Goodbye 2015 ...... Hello 2016

The busyness of December is almost at a close, given its the very last day for 2015!  I did manage to get some gifts made up which included the Beanie for daughters partner and the Sun Hat for her.  The brim proved to be a bit tricky since the 10ply cotton I purchased from Bendigo Yarns just isn't quite as course and thick as the stuff like sugar n cream that comes from the US ..... it was also impossible to find liquid starch around here and the spray starch just doesn't do much........ instead I used water mixed with PVA glue which dries clear and worked great after about 3 coats!!  Hopefully she gets some use from it!  It sure has been pretty hot these past few days!  I was really hoping we might get a day of rain and cooler weather today .........

A number of crocheted hand towels and dishcloths were made and all received gratefully which was rather nice given the time we put in to do handmade gifts :)  I posted a pic of those last post so I'm sure you don't need to see them again.

Need to find a home for all the empty baskets!

Hubbie and I have been blessed to both have from Christmas Eve until the 3rd Jan off work.  We've been taking it a bit easy to have a bit of a break, but also putting time into the garden ...... and I spent a couple of days in the craft cabin getting it somewhat sorted!  The past few months it became a dumping ground when we had to quickly make room in the house........... I've yet to get the table tops cleared, but the storage unit was completely emptied and I moved things around so that all my yarn is sorted ready to grab for various projects through the year!

Found the lounge lol - bottles waiting for cordial making

  My fabrics have been moved to the other end since I'm finding it's easier to get knitting and crochet achieved than it is for me to get much sewing done since I picked up the extra day at work.  Amazing how just 1 extra day a fortnight can have such a huge impact on what can no longer get fitted into doing at home!  I'll review how things are going mid year to decide if I keep doing the extra day or not.

I really enjoyed making the Beanie for daughters partner and the fact he was so excited and pleased with it has made me want to knit more of these little projects!  So since the pattern was such a great one being simple to follow (Woolly Wormhead design and it was a free pattern called Noma) ..... I went to her group on Ravelry and it just happened that they have a little thing going for knitting 12 of her hats in 12 months ...... hmmmm ...... Perfect!!!  These will make great birthday projects I'm thinking ....... I've had a bit of fun looking through all the patterns of different styles of hats she has for all ages and trying to pick out only 12 ........ I've ended up picking about 19 which will give me a choice as I go through my stash during the year.  Yes, I will be knitting these from stash, especially now I have it all sorted and there sure seems more than enough for 12 hats!!  So stay tuned for the hat making!     
Getting hats sorted for the next 12 months has also got me thinking about lots of other things that I would like to have sorted to plan out over the next 12 months ...... still in the planning stages for now so that will be another post!
In the meantime, I will wish you all the very best as 2015 comes to a close and a brand shiny new year is about to unfold .......Happy 2016 Everyone xo

Yep, caught myself in the mirror taking the shot :)

December: Catching Up

It's been so crazy busy around this place since my last post, and although I've thought about

Baby Willy Wagtails out of the nest

 getting a post out, it just hasn't quite got there till now ..... kinda.......  I'm starting this morning, but I soon will have to run out the door to work, so it will be tonight no doubt before I can actually post! (as it turned out that was yesterday morning and I'm trying again )  No doubt everyone else is busy as well, especially those of you who have to fit in working outside the home!!  It really does cramp my style and stop lots of things from getting done, that I really would like to be doing..... oh well, guess I'm lucky to only have 7 days a fortnight rather than 10!  Anyhow, I'm sure nobody wants to hear about that .......
I've been busy getting a few little crocheted kitchen towels made up for Christmas giving, and I've also managed to get that Beanie knitted up which will be going under the tree for daughters partner. 
I'm actually quite pleased with how it turned out, being my first knitted beanie and all lol
 

I'm wanting to get a summer hat crocheted up for daughter for Christmas, but it needs some thick cotton yarn.  I've ordered some online from Bendigo Woollen Mills this week when I found out its currently on sale  for $11 for a 200gr ball!  I got a couple of colours  in 10ply cotton and also purchased some other yarn which took me over the $60 (which then gives you free postage!) It should arrive by Friday ..... at least I'm hoping it will so I can make a start over the weekend, and hope its a quick crochet lol

In the meantime, I've been working on getting my Park Slope finished up, and I'm really pleased with the result and the fit!  The yarn I used is the Wollmeise fingering and its so nice and light to wear!  I will definitely be making more of these in the future.

