I Love Nap Time

I managed to get another square done for the Crochet along on Monday while DJ was napping.  Ahhh... bliss.  I was very good & folded washing & did horrid domestic sort of jobs first & then got to sit happily & hook this.  This looked the scariest of them all so far but turned out to be the easiest of them all even though I still had to undo a round when I realised where I had made a mistake.  So that's good isn't it?  That means I am either getting better already, or maybe this was just easier than the other 2.  Either way, I also like this one better than those.  I think it's the colours.  I think I am turning into a greener than bluer girl than I was.  But this one definitely appeals to me more.  This square was meant to be only 6" & since we were doing a 12" bunch this was kind of not going to work.  I don't know how many are going to do it in the group but I did after all because my squares are all only about 8".  As it was, according to the pattern I would have 3 rounds less.  So the outside coral border, the next green & next lemon wouldn't be there.  They really make it colour wise I think so that was interesting.  I'm glad it didn't need to be any bigger else it would have needed more colour changes to make it look OK.  I did start that lemon row in blue & hated it & then did it in coral & that wasn't doing anything for me, then the lemon & yes bingo, it works!  I really am feeling quite clever after managing the 3 squares so far.  Now I feel like I could tackle anything!  But then again, maybe not!  

Sunday Was Sew Much Fun Too

What's not fun about little toadstools like this in your garden!  Ok, so they aren't really in the garden anymore & only were on this mossy shrub stuff for the pictures, but they are cute as can be.  So much so that BJ claimed one right after!  (& then promptly dropped it in the dog water & so it spent some time drying out! )  But they are cute & super easy!  Mostly all hand sewn too, but you could sew the caps by hand if you wanted.  They are from a gorgeous book called Cotton Floss by Cinderberry Stitches.  I got it at work late last year & raced home to cute out these things.  Poor fairies have been homeless until yesterday as I only just got to sew them on the weekend!  But they were worth the wait I think.  There are the cutest designs in the book for toadstool embroideries too.  I am deciding which to do next.  BJ wants an owl softie from it, so that may come first.  We'll see what strikes my creativie desire first.  There is also a range of fabric coming out to go with it & we are getting a couple of them in at work.  I will be very excited when they arrive!  (can you tell I love my job? lol)

 It was lovely to be able to do the stitching on those in-between some more summer backyard fun yesterday.  We had a great time in the paddling clam.  The water had been in all day warming up so I would have just about got in.  BJ is a laugh.  He isn't really a water boy & stands there wading with his shorts pulled up!  So funny.  This was DJ's first time in the pool like this so it was fun to see him enjoy it at least.  

 You will have to indulge my mother adoration as I make this picture of DJ in the pool large!  The look is just too special & Stu did a great job to capture it at that split second.  

BJ had his share of water play in between our playing with the large bubble wand & doing big bubble chasing all over the yard.  So much fun & such special times with little ones.  

Sew Much Fun

Yesterday the good fortune continued with DJ having another nice long nap.  So I got all excited while the sewing machine was still out & picked up this blanket.  Well it wasn't a blanket then but it is now.   I bought this softest fleece before DJ was born & had bought some yellow satin ribbon to put on around the edge.  I had pins in it all over & it's been sitting there for about 5 months waiting for me to sew it on.  Well I did - rather badly but it's on!  It's still the softest squishiest fleece I ever did meet & will make a cosy blanket for any of us!  lol  

 After sewing that & taking out the mammoth pile of pins I had no where to put them!  Bother!  So next stop was the box in the cupboard that had the blue turtle in it.  I had cut out this turtle probably about 18 months ago when I made BJ's & another for my sister.  But my poor pin turtle got left at the time.  So that was a bonus as in no time at all I had him all sewn up & totally pinned up.  Woohoo!  I did enjoy that little sewing marathon yesterday!  I wonder when I will ever get a chance to do so much in a day again.  

 This morning I spent helping my mum with her sale at the shop she has finally sold.  Yay!  So the next couple of weeks will be a bit tied up with extra time spent helping her do clean up & packing & moving I guess.  

This afternoon however we have had a lovely day in the garden having a picnic.  BJ does so enjoy a picnic. It was a good time to be silly & play & enjoy the summer .  

Fairy Bread anyone?  A quick emergency picnic snack which was obviously enjoyed by BJ.  

A bit of bike riding around the garden is always in order.  

Shhhh...  I don't think you are allowed to dink anyone really so don't tell....

Ooops...  & no helmuts!   Love the Weekend!  Hope yours is just as sunny, funny & happy!

Just Have To Post This Now!

I have to post again as I have to put up the cushion!  I managed to finish it this morning while baby was sleeping!  It actually looks pretty good!  I did have to laugh though as when I showed BJ his new cushion he told me he would like one with penguins next!  Oh ok, I will have to see what I can do another day.  However, we do have some really nice fabric at work with penguins on it!  

This is a fairly new range of fabric that came into work & I thought the blue & red were perfect for the Union Jack.  I got the pattern in one of those many million of magazines you can get these days in packs of 2 or 3.  Mostly there isn't anything you want in any of them but I had to buy this pack as I wanted the cushion!  It was in Handmade Gift Giving Vol 29 no 9.  It was designed by Jenny from Elefantz.  She has other Union Jack cushions on her blog.  I should have found those first as the mag pattern had a little error, but I managed to work with it.  

