tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16834301012652981822024-03-14T20:20:46.829+13:00Why Didn't Anyone Tell Me?A blog about all the things my Nana would have done... mostly crochet, baking, sewing, crafts, vintage finds etc.Leahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13245743010825956078noreply@blogger.comBlogger115125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1683430101265298182.post-49237379543383726272017-03-18T17:16:00.000+13:002017-03-18T17:16:09.304+13:00Goodbye Gorgeous Girl<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Last week I had to make the heartbreaking decision to say goodbye to my beautiful Bella. My girl has been with me since she was a tiny 0.5kg kitten and has kept me company for the last 18 years. Bella was in my life before I even met my husband. She has featured on this blog many times as my 'Constant Crochet Companion'. In fact, she was just my constant companion, following me everywhere from the clothesline to the loo. She had so many lovely habits and character traits - in my mind she was just perfect. She had the greatest knack of knowing just when you were spreading out a pattern on the floor to cut out, or taking a photo of crochet for my blog and always plonked herself down right in the middle, even if she had been fast asleep in another room, it was hilarious.<br />
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I am so lucky to have had her in my life for such a long time and I'm very grateful that in her last moments she was surrounded by love with our whole family, in our home and not in pain.<br />
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Her presence is missed deeply and I find myself still coming into the house and calling out to her.<br />
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So this post is in memory of Bella and her life with me. <br />
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Bella's first day with me back in 1999.</div>
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I miss you darling girl.</div>
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xx</div>
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Leahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13245743010825956078noreply@blogger.com75tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1683430101265298182.post-29524331476525283422015-11-27T19:42:00.001+13:002016-04-08T00:21:22.115+12:002015, not a bad year so far!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
It has been a wee while since I last did a post (March - aargh!) so this is going to be a bit of long one - a lot has been happening. I'll start with the crafty stuff I think, then move on to things a bit more tropical. </div>
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But first I just wanted to say a big thank you because I just spotted that there are a lot more followers since I last posted and that astounds me. I started this blog as a way of sharing pics with a dear friend who had moved to the other end of the island, not thinking anyone else would even stumble across it. So thank you to all you lovely folk who pop by to visit my blog, even now when my posts are few and far between. It is always so lovely to hear from you! </div>
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After Miss 8's blanket in my last post, Mr 11 decided he needed one too. So we sorted through all the boyish colours and he came up with the combination that he was happy with. I decided on chunky stripes, nothing too delicate about this blanket. I really love ripple blankets, they work up so quickly once you get started. It's almost a guarantee I'll stuff up my initial chain count and realise this when I get to the end of the first row, but I get there in the end!<br />
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The winter was a fairly chilly one this year so an extra blanket on the bed was just perfect. Both the kids have enjoyed snuggling up under their respective blankets while having some lazy TV time on a chilly afternoon.<br />
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Sorry Mum, what's that you say...<br />
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... you're trying to take a photo of the blanket...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyfsqc-CjLgN2x28yC3rq0WPrso8rMzv7YTFz9Qg1WfMDP_6zE8wwQw9bWZM8eRR_ix69BLQZhHHDyeKMG4IOQ1w7_Jiowptz24SMxLuH9kQ0K172RM7gdtILMfUNL1lnddJ4ePRzLtoc/s1600/IMG_7483.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyfsqc-CjLgN2x28yC3rq0WPrso8rMzv7YTFz9Qg1WfMDP_6zE8wwQw9bWZM8eRR_ix69BLQZhHHDyeKMG4IOQ1w7_Jiowptz24SMxLuH9kQ0K172RM7gdtILMfUNL1lnddJ4ePRzLtoc/s320/IMG_7483.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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... okay, where do you want me? Just here, okay. It just wouldn't be a blanket photo session without Bella joining in! Maybe she's hinting that she needs her own blanket?<br />
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I've also been making a few smaller blankets which are just the right size for a new baby, perfect for in the capsule, pram or bassinet. I just wanted to show what a difference blocking a blanket can make. It went from this, all wiggly and weird...<br />
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... to all nice and square (well mostly square). I have blocked it a second time since this pic just to even up a few of those lines!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgS6-Oo5Iez0_KMlMxpQUhEsIY6Y7og5wxSL5jk7LP4rvxdDsqO7eI3j8wW2OGnclm7_fhBy7Fhd6F5tUhE-1JqFhnwXUf7rd8oBagwQF87gD19hC-oGW8nJwFXdgdjL7dEMybaI4KqnI/s1600/IMG_7545.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgS6-Oo5Iez0_KMlMxpQUhEsIY6Y7og5wxSL5jk7LP4rvxdDsqO7eI3j8wW2OGnclm7_fhBy7Fhd6F5tUhE-1JqFhnwXUf7rd8oBagwQF87gD19hC-oGW8nJwFXdgdjL7dEMybaI4KqnI/s320/IMG_7545.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I really loved this colour combo.<br />
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And of course I couldn't stay away from my beloved ripples for too long. This time a pretty pink baby blanket.<br />
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During our very blah winter, we escaped for a family holiday to Fiji - my happy place. This time we decided to stay for a few nights on one of the smaller islands and it was bliss. Sandy paths, hammocks to laze in, amazing snorkelling, lots of kayaking, great food and beautiful Fijian folk who always have a smile on their face. This was Malolo Island and boy was it gorgeous.<br />
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The view from our bure. My small folk are relaxing in the hammocks.</div>
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This is the jetty where we arrived by ferry to the staff all singing for us.</div>
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I think this has to be my favourite photo. Palm tree, hammock and a beautiful sunset - it doesn't get much better than that.</div>
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By the pool...</div>
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In a hammock...</div>
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By the pool again. This time, back on Denarau. I'm already dreaming of the next time I can visit. Time to start saving hard again.</div>
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Just days after we returned from Fiji, my husband received news that he was invited on a work trip to Hanoi, Vietnam. And even better, I was invited too! It was an unbelievable opportunity and we were beyond grateful. Vietnam is somewhere that neither of us had visited before. We travelled with a fantastic group of people who are all in the same industry and we had an absolute blast.<br />
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It was a long journey, but well worth it to experience such a stunning place. It was the first time we'd travelled without our children too. We stayed in a beautiful hotel right on Hoan Kiem Lake, literally on the lake! Sitting at breakfast in the morning, you could look out the window and see fisherman in the water right beside you.<br />
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The view across the lake to the city centre.</div>
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Our first day started with a rickshaw tour around the Old Quarter. There were certainly a few 'hold your breath and keep your fingers cross you'll survive' moments - the traffic was like nothing I'd ever experienced in all my travels. Mopeds, people, cars, rickshaws all seamlessly blending, horns tooting instead of indicators, dodging pedestrians, whole families on one moped including the newborn baby - it was amazing and a little hilarious at times too. I think I only covered my eyes once when I was sure I was about to be squashed by a passing bus! The best advice we were given when attempting to cross the street was to just keep going, don't stop. The mopeds are prepared to dodge you, but if you hesitate, they'll smack right into you. By the end of the trip I was an absolute pro at walking straight out into traffic. I found myself doing it when I returned home and got a heck of a fright!<br />
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As crazy as the roads were, we only saw one minor accident. There were traffic lights only at very big intersections, all other roads just had traffic literally ducking around each other, dodging other vehicles and pedestrians. They used their horns to let other vehicles know they were near or planning on entering an intersection. No-one got angry or aggressive, they just made it work. Quite something to sit and watch! My husband was fascinated as it was the absolute opposite to the way we live where every intersection is controlled by road rules and many drivers show aggression if someone dares to move into their space.</div>
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Mopeds on footpaths, people on roads, but somehow it all works.</div>
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The local wiring system was astonishing!</div>
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The Old Quarter is made up of a series of narrow streets and each one is themed. There is a shoe street (I spent quite some time there over 4 days), a silver street, a leather street - you get the idea.<br />
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This was the haberdashery street - I was in habby heaven.<br />
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Tiny stores/stalls selling millions of buttons or ribbon or beads or zips or thread, you name it ...<br />
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We had so much fun negotiating prices, it was a dramatic process with lots of facial expressions and head shaking to overcome the language barrier. And considering 100,000 Vietnamese Dong was equivalent to about New Zealand $7.00, we were millionaires for a few days.<br />
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How could I not buy buttons from this stall, with the smallest dog I'd ever seen. More beads - bags and bags and bags of them.<br />
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There was colour at every turn. I didn't buy any yarn as I had pretty much filled up every space in my suitcase with sneakers, scarves, bags and watches for family and friends by this stage. Just as well we packed a spare suitcase inside our suitcase!<br />
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Our gorgeous hand held fans were just the thing to cool us down - and a nice cold local beer.<br />
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This was the view from the rooftop restaurant we visited. It overlooked Hoan Kiem Lake with its evening light show. We had a fantastic meal with a table full of the most delicious food - lots of things I had never tried before.<br />
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I just loved seeing all the bicycles laden with goods, anything from fresh flowers to food, to animals.</div>
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Another thing that we were really lucky with was the fact that it was harvest season in the rice paddies. We went on a bike tour through the countryside in about 40 degree Celsius heat. I thought I was going to pass out, it was that hot. I'd also never ridden a mountain bike and had no clue about changing gears so my little legs were peddling like a crazy person even though I wasn't going very fast. Thankfully someone showed me how to change gears so it got a bit easier. What a hoot. This lovely old lady saw us coming and met us with a supply of fans to sell. I've been told that the older folk with black teeth get this from chewing betel nut. I showed my kids this photo and told them that's what happens when you eat too many sweets. They freaked out.<br />
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Yep, that's me on my bike, looking less than glamorous in the heat. I look mildly like I know what I'm doing in this shot! Looking at these photos now, it seems completely surreal that only a few months ago I was on the other side of the world seeing and doing things I never thought I'd do. </div>
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Cycling through the rice paddies, passing mopeds with all their wares.</div>
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Harvest time. I don't know how they manage it in that heat.</div>
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We had been told that some of the best food to be found is at the road side stalls which were more like tiny, tiny shops with a few tables out the front. We had no way of communicating what we wanted other than to point at someone else's food and hold up two fingers to say we wanted two meals. This amazing bowl of deliciousness was similar to fried rice smothered in veges with a broth on the side. It was utterly gorgeous and was only about NZ$2.50. Amazing.<br />
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The local dish, pho, which is a common breakfast dish (and is also eaten at other meals) was a must-try. On our last day I finally got to eat it, albeit at the hotel, but well worth it. It was gorgeous and not at all stodgy as it was mostly broth. I could really get used to eating like this. </div>
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An amazing holiday I'll never, every forget. Leaving the heat was hard, we went from a temperature in the late 30's to arriving home to 8 degrees, brrr. That was a bit hard to get used to.<br />
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So now we're nearly at the end of the school year, only another few weeks to go before the children are on their summer holidays. It's the first day of summer next week (bring it on!) but for the meantime, it's pouring down today and crazy windy. My husband had a flight home this afternoon that landed on one wheel with a decent lean - eek. Welcome to Wellington on a windy day!<br />
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Have a fabulous week!<br />
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Leah<br />
xx<br />
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<br />Leahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13245743010825956078noreply@blogger.com37tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1683430101265298182.post-78978450734854939532015-03-29T16:48:00.001+13:002015-03-29T16:48:18.802+13:00Miss 7's new blanket and a bunny egg cosy pattern<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Miss 7 has been so very patient, waiting for me to finish her special blanket. She had chosen the colours, lined them up in the order she wanted them and then sat back and waited... and waited some more. I got distracted with other projects, then it was summer and it was just too hot to be working on the final bit of a big blanket.<br />
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But it is now officially finished. The edging was going to be wavy, but it just didn't look right. So I went with a crab stitch/reverse single crochet and I love the way it has given it a 'bound' look. It feels sturdy but soft at the same time. Miss 7 is currently snuggled up on the sofa watching a movie with her new blanket after taking part in a kids 'tryathlon' this morning. A perfect way to spend a Sunday afternoon after a very early start!<br />
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And of course, Bella has given the blanket her approval. No sooner had I put it on the floor to photograph, she appeared and wouldn't budge. So now my kids have said that I need to make a mini version for Bella. It seems a good suggestion considering she sleeps approximately 23.5 hours a day these days! She might as well do it on a gorgeous blanket.<br />
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One of the distractions during the blanket process was the arrival of this gorgeous book that I bought from the UK. I started making the pretty poncho in it with some fab green yarn I had.<br />
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I love this pattern, but for some reason I just can't keep the repeat in my head so I have to keep a track of which row I'm on. I also made a boo-boo and had to undo half of it, but I'm back on track now and loving it. The green is very bright so I'm thinking I'll have to make a nice sedate version in a cosy grey. I found some amazing painted wooden buttons that will be perfect for both the green and the grey versions.<br />
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Remember those wee bunny egg cosies I was working on in my last post? Well I made about 30 of them for our school fair a few weeks ago, and we sat them atop a marshmallow egg. They were really popular and I've had quite a few orders since. These are just a few more that I bagged up with a mini egg. How cute are they? I made this pattern up and because it turned out to be not too bad, I thought I'd share it here, so you can whip up a little egg cosy for Easter and beyond. Hopefully the instructions make sense. I have typed them up based on a scribbled, scrunched up piece of paper I've been working off!</div>
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<u>Bunny Egg Cosy</u><br />
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I used a 3.5mm hook and DK yarn.<br />
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For the body:<br />
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Make a magic ring, secured by an SC. Then work 5 SC into the ring and pull tight, join with a slip stitch.<br />
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Ch1, SC in same stitch, then 2SC in each stitch around. Join with a sl st.<br />
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Ch2, HDC in same stitch, then 2HDC in each stitch around. Join with sl st.<br />
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For the next 3 rows, start with Ch2 then work an HDC in each stitch, joining with a sl st at the end of each row. (If you have large eggs in your neck of the woods, work an extra row of HDC).<br />
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For the ears:<br />
