The Height of Summer

Hey Shorty - yep, that's me. At just 5ft 0", I can't even squeeze an extra half an inch, I'm almost certainly going to be one the shortest bloggers joining Julie in The Height of Summer

I've never really minded being short but it can have drawbacks every now and again......

• It's guaranteed that at some point in the weekly supermarket shop the item I want to buy will be located on the top shelf. On more than one occasion I've had to ask a suitably tall person for assistance and in the absence of one of those I make sure no one is looking and use the bottom shelf as a step.

• In family photos I seem to get pushed to the front I think mainly as it's unlikely I will block the view of anyone else.

• Being short it kind of follows that I have small feet. I'd look a bit silly with size 7s so my feet are size 3 (that's 35.5 not 36 as some shops sell) or even a 2.5....or even a petite size 2.

• Before the days of all seater stadiums just before kick off I'd take up position with what I thought would be a good view only to be disappointed to find that right at the last minute someone who seems to biggest person around would come and stand right in front of me. Now music gigs are just the same......

I bet even in this very blurry photo you can pick me out in amongst my tall friends.

I had a think about how I would take part in The Height of Summer so as well as this blog post, earlier in the week in the tradition of all good children's programmes of the 70s and 80s I put my details on a postcard and posted it to Julie.

If you follow Alexa's blog you might have seen the post about her painted journal pages. If so you will recognise the technique as being the same one that Alexa used by Carla Sonheim. Instead of abstract flowers mine seemed to morph into sunbursts which seemed appropriate for The Height of Summer.

So have you shared your vital statistic? If not you've still got time to join in pay Julie a visit to find out how.

Beside the Seaside

Hello I have a paper project to share today. 

I took a small canvas to create a keepsake for my Uncle's 60th birthday. I reversed it and covered it in a layer of book pages. When dry I gave it a coat of gesso and added some stencilled paint and a touch of blue distress ink. 

The reversed side gives the perfect nook to create a scene and for this I chose to recreate the seaside. I cut lots of waves from different coloured blue papers and used some of my shell collection to create a seabed. I could have used some photo editing software to colour the ring but for ease I coloured it using promarkers. Washi tape makes very simple bunting with some bakers twine and for the last finishing touch a pinwheel.

.......beside the seaside, beside the sea.

An Olympian Effort

Hello I've just about recovered from all the excitement of the Olympics, have you? So much to watch and cheer for.

I've just embarked on my own marathon - knitting a jumper. I've admired the pattern for over a year and when I finally found some yarn that made it an affordable project I took the plunge. I totally miscalculated how much I needed and was lucky that I was able to go back and order more  the cost of my bargain jumper was rising especially as I also had to buy the right sized circular needles......and I'm still not convinced I've got enough.

I managed to overcome the hurdle of the provisional cast on and found a new method of using a crocheted chain only then to be stumped with the major calculations required to make the pattern fit me (see scribbled notes on pattern!) Even the Engineer of the house was perplexed. However I got there in the end.

So with calculations and cast on done I'm now stuck trying to work out the stitch pattern, honeycomb brioche......A You Tube search produced a tutorial which was very continental and just confused me even more but I'm getting there. I'm going to consult with with some experts at my stitching group this week I'm sure they will come up trumps.

Wish me luck I'm trying focus on how lovely those kimono sleeves will look when it's finished. See I'm being optimistic......when not if!

If you are interested in the pattern you can find it on Etsy by Karen Clements