It’s funny how with your first born, you want them to hurry to the next milestone, to watch them blossom and achieve as much as possible, all the while, you stress over the smallest things, you wrap them tightly in cotton wool and you question yourself twenty-four seven, as to if you are doing motherhood correctly.
When your last baby comes along, you are wiser and a damn sight busier than you were before. You take on motherhood with confidence, pride and a heart so full of love, nothing in the world matters more than your flesh and blood, your baby’s. They are your world.
And while you catch that rare five minutes to yourself, as your new born sleeps peacefully, you stare endlessly at his chest raising and falling, and you just know, you never want him to grow up, you want to keep him this tiny forever. You are in no hurry for him to reach his next milestone.
So when our miracle baby Calum, turned 15, I knew he’ll soon be going up against the world all on his own, making his own life changing decisions about his future. It hits home, as that gut wrenching feeling overwhelms you, that you need to loosen the apron strings, when all I want to do is pull them tighter, to protect him, to keep him at home, safe from the nastiness of the world. I’m far from ready to watch him grow into a man.

For his special day, Mark, my Mum, Connor and I took him to London to watch the Athletics World Cup. It’s was a boiling hot day, reaching 35c. We were hot, sweaty and mega excited to share his passion with him.
The perfect gift for our budding athlete.

It was such a pleasure to spend the day together, as life gets in the way, as well as tight purse strings, family day outs don’t happen as much as we would like.
As we cheered on our country, as a family, I knew that this special day out, is what memories are made of and that day would stay with us for a life time. We were writing our own history right there and then.
If only the rat race of life and work would allow us to have more of them.

Crochet
My life line and guilty pleasure, Crochet has kept me busy throughout the month of July. I decided that I would make the month all about, joining and completing a few of my WIPS (Work in progress) and I’ve done just that.

I finally got around to joining my “Moonstone Lapghan” squares, and finishing her off with a simple border.
I’m so pleased with how she turned out, so are my cats who won’t leave it alone. 🐱 You can read more her here.

I Started the mammoth task of joining the 67 squares I have made for my Mums “Nuts about DNA Afghan.“ not a small task, that’s for sure. It was incredibly difficult as it’s going to be humongous when it’s finished.
Finding the space to join 12 squares by 12 squares was a challenge but to find somewhere were I wouldn’t get backache or make my circulation worse, was tricky
It was a matter of joining two squares, getting up, moving around to get my blood moving and sitting back down to join the next square. It was time consuming, a tad painful but worth it. She’s looking pretty and rather large.
Now all I have to do is make the rest of the squares, I think I’m now down to 75 more to make.

I finished my second “Briar Rose” Lapghan, which I called, “Briar Rose, Blanket of hugs.” I made it for my mum to gift to a new born baby boy. You can read more about it here.

Last month a began to tell you about a Lapghan I had only just started making, using Polly Plum’s “Lotus Moon” square.
The Lotus Moon square is probably one of my favourites and I think I could now make it with my eyes closed.
With all squares joined and a simple border adding, she finished and looking rather pretty.
You can read all about her here.

My all time favourite designer, Tatsiana Kupryianchyk, from Lilla Bjorn Crochet World, brought out a new pattern called “Stained Glass Lantern”, which I instantly fall in love with and knew I had to make.
I easily decided on a colour palette and found the colours in my yarn stash and set about making a test square.
I used Stylecraft Special Double Knit, in colours, black and Jaffa.
While I was stitching away, my oldest Connor, kept owing and erring and within minutes of finishing he had decided that I would make him a duvet size blanket.
The square came out a little small for my liking, so I’ve decided to use Stylecraft Special Chunky, instead of double knit. I just need to get a few blankets finished first and then I’ll make a start, not sure if it will be king bed size though. I just know I will get bored making that many squares, no matter how wonderful the pattern is.

I made a rash decision to start another Briar Rose blanket, but with a twist.
I am using Paintbox Simply Aran from, Love crochet, in colours, Red Wine, Mustard Yellow, Blood Orange Tomato Red and Granite Grey.
I have used this yarn a few times now and it’s really nice to work with, it just slides off your hook and it’s a good price at £1.99 for a 100g ball/skein.

I’m was quite excited about starting it, especially as I was using colours totally outside my comfort zone, which lead me to question it every step of the way, so much so, I kept asking my two boys, “What they would do colour-wise?” Their suggestions changed the lapghans direction and I think it ended up, looking ok.
You can read more about my “Autumnal Briar Rose” here.

I’ve also made a few squares for my Mums, “Nuts about DNA Afghan.” They are

Two, UpBeat Simple Square, by Kathy Lasley.

Blaze, from the ebook Solaris by Helen Shrimpton.

Two, Kata squares , by Penny Davidson.

Vinta’licious Cal Square 7, hosted by Elle Yarns.

My crochet crush, this month has to be without a doubt, Vanessa from Hooked on Sunshine, new pattern Hollipops.
Hollipops hasn’t been released yet. It will be a crochet along (cal) which starts on the 24th August 2018 and will run over 8 weeks.
It’s so pretty.
The Blanket will incorporates some simple crochet stitch-work, a little bit of overlay crochet (my favourite), a little bit of of embroidery/crossstitch. (Something new to me) It’s a paid pattern but knowing Vanessa’s talent and pattern writing skills, it’s well worth $6 USD, about £4.77.
You can read more about the Hollipops Cal, here.

Family History.
I’m sorry to say it’s been on the back burner this month.
I haven’t researched at all, we all need a break from the things we love once in a while to keep the love a live.
We did however take a little trip to Abney Cemetery in Islington, in hopes of finding my Willats Ancestors, tombs and Vaults.
We were not successful unfortunately. The cemetery is in a sad state of affairs and even though most of the grave are mainly readable, it’s heavily over grown and mainly used as a place for dog walking, which my poor flip flops discovered in the worst possible way. 💩
Even though I had grave numbers and information at the ready, there are no maps or information about where they are located. Also there wasn’t anyone around to ask where grave location D06 would be.

It was disappointed to say the least. I very much wish I could have phoned my Nan to tell her, I had found her family resting place and to have been able to take lots of photos.
I did how ever find a grave for a Tilley family. I have no idea if we are related, as I know so very little about Ellen Tilley and her family. I took a quick photo just in case I ever discover more about our Tilley’s, you never know it could be them. Fingers crossed.

I received my Uncle Steve’s, DNA results back. I’ve had a very fast look at his DNA matches, which mainly consists of Rudgley family members. Hopefully I will find some time to send a few emails to them and work out how we connect.

Intwined.
Every since I threw my blog together back in January, I haven’t really been 100% happy with its over all look and functionality. Over the last few weeks, I’ve been tweaking her here and there, making small changes, and I’m much happier with her now. She’s far from where I want her to be, but with time, study and lots of tutorial watching on YouTube, I hope to get her to where I want her, real soon.
Can you spot the changes?

I think that just about sums up July, so I’ll wish you all a happy healthy, sun filled August and say toodaloo for now.

🙈🙉🙊