Reboot

Cos nothing fuels a reboot like a cappuccino

Hi, remember me?

No? Don't blame you. I last clicked 'Publish' in Oct 2009!! That was like, a whole other decade ago. Christ.

My blogging career stalled abruptly then due to those issues with my camera I was alluding to over the last posts I wrote here. Eventually the camera gave up the ghost, and it has SHAMEFULLY taken me until now to get a camera that is good enough to enable me to slip back into the blogging saddle again.

And I've really missed it! I love photography, I love writing, and I love connecting with new people - it was my little creative outlet and I let it shrivel up and die. I'm sorry to any readers that I may miraculously still have and most of all sorry for myself. Sad times!

But, it's a new year, a new start and a reboot for There And Back Again so I want to kick off on a positive note. Let's chalk 2010 up to a camera-less blogging void, and start fresh now in 2011, with a new camera, new exciting adventures to be had, new friends to be made and hopefully reconnecting with some old ones along the way.

Here's to a Happy New Year, and a happy new era here!

Berry Good Beading

On the turn

It's autumn. It's fall. Whatever. The leaves are turning. Crunchy piles of russet, golden and orange gather on the pavements just begging you to kick, jump and stamp in your new boots.

Bejewelled berries

Hedgerow berries sit plump and juicy, embellishing the dense foliage of the wayside, imploring you to gorge yourselves in delicious gluttony, be you bird, beast or morning commuter.

At least, that's how it goes in my mind.

Inspired by the latest AW09 trend for all things shoulder, (and certainly with those gorgeous glimpses of berries adorning trees and bushes not too far from my mind), one of my latest projects that I worked on whilst I was laid up recovering from my op, was this sweater.

Shoulder to Shoulder

When the shops first started receiving delivery of their first AW stock drops in late August/early September, I went to check out what the new season would have to offer, and found many shops doing variations on this theme. Plain sweaters with shoulder-based embellishments. I liked the idea of this look, but did not like the idea of paying the ridiculously inflated prices on what was essentially, an average quality jumper with a few sequins sewn on.

So I did what any self-respecting amateur seamstress would do, and did it myself!

I look moody. I was going for "fierce". This is why I am not America's Next Top Model.

I found that this way, I could search for a good quality of jumper that I knew would last, and design the embellishment to exactly the design that I wanted. It was also a lot of fun!

I found a plain black v-neck fine knit sweater in Gap, which was lovely and soft. It also fitted really nicely. Now that I had my base, I took a trip to the crafter's dream that is John Lewis' Oxford Street Haberdashery. I knew that whatever I was going to sew on would have to be lightweight, as the sweater was a fine knit and wouldn't be able to support too much hardware. So sequins or beading was the order of the day. When I spied the small pot of these tiny golden beads, I knew they would be perfect.

The whole thing worked out a lot cheaper than the original jumpers I was eyeing up in Topshop et al, and I have something unique that I have made with my very own lily-white hands.

Please do try it yourself, it doesn't take long, and the satisfaction and ever-so-slight smug factor of saying 'Oh this old thing? Well, actually, I made it myself' is way worth it. Believe.

Take Me To The Hospital

Get Well Sooooonnn (I am trying)

Hello. I am writing this from my Magical Sofa of Recovery. This weeks post has been slightly delayed as on Monday I had to go into hostipal (hospital) to have an operation.

Don't worry or anything, it wasn't anything life threatening, it was just a simple key-hole procedure to remove my gall bladder. My gall bladder was naughty and didn't work properly. That's not what I wanted, that's not who I was. So it had to go. (If you can guess the film reference, I officially love you). Yes, readers, that is the way I roll. If you don't work for me, you get culled. Because, after all, don't I deserve love? And jewelry?

I call this Early Morning Canula (brought to you by my iPhone)

Kidding. Kind of. Anyway, even though it was a straight forward, fairly common procedure, it was the first time I have ever had to go into hospital, and certainly the first time I have ever had to deal with the scary scary crazy world of general anaesthetic.

