Thursday 17 September 2009

Crap, it's been nearly a month!

Since I last posted....

Things have been busy busy busy!....First, lots of firsts

Sitting:



Solids:


And I made risotto (I know, easy....but I've always been a bit weary)....it was YUM!



Hmm, what else....I found some rocket in the garden I thought had died....so it has it's own pot now.



One day a gorgeous beetle crossed my path.



I made a bazillion moth bags for sorting and storing all our old clothes and some of my fabric stash that I know I won't get to for a while:



Eliza got a new cardi:



and I got new yarns....all from Etsy....BAD ME!....but hey, I'm dying to start some summer knitting....and nothing in my stash was inspiring me.







and after all that, I think I'm going to find time to whip up a few pairs of pants for niblet!


Wednesday 19 August 2009

You know Spring is on it's way when....

you smell the Jasmine....


Jasmine is one of my all time favourite flowers / scents....where I grew up there was a huge vine wending it's way through the side fence. Every so often it would have to be hacked back because we couldn't open the gate....it was just so divine!

Wednesday 22 July 2009

A week of endings

I know I say I don't get a lot of time to knit these days and it's true. I've also never made secret the fact that I HATE weaving in ends, etc of knitted things....even though finishing a project is the most satisfying thing ever....handing over that handmade gift and seeing happy little faces or getting all smug when someone comments on your new scarf and you can say "oh this, I made it, was just a trifle"

And those of you on Ravelry can see on my projects page that I've supposedlt knocked out a heap of scarves....well, in all honesty a lot of those scarves still had ends that needed sorting out!

So last week I sat down during sleep times or daddy play times and wove in a zillion ends!....and have added 5 scarves to my wardrobe!

Of course there's still a list as long as the proverbial of projects only half knit....but that'll be another post.

Somedays....

Somedays I go a bit spare at home, just me and the monkey....so today I baked.

Found the recipe here, I added some orange zest, just to lift the flavour, not for taste....and the mix made a lot more than 30 cookies!!

Monday 13 July 2009

A life in song



If someone had said to me once you have a bub you'll start narrating your daily doings in song I would have slapped my forehead in dismay, yet that's exactly what I'm doing. Life has become a stream of constant short and sweet ditties.

Little one is 16 weeks today, nearly 4 months old and I have no idea where the time has gone. He's still the sweetest thing with 2 legs....at the moment he's trying oh so hard to roll over, it's gorgeous to watch.

Although there hasn't been much of that today, poor thing has a case of the snuffles and on top of that big mean mummy took him for his 4 month jibber jabbers yesterday and he's all over the place because of those.

He still has the cooler than cool mohawk happening, god knows what sort of hair the poor kid's going to end up with!

As for anything else going on....I mentioned hubby got made redundant, well he found another job with in a couple of weeks, so it's just bub and I filling in the days!

And I've had sod all time for knitting, even though I did get some of the new Tapestry Craft brand lace yarn. The colour range is pretty impressive. The idea is to knit a couple of soft lace weight cardis for summer (pfft, yeah right)....well, the first idea was for a couple of stoles but then the cardi idea came up when I spotted the Whisper cardi that everyone is knitting.

But who knows when I'm going to get the time to concentrate on anything knitty for now!

Kiel finally got his pirate jumper though:



Tuesday 2 June 2009

10 Weeks

I won't go on about how much he's changing and growing and developing....or about how super cute he is!

Sunday 10 May 2009

Smiles and curls

We hit 7 weeks tomorrow and there's so many giggles and smiles that all the screaming and general grouchiness of the first few weeks seems like so long ago....I know there's still plenty more screaming and grouchiness to come, but the gurgles and cooes make it all so much more fun!

He has the most insane hair, with this big sweeping curl on top....it's just the CUTEST thing ever!!
And he loves his dad to bits....

On the good and bad news front, hubby got made redundant last week....so biggest YAY for having him home for the next few weeks....it's just a buggar we're going to have to dip into our savings to cover living expenses....but hey, them's the breaks and at least we have some money in the bank....we're very very lucky!

Just means the Bendy Luxury order I have sitting in my shopping cart will have to wait a while....forcing me to knit from my stash and finish some long neglected projects....might be a blessing in disguise and all that, really....hubby home to help look after bub for a bit = more knitting time for me!

Sunday 26 April 2009

4 and a bit weeks....