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Ch7, now working back down the chain, sl st in 2nd st from hook, then SC in next st, and HDC in next 4 sts. Work a SC in the last stitch. Now working back up the other side, HDC in next 4 sts, SC in next st, sl st in last stitch. I then pull the yarn through the very top stitch from front to back if that makes sense. It just finished it off with a nicer point. Leave a tail long enough to thread back through the top of the ear to the base and also enough to attach it to the top of the cosy.<br />
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Sew 2 ears on, placed wherever you fancy. And there you go, one cute little bunny egg cosy. Just in time for Easter!<br />
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Just a few more pics of my blanket. Boy, stripes are hard to photograph. Just when you think you have it nice and straight, you discover a wibbly wobbly bit and it throws the whole pic out.</div>
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Right, the final of the Cricket World Cup is just starting and I'm off to support New Zealand, with my crochet hook in hand. It's going to go until around midnight, so hopefully I'll get a lot of my poncho done in that time. Go the Blackcaps!!<br />
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Leah<br />
<br />Leahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13245743010825956078noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1683430101265298182.post-49149981024195842472014-12-23T16:55:00.000+13:002014-12-23T16:55:31.520+13:00Only 364 days between posts! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Wow, that turned out to be more than a brief break over the Christmas holidays, with tomorrow being one year since I last wrote on my blog. In that post I was bursting with excitement about the impending birth of my brother's first baby. Well that little baby was indeed born on Christmas Eve and is now the most adorable wee boy, crawling like crazy and utterly, utterly gorgeous. I still can't believe he is going to be one tomorrow. Happy birthday little Mr K!<br />
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So, my excuse for not paying my poor blog any attention for a year, well the big change to my life was that I started working again after almost 10 years of being an at-home mum. I'm only working part-time, but boy has it cut into any spare time I might have had in the past. So sadly all things blog related took a hit. I haven't been able to spend much time visiting my favourite blogs or discovering new ones - and to all you gorgeous gals out there who I loved to visit, you know who you are, I miss you!! I have managed to still squeeze in the occasional evening with my crochet hook. I am almost finished another blanket, this one is for Miss 7 (who has given me very subtle hints that she's keen for it to be finished). The problem being that now the temperatures have suddenly improved, it's not so appealing to have a huge blanket draped over you when it's 25 degrees. It was great over winter, but boy am I struggling with it at the moment. Only about 6 rows left to go and then the big decision of what sort of border I'll do. Any suggestions?<br />
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I got a bit carried away when I was doing my foundation row and made it much bigger than I anticipated. The yarn was starting to diminish so once I'd done three repeats of the wide stripes, I've then extended each side of the blanket with wide white stripes and a thin stripe of colour which makes it seem a lot less 'heavy' if you know what I mean. She chose the colours out of my stash and laid them all out in the order she liked. I'm just kicking myself that I didn't get it finished so she could have it on her bed through the winter. Knowing Miss 7, she'll still insist that it's cold enough so she can use it soon!<br />
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I did however whip up a poncho for her which she got lots of wear out of. I added tassels all around it as that was the way my Nana M made mine when I was little. I've now got requests from Miss 7's friends to make one for them too. It was a lovely easy pattern which worked up really fast, so I'm sure a few more won't be too tricky.<br />
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Another little project that I've been working on are these cute little bunny ear egg cosies. These are being made for our school Easter fair. They will sit on top of a wrapped marshmallow Easter egg. I made up the pattern and am really happy with them. That's the great thing about crochet, you have a go, if the stitch choice doesn't look great, just undo it and try another one. My first attempt had stumpy ears and they looked weird, but I've managed to get them taller and they suddenly have a lot more personality.</div>
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It is absolutely roasting today, so I'm going to end this post now and go and sit in the sunshine with a nice cool drink.<br />
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Merry Christmas to you all! Have a truly fabulous festive season and hopefully I'll see you again soon - not in another year...<br />
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Leah<br />
xxxx<br />
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Leahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13245743010825956078noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1683430101265298182.post-89559598749394946032013-12-24T12:16:00.001+13:002013-12-24T12:16:57.535+13:00The Best Christmas Ever!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I love Christmas, but this year it really is turning out to be the best Christmas ever. My little brother and his partner are expecting their first baby in January. But this morning, this little baby decided that he or she isn't waiting and it's looking like we will have a Christmas Day baby! I am beside myself with excitement and the thought of a new niece or nephew in the family is just amazing. My children can't wait to meet their new little cousin. Now isn't that just the best Christmas present ever?<br />
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I have just finished this baby blanket but am only half way through the second one. I had just said to my husband last night that I'd better get a wriggle on and get it finished. Little did I know that it would need to be ready even sooner. <br />
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Sarah and Scotty - all the very best to you both. You will be the most wonderful parents and I can't wait to meet your new little bub. Love you loads. xx<br />
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Well if legend is correct, a Pohutukawa tree that flowers before Christmas means we are going to have a fabulous Summer. Well this amazing specimen just down the road from my house is in full bloom but sadly the weather outside my window is not playing along. It is pouring and it's forecast to rain for the rest of the year. Boohoo.</div>
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Thankfully we got a wee bit of sunshine over the weekend. A quick weekend escape to Castlepoint was a nice start to the holiday season. It was really windy but nice and warm if you found a sheltered spot. Perfect weather to curl up with a good book.</div>
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The bach we rented had a fabulous flax plant outside and it was frequented by loads of birds. My favourite of all being the Tui. What a stunning bird - with the most beautiful call. This one was quite the poser! </div>
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Well, the pavlova is in the oven cooling, the chocolate mousse is in the fridge (and smeared over the faces of my small folk from licking the spoon) and the presents are all wrapped. I'm feeling calm but I'm sure there will be something I've forgotten!! I've got one more chocolate mousse to make for our annual tradition of "Christmas Pudding Dinner" in the evening. No veges, no ham, no turkey - just desserts!! This year it's at my dear friend Ange's house. I will have to remember to get a photo of the dessert table - it's the naughtiest meal I'll eat all year and I can't wait.<br />
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I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas. Take care and I'll see you again next year.<br />
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Leah<br />
xx<br />
<br />Leahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13245743010825956078noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1683430101265298182.post-91400818536747349412013-12-05T14:19:00.002+13:002013-12-05T14:19:52.074+13:00It's so nice to be back!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I have missed my blog. I have piles and piles of photos that I have been bursting to post but time has escaped me. Well that is going to change. I am going to make more of an effort - I promise. In fact just sitting here now looking at these few photos I am using, has put a smile on my face. They are colourful and most of all they have a memory attached to them. So, for the time being, I am back and I'm happy!! </div>
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And what a lovely surprise it was to log on today and see that there are so many new followers! That has made my day. I feel very privileged that people are taking the time to stop by and read my posts. Thank you so much.</div>
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So the last time I did a post was back in July and we'd just had a fairly big earthquake. I had initially thought we'd escaped any damage but it turned out we did get a big of cosmetic stuff. Nothing compare to what folk in Christchurch went through so I feel almost fraudulent mentioning it. Then in August we had another big earthquake. That was a scary one - it felt as if the house was picked up, twisted and plonked back down again. A bizarre sensation. My children were at school but they had been having so many practice drills, that they took it completely in their stride. And even after we got home with two friends in tow, the children would calmly call out 'earthquake' with each aftershock and we'd pile under the doorways again. Little troopers! It was me who was the anxious one. Earthquakes freak me out completely. We have a bus stop near my house and I find myself freezing to the spot when I hear a rumble, only for it to be a bus's engine outside on the street. It's the same darn noise as an earthquake about to hit.</div>
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Enough of that, onto some more cheerful things. </div>
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A few months back I bought a gorgeous little wooden 'treasure holder' from the op shop. It was in pretty bad condition but for $4 I promised Miss 6 that we could bring it back to life and she could have it in her bedroom with all her wee treasures on it. A few coats of paint, some pretty scrapbooking papers and a new felt back to stop it scratching the wall and voila! It's adorable and soon to be filled with all sorts of girly bits and bobs.</div>
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It's certainly an improvement from what it was anyway.<br />
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There has been a bit of crafting with the kids too. I was trying out a new circle hole punch and decided it might be fun to try and make some papier mache bowls with them. So out came the glue and and some gladwrap on top of bowls and away we went. The kids loved it. They were very specific about what patterns they wanted. We did two layers so that one would show on the inside and one on the outside.</div>
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We left them to dry for a few days then gently peeled them away from the bowls we used to shape them. They turned out brilliantly. The kids were thrilled to bits with their creations. We have made more of them since, they are addictive little things. </div>
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My bowl made a colourful addition to one of my craft storage units. Love it!</div>
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This is the cowl I was trying to post about last time but I couldn't get the photo added. I love this mustard colour. It's such a great, speedy pattern and a pleasure to make. I have sold a few of them now - yippee!</div>
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More colourful treats.... My wonderful friend Ange had a trip to the UK in August to visit another wonderful friend Tans (hi darling girl!). I missed Ange like crazy and couldn't wait for her to get back and fill me in on all the details of her adventure. I was sooooo jealous when she said she'd been to a Cath Kidston shop. And then the gave me these! Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous! How anyone could possibly want to actually use them as tea towels I don't know. They are far too pretty. I think I want to make something out of them instead. I couldn't stand the thought of them getting damaged in the kitchen even if it is their prime function. How spoilt am I? Thank you Ange - I love them.</div>
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I seem to be on a roll with friends spoiling me (no complaints here that's for sure!). Sue from <a href="http://fivecoursegarden.blogspot.com/">Five Course Garden</a> is a friend of mine who has recently become a crochet convert. She is a very talented lady and not only is she super speedy with her crochet creations, she is a whizz on the sewing machine too. She made me this amazing crochet hook holder out of vintage fabric and a fab woollen blanket. I love it. It's the perfect size to pop in my bag with a ball of wool when I fancy a spot of outdoor crochet! I think Sue was planning on selling these on Felt sometime soon so keep an eye out for them.</div>
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The garden had been looking atrocious after the storms a few months ago. We didn't manage to save this lovely hedge that had covered our side of the neighbours garage. So instead, we coloured it with chalk and made our own floral wall. Miss 6 did the low ones and I stretched as high as I could on a chair. Next time I will get a ladder to do the rest! I'm really tempted to do it in paint. It would be far more cheerful than looking at a grey concrete wall wouldn't it? </div>
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I have planted these beauties in our front garden. I adore dahlias - I love their symmetry. These have made such a difference to the look of our home. We've got a few little ceramic toadstools dotted about for the fairies in the garden now too. It's gone from being a fairly contemporary garden to a very sweet, cottagey garden full of colour and I love it.<br />
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Such a simple pleasure, but one I'm really proud of because I have never ever planted a flower before and successfully grown it to a stage that it could be picked. Woohoo!<br />
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Bella has loved the winter season and has spent most of her days parked in front of the fire. In a dolls bed with a pillow for a mattress and a fluffy blanket no less. I guess when you get to her age, you can do whatever you like. Now that the weather is warming up she is having to find other places to sleep and cool off. But no matter where she is, she always seems to know when I sit down with my crochet and she will be on my knee in a flash. Beautiful girl.<br />
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Well I think that will do for now. I've got lots of other photos I want to post but that will have to wait for another day.<br />
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It has been really lovely to sit down and write this. I'm feeling motivated again!!<br />
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See you again soon. Have a fabulous week.<br />
Leah<br />
xxxx<br />
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<span id="goog_251768483"></span><span id="goog_251768484"></span><br />Leahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13245743010825956078noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1683430101265298182.post-7089264641980467552013-07-22T11:55:00.001+12:002013-07-22T11:57:52.338+12:00Holding on tight!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Wow - I have really left it a long time between posts this time! I have had the best of intentions but no time and in some instances, not a lot of motivation. But today as we hunker down at home, I thought it would be a good time to do a very quick post. This is more of a diary entry for me to look back on in the future from a time that I would rather forget! </div>
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My lovely city of Wellington has been hit with several large earthquakes since Friday with the biggest being yesterday early evening which was a 6.5 magnitude. I had both children in the doorway with me leaning over them holding them tight. They were absolutely beside themselves with fright. We are now all on edge and to be honest, quite terrified. There is no predicting whether that was the worst of it or whether there will be more of that size. According to the newspaper this morning there have been more than 230 earthquakes in the Wellington region since Friday - with even more now as aftershocks keep happening. Thankfully our home hasn't suffered any damage other than a few more cracks in the corners to add to previous earthquake movement!! Friends in Christchurch have passed on wise information - stock up on toilet paper, make sure the car is full of petrol and keep cash at hand in case EFTPOS facilities shutdown! </div>
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I have grown up here so seismic activity is part of life - but not like this. And since the dreadful destruction in Christchurch - earthquakes are just that much more frightening. I guess I was in denial that real damage would ever happen here in my lifetime. But now it is a reality having seen Christchurch CBD pretty much wiped out in their earthquakes.</div>
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Thank you for your lovely messages of concern. We are safe and well. I will be happier once my husband gets home from work though! Thankfully his company made the decision to move out of Wellington CBD because of earthquake safety and are now in a smaller dwelling just outside the city centre. Phew. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwDC5d7GbxHjirVkEB3qBKG931geAsSSvBvLPL9tuhb3XmJAjGmN-9WMyjDe8C-G96nC9p2TR_2EZZEph6kuqMdE7Rr0dRy2RqIRcqVldT6igM5tomfmAbP3KbJmAoLqH92k1SXdSyg6Y/s1600/Wharf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwDC5d7GbxHjirVkEB3qBKG931geAsSSvBvLPL9tuhb3XmJAjGmN-9WMyjDe8C-G96nC9p2TR_2EZZEph6kuqMdE7Rr0dRy2RqIRcqVldT6igM5tomfmAbP3KbJmAoLqH92k1SXdSyg6Y/s320/Wharf.jpg" width="320" /> </a></div>
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Here's a quick pic I just copied off the news website. This is a portion of Wellington Wharf that has just fallen into the sea!</div>
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All this shaking follows a month of rotten storms. A few weeks back we had the most horrendous storm and we had quite a bit of damage to our garden with that one. So pleased the roof stayed on!!!! Husband had to saw himself out in the morning as a huge hedge covering our neighbours garage had collapsed over our footpath. It was a shame to lose such a beautiful plant but there was just no saving it. It was too heavy to get back up on the wall. Our trellis collapsed onto our vege plot so all the winter vege got squashed. We went for a drive around the south coast on the Sunday following the Thursday night storm and here are some of the pics from that day. The top left and centre are off our hedge - the rest is off coastal damage. </div>
