guess my head must be in the clouds or something
All these clouds are from the last 3 days. We've had some pretty spectacular skies. So lovely. We've been doing lots of activities, which includes lots of driving - so some of these are taken from the window of the moving car, around our valley area.
I've been feeling a bit floaty and 'head in the clouds' this week; so I guess the fact that I've been arching my neck to look at the sky is good - getting me out of my head!
Lots happening :: nothing happening. I'm trying to figure routine and rhythms - they keep eluding me. Oh well. I keep trying.
Tomorrow Ari + I are meeting with my sister + her daughter and catching the train to Brisbane to see the Matisse exhibition at the art gallery. There will be plenty of time for crochet on the train, and chatting - the two cousins together and the two sisters together. I am really hoping Ari enjoys the exhibitions. We will take drawing supplies in case inspiration strikes!
Perhaps next week my head will level out.....
I hope you are enjoying your week my friends, xxx
a whole lota'
there's a whole lot of everything in my house
- noise
-mess
- piles
- dust
- books
-yarn
- magazines.....
-love love love.
there's a whole lota love in my house!
Ari made up this super sweet little ditty/poem about me.
You're a big fat crocheter
You crochet night,
You crochet day,
You crochet rocks,
You crochet, hey!
There has been a lot of crochet going on. And a lot of running around. We're back at school well and truely now. School week is hard, but good as well.
Happy Love Day to you on this sweet Valentine's Day xxxx
:: moment......
+ i baked some little cookies for the kids to have in their lunchboxes - butter vanilla bean. will have to make more tomorrow, or perhaps this afternoon
+ i've been making bread. today i put my apron on while i kneaded the bread. then we had a cup of much needed tea.
+ yesterday Sam + i went for a bike ride. i laughed and complained. but had so much fun. we will go again another day this week.
+ the little one has been sick. this morning she said she hates school and is bored. she's only been going for 3 days ever. oh dear.
+ we went to the beach yesterday, with my grandma. it was wonderful.
+ Sam put some of our current beach collected rocks in this wooden bowl. it's good to see it while we sit and have our coffee, tea, lunch, chatting.
I am finding small moments of happy and content. Today feels a bit of a challenge. But we are here. And it is good.
off to the bus pick up and then the afternoon rolling into bedtime. we are reading Ivy & Bean at bedtime.
What happy moment are you enjoying today?
this morning..... seeing the rainbow through the rain
This morning my alarm went off really early. At 6am. That is early for me. I know some of you jump out of bed at 5am or earlier - but I don't. And, most importantly, neither do my kids (yah to that!!). Sam and I got up and wondered why, oh why do people actually get up at that time of the day. I looked at the sky; yes, yes. I know why people get up that early. Beautiful to be awake in the morning when the early colours are starting to shine through, and the morning birds are calling.
I was up early for a breakfast business meeting in town. For some ideas to spark and start things happening. And yes - oh yes. Some good things. We'll see, of course, if it all gets caught up in red tape of local council, or if things can move along and make some changes in this town of mine. I'll talk more about it at another time.
For now I just wanted to show you my view while driving into town this morning. I felt like I could almost reach out to touch the pot of gold in that shimmery field.
It was also lovely to see Ms Helle - in all her vivacious cynical glory!
month in a glance
Well we've already slipped much too easily into February. Much much too easily.
And you know what else. Well. My littlest one, that baby girl of mine. Well - she started school today. She's now a big school girl. You know what - I can totally actually believe that. She was super ready for it.
This morning, when the school bell rang, all the new kindy kids went running off to their classroom, without even a backward glance at us parents. There. Done. Grown up.
Ari helped her get dressed this morning, telling her how to do the buttons on her uniform, and he brushed her hair. She sat and let him brush it. I do so hope that they are good buddies in the play ground - though I have a sneaking suspicion that she'll be more popular than him, and may be one of those mean girls. I'm really hoping not - but I keep telling him that girls are mean. I hope she stands by her brother.
I did this little photo month, using an App Karyn told me about. It's called Photo 365, if you want to look for it. Easy and well.... there I go, a bit addictive. It might be hard to choose only one photo from each day. January is done in retrospective - so some of the days/dates might not be exactly correct, but I'm ok about that. I'm going to do February each evening, so I can choose as I go along. Sam thinks a whole year's worth would look good printed big for a wall poster - we might just do that!
