BLESSED SPEEDY

I couldnt help myself - Ive just finished these socks  (ravelry link to a nice ribbed sock).  They turned out quite well although the colouring wasnt what I thought it was going to be. A lovely lady who reads and comments on my blog quite often - Lyn  - commented that she always has a pair of socks on the needles so of course I couldnt go against that advise - thanks Lyn!!!! So I cast on these socks which are serpentine socks  and this time they are toe up for a bit of a change.  The yarn is knit picks stroll sport so they are thick ones and should be nice and warm for winter. BUT....because I have got a little bit organised and actually have several projects all bagged up with yarn and pattern and needles I just had to pick one out of that lot and cast it on too!  This pattern is holden shawlette  and Im using some "holy" wollmeise yarn for it. So I spose not too bad - one finish and two starts and sadly I almost started another project but I contr...

Well the finishing off continues.........today I dusted off the light box that Gary made for me before we got married (wonder if he would got to so much trouble now! Im sure he would) When I asked him at the time if he would make one for me I was assuming that it would be A4 size, well its not its actually huge and he went to so much trouble to make it for me- getting special fluorescent globes to light it from inside and piano hinges for the lid.  It was really a lot of work and I really appreciated it then as I still do. Ive decided to add some embroidery and possibly a bit more appique onto the round robin mini quilt that I got back recently. So the light box had to come out so that I could trace the design onto the fabric - one of the ladies in the round robin had kindly included a design in the bag when my block came home so Im using that Im also enjoying doing some hand work again - and in between stitching on this Ive been also doing a little bit of work on my needleturn blo...

The chook quilt (which Speedy the cat was inspecting on a previous blog post) is now finished and delivered to Mia - of course she loved it - she always loves anything that I make for her which is really gratifying. Now that is done Im moving on to the "rest"of the pile of stuff to be finished.........sigh.........its huge! I have a needleturned panel that was from a class a year or two ago which I really must finish as Im not really that in love with it but very determined to finish it!

Today I went to Bendigo and  brought Mia back with me as she is as her fathers this weekend.  As we had a bit of spare time before he came to collect her - she came up to the dairy and helped us with herd testing - herd testing is something we do each 6 weeks or so and a small sample is taken from each cow and sent away for testing - then the litres each cow is producing, the components of their milk, their cell count etc is sent to us in a report.  Sound a pain(and it is!)  but very necessary for herd management. Anyways I digress - Mia had time with us in the dairy so of course Gary had to try and squirt her with the hose and of course she didnt like that.  So....once Garys back was turned she squirted him and then was "very helpful" in hosing cow poo off people feet, legs etc.  However when I asked her to squirt my feet she misaimed and I ended up with wet knickers - thank goodness its almost 40 degrees celsius so I really didnt mind!

Ive just cast on a pair of socks to knit - the yarn I got from a swap on ravelry and the pattern was gifted to me also.  Ive put 5 or 6 yarns and patterns together in plastic bags so that I pick up one and just go for it - its working so far! Its funny about knitting socks - when I got back into knitting two years ago I just adored the look of knitting socks but was just too scared to have a go-Id actually knitting some socks on circular needles with that self patterning yarn years and years ago but they quite fitted right. So once I joined ravelry someone offered to knit me a pair of socks with my yarn - and they were beautfiul and fitted perfectly.  The knitter encouraged me to have a go myself - but this time with dpns (double pointed needles).  So I did - and loved it! Since then Ive made six or seven pairs of socks I think or it could be more - they are NOT hard and so easy and portable to knit and you can even knit them when its stinking hot! Coincidentally...

You know some things just never change - last night I was pinning together a quilt top - out of chook fabrics that my mum gave me = and guess who gave me a hand/inspection - speedy!

Hows this for an oldie photo? It was taken in Christmas 2005 before Gary and I were married - look how thin I was then (not now though.....lol) Megan would have been 11, Aimee 18 and Sarah 14. My how we change in just a few short years PLUS because we werent married I hadnt taken over the sun room with my sewing stuff and various other bits of furniture so it was just a huge room with a pool table and a table tennis table.  The white chairs are the outdoor setting Gary bought me for Christmas that year and we had brought it inside to eat Christmas tea on.  Oh the memories............

When I had my big clean up/clean out of my sewing and craft area I found that for some reason I had several things that were started and not quite finished off.....so.....today I had an afternoon to myself - Gaz was at lawn bowls and Megan was a friends place and I didnt have to milk or actually do anything........so.........I worked thru some of the abovementioned pile - Firstly, this panel was gifted to me in a karma swap over on ravelry from msdonna - I received it months ago and thought I would make it up for Aimee's new baby that is not that far away from entering the world so layered it and quilted it with an allover stipple design, bound it and hand sewed down the back of the binding with the hanging sleeve whilst watching lost in austen on dvd. Next effort was this table runner that was finished ages months ago and just needed the binding handsewn down, so did that too while watching more of the abovementioned dvd.  It will probably go in the gift cupboard awaiting its ne...

