luck

Wish me luck.  Hopefully I'll get some time to sew this up today, or at least begin.   I'm thinking that if it turns out well it could become an autumn/winter staple.

still life

Well, kind of.

So that's them.  My Sunprints.  Again I must say these are so fun, and addictive.  And would be great for kids!  I won't explain the technique here, you can see it on the website, but lets just say it takes about 2 minutes to make one and all you need is sun and a container of water. 
I got a surprising amount done off my list yesterday, and cut out my tunic/dress this morning.  It is made of a knit material which I don't have loads of experience sewing with, so I'm a little nervous...

ps.  the dessert plate from yesterday!?  plain biscuits from the edmonds book, rolled extra thin and with sugar rolled onto the top.  YUM.  and the wee swirls?  sooo easy.  a bought sheet of flakey pastry.  cut in half, spread with jam, sprinkle with sugar.  roll each side in towards the middle, then cut into thin slices.  place on tray and sprinkle with more sugar.  bake xo

Some links and a list...

Right.  I feel like things need sorting out around here.  A bit of a tidy up.  So I have a list of linky lovelies I've been wanting to share, and a list of stuff I need to get DONE.  I'll be back tonight with an update on my progress...lets start with the fun stuff aye?!

~ This is my new favourite blog.  This one is also great. ~

~ If you need some new winter clothes (I'd recommend the skirt!) or a gift, check out this shop! ~

~ I want Amy to cook my dinner.  Every night. ~

~ Have you entered this cute giveaway yet!? ~

~ Oh my this collection by Papercup is gorgeous.  I had to go buy red tights after seeing this.  (via Kristin!) ~

~ This clever lady has been creating, and some of her new dolls are coming to live with me!  So lucky! ~

Right.  Onto the stuff that needs to get DONE. (in order of priority, and corresponding boring-ness)

:: dishes, washing, vacuum, meal plan, make banana cake ::

:: sort out what I need to enrol in my library papers!  Yes I'm doing it! ::

:: photograph the rest of my sunprints to show you ::

:: photograph a whole bunch of existing creations to list in my felt shop for a grand re-opening! ::

:: cut out my new grey tunic pattern ::

:: get a pic in my new red tights to show you! ::

Okay.  Going to get off the computer and out of my pj's now and attack the list xo

Dessert on Friday night, we had visitors for dinner

deja vu

I was making soup yesterday and had a little sense of deja vu while I was standing at the bench.  Not surprising really. 

Done and done

Blogging everyday in March huh?  Nup.  I'm done.  Only made it 2/3 of the month.  Oh well.  I love that this is my blog and I can do what I want!

I need a break.

I've over-blogged.  That's probably not a word, but that's okay.

See you when I feel the need to be back here.

ps.  The blanket is done! xo

a recipe to combat the blahs.

You know.  You're feeling a little frumpy.  Perhaps a little podgy.  Wishing you hadn't really eaten that brownie at craft night, even though you know you'll do it again next time.  Nothings really the matter, you're just feeling a little blah.
Here's what you do: 

• get up!
• cup of tea
• eat breakfast
• clean something (I know weird right? but if you clean something now, or put some washing on or whatever, then you will feel better than if you just ignore it all, and have it weighing on your mind to do later, I swear)
• long shower, including washing hair and shaving legs etc, even if you just did it yesterday.
• do hair and put on favourite dress and your best yellow shoes  (or whatever makes you feel good)
• when the baby has a nap - coffee and knitting (or whatever makes you feel good)

Yes.  I do believe you'll feel much better after that.
I did.

girl style friday

My daughter is very lucky and has recieved a lot of gifts from friends and family.  This dress was from my brother and his girlfriend for her birthday and the wee crocheted top is from her grandparents.  Check out that cloth nappy butt, looks like she's wearing a bustle!

ps.  Just have to say I had soooo much fun at craft night last night, chatting with fun people, eating brownie, knitting, listening to music and general all around awesome-ness.  Totally re-charged my batteries.   I hope you can do something for yourself this weekend to make you feel great. xo

reading nook

I set up this little reading corner for the babe the other day.  Here sits her bean bag, a quilt, and a nice sheepskin.  What a fantastic place to snuggle up and read!  I showed her the new little spot I had created and put down a basket with all her board books in...and she promptly sat herself down and read for a good 20minutes!  Awesome!  It's been about a week now, and though the novelty has worn off a bit, she still has some time here each day.

a favourite kind of evening...

...is spent here.

one - baby playing in the washing rack

two - cups of tea in my belly

three - loads of washing to do today (and it's raining!)

lots - of decisions to make today

many - ends all woven in last night!  let the crochet begin

least favourite thing...

Weaving in all those ends...
I'm sure I'll cope if I think about the sweet baby (not mine!) that will be wrapped up in this blanket come mid-winter.  Now I just need Mum to teach me how to crochet an edge!

I love...

Crispy autumn mornings...

Like all of you I have Japan on my mind today.  I guess this disaster is extra 'real' to me, since it follows so closely after our NZ disaster down in Chch.  There really are no words for what Japan is going through right now...

girl style friday

Another post inspired by the lovely Kristin!  Here's what my daughter is wearing this sunny Friday.