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There has been a lot of crochet going on too. Lots and lots of hat orders with all this chilly weather!! Here are a few of the ones I've made just recently.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkkbHDFTb33sjQKA0_D3LQwFtq1ZD5Kx1y_8ngkwflIBpNcvbrY7dwk8T9t1HYWw_2zGFzxAOOgL-zdSAcwkCS8_fpdO6W92U6cWAzOPFH1SxwiQKaz4Jev_MWck98_SYBRJ6DpN8Ifsw/s1600/Hats+and+cosies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkkbHDFTb33sjQKA0_D3LQwFtq1ZD5Kx1y_8ngkwflIBpNcvbrY7dwk8T9t1HYWw_2zGFzxAOOgL-zdSAcwkCS8_fpdO6W92U6cWAzOPFH1SxwiQKaz4Jev_MWck98_SYBRJ6DpN8Ifsw/s320/Hats+and+cosies.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
I also made a beautiful mustard coloured cowl (which my camera just won't let me download!). I adore it and because I enjoyed making it so much, I had to make a few more which I have popped into my shop. I used this <a href="http://www.garnstudio.com/lang/en/pattern.php?id=5289&lang=en">pattern</a> and then left the ends rather than joining them up. That way you can wear it in any way you like. I have used some pretty vintage buttons attached to a brooch pin/clip to fasten them. They are so lovely and snuggly to wear. It works up really quickly and is a nice repetitive pattern. I will definitely be making more of these.<br />
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Right - that's enough from me. I need a calming cup of tea and a lie down after a sleepless night. Think we might curl up on the couch for a DVD after lunch.<br />
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I hope it won't be so long between posts next time. I have really missed visiting all my favourite blogs and am now ridiculously far behind in all your posts! <br />
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Take care,<br />
Leah<br />
xxxxLeahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13245743010825956078noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1683430101265298182.post-81849704653392269652013-03-06T11:50:00.000+13:002013-03-06T11:50:10.030+13:00Yikes - how can it be March already?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdSCCknmKw3Wx2puEO_0R_tnKB_qIECCDSLfxjmUe73YTFq-wWTLAbfcha6Tim1_cnh8o0tlFpwtZ-hQzLSDkxxCkE2DLz4dcwEuBav9QmnVnXLuFYpZNc0KZnjoH28z-EbxwKDT9vMkc/s1600/IMG_5667.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdSCCknmKw3Wx2puEO_0R_tnKB_qIECCDSLfxjmUe73YTFq-wWTLAbfcha6Tim1_cnh8o0tlFpwtZ-hQzLSDkxxCkE2DLz4dcwEuBav9QmnVnXLuFYpZNc0KZnjoH28z-EbxwKDT9vMkc/s320/IMG_5667.JPG" width="240" /> </a></div>
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I cannot believe it's March already! Summer has officially ended although you'd never believe that judging by the beautiful days we are still having. Long may it continue!! So my unplanned blog break was due to being outdoors and making the most of a stunning summer. On one hand I've missed blogging but on the other hand it's been really lovely to leave the computer tucked away out of sight. I have however been having lots of sneaky peeks at Pinterest on my phone as I am finding it so very inspirational. Now I just need a bit more time to actually sit down and make some of the things I've pinned!!</div>
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A word of warning - this blog post will be all over the place because my mind is so full, I am going to just go ahead and blurt it all out! I will start with Christmas ...</div>
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Christmas Day was utterly amazing - in fact it was the hottest Christmas since 1934 - how fantastic is that. We hosted Christmas at our house this year and if it wasn't for an oscillating fan strategically placed near my kitchen door - I think I would have passed out over the turkey. It did make for a very long night with overly tired small folk not being able to sleep in the humidity (something we in windy Wellington are not very used to!!). So the whole holiday break was just perfect. Lots of beach visits, lots of playing in the paddling pool on the deck and lots of scooter and bike rides. </div>
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There have been a few chances for crafting amongst all the hot weather. First of all I had to have a jolly good tidy up in my crafty space as it was looking like an absolutely shambles. I couldn't get motivated as a cluttered desk means my head feels cluttered too. Look at the state of it in the picture below! Yikes. One good thing about having a tidy up is the fact that you find things you'd forgotten about. These lovely wee pink and orangey/red squares were made so long ago and had been packed away. It was brilliant to find them as now they are going to be stitched together and made into a little blanket. Miss 5 has suggested it will be just the right size for her doll's bed.<br />
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There were piles of half made projects all over the place. Not only was I making my bits and pieces - but there were a whole other lot of pieces being whipped up for our school fair, so double the mess really. Our school fair is on this coming Sunday so it will be amazing to see all of the gorgeous craft projects us mums have made, all together in one place. I must remember to take some piccies of it all once we set up the stall. We have been getting together every Wednesday for months and making all sorts of goodies - cushions, gift tags, hair clips, bags, covered pegs, bunting, garlands - and so much more. I'm really looking forward to it.<br />
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This week saw us having fun at home with fluffy pom poms. I had made a garland with big pom poms to drape over a boring blackboard in our kitchen. Miss 5 spotted it immediately after school and wanted to make one for her bedroom too. I love that she is crafty - it's nice to sit and chat while we make stuff. Here she is with her mini pom pom garland in progress. <br />
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The mini pom poms were so darn cute I had to make one too. It looked sweet draped around some of the kids' art from when they were smaller.</div>
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Loads and loads of tea cosies have been made in the last few months too. Some of them have ended up at a shop in Petone! How exciting. The lovely owner has also taken a few of my other makes - baby hats, mini paper bunting and hair clips. I was so proud to see the cosies in the shop window!! I had the overwhelming urge to yell "I made these" to anyone in the near vicinity!!</div>
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There have also been quite a few fabulous op shop bargains found recently. This stunning tablecloth was only $6 at a market in Paekakariki last weekend. We escaped the city for a night at the beach and we timed our arrival by fluke to sneak into the local market just before it finished for the day. I couldn't believe my luck to find this beauty. </div>
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I also bought this gorgeous old chair on Trade Me for $10. It was in a dire state and needed missing chunks to be filled, rough bits sanded and knocks and dings dealt to. I then mixed up a few different test pots and happily sat outside in the sun painting it. What I should have done was take my sunglasses off to check the colour - it turned out a lot more pink than initially planned but I love it now. I really love the shape of these chairs and will keep my eye out to try and find a few more to pop around the dining table when we have extras for dinner.<br />
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I should have popped this picture up a bit higher in the post when I was talking about Christmas. Not only did we have stunning weather on the actual day but the first of my Christmas lilies actually chose Christmas Day to flower! How utterly perfect.<br />
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It has been a busy season in the garden - and it's not a past time I love but I really enjoy the results. My husband fought a very hard battle to remove a huge hedge of agapanthus - a nightmare of a job. But it was well worth it as we now have a brand new vege plot which is currently full of lettuce, spinach, rocket and sweetcorn. These wee beauties above are feijoas and they should be ready in April/May. We have only ever had one single fruit in three years but this year we have quite a few of these little stunners growing happily on the tree. Fingers crossed they don't get blown off in a howling southerly!!<br />
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I have turned into a crazy woman and am on a murderous rampage. Our poor broccoli and cabbage plants have been all but destroyed by horrid caterpillars. I now spend each day searching every leaf for the little rotters then squashing them while swearing under my breath. I have got the children involved now and they always have a quick look for any critters while they are outside playing. I'm not usually a violent person but these caterpillars have made me furious. I have no hesitation in squishing them and I have also been seen to be chasing the white butterflies around the garden with my jandal in hand ready to swat them!<br />
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Our strawberry patch has been taken over by giant stick creatures which freak me out completely so I've been too scared to stick my hand in and pick any fruit. My neighbour has had to come and remove the creatures for me. And I have to get the children to pick the strawberries. What a big chicken I am.<br />
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Another project I am bursting to try sometime soon is this. While I was shopping for other people for Christmas I spotted this pretty button covering set and had to get one for myself too. The fabric is so pretty! I have a cardi in mind that is going to get a button makeover soon.<br />
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There has been lots of baking ...<br />
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I tried out my homemade cookie stamp and a lovely heart stamp - the kids loved it!<br />
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And Miss 5 was given this cake pop set for Christmas and once I had made the cake bits for her - she made these herself. Delicious!<br />
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But by far this has been the most successful baking experience recently. I spotted this no-knead bread recipe on good old Pinterest. It is the most simple bread recipe I have ever made and the result is amazing. A gorgeous chewy crusty - hot from the oven with a naughty amount of butter - yum. My tummy is rumbling just at the thought of it. Here is the <a href="http://www.simplysogood.com/2010/03/crusty-bread.html">link </a>if you want to try it - all you need is time not effort! You won't regret it, I promise.<br />
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Crikey I really am jumping all over the place as I remember things we have been up to. I promised Miss 5 that I would show some pics of her making a very special cushion. We bought some cheap remnant fabrics and she chose the stripe for a cushion. She wanted to sew a bird on to it so that is just what she did, very patiently.<br />
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I love it! She is so proud of herself and her beautiful cushion now lives on her bed. </div>
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We took the kids to an open day at our local port as Mr 8 is absolutely obsessed with ships of all kinds. He was blown away to get a chance to sit in the police boat. I was so proud to hear him asking the policemen such sensible questions and I was also chuffed that he totally understood the map on the screen in front of him. He is still in love with all things Titanic related and finished building a model with his dad over the last few weeks. We now have to buy a shelf to put up in his room so this precious model can stay safely above the carnage of a boys bedroom!!</div>
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It's that time of year again for the most stunning dahlias to bloom in my in-laws' garden. I take photos of this particular one every year - it is just perfect in every way. <br />
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Phew - well that's all from me. I won't be leaving it so long again as it is really hard to remember what I've been up to. Clearly my memory is suffering now that I've turned a year older!!<br />
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Have a fabulous week - see you again soon.<br />
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Leah<br />
xxxx<br />
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<br />Leahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13245743010825956078noreply@blogger.com33tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1683430101265298182.post-10607819568666465912012-12-24T06:49:00.002+13:002012-12-24T06:49:57.236+13:00Merry Christmas Everyone!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Where the heck did November go? I can't believe how fast the weeks have been passing. I never intended almost two months to go by without doing a post. That also means nearly two months of not popping in to visit other blogs so I have a lot of catching up to do!! And a big hello to lots of new followers - it has surprised me to see how many new folk have discovered my little blog. <br />
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It has been an utterly crazy few weeks in the lead up to Christmas. There have been ballet recitals, end of year school celebrations, summer sports, a few health issues and some very weird weather to keep me on my toes. It's meant to be summer but I am currently sitting here, very early in the morning, and all I can see out of my window is fog. The airport is closed making Christmas travel plans a nightmare for many. Thankfully we are staying home this year and I'm really looking forward to some time to slow down and just potter about for a while. Not to mention the chance to eat far too many festive treats and start the diet in the new year!! My small folk love these chocolate biscuit Christmas puds so they requested we make them again this year. Not to mention the piles of white chocolate rocky road and bottles of caramel sauce I made for gifts this year. Delicious!<br />
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There has been a wee bit of time for some crochet. I'm still trying to use up my Stylecraft yarn but it just keeps on going! I started this blanket ages ago and wasn't sure that I loved it enough to carry on. But my gorgeous sis-in-law Sarah visited yesterday and she spotted it in my basket. So I'm going to get it finished and give it to her. <br />
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There is something nice about a simple granny square isn't there? I think I was worried it was a bit too simple though - that's why I hadn't fallen in love with it.<br />
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But the more I look at it now, the more it is growing on me. Maybe I'll make another one for me later<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-uzXn2u4YMuwRMMKDGT7blupYlhB_iIJxtMYB-AsPWTrRJW3Y-WK3UC4z1YBidgj0E-A4jaSLeTFmGSeeOh2Pe77ERelLRiA0vmUqLEab_rFvD3aCJjzx0EyWCj-H-ZXaKtkPpOG3ISw/s1600/IMG_5284.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">.</a></div>
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And there have been many, many more tea cosies made. Quite a few sales and commissions in the lead up to Christmas which is fantastic!<br />
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I was a bit naughty this year and went a little but nutso with online shopping. I had wanted this book for a while and it didn't seem to make it to the bookshops here so I ordered it from good old Book Depository along with a few other treats for gifts. I love, love, love that website!!! And I really love seeing a little (or large) brown parcel in my letterbox!!!<br />
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The very first pages the book opened to was this - I thought it was just gorgeous. I have only managed a quick flick through the book - so can't wait for a sunny day so I can sit outside and read it properly.<br />
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Miss 5 has become a real little crafter. She got this sweet little sewing kit for her birthday and it goes everywhere with her just now. She was unwell recently so I cut out some shapes for her to sew. She made this sweet little bear and today she is sewing more stockings to hang on the tree. I am so proud of Mr 8 too, for a boy whose favourite part of school has always been lunchtime(!) - he came second in a poetry competition this week. I didn't even know he had entered - so it was a huge surprise. My little boy is really growing up to be a gorgeous fella. </div>
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Even though the weather has been completely screwy, boiling hot one day and pouring with rain the next, we have managed to grow some yummy veges. Broad beans are one of my faves and thankfully Miss 5 is keen to pod them with me and then peel them once boiled. It certainly speeds up the process! </div>
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And for the very first time, after trying for 4 seasons, we managed to grow a broccoli!!! I actually squealed out loud when I spotted it!! It wasn't huge but was enough to feed us for one meal. It tasted beautiful as it was only a few minutes from garden to plate.<br />
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And another gardening success - well kind of - was this cabbage. Again, we've been trying for years with no success and then one day it was just there, like magic. It was tiny - but perfectly formed under those outside leaves! My theory is that neglect was the perfect answer. We'd had such terrible weather that the vege patch had been left unweeded for several weeks. A theory I will try again because I hate weeding!!!<br />
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Our cabbage was tiny but check out this freakishly large strawberry. I had to put my crochet hook in front of it show the scale of this monster. So if you're going to be good and limit yourself to only one choc dipped strawberry then this is most definitely the one you'd want to choose!<br />
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And speaking of large - look at this gingerbread house. Apparently it has set the record for being the largest ever made. It is at Te Papa museum and the kids loved it. The smell was just beautiful.<br />
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Phew - that's a lot of butter!! <br />
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Another wee treat I bought for the family this week was these bright and gorgeous pudding bowls. I had to go back and get another set so we have enough when friends visit. A bargain at $5 and oh so bright and lovely. I might just have to fill them with sweets and treats tomorrow and dot them about the house. <br />
