Our Christmas tree is leaning to one side

I finished, last night and this morning, some of the Christmas presents I am made. Singlets for L & R. Peg dolls for the little girls (E & L) and a green sheep. I've still got some to go, but the mjority is finished (meaning that I'm still working on those that I don't need to give till Christmas Day).


The green sheep - to go with Where is the Green Sheep book for E.




Arn't they gorgeous? There are 10 in all, 5 for each. I made two geishas, two witches and two Indian ladies cos I like them so much.

Catching the crafting flu

I think Sarah has got it, but only a mild dose at the moment. I seem to have gone into overdrive and have about 500 things to get finished, most of them in the next week. Help!

Sarah made a sock monkey. I know, I'm quite proud of her. It looks very chubby and lumpy, but it's very charming. It's for her nephew Ryan. She's also making one for Jordan, the other one. Maybe. I'm not sure if that will happen, as she's working a lot now until Christmas.

And I got off work early today, again, but couldn't really move until now, and I can't even get the camera to get photos of the monkey because it wold be too tiring. Also, corecting spelling is hard.

Our tree is up too, but it's bigger than Little Crooked and it's not as well covered in ornaments. Ohw ell, smells great and looks lovely, if a little bendy. I think the top has to go, s gone all droopy. Should really check the water.

School is finished, teachers are gone now. tomorrow will be so relaxing at work. Shame I have hardly anything to do. Hmmm.

Tiredness. Seems to be a given this time of year.

Fratchy

Uni out of the way for the year - except for those two final assessment marks - I was thinking, "More time to do stuff." Yeah, rightio.

As much as I have good intentions when I get home from work, I do spend a lot of time de-working. But, it's not December yet and I am well on the way to finishing the presents for Asta's kiddies.

As well as the sock monkeys (previous posts), I zipped up this little creation on the weekend -




Got the idea for the little monsters from a Flicker Group, Monsters for Mirabel was the tag I think. The bag comes from Sooz, and while it didn't work out exactly the way I intended, I think it's okay. I mean, it's round shaped. I'm thinking of a bigger - much bigger - mat for the boys, something with boy stuff, like rocketships and cars on it. Maybe.

The flower mobile is crawling, cos I sort of don't like it at the moment. I'll have to slug it out one night soon though...

Anways, dreaming of this is helping at the moment too. I'm taking three weeks holiday, but only have to use 9 annual leave days! Woo. What to do?




Yes, lots of the Jervis I should think. Lots of the beach. Mm, better go for a walk or a ride...

Two Posts in One Weekend!

Yep, I'm posting again. Mainly because I'm a little bored and also because now that uni is almost finished for the year, I'm feeling this odd sort of vaccuum where I used to procrastinate not doing uni work. Weird, since I've still got to finish some work on the forum, and the last assignment hasn't been submitted, though I've done my bit, it's up to the other group members to finish theirs now.

So, come Friday evening, finished for the year! Hmm.

See what I've been doing while trying to complete assignments:





The two monkey brothers are for Asta's boys, Nathaniel and Isaac. Hope they like them. They may consider themselves too old for such things, but they are pretty charming, so we'll see.

The felt flower is part of a mobile I'm doing, of flowers for little Jasmine. I've done two now, and starting on some little white ones, that kind of resemble jasmine flowers. Yeah, we'll see about that.

I Can't Help Liking Minature Things

Got home from work, and is Friday, collapsed on lounge and have not moved since.

Went on a craft blog tour though, checked up on some of my favourites, and Sooz, who I think is great, found this lovely little shop - In MELBOURNE dammit - called 'Little Kitchen'. Seems they do organic cooking classes for kiddies, and it all looks fabolous, just in Melbourne. But, they do have an online store. And, if I could work out how to imbed links, I'd include it here...

http://www.littlekitchen.com.au/shop2/index.php?main_page=index



that's the best I can do n a Friday evening though. Think will get a few things, like the mini potato masher, for Christmas party prizes.

Have started work on jasmine flowers for the mobile for baby Jasmine Ellen. I'm not great at them, but the leaves tend to curl up and this could work in my favour,,, after all, the jasmine flowers are just novel, the big flowers are multi-coloured and I dont think any type of real flower.

Rambling. Yep.

Floriade - It's all about flowers suprisingly

And seemingly all about lots



and lots of tulips.





This young lady breakfasted on toast and three kinds of drink, smoothie, water and bubbachino.

Jubilation and Rainforest Ramblings

I wish the smell of the rainforest was bottled and could be sprayed when feeling gritty and urck. It was lovely. I must bushwalk more often.

Checked the mail today. Yes, it doesn;t happen every day, or even every week...

Anyway, got results back from my first assignments for this session of Uni. And I did good! A lot lot better than I really expected I think. I was really quite worried about my 2nd year subject, but I got 38/50, which I think is pretty good for a very rushed job, with hardly any prior knowledge or even study! Heh. Must be a strong point. The first year subject, INF116 the marker actually put smiley face stamps on the page, which seems a little primary school, but if it means I'm doing well and not failing, good for me. Also, 2nd year subject worth 50% of final mark, so that's a good result in itself! Makes me feel a bit better abouyt the next assignment, due 2nd Nov., which looks curly. But should be okay.


Just had to get these things out.

Am starting to implement Speeed Cleaning into my routine. I think it will work. 15 mins a day is good. Just gotta get started...

A Woman Can Never Have Too Many Bags

Handcrafted with love.