{My dad is in the other room talking to his computer. It's an old old old dinosaur of a thing that someone gave him second hand. He mainly plays sudoku on it. And talks to it, about how slow it's going. Every time I'm on my computer, I hear him being frustrated with his computer's slowness. It really is funny to see my dad using a computer - he doesn't have a mobile phone, never will. *end of side note*}
On another not-so-side note - did you know I currently (as in right this moment, I'm sure it'll change before the day is up!!) have 922 photos on my Instagram feed. Perhaps I'll get my giveaway organised in time for my 1000th photo.......... do you think I can do it!!!????
it's sunday :: around about
Life in snippets at the moment. Dreaming of other places, and different things, and wishes and hopes. Living in the now is sometimes hard.
+ It's raining here. Lots and lots of rain. Creeks overflowing and bridges being flooded sort of rain.
+ The kids start back at school tomorrow - I'm feeling sad about that, also can't wait for it. Little Mishi will be starting kindy on Thursday. That little one in a school uniform - eeek... And the boy - he's moving up to year 2; that's big isn't it.
+ I haven't sat at my sewing machine for much much too long. I'm really missing her - but not having the thought process for that at the moment. Hoping it will return in a week or so.....
+ I have been crocheting, which is so so good. I'm slowly working on a make-up-as-i-go string shopping bag. We'll see how it works out. if it works I'll try to write a pattern, as I'll be making more. due to being flooded in, I have almost run out of yarn rations! that's bad isn't it....
+ I'm still totally addicted to and enjoying Instagram. But it's not an addiction that I'm embarrassed about - it's a good thing. I know. I'm enjoying the process of stopping to think and plan and style a photo - I wouldn't be getting out my big camera to take photos of my breakfast, so it's good that I am.
+ My sister gave me this so so good book. I'm planning on making dress C and top L, but think it might need to involve some fabric buying.....
+ Sam + I have been watching season one of 'six feet under' from the library. I really want to see 'mad men', but haven't yet found it at the library. What are you watching, enjoying?
+ The boy took an excellent, so so excellent, video of visiting the over-flowing dam the other day. But my annoying, slow, country internet won't let me share it with you. And I so want to share it.
+ The girl sang me a sweet song yesterday about how she loves mummy. I tickled her sweet still baby puffed tummy.
+ I'm slowly working on re-jigging my blog, new header and all. Come over and have a look (if you read this in a reader or some such - which I really know nothing about. I like visiting people's whole house - blog - rather than just one part.)
Hope you are enjoying your weekend. Tell me, what did you do..... xxx
party dresses for my mama
today is my mother's birthday. she's not here to celebrate - but she's here, in my heart, mind, soul. so she's somewhere.
so we will make a cake for her - i know my mum would love that we make cakes for her birthday. and light a candle and sing and celebrate with happiness. and think about her. she would really like the cake - that's for sure. probably some champagne and orange juice as well - but we won't do that; we'll just think about it and know she liked that.
so - i'm not feeling too philosophical to talk about my mum. just a bit perhaps. last night, while driving home on my own in the dark, i was listening to joni and thinking of my mum. a few tears, some extra loud singing, and some smiling as well.
anyway - i thought that instead of sadness, i would think about what dress i would be wearing to my mama's party today if she was here to have a party with us. and what cake would we make her? something fun and indulgent and extravagant perhaps - the dress and the cake!!
dress making will happen once the kids go back to school. for now just planning and thinking about what the dress may be.
one of Leah's aims for this year is to make herself a dress - i aim to be making mine over the coming weeks. will you join me maybe - in making a party dress to wear to my mama's party. what would you make / wear? please share with me.
places that i am looking for inspiration ::
+ my pinterest clothing board
+ these lovely free downloadable patterns from Nani Iro - which would totally mean some new fabric, wouldn't it!!
+ Veronika Maine - endlessly classic and inspiring to me. loving her blue / green combinations.