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Before the fog set in, we went on a family walk around our suburb. I wish I had taken more pics now as these Pohutukawa trees are blooming everywhere just now. They are called a New Zealand Christmas Tree and the story goes that if they flower before Christmas then we are going to have a long hot summer. Well where I live, there are beautiful red flowers on all the trees so bring on the good weather.<br />
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Miss 5 collected flowers on the way. </div>
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Telecom sets up this amazingly huge tree each year. The children go into the old red phone boxes and call Santa. Then their wish travels up the tree and lights up as it goes. We took the children yesterday and it was just gorgeous listening to them leaving their little message for Santa. <br />
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I love this pic - it is taken standing inside the tree looking up. Just a shame it isn't dark until quite late here, so my small folk haven't had a chance to see it completely lit up in all its glory. We might have to let them stay up late and go for a drive tonight for a Christmas Eve treat.<br />
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Well that's all from me! Have a truly wonderful Christmas wherever you may be. Thank you so much for popping by and I hope to see you again in the New Year. I hope you all get thoroughly spoilt this festive season. Merry Christmas!!!<br />
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Take care,<br />
Leah<br />
xxxx<br />
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Leahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13245743010825956078noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1683430101265298182.post-74611805019713944142012-10-29T14:49:00.000+13:002012-10-29T14:49:52.865+13:00In love with colour!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I know I have shown lots of pics of my tea cosies recently but I really can't get enough of them! I have made so many lately that I can whip one up in about 30 minutes - the pattern is in my sidebar - then have them in a pile waiting to be topped with flowers or spots (my latest design - talk about cute!). And it was a good excuse to play around with the photo mosaic!! <br />
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These little spotty cosies were fun to make and look so cheerful. It doesn't seem to matter how many I make out of this wool - the stash doesn't seem to get any smaller. <br />
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But this wee blue cosy is one of my absolute favourites. Sometimes a particular colour combination really hits the spot. </div>
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In my last post I showed a picture of some gorgeous old chairs I'd found. Well in the same week I managed to find a retro coffee table and this lovely little vinyl footstool for an absolute bargain (the table was the grand total of $2.50 on Trade Me!!) - both of which will go nicely with the 70's chairs.</div>
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But as much as I loved it in its original condition - it had a wee bit of damage and was screaming out for a makeover. I had the perfect fabric in mind after spotting it in the shop a few weeks ago. </div>
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The colours are gorgeous and I loved that it looks like I've painstakingly joined all these squares together!! Big fat cheat!<br />
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Ta-da - now that looks more like it! I know it sounds tragic, but this little footstool has made me so happy. It's a burst of colour in a fairly plain room and it lifts my spirits whenever I walk by. I had a ridiculously great time playing with upholstery pins and my hammer. When it was finished, I wandered around the house with hammer in hand trying to find other things that could be covered!! <br />
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And best of all there was just enough fabric left to make two wee cushions. I have been waiting for the perfect project to use some of my pretty trims on and this was it. <br />
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You might have spotted the chairs already but here's a better shot of them. We will have them reupholstered professionally in the future but it's pretty expensive so I will have to save up for it. In the meantime I have bought new foam for the seats and backs. Then I spotted an amazing fabric that was reduced from $100 per metre to only $10 per metre! How is that for a bargain! And it was reversible so I've done one chair in each colourway, one with a pink background, the other with a green background. When I say "I've done them" I mean I've wrapped fabric around each chair and fastened it to see what it looks like and to convince my husband that it wasn't too girly!! Now I have the challenge of stitching it in place. I am really happy with the result and am quite happy to have them like this until they can be covered properly. This new little sitting area has become a favourite spot for the whole family. Before, it was a space covered in toys but they have been moved to the other end of the room. The children love sitting here to read, Bella lounges in the sun most days and the grown ups grab a quick sit-down whenever they can! <br />
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Oh look - there's Bella soaking up some sun. She moves from one chair to another depending on which looks the warmest at any given time. What a hard life she has!! Did I mention that these chairs are perfect crochet chairs? Lots of room to move my arms but also just the right height to rest my elbows on while my hands are busy. I'm really proud that we've found these lovely older pieces and given them a new lease of life. When I worked on the woodwork of the chairs I found the original labels underneath them with 'August 1975' on them! They're almost as old as me!</div>
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And now for something not so old .... I sold a few tea cosies last week so with my earnings I treated myself to this adorable sundress. The first thing I did after taking this photo was unpick that crazy huge bow on the front! It looks so much better without it. It was made with a huge piece of fabric so now I'm thinking of what I can make with it instead. Now I just need the temperature to improve a bit here so I can wear this little beauty. I've decided that this summer I am going to wear dresses as often as possible. I have found some lovely vintage dresses over the last few months at the op shops and I can't wait to start wearing them. Bring on the sunshine!!<br />
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Oooh almost forgot - in the height of my current fabric obsession I found a sweet little spotty fat quarter when I was working at the market the other week. It matches some of the colours in my curtains perfectly and I knew it would make a perfect top for another footstool we had here. This lime green footstool has been well used, the children jump off it constantly and it has taken an absolute hammering. So it was time for a bit of prettification (is that a word?).<br />
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And here she is - I love it! Don't you love how a piece of material and a hour or so on the sewing machine can transform something completely. As with all my sewing - it is by no means perfect. Probably something to do with the fact that I don't like measuring anything or using pins!!! I have an idea in my head of what to do and I just go for it. Sometimes it turns out - sometimes it's a disaster. Thankfully this one worked out!!<br />
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And amongst all the pretty colours and girly projects it seems only right to pop this picture in from Mr 8's birthday party. He had a Trash Pack party and for his birthday cake I made him lots of slime cakes. It was so much fun to make cakes that are meant to look gross. The boys thought these were great - they decided they looked like pooh and slime - and they were a total hit. Hilarious.</div>
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I am yet again very behind in my blog reading so apologies if I haven't popped by recently. I feel as if I'm constantly trying to keep up and failing miserably! I can't wait to see what you've all been up to.<br />
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I hope you all have a fabulous week. See you again soon. <br />
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Leah<br />
xxxx<br />
<br />Leahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13245743010825956078noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1683430101265298182.post-11356845541403110102012-10-05T12:07:00.001+13:002012-10-05T14:50:26.896+13:00She's finished!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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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. <br />
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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! <br />
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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 <a href="http://whydidntanyonetellme.blogspot.com/2012/04/sharing-tea-cosy-love.html">pattern</a> 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 <a href="http://www.whydidntanyonetellme.blogspot.com/2011/08/brrrrrr-hey-what-is-this-white-stuff.html">one</a>. Just as well there is plenty of good telly on at the moment to plonk down in front of with my hook!<br />
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Did I tell you that my wee girl used to ask me if I was making a jersey for the teapot? Too cute.</div>
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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!!<br />
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Oooh, oooh, oooh, do you remember that gorgeous little cafe I visit called Martha's? There are a few pics of it <a href="http://whydidntanyonetellme.blogspot.com/2012/01/farewell-40h.html">here</a>. Well they have opened a new cafe just across the road from Martha's and it's called Arthur's!!<br />
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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. <br />
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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!<br />
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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.<br />
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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. </div>
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Want to see what I'll be working on tonight?</div>
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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. <br />
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Have a fab weekend everyone! We are off to the <a href="http://www.worldofwearableart.com/">WOW</a> 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. <br />
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See you again soon,<br />
Leah<br />
xxxxLeahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13245743010825956078noreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1683430101265298182.post-65136306193232689562012-09-14T12:04:00.002+12:002012-09-14T12:04:21.519+12:00Back to normal!<br />
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It's taken a wee while but I am now almost back to my old self. Thank you so much for all your lovely wishes and butt jokes, they really cheered me up!! So because I wasn't able to sit comfortably for such a long time, I was beyond bursting to get my crochet hook out again. And I think I have more than made up for lost time. I decided a quick project was just the thing to get me started, more on that a little later. But then the overwhelming urge to do another ripple took over! <br />
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This started out being called "The Leftovers Blanket" because I had quite a bit of Stylecraft leftover from my <a href="http://www.whydidntanyonetellme.blogspot.com/2012/07/giant-granny-square-blanket-ta-da.html">giant granny blanket</a>. As it has grown, it has taken on the prettier name of Rainbow Ripple Blanket. At first I thought it looked a little bright, but it always amazes me how the whole look of a blanket can change depending on what colour you use in the next row. It definitely provided some cheerful colour while we were having some horrible weather last week. It is growing ridiculously fast and I will be finished it this weekend hopefully. The best bit about making a ripple blanket is that there are only a few ends to weave in at the end - bliss!!! <br />
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There is something quite addictive about these ripply stripes. And every time I look at it, it reminds me of a blanket my Nana M had in her house when I was little. Nice memories. </div>
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I have also pulled out my African Flower Hexagon blanket that I started last year then got a bit tired of. Before I started the ripple, I made a heap more of these little beauties. I'm not joining-as-I-go, so it's a little fiddly joining them all up, but I'm loving the result. This one is a pure wool blanket and the weight of it is fantastic. It's definitely going to be toasty warm. It's still got a way to go but I'm aiming to have it finished for next Winter. </div>
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And last but not least in the crochet department, here's the quick project I mentioned. I spotted one lone ball of wool at my local wool shop and I just loved the moody tones. It is a King Cole Riot and the shades of silver and gray are beautiful. </div>
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The pattern is called Spring Petals and you can find it <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/spring-petals-scarf">here</a>. It was a lovely easy pattern and it worked up really quickly. I had this finished in one evening. I will definitely be making more of these!<br />
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I've been having a fab time on Pinterest lately and was fascinated with all the Mod Podge ideas I'd seen. I saw a pin for some homemade equivalent so I had to give it a go. We had some wooden coasters that had seen better days so they became my test item. I used a spray adhesive to attach some pretty scrapbooking paper to each coaster, then used the Mod Podge to seal it - with several coats. I've just used a spray acrylic sealer over the top so that they are more waterproof. I absolutely LOVE them! This is them before they got sealed.<br />
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I'm off now to decorate a birthday cake for my niece and nephew who turn 2 today!! Happy birthday to you both, I can't wait to give you big birthday cuddles tomorrow!!<br />
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Then after that it will be time to boil the kettle, make a large cup of tea and do a few more rows of my blanket. I should be doing the housework but the thought of it is just too boring in comparison!<br />
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Have a fabulous week - see you again soon.<br />
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Leah<br />
xxxx<br />
Leahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13245743010825956078noreply@blogger.com36tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1683430101265298182.post-61548693781347688742012-08-18T06:52:00.000+12:002012-08-18T06:54:12.028+12:00My Happy Place 2012<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Yes it was that time of the year, when it is freezing cold, wet and plain miserable here in Wellington so the urge is huge to escape to somewhere hot. We save so hard each year so that we can have a family holiday in Fiji. This was our 4th visit and it truly is My Happy Place. I think it was about 10 degrees when we flew out of Wellington and 29 degrees when we arrived in Nadi. Aaaaahh - delicious warmth. No more socks, no more woolly jumpers, no rain coats - just sun screen, swimming togs, sunhats and jandals. Oh and a stack of books! Bliss.</div>
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I know these photos probably look exactly the same as the ones I posted last year, but for me they hold a whole new batch of memories. These images are stored in my mind and remembered on grotty cold days which seem to last forever.<br />
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So I'm sure by the end of this post you will be sick of seeing coconut palms, pretty swimming pools and the odd cocktail! As for me, I can't get enough of it!!! I should say now that many of you will have images in your mind of Fiji being white sandy beaches and clear seas. Well that is indeed a lot of Fiji but as I am not a huge fan of the ocean (maybe Jaws put me off?), we stay in a part of Fiji that has beaches more like NZ but the resort facilities are amazing. And while our small folk are small, this is the place for us. Families are catered for so wonderfully. Any place that can remember your children year after year is a hit with me. The children get huge hugs from the staff every time they go into the restaurant - it melts my heart. And the fact that unlike here in NZ, and many other places in the world I
am sure, the Fijian people seek eye contact so they can say Bula, well
it's hard not to have a smile on your face constantly with that level of
friendliness. In the week following our return to Wellington I
definitely find the odd Bula pops out of my mouth when I walk past a
stranger!!<br />
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By absolute fluke this year it turned out that we were on holiday at the same time as some friends of ours. We had a 3 or 4 day crossover which meant our small folk had some familiar faces to play with and they happily went to the wonderful kids club for a morning session together - crab hunting, coconut boat building and generally having a total wow of a time. So for a few morning hours, the grown ups were treated to some well deserved adult-only pool time. Aaaahh the serenity!!! A bit of chat, a bit of reading, a bit of swimming to cool off - just perfect.<br />
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The day before our friends left, the children asked to stay for a longer kids club session so it seemed only right that as it wasn't the morning anymore we could treat ourselves to a poolside cocktail. That's Juanita on the left looking brown as a berry and me on the right with the so-white-they-are-almost-lavendar legs! I had started the whole fake tan regime but after discovering a line down the back of one leg I gave up and decided to embrace my natural colour this time. I can honestly say though - I would rather be brown!!! Oh well, next time maybe.</div>
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Cooling off in the pool. </div>
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Oh look - another pretty pool shot - are you bored yet? Well the story changes here slightly ....</div>
