She's finished!

Yes, she is finished and I am truly in love with ripples!  The rhythm of this pattern was just what I needed.  It was a pleasure to pick up my hook each evening and do a few rows.  I finished this blanket a few weeks ago but haven't had a chance to do a post until now.  It's school holidays here at the moment and it is crazy busy.  But this morning Mr 8 (yes Mr 7 became Mr 8 on Tuesday - happy birthday gorgeous boy!!) and Miss 5 have friends here to play so I'm sneaking a few minutes on the computer.

I had to sneak a peek of my shoes into this pic - talk about colour co-ordinated shoes and crochet!  I had to replace those cute floral ones I bought recently as they were the most uncomfortable things I'd ever worn.  Cute - but painful!  Lesson learnt - sometimes a bargain is a bargain for a reason!!!  So on to a different brand and now my feet are happy.  Miss 5 got the same shoes too - which is easy when your mother buys her own shoes in the kids department - and she is loving being able to match her mum.  She has waaaay better style than me though!

My tea cosies are still keeping me busy too.  Lots of orders and a few extras to pop onto my wee online shop.  I have got so much of this wool to use up - I'm just glad that these rainbow stripes are so popular!!   I never get bored of making them - the pattern is now etched in my brain.   The one I have on the go at the moment is a plain blue which will be topped with flowers, then the next order is for a plain blue with hearts around the top like this one.   Just as well there is plenty of good telly on at the moment to plonk down in front of with my hook!

 

 Did I tell you that my wee girl used to ask me if I was making a jersey for the teapot?  Too cute.

I have been a very happy girl recently and have had a few days helping out in the Stitchbird shop.  It is impossible for me to leave that store without buying something!  I spotted this fat quarter of fabric and thought it was perfect to make a wee pin cushion.  To all you sewing pros out there - I apologise for my less than crisp corners!!  These are so much fun to make - I have had to make a few and give them to friends.  It was just the simple project I needed to get me motivated to sew again.  Now I have some sewing to do in preparation for our school fair.  Frogs and headbands!!

Oooh, oooh, oooh, do you remember that gorgeous little cafe I visit called Martha's?  There are a few pics of it here.  Well they have opened a new cafe just across the road from Martha's and it's called Arthur's!!

So where Martha's is all bright, white and girly, Arthur's is all dark wood, half pint water glasses and fry ups on the menu.  Instead of flowers on the table there are plants - just gorgeous.  I visited for the first time last week for a cuppa and it was stunning.  It's in an old 2 storey building at the top of Cuba Street and the main eating area is up a tiny staircase. 

Lots of old oak tea trolleys dotted about the place and antlers on the wall.  There were even a few crochet cushions on the chairs!

So it seemed a perfect coincidence that I had brought along a neutral crochet project to work on while I drank and ate (a beanie order) - as it went perfectly with my surroundings.  I can't wait to go back for a proper breakfast sometime soon.

 

Isn't this hilarious!  I popped into my husband's office last week and they have had these funny paintings done all around the place.  This giant mouse hole made me laugh.  Clever ay.

Want to see what I'll be working on tonight?

I have been looking for an old chair for ages so I squealed out loud when I spotted these two beauties in the Salvation Army store on Monday.  The upholstery is absolutely revolting but the wood and the springs are in excellent condition.  While they sit in my hallway waiting for me to work on them, Bella has decided that they are just perfect for her day long snoozes.  She flits from one to the other and is one very comfy cat. I am going to work on the wood myself then send them to a professional to replace all the foam and recover them.  As much as I'd love to do it - I think they are beyond my abilities. The hardest thing will be deciding what material to use!!  We also have a retro floor lamp and coffee table that we have our eye on - fingers crossed we win those online auctions.  We have cleared a space in our sunroom now that the children aren't playing in there so much and it will become a lovely, sunny reading spot.  Can't wait!!!  The best thing about them is that they are the perfect crochet chairs.  My short legs can touch the floor and my arms rest perfectly. 

Have a fab weekend everyone!  We are off to the WOW show tomorrow night and I am really looking forward to it.  I've only been once before and it was amazing.  It's soooooo cool.  There are some incredibly talented people on this planet.  Wellington is really buzzing at the moment with lots of out of town visitors and international tourists for this event.

See you again soon,
Leah
xxxx