+ Toast - always. i love receiving the catalogues. sumptious silk velvets in jewel colours. i used to have a most beautiful, simple and perfectly fitted deep green silk velvet dress that floated and swung about. oh - i loved it.
+ other endless clippings on my computer, that I keep aiming to upload to Pinterest.
...... for a start anyway......... perhaps i'll aim to sew myself a new dress once a month. wouldn't that be lovely. oh yes. my mama would love that for sure!
happy birthday mummy plummy. cakes and candles and dressing up for you today.
so we will make a cake for her - i know my mum would love that we make cakes for her birthday. and light a candle and sing and celebrate with happiness. and think about her. she would really like the cake - that's for sure. probably some champagne and orange juice as well - but we won't do that; we'll just think about it and know she liked that.
so - i'm not feeling too philosophical to talk about my mum. just a bit perhaps. last night, while driving home on my own in the dark, i was listening to joni and thinking of my mum. a few tears, some extra loud singing, and some smiling as well.
{images from my 'clippings folder' that i haven't yet uploaded to pinterest. this is what i did before pinterest came along..... top left: from Toast, top right: from Selvedge Magazine, bottom left: Zooey on the English Muse, bottom right: Catherine Maladrino
dress making will happen once the kids go back to school. for now just planning and thinking about what the dress may be.
one of Leah's aims for this year is to make herself a dress - i aim to be making mine over the coming weeks. will you join me maybe - in making a party dress to wear to my mama's party. what would you make / wear? please share with me.
places that i am looking for inspiration ::
+ my pinterest clothing board
+ these lovely free downloadable patterns from Nani Iro - which would totally mean some new fabric, wouldn't it!!
+ Veronika Maine - endlessly classic and inspiring to me. loving her blue / green combinations.
+ Toast - always. i love receiving the catalogues. sumptious silk velvets in jewel colours. i used to have a most beautiful, simple and perfectly fitted deep green silk velvet dress that floated and swung about. oh - i loved it.
+ other endless clippings on my computer, that I keep aiming to upload to Pinterest.
...... for a start anyway......... perhaps i'll aim to sew myself a new dress once a month. wouldn't that be lovely. oh yes. my mama would love that for sure!
happy birthday mummy plummy. cakes and candles and dressing up for you today.
it's Sunday, and I am ::
+ eating watermelon
+ finishing another crochet rock - a big one to use as a door stop
+ crocheting old t-shirts into a kitchen floor rug, slowly slowly
+ enjoying the quiet stillness after my family rushed out the door (for the local second-hand market)
+ thinking and sending love to my dear friend.sister
+ planning photo shoots with our newest cushion collection
+ enjoying the sunshine - perhaps a visit to my grandma + the beach this afternoon
+ packing the swimming bags for the week long swimming lessons that start at 9am tomorrow (eeekkkk chlorine......)
what are you doing my dear friends xxxxxx
colour playing
How to generate your own colour palette from an image. I don't use photoshop - but if you do, then you probably already know how to do this is. If you don't - then visit here for the tutorial, then here to get to the color palette generator.
So much fun. I'm addicted already. I have seen these around the web, but never knew how to do it. Yah!
{The image does have to be online - but all my good ones are mostly on flickr or my blog or instagram(search petalplum) anyway - so that's no worry for me.....}.
letters for a new year
I'm still having a really hard time being at this blog. The (lack of) electricity thing is making it a stretch to be as consistent as I want. I miss it here so much. But when I get here - it seems I have nothing to say.......... Or too much that it streams into a way-to-long-to-publish post.
Hmmmmmm. I've been wondering if that can get fixed. Don't think so, at least not until we have electricity at our home. Oh well. It's not the worst thing ever, is it!
What I've been thinking is.... well..... I'd really like it if you wanted to join me in a little mystery letter writing project. I found this fantastic blog, and have been highly influenced by their mystery letters. So - I'm planning on doing some regular real snail mail letter writing this year. I want to write to you! Do you want to receive and send some real letters.
My idea is - that we each send a letter, say once a month, to someone on our list. The person won't know they're getting a letter. It'll be a lovely and sweet surprise for them. So - if you join up, you'll also receive a letter(s) throughout the year. You may receive one a month, or only one (depending on how many people join up - and how many letters we all want to post). You don't need to become regular pen pals, just send one letter to one person a month (but more if you want).
