Worth lots to me.

I'm pleased as punch, can't tell you how pleased I am with these two buys above.

On the left, a detail on one of two plates I saw in the window of a charity shop, and had to buy. And on the right, a little indulgence from when I was in a Cath Kidston shop before Christmas last year, a little pencil case/cosmetic bag, the pattern of which gives me an enormous amount of pleasure, it's just gorgeous. Provencal Rose the pattern's called.

The plate : 59 pence. The bag, I think about a fiver, probably less, I can't quite remember.

Relative to how much I spent on these things, I'd say I've done enormously well on the amount of happiness their patterns have brought me. Just goes to show, it's not always about how much you spend, is it?

Like flowers from the garden, or pretty weeds, in a jam jar, cost nothing, and they always make me want to do a happy little hop and a skip.

Pebbles collected from the beach, their beauty gives me a lot of joy.

This is going to start turning in to a list, and I suspect that once I get going, I'll find it difficult to put a lid on my list of happy little things, so I think I'll stop before I really get started.

There you go, a view of both my precious plates.

I was just having a look on google, to see if I could find out more about this pattern.

Not a single sausage came up about this pattern. Now I'm really intrigued. Any of you know this pattern, and how you can get hold of it? Ta-thanks.

You may have noticed the bit of knitting on display, under the plates, in one of the above photos?

Yes, indeedy, that is my knitting, I'm currently working on.

Yum, aren't these Anemones just beautiful? Just had to interrupt the knitting proceedings with these exquisite flowers.

I've been gazing at them, sitting on my desk, whilst I work on some abstract paintings. I desperately want to paint them, but I do need to get the abstracts done for the gallery and florist.

To have these on my desk whist I'm working ............... well, it feels special, to have such beautiful blooms near me. The sky has been a deep dark grey all day, and the house feels and looks dark too. These dark sky days can be difficult, but having some searing crimson red flowers sitting nearby whilst I work, has helped the day to feel quite nice.

That has to be a good example of "mind over matter", don't you think. That's a phrase my dad used to use with us a lot when I was a child, and it's stuck with me, along with "you've got nothing to lose by trying". They should probably teach these two phrses in schools!

Shall we return to the knitting then?

I've now knitted three panels for the skirt section of the dress I'm knitting, and have started on the fourth. It will be good to get these finished, I have to admit. I knew it would get tiresome knitting all four panels at once, but I always like to save the best till last, and I think knitting the striped top section of the dress will be more fun than knitting the one colour skirt part.

Here's a photo of the dress I'm knitting, just incase you haven't seen it yet:

I'll be making the sleeves longer in my version, I'll feel the cold if the sleeves stay short.

So here we are, two panels for the back of the skirt, and one panel for the front, a little way to go till that last panel is finished.

It's an interesting texture that's being knitted up, don't you think?

I've started to lose a bit of my original bouncy joy at knitting these panels. I can do 'long-distance' knitting, but now the end is in sight, I just want this part to be done. "It's all in the mind" as my dad would say. I need to get a grip for this last section of the marathon.

I'm going to get back to my painting now.

Hugo is away till Sunday, he's sailing with a group of people, on the West coast of Scotland.

It's very quiet around here without Hugo (he left on Thursday afternoon), and there's no getting out for walks with the doggies, because Ellie has kennel cough (as diagnosed by the vet on Thursday), and has to be kept indoors, with Douglas, who doesn't have it yet, but may well catch it, as kennel cough is highly contagious. My neighbour and I are trying to stop them from getting bored by taking it in turns to have them every few hours! Poor things, no walkies, life is going to seem incredibly dull and frustrating for them I imagine! We think Ellie picked up the kennel cough on one of their walks.

I miss Hugo a lot, but at the same time, it's giving me lots of work time. This morning I managed to sleep over the alarm, because I didn't have my customary second wake up call, in the form of Hugo with a cuppa. It's a radio alarm, and I put it up very loud, because I've started to sleep through it in the mornings lately, but normally Hugo makes sure I'm awake. The radio really was pretty loud, it's amazing I didn't wake up till 9:30. I'l try turning it up full volume tonight!

