Elizabeth

This is Elizabeth - posing in my recent knitting projects. She is well over 40 years old and I believe she was used as a model for babies clothes in a shop window - so she was secondhand when I got her. My godmother gave her to me when I was about 3, so I have known her "all my life". I truly believed that she was a real person and I loved her as any "mother" would love her baby (with tender loving care). I had all the equipment, cot, clothes and a wonderful red and white pram. I still have the pram, which is big enough to hold a real baby. I also have the original clothes, the white dress with flowers in the photo is what she was wearing when I first got her. My godmother and my mother made a layette, including this dress, a petticoat, aran cardigan, gloves, tights and a complete set of blankets and pillow. Was I spoiled or what.

When my own daughter was old enough to play with dolls I tried to introduce Elizabeth to her thinking she would have the same attachment to dolls as I did. I was wrong, Elizabeth was tossed in the corner, naked, and I eventually put her in the attic, that was 8 years ago.
I took her down a few weeks ago and she is just right for modelling my little knitted things.

The Bolero is from a Patons book, the frilly cardigan is a Peter Pan pattern and the blue set is a Sirdar pattern from their Early Arrivals book.

Perfect!!

This rose grows outside my office and has the most beautiful scent. The office was once a dwelling house and the garden is dotted with gems like this. I just thought that the rose was perfectly "out" and wanted to capture it before our weather spoiled the moment!!

IRON EDDIE!!!

I painted (oil) this copy of an Iron Maiden album cover - over the space of 4 years!!! I finished it recently - it measures 4ftX4ft. I have done a few smaller versions, much easier, and I would like to paint (acrylic) some Dio covers too. We have a LP collection in the attic and there are enough album covers to last me a lifetime. Meanwhile I am just glad to get this one out of the "studio"!!!

The Flight of the Earls - Starting Point!

This is a photo of the plaque which was unveilled in Ballindrait, Co. Donegal on the 400th anniversary of the flight of the Earls. I was waiting for my friend to collect me the day we climbed Muckish, and took the opportunity to take a photo. The plaque is beside the bridge where the Earls met and started their journey to Rathmullan where they went to "the continent" never to return, the rest, as they say, is history! Ballindrait, transalted Baile an Droichead, town of the bridge. I have lived near this village since I was three and only recently discovered the significance of one of the oldest bridges in Ireland which is still in use.

Oh My Muckish!!!!

Friday 26th June 2009

Here we are, all 108 of us, at the big challenge!! We climbed this mountain, Muckish, 666 metres, for a colleague who is climbing his own mountain - fighting cancer.

It was a tough climb and climbing to the summit was challenging enough, only to be met by a sea of jagged rocks which seemed to go on for miles. It was like being on another planet. It took me over one and a half hours, but everyone agrees - the "high" that we felt was something else!!!!

Coming back down had its' own challenges, choosing the right path and getting a good foothold. Heathers look solid enough but they collapse like a sponge when stood on!!!!

Afterwards we all had refreshments at The Lagoon, entertained by a group of local Set Dancers - who probably wondered where the heck all these eejits came out of!!

There I am picking my way through the rocks on the summit!

View from the highest point. Wow!
















This is the view we met coming towards the mountain, it looks "timid" enough from this angle!!

Li'l Hoodie

This is from Sirdar Baby World. I have the book since 1994 but haven't tried this jacket before, it was a treat to knit. It is a gift for a friends baby.

Shay's Gloves

These are the gloves worn by Shay Given in his first match with Man City. They were donated to a local chrity (Drumboe House) and my DS got the chance to try them on before the auction. The gloves are quite heavy and re-inforced on each finger, not just your average goalkeeper's glove!!! They raised over €2000.