Panda

My friend Beth loves pandas. I mean everyone loves them, but not as much as Beth. If Panda's loved other panda's as much as Beth loves them (but in a sexy way), then they wouldn't be endangered. Ok maybe not that much but she does call everyone Panda like other people do "sweetie".

photo of the book

Anyway, Beth got me this book for Christmas a couple of years ago so this year I made her the panda from it. It's my first try at amigurumi and I'm pretty proud of how it turned out. While I was making it up I decided to sew the eyes and nose rather than use pieces the suggest. I think it's cuter this way but that's a personal thing. I used french knots for the eyes.

my finished version, complete with bad sewing.

Moving

Neighbours cat outside my current flat

So I'm turning 27 in a couple of weeks, meaning I'm (arguably) entering my late 20's. It's also my last day at Wiley, a company I've worked for since I graduated over 5 and a half years ago. The last couple of weeks have been full of the realities of getting an awesome new job:

• I've handed in my notice
• Started working on handover documents for my replacement (not great terminology)
• Putting things into storage at my parents
• Sorted renting my flat (little bro is moving in)
• Arranged leaving do's
• and lastly... found somewhere to live!

I'm moving to Wimbledon. Why Wimbledon? Basically my friend Roisin suggested it because it's close to the city and close to where she lives. But looking into it after it's pretty perfect. It's got stuff going on, but not too much. There don't seem to be that many students, the transport links are great, it's not horrendously expensive and I don't feel any more likely to get stabbed than I do where I live now. It's also only an hour a way from family and friends down south (for when I make them visit).

The problem with room hunting is similar to the stereotypical problems with personal ads and online dating (heck maybe with life itself): People Lie. A double room, does not always mean a double room. Live out landlord might also be a half truth. However fourth time lucky and I've  found what looks like a great flat share in a prime location living with three other girls who seem lovely :)

I am going to miss my flat though.

...and again

P.S. I have real issues with the Wombles theme song - the line break makes it sounds like there's a comma in the wrong place...

Big News...

I've been working at Wiley for over five and a half years now and on Friday I got offered a new job which means plenty of changes.

Rereading that first sentence it sounds a lot like the job found me (which it does feel a bit like) but I did apply and have an interview etc. I'm crazy excited and nervous about it all, it feels a lot like going off to university again...

Telling people your choices
Moving away from what you know
Learning new things
Meeting new people
Living in a new city etc.

Its scary and exciting. Right now I've got to think about renting my flat and sorting out start dates etc. Later I'll be looking for somewhere to live!

BTW this is the building I'll be working in:

www.onewimpolestreet.co.uk

Yeah... Looks like I'm moving to London!

Sewing Project

I decided to take a break from my knitting project before I impaled myself on one of the needles (only one sleeve left to go!), and do some sewing. Isn't this stripy fabric amazing? I bought it from 

The words are from this pinterest picture on my quotes board. 

To start with I wrote the quotes in pencil on to the fabric (it washes out if you make any mistakes or you can use a good old rubber (eraser). My handwriting isn't the best but I think it works well with the lines paper effect fabric.
 I then freehanded some flowers and a bird based on ideas in Doodle Stitching & glued the fabric to the frame backing to keep it tight.

The project was really quick and something I'm thinking of doing again with some other quotes.

Feb Photo a Day

Here are my first week of photo's from Fat Mum Slim's Feb Photo a Day Instagram challenge. I managed to do all of them except "A Stranger" (Day 4) You can find me over at @caketin85 and I'd love to see your photos if you're doing it too. 

Day 1: Your View Today

Day 2: Words 

Day 3: Hands 

Day 5: 10am 

 Day 6: Dinner

Day 7: Button

Knitting again

Remember me posting about these hand/arm warmers by Amy Butler/Rowan?

Well I got around to making some for myself last month and with the cold weather we've been having I very glad I did!

I really do love this pattern although it's a little fiddly using 2 cable needles. Second time around it was much quicker to make; although that maybe because I didn't sew them up as neatly this time (first pair I made were a gift). The colours in Rowans Amy Butler wool collection are so pretty and very nice to work with it's just a shame how pricey all Rowan's wools are...

"Pain demands to be felt"

from here

Ok so I finished The Fault in Our Stars a couple of weeks ago now.

I read it in under 24 hours, I would have read it in a lot less time than I did but I was already too involved with the characters and bawling my eyes out half way through and had to take a break.

It is my favourite John Green book and one that seems to have taken off. As you may have guessed I have a great big crush on this guy (previous post); about half my pinterest quotes board is filled with his quotes. I don't think this has made be bias. I loved Paper Towns and An Abundance of Katherines but didn't love Looking for Alaska as much as I wanted to (my mind set is much more in line with Paper Towns - a different dealing of a similar situation). I mention this because I hope it makes me encouraging you to read The Fault in Our Stars that much more credible. It's beautifully written, funny and romantic and yes it's sad, but it's never over done and it's not easily forgotten either.