Five on Friday - Happy Friday!

I'm joining FAST Five on Friday with Tricky Wolf and Carly - Happy wedding anniversary to them both. 

When I started writing my blog it was my intention that it'd give me the incentive to finish my growing pile of UFO's sometimes called WIP's. (Unfinished objects, work in progress). 

I'm not convinced this has happened, instead it seems to be another thing that keeps me from reading and finishing my craft work. Although blogging is fun, there must be a balance, so without strict rules I need to make more effort with projects waiting to be finished. 

Below are five things that have made me feel happy this week. 

It was so bright outside in the garden today, with clear blue skies and a very keen wind blowing this bushy tree about. This bush is absolutely covered with large yellow flowers. I think it's a rose of some sort. The thorns on it's branches are definitely to be taken seriously when negotiating your way past it on the driveway.

The blue bells are simply lovely with their cheerful bold beauty in the garden. 

This funny little man in his racing car belongs to my husband M. I knitted it for him many years ago with M 1 on the number plates. At the time he drove an Opal Manta rally car with a full roll cage. For a while now he's been missing his hat and today was the day he had a new one, the trouble is it's made the rest of his vehicle look quite grubby.  I'm not taking any chances and have sewn his hat in place as it did turn up once, but then was lost again.

A spare tyre, you never know when it'll be needed. This particular pattern by Jean Greenhowe is here though there is another one available on her website. He's finished, yay! I'm tempted to park him in the glass cupboard with the other cars M has collected. He'll certainly be less dustyfied in there.

Another project finished, this time to give away. It's a Fish and Chip jumper and hat. I started this well over a year ago, so it's about time really. A fish and chip jumper is basically what an African poor baby will be dressed in after leaving hospital. Without these jumpers babies from poor families would be sent home wrapped in newspaper. Hence the fish and chip reference.

The pattern for this is here and though the pattern can be knitted in a smaller size, I'm having trouble finding one on-line. The blanket strips are made as lengths of double rib 60 (?) stitches wide with frequent colour changes every 6". Like the jumpers they are knitted in bright colours as they'll probably never be washed. 

Lastly my lovely cat QT who always makes me happy whether it's Friday or not. He didn't really want to model the hat for you. The jumper was just an afterthought of laying it on him. He didn't like any of it. Now the weather is slightly warmer, I've noticed he's taken to laying sleeping in a bush again. It's so lovely to see him enjoying the garden. It's just all sleeping and nagging for food for cats isn't it. If I slept as much as he does, I'd have a dreadful headache. At 16 years old I think he deserves pampering, though I think he'd like less cuddles. 

Well that's my five happy things this week, do check out the others that are taking part through the link below. Have a good week and may we all 'get things finished'!
Cx

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