January update: puppies, frost and resolutions!

Happy New Year, you can tell I've been so busy as I may have been on ravelry a little but no time to blog at all!

Firstly the beloved and gorgeous Pippa was mated on 27 December and we are very eagerly awaiting to see if she's pregnant or not....

She changed behaviour and from not really liking cuddles has instituted a new routine whereby she comes in our bed for a cuddle so hence the photo!

I rather think the sulky look is all about trying to wake JJ- by licking his ears usually- and not succeeding...

The next pictures are about my resolutions to make even more, be more creative and also learn entirely new skills such as touch typing, French and playing the piano .

The new piano came last week and my lessons start tomorrow!!!

It's reading music that I'm dreading the most as it all seems so incomprehensible.

On Nintendo DS- a much loved Prezzie from Santa- I like playing the piano on '' more braintraining'' BUT that is with the music notes designated with letters BOTH on the keys and on the music!

My French lessons for the Nintendo have only arrived today so more of that at a later date and the touch typing was amazing!

NO I'm not doing it yet as I'm much faster with 2 fingers and looking down BUT in 90 minutes- just like it says on the can- or in this case as stated on the packet of the software- I WAS and HAVE BEEN typing quite happily with ALL 8 fingers and the occasional thumb AND WITHOUT LOOKING DOWN AT ALL!

Now I just have to practice an awful lot.....

On the creative side this is what I made over X-mas as a present - slightly delayed- for Christmas for a baby ( BIG BABY more than 18 months old) of a friend...

It uses 6mm hook I think( or 6.4mm I'll have to check) and a very easy textured stitch.

It's in Marble Chunky and used 260 grammes of this.

( It comes in 200g balls)

If anyone would like it I can write out the pattern?!!!It's my own.

Then of course we had to see a bit of FROST as it was soooo pretty !!!

And Finally my ongoing major project which is the COPENHAGEN jacket I found on RAVELRY.

I am making it longer and putting darts in it as a lovely lady in NY warned me it was on the short side and I could see it rides ''up '' a bit in front as there's no shaping so that wouldn't do for my figure...

I am also making it in DK rather than aran which means I have to do so much more: more stitches, more rows and extra panels....

I have almost completed the first front far left panel: VOILA.