WOOLLY WINTER WARMERS

I've been getting all cozy by the fire and enjoying crocheting again. As little Miss S gets older I am having to referee the 2 little peeps a bit less as they enjoy more moments of harmonious play. There have been many hours of Lego as newly 8 yr old is immersed in creating complex ships and messy moments as Little S likes to make 'mixtures' with glitter, sequins and food colouring!!
Here's my latest makes.................

 

I adore theses beanies and the thought that some little people are going have snuggy, cozy heads this winter. The top 3 fit a 3 to 5 year old and the yarn is so amazing and great new find I am loving crocheting with. I've used a Wendy Merino in a chunky and it is ULTRA soft.  AND it's Australian Merino even though it's shipped off to England to be crafted into this yarn. The colours are lovely softer shades and it's a squidgy easy to handle yarn.

The 2 smaller beanies are for l6-12 month olds made in a Bella Baby Silk Blend from Spotlight which was trickier to use, a bit slippery however it's beautiful and soft when crocheted and I love it has a gorgeous sheen when it's done. I have a few more colours to work up in this yarn and can't wait. I think I'm going a bit beanie mad!!

 These fingerless mitts were made up a couple of weeks ago and I just haven't found the time to take them down to the shop. I seem to be obessive about making lots of one thing and then m ove on to the next. I like to know the pattern gets embedded into my mind and hopefully I can recall it any time. I'm tempted to keep a pair of these for myself, though I'm sure I could whip up another pair.

I went a bit crazy on neck cowls as well!! I made 7 in about a week and a half and I really want to make more. I enjoy these projects where I can put half of my attention on the crochet and the other half on the kids. I can't shut them out completely (the kids that is) and I think it's good they see that I enjoy creating things. These were made in sirdar crofter and it too is amazingly soft and when worked up with a larger hook than recommended it creates a lovely soft drape so necessary for these cozy numbers. These are heading to the shop to. I really need to sell my stuff so I can repay myself for buying the yarn! And I love giving them away too.

Anyhow I hope you are all keeping warm in your woollies this winter.

x Le x

Hop, Hop, Hoppin' Along..............

Well Birthdays have come and gone, Christmas came and went, then New Years and even a wedding has been celebrated yet the crafting goes on, slowly, untold, in between time, in between working, home loving, children raising etc etc. And then the next thing you know.......... a blog post!!! Wow!
These little bunnies had me inspired to write a post. The first in many months and I won't apologise because life has been full. Life has been busy and life has been celebrated. Wanna see my bunnies???? Here they are, a basket of bouncy, bopping Bunny Buttontails all set go and find new homes for Easter.

All lined up, ready to go, flashing their little buttontails though the blue one out front is a wee bit shy and his tail keeps flopping over to hide his cute little white vintage button, but I do love his ric-rac neck tie!

They have been keeping company with my cotton crocheted egg cozies who are hoping to keep someone's soft boiled eggs warm this winter. Button tops and loopy handles at the ready to brightened dull, grey winter skies.

The little ducky egg cup was my husband's father's and is treasured in our house. Our children are quite fascinated by Grandpa Jim who passed on when our eldest was 5 months old. Our daughter who has never met him proclaimed him to be her favourite grandpa and I had to giggle as I'm not sure how my dad, still alive and well, would take that!!

Well Happy Easter everyone. I hope you enjoy the school holidays- yay no more lunches to make at 8am!! Have Hip, Hop, Happy time.
x Le x

The template and instructions for the bunnies can be found at this blog I found on Pinterest. I added the buttontail and changed the finish a bit. The egg cozy are adapted from a Nicki Trench pattern in Cute and Easy Crochet with the addition of loops and buttons and an invisible finishing join.
Give 'em a go and enjoy some crafting (and chocolate) this Easter.

Pink N Pretty

It's pretty, it's pink, it's so easy! Happy Birthday to my God Daughter. 

Have a go. Tutorial found on Pinterest and I only needed three things........

I think there may be lots of these at our wedding.

Crafty busyness ....

Snowflake princesses...
Winter elves...
and father and child wintry walks...

Royal Parade Yarn Bomb

It's done, it's made, it's bundled up in a bag and ready to be hugging a tree tomorrow morning. It's going to be freezing cold at 7.30am when I set off to pick up my bombing companion for the day and meet the Yarn Corner group in the city where we are assigned teams who will tackle a number of trees along the 2.5km stretch of inner city road to creatively beautify 85 big old glorious trees! 

How are you going to celebrate International Yarn Bombing Day??

x Le x

Babushka For Matilda

A crocheted babushka for my little friend Matilda who will be 4 next month. I am actually organised and not cramming in a birthday gift make the night before, so usual for me. I've been wanting to make this cute little gal since I saw them over at Attic 24. They're from a really gorgeous book that's been sitting idle on my craft table for a little while. A book I often flick through and crave to make projects from but never really find the time at the right time, if you know what I mean, to actually get to it. And then I was inspired and reminded of the little babushka family when I saw this darling little babushka tile coaster at my local market. It was sitting there in the basket of coasters under a few others. It had been sitting there all day as I sat beside it at my own stall. I felt so lucky when I uncovered her, lucky that no one else had snapped her up. I had to have her for Matilda as my dear little friend has lovely babushka curtains in her room that her mamma made and I'm glad I remembered at the right moment. 