Blue top - Farmers

Dress - Thrifted from a market by my MIL - it is so cute, it's got pictures of fruit and veges all over it and words about gardening!

Cardi - Knitted by my Mum

Shoes - Hoofs

p.s.

Two more followers and that will be 100.  WOAH! 
Who would have thought....
Once I get to 100 I think I shall organise a giveaway of some description.  I wish I could send cupcakes...but I think I'd better go with non-perishable treats xo

Waaaahhhh

In case you are wondering, my mouth, my bank balance and I will be spending the rest of the evening moping on the couch.

studying?

 So.  I'm thinking about studying.  Studying this to be exact.
I had been thinking perhaps I would wait until I had another baby (NOT yet!) and then study after that.  But really it's probably only going to be more difficult then, so why not start now...
I know I could do it...but it will be difficult.  And it's so easy to take the lazy, easy option and just put it off.  I used to work in a library before I had my daughter, but I have no official qualifications in this area (I have a BA in art history, and history...)  But I think that working in a library is what I would really enjoy in the future, so I think I should make a move towards that.  I think I've convinced myself!
Have you studied while you had small children at home?  Or while you worked?  Or all three!?  Do you have advice for me?  PLEASE!!  x

I wish...

I could spend the whole day right here...

scarf, and new autumn outfit!

Yay the scarf is done!  I had a lot of fun knitting this wee number.  Like someone mentioned in the comments, it had just the right amount of pattern to it that it was an easy knit, but not too boring to work on.  I'm really happy with it.  And it is wide enough that it generally sits folded in half, so you can't see the boring 'wrong side' of the work.

It matches my shoes, which was the plan!  And the scarf cost a grand total of $10 to make, the yarn is moda vera brand, on special, from spotlight.

Do you like my new top?  Foxes!  So cute.  It's from Farmers, and so are the jeans and cardi.

What a geek...hee hee.  Oh, and here's the ravelry link for the scarf if you're interested x

party food

My contribution to my nephews party today was some dolphin cookies.  Mmmm.  I'm just eating my second piece of birthday cake now...love kids parties.  Happy Sunday! x

sunprints

Here's a quick peek at another sunprint.  I'm still working on some more ideas, which I hope I will be done with soon!  I'm in a bit of a grump today as the baby...would. not. go. to. sleep.  And even now she has finally dozed off for a nap I'm still feeling grumpy.  I need to start a new knitting project, that always puts me in a good mood.  Oh, yeah, I finished my scarf last night!  Will show it off soon, when I can get some good pics.  Hope you're having a good weekend xo

style friday

Okay!  Jumpin' on the band-wagon here, thanks to Kristin, Rhiannon and Stella, who are all doing slightly differing versions of a 'style Friday'!  Loving it!
I haven't worn anything particularly inspiring this week, and I'm a bit funny about putting my girl out there in blog land, but then I figured I could still show off her clothes without showing her face - just in case she wants to dis-own me when she's 16...
Anyhoo - I'm not sure whether this 'style Friday' will become a regular feature but for today here's my babe's girl style Friday!

stripy cardi - made by one of her Nans

yellow dress - postie plus (I think) in Westport - $8

leggings - postie plus $5

shoes - the brand is 'hoofs' they are great - a gift from Meme (other Nan!)

a card, to go with the gift

This is a card, to go with the play mat I made, for my nephew.  Pretty self-explanatory right?  Based on the hungry little caterpillar.  Made from one of my daughters paintings.  I think Dee has done some things with children's paintings too.  They are great for using in collage.
So this is my fourth post in 4 days!  I'm going to try to post everyday in March...just for fun xo

popped

So, that strawberry popping corn?  It pops!

I wasn't sure whether it would or not, as apparently it has to be dry enough, but not too dry.  The remaining little bit of moisture is what causes the pressure inside the kernel that makes it pop.  Like steam.  Or something like that.  I think.
Anyway, I found this pop corn fun and easy to grow, and I think it would be a great project for kiddos.  It would also look lovely as an autumnal decoration, I'm going to try that with some of mine.  You can get some here if you want to try growing it next year.

a gift

I recently finished this play mat for my nephew's birthday.  I'm quite please with how it turned out in the end, but it was rather challenging to put together.  Things like this always are a bit difficult, but I've learnt a few tricks to make it easier if I make another one in the future.
The images are, car-wash, house, beach and petrol station.  They are made from felt, and the grey is vinyl.  Its backed with green felt.  The images are all sewn together, but the vinyl had to be glued in the end as sewing it together wasn't a happening thing.  It was going all wonky.  So thank god for PVA glue!  I got the idea here.

He'll receive this gift on the weekend.  Hopefully he likes it!  xo

Finished

My little Loch Ness monster is finished!  He now proudly joins his other little crochet friends, made by my mum.  He was a challenge, but I am proud to say I hooked every stitch myself.  I must say I am enjoying the simplicity of knitting my scarf at the moment though.  And style 'A' was the winner, by the way.