You can include other things in your letter - perhaps some stationary or stamps from your country or other similar things. But you don't have to. You can send a postcard or a sweet notelet, or a long written letter.
Join up by leaving me a comment or sending me an email to ellieabeck AT hotmail DOT com
As I want to start letter writing now(ish) I'm hoping you'll add your name pretty soon. Before the month drifts away on us (I know that'll happen to me). Spread the word on your blogs, if you like. This could be a fun reason to check our real mail boxes and not our inboxes this year!!
{Once I get participants, I'll work out the finer details and let you know the 'rules'}.
Alone
Today I am at home alone. Except for the ants, the birds, the cicadas, the cat padding around the floor, and the impending rain....
I am writing in my journal. Writing letters to friends. Making polenta with garden beans + lots of black pepper. Dreaming and planning. And just being and breathing - something I really really needed to take time to do.
It has been a hectic crazy week. School ends today. I have to dash soon to do the pick up. It is Mishi's final ever day of preschool - she will be at big school next year. And Ari will be in Yr 2 (and having the challenge of a younger sister who it seems perhaps is already more popular than him in the playground. Oh my poor boy - some life lessons are hard.)
Enjoy your weekend my friends. In my gratitude journal I wrote that I am grateful for friends, supports and connections from other places. That's all of you - I am endlessly grateful for the friendships I have made here in this little space. I thank you for visiting, and welcoming me into your spaces as well. It's been said before- but non-bloggers just don't understand this connection; yet I don't need to explain it to any of you.
xoxoxo E
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
why didn't you tell me!!!!!
so, it seems i'm still not here. in these blog-parts.
i am spending time over here - if you can be there too. it's a fun place to hang out. or pop in once in a while; which seems to be the thing to do.
now, i'm just wondering why none of you warned me that christmas is only less than 2 weeks away. i mean - i rely on you people out there to pop in and say, hey - excuse me, but we've neither seen nor heard an ounce of christmas making out of you!!! hmmmm.
anyway - you'll just say i should have opened my eyes and looked at the signs. well - i'll tell you that i simply chose to ignore them.... so - yes, ok then. all my fault, isn't it.
all my fault that tomorrow i have to brave the shopping town to search for goodness-knows-what-i'm looking for. some bits and pieces to bring home, to mid-night craft into something else or other. or perhaps there'll be some empty boxes under the tree. kids have fun in boxes, don't they!!
yesterday the kids were playing reindeer and santa. i heard Mishi sorting in her draws looking for some brown pants; she was the reindeer. i think she ended up wearing a tutu. we all know she has a few of them! Ari was santa - i saw him throwing the presents over the edge of the (cardboard box) sleigh. he said the kids were happy unwrapping their presents now. [the parents were later seen picking up said presents]. the little tutu reindeer was heard saying 'that was a big night's work'.
i've been making more crochet covered stones. i'm wishing i could just simply give one of those to everyone for their gifts. i don't know if they'll appreciate / like / get what those funny little stones are all about. i've said it before - if my 5yr old, rough-n-tumble nephew says 'i love it' when you give him a crochet covered stone, then how could anyone else not like it. i'm averaging at least 1 a day at the moment. that's one project i could get made it time before the big day arrives. [if you are reading this, and are a member of my family - first of all, act surprised when you get a yarn-covered stone for christmas, secondly - don't act surprised when i give you an iou for a yarn-covered stone, telling you i ran out of time. you know that's how i roll! you might get it one day........ or not!].
but you know what, actually. that's not even the real reason why i haven't been around here lately. apart from needing to use the precious computer power for late night etsy / blue caravan / biome / kikki k / apple / electrabikes (can you ship quickly!!) shopping****, i just haven't been here. simple as that. i either have a whole lot to say - or nothing to say. there's no inbetween with me. which is hard for good blog reading, i think.
so - now that i've said the whole lot i had to say (plus some more). i'm going again. i might be back or not. i'm planning (somewhere in the pile of lists i keep in my head) on having a giveaway here in the new year - will you come back for that. i promise i'll be here for that.
wishing safe, fun, crazy, noisy, lush, over-indulgence for you all. no silly new year's resolutions, please!!! xxxxx
**** some of these may / may not include wish list items, perhaps, maybes, whimsical wishes, and other random clutching-at-last-minute-ideas, and do not at all represent the actual items i'll be wrapping on the eve of giving.......
