Brighton and Baskets

So this weeks beach walk took place further down the coast in Brighton. We got off the bus at the Hove borderline and headed down to the waters edge.

We had a great, relaxing hour walking along beach combing. We had a massive haul, finding so many pieces.

We took a break for refreshment at a seaside café and had a delicious homemade macaroni cheese

We continued along the seafront but couldn't continue treasure hunting as the tide had come in

We looked into various shops and galleries along the front, until we reached the pier, and had our usual fun on our favourite games

We stopped off for a quick drink before heading to the Theatre Royal, where hubby had booked us a treat to go and see Footloose, which is one of my favourite films

It was a great production, and we both thoroughly enjoyed our day and evening out.

After making my mandala mistake last week, I'll admit I haven't yet picked it up again.

I have however, completed my scrap yarn piece

As it had turned into a bowl, I decided to finish it off with a picot edging

I have also started a new scrap yarn basket

I started with the plain circular base

And made a start on building up the sides, using up the small balls of scrap yarns, and working two colours together at a time 

I'll admit that I haven't quite finished sewing in the ends of the yarn basket/bowl. Although, with the mad mix of colours it means that you are able work over some of the ends.

By the time I have finished this basket I do hope to have finished the ends of all the scrap collection to be able to show them off together!

Mandala mistakes and Basket beginnings...

It's been a hot muggy week here in the UK. Not that i'm complaining about actually having some summer weather, but I am thankful to now be living by the sea. It's enabled us to pop out across to the beach when ever we needed a spot of cooler air

This included an evening stroll at dusk, although it was the lure of getting a magnum that did get us off the sofa!

We had our usual beach walk when we had the day off together. It was a beautiful day, but with a lovely sea breeze it was comfortable to walk in

As we'd been out for a while we ended up stopping at a garage and getting ourselves a late lunch. We sat on the beach to eat it, you really can't beat that view!

Hubby had a great haul that day, and some good size pieces too

A range of colours. White, green, olive and pale blue

I was having a 'blind' day, but at least I managed to find a large pale blue piece

I had a work meeting to go to in Stratford. It turned out nothing like I could have imagined as we spent 2 hours around the Olympic park 'team building'. It was so much fun as we worked in teams, had clues to find and had to show photographic evidence. It meant I was able to visit somewhere ordinarily I wouldn't normally have gone to.

The mandala has been continued and been growing, with thankfully some quicker easier rounds. But I've hit another mistake!

I'm so frustrated! I'm not quick at crochet, and I have limited time, so to have to undo a whole round which I need to do is a little bit heartbreaking!

The problem is I didn't know I had gone wrong until I was at the end of this round! I'm supposed to have 31 of these lilac stitches in each section, but somehow the last section has 33!!

So I've chucked it aside for the moment, until I can bear to undo and redo, and made a start on a new basket. As you may recall last time I intended to do another (but slightly different) scrap yarn basket. Its not quite gone to plan, I have said before they do work up organically, and take their own shape. Well this one certainly has. For some reason the base on this one didn't come out flat like all the others.

Its like a ceramic bowl with a base, so if it wishes to be a bowl, then a bowl it may be!!

Scrap yarn basket...

On this weeks beach walk, despite thinking it was perfect treasure conditions, strong wind and waves and the tide far out, there wasn't much to be found.

Of course we still enjoyed our walk in spite of this

We walked as far as the pier

And decided to stop at the lovely café at the end of the pier for tea cake

And went on to the amusements to play the 2p machines

Craft wise I have been continuing round the mandala. Its extending out again, but thankfully not too complicated

I have also managed to finish my scrap yarn basket

Ive just got a few more ends to tidy up!

I love how its turned out and the fact that however many you made none of them would look the same! I intend to make another, but with some variation...

A week of mixed crafts...

We went out on  a most enjoyable beach walk last week, and yes the sun did put in an appearance. Despite the tide being in we still had a search for treasure. I wasn't able to find any glass at the beginning, but I took joy at all the other wondrous things that get washed on to the beach. For the first time I found some good pieces driftwood

Its amazing how time flies and how many metres you walk when you are completely absorbed in nature around you. The only problem is having to walk back again!

Along the way I did manage to find quite a few pieces, in fact I managed to beat hubby on quantity this time, but he came up trumps with our best find so far, an absolutely beautiful cobalt blue piece

This week I've dabbled in a few crafts. I have of course continued with the mandala rounds. It is now bigger than our patio table and to take this picture I had to stand on some steps

I have now completed week 11, a whole 76 rows!

So many different stitches, make great texture

I bought myself a little pack of  acrylic paints as I wanted to experiment to see if the paint would take on the chalk pebbles, and I was very pleased to find that it worked!

Hubby's Uncle gave us some of his home grown rhubarb, my favourite fruit

So I made good use of it and made a scrummy crumble

I made a start on a new basket, after seeing that I hadn't made one for too long.

As I have a ridiculously large stash of acrylic yarns I fancied trying a scrap yarn basket. As I wanted a complete random mix of colour I put two strands together, and went up a hook size. Its tricky to make it random when you're used to pattern, and matching.

I kinda like how its turning out though

Treasures and mandala madness continues...

So it was back to work this week, and the weather hasn't been the greatest, its been quite changeable.
On our day off together, despite the grey skies, we were determined to make the most of the beach.

We felt it would be a good treasure hunting opportunity as the sea had been churning well. And it was, we found plenty of pieces, but we hadn't anticipated on the strength of the wind nor the chillyness!

Apart from a lone dog walker we were the only ones braving the elements. Its normally me that struggles with the cold the most but the quantity of finds had me in a determined state of mind. We were in much need of a warm up, so we stopped for hot chocolate before we headed back.

By chance I came across some super cute mini glass bottles at The Works, perfect to display our pretty sea treasures.

              I took time out after work to visit the art instillation that's temporarily on our beach.

Its cleverly mirrored so you get to see unusual reflections.

The only problem, as they've been up awhile, they've been up against the elements so some of the mirrors are too dirty! 

I have continued to work on the mandala. I'm happy that week 11 is much less taxing

I wont go as far as saying easy, as I still managed to make a mistake!

I was so annoyed with myself, it wasnt really down to lack of concentration this time, but as i just pick it up in the evenings, I stop and start around the circle. For some reason I had the wrong stitches in my head so basically just made it up!!

                                 Looking back at my June pictures, I was shocked to see that

I hadn't made any baskets for the whole month! The Mandala and its massive rounds have literally taken up all my craft time, but also I thoroughly enjoy making it, I do though, need to find a way of fitting in some smaller projects too!