I was a table cloth

On one of my op shop trips I came across a table cloth. It was circle one but it had such a beautiful floral pattern.
I thought seeing I had been making rock and roll skirts for a few girls at the primary school I would upcycle this table cloth into one for me.

It was really easy. All I had to do was cut out a circle the was big enough to slip over my widest part of my lower body and do a small hem that I could slide in some elastic.

Little Ozmo

About a month ago I received a text from my sister in law about this little kitten that had kept her up all night mewing in her backyard.
This little guy had been left in the backyard by either the mothers owners or mum herself. With having a neighbourhood full of strays and not knowing what his future may have been, we decided to hand raise him.
After month we are proud to say this little guy has his furever home with us.
Unlike his siblings that are now living under my in laws home.
It's very sad to see that there are still so many people that don't desex their animals.
It's an old wives tale that after a litter a female animal is more settled. Also having your male animals desexed can reduce the need for wandering and aggressive behaviour. I read so many want adds where people are giving away kittens and late last year a friend of mine rescued 3 kittens from the side or a road where they had been dumped. The smallest of the 3 had a broken leg.
At least little Ozmo has a safe home and will be desexed very soon.

Winter has past.

Last winter I spent so much time knitting up a storm. My local and fave coffee shop Fine and Sunny had these awesome and easy knit kits from Olive and Me. Last year I made the apple cosy, tea pot cosy and the frilly scarf. This winter because I have been so uber busy I only got the hooded scarf done (and I did most of it at the kids sports day).

Spinning

A few weeks back I decide I was going to learn to spin my own yarn.  No easy feat, I might say. I looked at several options and ideas. Hubby and I decided that a spinning wheel was out as we have been running out of space here so I opted for a drop spindle.

There are 2 kinds of these as well. A top whorl or bottom whorl.
Sadly, no where in town had these. So off to ebay and esty and I was able to get a drop spindle and some roving from a shop in Sydney. The roving is hemp which is a little coarse but has been a great learn tool. I also found out the you don't just take the yarn of the spindle and use it. You have to set the curl/ twist. With the hemp I have been dunking it in hot water for about 5-10 mins and then drying it vertical with some coat hangers to weight it down.

Next part will be dying it!

Chickens!!

Mother Clucker

Harriet

 This week we got our chickens. They are Barred Rock Hens, both are about 4-5months old. The girls have settled in nicely and have put both cats and the rabbits in place on who now owns the backyard.
I can't describe the joy I am getting from looking after these two girls. The kids are loving it too.

Odin about to get scared off by the chickens

Harriet's first egg on the right.

Miss Leah, even thou she is scared of them has enjoyed the sight of them. Commenting on how they walk funny, which she now has incorporated into most of her dances. The other children have been watching for Harriet to lay an eggs. She's the older of the two and we have had eggs about every second day.
Even thou the eggs have been small the shells are very tough and the eggs are richer than the store ones. We've made cupcakes so far with them.
Miss Marina has also taken it upon herself to inspected the chickens and the rabbits alike as we are waiting on Gimili's newest litter to pop out of the burrow and say hello.

100 Beanie Drive

The link down below is for the 100 Beaning Drive. This drive is for getting handmade beanies for adult cancer patients. It's being done by Jess and today I donated 2 hats that I had made sometime ago. This morning along with several other jobs I made a dash to the post office and posted them off to QLD.
 100 Beaning Drive

Little Holiday

Best friend's youngest with her new hat and glove set I made for her

 Last weekend, hubby and I went to Indented Head. A quiet little place just past Geelong. It was a lovely break and after a great amount of stress we got my best friend to babysit our four with her four. No easy task!
We went down for my brother in law's 30th birthday. It was a lovely relaxing time even if my brother didn't let us sleep in past 8:30am.
The food was great and the company delightful.
On the Saturday morning we (my brother, bil, hubby and I) went for a stroll along the beach. I found some lovely shells and we came across this Yarn Bombing. At first we thought some one had lost their scarf but on closer inspection we found out some one

Yarn bomb along the beach.

had crocheted this little jumper on the post. I think I might of freaked them out about how excite I was to have seen this. Kinda the same thing when I saw the yarn bombs in Burke St Mall last year.

On Sunday we left the sea side and made our way back to Melbourne to wait (or shop) until hubby and I could catch the train home.
Morris and Son's had a 20% and I think I dragged hubby threw Minotaur and a few other shops that my teen age isn't to fond of.
We got home 2am Monday morning and I still didn't get a sleep in as I had to get the kids off to school that morning.

Depression

 Depression. It's a horrible thing that once you have it, it never really goes away. You just learn how to cope and see the triggers before you fall in to that deep dark hole.  Mine has flared up again. With the common stress of running a house and trying to be there for everyone I have once again ran myself to the ground.

Even with my loving husband and four beautiful babies I still have bad days. Lately, it was triggered by a cold. As I finished getting sick the kids got sick. The house got messy and it was cold. With in a few days I was crying over everything and nothing. 

With the start of some slightly warmer and sunny days I can feel a little better.  It always has, and as I have learned to live with it I have also learned that sometimes I need help on the bad days.

