Monday Musings

It's the last day of summer but I am sooo cold I am wearing a cardigan and slippers and my nose is running.

Whilst blowdrying my hair on the weekend I noticed it kinda smelled like it was burning and close to blowing up.  Then I realised the smell was from a dead cockroach that had somehow found it's way in there.  So I have been blowdrying dead cockroach into my hair for who knows how long.

I cant remember the last time I cooked dinner.  My husband does it most nights and when he's not around I survive on jam toast.

I think I would like to go back to work so I can have money to buy things I want without having to spend three hours (and various sexual favours!) explaining to the money earner why they are required.

This weekend I managed to add even more babushka's to my daughters room.  One day she is going to be old enough to tell me she hates them and would rather have a Barbie or Dora instead.

The Oscar's are on and I think they are boring (!), praps because I cant remember the last time I watched a recent movie.  I'd rather they had everyone stand in a big line so I could see what everyone was wearing and be judgy judgemental from the safety of my slippers and my couch.

My husband is going away for work and for boat racing quite a lot over the next few weeks.  I'm excited because that means I can stay up all night watching trashy tv and crocheting without being harrassed about coming to bed.

I think my MIL thinks I am a bad housekeeper.  And a bad parent.

I think sometimes she just might be right.

This week I'm grateful for... mother in laws!

She only arrived 24 hours ago but has done my washing, all the ironing, stripped beds, cooked dinner last night and prepared dinner with dessert for tonight  Also, she is going to look after the smalls so I can go to a tupperware party on my own this afternoon and the Mathilda Market on my own tomorrow morning.

Is there anything more that needs to be said?

Playing along with Maxabella loves....

My creative space... A crochet cushion

You know when you make something for someone else but then you like it so much you want to keep it yourself?  Yes, well, that has happened to me this week.  Except I promise that I really wont keep it for myself and that it will be in the post to one of my lovely nieces tomorrow.... promise.... maybe.....

The front

The back



A close up of one of the squares.

I kinda modified a square I found in the Jan Eaton book, 200 crochet blocks.  I really liked the little flowery bit in the middle and then just kept granny squaring out till I liked the size.  Here's the inspiration:

The back is just one big granny square which I just kept going with till it was the same size as the front one.  I did have some trouble with joining the front and back together cause they didn't quite match up but I dont think you can tell now it's all together.  I've realised now as well that I have crocheted the cushion in and I wont be able to get it out again for washing or replacing.... oops. 

I joined my granny squares during the final white round by doing the three trebles and then slip stitching into the spaces on the previous square.  Does that make sense to you?  It's ended up looking quite neat and was easier than some of the other ideas I found on the interwebs.

So, there you have it - my first Granny Square Cushion!  I feel like every time I finish a crochet project I really must thank Pip at Meet Me at Mikes for her marvellous granny square tutorial videos as this is where I learnt to crochet from.  Thanks Pip!

You can see other lovely creative spaces with Kirsty at Kootoyoo.

Wordless Wednesday

I made these pj pants for Matilda!

And clearly they work... even if it is on the couch!

Wordless Wednesdays can be found over here with Faith, Hope and a whole lotta love.

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Point + Shoot: Isaac on the Iphone

I should change this post from a thoughtful point + shoot and start calling it 'random iphone shots'!  Has anyone else found that with an iphone your actual camera hardly ever makes an appearance?

Sunday afternoon, driving home from Venus Bay in the car. 

I looooove how Curious George is safely tucked into his seatbelt.

Isaac's pen drawing of us.  Loving how he is doing his M's with the three strokes down and one across the top.

Join in with other Point + Shoost with FatMumSlim.

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This week I'm grateful for... sprained ankles.

Ok, so I'm not really grateful for the fact that I fell over myself at netball, landed on my face and sprained my ankle rendering me incapable of walking for the past three days, but I'm sure you'll get my drift when I say that by doing said fall I have had the perfect excuse to sit on the couch, catch up on Foxtel and crochet up a storm!

Just ordered the pattern for this gorgeous Grandma Daisy Cushion from The Royal Sisters,

and after a crazy hobbling visit to Spotlight for some wool this morning, the pattern and my crochet hook will be keeping me company on the couch today!

More grateful posts over with Maxabella loves....

My creative space...

I attempted to make my first softie this week.  I'm not sure it worked out as well as it could have and there are certainly things I will do differently next time.  I bought this lovely pattern from The Red Thread...

with this very sweet little face!

I actually wanted to make a trial Ooshka first since my sewing skills are quite questionable and so I have only used some cheap fat quarters from Lincraft.  I also didn't want to ruin that beautiful face above my sticking her onto a freaky doll so I tried to make a felt one (which the pattern gives you directions for as well).

Are you ready for her?

And her felty face.