Just one more picture before I pootle off.

I do love my red anemones.

Have a good weekend, my dear readers, see you on Monday. Cheerio. Love Vanessa xxx

Comments

[Jude]

Really loved your Mermaid jacket - just wondering how I can justify buying the kit for myself?? - this dress is really beginning to take shape now - and I'm thinking how great the red and turquoise are going to work together once you start on the stripey top part. (Don't miss Hugo too much - just think how you can indulge yourself timewise and he'll be back before you know it.)

[Hen]

Hi Vanessa,
I am so jealous of the lovely roses plates - what a good find, so glad you have snapped them up and given them an appreciative home. I adore the Cath K Provence Rose pattern too and it definitely works best in the bright green colourway than the pastels. I hope you have a nice relaxing weekend and I do hope Ellie is better soon.
Love Hen x
P.S. Can't wait to see the dress finished, it will be amazing!

[Heather]

You have such amazing taste in colours. Your anemones are stunning, once again. So red!
xxx

[Kate Bruning]

That cup of tea wake up is never to be underestimated... In fact this morning, being Saturday, I couldn't get out of bed until I had two cups. The panels you are knitting are divine- are you using 4ply? I can't wait to see it all assembled. Have a lovely weekend and I hope there are many, many more cups of tea to be had. XXOOXXOOXX.

[Magic Cochin]

Those anemones are such a gorgeous colour and they look wonderful against the teal knitted dress panels.

I always live strange hours if Cliff is away.

Celia
x

[greenrabbitdesigns]

Hope Ellie is all better soon and that Douglas manages to avoid it !
Have a good weekend. :)
Vivienne

[Claire]

Hope Ellie's feeling better soon, and that Douglas avoids the lurgy! Lovely flowers - the anemones, the plates and the bag - and I love the texture on those skirt panels.

[Jane]

Really love the texture of that skirt pattern - I always try to avoid things that need the same part knitted several times, the last one is always such a chore (quite ridiculous of me and definitely a case for mind over matter - husband says such sayings aren't used in schools now over fears of denting self-esteem). Hope the kennel cough goes soon, it is awfully contagious I'm afraid.

[Jenni]

Poor puppies Kennel cough is not much fun, you can get them vaccinated for it but like the flu there are many strains. Love the dress, keep going :-) I'm waiting for the lovely colour in the top.

[Penny Graham-Jones]

Oh dear, poor doggies, I do hope the cough goes away soon and you can keep the boredom at bay. Those red anenomes just glow don't they, and I love the way the shape of the petals are echoed in the little paint pallettes. The texture in the skirt is lovely, you have so much patience! Here's to Hugo coming home soon! Penny xxx

[Jude]

Poor pups, hope they are able to go for walks soon.
Lucky Hugo sailing, I miss sailing the coast of Cornwall..sailing isn't the same here..the wind (if any is always blowing the wrong way!)
The wild anenomes have all but gone here, we have field gladioliis instead and tiny cyclamen instead.
You are so clever knitting a dress..I love knitting and crocheting but would never dream of such a task........
Take care
Jude

[Claire]

Your dress is so gorgeous. I am impressed with your knitting, patience and how slim you are to wear such a lovely dress!