Summer time here means all the stone fruit are coming into season.  We've been blessed to have our eldest son bringing home some very yummy cherries.  I now have some pitted and frozen ready to make cherry pie to eat on Christmas

Day.......  and our Apricot tree is just about ready to be picked, so it will be time to get making the jam sometime in the next week or so I expect!    Although we pulled out the large vegie garden, some pumpkin seeds found their way down into the garden bed where Dad had been drying some seeds when he was here ........ the vine is doing so well, we have decided to just let it keep going and I see it's beginning to set some pumpkins. 

 I've put a few tomato plants and capsicums into the front flower garden to companion grow ...... most seem to be doing well ......... and yes, couldn't help myself ....... I moved some of the wood pile and put in a temporary garden with some cucumbers to see if a garden would work here in this area.


The little chicks are growing nicely, Mary is such a great foster mum.  They should be grown and ready to begin laying come winter, which will be perfect for keeping up the egg supply!  I lost a couple of hens a couple of months ago - both older girls, so these little ones will be replacing them.  I may even set a couple of fertile eggs (I'm sure I'll be able to find somebody willing to give me a couple) if I have a broodie hen towards the end of summer, in order to keep my little flock up.  Well, now I think we are pretty well caught up ....... except to say that I have received a lovely little embroidered hexie all the way from France to put in my table cloth, but I think it deserves a post all its own, so you will have to wait to see that photo for another day or two.    Take care and have an awesome day!

Weekend Snippets

This was the 3rd Friday of the month which meant joining in with other gals from around the world for FNSI.  My stitching tended to extend over the entire weekend in bits and pieces here and there ......... I got some more embroidery done on the centre piece for my blog table cloth ....... I'm ready to begin working on some hexies for the flower petals now, and hoping to have enough friends who are keen to embroider their names onto a hexie to make the centres. (If you are interested, please read this post - I'd love to have friends names on my tablecloth in my craft cabin). 





Magic Loop Success!

After quite the challenge, I finally worked out how to do the knitting "magic loop" which enables you to "join" 6 stitches on a circular needle!  Finally I'm now making progress on a beanie for a Christmas gift!  At least, I sure hope it works out ok..... guess we shall see.



And also managed progress on my Park Slope top, getting the waistband completed.  Just have the neck and sleeves left to finish, but I'm happy with how it's looking this far....... what do you think?

 Turned out to be a busy, but enjoyable weekend as  we ended up heading  out for dinner on Friday night,   and then on Saturday afternoon called in for a wonderful catch up with some friends before they get busy with harvest, ...... Sunday we spent some time tending  to the garden - the grass and weeds are just growing like wildfire at the moment!  I've moved my swing chair ........ currently searching for just the right place, you know - morning sun and afternoon shade as Summer heads towards us!  I'm not sure I have it quite right yet, this spot seemed to be getting more and more sun as the afternoon extended.  What a shame the weekend is over so quickly! 

FNSI

Get yourselves ready for FNSI with Wendy this coming Friday!  I'm looking forward to getting some sewing and knitting done along with all the other girls in blogland who will stitching along together.  Why not come and join in ...... head over via the link and pop your name down and then go and visit everyone to see what they are making!

Blogging Table Cloth

First of all lets start with the finishes ...... I'd forgotten to take photos of the rainbow market bag I crocheted for Daughter for her Birthday back in October (also forgot to list it as a finish) .... so Stace took a couple of photos for me to put up.  It worked up quite well and goes with the theme of her rainbow blanket I did earlier for her.

The Spice of Life CAL run by Sandra from Cherry Heart Blog has come to a finish, although the free pattern remains on her blog and I know there are many working on new blankets of various colours.

Anyhow, I got mine finished off, including the border which I think finishes it off and brings all the colours together. I'm pleased with how its come out and  I enjoyed doing this blanket and I'm thinking I'll do at least one other of this pattern, but not till next year, and likely in about half the number of colours.

And while we are up near the chook pen, come and have a peek at our two new additions......

 Little Mary has been sitting on eggs of the non fertile type for the past couple of weeks, and when we went to the Yarrawonga Market yesterday they had "Day olds" for sale ...... Pete picked the

stripey one and has called it Jacey, and I picked the other little one which has a grey blue down to it and have name it Joy.  They have bonded really well and Mary is quite protective of her new babies....
Aren't they just sooooooo cute!!  All is right in the world when baby chicks are there.

