky blanket stash pic!

Hello!

I know I said I would get a proper photo of all my balls of special DK at the weekend ready for my blanket? Well I couldnt resist posting this one that I took on Tuesday night. I took it on my iphone, in artificial light so the colours aren't totally true to life, but you get the idea! (proper photos still to come - we all love a bit of 'yarn porn' don't we?!!)

Louisa xx

More Stylecraft!

Just a quick update tonight. I ordered the rest of the yarn I wanted for my blanket on Sunday from www.masonsneedlecraft.org.uk and it arrived today! Such amazing service!! I bought: spring green, aster, turquoise, cloud blue, fondant, and 2 balls of cream for the edging.
Will get a picture of all 18 colours at the weekend!!
Can't recommend Mason's enough!!!

So excited now!!

Louisa xx

Birthday Stash!

 (disclaimer: this is not MY birthday cake!)

Hello!

Well my birthday was yesterday and I had a brilliant day! I got some beautiful presents, including a bottle of Viktor + Rolf Flowerbomb perfume (which is gorgeous) from my other half and an incredibly sparkly Hello Kitty fob watch on a long chain from my mum! :-) I also got treated to a fabulous meal in my favourite restaurant last night! I'm a very lucky girl!
After present opening, me and my other half went yarn shopping! We first of all visited my favourite yarn shop - Knit n Purl Wool Shop in South Shields where I stocked up on 12 brand new balls of Stylecraft Special DK!

Top Row : Clematis, Pale Rose, Meadow
2nd Row :  Saffron, Magenta, Aspen
3rd Row :  Emperor, Plum, Bluebell
4th Row :  Pomegranate, Lipstick, Shrimp

Aren't they beautiful?? I'm almost tempted not to use them because they are so pretty and new and colourful! I just want to lay them out, and moved them around and squish them and love them :-) but I know they will be even more beautiful when they become a blanket :-)
I need to add 5 more colours (i'm thinking Cloud Blue, Spring Green, Aster, Fondant and possibly Turquoise?) and then I will have enough for a blanket. A blanket especially for me :-). A beautiful, snuggly, burst of colour 'birthday' blanket. And it's going to be my very first Granny Stripe Blanket! . My main 'resolution' for 2011 is to start and finish a blanket for myself within the year. And this is going to be it. I'm very excited! I can't wait to get the rest of the colours I need and get started! I have to order them from the internet, because only one yarn shop in my area sells Stylecraft, and I bought up almost all of the colours they had yesterday!

We then headed into Newcastle City Centre and made a beeline for John Lewis' Haberdashery Department so I could 'Ooh and Aah' over the Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino. But I didn't buy any! Instead, I decided to treat myself to something else. Something by Rowan. Something in the sale! I treated myself to these 2 beautful skeins of Rowan Silky Tweed. (and I got both of them for the bargain price of £5.70!)

These skeins have a special destiny. You see, another of my 'resolutions' is to get back into knitting. And I think this might just be the yarn to persuade me... I'm thinking i'd like to make a cowl and matching hand warmers. Hmmm... I do love this yarn :-)

Well thats all from me for tonight. I'll stop rambling on as you are probably bored by now!

Louisa xx

Excitement!

Hello!
It's my birthday on Thursday. (I'm going to be 27 - eek!!)
I'm excited because I'm going yarn shopping!! Not for anything expensive... Just a brand new stash of Stylecraft Special DK!! And possibly going to treat myself to a ball of Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino to add to my collection :-)
One of my 'resolutions' for 2011 is to start and finish a blanket for myself this year. I have potentially 3 more baby blankets to make too!
I also want to make a cushion cover for a huge squishy cushion pad that I have my eye on in John Lewis! (I love JL's polyester cushion pads!)
I'm going yarn shopping today too, but for baby blanket yarn. I've decided Hayfield Baby Bonus DK is a fantastic yarn! (well it is made by Sirdar!)
I might also have to pop into the new Whittard shop in Eldon Square and see if they have any pretty mugs in the sale! (incidentally, morrisons have some gorgeous mugs - 2 for £3!!)
Back to work tomorrow too :-( oh well :-(

Louisa xx

Happy New Year!

“May your coming year be filled with magic and dreams and good madness. I hope you read some fine books and kiss someone who thinks you’re wonderful, and don’t forget to make some art—write or draw or build or sing or live as only you can. And I hope, somewhere in the next year, you surprise yourself.”

- Neil Gaiman