I was lucky enough to win two skeins of rowan siena cotton in purple (yes purple!!!!) in a recent karma swap on ravelry. As soon as it arrived here I just HAD to knit it up - and this is the results of one skein - the pattern is bathtime blossoms  (ravelry link) and from the one skein Ive managed to knit a gorgeous washcloth as well as a soap bag (just need to find/get/buy some lovely soap to put in it) I still have one skein left so Im debating whether to make another set and gift it at some stage. The colour is truly gorgeous

Ive had a bit of a finishing effort - this beret is called Tulipanaros and is a test knit for a fellow member on ravelry - the pattern is yet to be released but it is by Maria Naslund so I suppose you can search for it once its released - the beret will probably be gifted to my daughter sarah as she loves berets like this and I have made her quite a few already. This next knitted item is called Palindrome and the ravelry link to the pattern is here  I received the yarn and pattern from a fellow ravelry member in a swap called project in a postbag.  The idea is that you swap a ready made sort of kit with yarn and pattern.  The yarn is soy wool stripes/solids and the resulting scarf will be lovely and warm and soft - just not what you need to wear on a day like today which is looking to be 40 degrees celsius plus! The third and final piccy today is of my round robin which has finally made it home.  It is one I have done with an online group I am a member of called...

Im on a bit of a cleaning and gifting binge - due to the restumping the whole house is even thicker with dust than usual - actually its quite filthy so Ive been doing a huge clean. Todays effort was part of my sewing area - this bookcase was overflowing and a huge pile was in front of it - now its lovely and tidy and I can actually see/find things. Ive taken several huge lots to the local op shop/trash and treasure as well as gifting some things to a couple of ladies I know and somehow I still have huge amounts of "stuff" And yes this is only a very small section - but at least its tidy!!!!

Well today I attended my very first baby shower - for my daughter Aimee who is expecting her second child (its a girl!) in 5 weeks time.  What did we do?  Played baby shower games of course and ate yummy food and chatted .... oh! and I got to hug and play with Mia so all in all a good day

Restumping is done and dusted - well not really dusted as the whole house is truly filthy and full of dust which I think will take me quite some time to get rid of but not complaining.  At the worst part the house had to be raised 4 inches which is a lot so shows how bad things had got.  We can even shut doors now and even the kitchen cupboards shut - such luxury!  As can be seen in the photo of the front of the house its all nice and straight now - at the back door (which is the one we use all the time) two huge pieces had to be cut out of the concrete so that access could be gained to two stumps - wonder how long before Gary gets around to replacing the concrete?  Im actually wondering about putting some outdoor tiles there as well - what do you think? Thank goodness that Red Cross was such a blessing to us and provided most of the $12,500 needed to do the job due to being flooded 12 months ago - now to just talk Gary into renovating - stay tuned!

Stay tuned.... We are getting the house restumped

Well with one granddaughter born we are now awaiting the birth of the next one - my daughter Aimee's second and Mia's little sister. so.....whats a nanna to do but make matching outfits for them both all ready for when the baby is born.  The pattern is in threes a baby cardigan (ravelry link) Ive only used acrylic yarn but that is ok as they were made to be used and washed and used and washed......

Im not sure what blogger is doing to my blog - Ive been doing posts and they havent been appearing but they hopefully will show up at some stage. As its sort of still the start of 2012 Ive been looking at what I hoped to achieve in 2011 - I think I did do some of the goals/resolutions I set but as I think they were really good Im going to try and apply them again THIS year - with the addition of learning to crochet. in 2012 I will try to...... •Become more self-confident and organised, use my diary and journal •Lose weight and get fitter •Become more cost-effective - use what I have FIRST •Eat much more healthily (but Im NOT giving up chocolate!) •Save money •Stop worrying - trust God to supply ALL our needs •Take a trip •Learn something new - crocheting???? •Be Less Grumpy I will definately have to be more organised - this year I am going to be doing the Loddon Murray Community Leaders Program  which will be very busy and also I have been asked to join the natural r...

We are very blessed at the moment - we have my granddaughter Mia staying with us for a few days while her Mum and husband go to the summer nats in Canberra.  She is a pleasure to have here and totally gorgeous (yes Im biased but its true!!!!!) She loves being here on the farm and doing "farm work" - which usually means riding on the motorbike or helping out Gaz and we have also starting making her treasure maps- which she has to follow and find a treasure at the end Of course at the end of a busy day there is nothing nicer than a yummy paddle pop (chocolate of course)

Here is what I made finished for my mum as a combined christmas and birthday (30th december) present for her.  Unfortunately due to macular degeration her eyesight is failing- she started this quilt at least four years ago maybe more and it had been sitting hanging pinned to another quilt for almost that long. As there is really not a lot she needs pressie wise I asked if I could finish this off for her - and she was delighted.  Most of the embroidery was done - just had to do a few hours worth, then I quilted it - using an allover stippled design and bound it for her.  It now has pride of place hanging in her lounge room. Mum is also trying to clean out some areas of her home so has been giving me some fabrics, books etc.  Some of the books and magazines Ive sold for her on ebay and managed to make over $150 for her which is nice.  Some cute fabrics that she had Ive appliqued onto tea towels for her and some fabric Ive gifted to a friend who is starting out....

Addison Joy Mclean Born on 31st December 2011 To Garys daughter Holly and her husband Daryl She was born several weeks early so only weighed just over 5 lbs and had a tube in her nose for feeding Very tiny but very cute indeed!