I also decided to begin on a new sewing project for my craft cabin ...... I want a new table cloth for the table in there.  I've been thinking a lot about hexies of late, working out what I might make ... and I've decided it would be a good idea to incorporate some hexie love into the table cloth.   My plan is to have my blog name embroidered in the middle and surround it with large hexie flowers.  To add a bit of a spin to it though, I thought how nice it would be if I had the centres of some of the flowers with my crafting and blogging friends embroidered into the centre.  So I'm putting it out there and asking if any of you might like to embroider your name onto a single hexie and post it out to me so I can add the petals to it to make the flowers.  I have the materials already picked for the flower petals, so all I need are the centre hexies with your names (and town or state or country you live in, if you want to add that).   The finished hexie size is 2.5inches ( that is 2.5 in along each finished hexie side).  They will need to be done in white, cream, calico, pale lemon or pale yellow ....... something like this......

Here is the centre I'm working on ......... I'll be adding more to it as I go......   I just think it would be nice to have a Blogging Table Cloth on my table with friends names embroidered on who share a love of crafting and blogging.

  If you are keen to be part of my table cloth then either leave a comment or email me ( sharmshere@yahoo.com)  and use the title Blog Table Cloth.   But for now, its time for me to finish getting ready and head out the door to work!
I hope you have an amazing day and I do hope I'll have friends wanting to work on this with me ....... perhaps I should start thinking of other things I can embroider into the centres  just in case I get no responses

  

Change!

Now, if by any chance there are people out there still reading my blog, you may well have guessed

things have been a little crazy around here...... again...... perhaps I just have to come to terms with crazy being my "normal"!  Anyhoo ..... Another trip up to Brisbane, this time the plan was to help Dad move into a little unit in Wynnum on the Bayside .  With an early morning flight booked, Hubby made the wonderful suggestion that  Dad and I should go down the night before and  stay in a motel close to the airport - what a blessing that turned out to be!! And even better yet, Stace was able to drive over to see us at the motel for a bit !

at Cleveland

Having moved soooo many times myself, I like to be somewhat organised, so -- before we left, knowing I only get so much time off work to do these things, everything was finely tuned - removalist booked, solicitor booked for signing of contracts, Telstra booked after 4 phonecalls and 2 hours trying to explain that yes, he does only have a landline, no mobile, no internet, no NBN ......its just a landline!!!  To cut an extremely long and painful story short - the real estate agent we have been dealing with over the past 10 months didn't give us accurate info - or pictures - we did get pictures of the next door court yard, and we did get photos that must have been taken a very long time ago, like when the carpet was new and not needing to be pulled up

Looking back towards Wynnum

and thrown out....... yarda, yarda, yarda ....... equals no contract signed and fun cancelling everything!  Gather our thoughts together and move along.......
 So Dad is settling back into his place after his month long recovery holiday down here with us.   And, instead of packing and moving, we took some time to go down to the bay one day and enjoy some down time while we got our heads back into current reality and did the whole "where to from now".  We planted Scarlet Runner Beans at his unit and did a bit of a rearrangement of stuff and made plans for him to come down for another visit in a few months instead.

Thankfully, he is in much better health than when I had to go and collect him after discharge from the hospital, so that is a big positive!!  He had such a lovely time down here (apart from feeling the cold), absolutely loved the garden (his favourites were these scarlet colored roses and the purple poppies), and sitting out on our front veranda watching everything going on




 

















..... he and Scruffy became quite good friends, and Scruffy has been missing having his friend with him all day, especially when everyone is at work.  It's been nice to have these weeks with Dad and talk of things long since past, as well as him get to know how our daily life tends to click on by.

 

Weekend Report

 
Apparently it's early Monday Morning ........ and the weekend is over!  I feel like I'm actually ready for it to begin.   All the things I had hoped to accomplish with FNSI  didn't  come close!  I did finish a lovely little crocheted market bag which will be a gift, so I can't show you just yet.,   and I did manage to cut out some larger hexie shapes of scrap yarn that I will be turning into a floor mat to put in the Christmas gift pile ....... which was partly what held me up soooo much!!  Trying to get a large hexie shape ......... seems I could use some larger hexie templates!!!  And I did manage a few more rows on my crochet blanket (Spice of Life).  
The monthly Yarrawonga market was on, and more plants were purchased - mostly some ground covers to use as some fillers in the front garden ....  Did I tell you the poppies are finally out and flowering again!  

