Tuesday 10 January 2012

Exclamation!

Thank heavens that's done! I was so knackered over Christmas I couldn't muster up enough energy to post anything. So you had a much needed break from me there.

Despite appearences (and extra bit of weight gained), I haven't just been sat watching crap Christmas tv, eating endless supplies of chocolates, nibbles and mince pies. I've not gone from bottoming one bottle of spirits to the next bottle. Not indulged in low octane sloth-ery.

O.k. There has been some of that. Quite a bit of that actually. But...

...I have finished 'Hut 3' on Stalag Luft Chicken 451...

Double glazed too. I may move in myself.
...plus made a slate roofed dovecote for a friends birthday...

Ok, it's ornamental - unless they are very little doves!
...and started to learn to knit. Stop laughing immediately!!!

Knit one, knit one, drop one, knit one, stab myself, swear, knit one...
I'll bore you some more very soon.

32 comments:

gz said...

The dovecot is beautiful, the chicken house impressive!

I like the knitting instructions!!

Lisa @ Two Bears Farm said...

What an incredible birthday gift! Just so you know, my birthday is in June ;-)

Love your projects. Impressed by your knitting - I've never been able to do it!

And glad to see you back posting!

devonmama said...

Fantastic bird housing all round Chris! What a lucky friend you have. Your Christmas sounds a bit like ours. It usually takes us a month of so of gluttony to finish up all the chocolates that seem to pile up. I blame all the cheap tins of roses that are flogged during this time of year - why are they so cheap these days?? Great knitting, I am impressed!! Hope not too much self-mutilation was involved. I managed to give myself a splinter while knitting the other day, danagerous craft really ;) Happy New Year!

Melodie said...

Wow! You have been busy! It is all wonderful!I was wondering when you were going to make your way back to us here in blog land! I think it is great you are learning to knit. More men do it than admit to it,lol! It is a good and relaxing hobby.
I got my first book on bee keeping this week....

Jim said...

Fellow knitters of the world UNITE!!!
Way to go Chris! Did you know that a very high percentage of male knitters are doctors? What does that tell us? Very stressful I guess.
Question: are you self-taught in all that you do? Did you learn from parents? Where did you come from? lol
Seriously, nice job on all three counts.

Samantha said...

The hut is gorgeous! I'd live in it!

I enjoy knitting and watching horror movies :)

Chris said...

Happy New Year to you all!!XX

Gwynneth - thank you. Those were the actual instructions, followed faithfully to the letter.

Lisa - noted! It will need to be collected though LOL!

DM - yeah, those damn supermarkets!!! It takes sooo much effort to eat all the Quality Street choccies, I'm amazed I didn't loose weight! Your knitting is superb btw.

Melodie - I keep getting back ache whilst knitting though. Maybe I'm tensing up trying to concentrate.
More on the bees drama soon.

Jim - you know, I was looking at my op scar the other day (as you do) and I suddenly realised it was knit one, purl one, knit one, purl one...!
I am driven s'all.

Chris said...

Sam - I've seen that movie too 'The Texas WI Knitting Circle Massacre'...

Texan said...

Your chicken homes are very nice indeed.

I am learning to crochet and no laughing on that one either. I have finished one small project and am onto a bigger one now. I have spent as much time taking out as I have putting in. :O)

Moving with Mitchell said...

It is so good to see something from you, Chris. I have looked every day and been disappointed. Maybe this will improve my miserable (and no excuse for it) mood! Your constructions are beautiful. I thought the chicken "stalag" was a children's playhouse. Either way, I want one. The dovecote is a work of art (well, so is the chicken house). As for the knitting: I'm very impressed. I like solid colors, dark of course, and I have very long arms (all the most tedious things for a knitter). My mother tired of making sweaters for me years ago. I'm counting on you.

936000 said...

Wow, you have been busy! It all looks amazing!
m.xx

e.m.b. said...

COOL! On every account. I've always wanted to learn to knit....slightly jealous. :)

The Owl Wood said...

Wow! Those are deluxe accommodation - do you rent them out to tourists? Love the colour scheme too.

