School Holiday Status Update

Thinking: of casting on a new cardi for my new nephew baby Mike
Feeling: all snuffly and fluey and tired
Eating: cooked breakfasts and lazy day food
Decluttering: the craft room
Dreaming of: a flat stomach and losing a few kilos (DH is off getting a new exercise bike)
Knowing: the laziness of the next few days is fleeting before we go helter skelter into the new school term again
Frogging: the stupid cow onsie
Proud of: the 60 odd pages that I got done on our weekend retreat
Lamenting: the messy state of this house
Cooking: nothing that requires effort
Reading: The Phantom of the Opera (for rav reading group) and anything by Alexander Mcall Smith (who I have recently discovered)
Watching: nothing decent since A Place to Call Home finished and there is no Downton for a long time (might need to restart the Downton discs back at series 1)
Sewing: what's sewing? Really want to finish that quilt ufo this week
Spinning: lots and lots for the Tour De Fleece (and I got my old wheel working down at the beach house so now I have a holiday wheel as well! How cool is that!)
Knitting: Willow test knit shawl, Jedd socks for James
Listening to: Rain on the roof, kids playing computer, telly in the background
Grateful for: a lovely few days away at Robe making memories with the kids

Kick the Bucket and Julie and Julia

There has been lots of frenzied crafting here after the boy announced that we would holiday at the beach all of this week.  I have finished the Nokomis test knit (and this pattern has been released on Rav)  It is a super quick and super easy sweet little knit (and best of all Mads loves it and wants to wear it!)

I also finished the Gruffalo Hat in time to wear to the forest with kindy.  I am claiming that as a Julie and Julia project as I modified the polar bear hat from the book "Animal Hats" which is making its way into my library as we speak!

And then there was some hurried finishing on this little guy.  My friend started this Melly and Me "Dilbert" pattern a long time ago.  She did all the hard work and then gifted it to me to finish.  As she has a new little grandson I finished it to give to him. Tick that one off the Kick the Bucket list.

Just lately I have been VERY naughty in adding to fibre and fabric stashes so I am cold sheeping/stash busting for a while to make up for it.  

 Of course part of that means spinning up all of the "little" and random bits that I have accumulated - like this blue/black that I aquired in a swap.

It is "Tour De Fleece" at the moment so I am trying to spin as often as I can while that is on.

And, of course, next weekend is my consultant and friends scrapping retreat so there is a bit of crazy packing going on too!

Life is never dull when you are busy LOL

Have a great week folks!

Some Inspired Scrapping!

I have been doing Stacey Julian's "Inspired Scrapping" course at Big Picture Classes.  This month was all about scrapping the "everyday" photos, so these first two pages are for that (and also gave me a chance to use the July Stamp of the Month which is this gorgeous Circus Alphabet.

We are about to get a nice new catalogue so I had to make my favourite pages out of the old one (these products are all WSL now and only available until the end of the month)  Please note that these layouts are just like they are in the catalogue - they are not my own original ideas!

Happy scrapping!

Test Knits and a bit of Op shopping

I have never been a "test" knitter.  Mostly because I think that even though I have been knitting for a long time I am a very slow knitter (and most test knits have a tight deadline) and I am also quite a simple knitter (maths hurts my head and I knit for relaxation not mental gymnastics) which of course is why I took it into my head to sign up for 2 test knits within a few days of each other (and in the same month that I am supposed to be knitting a silly cow onsie for my soon to be niece or nephew!)  I know! I am hopeless!

Anyhow, the first test knit is a lovely shawl pattern from Nim Teasedale over at www.littlehouseonthehill.wordpress.com  I am knitting it in a scrummy 4ply merino/cashmere from www.kathysfibres.com

There was a child-wrangling incident which resulted in some frogging and starting over and the second time around I was distracted and cast on 4 stitches instead of 7.  Not to worry.  I have finished the garter stitch middle and am ready to fudge the final row count to start the lace section.

The second test knit is the Nokomis Tie Strap Summer Dress by Jenni Lansing.  I love this pattern. So simple and sweet even if I did have to let little Miss choose her own colours.  I am not anticipating that this one will be too much of a problem as it is stocking stitch and seed stitch (should be a perfect vege out project).  

There is also a Gruffalo hat in progress (hopefully finished this weekend) for our kindy excursion to the forest.

Yesterday, in between my to do list, I found myself parked right outside my favourite Op shop with no kids.  A quick dash inside produced a couple of vintage hankies, 3 winter coats and a long sleeved shirt, and this sweet little trio of dishes which I think will be perfect for chutneys, tea bags, and jam with scones.  They are made in Japan, but as I get older I am getting less snobbish about that.  I also couldn't go past the 50c blue jug.  That brings the collection to 5 (oops) and I shamelessly think that there will probably be more in my future.

And now, after a busy week, it is Friday.  My favourite day of the week.  Roll on a cruisy crafty weekend.

Double Digits

10 years ago this little possum turned our world upside down when she made us parents!  She came into the world face up, eyes wide open, and we should have known then that this was the way she would approach life.

 In the blink of an eye she was walking and talking and turning 1.

And then that is just the way it went.  She grew so quickly, spreading joy and happiness in her wake.  She has always been bright, cheeky, and curious about her world.  She has enormous empathy for others, and a huge heart for animals.  She is so loved and loving.

Hannah Bear, my little Hannah Kate.  We love you so very much. Happy Double Digits birthday sweet girl.

xxx

Bunny Love

There is something about a bunny isn't there?  I am trying to convince myself that we bought Milo for the children but really, let's be honest here, it was just because I love having this warm little bundle of fluff around.  I think bunnies are such a good pet for children.  They have to learn to be quiet, and gentle, and care for something that is dependent on them.

Welcome to the family Milo.  We wish you many long years of cuddles and carrots.

Quiet time

Aagghhh! My cherubs brought home a gastro bug with them early last week.  It clung and persisted and knocked all bar Sir James in its wake.  I succumbed Thursday and ended up in bed for days unable and unwilling to eat.  Now it is Monday and the two big ones have gone back to school, bright eyed and well, and the littlest and I have one more day at home to just be.  To get back to normal. To get on top of the washing. To just sit and knit and chat and cuddle.  I am preparing for Adelaide Hills Spinners and Weavers Open Day.  I am toying with the idea of an etsy shop for anything that doesn't sell.  I am thinking about slow cooker meals and the big chunks of meat at the bottom of our freezer.  I am watching our new chooks and waiting for eggs.  I am smiling at the tree dahlia.  I am lamenting the state of the garden and the onset of Winter. I am mostly tired.  Exhausted.  It feels like today needs to be a slow day.  A  day for thinking and planning and recovering.
What about you?
What are you doing this Monday?