Oh, BTW,  the book is 'cute & easy crochet' by Nikki Trench (see the links below). A bargain buy from fishpond.com.au that has me wanting to crochet every project. 

I love hats, I want to make this one............

I love scarves, I want to make this one...........

I love bags, I don't have a crocheted bag, I want to make this one..........

See what I mean and there's loads more. Lovely colour palette, lovely photography and best of all, the pattern was very, very easy to follow. 

So now my dilemma is, do I settle for one little babushka, or make the whole family?? What do you think Em??

x Le x

 http://attic24.typepad.com/weblog/2011/10/cute-easy-crochet.html 

http://www.fishpond.com.au/Books/Cute-and-Easy-Crochet-Nicki-Trench/9781907563201

Winter, Awake

Welcome Winter with your chilly mornings, swirls of mist twirling through the mountain tree tops, branches made bare by your gusty gales. 

Safe and warm in our humble home, how blessed we are to be together, this family of mine.

Looking forward to more crocheting curled up on the couch, slow cooked meals, rugging up in our winter woollies and walking alongside the river, toasting marshmallows and early nights. 

Digging out the drain at the front door because it gets blocked so easily, buckets under the cracks in the ceiling when the big rains come, dashing out after dark in the slippery mud when we have forgotten to put the chooks away, a seemingly endless 3 months(or more) of clothes racks drying in the lounge by the fire, gathering more firewood!

Winter, Awake

x Le x

Let's Get Back Into Blogging........

It's been FOREVER and I have sooooo many photos to accompany the blog posts that are in my head. Here's a random one to get the ball rolling once more.

I have started a market stall at our local handmade market, C- R-A-Z-Y!! I was actually quite nervous about putting myself out there but my little bits of handmade love were well received so I thought I'd do it again and this time I would tell you all about it. Well at least show you some photos as I really need to be making, NOT blogging as the next market is this weekend!!

Credit goes to your daughters Em for making the gorgeous vintage swing tags that sold really well. The head honcho of Warburton Handmade loved them too, she wants them in the gallery! Fantastic!

So I will leave you with the photos and get back to my latest make for the market.
x Le x

Easter treats.....

3 Rows Forward, 4 Rows Back

It really is impossible to crochet this beautiful ripple blanket whilst doing anything else other concentrating on the job at hand. I've tried to sneak in rows before dinner or while the children are running around or while I'm on the phone. However justice cannot be done to the pattern when my attention is divided. I have pulled out way too many rows now to even bother trying multi-tasking whilst rippling away. So now I must dedicate very specific time to this blankie. Time when there will be no interruptions, no drinks to get or dinner to stir, no phone calls to take and no children about. Just me and my blankie, and then I may have some progress!

I am following other ripply blanket goodness on the One Crafty Mamma blog. Unfortunately this blogger app I have does not allow me to link other sites and I am about to do away with it because of that. But do look it up along with On Polkadot Lane where the lovely Kelly is rippling away in Upwey with a gorgeous ocean breeze colour theme. Or maybe it's the sky and the trees!

So far I have 50 and a bit rows of pure merino. It's a ripple of rainbow colours. Bright and vibrant and I'm hoping it looks good on our queen size bed. Thank goodness autumn has finally arrived and I actually feel like having my lap snuggled under rows of merino wool.
x Le x

Amanita and child.....

A hunting we will go....

Dusting off the cobwebs....

Welcome Little One

So excited right now! A new little person has just been born into our family. My baby brother, well he's early thirty something, has just become a Dadda for the first time. Mamma and Baby Cohen James are doing well snuggled up with each other right now.
So blessed is the journey with children. They colour our lives, teach us more about ourselves than we could ever have imagined ( the good, the bad and the ugly mind you)! Even through hardship and frustration, there is a grounding that children bring( if you let it). Of course I am speaking of my own experience and I know not everyone has a such a wonderful time of it all.
I am blessed to have such a family of my own and I wish now for my brother to discover such a journey with his new born child.
x Le x

Muffin cuteness.....

Late night baking for school lunches.... way too cute... autumnal toadstooly happiness.......x em

Finding inspiration.....

Fun shots of Bendigo Le, were you inspired to make and create??
I have been struggling l must say, inspiration has been slow to come my way.... my crafty mojo is still in holiday mode! I have been trying...walking in and out of my little studio countless times, pulling out felt , doll bases , wool, standing, staring, turning round in circles, over and over again and finally, slowly some ideas have emerged......
No such troubles for Mikey though! Jamie Oliver's 15 minute meals have certainly inspired his cooking and we have been devouring some delicious meals, and despite the heat and desperately low water tank levels we have managed to harvest some veggies from the garden to table!