Domesticity Fail

Well it has been a wierd kind of weekend.  Patches of brilliance and sunshine, and patches of rain and epic fails.  Yesterday I went to the Hills Spinners and Weavers Open Day and had a lovely time catching up with friends and seeing all of the fibre goodness and going a bit crazy with books and fibre (nothing wrong with a bit of stash enhancement is there?)  Then I came home and got enthused to finish off my disasterous Bungaree Socks (but got impatient and instead of you-tubing the stretchy bind off just fudged it so had to rip back and re-do again today!) I recently re-read Jane Brocket's "The Gentle Art of Domesticity" which I LOVE so much so had it in my mind to make flapjacks.  They burnt and were an epic fail.
I had borrowed "I Capture the Castle" from the library and spent most of the weekend reading it and nursing a bout of tonsilitis. Such a fabulous book and I can't believe I hadn't discovered it before now.
Today I dehydrated a heap of apples and made apple and cinnamon muffins and a roast chicken dinner and apricot crumble for dessert. Winter comfort food.  Now I am luxuriating in having one less WIP and a few more knitting books and just thinking about what to cast on next.  I think I may spin tonight instead of rushing into another pair of socks just yet.
Hope your weekend was a happy one!

Winter Weather Equals Knitting

Funny how the minute the weather turns a knitting frenzy sets in.
I find myself klick clacking most days even if it is just a row or two while waiting.
Our Guild has Open Day next weekend so there has been some last minute knitting for that as well as some finishing of projects.

This is the Olivia Cardigan from Nikki Van De Carr's beautiful book "What to Knit The Toddler Years" - a joy from start to finish, handspun angora/merino from Ixchel Bunny.  This makes me want another little girl just to see her wearing it (don't worry - not about to happen LOL)

Hannah's Vivonne Bay hat (after the first one was a bit snug and snaffled by Maddie) This is such a great pattern (free on Ravelry from my talented friend Jude) This is knitted in possum/merino and I had less than two inches of yarn left.  Nothing like yardage chicken to get your heart racing.

And this is a Katia Park Avenue scarf destined for the Guild table.  I do wish this girl would stop growing up.  We've just had early birthday celebrations with her two besties and I was surprised at how grown up their conversations are getting.  So not ready to head into the teen years yet.

All of these projects can be found on my ravelry page (where I seem to hang out a fair bit these days!)

Happy knitting!

Taking Stock May

Making : the "olivia" cardigan in variegated homespun
Cooking : chats with parsley and garlic and butter, and a simple rib eye - feel the need for a good steak
Drinking : Jamie Oliver's hot chocolate (from his Comfort Food book)
Reading: "The Magic Art of Tidying Up" (yet to be convinced as I don't think she has a crafty or sentimental bone in her body)  She certainly never had to deal with a craft room like mine!
Looking: for the new host rewards stamp that I put in a "safe place" because I couldn't wait to play with it!
Playing: with the National Scrapbook Month "Taste of Summer" paper pack ($12.95 this month only!)
Deciding: to relax the t.v. rule for the kids on this rainy Friday afternoon after a huge week
Wishing: dinner would cook itself
Enjoying: the thought of a reasonably cruisy weekend
Waiting: for my hubby to come home and pour me a glass of red
Liking: that I have finished my first aid course and don't need to worry about it for another 3 years
Wondering: whether we will ever finish decluttering this house
Loving: my stash enhancement from Bungaree Fibre Weekend
Pondering: where Maddie has hidden her library books
Considering: a no borrowing rule for her
Buying: 12 jars of tomato chutney for my Mother in law (best not to ask)
Watching: Call the Midwife on netflix
Hoping: the rabbit's eye ulcer heals quickly
Marvelling: at how quickly one small child can empty the contents of her wardrobe and at how slowly she can manage to clean it up
Remembering: an awesome New Zealand holiday!
Cringing: over the state of pretty much every room in the house
Needing: to warp up my loom again and get back into weaving
Questioning: my ability to juggle too many commitments
Smelling: our manky grungy couches that have seen better days
Wearing: leggings and boots and long flowing cardis that hide the flab
Following: too many bunny posts on pinterest
Noticing: that if I don't do the housework no one else does it
Knowing: that I can't handle too many more nights of sleep deprivation (go away silly full moon!)
Thinking: It has been forever since I wrote regular blog posts
Admiring: all of the beautiful artwork at our CTMH meeting last night
Sorting: clothes, books, hopefull the pantry this weekend
Getting: a cold I think (runny nose and sore eyes)
Coveting: a fluffy aqua polar fleece dressing gown (finally decided to let go of my big apricot towelling one that I have never liked and go back to my worn but comfy blue one)
Disliking: the guilt of parting with gifts that I have never really liked
Giggling: over how silly it was for my friend Anne and I to get locked in the car park after our meeting last night!
Feeling: tired and a bit fluey and relieved that the week is over
Snacking: on raisin toast and dried cranberries
Helping: Maddie to find library books, Hannah to clip the chooks wings
Hearing: the sound of Horrible Histories from the t.v. in the front room, white noise from the fish bubbler, cars in the background
Dreaming: of a sleep in tomorrow
Excited: about our Nature Connect pilot programme for kindy!