And her scary bottom join.

So, some issues...

• Next time I wont use cheap iron-on stuff for the face.  It hasn't stuck very well and I would be reluctant to give her to a small person to play with in case her face got eaten off.  So praps I should have sewn her eyes and lips and cheeks as well as ironed them on.
• I definately would make her again as the instructions were really easy to follow but she really, really needs some nice fabric in her body and some embellishments, like a nice scarf round her neck and a flower for her hair (which the pattern suggests anyway).
• I need to know how to finish that opening off nicely.  Once I turned her in the right way and stuffed her I was a bit perplexed with how the professionals tidy up her bottom.  Tips anyone?

I'm actually going to buy the boy pattern as well since he comes with super cute little glasses and a cape!

Join in with other creative spaces at Kootoyoo.

Winner!

Look what arrived in the post for me today....

Thanks FatMumSlim!  I won it by pledging my love for all things Ikea.  Which actually wasn't very hard at all since every room in my house has something from Ikea in it.  This book is full of 9 lovely Swedish homes that you can drop into and steal ideas from...

...which I wholeheartedly intend to do!

Wordless Wednesday... Almost!

Empty car seats at 9.15 in the morning can only mean one thing.... Mummy has some free time! New Frankie & coffee, here I come!

Join in with (almost) Wordless Wednesday's over
here
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My valentines message....

Every year on Valentines, I scour the papers searching for a message that I could pretend was mine.  My search of the paper this morning revealed success....

Surely I am the 'Sonia My Beautiful Wife'???  There can't be any other married Sonia's in Melbourne can there???

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Point and Shoot: Sunny Sunday

I am sure the theory behind Point + Shoot is all about taking one shot from your weekend and sharing the where, whens and hows, but sometimes you have such a nice day with your family you end up snapping dozens of little moments that you don't want to forget about and then you can't decide which ones are exciting enough for sharing!  Bother.

Yesterday we went for a little picnic to a nice park in Healesville.  Twas very nice with a bit of sun and a lovely breeze, a yummy bakery, a playground and little path for scooting.  We shall ignore the police chase across the lawn to catch the shop stealing teenage girls and our very short and sweet visit to the skate ramp full of 13 year old swearing boys with freaky haircuts.

Mmmm, coffee and lemon tart.



How to convince this newbie scooter to wear a helmet?

Yay, some time to read the Sunday magazines!

A scooter race.

A quick kiss, captured by Oscar!

Trying out the ramp at the 'f**kn' skate park!  We heard that word every 5 seconds I swear!

All finished off with some cheats baking.  (Cheating is using a Betty Crocker Cookie Mix!)

I'm off to clean my house now like a maniac as I am hosting the kinder morning tea for the 4th year in a row!  You'd think people would want to sticky beak in someone elses house by now!

Join in with other Point and Shooters with FatMumSlim.

Beautiful Crochetdermy by Shauna Richardson

How incredible is this work?  This is part of something called the Lionheart Project.  Click on the link to read about it and to read more about the artist creating these beauties.

Here is the link to her website.  Be sure to visit her studio page to see the other animals she has created.

This one is my favourite.  Do you think if I asked nicely she might give us a pattern to make our own???

(all images are taken from the links given above)

This week I'm grateful for... Public libraries!

I have forgotten about the library ever since I took my small people in there ond day and was politely reminded that libraries are 'quiet' areas!  Having ditched my larger children to school and kinder this week, the small girl and I decided it was time to reaquaint ourselves and I'm so glad we did.  We chanced upon story time for Matilda (yay!) and just look at the stash of crafty and crochet books I came across (with one or two actual novels thrown in for good measure)!

 The only downside - Matilda uses her reading time to relax and, well poo.  On both our visits this week.   Join in with other grateful post with Maxabella loves....
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My creative space

After being completely inspired by this image from the Frankie blog:

I have searched through my linen cupboard to find these dollies we inherited from my husbands dead nanna.  My MIL was just going to throw them out anyway, so would it be completely sacrilegious to cut them up and make bunting???  And if I do start cutting into them, are they just going to fall apart?  Any tips from anyone who knows about cutting into dead nanna's doilies, I'd love to hear from you!

Join in with other my creative spaces over here with Kootoyoo.

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Is there a crochet line you wouldn't cross?

Many people have a snide little giggle when I tell them I am a little obsessed with crochet at the moment, especially my husband who asks me how old I am everytime my hook comes out!  The cheek! 

Even I must confess though to seeing some interesting hooky things, particular from this hysterical site, what not to crochet.

My crochet line would have to be right here:

Are there even words?  This is apparently described as being comfortable and practical for girls.

Do you have a crochet line, or any other crafty line for that matter, that you would just not cross'?

image taken from the what not to crochet blog

Winners are grinners... I hope!

