A Little Show and Tell

I've been soooo desperate to write a post but I have been put off of late because our poor old and very slow computer can't handle much lately, particularly when it comes to uploading photos. I feel I've had so little time to be creative these school holidays - oh apart from making toilet roll binoculars, choc-chip cookies and cubby houses out of large Ikea boxes! We've had alot of fun and now I need to create something, a bigger crochet project. My brother has announced they are expecting a baby in february and I think I'd like to make a really lovely blankie. Something ripply perhaps, something soft and gorgeous. I'll start soon as it will take a while.

Em I feel like I haven't seen you in EVER!!! I laughed at your last post re beanie frustration- can't wait to chat about all your idle crafty holiday happiness and check out that necklet which looks gorgeous, any wonder you got comments! And that new crochet book by Erica Knight looks gorgeous. I laughed because I nearly bought it myself from fishpond.com.au, click right here to see it. I think we need a crafty crochet catch up real soon and a look at that book........please...............

In the meantime here's a couple of things I made before the school holidays happened upon us.

My first pair of fingerless gloves. They're so super soft and warm. I found this 4ply cashmere/merino blend at $4 a ball at the local bargain shop which has everything from glitter stickers to dog food! I used a half treble stitch for the hand bit and a pattern from Jan Eaton's 200 Crochet Blocks for the wrist part. I wear them everywhere at the moment.

Next is my bangle from Mollie Makes Issue 15. It's chunky, it's funky. I love it! Made it in half an hour one night. It's 2 strands of pure wool and was a little tricky using front-post treble and back-post treble stitches but it turned out as it should. It's my new winter accessory.

Now I was given this beautiful skein of wool from a dear friend for my 40th and I've only just wound it into 2 equal balls. Any ideas what to make with it? It's quite thick with beautifully variegated colours, lovely handspun yarn deserves to be made into something amazing. I'm just not sure what yet!!! What do you think?????????????????????

x Le x

A walk at dusk....

The walk was lovely.. A good choice if l do say so myself. No whales or dolphins, but still amazing! Le, l love your cushions.. You are so clever.. Well done!! I can just picture them on the couch in the sunny corner of the lounge! What's next on the agenda l wonder?? I had a go at popcorn stitch in the car on the drive up and made a cute little necklet, which l've even had a couple of comments on since wearing down the street! I am pleased with it.. I used a lovely 8 ply merino wool with a touch of silk and mohair.I will also mention that my attempts ( yes, I am talking more than one!) at a beanie for myself on the drive up have been dismal! Apart from the first being too big and the second too small they looked ridiculous on me ( including my first ever beanie from a previous post) and if I wasn't so determined I would be ready to give up but I am going to troop on because surely there has to be a beanie pattern out there that doesn't look ridiculous on my head??!! Doesn't there?!?x em

On the road again....

...we just couldn't wait to get on the road again... to Byron Bay.. We're on our way, to sunshine and happiness today ..a-hah.. u-huh..
Except we did wake to rain today, real rain ...like Melbourne rain, but hanging out in the camp lounge is fun especially when the view is like this..
And we hit the shops instead of the beach and l discovered a beautiful crochet book and the biggest decision l have to make now is whether l stay in the lounge with the beach view and discover the new crochet projects that await me or rug up and walk the lighthouse track and maybe view a distant whale or two???... Either of which need to be done before happy hour and it's now 3.40pm!!
X em

A footstool cover

It has taken hours, days, weeks, even months but l have finally completed a bigger project ( for me anyway). A crochet cover for the footstool l rescued off the nature strip at hard rubbish time.....

And my first ever beanie.......

Snap!

Watch this space..............

Edited to Add-
30th June

Have you been watching? And waiting? Well probably not seeing we only have 2 followers, but Em, I hope you've been watching coz while you were busy crocheting cushion covers, I too was busy crocheting cushion covers and this, folks, was quite independantly from each other, without each other knowing because while we like to talk craft and crochet together, we also like to surprise each other with ta-dah moments like this one..

My little mini mee's- Ta-dah, aren't they lovely. I'm so proud of them all nestled and cosy with each other on the couch. Soaking in the wintery suns' rays just calling me every minute of the day to rest awhile in the sunniest part of the house. I had four starburst squares left from my big starburst cushion first previewed in one of our 40th retreat posts (which I am very aware of not finishing!!). I joined them with slip stitches and grannied around them until it was the same size as my boring ho-hum brown (ugh) cushions. Stitched them to the piping of the cushion edge with embroidery thread and there you have it! Cosy, cushiony goodness right there! I hope you like them Em as I do your gorgeous silky Noro numbers.  Yum, Yum!

Now speaking of yum, yum I have to go to work now and prepare a Thai feast for 31 anticipating diners when really all I want to do on this cold day while the kids and B are out at a birthday party is cuddle up to my cushions and crochet!!!!

xx Le xx

Another cushion cover

May Days

 Sunny, shiny May Days. The sunshine was oh so glorious this month. The clearest blue skies, the chill in the air, the colours all around and the falling leaves. We had many wonderful moments throwing handfuls of colour in the air and giggling as leaves landed on our heads... 'more pease mum'

                                                                        but no crochet........

 Returning to the kitchen. The smells of baking, warm cinnamon and sweet appley goodness wafting through the house. Mmm, we return to cake; Sicilian Apple Cake. I've learned to make cake with one child on hip and one hand doing the rest! The result? An afternoon of delightful kitchen happiness, lots of sticky fingers and a beautiful afternoon tea

but no crochet.............

Crocheted yarn bombing in the local park ......... not my crochet

'FUN' watching long autumn shadows swinging in the park.....

 but still no crochet

My cumquat tree has broken it's 15 year drought and I have.....

A pocketful of sunshine.......... but no crochet!!

Rocket seeds planted perhaps a little too late, but fingers crossed x

Mamma's Little Helper -

Maggie Beer's Burnt Fig, Honeycomb and Caramel Icecream......mmmm

and I managed some crochet!!!

My first Beanie....... photo on the way!!

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EDITED TO ADD......

Here it 'tis! 100% pure wool, 2 strands, size 4 hook, 3hrs and lots of excitement later and we have a beanie. After much procrastination as I am prone to, I finally took a deep breath and just started. It was actually really easy and fits so snuggly on Little R's head, down over his ears and covers his neck........ oh so cozy for these cold winter days.