Crafty in the Med

I am here to enjoy meeting other bloggers and to share my love of craft ,mostly crochet, my thoughts and my daily happenings here in Alicante,Spain, my adopted country. I belong to a local choir because singing and music makes me happy. Flea markets and book shops are two of my favourite places to be. I read lots......sci´fi/fantasy,buried treasure, and off world adventures. I have a passion for history! I walk and walk and walk for about 10 months per year during the hot months I swim.

Wednesday 21 August 2013

Three days left of Giveaway and a sad alarm clock!


 Exactly three days left of my  Two year blogiversary giveaway !

Response has been good ... no not just good but very good. I am so pleased about that. However you still have time to enter as I do not close the giveaway until 24th August at midnight!!!!


Talking about TIME  I have to admit that I do not have a great relationship with my alarm clock.
Google image
I'm going to be quite frank with you and admit to treating the AC quite horrendously!

 In my own defense I have to say I am a night bird and not an early morning chick at all. I do find it extremely difficult to get up in the morning.
Mother used to give me the cold wet flannel treatment when I was a child which is fine if you live in Spain but I didn't then of course but in the freezing cold wilds of Somerset! I have to say as I recall this grossly brutal treatment did get me out of bed in a jiffy and more so if I saw my mother looming towards me for a second swipe.
This flannel abuse most certainly affected me psychologically as I have always faced early morning awakenings in a very aggressive manner and the AC being quite the nearest thing (which cannot hit me back) receives the rough edge of my temper and turning off the alarm can be a rather heavy-handed activity.
This being so another AC gave up the ghost yesterday and I had to resort to Sr P waking me this morning in time for my early morning class.
 I feel I need to add that having to result to the the latter is a most unpleasant experience and something we decided in the first years of our marriage to never repeat unless in an emergency.
Such was the case this morning.
Perhaps you are wondering why I consider such an unpleasant experience having to rely on Sr P to wake me. First of all it irritates me excessively that Sr Ps ability to wake at the precise hour he sets his mind to without an alarm clock is totally alien and unfair practice! Then worst still his exaggerated bawling and shouting in my ear and aggressive shaking to wake me is totally over the top! This treatment naturally produces the very worst reaction in a body and a negative verbal response. It leaves one totally out of sorts for the rest of the day. 
As I do not wish to have to go through that drama again I shall be off to buy myself another alarm clock as soon as I finish this post . I do have a variety of redundant alarm clocks scattered around the house but the alarm parts do not work. I can't think why!

I'd now like to give out a few mentions for fellow bloggers who I'm sure you will enjoy visiting and perhaps even follow. It seems a shame to me that these delightful people aren't in contact with more craft bloggers.
And now I have to show you my very first MANDALA !

I've been hearing about overlay crochet for awhile now and wondering about it. It did actually look familiar so I finally decided to buy Carola's Mandala pattern Nº 1 which is a good example of overlay crochet,from CAROcreate on Ravelry.
It was an exciting make and a great pattern which is relatively easy to follow thanks to the illustrations. It also confirmed the familiar feeling I had when seeing projects using overlay crochet. I have used it before on Beanies but I just didn't know it was called overlay crochet. Never-the-less this pattern has given me much more practice and it has most certainly been a learning curve . I am pleased with the result and I am thinking of framing it on wood.
I used my favourite cotton Coats SMC Catania throughout and a Nº 2 Hook
Something wrong with the light when I took this photo I think! It hasn't brought the colours out very well.

     Happy days!!!!
     
    Amanda :-)




     

24 comments:

  1. Hi Amanda, love, love, love your mandala. I totally understand your alarm clock frustration, I am not a morning person, so getting up at 5:15 is killing me, but I am also not an evening person, or afternoons, maybe mid morning?
    Hugs,
    Meredith

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  2. congratulations for your mandala Amanda!!!
    my boys started school this morning and this means that I have to get down from bed at 5:30am......from monday to friday.....GRRRRR!!!!
    Luckily the alarm clock sits on the bedside table of my husband!!!!! ;oD
    xxxxx Ale

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  3. Your mandala looks very beautiful!! :) it seems I missed your blogaversary post, I will read it now.

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  4. As a fellow "not a morning chick", and also married to a Senor who springs out of bed wide awake and chirpy each morning, I can fully identify with this post - thanks for the giggle!
    :-)
    xx

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  5. Your Mandala is a bright happy spot of crochet! I love the pattern.
    As for the alarm clock, I feel your pain. Perhaps this person shares your views as well (spoiler alert- a few swear words)http://pinterest.com/pin/177610779025538943/
    Have a great day!
    Lynne

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  6. Beautiful Mandala - enough to make anyone happy! We have had to move our clock radio out of reach so that when it goes off, we have actually get up to switch it off, preventing any accidental clobbering and therefore silencing of said alarm!

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  7. Thank you o much for the mention and Cody thanks you too LOL

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  8. Your mandala is gorgeous! I'm funny in the morning...if I don't need to get up, I'm happy to get up, but if we have to set the alarm and get up by a certain time, I just want to stay under the duvet and go back to sleep! xx

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  9. Thanks for the mention :) xxx

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  10. Wow! Your mandala is gorgeous - I can't believe it's your first!!! Well done you! :-)
    Carly
    x

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  11. That is a beautiful mandela, love the pattern. I understand your feelibgs toward alarms. My own dear hubby can also wake at the exact time he wants to-with NO alarm. Not me. I much prefer a gentle awakening when I'm ready for it. Never happens. The telephone wakes me most days.
    Thank you for your lovely comment on my blog! I'm so glad to have you visit me.
    Blessings,
    Betsy

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  12. Gorgeous mandala! I can sympathize with you, my hubby gets up at 6 o'clock regardless of the time he goes to bed. Now he really loves his morning cuppa, but rather than facing my wrath for waking me up, he makes "subtle" gestures like pulling and shutting curtains or cupboard doors. Oh well, it takes all kinds!! ;)
    Love

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  13. The mandala looks great, and so does the sad face on the back of the clock.
    Joy x x

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  14. WOw you Mandala looks brilliant~

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  15. Wow! Amanda, what a superb piece! I can't believe it's your first one! :) Hazel x

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  16. Such a beautiful mandala, Amanda! I love the colours and the intricate design. Like you I prefer to wake up gently in the morning and without sudden loud noises!! Hope you find a nice alarm clock soon :)
    Helen x

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  17. The Mandala looks amazing! love the colours you've used. Hope the alarm clock finds a happy home x

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  18. Have just found out that you are my partner for the autumn glow swap!

    Will be in touch soon.

    Helenxx

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  19. Hallo Amanda!!!
    Your MANDALA is so beautiful!!!Lovely and preety colours!!!
    Great work!!!You are so talented my dear!!!
    I do'nt eather like the alarm clock!!!Wish him bon voyage !!!
    Have a nice weekend!!!
    Dimi...

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  20. Not sure where my comment went but never mind, love your mandala lovely colours, I recently went on a mandala workshop, thoroughly enjoyed colouring in my chosen pattern and was intrigued with the asociated reading afterwards, really interesting subject. take care

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  21. Oh my gosh that's beautiful, it looks like a really exotic flower. Nice work!

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  22. Hello Emu
    Thank you for visiting my blog and also for your kind comments :-)

    keep well

    Amanda :-)

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Thank you for your comments. I do read them and try to reply to all as well.Please keep them coming. Amanda :-)