So…
Lookatwhatimade has been a little bit quiet lately. Mostly because I am crocheting my “face off” getting everything ready for the CAL that starts next Sunday (whoohoo!)…but also because this blog and my “real life” have become two very hungry beasts!
Most of you know that I work 4 days a week and have 3 kids, a cat, and a husband (in no particular order). Said kids and cat and husband need occasional feeding. They also need clean clothes and attention (lots and lots and lots of attention).
And then there is this blog. What started as a hobby 4 years ago (almost to the day) has become a full-time second job in the last 5 months.
I have come to realize that I cannot do it all!
To that end, I have asked my friend Jenny to come aboard and help me run the administrative side of things (and crochet a little bit while she’s at it). So if you see Jenny on the Lookatwhatimade Facebook Page, remember to give her a huge welcome.
She is a dear, dear creature with a big heart and an even bigger personality, and I am honoured that she has agreed to help me. Not only does she crochet, create, embroider, knit, and sew, but she also bakes some seriously awesome cakes!
And now I will let Jenny introduce herself :)
Hello everyone.
My name is Jenny, and I am addicted to crochet. Having confessed to that immediately, hopefully, most of you will know where my mind is most of the time. The creative bug has been coursing through my veins for as long as I care to remember, and I just love making stuff!
My ‘stuff’ mainly consists of knitting, sewing, embroidery, painting, casting with plaster or prodding clay, and most recently my repertoire has extended to our lovely hobby of crochet.
I share my home in London with my delightfully encouraging and very tolerant partner, Darren, my two crazy cats, Podgey and Emmy, several marine reef aquariums and some goldfish, and my flower-covered, bright orange classic VW Beetle named Juicey.
Up until early last year (pre-Dedri), my yarn ‘stash’ sat quietly in a small box in my back room, not bothering anyone, and being relatively well behaved. Now, my yarn stash has taken over the corner next to my side of the sofa and is steadily making an attempt to get to the other side of the room and the views out of the window! It is competing with crochet hooks, patterns, various WIPs and (rather strangely to some) a pile of car interior parts on the other side of the room, i.e. Darren’s side of the room. So, as you can gather, we have a lot of ‘creative clutter’ going on within our 4 walls.
I met my lovely friend Dedri through our workplace, and it took her two years to persuade me to put my knitting needles down and pick up a crochet hook. The rest is history in the making!
I couldn’t read a pattern and was self-taught via video tutorials, with just one never-ending granny square blanket to my name. Dedri introduced me to her blog and various lovely CAL groups on Facebook and since then I have hardly a day where there wasn’t a crochet hook in my hand, or pocket, or behind my ear. My knitting needles, paint brushes and embroidery needles are gathering dust in the backroom and yarn ends appear in the most unusual places.
My cats love my crochet, mostly sitting on it, under it or having a crafty squish at it while I work, and Darren gets peace and quiet to play his Xbox games as I am usually counting instead of talking away to him, so in our own unique way, we are all very happy together!
Jenny’s Creations
Lucile says
Happy Big Birthday!! :Dx Wishing you.. just the best.. :)
Freya says
Cakes??! Did someone with surprisingly similar to my own hair say something about cakes?!? :) Well alrighty then…..
forget the whole self control aspect, (sitting on ones’ arse crocheting, or frogging, or even throwing an occasional car part (arm exercises…haven’t figured out how to toss an alternator from a sitting position between my legs yet!! but I’m taking suggestions, Jenny!!)
In all honesty Jenny, I am so glad to see you here, and to say hi! You seem a kindred spirit to Dedri…and to most of us whose backsides are expanding at the rate of the Universe from ‘digging in’ to some of the most incredible and creative art projects ever!!
Welcome Jenny, and I will pack up some of my famous “Pie Pops” and ship them off to you for sampling~~
Jenny says
Thank you for the welcome Freya!
Alternator tossing is an art form, I admit, and I find a good backwards swing helps immensely ;)
The thought of my spreading bottom makes me thinknof the great song by Queen – Fat Bottomed Girls – and I smile fondly at my current WIP alongside Sophie of a Dikke Dames figure thatbi affectionately call my Curvy Cutiepie!
:)
Dedri Uys says
Haha. That dikke dame is gorgeously curvy. What they call a callipygian beauty (adjective, rare: having well-shaped buttocks).
Brigit says
hallo
greetings frome Zürich-Switzerland – Brigit
Dedri Uys says
Hello, Brigit
Jenny says
Hello Brigit! Zürich is a beautiful place and I count myself lucky to have had the chance to visit there :)
Penny Davis says
Hi Jenny;
I just want to thank you for helping Dedri with not only running her blog but also for all that you are doing and have done for her that has helped free her time and stress levels while she has been creating this wonderful extension of her Sophies Universe design for our CAL. It has been a mammoth effort and I must say SUCCESS on her end of things and I know she has relied on your help in many ways during this time. It is thanks to people like you who have devoted time to her that this wonderful creation has finally come to life. So I just wanted to say thanks so that you know you are appreciated for your time and help as well as Dedri is for all her hard work as well……..
Jenny says
Thank you for the welcome and your thanks Penny, and I apologise for somehow missing your message until now!
I love working with and alongside Dedri both with our daily profession and this beautiful blog, and it has made me a crochet addict of mammoth proportions.
I love it and look forward to more Sophie goings on and beyond! :D
Gayle Arendt says
Hi – This is a message for Jenny — there’s a VW Bus pillow on the CCC website and of course I thought of you. Here’s a link to the Ravelry pattern. http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/vw-van-pillow
Cute!
Jenny says
Oh bless you Gayle! Thank you. I will put that on my Ravelry queue :) x
Debbie says
Welcome Jenny – You couldn’t have found a better teacher – D is awesome!
Pati Plymale says
Welcome! So nice to be a part of this group.
Bubby Modes says
Welcome Jenny for coming aboard and helping with the blog
Carrie says
Welcome, Jenny!!!!!!! (Love your name btw ;D) <3
Minette a.k.a. Mamma says
Welcome, welcomer, welcomest! Thank you for partnering with Dedri.
Dedri Uys says
I am very excited about it, Mamma :)
Ana Lozano says
Welcome!!!!
nicky says
Welcome Jenny! I already like you a lot… you make the most beautifull things (ok, and your hair looks really really awesome)
Dedri Uys says
She does do amazing things (both with a hook and with her hair)!
jayanthi says
Welcome Jeeny.Happy to see you.
Thanks Dedri for the pattern.you are so committed.
and wsiting for the CAL
Kathy Mant says
Welcome to the “family” Jenny. Absolutely LOVE the combi picture! Can’t wait to see your creative side!
Kathy says
Welcome!!! You are gorgeous……and so sweet to help with my favorite blog!!! Looking forward to seeing and hearing from you. Love your cat too:))))
Heather Knotek smith says
I am so proud of you for admitting you can’t do it all!!! I know I like her already based on the purple hair, big wine bottle, and cat. Love to you both.
Shelley Marie Weatherspoon says
Looking forward to the CAL! Nice to meet you Jenny?
Beve says
Welcome!! Excited to spending the next year watching and participating.