+ these photos were taken with my real (digital) camera, and not my phone camera. they have never been seen on instagram - unlike any other photos i've taken over the past few weeks....
last minute
i really am a last minute kinda girl. it's not so much what i keep wanting, life just keeps making it happen / i keep making it happen.
anyway, my market is tomorrow. we haven't done a market stall for a year now (due to living here, with no facilities for proper making). i'm so glad we're doing this one - but also starting to wonder why i pushed myself into it when there was/is so much other stuff happening.
signs kept telling me that i shouldnt be doing it. but it was too late by then. when i went to screen print my tea towels on wednesday afternoon, i could hold the big big screen on my own properly so didn't get a good print. i washed up and went to help Sam do the concreting!
yesterday when i was sewing (my machine finally back from being serviced), the needle broke, the thread snapped at least three times, the bobbin kept running out at the wrong time, the zips wouldn't sew, i was doing lots of unpicking.
the wind outside picked up, the rain came down. i breathed and breathed. my dad came home and said keep going, don't stop, do more, sew more. so i did - even though my tummy was grumbling and all signs were saying to stop.
more work to do today, market tomorrow. my sister is coming over to help me label and price and make some of our mirrors + badges. we'll also get a much needed chance to chat with no kids. yah to that! i'll stress and rush and stay up late, and then be all shiny and excited at the market tomorrow. doesn't matter does it - the lead up to the market. it all starts again on the morning doesn't it. like the opening of a show. once the curtains are up, all mistakes and forgotten lines don't matter. you smile and chat and have fun (and hopefully take home a lighter car load). and then get to sleep in the next morning.
just had to put this cherry photo in. makes me happy to look at it. aside from being addicted to instagram, it has actually been a good tool for me doing little styled shots of different things. doing it regularly (which i don't get to do with the big camera) is something that makes it keep happen. it's a good thing to keep practicing.
{these are some photos that Ari took, on my phone, while we were all posing for a photo shoot for the local newspaper. i quite like his little viewpoints - there were a few not so nice ones..... we made the front page of the newspaper - that's pretty cool, hey! this is in Helle's super cute and creative studio space, that's her on the very left with the spotty cup. also at the shoot were Lyn (the President of the Friends of the Gallery), Judy and Nikki (out of shot). i love the shot of Helle looking out the window}.
Christmas Market at the beautiful Tweed Art Gallery
We're having a market at the Tweed River Art Gallery this coming Saturday. I hope you can come along to see the new bits and pieces we've been working on.
Sam and I got to handpick all the stallholders, so let me tell you - they are all talented artisans whose work you'll totally enjoy seeing. I plan on doing all the Christmas shopping there! (The rest I'll be handcrafting myself, of course.....).
So - come along. The view alone, from the gallery verandah is spectacular, and there are some excellent looking exhibitions on at the moment, that I can't wait to see myself.
PS - if you'd like to join our mailing list to receive news about this sort of thing, and other happenings (on a very irregular basis!), please join our mailing list over here.
Sam and I got to handpick all the stallholders, so let me tell you - they are all talented artisans whose work you'll totally enjoy seeing. I plan on doing all the Christmas shopping there! (The rest I'll be handcrafting myself, of course.....).
So - come along. The view alone, from the gallery verandah is spectacular, and there are some excellent looking exhibitions on at the moment, that I can't wait to see myself.
PS - if you'd like to join our mailing list to receive news about this sort of thing, and other happenings (on a very irregular basis!), please join our mailing list over here.
........
still here..... slightly. vaguely.
anyway. in the air. and juggling. and bumping about trying to do lots and lots of things. probably actually doing nothing.
happenings around here (in no particular order - as there really is no order).
+ the boy has pneumonia. can you believe it? i can't. we spent the whole of tuesday in town, at the doctor then x-ray, (then the library while we waited for the doctor to finish his lunch break), then back to the doctor. the tiny little x-ray of my boy - with the white floaty stuff around his lungs.