The blue, red & backing vehicle fabric are from the range Ready Go! by Richard Neuman for Clothworks.  It's a really nice boy range of fabric.  The white is an Alexander Henry spot from a range a couple of years back.  Worked quite well.  It was certainly a test of my sewing.  I haven't really sewn much like it for a while.  I even made friends with the automatic button holer!  Stu said that you just blanket stitch & then cut it don't you?  Well yeah, but you use this gadget to do it!  lol  So I did lots of practice with the button holer first as it was a rather long time since I had used it.  At least when I did, I made notes in the instruction book which was handy.  Love that gadget.  It's my new favourite friend as BJ would say in reference to something that he likes now.  I also got to make use of my Oma's buttons tins.  I found 3 great buttons for it there, so a bit of history too, even though BJ doesn't know my Oma from long ago.

I thought I was being clever doing piping for the edge too.  I have never done piping before but this really cool stuff we have at work was something I really had to make use of for this.  Have you seen it before?  It's iron on piping!   The rope/cord is covered in a piece of stuff like your iron on interfacing.  So you just cut a strip of fabric, sew enough together for the length you need to go around whatever & then you iron the fabric over & hey presto!   You have the fiddly bit done & you just have to pin that between your back & front pieces & you sew around the perimeter & you are done!  Too easy!  I was a bit nervous about it & thought I should have got some tips from the other ladies at work who have used it.  I will now anyway to see what I could have done differently.  But it worked out well really, even sewing around the corners.

So that's another little project done!  So cool!  Now I have just put DJ to bed again & I have got out my next project!  Yay for nap time & yay for the fact that I am actually home making use of it for a change!  

Times They Are A-Changin'

Time is certainly moving along.  This little treasure is already 6 months old. That song "Times they are a-changin'" couldn't be more suitable for him as we named him for one of our favourite singers.  Every day brings with it new & exciting developments in his little life already, from almost sitting by himself, to eating like a pig.  In many ways he is like his big brother - to look at for one thing & how tall he is seemingly going to be.  In many ways he is different too. This boy likes food already.  It took a long time for the big boy to be interested in food.  DJ is on the move now, rolling about & wiggling from here to there, being determined to get hold of whatever he has set his sights on.  

Not much crafty time again these days but I did manage a new crochet square for the Ravelry crochet along I am taking part in.  I don't like it yet.  But I feel clever cos it wasn't easy.  The star is actuallly a separate piece attached on top.  So that was quite clever.  That was the easy part though.  Following on some of the rest of the Star Overlay rounds was a whole other story.  For now I have hidden both squares away so I don't have to look at them till next week & then maybe I will find a bit of love for them again.  

The very late evenings I have been getting in a bit of sewing time for a fun thing I had to make.  It is a toss up at night whether to sleep or sew.  I have had to take a little sewing time as I just won't be able to ever do it otherwise.  Sleep is over-rated right?  lol  

Seeya...  Oh cool, it's Friday again, have a great weekend!  

Need A New Bag?

I've been having a little browse on line & you know how it is, you get side tracked & end up looking at odd things you really didn't care about before but it was fun looking all the same!  

Here are some bags I came across...

Holding Pattern Overnight bag.  

This makes me laugh.  It is tape measures on the other side but I like this side too, though I wouldn't use it for much.  Just quirky. 

Rubiks Cube bag 

...anyone?  Very cute but I think I would look silly carrying it!

Quite snazzy idea but needs to be a different colour I think.  Looks rather blaaaaa, however authentic.

I love the record bag.  Need to check out more on this one.  Very cute & I could just about see me with this if it was big enough!  

Week of Random

The new year is already flying by.  I am already behind on some things!  How can it be?  But the week has been crazy & busy & hot!  So a little bit of the week that was...

DJ turned 6 months old already!  Where has the time gone?  So we had a half cake the other day to celebrate!  lol  Any excuse for a party hey!  We also had DJ's first trip to the beach.  I even went for a proper swim myself!  Wow, that rarely happens!  

It's been so hot even the kookaburra wanted icecream!

The big brother giving the little brother a grass hat.  As you do...

The boys got a bubble sprinkler from us for Christmas.  It blows bubbles as well as sprays like a sprinkler.  Lots of fun!  

BJ practising with the camera again.  I just love the look on DJ's face.  He responds to everything that big brother does.  

I have been able to do a little bit of crafting this week!  Miracles do happen!  I decided to join a Crochet Along (CAL) on Ravelry.  It isn't something I really wanted to commit to but the other day while browsing I thought I would try.  It is just for a different 12" square every week that someone there picks as a surprise.  I decided I needed to challenge myself on the crochet front.  I had a book from the library recently that I sat & tried something out of & I couldn't do it!  I thought I should try at least to see if I could do something there & this way I have help from the rest of the group if I get stuck.  This Spring Fling square was certainly a challenge.  I very nearly did fling it too. It took a few days which is long for something as small as one square but with all the interruptions I get & the very small windows of opportunity I have had lately to do any at all, I am pleased I was able to do it.  Plus they are a good size for in summer!  I think this was the hardest piece of crochet I have followed so I am quite pleased I did it.   Really, it doesn't look too bad.  I used an 8ply/DK yarn so it is only 8" but that suits me fine.  I had the acrylic handy to am using what I have.  I will see if I can manage to keep up with the CAL.  It has been amazing to see the other finished squares already as they are the same but different!  Very interesting to see everyone's take on the pattern.  

Have a great weekend!  I hope to get some other fun stuff done now the ironing is once again caught up!  I had to iron fabric I had washed for a project so thought I had better do ironing before I finished playing with the fabric.  :-)