Busy little bee

 This week I have been a busy little bee. With finishing up my poncho and my cowl that the pattern was from Mollie Makes. Both with Emotive yarns. I used my Mollie Makes buttons for the poncho too.  

I am now working on squares for Fine and Sunny's new blanket for their raffle. I won last years one, which has kept me warm all of last winter. In Melbourne Hospital and at home.

 I have also started crocheting a blanket for my bed. Just little squares of cream, dusky pink, green and purple.

Yarning about!

A few weeks back Frankie Magazine had a little blog about an Australian Company called Emotive Yarns. Well this started some serious shopping.  My first lot came with in 3 days and the second lots within 5 days.
The thing that surprised me most was how cheap it was!!!

Haven't started using it yet. As soon as it hits my hooks I'll post some pics up.

Happy Yarn!!!

Finished Shrug

A few weeks back I was feeling a little down, and as normal I went to Spotlight.  Lately my trips to Spotlight haven't been the most productive but this one I came home with 3 balls of Clecktons Carnival. With those 3 balls I made a 3/4 sleeved shrug. It crosses over in the front and I have attached 2 buttons.
A quick run down on how it was made!

Using 6mm needles cast on 60 stitches. Knit in stocking stitch until you feel its long enough. Sew up sleeves but don't forget to keep the centre open for your back.
Then using 6mm circular needles pick up stitches all around the centre opening. Knit 3 rounds. On 4th round increase 1 stitch every 5 stitches. Knit 2 more rounds. Cast off the top section of circle. Knit 10 stitches turn and purl to end. Next row Knit 12 stitches turn and purl to end. Keep doing this increasing 2 stitches each row until your 5 stitches from the centre back. Knit all the way over to the over side and repeat the same method you just did. Stocking stitch 5 more rows and then cast off all stitches. 
Sew on small buttons on ends so you can button it up around under your bust. No button holes are need if you use small buttons.
<3

Whip it up!

Rainbow sprinkle cupcakes and chocolates

 There's nothing more I love about home life then my children and my afternoon cuppa! Bellow and to your left is some of the yummy treats I have been working on.

Anzac bikkie

All enjoy in peace just before I do my school run in the afternoon. 

Chocolate chip bikkie

I've also been trying my hand at making clothes. Here I have made some pillow skirts from Her library adventers. Both my youngest daughters love them and they seem to have passed the kinder playing test. 

Next up I hope to finish my tartan dress. In between making more yummy treats :D

May

May has arrived. How quickly is this year flying by? 
This year has been more focusing on me. After my eldest daughter had scoliosis surgery and my youngest had the last of her birthmark removed (which she then popped the stitches of her wound).
Thankfully both girls recovered well. My baby had about 6mths of recovery with the skin being grown back.

This was taken during the healing process. It was a very scary ordeal for both mother and child. The only thing I can say in help is that with time, her back has healed up!
The surgeons removed 2 layers of skin to remove the pigmentation of the older skin. This was the second op. The first was a great success. The second had this happen because she was a 1 year older (2 yrs old) than the first and she had a temper tanty and tore open the wound. The doctors debated about stitching it up but believe the skin was too tight.  With daily dressing and keeping the area clean but moist it healed up nicely.
The birth mark was about 1/3 of her back and was constantly changing. The doctors was worried that it could turn cancerous when older and having it removed while she was little was a better idea. Even thou it was a nightmare at times. She's now at kinder! With a little triangle scar and a bright sunny dispersion!

Easter Treats

Today and most of this week, I have been making chocolates for easter. With having four children easter can get really quite expensive.

So with a little time I have been melting chocolate buttons and making some yummy treats.

I got the mould from Spotlight, one has biscut section! You fill it about 2/3 and then press a biscut in. I have been using oreos.

Now that most of the yummy treats are done I can get back to my crochet!

On the hook.

As of late, I've been crochet up a storm.  Making a granny sqaure vest with Spotlights Gelato wool.

Here's a link to the pattern.

http://grandmotherspatternbook.com/?tag=free-vintage-granny-square-womans-vest-pattern

Even thou Gelato isnt a worest weight yarn I just made the squares to measure.

Happy Hooking!!

Something New For Tea

 


Roast Capsicum Pasta Sauce (feed 2 adults and 4 children)

3 Large Roasted Red Capsicum
2 Large Handfuls of Mushrooms (sliced)
1 Small Onion (finely sliced)
2 Cloves of  Crushed Garlic
3 Rashes of Bacon (finely sliced)
1 Tin of whole Tomatoes (Drained)
2 Tbl Spoons of Red Wine
3 Tbl Spoons of Thick Cream

Puree Tomatoes and Capsicum set aside for later. Saute theOnion, Galic and Bacon in frying pan, until Bacon is crisp. Then add the Tomatoes and Capsicum puree to the pan, mix through. Add Mushrooms and Red Wine, simmer until reduce (about 10mins). Season to taste (add a little sugar as the Tomatoes are normally bitter). Remove heat and add Cream.

Serve over cooked pasta :D