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I think I jinxed it because I told my husband before we went away that we'd had a great run over the years of perfect weather and good health. Other friends have holidayed here and ended up room-bound with sick children or cyclones. So I said we should be prepared for things to go pear-shaped ...... and they did ........ big time. It started with a bit of rain. The expected rainfall for the whole month of July is meant to be one day maximum. But not this year, we had rain for 4 days. Not constant, but enough to make lying by the pool a no go. It was still hot so the swimming pool was still played in and adventures were still had.<br />
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But then one morning we were out walking and this lovely innocent wooden walk way (this pic was taken on a dry day), mixed with my not so grippy jandals meant I ended up here ......<br />
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Yep, I fell. Really badly. I still don't know how I did it but both legs went out from under me and I landed straight down on my bottom. I knew I'd done something bad when I couldn't get up easily. So a doctor had to be called and the whole family was loaded into a taxi for an afternoon at a Nadi medical centre. After lots of x-rays it was great to find out that there were no fractures to my tail bone but boy-oh-boy was it painful. I couldn't sit or lie down - and wouldn't you know it that on this particular holiday - sitting down or lying down are the two things I do best!!! This is where I should add lots of swear words but I won't! So that was the end of enjoying a relaxing poolside atmosphere. Hopefully we can visit again next year as I feel totally and utterly ripped off this year. Who wants to hurt themselves on the 4th day of there holiday - grrrrrrrrr. Anyway.... <br />
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I was still able to walk so at least I wasn't room bound. And I could still swim with the children - it was just the sitting bit that was not a go-er. Poor kids, having to put up with such a grumpy mum because she hadn't slept and was beyond tired. </div>
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The plane journey home was a bit uncomfy. Thankfully this year we had booked to fly direct to Wellington which added another hour to the flight but at least there was no sitting around at Auckland airport waiting for connections. As much as I hate a holiday ending, it's always lovely to get home, especially to see Bella. We all miss our furry girl so much.<br />
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Back to Wellington - and a chilly 11 degrees. No more jandals, no more shorts - where are those woolly jumpers? <br />
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So until next time - farewell Fiji. I can't wait to visit again. In the meantime this photo is now in my memory and I hope to replicate this scene in 360 odd days time. Fingers crossed anyway.<br />
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I should end by saying that I am definitely on the mend and can sit a lot easier now! Which means I'll be able to get my crochet hook out again - boy have I missed it. I have a million plans in my head of things I want to make so I'd better get cracking and decide what to do.<br />
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Ange - I'm sending you all my love. You know why.<br />
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See you again soon,<br />
Leah<br />
xxxxLeahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13245743010825956078noreply@blogger.com32tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1683430101265298182.post-22939214801978881542012-07-27T14:18:00.000+12:002012-07-27T14:18:20.539+12:00Giant Granny Square Blanket Ta-Da!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Yippee, I have finished my huge granny square blanket! Every last end has been woven in and she now has pride of place on our bed. I am absolutely in love with this blanket and every time I walk past my bedroom, I catch a glimpse of it and it makes me smile. Poor hubby has had to get used to all the pink-ness but he agrees that it has given the room a nice cosy feel. I started her back in January and kept working on her in between other crochet projects. I am so proud of it, and want to remember it from every angle, so apologies for the billions of photos I am bound to use!!<br />
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She's a whopper and a little hard to get a decent photo of! I had to perch on the dining table to get this photo. And even then it's not the best of pics. I didn't take the time to get it all nice and even and some of the squares look a little wonky which they aren't at all. I used a different technique this time which has ensured the straightest squares and I am a convert. Each round was started on the opposite side to where the last round finished, no spaces between clusters except in the corners where two spaces were used. It worked a treat!! <br />
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See .... look at all those lovely squares! I joined them as I went and I love the wee stitch detail it gives.<br />
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I looks gorgeous on the bed. Perfect for this freezing weather we've been having. I was so excited when it was finished that I tore the new pink duvet cover out of the packet, threw it on the bed just so I could get some photos. That's my excuse for the wrinkly pillowcases, and I'm sticking to it!! </div>
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It was touch and go whether I had enough of my favourite raspberry colour left to do the border but it worked out perfectly. I used four rows of single crochet to keep it nice and simple. And the border colours were based on the last four rounds of one of the squares that really caught my eye.<br />
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Yep - that looks just right to me. I was really careful not to work into every stitch where the squares join, to avoid having a ripply border. The yarn was Stylecraft and I had initially bought a mixed pack of this through Deramores. I ended up having to buy another mixed pack as the colours I was mostly using didn't seem to be available in individual balls at the time. Oh what a shame - to have all that extra yarn ... ha ha. 36 squares in total, with 12 rounds each square. The kids love playing 'match the squares' with it. <br />
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Even folded up I think it looks lovely. <br />
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Mmmm, gorgeous grannies - so simple but so satisfying.<br />
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It's freezing here today, so I'm thinking I might have to steal it off the bed tonight so I can snuggle under it while I watch telly. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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And it wouldn't be a photo shoot without my little crochet companion Bella. 'Oooh what's this Mum, you're trying to take a photo, well how about I just sit here and make myself comfy'. I think she has been by my side for every one of these squares. <br />
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I know you'll be bored stiff by now, but all these photos are for my old age when my memory is flagging and I need a visual reminder!! </div>
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So now that the blanket is finished I can spend some more time playing on Pinterest. Don't you love it when you spot something and it looks so simple and you wonder why you didn't think of it yourself? I spotted something similar to this last week and within minutes I had my very own jar of cupcake papers. So much prettier than the plastic container they had been stashed in inside the pantry. This looks so bright and cheerful, I had to keep it out so I could see it. The kids love it as they can turn it around and choose which ones we should use.<br />
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Have a fabulous week. See you again soon.<br />
<br />
Leah<br />
xxxx<br />
<br />Leahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13245743010825956078noreply@blogger.com47tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1683430101265298182.post-62193510746438074162012-07-16T10:02:00.001+12:002012-07-16T10:03:33.876+12:00It's so nice to be back!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Wow, it's been almost a month since I last had a chance to do a post and I've missed it. So I warn you, this post will probably be long as I've got lots to catch up on. The days have been absolutely flying by recently. It has also been the school holidays here so my small folk have been keeping me rather busy. Both children were sick over the holidays which wasn't much fun. At least the weather was rubbish so it was ideal to be tucked up on the couch, watching DVDs and resting. It did mean that I was able to get my hook out a few times during the day which was lovely. I made a collection of tiny hearts for my wee girl and made them into a garland for her bedroom.<span style="background-color: white;"> </span><br />
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She is very particular, just like her mother, and they had to be in a certain order. I am going to have to make more of these as they are just so cheerful. I can see garlands popping up all around the house (anything to add some colour to these gloomy winter days).<br />
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Then there was a bit more heart creating. I had bought a battered old book of sheet music at the op shop a while back so I got it out while the kids happily played (not fighting for a change!). With the help of some thick double-sided mounting tape, these layered hearts turned out really well. Perfect to fill an empty spot on the wall.<br />
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Side on you see the 3D effect. And while I was taking a photo of these, Miss 5 made this one ...<br />
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Too cute! I didn't realise she had even been watching me make my one. I think she did a fab job! She went on to make about 6 of them which are now on her bedroom wall. Mr 7 was also busy making things - but his makes were Lego. He is obsessed with Titanic and made a great selection of Titanics and icebergs!! I must get a photo of them.</div>
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I also finished my cat from <a href="http://annabooshouse.blogspot.com/2012/06/cal-episode-5-finale.html">Annaboo's</a> CAL! I'm so happy with him - I will definitely be making more now that I know it's not as hard as I thought it would be. I overstuffed his poor head a bit, but hey, he's still cute. </div>
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I also stayed up too late at night having a play on my sewing machine. My fear of zips and buttonholes were holding me back from making cushions, so I decided to do a flap/envelope back instead and I love the result.<br />
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I had been collecting fabric for a while but then I spotted this fabulous length of fabric at Stitchbird. One length made two cushions and I absolutely adore this bird print. I had planned to use a plain backing but at the last moment changed it to the green and white spots and I love it!<br />
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I was so pleased with the result, I couldn't wait to make a few more.<br />
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Here's a pic of the back. Nice and neat and not a zip in sight - yippee.<br />
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Here are the next two I made. I was all set to make some square ones next until my brand new 22 day old sewing machine decided to sound like a helicopter landing in the living room and promptly died. I know it wasn't a super flash machine and I did get it at a cheap price, it was still a decent machine at a fairly decent price before the sale. Grrrrrrr. And because it was outside of the 14 day period I wasn't able to get a replacement machine. So it is currently away being repaired and I am missing it. Fingers crossed it gets fixed soon or I will be turning into a super-grump. I had also started altering all my jeans which I am eager to continue with. All those jeans that have wider legs have started to be taken in so they are nice and lean. I used to do this all the time as a teenager and can't believe I haven't done this sooner as an adult. This way I end up with jeans that actually suit my figure and fit me perfectly. <br />
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Big news too - I have finished my giant blanket! Here's a quick pick of it before I did the border - I had just laid it on the floor to look at it and of course Bella appeared and wouldn't budge. I'm not going to show you until my next post as I am determined to have every end tied in before I take photos of it. I know, I know, I said I would tie them in as I went but clearly I am a big fat liar!! I got carried away and after the first 10 were made and tidied as I went, the next 26 squares were left. I am absolutely kicking myself now as it's the bit I really dislike and now I have to sit for hours with a needle, sewing the pesky things. In saying that though, I adore the blanket and can't wait to have it on my bed!! <br />
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I had a lovely letterbox treat last week, my book arrived from the UK. I had read it from the library and had to have it. So many ideas, so much colour - I love it. I am a little addicted to Book Depository - it is soooooo much cheaper to buy books from the UK than it is to buy them here. <br />
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I love all the mismatched furniture, china and colourful bits and pieces throughout this book - definitely the look I want.<br />
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My biggest bargain last weekend was these pretty sneakers for less than $10. I bought them at a children's shop as I have ridiculously small feet. The lady in the shop asked me "how old is she" presuming they were for my daughter. I replied that she was quite old, 41 in fact!! Oh well, at least my feet feel young. <span style="background-color: white;"> </span></div>
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My gorgeous friend Ange gave me this most amazing recipe recently and I have to share it with you. Ginger crunch is a popular slice here in NZ and one I make often. This recipe is for a fancier version which is beyond delicious. It's easy and the outcome looks much more difficult and will guarantee to get lots of oooohs and aaaaahs. If you're able to stop eating it, you're a stronger person than me!<br />
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<u>Oaty Ginger Slice</u><br />
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3/4 cups sugar<br />
1 Tbspn chopped crystallised ginger (or substitute with 1 tspn ground ginger - works perfectly)<br />
7 Tbspn golden syrup<br />
250g butter<br />
1 cup rolled oats<br />
1/2 cup sliced or chopped almonds<br />
3/4 cup self raising flour<br />
1/2 cup desiccated coconut<br />
4 tspns ground ginger<br />
2 cups icing sugar<br />
3Tbspn chopped pistachios<br />
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Preheat oven to 170 degrees Celsius. Line a slice tray. <span style="background-color: white;"> Combine sugar, crystallised ginger, 2 Tbspn golden syrup and 150g butter over a low heat. Stir until melted then add oats, almonds, flour and coconut. Mix well then firmly press into slice tray. Bake for 20 minutes then cool.</span><br />
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For the topping, put remaining butter, golden syrup, ground ginger and icing sugar in a pan over a low heat and stir until smooth. Pour over base and sprinkle with pistachios. Allow to set then cut into slices.<br />
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Enjoy!<br />
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Have a fabulous week - see you again soon. <br />
Leah<br />
xxxx<br />
<br />Leahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13245743010825956078noreply@blogger.com32tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1683430101265298182.post-12077329508200004502012-06-19T13:07:00.000+12:002012-06-19T13:07:47.237+12:00100 Posts!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It has been really, really cold here over the last week, so evenings have been spent sitting near a cosy fire and making hats galore. As much as I prefer hot weather, my hat sales sky rocket when the temperatures drop! I spotted an adorable newborn pattern <a href="http://www.repeatcrafterme.com/2012/06/mickey-and-minnie-mouse-crochet-hat.html" style="background-color: white;">here</a><span style="background-color: white;"> and had to have a go at making a much bigger version for my wee girl. </span><span style="background-color: white;">The bow is meant to be right on the top but it made her head look abnormally large so we moved it down a bit.</span><span style="background-color: white;"> It worked out really well and Miss 5 has trotted off to school wearing it today and was beaming with delight that she was getting lots of ooohs and aaaahs about it. When her teacher asked where she got it, Miss 5 ran over to me and said "this clever lady here made it". Too cute!!</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><br />
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Last week I discovered a clearance table at a local shop which had a huge amount of tea pots at bargain prices so I stocked up. I guess that means I have to get cracking and make some cosies to go with them now to get into my wee shop. In the meantime, three of my tea cosies are in a REAL shop!!! The lovely store Stitchbird that I've been raving about, now have some of my tea cosies amongst all their gorgeous wares. I am beyond proud and get a silly grin on my face every time I walk past!<br />
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My sewing machine died a few weeks ago and I have really missed it. I hadn't actually realised just how much I use it until I didn't have one anymore. I hate the whole throwaway society thing, but sadly this time finances had to be considered and it just wasn't viable to spend all that money repairing an already old machine. I had a very limited budget but managed to find a fabulous machine in a sale and got it for a ridiculously cheap price. It's only a simple machine but that suits me perfectly for what I need to do with it. Give me straight stitch and zig zag and I'm happy. Anything else and I start to panic! This machine has all manner of stretch stitches and fancy things that I will have to investigate in the future. But for now, straight stitching is just fine with me.<br />
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This is the collection of fabrics I have put together to make some cushions and I can't wait to get started! Lovely strips of fabric in different sizes, pretty trims and vintage buttons. Now if only I could get over my fear of buttonholes and zips I might actually make a start....<br />
