Happy Birthday

Well we celebrated my dear Grandmas 90th birthday over the weekend and had a really lovely time.  This is the Blackforest birthday cake that my mum made for her to feed 76 guests.
I made my favorite choc chip cookies. They are very much like short bread and melt in your mouth.
I also made a couple of platters of sushi. These are exactly like the ones that I demonstrated at slipper night. I tell you what, they didn't last very long and I didn't even get to have a taste. They are always a big hit.

Well guess what?.... It is my Blog birthday today so I am going to have a special hand made give away gift. If you are kind enough to leave a comment on this post letting me know how you found me, I will place your names in my crochet hat/bag and draw a winner.  You have until Saturday to comment and I will draw a winner on Sunday.

I look forward to hearing from you.

80)

Stitchery of the Month Club

I have joined another "...of the month club" this one being a Stitchery of the Month. 

It doesn't start until June so I have plenty of time to finish the pincushions first. When I saw who was contributing to this one I couldn't help myself but join in. Each month, for nine months I will receive an 'exclusive preview' stitchery-based project kit from one of Australias top designers:

• Cinderberry Stitches
• Gail Pan Designs
• Leanne’s House
• Lynette Anderson Designs
• Melly & Me• Natalie Ross in Stitches
• Red Brolly
• Rosalie Quinlan Designs 
• The Janelle Wind Collection

Doesn't reading those names just make you want to join in as well? If you want to join me just click on the link on my side bar and it will take you to Under the Mulberry Tree . com who is running this club.

I have a busy weekend ahead as it is my Grandma's 90th birthday on Sunday. We are giving her an afternoon tea on Saturday with her whole family and some of her friends. It will be great to catch up with some of my family that I haven't seen for quite a while. Especially my brother and sister-in-law from Melbourne who are staying until Tuesday.

Will be back next week.

Blog Visits

My foot is feeling a lot better, thank you to those who have commented. It is now fine to walk on but is still quite swollen. I bought some nice new shoes & boots but unfortunately can't wear them yet due to my ankle being too fat. 

I haven't been up to much this week apart from the continued hexagon blanket that is continuing to grow slowly and I am still really enjoying it. 

I have also had fun finding and visiting some new blogs lately. I have met Bloom, Clare's Craftroom, Pepperberry & Co and Threads of Friendship and I am sure that you will enjoy visiting them as well. You may also note that I have placed a count down on my side bar and that there are only 9 days until my 1st Blogaversary. I am planning a give away to mark the occasion so don't forget to come back and see what I have in store. You also would have noticed that I have changed my header. I was able to make it on this fantastic site which I have had a lot of fun visiting. 

Well I will be back later in the week.

8o)

Exercise is Dangerous.

Late yesterday afternoon we decided to walk to the park as a family and play some footy and basketball. Well, I was having a go at doing jump shots (if you know me it was something to behold I am sure) and I landed awkwardly and twisted my ankle. As I landed the basketball came back to me and smacked me in the nose causing it to bleed. I can tell you it must have been a very funny site (although not from my end) and the boys thought it would have been good if we had caught it on video. I was rocking on the ground in excruciating pain and in tears and then had to hobble home two blocks. I now have a sore nose and an ankle that is twice it's normal size and can't put any weight on it. I have had to call in sick to work as I wouldn't be able to get around. I work on the first floor and there are only stairs which I know I can only get up at the moment by crawling. I am hoping that a day home today to rest will be enough for me to be able to put weight on my foot tomorrow and hobble around again. 

Maybe I will think twice next time before doing ball activities or just have to be a bit more careful.

8o)

Easter Long Weekend

I realised that I forgot to post a picture of the last Pin Cushion of the Month.

This one includes the pattern and fabric for a pincushion, needle book and a wristlet. The fabrics are really lovely and the stitcheries are really simple. It also came with a little pink bird pin. This will be added to the pile to take along to craft camp. Speaking of craft camp, the forms are now available and the camp is on the 22 - 24 May. I can't wait and I am sure that it will be here before I know it.

