Beautiful Blogger Blanket of 2012 - It begins!

I have already seen 3 lovely bloggy posts about squares people are making for the Beautiful Blogger Blanket of 2012..and a few of you have emailed me for my postal address... 

First from Carole at Gingerbread Girl pop over there for a glimpse of the squares she is making for the BBB 2012.....Just a glimpse, but looking so good.

Second from Kashi at Kashi's Corner have a look to see what lovely squares she made...


Thirdly from a very new blog to me called My House in Africa.  Laura has already made 3 squares for the BBB 2012! Nip over there and have a look...it is a lovely blog too - with a gorgeous ripply blanket in progress.

(If you have blogged about squares you have made or are making, please do drop me a comment and I will link to them as soon as possible)

I have actually got my eager little fingers on 6 squares from 

Shelley of All4meggymoo... oh my goodness Shelley they are gorgeous! 

Here they are: 

Shelley's squares arrived in a beautiful little package! 

BBB SQUARE 1

BY - Shelley from All4meggymoo -

PATTERN - Adapted from the 'Crochet To Go' book by Ellen Gormley - Page 34.

YARN - Kool Kotton in blue & cream

BBB SQUARE 2

BY - Shelley from All4meggymoo

PATTERN -  Granny Square

YARN - Kool Kotton in pink & cream 

BBB SQUARE 3

BY -  Shelley at All4meggymoo

PATTERN - From 'Crochet Today', Page 54 - 55

YARN - Kool Kotton in blue

BBB SQUARES 4 & 5

BY -  Shelley at All4meggymoo

PATTERN - From 'Crochet Today', Page 54 - 55

YARN - Kool Kotton in pink.

BBB SQUARE 6

BY -  Shelley at All4meggymoo

PATTERN - From 'Inside Crochet', Issue 3, Page 84 - Page 86

YARN - Kool Kotton in pink.

So the first 6 squares are already here... have you done yours yet? It will only take a few minutes... you have until 31st January 2012.

If you need a reminder of the rules for the Beautiful Blogger Blanket of 2012, take a look at the original posts here and here ...it is easy, it is free, (apart  from your time and cotton yarn), and the more squares you make and send, the more entries you get to win the blanket itself...but if you just want to send one square that is blooming marvelous too.... 


THANK YOU for all your lovely comments and for visiting my blog in 2011.  I hope you enjoy your celebrations this evening...be they a wild night out or a quiet family night in.....

May you all be safe, healthy and happy throughout the coming year.. .. big happy hugs, Jill xxx

Tidying up the ends before the end of the year... Part Two

In the few weeks before Christmas I was absolutely delighted to be given the Liebster Blog Award by 3 other lovely bloggers!

These are the lovely ladies who gave it to me:  Shelley from All4meggymoo, Kashi from Kashi's Corner, and Hilly T from Hilly Town Blue. 


Hilly said, " Stocki - Crafter, mother, small business owner, gardener, carer, this is one busy lady!  Her blog is such an interesting place to be and full of lovely thoughts and ideas.  She is also hosting the Beautiful Blogger Blanket of 2012 which is a fabulous idea and lots of work for her.  I don't know how she does it"... 


Aww thanks ladies.. and special thanks for the kind words to you Hilly...I'm so pleased that you read and like the blog.


The rules of the award are that upon receipt of the award I should: 

1) Link back to the blogger who gave it 

2) Paste the award on the blog

3) Choose 5 blogs to pass this award to (they must have fewer than 200 followers)

4) Let the recipients know about their nomination by leaving a comment on their blogs.

So I have great pleasure in passing on the Liebster Blog Award to 15 lovely blogs.  It is hard to find blogs who have under 200 followers, so I have tried to find some newcomers who really deserve more acclaim and who should rapidly rise to have 200 followers and not be eligible so get over to them quick! 

My 15, (in no particular order) are:

1. Faith from Faith 

I always seem to be following faith around the blogs...she has usually commented on other people's blogs just before me...so I think we must have a lot in common, and she often makes me laugh out loud with her lovely humour!

2. Chris from Getting Hooked Again is in Friesland, Netherlands.

Chris has a lovely sense of colour and always seems to crochet things that I love.  I have only just found her, but will definitely be reading her blog wherever she posts!

3.  From Cotswolds near Stroud comes Clicky Needles 

    

    Clicky Needles also produce unique hand painted yarns and sells them at http://clickyneedles.com  Yummy, yummy yarns in wonderful colour combinations! 