Frog, Goose and Bear - you have won my teeny tiny crochet heart garland!  Yay for you!  I will be in contact with you so you can give me the address you'd like me to post it too.  Um, thanks to all 5 of you who entered.  Clearly I am a super popular blogger!

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Is this child ready to give up her day sleep?

Hmmmm.  This is after spending 3 hours at creche and then almost falling asleep in the car.  I should have driven around the block a few more times so I could work that car-to-bed transfer but no, I thought she'd just go straight down!

This is what happened after I got her up again, popped the trousers back on, pony tails back in...

It must have been all that bouncing.

Wordless Wednesday... with some words

Join in with Wordless Wednesday at Faith, Hope & a whole lotta love.

And if you would like to win a teeny, tiny crochet heart garland click here.

Clothkits Dolls

image

Does anyone know if there is anywhere in Australia that supplies Clothkits?  This is a UK based company that has been around for years selling kits to make all sorts of lovely things.  I know that they do post internationally but I just wondered whether there was an Australian supplier.  I am desperate to make one of these gorgeous dolls and there are some beautiful clothes as well, for big people and little ones! 

While you are here, you might like to leave a comment on this post!  You could win my teeny tiny crochet heart bunting being drawn tomorrow night (Wednesday)!

A wee giveaway.... just because.

Are you feeling the love yet?  Getting ready for Valentines Day?  We tend to not make too much fuss in this house about it.  Which really means, I'd like there to be a fuss but the chances are slim and really there is no point getting my knickers in a twist about it year after year cause I knew all about his anti-acknowledgement of various occasions before I got in too deep!

I have been busy faking the love though in this house, getting the smalls to draw lovehearts, colouring them in and cutting them out just to give to people they love - most have been coming my way I'm pleased to report!  I'd like to share it around a bit and have decided to give this sweet little crochet heart garland away.  I made it from this free tutorial over here if you want to have a go at some yourself.  It's not perfect, but seriously, love never is.  All you need to do to win is leave me a little comment telling me who/what you love and why.  Easy peasy lemon squeezy.  The winner will be chosen at random on Wednesday this week to give me a chance to pop it in the post so it gets to you by Valentine's Day on Monday.  And I'm sorry to all of my international readers (there aren't any I'm sure since I only have about 3 people who follow me!) but this is only open to Australian residents.

Just to extend the crochet love a little further, I have been obsessed with making these:

Crochet granny triangle bunting!  I found this wonderful tutorial over here.  I am joining in with Meet Me at Mikes: Make this Monday for this.  You should pop on over to Pip's and see all the lovely things that other people are making.

Just for fun I'm also linking in with FatMumSlim's point and shoot because this is all I managed to take photos of this weekend.  With my iphone mind you because it appears my actual camera has gone walkabout, so apologies for the very bad photos!

The sweetest night light ever!

Oh my gosh.  Isn't she just lovely?  I found her in Typo this morning and paid dearly to bring her home with me.  I'm fairly certain I will get in trouble.  But she was definately worth it.

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This week I'm grateful for... back to school photos & new runners!

I've been feeling all warm and aglow this week as a I stroll through people's blogs, admiring their little people and their big people all freshly decked out in school uniforms.  There is something so sweet about that first day back at school with new uniforms, new shoes, a huge bag that they can barely carry.  It makes me think of my own first days at school where my mum would have us all lined up on the front porch for our yearly shot.

I have my big person in Grade 1 this year, loving it already after his first day back today.  A lovely new teacher, new classroom and already making new friends.  My middle one is in 4 year old kinder this year and has been counting down the seconds this week till he got to go.  He was soooo dissappointed when he realised it was only orientation which went for an hour.  And my baby girl is hanging out on her own at occasional care this year which is only 3 hours one morning a week.

So our first day of the school year photo...

Oh, and I really am grateful for new runners this week too!  Even though I paid a ridiculous amount for them, a very spunky young man fondled my feet to ensure the correct fitting and size.  He even put my socks on for me (do you know how difficult it actually is to put socks on another adult??!!). 

Join in with other grateful weeks over with Maxabella loves...

My creative space...

This is the first time I have joined in 'my creative space...' over at Kootoyoo!  Yay.  Hope I'm playing properly.

As a newbie to crochet, I have been trying out lots of new little things that I have found on the internet and with Valentines Day approaching, I couldn't resist trying this sweet teeny tiny heart bunting!  I only made a couple to join together just to see what they'd look like but I think a big long strand of them would look so lovely.

I've got them hanging just above where my laptop sits so every time I look up I'm feeling a little love fest!

Want to make some of your own?  I found the free tutorial over here.

Wordless Wednesday: Boys and Nintendo

Join in with Wordless Wednesday over this way.
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