Sock Monkey!

I made this little fella starting Monday night. I went to Rivers and got some of those $2 socks, as it happens that I don't actually own many socks, and they were $2. No hugley colourful, but whimsome all the same, methinks.

I bought three pairs, but made a huge mistake with the first pair, pretty much as soon as I began cutting, so they are absorbing smells in the garbage bin (socks are really good at that).

This is the first, I'll make another for Asta's little boys (4 1/2 & 6 1/2) and try and find a girly pair so I can make Amalia one as well. Maybe the new little one too, but she's getting a felt mobile, so may not have enough creativity left before Christmas work begins. Am taking a break from the knitting, at least for a while (a month maybe) as I realised on Tuesday, that my hands were aching and my fingertips tingly. That could be something else, who knows.



Mm, hungry. I never did get that hokey-pokey icecream I've been craving since last week. Might take a wander...

Garden Party

It seemed a wonderful idea, when it germenated, and, like all nurtured stuff, the "Let's thow Louise a surprise garden party for her 30th birthday" grew and grew bigger. Complete with making napkins and scrounging for baskets, to 'trialing' cupcakes and scones, for no particular reason...



The day arrived, quite a lovely day really, for a picnic. Colour scheme, wonderful. 'Handmade with love' presents, finished. Now it was a-waiting on the birthday girl time.










Now, when it's all over, and the work is done, the party partied and Louise sufficiently surprised, it was a success. Yeah!

Oh, and this happened to my sage last night...


Hopefully it will continue to live, it's lived through a lot this sage. Thirst, extreme neglect, dust city-style.

Saved lots of energy!

Compared to last years electricity bill for June/July/August, it's been halfed! Yeah! Guess not using the dryer tooo much and turning of lights and powerpoint when not needed is really helping.



Made this bag for Sarah, and it looks pretty damn good, I think. Felted it in the new front loader washing machine, which did a fantastic job! Next project which I am working on now, is little sheep for a mobile for Baby Girl Asta. I'm going to add a shepherd as well. So far, the sheep are oblong bundles of white, when I get more white, I'll add legs, a head and ears. Also wet felted some little balls which may turn into a planet/solar system mobile.

I made a little trip to Daisy Designs yesterday and got some black roving for the slippers that I'm going to attempt.




Made this tiramasu for Dad for Father's Day. Was/is yummy. Sarah even liked it, and she doesn't like coffee! Sarah likes it a lot I think, she keeps snacking on it, which is probably not so good...
Am going to institute a healthy regime for 14/4-6 Sperry St this week. Exercise, good healthy food and ridding the apartment of too much junk food. Summer is coming!

Fluffy gooey meringue

Last Saturday was a wonderfully warm WINTER day. Makes me wonder, I would love to live somewhere it was like this throughout winter, instead of freak occurances...
Anyway.
Went for a stroll into town, then down to the harbour and South Beach. Water was freezing! Won't be swimming for a while, at least, it would have to be a lovely warm day like last Saturday.



Getting very good at meringues. Love the little tart cases, a good idea for next morning tea. Lovly puffs & swirls courtesy of Meryl.

What I'd like to happen this weekend

I want to wear these a bit

Then go here,



Get a bit of tree climbing in


Lounge here


And one of these would be splendid


I would also love some chocolate right now.

Brushing Up My Shakespeare, forsooth

Saw Macbeth last night. Now I have Shakespeare on the brain. I'm starting on converting all the Shakespeare videos in the library to DVD, so I can take them all home and watch (all the ones taped off the TV, otherwise it doesn't fufill copyright...).

First is Henry V (Kennth Branagh's version, with a very young Christian Bale as Falstaff's boy - he only gets about 2 lines, but the rest of the cast is stellar!)

Lovely day today. I'm sitting here, with the windows open, letting in the lovely springy air. Can't wait for the warmer weather. I'm really hoping it doesn't get as cold as it's supposed to on the weekend...

Mmeringue

Making lemon meringue pie is now so in-grained into my cooking memory, I don't even need the recipie, maybe, I'm sure I'd forget something...

Going to move on, a soon as all those lemons cluttering up my tiered cake stand are goneski. Might try making some lemon butter as well as more pie... love that pie. Might try making the crust this time, I usually cheat and buy the ready made flan shell from Woolies. Only trouble is, my pie tin is quite big. I'll have to make double quantaties...

My car is tough

Well, road trips are not all that hot in winter. But, this winter had been incredibly wet, so rain and clouds are preferable to the sun being in your face.
Took two days to get to Millicent, S.A. Stopped over night in Melton, a little place about 40kms out of Melbourne. The 'innkeeper' at Melton Motor Inn thought we were dodgy, but seemed to thaw a little when I pulled out my credit card. Kept asking if it was just for two, like we were going to sneak in boys or something.

Got to Millicent around 3.30. Stuart bounded out to greet us, and took us in to meet Noah & the many visitors that seemed to be in their house.

Noah is a beautiful little boy. He's got lovely olive skin and brown eyes and a good shaped head. He's smiling, but is very confused by cameras and goes serious as soon as one is pointed into his face.

Oh, and why my car is tough? Stuart thought it would be a 'good idea' to drain my car battery and recharge it. Consequence, well, the right blinker is a bit psycho and sometimes the car won't start if it's cold. But little Alx is tough and keeps trundling on. Hopefully it will go in a minute when we go to get some dinner. Thanks Stu.