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I christened my new machine with a nice easy project - a draught excluder for our front door. I love this beachy striped fabric and it has added some more colour to our hallway. And it has succeeded in keeping that nasty southerly wind from whooshing under my door. I managed to add round ends even if it did make me swear a little bit while I was trying to work it out. I had my gorgeous friend Ange staying here over the weekend so we sat with our sewing machines on the dining table with a block of chocolate in between us and plenty of cups of tea. She made a whole dress for her daughter in the time it took me to make this door-sausage! <br />
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Now as the title mentioned, I have just realised that this is my 100th post! I wanted to take this opportunity to say a huge thank you for all your lovely comments and your regular visits. You can't begin to know how much it means to me. Since starting this blog and in turn discovering other colourful, inspirational blogs, it has really made a change in my daily life. It's the little things like buying fun colourful socks instead of my boring old black ones to keep my feet cosy on days like today, it's looking at things that were always in my home but with a different set of eyes, it's the way I have bought op shop treasures and found new places in my home for them, it's the way I carry my camera with me at all times to capture images I love - all these things are small but are making a huge difference. It's funny considering what I had in mind for this blog when I first created it and chose the name. But that's another story...<br />
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Before I go I also wanted to say a huge thank you to <a href="http://barbinchen.blogspot.com/">Barbina</a>, <a href="http://arteenhilo.blogspot.com/">AnaBC</a> and<a href="http://sssinthesun.blogspot.com/"> Stitches, Scraps and Sparkles in the Sun</a> for passing on such lovely awards! Thank you ladies - I am chuffed to bits!<br />
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Oh one more thing, I have finally signed up for Pinterest. After hearing so much about it I finally took the plunge and wow, why did I wait so long? Talk about gorgeous!!! <br />
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Have a fabulous week all.<br />
Leah<br />
xxxxLeahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13245743010825956078noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1683430101265298182.post-39631091511446250792012-06-06T11:11:00.000+12:002012-06-06T11:11:45.498+12:00Colourful Bits and Pieces<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I am so happy ... a wonderful new store has recently opened and it stocks the most gorgeous fabrics and trims. And best of all it's just 5 minutes from my home. <a href="http://www.stitchbirdfabrics.co.nz/">Stitchbird</a> have a lovely online service, but there is something about being able to see things, to feel them and to wander around with a curtain swatch in your hand desperately trying to match up fabrics to make cushions!! I was a bit overwhelmed - because I loved everything in there. I couldn't walk away without buying these beautiful ribbons. They will form part of the cushion decoration once I decide on a fabric (a seemingly impossible task given the choices!!). <br />
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I was in a stationery shop looking at kids gift ideas when I spotted this adorable range of kids craft products. Cheap as chips and totally gorgeous. These buttons had to come home with me - they are the exact colours I use for my tea cosies - so now I will have ample supplies for my tea cosy fastenings. <br />
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And speaking of tea cosies, I made yet another one over the weekend! I have a few more teapots to make cosies for and then I will have to wait for another decent sale to purchase more teapots. I like them to fit nicely so I can't just make a random cosy in the hope it will fit any old teapot. </div>
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Rainbow stripes are just what is needed on this freezing cold, rainy day!!<br />
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Crikey it sounds as if all I have done this week is shop! But because it was Queen's Birthday weekend - all the stores had massive sales, so I took advantage of the savings. I have been wanting this book for over a year now but it was too expensive. So when I spotted it on Sunday for 30% off I couldn't refuse. It was the last one in the store so I think it was meant to be!! I love it and can't wait to have a go at some of these squares. Here are few of my faves so far ....<br />
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I especially love this bobble pattern. In fact, this was the clincher in making me buy the book. I've had a go at 'inventing' a bobble stitch so it will be nice to find out how it is actually done!!<br />
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Some of them seem fairly simple and some of them send my brain into a complete and utter muddle!<br />
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I shall leave you this week with some calorie laden pics. I completely forgot to show you these from way back at Easter time. I had the most stunning high tea with dear friends Ange & Nicky (hi lovely girls!!) at this beautiful cafe in Petone called Sweetpea. The cupcake cabinet was beyond belief. <br />
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Now that's a cupcake!! But clearly it's a healthy one because it has fruit on it!<br />
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Very girly. I'm loving the icing-to-cupcake ratio here.<br />
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The light shades were made from old jars and bottles - really clever.<br />
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The high tea was filling enough, but no, there was more. When it was time to leave, you got to choose one of those amazing cupcakes to take home. Delicious! I can't wait to go back there sometime soon.<br />
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I am off to pick up my crochet hook and finish my cat as part of Annaboo's CAL. And then I really need to make more of an effort to finish my huge blanket. It is absolutely freezing here at the moment, so a lovely big blanket on my bed is what is called for. Not to mention the fact that working on a blanket keeps you toasty warm - just perfect!!!<br />
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Have a fabulous week all! See you soon.<br />
Leah<br />
xxxxLeahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13245743010825956078noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1683430101265298182.post-7294973833708339712012-05-25T13:34:00.001+12:002012-05-25T13:34:06.291+12:00What a treat!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I love getting mail, anything but bills that is. So it was fantastic to get home earlier in the week and find a parcel in the letterbox! I had mentioned in my last post how I had been the lucky winner of <a href="http://barbinchen.blogspot.com/">Barbina's </a>fantastic giveaway ..... well this parcel was from her, all the way from Germany. Do you want to see what was inside?<br />
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My eyes went straight to the most stunning Malabrigo wool!! I don't know how you managed to part with this Barbina - it's so beautiful!!! I don't think this is a very easy wool to find in New Zealand, maybe at the more specialty shops, but this is the first time I've actually touched it. I've ooohed and aaahed over it on many blogs - so you can imagine how fabulous it is to now have some of my own. Now I have to have a good think about what to make with it as it's so special. Any suggestions?<br />
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Look at all those lovely shades of blue and green.<br />
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Each time I turned it over there was another pretty mix of colours. I love it - thank you so much!<br />
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There was also the most intricate wee beaded dolphin. You can't quite tell how little it is in this picture but trust me, it would have been very tricky to make.<br />
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I thought that was a more than generous gift - but Barbina had also included gifts for Mr 7 and Miss 5! When I saw these I got a lump in my throat - that was just the most thoughtful thing to do, you wonderful woman!</div>
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So when the children got home from school, I explained that this parcel had come all the way from the other side of the world. They couldn't quite comprehend why someone they didn't know had sent them a gift but they sure were pleased to accept them. I haven't seen playmobil since I was tiny when my aunty sent some to us from the UK. My children have never seen it before - so you can imagine what a treat this was for them.<br />
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Mr 7's contained a skateboarder. He told Barbina is his thank you, that it looks just like him! <br />
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Miss 5's was Cleopatra and she thought it was amazing, especially being able to take the gold bangles on and off. Both were taken to school the next morning to show their respective teachers then popped safely into my bag for them to see again after school.<br />
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I was sooooooooo happy yesterday to finally pick up my crochet hook after nearly 3 weeks. Just when I thought all the drama of the previous weeks was over, then I went and got sick. Aaargh. But now that I'm starting to feel better I was absolutely desperate to get my hook out. It was really lovely to make myself sit down for an hour and start something new. And I knew exactly what that something new was going to be. The fabulous <a href="http://annabooshouse.blogspot.com/">Annaboo</a> has put together the most amazing tutorial for here monk/doll/cat pattern and is doing it as a crochet-a-long. If you haven't already discovered her stunning blog you must head over there immediately! She has clearly put a lot of time and effort into showing us how to make these little cuties. I'd never tried anything like this because they looked so difficult and I can be a bit blonde with new patterns and always manage to make at least two mistakes the first time around. But look, one head complete!!! Mine is going to be a cat - I think.<br />
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Woohoo - now my head has a body and lovely long legs. I can't wait for the next tutorial instalment so my wee cat can get some arms. This is a lovely pattern - and I am looking forward to making some more soon. <br />
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I mentioned just before that I can be a bit blonde sometimes, well it reminded me of this photo. It is of me and my little brother (who is now a 6 foot giant compared to me) in our matching outfits. Mum if you are reading this, am I right in thinking you made our gorgeous shirts? I absolutely love the fact that despite our different heights, his waistband is just about as high as mine!!! Too cute. I like to remind myself that I was a natural blonde once upon a time!! This photo has been all around the world with me, safely tucked into my wallet.<br />
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Righto - I'm off now to do some baking for the weekend. I have wanted one of these cookie stamps for months now so the time had come for me to actually do something about it! It is a bit bigger than I had expected but the kids are thrilled with that - the bigger the better in their eyes.<br />
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Have a fabulous weekend! The weather has just changed here in the last few minutes so I think I might just have to light the fire before I bake biscuits. Brrrr.<br />
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See you soon,<br />
Leah<br />
xxxx<br />
<br />Leahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13245743010825956078noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1683430101265298182.post-61981851412790817012012-05-14T12:20:00.000+12:002012-05-14T12:21:11.417+12:00Wow - it's been a while!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I can't believe it's been almost a month since I did a post. Life has been incredibly crazy here over the last few weeks so I had to prioritise things - which meant computer time was almost nil. But I'm back now and have lots of catching up to do. Before I start - I just want to say a huge thank you for all the lovely comments I received for my tea cosy tutorial. It's been fantastic hearing from everyone who has made one! And a big hello to all my new followers - it's fabulous to have you here! </div>
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Remember this wee tea cosy? Well it's been on a bit of a journey recently. Sue from <a href="http://fivecoursegarden.blogspot.com/">Five Course Garden</a> contacted me earlier in the year to tell me about an upcoming A&P Show in Southland that had a craft section. I decided to enter my cosy in the crochet section and Sue took it with her on her trip to Invercargill. Now I live at the bottom of the North Island in Wellington, Invercargill is at the bottom of the South Island - I've never even been there, but my tea cosy has! I have always been the kind of girl who got the 'taking part is more important than winning' ribbons at athletics days when I was younger so I never received many certificates - unlike my very sporty little brother. So I'm chuffed to bits to get a little certificate for my cosy. Such fun! A huge thanks to Sue for giving up precious suitcase space for my teapot and cosy! I should also warn you that visiting Sue's blog will have you running to the kitchen to have a go at her beautiful recipes. Mmmm those Portugese custard tarts .....</div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">I haven't touched my crochet hook for a whole week and I am soooooo looking forward to getting it out today. I only have a few more squares to go and my huge blanket will be done. Here is it laid out on my spare bed. It looks fabulous and oh so cosy. Doesn't it look fantastic with <a href="http://my4lilgirls.blogspot.com/">Karen's</a> lovely cushion in the background that I won on her giveaway? I have to confess that my promise to sew in all the ends as I went has been well and truly broken. I started well but after the first ten squares, I got lazy. So now I have that huge job to do. I will make a new promise however. I promise to tidy all the ends before I do the very last square. That way once that last square is added - the job will be done. Nothing worse than finishing all your crochet then having to wait days and days to show anyone while you finish up with the enormous amount of ends!! </span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">Today is a huge, huge day. Today my baby started school. It doesn't seem real - even though she is completely ready for it. So it's goodbye Miss 4, hello Miss 5!! </span> The whole family went to school this morning to settle her into her new class. There are only two pupils to start with but many more are due to start next week. Mr 7 isn't so sure he wants his little sister at the same school but I'm sure he'll get used to the idea in no time at all. </div>
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We had her party on Saturday and it was a 'crafternoon tea party'. Eleven littlies decorating hair clips and t-shirts. Lots of fun, lots of laughter and lots of totally unhealthy party food. Surprisingly the fruit kebabs I had made were mostly left untouched, but the fairy bread was a total hit. You just can't beat white bread with 100s and 1000s on it!! Delicious.<br />
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Miss 5 had asked for a cake that had a daddy cake, a mummy cake and a baby cake stacked up. It turned out really well and had all the small folk screaming out for a particular coloured flower on their slice. My gorgeous girl insisted that she could make the flowers out of fondant so I showed her how to do it. After a few examples I was told I didn't need to be in the kitchen and that she could do it herself. And indeed she did! I placed them on the cake but she did everything else. She has a lot of patience, unlike her mother!<br />
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Here's a pic of her party table just as we were starting to load it up with treats. A tower of chocolate topped meringues was in the middle, pink plates with pretty doilies (I do love a nice doily!), and more of that lovely fairy bread. Is fairy bread a New Zealand thing or do you have it for parties in your part of the world? I found this pretty fabric at Spotlight and turned it into a tablecloth. But every time I look at it I keep seeing other things I could make with it instead! <br />
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The children decorated their own t-shirts to take home. We used a kit that contained special paper and crayons, then my husband did a fab job ironing them on to the t-shirts. Lots of jewelled hair clips were made too, which were then tucked away into a pink drawstring bag to take home. I'm kicking myself that I didn't take a photo of the little bags - they were so sweet. <br />
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We spent the following afternoon building the Lego that she had received in her amazing stash of pressies. I have always been a Lego fan, and my son has always loved it, but this new girls Lego is really, really gorgeous. This is Miss 5 building the cafe, complete with oven, pies, milk shakes and cash register. I can see mummy is going to have a lot of fun with this too!</div>
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Just a few other pretty things to share with you before I go. I have started collecting this Malvern china since finding a plate and a cup in an op shop last year. I've never spent more than $12 on any single piece so I was thrilled to bits to buy these 6 pieces for $20 on Trade Me. All I really wanted was the milk jug so it was a bonus to get the other pieces too. I can't wait to have a girly tea party soon so I can use them.<br />
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Paisley fabric that I used as Miss 5's tablecloth. I think it would make fantastic pjs, or sheets, or a duvet cover, or a roman blind ..... I just love it!<br />
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We finally decided on new curtain fabric for our living and dining area and they arrived last week. I am totally in love with them and the way it has changed the room. A big bonus was receiving a huge amount of off-cut fabric to play with!! This bit is a bit crushed as I've had it in my handbag trying to match it up with cushions and rugs.<br />
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I found this pretty tunic top recently and after walking away from it in the shop, I went back the next day as it went on sale - brilliant timing. I usually wear plain blocks of colour so it was a real wardrobe shake up to wear bright pink roses! I felt so girly and cheerful. <br />