If you feel like playing along head over to Meet Me At Mikes and download the list.
Happy weekend,
Keep smiling,
Nell

p.s. Now that I am back stay tuned for more blog posts!

Happiness is..

Finally downloading your phone photos, and finding this:

She is insanely frustrating. Drives me crazy. But seriously? Look at that face? Love her to bits. xx

Taking Stock - March

In keeping with Pip over at www.meetmeatmikes.blogspot.com it is time to take stock (spare list over on her blog if you want to play along!)
Making : soooo many knitting projects 
Cooking : cauliflower soup
Drinking : instant coffee and red wine
Reading: Kate Morton "The Forgotten Garden" and "Turn of the Screw" by Henry James for rav reading group
Wanting: more hours in the day
Looking: at enormous piles of laundry
Playing: the same Beautiful South album over and over (I only have one of their albums on my ipod and it is not enough!)
Deciding: what to cook for tea tomorrow night
Wishing: my kids never got sick
Enjoying: the challenge of Bly socks - can you believe it? My knitting seems to have come along in quantum leaps in the last year and I find myself tackling projects I never would have before - cables and lace oh my!
Waiting: for CTMH Leaders Conference on friday - and some knitting time on the plane LOL
Liking: the thought of set days at kindy next term (yay!)
Wondering: how we will manage the extra work that comes with my own kindy group, and how I will find a work life balance, and whether leaders conference will help me re-find my CTMH mojo
Loving: a little brown bunny ambling in the back yard
Pondering: if I have enough warm clothes for New Zealand
Considering: if I should be buying big warm jackets and extra long pants
Buying: two more lots of wool from Bendigo Woolen Mills (for a test knit cardigan for myself)
Watching: Hannah growing taller and more grown up before my eyes
Hoping: I get doonas dry on the line before it rains
Marvelling: at the resilience of some children
Cringing: at how many relationships gone wrong can turn so nasty and mean
Needing: to hug my babies tightly
Questioning: whether I should have an early night
Smelling: my beautiful pink rose by the front door - it is either Many Happy Returns or Happy Anniversary and either way it looks and smells divine and is one of the nicest presents I have ever been given
Wearing: work clothes - polo shirts and sensible kindy pants
Following: too many pinterest boards and too many ravelry forums
Noticing: the hint of Autumn in the morning air
Knowing: that the weather in Melbourne could be unpredictable this weekend
Thinking: how lucky I am 
Admiring: people that have a work life balance
Sorting: craft stuff, kitchen stuff, house stuff (I even have a clean kitchen bench at the moment - LOVE)
Getting: sick of clutter
Coveting: other people's wool stashes
Disliking: the blame game
Opening: old packs of CTMH paper for Easter market projects
Giggling: at the crazy things 4 year olds say and do
Feeling: like a sore throat might foretell a cold
Snacking: on raw almonds
Wishing: that those who have more would help those who have less
Helping: new kindy kids wipe noses and bottoms
Hearing: white noise - it seems like every appliance we have comes with lights and white noise!
Excited: to find an old friend on face book
Learning: how to use instagram
Believing: lots of good things are just around the corner

Enjoy the Simple Things

Happy Friday folks!

Knitting and Plum Cake..

I've been busy making stuff.  Lots of knitting lately.  My last 3 projects I have flirted with the yardage chicken and lost every time.  Note to self: do not be so impetuous and actually weigh yarn and do yardage before you cast on.  Anyhow: there has been a Quaintly, and then a test cowl, and now I am onto knitting this lovely shawl as a KAL.  I will be doing another test knit cardigan next week when some suitable wool arrives from Bendigo (note to self: do not even look at 10ply patterns when you have no 10ply in stash!)

 Isn't my big girl growing up?  She so desperately wants to be older than she is, while I (of course) want her to stay little for ever.  Look at those green eyes - enormous.

I got quite a lot done on this while I was at the hairdressers today.  It struck me that sometimes even grey hairs have a silver lining.  More grey hairs means more knitting time.  Seriously though, most of my knitting time each week is squeezed into karate, kid's appointments and time spent waiting so I am really glad to have the opportunity to knit!

Our plums have had a bumper crop this year - laden, the branches sinking low to the ground.  We have had plum jam, stewed plums, dehydrated plums, and now, thanks to www.foxslane.blogspot.com plum cake.  This http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/16131/upside+down+plum+cake has fast become my new favourite cake, not the least because it generally leaves a few little crusty, plummy bits around the side of the tin for the cook to eat while it is still steaming and oozey.  So good.  Today, I made two of them and because I was home alone I even got to lick the beaters. Life is good my friends, very, very good, and for the simple things I am profoundly grateful.