I finished this stitchery.....
I really love how it came out. The colours of green and orange go so well together so now all I need to do is make it into a bottle bottom pincushion.

(29/10/09) edited to add - This stitchery was inspired by the lovely Cinderberry Stitches and it was made into a needle book.

This Easter weekend has been full of relaxation. I have been drinking lots of these...
The boys have been having fun playing with this (Guitar Hero: World Tour for PS3)....
And my sweetheart (aka the easter bunny) gave me these little treats...
And I have been doing some tidying of my craft area and continuing with the Hexagon blanket. So all in all, we have had a very relaxing weekend.

The boys are now on School holidays for 2 weeks although I still have to work my usual days and my sweetheart doesn't get holidays like teachers do. He will be having a very quite time at school over the next 2 weeks with only the admin staff there (most of the time).

8o)

There is a surprise at the end!

Well progress has been made on the crochet hexagon blanket with the completion of the first row and a half. 

I must admit that I find it a struggle to be random about the colours and placement of the hexagons. I am usually quite particular about symmetry and balance and this is a challenge for me, although I must admit that I do like how it is turning out and it is really fun and relaxing to make. Now that the pattern is in my head I can just sit and go without too much thought. I must admit that I have had to print an A4 size photo of Lucy's blanket to work out my colour combinations as I had started to over think them and was getting a little frustrated. It has made it so much easier to just look at her picture and know which one to do next.

Also on the crochet front I made another bag but this time in miniature. This is the perfect size to fit just my purse, phone and keys. I had been given 2 balls of chunky wool for my birthday a couple of years ago but hadn't come across the right kind of project for them. Well this bag was it and 2 balls was just the perfect amount without a single piece left over.

My 11yo  little guy decided that it made a better hat than a bag and I must admit it does fit his head pretty good.

I had a go at some book making last week. I was inspired by this post and when I went to Boarders I found that they actually sold Moleskine note books. When I saw the price and how they were made, I realised that I could whip one up myself. So this is totally handmade. 

I cut up an exercise book that was left over from my boys last year, found a piece of blue card and sewed them together on the sewing machine. It worked really well and I think that it came up not too bad. Some more of these may be in the making to sell at the next craft camp.

This is one of my WIPs. It is for another one of my Bottle Bottom pincushions. 

I used a transfer pen which I have found really useful although it does tend to produce a very thick line to sew on but I think it is not too bad.  It certainly makes transferring stitcheries onto fabric a lot easier and the one transfer can be used multiple times. 

(image courtesy of this blog).

And lastly I thought I would show you what's on my desk at work. 

This may come as a big surprise to a few of you but I must admit that I am a huge fan of Lara Croft and I have most of the Tomb Raider games and both movies. I am a keen Play Station gamer (when I have a spare few minutes) and when you live in a family of all boys you need to do something to fit in.

8o)

More Crochet

Well here we are again. I have finished my summer crochet bag and have put it to good use already. It holds all the yarn for my hexagon blanket. I had great fun making this bag and especially those flowers that just finish it off.

I was wondering how I was going to keep track of what yarn colour combinations to use for the hexagon blanket, so decided to do a colour chart, there are so many to choose from, I can't wait to start putting them together.Here are a small pile of hexagon centres that I have started. Isn't that a nice pile of sunshine?

The finished flower on my winter crochet bag. These flowers and leaves are so quick and easy to make that they really do become addictive. I had to stop myself from making more.

These are all the crafts that I will be teaching next term for the "One Week Wonders".

This fabric basket thanks to pink penguin turned out great I am definitely going to make more of these for myself. They are the perfect size for fat 1/4's and will look great in my craft cupboard.You will notice that I now have a nice set of matching items with the basket, thread bin, tape measure and little pin cushion.

I also had a fun time making some cards with some new papers that I got.

I have really had a productive week.

8o)