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Last new thing to show you .... we had to get a new light fitting for our spare room (my craft room) and my husband spotted this one. He thought it would be perfect to have a ball of string type shade in a craft room and he was right. It looks great and the light shines through it in a really amazing way.<br />
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I was so surprised to receive an email from <a href="http://barbinchen.blogspot.com/">Barbina </a>saying I'd won her giveaway! After a truly rotten week - it was just the news I needed to lift my spirits. Thank you so very much - you can't begin to know what perfect timing it was to get such lovely news. I am sooooo lucky - thank you!<br />
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A big thank you to <a href="http://rebeccadornediaries.blogspot.com/2012/04/sunshine.html">Rebecca </a>and <a href="http://lily-ginghamanddaisies.blogspot.com/2012/05/thank-you-for-my-award.html">Lily</a> for your lovely blog awards - you made my day.<br />
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Well that's all from me - have a fabulous week and I'll see you again soon. I have to go and take the shortbread out of the oven - it is what my wee girl asked for as her after school treat. I still can't believe I don't have a pre-schooler anymore ....<br />
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Leah<br />
xxxx<br />
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<br />Leahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13245743010825956078noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1683430101265298182.post-44571430525551327322012-04-18T14:23:00.002+12:002021-09-18T20:05:28.213+12:00Sharing the tea cosy love!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Ok, so it started with one tea cosy and now there have been three more! One for a gift, one ordered by a friend and another to pop into my shop. They are just so lovely to make and seeing them sitting together with their different coloured roses makes me smile. <br />
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I've had quite a few emails asking if I have a pattern for these and until now I'd just made them up as I went along. But after making several more, I've finally written out a pattern complete with a gazillion photos! So if you fancy making one of these sweet cosies, you can. These instructions can be worked to suit any teapot no matter what size. As mentioned previously, I always have my teapot beside me as I'm making a cosy, that way I can keep trying it on for size, so you get a perfect snug fit for this particular pattern.<br />
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Here are the things you'll need to get started. I use my favourite 4mm hook and double knit wool/yarn. You will also need a stitch marker, a needle for sewing in ends and your teapot of course. You will also need a small button for fastening the cosy.<br />
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To get started, make an initial chain just long enough to go around the base of your pot so it sits just to the sides of your handle. The chain will need to be an odd number of stitches so you have a perfect centre stitch.<br />
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Then Ch2 and work one HDC into the third chain from hook. Continue working across into all spaces in HDC. Ch2 then turn. <br />
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Work enough rows of HDC (always adding a Ch2 before turning) so that your cosy sits just below the base of your spout. Don't worry about it fitting the handle as this is joined at the very end.<br />
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Now place a stitch marker in the centre stitch.<br />
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If your pot is like mine and has a fairly wide spout I leave a space of 5 stitches to accommodate it. You could leave just 3 stitches for a more slender spout. For the next few rows you'll be working up one side at a time. As before, always Ch2 to start the first row and then at the end of the row before turning and continue working your rows until you reach the same level as the top of your spout base. I find it best to stay level with your spout at this point so that once your cosy is finished, the hole isn't too large.<br />
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You can now fasten off this section.</div>
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Now it's time to start the other side, working from the middle of the cosy now. So if you are using a 5 stitch gap, you will now start in the 3rd space to the left of your stitch marker. Pull your wool through and chain 2, then continue working across in HDC. Remembering to Ch2 before turning. <br />
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Continue working in rows until both sides are the same height.<br />
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Just tall enough to reach the top of your spout where it joins to the pot. Don't fasten off this time as you are going to work it as one piece now. Ideally the next row will be Right Side Facing - this always seems to work out by fluke with my teapots but you may need to add an additional row so bear this in mind.<br />
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Now work across the next row until you get to the middle gap. This is where you join it up with the other side. I have tried various ways of joining up here, and you may like to try a different way, but this is the way I like to do it! <br />
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If your gap at the base of your spout was 5 stitches, you now want to add 3 stitches back in to cover the top of your spout. Instead of using a regular chain stitch here, I like using a Single Crochet chainless foundation stitch which is a bit more substantial for this part of the cosy. Keeping your wool nice and tight here to avoid a gapey stitch, start with a chain 2 ....<br />
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then working into the first chain (making sure to insert through both posts/strands), YOH, pull through stitch (2 loops on hook), YOH and pull through first loop, YOH and pull through both loops. Repeat twice more.<br />
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There it is - nice and chunky. The single crochet here ends up being level with the HDC in the rest of the row. Now I join to the other side with an HDC into the first space. Make sure you keep your wool nice and firm for this part so you don't end up with a gape in this stitch.<br />
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And carry on across the rest of the row. <br />
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Continue on in HDC rows ...<br />
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... until you are sitting just above the top of your teapot where it starts to shape in towards the lid.<br />
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From here on you still work in HDC but only into every 2nd space. Keep working in rounds until you get to the top of your lid.<br />
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You could stop here and add a little picot edge or leave it plain. <br />
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If I plan on covering the cosy with flowers I prefer to crochet right to the top so it gives me more of a base to secure my flowers to.
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I should point out that you can also join your sides together just about the handle height and continue on in rounds if the top of your cosy is going to be visible. This gives a lovely finish and I do this with my non-flowery cosies. But if I'm piling mine up with flowers and leaves, I go with this slightly lazier option and join at the end.<br />
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So now you've reached the top you can fasten off and leave a nice long thread to sew in your ends. <br />
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Then it's just a case of sewing down this seam until you reach just above the handle. Fasten off and weave in your ends. <br />
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Now you can make a wee loop at the base of your cosy which will secure to a button on the opposite side - making it a breeze to remove the cosy from the pot.<br />
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Insert your hook into the edge of your first row and Ch5. Slip stitch into the row above to create the loop and fasten off. Sew in your ends.<br />
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Sew a button on to the opposite side ...<br />
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... and wackydoo, there you have it, one snug little tea cosy! <br />
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Now you can go crazy and add flowers, leaves, hearts, stars, pom poms or anything else you fancy!!<br />
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I have played around with lots of leaf patterns but this is one that I came up with that gives a nice shape and is super fast to make. I always use the same size hook and the same thickness wool to match the flowers I am making. That way your leaves are always the right proportion to match your flowers.<br />
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Ch10, DC into 3rd chain from hook, HTR in next chain, DC in next chain, HDC in next chain, SC in remaining 3 chains.<br />
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Now working the opposite side, SC in first 2 chains, HDC in next 2 chain, DC in next chain, HTR in next chain, DC in next chain, SC in last chain and fasten off. Sew in ends.<br />
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Apologies to anyone who has been trying to use the link I had provided for the large rose pattern. It seems the original source is no longer active. And thank you for all your lovely emails asking questions about the pattern. I hope the written pattern below helps!<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<u>Large Crochet Rose Pattern</u> (updated 18 September 2021)</div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
(US) 4mm hook<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Leave a 10” tail. Chain 57.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Row 1: (wrong side) (DC, Ch2, DC) in 6<sup>th</sup> chain
from hook. (5 skipped chains count as
first DC+Ch2). *Ch2, skip next 2 chains,
(DC, Ch2, DC) in next chain. Repeat from * across to end. 36 spaces.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Row 2: Ch3, turn. 5DC in next ch-2 space, SC next ch-2
space. (6DC in next ch-2 space, SC
in next ch-2 space) 5 times. (9DC in next ch-2 space, SC next ch-2 space) 5 times. (12 DC in next ch-2 space, SC in next ch-2
space) 7 times.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Finish off and sew in loose ends. With the 10” tail, thread a needle from beginning chain. With
right side facing and beginning with first petal made, roll rose, sew to secure
as you roll with stitches on the back of the rose. Make sure you're rolling it evenly, layering the petals to give a nice full rose when you're finished.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
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Enjoy!<br />
<br />
Hope you all have a fabulous week.<br />
Leah<br />
xxxx<br />
<br />Leahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13245743010825956078noreply@blogger.com105tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1683430101265298182.post-86243597026771579032012-04-06T20:28:00.001+12:002012-04-06T20:28:18.371+12:00My addiction continues ...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I know I already have plenty of tea cosies but as I love making them I decided that a few more would be made to sell. Unfortunately by the time this one was finished I had well and truly fallen in love with it so it will have to be added to my personal collection!! I haven't made a solid coloured cosy for ages so it felt fresh and new for me. I spent a while looking for a new rose pattern as I was never that thrilled with others I'd tried over recent months. I found this one <a href="http://www.pompomemporium.com/content/crocheted-flowers-roses">here</a> and I love it!! It makes such a pretty flower with a gradual increase in petal size. I used a 2.5mm hook and it still made a flower about 6cm across. So pretty that I had to make an extra one to use as a brooch. Gorgeous!<br />
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Nice and simple, but lovely from every angle!</div>
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I've had it sitting on my shelf for the last few days trying to decide if I could bear to pop it into my shop. The answer is most definitely no! I'll just have to make some more and be firm in my decision to sell them (yeah good luck with that I hear myself saying!!). I'm just finishing off some red roses to add to another cosy that is almost identical to this which is for a friend as a housewarming pressie. Such fun!<br />
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Easter treats were made for kindy and school teachers. Any excuse for my small folk to 'taste test' the choccies!<br />
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I love these wee chicks. I can remember keeping one for years and years when I was smaller because it was so cute.<br />
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I had a super exciting morning this week when I got home and spotted a parcel in my letterbox! I got all squeely when I saw the stamp and couldn't wait to race inside and open it. I was so lucky recently to win a fabulous giveaway at <a href="http://my4lilgirls.blogspot.com/">Karen's</a> gorgeous blog!! If you haven't discovered her beautiful blog you must whiz over there immediately! Gorgeous crochet, gorgeous quilting and always full of colour and inspiration. <br />
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Inside was another wrapped package ....<br />
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Wow, wow, wow - look at all these stunning treasures Karen sent!!! A beautiful, beautiful cushion cover, a notebook with a gorgeous cover, a stunning heart to hang on my wall, and a pretty tissue holder!! I could hardly believe my eyes. I have admired her lovely quilting work, now I'm the lucky owner of some lovely pieces - yippee. <br />
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Thank you so much Karen - it truly made my week! I am just in the process of painting and redecorating our spare room (my craft room) and this cushion cover is going to go perfectly in there (so is the heart for that matter)!<br />
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In recent posts I've mentioned how weird our weather has been, freezing one day and lovely the next. We were forecast to have rotten weather over this long Easter weekend but now the sun has decided to come out and we're apparently in for some nice weather. So no excuse not to weed my vege garden and get the winter plants in. These pics were taken earlier in the week on a chilly but gorgeously still morning. We were racing to swimming lessons but I had to pull the car over and get a few quick pics. Too pretty to ignore. This is just at the bottom our 'our hill'. I love that wherever you live in Wellington, you're never very far from the water. <br />
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Remember a few weeks ago I showed you this picture of our monarch caterpillar and his progress to a cocoon?<br />
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Well the poor we fella didn't do so well in a recent storm and he got completely blown of his perch. I found him amongst the grass and brought him inside to our laundry. He's been lazing in a bowl on the windowsill for a few weeks now, then this morning I spotted that he had changed from green to see-through so I rushed him into the kitchen so I could keep an eye on him. Within no time at all he had started to pop out of his little house.<br />
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The whole family took him outside, placed him on the table and sat and watched. By whole family I mean Bella the cat too, but we soon realised that was not a good idea in case she decided to eat him so inside she went! The poor wee guy was really struggling and we finally figured it was because he wasn't in his natural upright, hanging position.<br />
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So my husband played midwife, gently holding the top while Mr 7 had his hand ready to catch him if need be.<br />
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Out he came ...<br />
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... straight up for a rest on hubby's hand. We thought he should probably rest on something more leafy so we found him a new spot in the garden.<br />
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And here he is in all his glory - the very first time his wings opened. I am chuffed to bits that we were here to see it all and that he didn't hatch in the laundry all on his own!<br />
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That's me for another week. Have a wonderful Easter everyone! It's the school holidays here now for the next two weeks but hopefully I'll see you again soon. <br />
<br />
Leah<br />
xxxx<br />
<br />Leahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13245743010825956078noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1683430101265298182.post-47845218650242320642012-03-27T13:43:00.000+13:002012-03-27T13:43:48.249+13:00A bit quiet ...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Aaah, it's lovely to be back spending some time on the computer! I have been a bit under the weather recently but am feeling more like myself again now and bursting to get stuck into some new projects. I have missed reading all my favourite blogs and will have to start a serious catch up! <br />
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I know it sounds mad but I was beginning to wonder if my crochet hook had the power to change the weather .... because it seems as soon as I start a warm, woolly project when we're having freezing cold southerlies, the weather instantly improves! On Sunday Miss 4 requested a mini version of my <a href="http://www.whydidntanyonetellme.blogspot.co.nz/2012/03/what-weird-week.html">wristwarmers </a>and sure enough Monday was sunny and warm. The same goes for the woolly hats I made last week, the sun came out almost instantly. If only that were true, I'd walk around with a ball of wool and a crochet hook constantly just to enjoy every last scrap of sunshine before the dreary weather kicks in for Winter. Daylight savings finishes here this weekend which is always so depressing. Dark evenings - blah!! <br />
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So even though it is a gorgeous day, madam is wearing her wee gloves and asked me to put mine on too for the pic. I think these look absolutely adorable in a mini size! Miss 4 was very specific about which rainbow colours she wanted - I think she chose well. I just made the foundation chain long enough to fit her wee wrist which was 21ch from memory with a 4mm hook and DK wool. <br />