Keep up the good work, your blog always cheers me up x

[Mandy]

Hi Vanessa.
As always i found your post so uplifting. I just love your anemones. What a vibrant colour and how lovely to have them on your desk to glance at.
Your dress is coming along well. I can't wait to see a piccy when it is finished. How clever your are!
I hope your dogs are well again soon.
I hope you enjoy some 'me' time whilst Hugo is away and that he has a good trip.
It is lovely that you have got so much pleasure out of an inexpensive plate.
I feel it is most important to get pleasure out of the simple things in life such as the beauty of nature, a pleasant passing commment or just by admiring the colour of something etc.
Have a great weekend. x

[Jessie]

I know just what you mean about little things cheering you up. Those anenomes are so vibrant, what a lovely ides to have them to glance at when you're at your desk. I wish I had more room on mine for them! ;o)xx

[Cath W]

Hi Vanessa,
My husband works for the BBC in London, and if he's scheduled to work weekends he often has to stay in town because the trains stop too early. So I know that bittersweet feeling - a bit lonely, but with a bit of extra time to catch up on things!
Have a lovely weekend with the pups.
Cath

[Lindy]

That dress is quite a project, and looks like it will be spectacular!!! Always enjoy your colorful posts- thanks for a bright spot in my day once again.

[Siobhan]

I really am rather fond of the colour of your dress. It is going to look gorgeous! I find it incredible the amount of knitting you manage to do. I think you must have a special set of muscles that you have developed! One of anything is more than I could cope with. I can see why the panels would get tedious but I too would save the best to last - its an incentive to get there isn't it? Your life is creative all day every day - I can't imagine where you find and store all your ideas in your head. To spend your day illustrating and then to do more painting and knitting and crochet is so awe-inspiring. Really it is! It's fascinating to see that you put in so much time and effort and have to be very disciplined. I've always floated about on a cloud of procrastination. Now I know what I need. A work ethic!

I have looked everywhere for anemones this year but cannot find any, I saw them once when I had no money with me, such a beautiful red isn't it? Love your little treasures - it is so true that the small things are often what reward us the most. Hope you find out about your plates - the roses just jump out at you; I have some pansy ones which I tried to find out about but to no avail. It's funny what you say about the radio not being loud enough in the morning - I find that too. The trouble is that I like to go to sleep with it on so I have to turn it down for that and then in the morning I sleep through it! I hope you don't miss lovely Hugo too much and Douglas doesn't catch a cough too. Lots of love to little Ellie and hope she is better soon.

[Rachel]

Hi Vanessa,
love how your knitting is coming along, beautiful texxture!Those plates are gorgeous!My hubby has just come home after working away for 8 days! Although I missed him badly, I managed to finish lots of sewing projects for my stall!
I hope Ellie gets better soon!
The anemones are so pretty, love the colour!
Rachel x

[Carole]

Hi Vanessa,
Fab colourful blog as ever. The colour of the Anemones is soooo rich and gorgeous. Your knitting is coming on a treat and i love that colour as well.
Looking forward to next weeks blogs.
Have a good weekend
Love Carole from Rossendale xxxxxx

[sumea]

the plates are beautiful and i love the colours in this this post. in matter of fact i love the colours in all your posts! this blog has the most wonderful eye candy.

[Emma]

The combination of those vermillion anemones with that teal knitting has woken me up! They sing together. Your dress project looks both chic and exciting Vanessa. I can hardly wait to see you wearing it.

[Jacqueline]

Hi Vanessa, I'm sorry that Ellie is unwell, but hope she is better soon. Don't miss Hugo too much - enjoy your free weekend. What is your secret for getting your knitting to fit. Do you swatch? I have made a couple of things recently that are absolutely huge. I think I might stick to scarves and gloves from now on!

[The Curious Cat]

Those plates are divine - it is like the roses are leaping out at you! And I can't wait to see how your pattern looks finally finished! Lovely pics as always and I hope you don't miss Hugo too much - he'll be home soon! Sailing tho...not great weather this week I hear :( xxx

[Pipany]

Hi Vanessa. Your dress is coming along amazigly quickly to me. Quite inspired to get on with Dave's hooded jumper which has slowed to a crawl! x

[Ann]

Hello!

I like your blog very much and especially the tutorials.
I hope that you don´t mind that I borrowed a picture of the little square scarf and put a link to the tutorial on my blog? Tell me in case you dont like it.
Best regards/ Ann in Sweden

[Mary]

Your red anemones are lovely indeed !