..... more weeding took place and the usual washing and cleaning of house .......... but my weekend is over and I feel like it should just be beginning! 

Back on the Bus

Today is a very much needed "not at work day" ...... which essentially means I'm based at home,

seeing to the home chores and errands that need to be done here ..... a nice way of saying cleaning, washing, groceries etc!  And thankfully no medical appointments for Dad today either.  Life has been a little chaotic of late and its nice to be able to take time to smell the roses!  I did actually have yesterday off work, but apart from the washing, and spending time chatting with Dad, I don't believe I managed anything else except to pick this lovely bunch of roses from the garden to put on my table.   I do like it when I get to have Fridays off - the house can get done just before the weekend hits and I can then use the weekend for spending time in the garden and in my craft cabin sewing or crocheting or just taking time out.

And this being the 3rd Friday of the month, its time again for FNSI with Wendy!  Join in with other bloggers from all over the world as we virtually sit together and stitch, sew, knit or crochet.

For those who might be following along with the Spice of Life Crochet Blanket - Part 5 is up ....... I hope to get it printed out today, although I still have another row to finish off part 4 yet.  Apparently it is quite a large section.  I always think it would be good to get the bigger sections done in the first part when everyone has the momentum and are hanging out waiting for the next bit, but oh well I know I will get it finished ....... I may even start another but in fewer colours - the photos I've seen of some of the variegated shades look fantastic!!

The past few months the weight from all the yummy winter eating has decided to stick to my hips and stomach!!  A shocking state of affairs to find my summer clothes are either  too tight or .... ahem.......not able to be done up ......... something needs to be done about that - And I don't mean buying the next size up, since we all know where that leads!!!  So its back on the bus for me ...... I've decided another hit of the 12WBT is the way to go since I managed to go from 85kg to 69kg with it previously ...... It looks so good when you put that down in writing and I was only 2kg away from my target weight when I allowed various forms of stress and family crisis situations to take over ....... basically, I put me at the bottom of the list, something women tend to do to themselves too often - we forget that if we don't have good health, energy and room to breath then our reserves continue to deplete!  So remember girls to look after yourselves so you can look after those you love and care for!   This time I have 5.8 kg to make my goal weight this time, but mostly it's about finding my mindset to book Me time to stay fit and healthy and enjoying life.
Big Hugs,  Sharm

Sunny Sunday Arvo

It's a lovely peaceful, restful sunny Sunday Afternoon here at the cottage in Bundalong!
  It rained
all morning and so the sun is extra enjoyable this arvo with the birds out singing. 

 I've pulled out my Spice of Life Blanket to work on ....... Part 4 is almost complete and come Tuesday evening, the next section of the pattern will be released by Sandra of Cherry Heart.







Yesterday was busy with cleaning the house, getting the washing all done and then doing some work in the garden. 

With Spring everything is growing quickly, including the weeds, so I'm trying hard to keep on top of the gardens I managed to get cleaned up before I had to drive to Brisbane last week.  I'm sooo pleased I got so much accomplished before I left as the gardens are looking quite nice and Dad is really enjoying them!  I'm coming up with a few ideas for replacing the gardens that had to be pulled out when the front fence was done and also the fence around the chook yard.

While its been a busy week getting on top of appointments needed for Dad, things are beginning to find a rhythm.  Hopefully that rhythm continues to hum nicely as I head into my normal work hours this week.  I hope everyone else manages to have a nice week also!

 

 

Hugs Sharm

Busy, Busy, Busy!

I had put in to take a week to 10 days annual leave for last week in order to get the house and garden in order!  With all the sickness and other things that have been going on this year, the house was desperate for a good Spring clean, and the garden was more weeds than garden!  The place was making me feel quite depressed in it's untidy and rundown state.  So I've been busy weeding and cleaning up the garden, and had made a good start on the house - actually, I'd already started the decluttering and cleaning process a couple of weeks ago - which was when I realised I could use a good straight run at it all to get it sorted out quickly, rather than trying to fit it in here and there between working!  I'm sure you working gals know exactly what I'm talking about!!
Last week the Spice of Life Crochet Blanket started the actual process of making those first

stitches, and there have been photos everywhere of lovely blankets starting to come to life!  part 1 was getting all the supplies together which I blogged about earlier, this is where part 2 took us......
And now part 3 has just gotten underway. It's a fun and easy little blanket this far and I'm considering making a couple of others to put in the gift box ....... After I get through finishing some WIPs ........ Yep, Stonehaven and Park Slope are still on the needles, with slow progress....  Also a bit of gift making has started........