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And a few more hats have been made, this one was a test run of a new pattern I was trying. I love adding all these wee pretty bits to girls hats. Boys hats are bit more limited aren't they? I usually add my little teddy bear design (the tutorial is <a href="http://www.whydidntanyonetellme.blogspot.co.nz/2011/08/week-of-things-to-make-me-smile.html">here</a>) to the newborn ones to jazz them up a bit and I'm starting to play around with some stripes to make the older boys hats look a bit cooler. Now I just have to get myself organised and pop them in my little shop. <br />
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I was hugely excited this morning when the library called to say they'd got in a book I'd requested. I love Kirstie (and Phil too in their other series!!!) and am really, really enjoying her latest series which has been running here for a few weeks. So I'm very eager to sit down tomorrow with a large cup of tea and read through this gorgeous book for more inspiration.<br />
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I know I should be spending all my time trying to finish my whopper blanket but sometimes you just need a little diversion. So another tea cosy has been planned, wool chosen and pot selected. For the first time I am going to use some darker colours and I'm really looking forward to it. You can see from my little obsession below that rainbow colours are my usual thing!! I will hopefully have it finished to show you next week. I also have a story to share with you then about one of my jet-setting tea cosies!!<br />
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Well that's about it from me for now. Miss 4 is sitting across the table from me making jewellery with paper and glittery jewels so I'm going to join her. <br />
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Have a fabulous week everyone, see you again soon.<br />
Leah<br />
xxxxLeahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13245743010825956078noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1683430101265298182.post-32776493627525624402012-03-10T22:55:00.001+13:002012-03-10T22:55:54.597+13:00What a weird week!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Yes it has been a completely weird week, absolutely freezing cold one day with fires lit and woollies dug out from drawers that haven't been used for months. Then within a day or so it has been super hot and we're all in need of sunscreen again!! So on those cold nights it has been so nice to add a few more squares to my blanket as it can keep me warm while I work. For this pic, I had draped it over the sofa and it looked fantastic in a very retro kind of way. But it's still a long way off being finished. I think I've calculated that I need a total of 48 squares to cover a queen size bed. Eeek - I hope I've bought enough wool to do the job!<br />
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I just about went nuts this week trying to make some wristwarmers from a pattern I've had for ages. I spent last Sunday afternoon having a go at <a href="http://www.garnstudio.com/lang/us/pattern.php?id=3723&lang=us">this</a> pattern, then unravelling and doing it again. Over and over - I think I wasted 3 hours before I gave up completely. I just couldn't get it to work, I still don't know what the heck I was doing wrong. So I decided to make something up myself and it worked first time!! Thank goodness I had decided to scribble down what I was doing so I could remember when it came to making the second one!<br />
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They fit really well and will be a snuggly addition to my winter wardrobe. I had loads of this deep navy coloured wool so a matching cowl was made too. So if by chance you are as blonde as me and want a nice easy wristwarmer pattern - here's one to try. It's in US terms and I used a 4.25mm hook with 8ply wool. This fits a smallish sized hand, so just use a larger hook for larger sizes.<br />
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Ch27 and join with slip stitch to form circle. Or if you're like me and always get this twisted, then don't join it up until the end of Round 1, then stitch in the tail when you're finished (soooo much easier!!). <br />
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Rd 1: Ch2 then 1HDC in each stitch around. Join with slip stitch.<br />
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Rd 2: From this round onwards you will work into the spaces rather than the stitches.<br />
Ch2 then 1HDC in each space around. Join with sl st. Repeat Rd 2 until required length from arm to wrist, then join with sl st.<br />
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Next round: Ch3 then in the same space 1DC, Ch1, 2DC. *Skip 3 chain spaces then in the next space 2DC, Ch1, 2DC*. Repeat from * to * around then join with sl st.<br />
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Next round: Slip Stitch into next stitch then Ch3, 1DC into Ch1 space from previous round, Ch1, 2DC into same space. From here on you will be making your stitches into the Ch1 space from the previous round, *2DC, Ch1, 2DC*, repeat *to* to end of round, joining with a sl st. repeat this round until you reach your desired length and fasten off. <br />
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For my smallish hand I made a total of 12 rows of HDC and then 5 rounds of the fan pattern. I wanted the wrist part to be nice and snug. The fan pattern gives it a bit of stretch so you're hand won't feel restricted.<br />
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10 more pairs of earrings almost ready to add to my little shop! I love every single pair, so it's difficult not to keep them all. The sooner I get them listed the better really! Otherwise they might find their way into my jewellery box. <br />
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Miss 4 and I had fun on Friday decorating hair clips with ribbon and sparkly bits and pieces. She gave me a lesson on how to use a glue gun properly as they have them on their craft table at kindy. How cute are these?? I think she did a fabulous job attaching all the sparkles. My favourites are the red ones with the big purple glittery discs. We might have to make some more of these, they'll make brilliant gifts for her little friends.<br />
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A few op shop treasures were found this week also. My favourite being a black merino wrap dress (which just wouldn't co-operate for a picture!). But these fabulous books were also a lovely find. My brother used to read Beano when he was little so even though this is from 1989, my wee guy is loving it. The Rupert book is gorgeous - it looks brand new and my small folk are loving having it read to them. <br />
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Caterpillar update .... this wee guy had us worried all afternoon on Thursday because we couldn't find him on the swan plant. We came to the conclusion that a hungry bird must have spotted him and grabbed him for a meal. But a few hours later we spotted him, a very long way from his original spot. He had crawled all along my vege garden then found his way to our solar powered fairy lights. Yes that's a light right beside him. So before he disappeared into his little cocoon, he was just dangling there uncovered. He must have got a heck of fright when the lights came on that evening!! He seems happy enough thank goodness. We have to wait patiently now and hopefully we won't miss him on his grand exit. We missed him turning into this little beauty - it happened so quickly!<br />
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And to end my week, I had some lovely news from <a href="http://my4lilgirls.blogspot.com/">Karen</a> telling me that I had won her fantastic giveaway!! I couldn't believe my luck. Thank you Karen - it really made my day.<br />
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Well that's me for now. Have a fabulous week, see you again soon.<br />
Leah<br />
xxxx<br />
<br />Leahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13245743010825956078noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1683430101265298182.post-67320243949686819292012-02-29T12:04:00.003+13:002012-02-29T12:04:54.906+13:00Making me happy this week is ...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's been a very busy week, but lots of things have put a huge smile on my face amongst all the boring chores. The first thing that has really made me happy is that after only one week of having my online <a href="http://www.bambina.felt.co.nz/">store </a>up and running, I've sold three items!! I am beyond excited and can't wait to add a few more things over the next week or so to see how they go. So far I have sold one tea cosy and two pairs of earrings. One of which is winging its way to Edinburgh which is fabulous. The thought of my earrings being worn on the other side of the world is really fantastic! As my tea cosy addiction grows, I had to make another one to add to the store. <br />
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Bright, cheerful and deliciously stripy. I love making these, probably because they are quick and you get instant gratification. I do still have that feeling of 'is it perfect enough to sell' with anything I make. But I figure if I've done the best that I can do and someone still likes it then that's good enough isn't it? I'm sure I'm not alone in having these feelings. Do you feel the same? <br />
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Over the last week these two lovely books arrived in my letterbox. They were birthday gifts that had come from overseas so took a bit longer to arrive. I keep flicking through them both and thinking of all the things I want to make. I'm seeing a few uninterrupted late nights ahead of me so I can get my hook out and have a go at a few patterns.<br />
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Miss 4 was invited to a birthday party at the weekend and I had to share some of the pictures with you. It was amazing - I can't think of any other way to describe it! This was the craft table all set up beautifully, ready for the children to get creative. The most fantastically clever <a href="http://masseymolloy.com/">Diane</a> was the craft tutor at the party, she had presented everything in the most stunning way, right down to the glue being in a pretty floral cupcake papers!! I mean, just look at the beautiful bags that contained bits and pieces for the children to take home to make another project - just gorgeous. <br />
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Beautiful fabric hearts were folded and hand stitched by all the little ones, then decorated with buttons, sparkly beads and pearls. When the children went and ate all their pink party food, Diane attached their creations to a headband ready for them to collect at the end of the party.<br />
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Here is what my wee girl made! I think it's absolutely beautiful and she has worn it every day since, getting compliments from everyone she meets. What a fantastic idea for a party. It seriously took all my self control to not dive in and join them!!<br />
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It's monarch butterfly season and we came home from kindy last week with a small swan plant complete with caterpillars. They promptly stripped the plant of all its leaves within 24 hours. We had an emergency dash to the garden centre to ensure they didn't starve and now we have 8 caterpillars of varying sizes happily munching away in the garden. I'm not too sure how long it will be before they go into a cocoon but we keep checking on them every morning and again in the afternoon. <br />
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A bit of caterpillar acrobatics going on! Boy, they can eat.<br />
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My small folk love the bunting I made recently and while we were outside doing a spot of pavement art, we decided the garage could do with a bit of bunting! I think tonight we'll have to add a chalk welcome mat to the path outside our gate - it looks so sweet.<br />
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I just had to add this before I go. My local village chocolate shop has one a national competition for these chocolates, so it was the perfect excuse to pop in and try them. Sea Salt Caramels - oh wow. They are quite possibly the most delicious chocolate I've ever tried. There were ten of these but somehow three of them disappeared on the short drive home. Weird how that happens! I think I may need to pop in again today. The diet will have to start tomorrow!<br />
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Have a fabulous week! See you again soon.<br />
Leah<br />
xxxxLeahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13245743010825956078noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1683430101265298182.post-22300633107312221752012-02-23T09:51:00.002+13:002012-02-23T09:51:55.992+13:00A Bit of History<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My mum was visiting recently and asked if I'd be interested in her bringing me this lovely wee outfit to photograph and pop on my blog. The answer of course was yes please! You see, my mum made this for me - and all this time I had never known. Or more than likely I was told when I was younger but it never really sank in. Sorry Mum! But now that I'm totally addicted to crochet, I have realised that it was all around me as I grew up and I was pretty much destined to love it. So yes, that's me in all my chubby cheeked cuteness wearing this beautifully made dress. <br />
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We were hoping that Miss 4 could have worn this when she was tiny, but unfortunately she was such a reflux-y baby and constantly vomitting, I didn't want to risk it getting damaged. I wish now that I'd at least tried it on her quickly and got a picture to compare to mine as a baby. Darn it. It's the sweetest pattern and considering it's 40 years old, it's aged so well. Clever Mum!<br />
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Of course no photo session would be complete without my resident gatecrasher! Seriously, how can Bella go from sound asleep on the bed to plonked on top of my photo subject in 5 seconds? Funny.<br />
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So thinking about crochet and general craftiness, I thought it would be nice to have some crochet appreciation from across the decades.<br />
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My mum's mum, Nana S, made loads of giant granny square blankets which I am lucky to have three of. Miss 4 likes this one to stay on the end of her bed. She never got to meet either of her grandmothers so it's lovely when she calls this her Nana S's blanket, and talks about her as if they were best of friends. Nana S also made lovely mini versions for my dolls bed which I still have too. She also made the most gorgeous knitted teddy bears which I saved until I had children. She also made me the most amazing reversible doll when I was younger but I don't have her anymore. With a full circle skirt you couldn't see that there was another doll on the other side. I can remember that one of the dolls had fabulous look earrings made of curtain hooks. Boy my Nana was a clever lady. I wish desperately that I could sit with both my Nanas now and have a craft session. <br />
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Then there was my dad's mum, Nana M. She taught me to crochet when I was about 7. She made all her grand-daughters the most fantastic ponchos. Mine was red with a white stripe and I absolutely adored it. She also made a mini version for my teddy bear Marie. Marie has worn that poncho as a skirt for the last 30 odd years. You can see she has been very well loved and is looking more than a little worse for wear. I can't part with her though. My other nana, Nana S, actually sewed a red bodysuit onto Marie as I'd loved the stuffing right out of her!! <br />
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Soon after learning to crochet, I won a peggy square competition at the local wool shop, with my winning granny square! I was beyond excited and took home a big bag of blue wool that I got to choose all by myself, and a latch hook set with a huge frog picture. I can still remember how proud I was. <br />
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But somewhere around 10 years old I'm guessing, I didn't want to do any of that crafty stuff anymore and promptly forgot all about it until a few years ago when suddenly I had the urge to re-learn. So off I trotted to the shops and bought a 'how-to' book and a crochet hook. It took a few days to get back into it and the stitch names confused me terribly (I still have them all written in a notebook in step-by-step directions!). It's all history now though - I can't imagine ever wanting to stop.<br />
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So while I was thinking about all of this childhood stuff, it reminded me of my Nana S's pikelets. Hers were just the best. My mum makes them now and has given me the recipe. They are amazing and really easy to whip up. Perfect with jam and cream. Mmmmmm. My memories of pikelets being made when I was small are still fresh in my mind - the smell filled the house. I was always allowed to help with the sifting, but my main job was to be in charge of the tea towel. That meant lying it across the cake rake, then lifting it up to receive the cooked pikelets, gently placing the tea towel back down to cover them, and waiting patiently for the next lot. The last of the mixture was always used to make an L and an S shaped pikelet for my brother and I.<br />
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Mmmm bubbly goodness. Lots of bubbles means they're ready to flip. I even cooked them in Nana S's old skillet pan. <br />
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Here they are all tucked up under their tea towel cover. I'm getting hungry just looking at this picture!<br />
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Blanket progress is coming along beautifully. It's getting to the point that a photo each week is looking not a lot different from the week before so I won't bore you. I have been making more earrings and the best news of all - I've sold my first pendant! That totally motivated me to set up a wee online shop at Felt which is a gorgeous website for handmade products. I've popped a button on my sidebar but you can find me <a href="http://www.bambina.felt.co.nz/">here</a>. I will list some more crochet items soon and keep my fingers crossed that someone actually wants to buy something!! It's all good fun in the meantime.<br />
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I'm off now to finish this little project. I bought this yesterday at Spotlight. Then I spent about half an hour working out how to put it together as there were no instructions.<br />
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With the help of a lot of glue, it's complete and just needs to be prettied up. Scrapbook paper here I come! It will be perfect to house all my little jewellery making bits and pieces. I'll show you the finished look next week.<br />
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Have a fabulous week! See you soon.<br />
<br />
Leah<br />
xxxx<br />
<br />Leahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13245743010825956078noreply@blogger.com16