O is for... Obsessions!

I go through short bursts of obsession. That said I did have an obsession with Dogs that latest for just over 10 years.  Here are but a few of my old/current obsessions!

Drawing - I went through a 3 month long phase of non stop drawing. I mostly doodled horses, some of them turned out okay. Others not so much.

Click to make bigger!

Reading - My best friend Abby and I are big on reading. We made it our goal to read 50 books in a year, so far I've only read 11 (I had to stop reading for quite a while due to M.E brain fog, but I'm starting up again!) whereas she's managed a whopping 38! *applauds* 

Photography - I love taking photographs. I even had a blog about it once! My favourite things to photograph are flowers... Here are just a few of my favourite photographs!

Click to make bigger

Knitting - You know about this one, started in February 2011 and haven't stopped since. Even attempting to knit as I type this very post!

Writing - I've been writing stories since I mastered the art of holding a pen, as I got older I progressed to writing articles and even longer stories.I now write reviews, blog posts, articles, and even the odd short story or two. A couple of years ago, my cousins and I started to write TV Scripts, which we love to write. I haven't written any scenes for a while now, but have recently had a couple of ideas pop into my head. 

Dogs - I always have, and always will, love dogs. Some of my earliest memories involve those cuddly canines. After years and years of pleading and begging I finally got one of my own. A beautiful Bichipoo called Lilo.  

Buttons - I love buttons. I started to collect them back in April of this year when I first started knitting Mug Hugs. 

Click the links below for more O is for... posts!

L is for... Lilo!

Ever since I learnt to talk I've been asking for a dog. By the age of 10 I was so obsessed, that if I passed a dog while out with a friend, I could tell them not only the breed, but country of origin, temperaments, specific requirements of the breed and too many other things.

Finally, a few weeks before my 14th birthday I got what I'd always wanted. And it came in the form of Lilo, a Toy Poodle, Bichon Frise cross. Her full name is Lilo Madeline Doodle, but we like to keep things informal down here in the West Country.

When I went to the breeders to pick my puppy, I was originally going to choose Lilo's sister, (who is now owned  by friend!) but immediately after seeing me, Lilo decided I was hers. Despite being the smallest of the litter, she somehow managed to climb up onto the top of the sofa and leap onto my shoulder, where she sat for most of the time I was there. When she did finally decided to come down from her perch, she happily sat for a photo shoot!


I brought my little bundle of fluff home with me in June, when she was just 12 weeks old.





Every morning I woke up at 6AM to let her out to the toilet (she was house trained within 1 week, after that there was only the occasional accident - perfect puppy wouldn't you say?), we then crept up to my room and pulled my duvet downstairs (she had a habit of jumping on the duvet and sitting on it as I pulled it down the stairs).
 After that, we snuggled up on the sofa and watched BBC Breakfast until everyone else woke up.

Over the months that passed, her personality grew bigger and bigger, even if she didn't grow much herself.

All.. MINE!

Milk? Where?! 

No Mummy. NO!

Now aged 3 she is as silly as ever. When I picked up knitting in February she made her point of view on the matter very clear. She did this by climbing over me while I knit, sit on my yarn, put her toys in my knitting bag, whimper when I picked up my needles, and even ignoring me after spending a couple of hours knitting!

When I put the needles aside, our favourite things to do together are watch Crufts (curlier the dog hair, the better in her opinion!), take a walk in the forest and have a good 'ol cuddle!

If you are taking part in this weeks ABC, add your link to your post in the Mr.Linky below! Please make sure your link leads to your L is for... post, and not your blog page. Many thanks, and happy blogging! 

FO Friday: Finally!

I'm sure you're all well aware of the Blogger problems we've all had these past couple of days, but finally (!) Blogger stopped the tears and tantrums and allowed us to start blogging again :) I am afraid though that due to me not feeling well, and the urge to get this post up, this post will be relatively short.

So I only have one FO to share with you today (very embarrassed, yes but you will hear my excuses later), and that is the Zig-Zag Scarf.

