In the bleak mid-winter .....

Good evening! Hasn't the weather been awful? The novelty of snow has worn very thin, and we haven't even had it that bad here in Norfolk. It's rather embarrassing how the first snowfall of winter always seem to catch the country unprepared, so that everything grinds to a standstill. Our worst time was overnight on Thursday, and I had a rather interesting drive to work on Friday morning, trying to get up a hill with wheels spinning! I made it in the end though - just as well as my boss never shuts the school! This was what it looked like when I drew back the curtains.

You can just about make out the blue lights twinkling away on our tree - it's celebrating its third Christmas this year! I love being able to see it from our kitchen window in the evenings!

The snow and ice have kept me indoors all weekend, and I've managed to get a bit of knitting done. I have another pair of socks just started for my friend Michele's Dad. He wears them as bed socks to keep his toes all toasty at night. I'm using a Regia yarn that I bought on a recent visit to Bremen.

I've also made a start on the Sheepish cardigan for Snoopydog's grandaughter, Sophie. I won the yarn kit from Yarn on the House a couple of months ago. So far I've done a little bit of colourwork, and learned how to do an applied I-cord bind off! Most of it is knitted in one piece, so seaming should be kept to a minimum! My colourwork is by no means perfect - I think that I should have carried the yarn across the back a little more loosely - but as the sheep motifs are only on the pockets, I don't suppose it matters too much!

Here's a closer look at one of the little sheep. You can see the applied I-cord edging on the pocket too, although it all needs tidying up!

I have a couple of Innocent Smoothie hats for you too - hat of the week for week 4, modelled by Belinda, is a stripy Rowan number, whilst Betty is wearing week 5's orange offering with a fun fur trim! They both wanted to wear that one!!

I have a little Christmassy bargain that I must show you too! When Mr JK and I were out and about last weekend, I spotted a set of tins in Tesco. The dear little characters on them have been made out of felt, buttons and yarn, so I just had to have them!

Do you want a closer look? Silly question!! Here you are then .........

Aren't they just so sweet? I might even have to keep the tins in my craft room, and not put them up in the loft with all the Christmas things.

Apart from knitting, I've been baking this weekend. I tried out a new recipe of Sarah Raven's, for chocolate and mincemeat brownies. I thought they were rather delicious - really chocolatey and gooey, but Mr JK wasn't so keen. That's bad news for my waistline! Mr JK also excelled himself in the kitchen with a rather splendid cottage pie - perfect fare for such a wintery day. Don't you wish you had a fork so you could tuck in too! Keep warm! See you soon! xxx