So we took Spring cleaning to the MAX this month by deciding to decorate the whole house!  It meant that I pretty much couldn’t find anything for the majority of April as things were packed and moved into other rooms and we changed furniture around.  I seriously cannot believe how much STUFF we have accumulated over the years! I found 5 pairs of glasses of old prescriptions whilst cleaning!  Why I still have them all who knows but I have now donated them to Vision Aid Overseas, I also recycled some old mobile phones to Oxfam.  With all the decorating I decided that this was the perfect opportunity to go through and sort out drawers, wardrobes everything really before putting it back – that took infinitely longer than anticipated but at least we are now not only clean but we are also rather organised.  How long it will all last is another story!  We donated so much paraphernalia  to the MacMillan Cancer Support Charity shop down the road it was unreal.  But it was all good gear just that we no longer needed and I’d rather not throw anything away if it’s still useful. I’m rather ashamed that this stuff has been sitting around gathering dust in drawers for years – I should have done this ages ago!  It’s really a very cathartic exercise having a really good clear out!

I have to say though sorting out my stash was a part I enjoyed!  All safe and sound in my spare room we set up some shelves and cleared some space for my yarn babies. This bookshelf is pretty much filled with Sidar and Stylecraft double knit as that’s what I tend to work with the most and I had some of my special yarns (many different brands) on the second to top shelf, it’s really great to be able to see what I’ve got quickly.  All the rest of my stash is now in 5 x 7 litre tubs!  Is it strange that I love just looking at the shelves?

I knew I had a lot of yarn but I’ve never had it all in one place really until now.  My plan is to start using up some of the stash but it always happens that you will need a colour / weight of yarn you don’t have!  And its super hard when you get your hands on one of these…my new Stylecraft shade card – squeal! I LOVE IT!!!   I wish all brands did this, it would be sooooo helpful!

We also enjoyed an early Easter didn’t we in April and for once the weather, particularly on Bank Holiday Monday, was really lovely. As we were decorating we did our Easter in one day on the Monday, an egg hunt in the morning followed by a trip out in the afternoon to a local wildlife park then tea out at a carvery!  Little G loved the adventure playground the best; it really was just lovely to be outside without coats on for a change!

Crochetwise I have been very busily hooking away this month; I released into the world my new beaded make-up bag pattern exclusively available in Happily Hooked Magazine which I blogged about here, my Spring Grace Ponchette which I blogged about here and another free pattern for the Doodle Zoo gang; Finlay Frog which I blogged about here. I have also been hooking up Block 7, Block 8 and Block 9 this month for the CAL. The UK weather remained obliging and I had a great photo shoot with the first 8 blocks – I’m thinking I need to add a bit more green though as it’s perhaps the colour I have used least.

I also did a pattern test for a cute little amigumuri which I’ll blog about soon!  Finally I finished up my Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds square for the Deramores Blog competition which I blogged about here – phew!

Nothing like keeping busy!