+ i have been doing small amounts of making for an upcoming market (next weekend, as in one week away!!). not as much making as i wanted, or needed. but life has got in the way.
+ more and more preschool things happening. being on the preschool committee has taken so much this year - i simply cannot believe it was that crazy. (our president left, so i became president as well as secretary. we hired a new teacher as well as a new admin clerk - that took a lot of sub-committee workings. we had many meetings and in-between other stuff. we had fundraisers). but next year, i will still join the school p&c committee and do it all over again. really - wouldn't you want to be part of how your child's school spends their money?
+ my sewing machine started skipping stitches. i had to find a new place to take her for servicing - new town, new mechanic. i'm still waiting for her to come home again. my sister's machine isn't quite as smooth as mine, so i'm stuck for the moment. with a market coming up in one week.
+ tomorrow i'm going for a photo shoot for the local newspaper, for a little thing about the upcoming market. that will be fun. i might even have time to put some make-up on!
+ the stupid internet is stupidly crappy in the country. cause you know - i live in the middle of no-where, so telstra has an excuse to have crappy internet. as in, i cannot even upload an image to my website! (just so you know - i do live in the country, but it is not in the middle of no-where, we are 1/2hr from Byron Bay, 1/2hr from Gold Coast, in a very bustling town. yes - we do live in the forest, but we can see the tv towers from our road).
In the meantime -
The children have been their usual selves; complete angels at school / elsewhere, and horrible brats at home. Ah well. At least they do look sweet and cute doing it. We got the yellow tutu last weekend at a market, second hand. She put it on straight away and has worn it almost everyday since - with her other 2 tutus on top. A frilly tulle extravaganza that only my little one could possibly pull off, with a twirl and a whirl.
The timber, windows + doors (all second hand) were meant to be delivered today, but it's raining - so we've had to put it off until another day.
I got a stack of dvds from the library this week - the kids watched Jungle Book and Heidi (with Shirley Temple).
Anyway - just some things happening around here. I'm learning to juggle and breathe at the same time. Or trying to anyway.
Still enjoying all the beautiful new blooms that are popping up around this place each and everyday. So many things to look at and enjoy. And my garden is still giving me such pleasure and joy.
I hope things are well for you, my friends. Let me know what's up in your little part of the world. Be back here soon, I hope..........
in the olden days
Was so happy to hear that my kids think the olden days was before even my grandma was around, rather than when I was young.
It then got us talking about things that my kids have no idea about. Like a cassette tape (which they did know; we found one once that they pulled apart. Ari said 'a little white box with string stuff inside') or a walkman (a walking robot). And did you know 'videos are so yesterday'.
'Videos are in the olden days.
Geckoblasters are in the olden days'.
Ghetoblaster - a gecko that farts and blasts off to space, hence called a geckoblaster.
It got Sam and me on a tangent from how quickly Walkmans have been replaced with these funny personal computers you carry in your pocket and do all manner of everything with.
.......rambled in our family sometime back in late August, possibly sitting around the kitchen/dining table. I'm sure there was lots of silly laughter and giggling. And me wondering if really I am now 'not young' - meaning I might be heading the direction of "old".
*carved stamp cassette tape from my sweet friend Holly's blog, thanks xx.
* cassette tape in a mess, found on flickr.
sang the bird....
My dear darling sister, Leah has opened a new and beautiful online shop - with a sweet collection of carefully curated pieces. sang the bird houses cushions, tea towels, little purses and beautiful necklaces. Focusing on handcrafted and ethically designed products, Leah has chosen a small opening range of designers who make her heart sing. A little something special to feather your nest!
Leah also has a pretty little blog where she shares her inspiration, daily journeys, and lots of lovely beauty-full things!
hooked! addicted!
Despite telling other people (myself really!), that I don't have an addictive nature. I think I do.........
umm...........
:: addicted ::
while I haven't been around these blog-parts lately, I've been in Insta-land. I've made some new friends over there, and deepened relationships with others (who I made in this here blog-land). As it so happens - both Jacqui and I now know that our daughters have the same Barbie doll, yet in different colours!
