Hexagon Lovliness

Here it is............

Yes it is finally finished at a size of 65" x 40" (165cm x 100cm) and it took me a total of 3 months, not too bad. My sweeties are glad that it is finally finished as they are sick of my bag of wool taking up residence on the couch. I did inform them that I am planning another blanket and they all gave a resounding no, but when it comes to craft projects I am afraid they don't get any say in the matter.

It was my birthday at the beginning of the month and I made my first purchase at Amazon.com. The confirmation order said that the delivery date would be 20th August so couldn't believe it when I got home from work yesterday and found a package in my letterbox and it was these beautiful books..........

I think I will definitely use Amazon again not only for the prompt delivery but their prices really are very good.

I am making good progress on my stitchery of the month with the stitchery part almost done. I am looking forward to finishing off this project and putting it to use.
Lincraft had a 50% off all fabric sale last week and I bought this gorgeous piece of material..........This photo isn't so good. It is actually black with grey embroidery on it and it is quite a sturdy fabric. Some of it was used to make a tote bag, pin cushion and needle book for my beautiful SIL who lives in Melbourne and I think that I am going to use some to make this Buttercup Bag.

Back to reality this week as school holidays are over and everything starts again. I am looking forward to being the Coffee Queen at craft again this term after having a term off to teach, it will be great to be using this wonderful machine again..........

And finally, I would like you to meet Black Beauty.....

This is my brand new Hyundai Getz. I can't believe how we used to manage with only one car. Life has definitely been made a lot easier.

80)

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)

Inspiriation

What inspires you? Well I find inspiration from all sorts of places. Mainly blogland but also books. I found out that my local library had these great books on their shelves so promptly borrowed them. 

After looking through them I have decided that it is going to be very difficult giving them back so have put them on my gift list for 2009. I write this list during the year to help people out with ideas of what to by me for Mothers day, my birthday and Christmas, so am hoping that these will find there way to me on one of these occasions.

The Doodle Stitching book has inspired me to start my own here...
I have stuck pictures of stitcheries that I have seen in blogland and have drawn my own version of them. I have even converted the bottom stitchery into this....

A bottle bottom pincushion with special hand made pins. The pinheads have been made using Shrinky Dinks. These were really fun to make and started out as an experiment that worked out really well.

I went to Spotlight last week as I had a $10 voucher to spend and of course I couldn't pass up an opportunity like that. 

I found these gorgeous papers....

and matching stickers...

These stickers are great and I will be using these for sure. I actually bought two lots of these. The second lot are in green and brown only but they looked really fun.

Finally I bought some more socks (little 5-8 yr old) to make a couple more sock monkeys.

I should have a finished product to show you next week as they will need to be finished by next Friday. It is registration day next Friday for next terms craft classes and I am teaching a block called "One Week Wonders". I am going to teach the little bottle top pincushions, bottle bottom pincushions (see picture above), tape measure covers, thread holders, Shrinky Dink pins and Sock Monkeys. It will be a full on term but I am really looking forward to teaching these fun projects.

The crochet is coming along really well with my summer bag almost complete. I will post a picture of that next week as well.

8o)

Where Did February Go?

I can't believe that a month has gone since I posted last and that I didn't even get to post in the month of February. Now what did I get up to last month? Well, I made a few of these...

and some of these...

and one of these.

I received another one of these

and bought this...

I also will show you a photo of our new family member.

We now have identical twins and mine is the older of the two (it is actually just the model previous) I must admit that I feel very spoilt to now own my very own macbook and it is great not having to wait for someone else to finish on the computer so that I can check my emails and blogs. We really are a very geeky family as we now have a computer each and one spare.

We have been having to get used to a new routine now that school is back and everyone is going to the same place. I must admit that I do feel a little like a taxi driver with all the comings and goings to the school because we only have one car. We try to leave home at 7.50am and I drop everyone off at school at 8.00am, I then drive to my work to start at 8.30am (1/2 hour earlier than last year. Fortunately I have a wonderful boss who is happy for me to work the extra ½ hour each day). I leave work at 3.00pm to pick the kids up and usually have to wait in the busy carpark for 15 minutes for the two boys to come to the car. We drive home and I try to get homework started and dinner ready then I wait for my sweetheart to call me to go back to the school to pick him up, which has been at about 6.00pm (he works a very long day usually without a lunch break). Last week was a bit of a break as we had the use of my In-Laws car as they went to Melbourne for the week, so, Sweetheart drove himself and the boys to school and I only had to make one trip up there to pick the kids up.It feels like my life is a bit of a roller coaster at the moment. My brother and his wife with their two littlies left to live in Melbourne last week and I am going to miss them all a lot. I know that my kids are going to miss their little cousins as they just love them to bits, especially my 11yo.

