Hello January; Hello Snow

What a season this is! The last 2 weeks have seen more snow than I can remember us having for a long time (or at least it seems that way).  I have found that while this ought to help me meet my study goals because it removes all possible distractions (such as leaving the house...) in fact, the opposite is true.  I have been so lethargic - even more than normal!

Christmas was gorgeous and wonderful, as it is every year, and I avoided the post-Christmas blues by a well-times holiday in Luxor, Egypt.  It was my first time out of Europe and I loved every minute of it!  I think it was helped by the lovely weather and the two wonderful friends I went with.  I saw and did so much, and felt so privileged because of all those experiences.  I may even write a post on it, if there is any demand!!

Since then, the weather has taken a turn for the worse (as in 4 inches of snow, 3 times in a row!!) and my commitment to making a living from yarn has waned.  Maybe it will return, but for now I am just enjoying my hobby and concentrating on my academic responsibilities.  The essay deadlines seem to come up more and more quickly!

Expect more from this little world of mine soon, as I get to grips with 2 overlapping modules and drink chai and knit while waiting for the snow to melt and the temperature to rise above zero.  And I love the cold, but the heating bills are going to be sky high.  Either that of I'll have to buy more jumpers/yarn to make jumpers.  Maybe below zero isn't so bad...

Ellen xxx

What I Do and Where I Do It

As I mentioned in my first post, I am a student and a knitter, so I thought I would share a bit about my study-space and the place where I sit and knit.

After I started university and because of my illness, my parents converted our spare bedroom into a study for me.  It has my desk, my books, my computer, my TV and my chaise-longue in it, as well as my hamster, Victor Emmanuel (Mannie for short), and it's where I spend most of my time.

Please excuse the mess on and around my desk, as I am sorting out some of my old course books for sale via Amazon Trade-in (their best idea yet in my opinion!).  I spent 2 years studying Ancient History, but my health deteriorated to the extent that I couldn't live away from home at all, so I had to leave university and transfer to the OU, which has no Ancient History degree course.  So now I'm a History undergraduate and I don't need all the books on Latin and Greek literature and history that I amassed over those years.  I find it a bit sad to get rid of them, as though I'm closing the book on that part of my life, but as you can see from the previous photo, I don't have the space to keep them for sentimental reasons, and some of them are worth a lot of Amazon vouchers, which I will NOT struggle to spend.

Then there's the lamp. Ahem. Yes. My study faces north, so at this time of year, I don't get much natural light, so I stole my mother's bedside lamp.  Hence the gold and the fringing.  I promise it isn't my style! Actually, it isn't really her style either...

And this is Mannie's cage.  He didn't come out to have his photo taken, but he is, of course, the most gorgeous hamster that ever lived, and I love him dearly, and really appreciate having someone to keep me company while I beaver away in my corner.  I'd love to have a cat or a dog, but I have inherited terrible fur allergies from my father, and neither of us enjoy spending our days in tissue-strewn misery.  Well, I wouldn't mind, but he and my mother have vetoed the suggestion for the foreseeable future!

My chaise-longue, and that corner of my room are currently the scene of a Christmas gift knitting factory, although I'm taking a hiatus at the moment to knit myself a red cardigan from a pattern in Learn to Knit, Love to Knit by Anna Wilkinson.  The hats, mittens and cowls will make a reappearance soon though, and then it will be on to shop designing and knitting.

The designing part of the process for my Etsy shop terrifies me, but more on that another time.  I have Russian imperial expansion to read about and a cup of cinnamon, cardamom and ginger tea to drink.

Ellen xxx

A New Beginning

I am starting this blog with the intention of chronicling my journey towards opening an Etsy shop.  My short term motive is to make a bit of money so that I can buy myself a new film camera (hopefully a Diana F+ from Lomography).  Longer term, I would love to at least supplement my so far non-existant living!!

First, though, a bit about me.  My name is Ellen, I'm 22 and I live on the North Norfolk coast in the UK.  I have M.E. which severely limits my activity and is one of the main reasons for my greatest hobby being knitting and crochet.  I am an undergraduate with the Open University studying History (I'm in my third year and hope to finish my degree in October 2013).

As I've mentioned, I love to knit!  I started knitting about 7 years ago, and have never looked back.  I have some great ideas for accessories which I want to sell on Etsy, such as cowls, hats, mittens, headbands and slippers.

I have so much that I love and so many things to be thankful for.  I hope that I will be able to share them with at least some poeple on this blog.

I will write again soon

Ellen xxx