Finally some finishes!!!

Finally I have some finished projects to show.   This is the Gail Pan Free Christmas Block of the Month Quilt.  She has lots of these in her gallery and I am amazed by how different they all look just by using different fabrics and different finishing techniques.  It looks kind of ordinary in this photo but it is really quite pretty in real life and I am just so glad to finally be finished something!

Next up is Dan's strippy quilt - a kit from TPA with my own little applique twist.  This means that I am only one quilt away from achieving my long term goal of a handmade quilt on every bed!

I've also been "spinning my wheel" lots lately - the minute Winter hits I find an irresistable urge to spin and knit.  My nephew was in need of a new beanie and his mum requested blue and brown so Kathy from http://www.kathysfibres.com/ made up some beautiful dyed merino for me - she has even called it "Heath" after my nephew!  When I knitted the first beanie from it Dan claimed it so I have had to knit another and then request more wool so he can have a scarf to match.  I used my new wooden circular needles to knit these - lovely to work with!  Next up is a purple crocheted beanie for Hannah - my kids so need more hats like a hole in the head but they've both turned into little fibre junkies and when they see something they like they casually suggest another hat!  In this case it kind of feels good to be taken for granted - I love that they don't see it as unusual that Mum can spin and knit and make stuff and I find my spun projects just so satisfying - a real "something from nothing" kind of experience.

Anyway, enough blathering, I'm off to hang washing and clean mushed banana off the wee one's face; starting solids is so much fun!
Happy Tuesday,
Keep smiling,
Nell

p.s. guess which very excited boy starts kindy tomorrow?

24 Hours in Paris

The whirlwind trip of a lifetime:  LOVED IT! LOVED IT! LOVED IT! Went over on the Eurostar one day and came back the next.

Next time James and I will go back and do the romantic stuff; this time it was so short and sweet and kid friendly - and did I mention beautiful and glorious and so wonderful?

On a totally unrelated craft note.  Hannah and I are having a MAKE, PLAY, CLEAN school holiday, which means that every day we need to make something, play something, and clean something.  Today's make, play, clean is supposed to be chocolate crackles, kite flying, and her room :)  Considering that I am now 2 projects behind in my quest to finish things I probably need to dust off the sewing machine and finish Dan's quilt.
Keep smiling,
Nell