Chris said...

Mitch - sweaters are beyond me at the moment. I can do scarfs. This one will proably be as big as a sweater though. It started off 30 stitches wide and then, after a while I counted 45. Of course I tell everybody that was intentional, ahem...

M. - the devil makes work for idle hands...x

Erin - what you need is a knitted wooly fishin' hat? Might be tricky keeping your beatiful flies in it though.

Owl - £300 per month bed and breakfast (as long as it's an egg breakfast). Shall I confirm your booking then?

trish said...

Wow! you've been very busy....good work!
Wishing you a very happy 2012.

Janet said...

Love the dovecot -it`s a beauty .I`m impressed.
Is that knitting really yours -it looks incredibly neat and hole free [ and un-picked ] !
I know quite a few male knitters too-it`s a brilliant way to relax and unwind-once you get the hang of it-that is !.
Happy new year to you Chris-all the best x

Jacqui said...

I am so proud of you. Funnily I was looking on Ravelry the other DY and came across http://knitswithballs.blogspot.com/ . I immediately thought of you!
xxx

Anonymous said...

Been wondering where you've been and, BOOM, you show up with a chicken hutch fit for a tourist, a birdhouse and knitting. Amazing. (I have a birthday coming up soon ... )

Molly said...

Happy New Year Chris, those huts are fantastic and in my colours. You could rent them out for holiday cottages? (Plus a bit of fishing) Bet your friend was well chuffed with the dove cote too, I know I would be.

Elaine said...

Lucky hens, have you been knitting scarves and vests for them?

Anyway, it's good to see that you haven't just been idling your time away; the dovecot is beautiful!

Cro Magnon said...

You make me feel lazy... I just paid someone for my (probably) Chinese made chicken house. Shame on me.

Frost here last night, so a few hen jumpers might be in order.

Chris said...

Trish - thank you. Same to you!

Janet - I wouldn't know how to unpick! So I plod on relentlessly. Should be about 2 miles long eventually...

Jacqui - see what you've started! I'll check out that blog then. If I loose the other one I can always knit a replacement now!x

Chris said...

Janet - I can see I'm gonna need to get some more timber in!

Molly - so when are we going to book this fishing trip then?

Elaine - hey that's a great idea! I've got a few hens molting at the moment who would love a wooly jumper.

Cro - A couple of years back it became very tricky to buy timber off-cuts at the woodyard. Apparently the timber market was buying all the timber they could get thier hands on. Possibly to make billions of chicken coops?!

Hey ever tried to eat a China egg? They're a bit hard.

Crow said...

Oh how I have missed your wit, humor, and amazing talents shared here on the blogosphere.

I am booking you a free ticket to WV to come build me a chicken village immediately! ;-) I will pay you in a lifetime supply of English Angora bunny wool for your knitting projects. Deal?

Rebecca said...

You have been busy :) Chickens, birds, knitting--all things that I love. I've even combined two of the above and knitted a catnip filled bird...

John Going Gently said...

the hen houses.... ( the two tone house and ladder is soooo twee!!!) are perfect..... very 1940s

The dove cott I would kill for

and as for the knitting..... My chris knits ( badly)--- his last jumper I couldn't get my head through the head hole!

Chris said...

Crow - flattery will get you everywhere lol ;-)

Will that be a return ticket or are you going to lock me up with the bunnies?x

Becks - my puddycat would love that!

John - 'Hut 3' at Stalg Luft Chicken 451 was very 1940's - before I put the puple paint on, it looked like the main gun turret on a battleship...glad you're feeling better.

Kyna said...

So is it only me that thinks all your 'houses' look a tad bit frightened?

O_O

They all look they've just seen you bent over naked in the shower...

Chris said...

Kyna - Yep, that would be frightening alright!!!lol

Chris said...

PS I'll be posting a photo of that scene next Halloween...

Little Blue Mouse said...

Aw, both the hut and the dovecote have got cute little faces!

Von said...

Taking your inspiraton from Kaffe Fassett then?