However, Dad had a couple of falls with the last one seeing him in hospital for a week while they managed to get his blood and iron levels back up.   Thankfully, no broken bones! He's about 2000 Kms away and no family really close that is able to help while he recovers, so he is down here with us for a few weeks.     I'm sooooo pleased I had already taken this time off work and managed to get most of the house and garden in order!  
 I  had intended to get this post out a week ago, but things are pretty busy around here and one week seems to be piling into the next........... so for now I will finish here and hopefully get to work on another post shortly ......... By the way, Scruffy says thankyou for all the lovely birthday wishes

Friday Night Sewing.......

Its that time of the month when FNSI has come around again! A big thankyou to Wendy from

Sugarlane Designs, who takes the time to host this for us!  I was lucky enough to have both Thursday and Friday off work this week which meant I had plenty of time to get all the cleaning, groceries, washing and errands out the way and sit down Friday afternoon to make a start!  I had seen something that got my interest on FB earlier in the day ...... Chair Socks!  Have you heard of them??  I thought they could possibly be the perfect solution for our timber chairs on our timber floors (I'm sure you know what I mean by that) ........  They are a crocheted item and although there are a couple of patterns out there, I ended up doing my own to fit out chair legs (they are all pretty similar).  If you think you might like to make some up (I'll need to do some for the rest of our chairs now), I'll put my pattern below for you to use.

Super easy - ch 3, join with a ss. 
Round 1: dc 6 into the circle you just made and join with a ss. ch 1.  (If you lay your yarn end around the ring and crochet over it in the next row you won't have to sew it in later.)
Round 2:  then 2 dc into each stitch - (12 stiches) and join with ss.
Round 3:  ch 1,  ( 2 dc into first stitch, dc into each of next 3) repeat 2 more times giving total of 15 stitches and join with ss.    This now forms the base or pad of the sock.  If you need it bigger, then do another round increasing again as in Round 3.
Next Row ch 1 the dc into each stitch.  Continue rounds until you reach desired length.  Sew in end.  I chose to turn mine inside out to pop onto the ends of the chairs as I preferred that look.
I used a size 4mm hook and dk / 8ply  acrylic yarn, but a worsted weight yarn/ 10ply would work very well.  Terms are in English.  (US:  dc = sc)

Friday night also saw a bit more progress on the jumper for DH ..... its slowly getting bigger!!!  I decided I would continue on this morning with some sort of sewing ....... but first I wanted to see what was in a container I had seen in the bookcase in the room our son has been using since he moved back home ......... Well, it turned out to be all the blocks (some complete and some not started) plus the pattern and design and such that I had put together for our snail mail group a few years back.  With all the upheaval around here since we moved in, I never did get the chance to get back to it.  I thought this morning I might sit on the veranda  with my morning coffee and do a bit of it once I'd checked my emails and FB ............

Well, as it turned out I had an invite from one of the girls who used to be in the snail mail group for a sew along about to start in an hours time!!!   Amazing!!   Turned out a couple of other girls that had been in our snail mail group were also invited to the FB sew along and they recognised the block I was working on as part of the quilt we had all been making lol   Seems I wasn't the only one to have put it to one side for a bit lol    The magpie family stopped by to check out what I was up to and have a bit of breakfast as well ...... they turn up most mornings before I head to work, and again in the evenings.
This actually sparked the interest on it a bit more, so after a bit of gardening during the day ..... weeding actually! ......... I worked on getting the basic applique cut out and pasted onto 4 more of the blocks ready for some hand stitching!

  And here is that block all finished :)

So thanks to both Wendy and to Janet ......... quite a bit was achieved between  Friday night and Saturday afternoon!    And before I forget ....... our pooch, Scruffy turned a ripe old 13yrs of age today! .....  he was not in the mood for photos today!  Happy Birthday Scruffy xo