After all those lovely comments y'all left me on Wednesday (I had 20 in all, but due to the blogger problems 12 of them were deleted, hopefully they'll be back) I sat down to an episode of ER got out my needles and knitted away.

While on the last two rows, I was wondering what I should cast on next. Should I wait for the Aran yarn and knit myself that Cable Bag I've been dreaming about for the past two weeks (yes, seriously) or should I start the matching hat? While I was contemplating these choices, thinking each one over and making a small but effective Pro/Con List in my head, my older sister rang. While on the phone to my Mother she explained that she would love me to knit her a pink baby blanket. I've not yet knitted a blanket so I quickly accepted the challenge. 

I speeded through the last two rows, just as I was about to cast-off I realised I'd made a mistake - doh! Fortunately I'd just slipped a stitch over, so it was easy repairable. A lesson was learnt though, I must watch what I'm doing.

Lesson learnt, I fixed the problem, cast off and here I am to tell the tale. Personally, I think Tilly will like it. Not love it, as I think the toys I'm slipping into the bag are going to steal the show, but like it nonetheless. But you don't want me to rattle on any longer, take a look for yourself!

As a thank you for all the encouragement and just plain loveliness you've all shown me these past few weeks, I thought I would give you a glimpse of the Baby Blanket. It is yet to have a code name, maybe you could give me a hand? (I've now on the third of the 16 squares required for the blanket since starting Wednesday Evening, hopefully I'l pick up the pace this weekend!)

It isn't as pale as that, but my camera won't behave itself.

Well, it looks like I was feeling well enough for a wordy post after all! But now I shall leave you, have a great weekend everyone :)

Knitting & Crochet Blogging Week 2011 - Day Seven: Your Knitting & Crochet Time

Write about your typical crafting time. When it is that you are likely to craft – alone or in more social environments, when watching TV or whilst taking bus journeys. What items do you like to surround yourself with whilst you twirl your hook like a majorette’s baton or work those needles like a skilled set of samurai swords. Do you always have snacks to hand, or are you a strictly ‘no crumbs near my yarn!’ kind of knitter... try and concentrate on all of the little aspects that make up your knitting time. Maybe you always head for for your Flaming Lips CD when taking on simple knitting but prefer a bit of Brahms when tackling more intricate work, or maybe you enjoy knitting with audiobooks or complete silence. Perhaps your crochet time is never complete without a cuddle from Tiddles the cat.

Finally, a simple topic! Thank you Eskimimi :)

Most of my knitting time is spent in solitude, as when I knit, it as if I am taken to another world. My pain, worries and problems are all taken away and I can really concentrate on just making something and enjoying myself.
I don't like to be in complete silence though as I knit. So I normally slip upstairs to my bedroom, make my bed uber comfy, slip on a DVD (Yesterday it was Fantastic Mr Fox ,gotta love that George Clooney!)

If I don't fancy watching TV or a movie, I like to listen to audiobooks, podcasts or even a bit of music.
Because of my M.E, I don't get out as much as I like, so when I do go out I much prefer to enjoy being out, rather than spending my time knitting, which is an activity that I can do very easily at home.
As to whether I like to snack while I knit, I do. My favourite snack is Blackcurrant Jelly (Or Jello to you American folk :D), as it impossible to get crumbs on your knitting while you're eating it.

My dog Lilo, is incredibly jealous of my knitting. Whenever I pull it out, she is always there trying to stop me. Normally she lies on top of my wool, or puts her toys in my knitting bag so that when I look down to get something, I have to play with her. Here is a snap of her in action, the little rascal.

So I hope you have all enjoyed this years blogging week, I know I certainly have :)

P.S

I know this is a knitting blog, but I just wanted to show you the Victoria Sponge Cake I made yesterday, I was very proud! And everyone said it tasted delicious :)

Oh and I would like to say thank you for all the lovely comments I have been getting! I am really sorry that I haven't been able to reply to them, Blogger won't seem to let me! But I'm working on it :)

Have a lovely and relaxing Sunday everyone!

~Charlotte