Have you met Spot?

Meet Spot.

Spot is a brown gingham teddy bear that I made when I was in my teddy making phase.

He sits solidly on his bottom and just watches the world pass him by each day.

Oh, Spot is trying to hide here, but can you see him?

Come undone..... part two

It's summer here in Australia, yet I still manage to keep my favourite crocheted blanket on my bed!  

Today I noticed that there was a hole in the blanket, I think it must be from a bunny nibble (as he often used to sleep under the bed during the day).  

I had to undo a treble in order to resew it back together....  the repair is obvious to me but can you tell?

Come undone... part one

This is a true Nanna blanket - made by Mr's Nanna.  

She has been gone from our lives for a few years now, yet, 

she is still with us everyday as there is a Nanna blanket on each arms of the couch.

I noticed yesterday there was a little whole worn into the blanket, so a quick repair was in order.

 

Ta Daaaaaaa  - all fixed!

Light up my life.......

This Bunny has a secret....

He's a lamp!

Isn't he adorable, I couldn't resist, I just had to buy him!

Tutorial - Beaded Crocheted Bangle

Now that you know the story of the Princess and the Pea bead, the question was what to do with the bead?  
I originally thought a necklace, but nah, I have heaps that I don't wear.... so then I decided on a bangle. Yes, an easy to make, hard to stuff up, crocheted beaded bangle.  
Follow the instructions attached and you can whip one up in no time!   Note: if you are unable to open the attached doc, send me a quick email and I'll email you a pdf version.

Skill level: Beginner, all you need to know is how to crochet a chain!

So are you asking yourself...... what Princess and the Pea story? Click here for the post that explains all!



If you make a bangle - show me, I'd love to see it (add a comment with a link!)

Motifs

My mum has the coolest gadget - one of those sewing machines - that's not a sewing machine! It's one of those embroidery motif maker thingys! I'm sure it has a technical name - but you know what I mean, don't you?

Amongst some of the brilliant designs, is this:

And what did I do with them, made earrings of course!

Brilliant huh! Every time I go visit mum, I make her get out the machine!

Do you have one of these machines? What do you make with the motifs?

Princess and the Pea

As a child, did you ever read the book, The Princess and the Pea?

I loved that book but little did I know that it would still be relevant to me thirty years on!

And why?   As some of you may be aware (and suffering along with me), it's summer here in Australia and a couple of days ago it reached 44 degrees  - now that's hot, damn hot!  So by the time I walked home from work (yes walked!), it was a 20 minute walk in 38 degrees heat. And by the time I arrived home, I was beat.  So as soon as I got through the door, I dumped my stuff and collapsed on the bed.  But wait, it wasn't comfortable.  No, there was something under me, something on the bed.  So I scramble to my side to determine what the monstrosity was on the bed and there it was, my pea, a little green bead.

Now, I don't know where the pea, oops, I mean bead came from as I don't ever recall seeing it before, it didn't come from any clothing or accessories or anything else that I could think of - it just magically appeared.... so I shall call it my Princess and the Pea bead!

Useful bag

Remember how I made this bag?

Well, look how much it holds!

I'm impressed!

en-Twined..

Take some blue twine...

And patiently crochet it into rounds,

Then stop increasing to crochet the sides.

And voila, a handy basket for those bits n bobs!

from this to this....

Safe as ...... books!

After convincing Mr to hand over one of his old out-dated uni text books,

I set to cut it up,

This is as far as I got before I broke my cutter.

It is only deep enough to hide pegs at the moment!

And this is it, the finished booksafe, safe enough to hide chocolate!

And these are the pages I cut out, seems a waste to throw them out..

So this is where they are stashed, in my paper scraps drawer.

Have you ever made a booksafe?

Gifted Goodness

Home full of goodness, that is what my mother has always given me - even if it was handmade and full of chocolate!

And then there was the gingerbread house, only a little damaged

as it had been posted to me...

but it still tasted delicious (and it too, was full of chocolate)!

 

Thanks Mum!

2009 a journal

Another year has passed us by, I'd thought I would leave myself a photo journal of the year - a virtual time capsule.

Twelve photos for twelve months.

January

I discovered I don't have to travel overseas to view beautiful architecture.

Governors House, Melbourne.

February

I re-discovered the Tamar River at Launceston, Tasmania.

March

I drooled over the library at the Victorian Parliament House, Melbourne.

April

I crocheted this really oddly shaped hat, discovering that reading patterns really isn't my forte.

May

I overshopped at Bendigo Woollen Mills (a good day!)

June

I happily dug out my favourite crochet blanket to fend off the winter coldness.

July

I finally finished my green & white crochet blanket.

August

Uh oh, I went crochet flower mad!

September

I went from flowers to crochet bags!

October

We escaped to Moonah Links, Fingal Victoria

November

We jumped on over the New Zealand for a friends' wedding.

December

I experimented with crochet & recycling!

Sunday reading

It's the last Sunday before life goes back to normal - work starts again tomorrow.

So, I thought I'd take it easy and read my books that were given to me for Xmas, my new novel that I bought as a treat for myself and the Handmade in Melbourne book that I bought myself yesterday.  

Anyone read Handmade in Melbourne or are you in it?