4.  Anna at Esme Rudy.  

    A very much undiscovered treasure which I have just found through Anna contacting me because she wants to send squares for the Beautiful Blogger Blanket of 2012.

    5.  From West Sussex, UK, is Annaboos House

       

    Oooo here I got hooked by Korknisse, beautiful crochet covered votives and a wonderful sense of humour.

    6.  Terrie from Creative Haven

   

    Lovely photos and gorgeous crochet.

7.  Have you found Fee at chipper nelly yet? 

    Fee runs a very classy blog, is incredibly creative and sells with 'Not On The High Street.com.  If you hurry you can meet Minnie the baby micro pig! 

8.  Ahhh lovely Janette at The Green Dragonfly 

This lady has VERY lucky children as she is creative and entertaining and comes up with fantastic crafty ideas to keep them amused.  She crochets beautifully too! 

9.  Nikki from The Home Bird

   Inspiring home photos and beautiful lifestyle ideas.

  

10. Wendz from 15, Coast Road.  

   Another quite new blog to me, but written as if Wendz is talking straight to you... lovely pictures and thoughts.

11. . Annie of Knitsofacto 

A new blog to me... gorgeous and inspiring, Annie from Wales is also on Ravelry.

12.  Penny at Violet White

Penny also has another blog called Chez Penny and did a great job of knitting cakes to raise money for charity (Breast Cancer Care) earlier this year.

13.  Tickety-boo  is from the Cotswold's in the UK.  

Knitting and life written with humour and honesty.

14. I love reading the posts from at RosMadeMe.  

Ros from Essex, UK,  is also very generous with her craft tutorials.  

15.  Last, but definitely not least is Louise from Lally lou lou

Louise is in North Yorkshire and her blog posts include crochet and easy to follow tutorials (I have used the Granny Shawl a few times).  

Phew!  It wasn't hard to find these blogs, but it was VERY hard to keep the choice to 15.. there are some fantastic blogs out there aren't there!? 

Tidying up the ends before the end of the year... Part One

There are a few things I should be blogging about before the New year begins... First of all on December 16th I promised that I would blog about the rest of my advent pressies from Madison Makes... and since then there hasn't been a minute to even think about it... so today I am catching up before the new year begins to sweep away the old... 

Here are the other presents that Madison sent me for my advent swap...

Gorgeous little soaps

A Christmas votive..

Hearts to hang on the tree

Beautiful little nightlight candles in the shapes of flowers

A vintage glass jug

A vintage glass footed bowl in beautiful blue

A notebook with handmade cover

A book on knitting in the pub.. 

Lovely smellies

Look at the pattern in this vintage glass bowl...

This is just gorgeous...little angels dancing in the candle light...

A floral pomander...and lovely memories of smelling my Nan's one which was similar...

and a hand knitted little heart...so sweet to hang on the tree for now...and on a door handle after Christmas..

THANK YOU MADISON... I have loved opening all of my advent presents...
 it made Christmas just that little bit more special for me....
I do hope you enjoyed opening yours too... x

Wait for meeeeeee....... I'm late for everything this week!

It's Friday already and I haven't done Tuesday's Tallies at Gingerbread Girl !


Nor have I blogged even once about the beautiful Advent Swap presents that I have been opening daily from lovely Madison at Madison Makes.  I haven't even had time to update you on the progress of the Beautiful Blogger Blanket of 2012! 


SO.... Tuesday's Tallies... everyone else in the One-A-Day project seems to be in various states of getting behind, so at least I can feel that I am in good company there...For the record I now have 100 squares...and should have had 104 on Tuesday, so not so far behind.

The Advent Swap - Organised by Lynda at Hookinwithlaalaa ... I am so glad that I chose to join in with this swap... Madison has sent me so many lovely presents.  It all started with the big box that arrived...

It was all I could do not to start opening them all immediately.. after all, who would know?? But I decided to put the naughty girl in me to bed and open them daily.  Madison organised it like a 'lucky dip' box so that I could just chose one a day.  


The first 5 days went so fast the I didn't have a moment to show you the pressies... but here they are....

Ahem... sing along ladies......


On the first day of Christmas Madison sent to me... One huge ball  of DK 
(beautiful colour Madison).


On the second day of Christmas Madison sent to me... One ball of red mohair wool (are you surprised that I opened the squashy 'yarny' type pressies first?!)


On the third day of Christmas Madison sent to me... A lovely vintage glass vase!  (You've been reading my blog Madison... I swoon at the sight of vintage glass and this little vase is beautiful)!