You know what, I've also taken some really cool photos in Insta-land. Some I really love! I think, seeing as how it's my blog and all, I'm allowed to blow my own trumpet about how good the photos are.
Also - I'm having a relationship with my husband on Instagr.am. We 'like' each others pictures, sometimes he's in the kitchen and I'm on the verandah - a mere metre away from each other. Isn't technology good!
I'm sending all my photos to flickr, if you want to see them. Or over here, as well. Or, if you have one of 'those phones', you can follow me. If you want........ And then we can be Insta-addicted together!
:: hooked ::
a couple of weeks ago, I went with a friend to do some crochet with the very talented and witty Helle Jorgenson. She has a sweet little studio space in my town, Murwillumbah. To be honest, when I moved back down here (to this little country town), I didn't know if there were any (well, many) cool and crafty people. So, actually are. Helle is one of them! {Check out her blog, she makes the most amazing crochet coral and sea creatures using the tiniest hooks, and some great alternatives 'yarns'}.
While I knew how to crochet before the class, what Helle did was take my hand and show me some new things, and helped me overcome my fear of using teeny weeny tiny crochet hooks. Some of her work is done using a .5mm. That's tiny!
So - since last Thursday, I've barely had the 2mm hook and some cotton yarn out of my hands. Well - we did have to do concreting on Friday; I couldn't really crochet at the same time as that! (photographic proof below - I wheeled that heavy barrow of concrete for a solid most-of-the-day)!
Helle and I made little crochet covered beach stones, like Margie's. There's a pattern on Purl Bee (it has some errors, so I just made bits up and went along merrily......).
With hook and yarn in hands, and the light of a candle, I've been doing some experimenting at home (late at night), some unraveling and some stitching/hooking/crocheting. I made myself a little necklace of crochet flower shapes (and promptly Instagr.am-ed it!). And then some more. I finished one for my sister to wear to work (we stayed up chatting until 1am one night; of course the kids got us up at 6.30 the next morning....). I'm currently working on one using some op-shopped cotton yarn, in a colour I'm calling berry. It's a bit of a thicker weight, but is still turning out very pretty.
And now, seeing as how my sewing machine has decided it doesn't want to play (when I really MOST need it for my market making), I'm wondering if I should make these little necklaces for selling at the market.......... {what do you think? Would you buy one?}
Oh yes - I'm probably addicted to chocolate too. But really, that's all..... There's nothing more to reveal.
I'll see you on Instagr.am with a hook in hand!
hello saturday
This is where we're at this week.
+ Lots of beautiful calendulas from the garden - they continue to bloom and grow, and give me enjoyment.
+ Some screen printing of new designs for some sewing that will be done next week (fingers crossed). For my upcoming Christmas market.
+ A few beautiful rainy misty mornings - the clouds tumble over our mountains so spectacularly.
+ Gathering and collecting from the garden - enough for one meal at our dinner table. The greens (lettuce + silverbeet + japanese spinach) continue to feed us each night.
+ There's been some bread baking with a rye sourdough starter. I'm experimenting. And enjoying the results.
+ Some crochet, using t-shirt yarn. A had a little class with Helle of Gooseflesh this week. It was fun. She's so inspiring and her stitches are amazing.
+ Sam has been working on his skateboard jewellery pieces, for the market. Enjoying the handwork.
Enjoy your weekend my friends...... xxx
some little merry wishes for you all. i hope you are enjoying all your sweet making and planning and wrapping and enjoying and laughing.
i hope you are soaking up your holiday time with your children and family and friends. we went for a little walk in the forest today - it was good and lovely.
tomorrow we are having a gathering at my sister's house with all our family. all the cousins to play and run around and laugh and be silly and eat up all the delicious food that we have so enjoyed planning and making (today Mishi and I made hand rolled chocolates, in the morning i will make chickpea dahl and spicey brown rice),
i am still enjoying crocheting these little rocks. this one became a heart almost all on it's own. i will search for more tri-angle rocks, as this shape seems good for heart making. Ari has claimed this one for himself - which i am happy with. a piece of mama-made love for my boy.
keep safe, content, exploring, enjoying, and breathing. xxxxxx E