My craft group just had their first Slipper Night for the year and it was Japanese theme this time. I gave a Sushi making demo and I think that it went really well. I just realised that I should have taken some photos of what I did but I was so busy with thinking about what I had to do that the thought didn't even enter my head.

Until Next Time 8o)

Is It Hot In Here?!

Just thought I would do a quick post to let you know that we are still alive and trying to survive this awful heat wave that seems to have not end. We have had over 43 degree (Celsius) for the post 4 days and the coolest it is supposed to get next week is 38. Thank goodness for good refrigerated air conditioning. We only got our current air conditioner installed just over a year ago and I don't think that we would be surviving without it. We are all currently camping out in the living room as the bedrooms are unbearable, especially our master bedroom which is upstairs and honestly feels like an oven. Your feet actually get really hot when you stand on the carpet, not to mention when using the ensuite. Hopefully there will be a break in the weather before too long and we can then get some decent sleep. 

We had our first week back at Craft today and I was very pleasantly surprised when so many ladies turned up. I thought that no one would really want to come out in this weather. And what surprised me even more was the number of ladies who wanted cappuccinos and hot chocolates. It ended up being a lovely morning, very relaxed as it was registration day so no official craft classes. Just a chance to catch up since Christmas and we will officially start classes next week. I will try and take some photos and show you what is being offered this term.

Well hope you are keeping cool (or warm if you are reading from the other side of the globe) and have a great weekend.

8o)

When a Handbag is not a Handbag (but something way more cute)

Look what arrived in my mail box today....

Isn't it wonderful? I love everything about this kit and the wonderful thing is that there is enough materials to make both the pincushion and the needle case. Notice the needle topper, it has a little house on it and is really cute. This was one of the sneak peeks that made me sign up for the pincushion of the month club in the first place. I can't wait to get making this one and will hopefully have a finished product to show you soon.

I also wanted to show you what I get to play with every Friday morning at craft.....

I love this machine it is so easy to use and is so much fun, it makes me feel as though I am a real barista. I find it a real joy to serve the ladies at craft each week and it is a real privilege to make them cafe style drinks. I honestly enjoy doing this as much as making craft items. I guess it is a craft in itself anyway. I guess that one of the things that God has gifted me with is a passion to serve people and I just love doing things for others. It makes me feel good to know that I can use this gift each week and put my whole self into it.

Hope you all have a great weekend. I am looking forward to hearing from Janet at Wildcraft farm to see who I am partnered with for her "Christmas Spirit" Swap. Entries are now closed.

8o)

Craft Camp Projects Complete

Another week since my last post. I do think in my head that I want to post more regularly than just once a week but the days just seem to go too fast.

Well I am back safely from Craft Camp (which I can't believe was a week ago) and managed to complete all of the projects that I took with me except for the Size 1 pyjamas as the pattern that I was using started at size 2. I think that they turned out really well.

The pincushion was quite fun to make. I did however have a few issues with the pattern as it wasn't really clear as to which embroidery stitches to use or give any directions on how to do them. Fortunately I was sitting next to a wonderful lady who is a whizz with a needle and she clearly explained to me how to do the stitches I wasn't too sure about. I wasn't going to do the beading but I think it just finishes it off. I am now ready and looking forward to next months Pin cushion.

I finished another Pencil Roll but I ended up giving it to my 11 yo son to use in his Shoe Box of Love and to be given to Samaritans Purse for Operation Christmas Child. I will make another one for my nephew for his birthday. I am actually thinking of making him one of these as he is going to be a full time kindy boy next year and he might find this more useful.

I am so sorry that this post took so long to put up but I was having a few problems with blogger not loading my photos and realised that I had saved them in the wrong format (won't do that again!).

I am now in the process of putting together a few items for 'Dorcas Day' which is what we call our craft stall day at Friday craft group. It is being held next Friday morning and I am hoping to get a few things together for it this week. As we have to man our own stall I will have to try and juggle myself between my stall and the cafe, I may have to combine them. It is named after a woman in the bible who was known for her fine dressmaking skills. Her story is found here.

Well that is all for now. I am hoping to get a bit done this week and hopefully have something to post later on.

8o)