Roll on Friday!!

I was so ridiculously excited earlier in the week when two parcels were delivered! I had treated myself to some new wool which I bought through Deramores in the UK. As far as I know it's a range you can't buy here in NZ and it was a brilliant deal. They made it even easier and had put all these colours together in one Stylecraft pack. I absolutely love it and can't wait to start a project with it. The only colour I'm a bit iffy about is the pale green (top left) - it's a bit insipid but I can see how it could be used as a transitional colour between the greens and blues. I adore the raspberry colour (2nd from right on the bottom) - it's truly delicious. We have lots of beautiful wool in this country but the thing I've been struggling with is being able to find more than 10 colours in any one range that I really love and want to put together. So I think from here on in I might just have to buy from the UK - it worked out to be slightly cheaper than I usually pay for a similar sized ball here, including the postage. Fabulous!!! Thank you to Mary who had posted about her purchase which I instantly fell in love with!

The second parcel was from a New Zealand craft website I came across last week in my hunt for some bezel setting earring findings. Lots of ooohing and aaahing and several dollars later, I had placed an order for the most gorgeous jewellery bits and pieces to make things for myself and for gifts. I can show you what I made for me but the gifts will have to be kept secret just for now!!! This pendant is 30mm in diameter and I am thrilled with it. It is fairly chunky metal in antique bronze and I tell you what, the hardest thing about making it was deciding what image to pop into it! I flicked through some scrapbooking paper I had and used this reddy/pinky tree. It looks fab and when I wore it for the first time yesterday I had loads of compliments. Now I can't wait to make more!!

Here's the side on piccie, showing the thickness of the frame and the glass dome. Seriously simple and under $10 to make the entire thing including the matching chain. Brilliant!

Here is the rest of the parcel ... more pendants big and small, earrings, rings and lots of hairclips ready to decorate with gorgeous ribbon. Miss 4 will love these and they will make fab pressies for her wee friends.

My Bambina Picnic Blanket is coming along nicely. I never thought I'd enjoy making this as much as I am. It's a lovely rhythmic pattern which is pretty simple. Although in saying that, I have had to undo several rows because I haven't concentrated and discover at the very end of the row that I don't have enough stitches left. You'd think I'd learn wouldn't you but no - I've done it at least 6 times so far!

My African flower woolly blanket is also growing. I have decided that as I complete every 10 flowers, I will stop and join them together. It just seems so much easier in my mind. Otherwise I look at a giant pile of them and feel a bit daunted. This one has a bit more time on its side as I won't be using it for almost a year - it will be ready for next winter.

You might have noticed that my blog post is titled "Roll on Friday". The reason for it is that I have my gorgeous friend Kylie coming to stay with me this weekend and she flies in on Friday!! We are both well overdue for a girly weekend and I truly can't wait. We have so much planned and we won't waste one minute of it. I'm sure I'll have lots of pics to share with you in my next post. Kylie also bought some jewellery bits and bobs so there will be lots of creative action around here over the two days. We'll definitely have our hooks out too!!

Until then, I hope you all have a fabulous week!

Take care,
Leah
xxxx