However, despite my extreme nerves, the op all went well, and I am now on the road to recovery. A bit sore, but I have lots of pain meds that I like as they make me all sleepy.

(A la Homer Simpson) Bed goes up, bed goes down; bed goes up, bed goes down

I should be back to normal-ish in about 10 days, and aim to use the time that I am not sleeping doing lots of knitting/crafty things from the aforementioned Magical Sofa, so hopefully I should have lots to show you for my period of convalescence!

Until then however, please enjoy the following chooons from my hospital playlist:

I sang this constantly all weekend:

And of course, no playlist is complete without a bit of Dave Grohl (le sigh):

P.S. Big thank you to all the staff at the Annie Zunz ward at Chelsea & Westminster Hospital. They do an awesome job :o)

New Beginnings

Cutie Booties.

I don't know why, but September, and the beginning of autumn has always felt a lot more like the beginning of the year to me than January. Maybe they are feelings that have hung over from the days when it meant the beginning of the academic year. The last days of summer always feel like the end of something bigger than just a season, and often lead me down the path of taking stock of what I have accomplished in the last 12 months (job/life in London town; growing my awesome hair) and what I want to achieve in the near future (to master fair-isle knitting; go to Australia; find the perfect pair of boots).

Who knows, but this weekend, the weather turned a distinctly crisper, milder corner and I took that as a sign to pack away all my summer clothes for another year and dig out all my warm jumpers, coats, scarves, hats and gloves. Autumn is here, and I'm ready.

For the stylish bambino on the nursery block.

I guess it's fitting that this weekend when I have been preparing for the new season/year ahead that I also finished knitting booties for a brand new person setting out on their first ever year in this life. These are for a beautiful baby girl, daughter of a friend at work, and I have very much enjoyed making them.

Unlike socks, (which can drive me up the WALL, and often lead to me lamenting the fact that people are born with not one, but two feet), booties are a lot quicker to make, and so I don't get that familiar dread on finishing the first sock ('You mean, I have to do that AGAIN?!'). It's still enough of a novelty to get me to persevere.

Pretty cute detailing on the cuff. Frilly.

The pattern for for these was also varied enough to add interest over the course of knitting the booties, with lacework on the cuff, and front, and ribbing down the leg.

So, anyone who knows me and is planning on spawning either now, or in the far distant future: take a good look. All your kids will be getting these.

If you're going to start your first year, it really should be in style, no?

Knitty Gritty:

Pattern: Baby's Bootikin from Knitting Vintage Socks, Nancy Bush

Yarn: One skein each of 2 colours of fingering-weight yarn

Needles: Set of 4 1.75mm dpns

Family Affair

Boscanova Cafe

Earlier this summer, I got out of the city and went to stay with my family for a couple of weeks in Bournemouth. I had a lovely time hanging out with them and catching up. Now that I live away from home I don't get a chance to do that for such a length of time anymore and I miss it.

On my last day, we went for a family lunch at Boscanova Cafe. If you're ever in the area, check it out. It does really good brunch. Trust. Get the pancakes.

The house chili.. and I haven't just ruined that shot by tucking in... not in the slightest..

What I like about Boscanova, is that it's one of the few (oh so few) really good independant eateries in Bournemouth. Everything is made fresh, with mostly, feel-good, healthy ingredients. This time I got the special, which was the house chili. It was delicious.

Bro-fo, coke float.

Although, if you're anything like my brother, you'll choose a coke float. Some things, by their very nature are not made with feel-good, healthy ingredients.

But if they were, I don't think they'd taste quite as awesome, no? And why say no to a little bit of awesomeness in your life?

Cappuccino-a-go-go - I love how the chocolate flecks reflect the speckled wood. Er. Well done me.

I, being the caffeine, Starbucks-obsessed girl that I am, had to have a cappuccino. Which came in a decent sized mug. That is also, quite a little bit of awesome.

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Er, irrelevant, but:

P.S. Download Calvin Harris' new album. Do it now. You'll never regret it. Er, also irrelevant but, I just want to give him a nice big cuddle.