On the Fourth day of Christmas Madison sent to me..... a hand sewn strawberry (which smells beautiful).


On the fifth day of Christmas Madison gave to me.... (I know it should be 5 gold rings, but it is...) a hand made felt Christmas tree with little button decorations which is hanging in pride of place on my dining room mirror now....

Breathe!  Aren't I lucky?  


If you haven't heard of Madison you should pop over to her blog Madison Makes ... Madison has a slight ( I'm sure she won't mind me telling you) passion for vintage china cups and saucers... she has a fantastic collection! She also loves to scour car boot sales for beautiful vintage finds... and has blogged about many of them.... 


I'll show you the next few pressies tomorrow.

On the Beautiful Blogger Blanket of 2012 front I have been sending out my postal address and happen to know that squares are battling their way through the Christmas post to me right now!  I can't wait to see them... 


Lovely Shelley from all4meggymoo.blogspot.com has sent me her squares and they will probably be the first to arrive.  


Carole of Gingerbread Girl blogged about the square she is making here.....http://gingerbreadgirl-carole.blogspot.com/2011/12/time.html.... I was so excited to see it.... and I think you will agree that it is gorgeous! 


Thank you so much to those of you who have posted the Beautiful Blogger Blanket button on your blog and encouraged others to join in. It warms my heart to see it popping up everywhere.  


Okay.... IT'S FRIDAY!! I know many of you will be at the front end of the Christmas holidays with your children at home (oh I remember it so well)..have fun...make the most of every minute...you are making your children's memories NOW - so make them good ones xxx

Snowflake Giveaway from Yarn Round Hook

Have you seen the lovely 'Snowflake Giveaway' by Victoria at 

Yarn Round Hook?  

Victoria is also giving away some gorgeous lace trimmed felt hearts... the draw is being held on Monday 5th December so get your skates on! She has also blogged a really good tutorial on crochet snowflakes with links to some lovely patterns and if you need any further inspiration for joining in with our 

Beautiful Blogger Blanket of 2012 - have a look at Victoria's Blanket

Lots of you have already said they will be joining in by making a square for the Beautiful Blogger Blanket of 2012, but there is space for lots more... please do tell you own bloggy readers about it and put the button (it's in the column on the right) on your own blog... 

It will be lovely if this project is truly international.....

Beautiful Blogger Blanket of 2012 – Crochet Competition – Part Four

The Beautiful Blogger Blanket of 2012 – Crochet Competition – Part Four

WHY would you want to make a square for The Beautiful Blogger Blanket of 2012?

Because it could be YOURS to keep or give away!

So, continuing from yesterday....

Rule 7: 

Post your square/ squares to me (please email me for my postal address or text me on the mobile number given on the 'Contact' page at  www.stocktoncrafts.co.uk).

Rule 8:

Include your name and blog address in your envelope. The Beautiful Blogger Blanket of 2012 will not mind who you are or where you live... it is a multi-cultural, worldy-wise, love-filled blanket!

Rule 9:

Include the source of the pattern you have used.  For example: Attic24, or 200 Crochet Blocks book by Jan Eaton.  If you have designed it yourself, just say so.

Rule 10:

FINAL AND VERY IMPORTANT RULE!

Please ensure that your square / squares reach me by 31^st January 2012 at the very latest. Don’t forget you can send me one square or many squares – one square equals one entry, 3 squares equal 3 entries, and so on.

Now for my bit:

As the curator of the The Beautiful Blogger Blanket of 2012 I promise to

• Keep your square/squares safe, clean and dry.

• Blog about EVERY SINGLE square I receive– including photographs of each square and details of who sent it (I will publish your blog name, source of the square pattern and link to your blog too).

• I will (as fast as my little needle and hook will allow), sew up ALL the squares until we can finally see... The Beautiful Blogger Blanket of 2012!

 And then.....

• I will put the names of all lovely contributors into a bag, and (with witnesses) will draw out the name of the winner of The Beautiful Bloggers Blanket of 2012 on 1^st February 2012.

• I will post The Beautiful Blogger Blanket of 2012 to it’s rightful owner – who could be YOU!

 Have I missed anything out?  

Let me know if you have any questions or problems.  

Meanwhile have a look at Jane's pile of beautiful blankets over at 

Teawagon Tales... and CocoRose's gorgeous blanket too.  Wouldn't it be nice to think that we could make something just as gorgeous together?