He's 5 weeks this Tuesday and has started talking to us with his cooes and gurgles....it's just so gorgeous....there's more personality developing everyday!....and already learning about being nerdy....
Nothing else to report, because I really haven't done anything else except look after the snorglet....you know the daily routine of washing his clothes and spew rags and bottles.

I've been tempted to place a Bendy order, because they've just introduced a new range of yarn that has 10ply!!....be still my beating heart....but it's so hard to justify buying more yarn when I have noooooo time to knit and I have a wardrobe full of yarn as it is....hmm, maybe just a few balls then....it's 10ply....it'll knit up quick!!!....I can get a ball or 2 to knit Hugh something....damn, I just want to buy YARN!!!!

Monday 13 April 2009

A day at the park

Well, it was more like 20 minutes!....he had a few adventures over easter, fresh baked Hot Cross Buns at our friends Joh and Sarah's on Friday, Gran's on Saturday for a quick visit, the Park on Sunday and a trip to the shops on Monday, but only because mummy and daddy had run out of food!


He's 3 weeks old now and it feels like we've known him forever....still getting used to the lack of sleep and the odd bit of random screaming here and there....but the lil monkey blessed us with 6 straight hours of sleep last night, after a very grumpy pants day....missed his 4am feed and everything!

Tuesday 7 April 2009

Saturday 28 March 2009

And Hugh makes three


He's home safe and sound....and such a tooty frooty cutie....already has a little personality, even if does involve vast amounts of banshee-like screaming.
Everything went smoothly....I'm still a bit sore and sorry, but is to be expected....though the doctors reckon the c-section was text-book!....woo!!

Sunday 22 March 2009

Tomorrow's the day.

And it still hasn't hit me!....and I still haven't packed.

I'm all booked in, just have to call later to confirm what time bub will be scheduled to make his appearance.

Paul's more nervous about it all than I am....bit fingernail-chewy, he says.

Bet I'm the one that doesn't sleep tonight though!

Monday 16 March 2009

Hmm, I've become inspired

After photographing the fabrics I got yesterday, I've decided to catalogue ALL my fabrics on my flickr page....that way I won't forget what I have....and seeing as there's a truck load of the stuff, I'm VERY inclined to forget what I have.

Anyway, here's what $45 at Spotty can get you....

2 cute as all get out things for the niblet, only bought 1m of each....but he'll be little for a while!....I'll easily get a pair of jammies and a shirt out of each metre!




The next lot are for me....probably peasanty style tops for next summer....they're all cotton, bought about 1.5m of each....hoorah, more things to add to my stash....at least it's not yarn!



Sunday 15 March 2009

Sometimes you're just meant to go somewhere....

Had a bit of a holy crap, do a happy dance moment today and it had nothing to do with the soon to be niblet.

I finally got in the car and went and visited The Remnant Warehouse in Alexandria today....I was initially spurred on by the 20% off everything email I got from Spotty....but I never made it that far.

I've been meaning to go this place since it was in Marrickville, but never made it....but I am soooooo glad I did today, regardless of how much someone kicked and carried on in protest....because they stock Heather Bailey fabrics!!!!!!!!!!!! Ok, so maybe that isn't all that exciting for any of you, but I did a little inside happy dance when I saw them! I've read Heather's blog for ages now and have been lamenting the state of the dollar for ages, wanting to get my hands on some of her prints, they really are just amazing.


The top 2 prints are from Heather Bailey, can't remember who's the bottom one is at the moment.

I also picked up this cute border embroidered fabric, $4 for 2m....complete bargain and will make a cute summer top.

I think the 3 prints will become A-line skirts, once the stomach expansion is over and I become something resembling my former self.

Oh and this place also stocks Amy Butler and Kaffe Fasset fabrics too....I could have spent so much more....squeeeeeeeee!

Sunday 8 March 2009

Slowly going SPARE!!

Ok, so it's only been a week of maternity leave so far....and for most of last week I was out and about shopping, visiting, appointmenting....and started on the copious amounts of unpackaging and washing of lil people things that needs doing....but I already feel the spareness creeping in.

I've never been very good at spending time at home by myself....even when I'm off sick, after the first day I'm already going stir crazy and I guess I'm feeling it more now knowing that there's a whole year ahead of not working.

Everyone's assured me that I'll be earning my keep in so many other ways, primarily looking after one soon to be niblet....but I know there are going to be days when I'll be feeling the walls closing in and no amount of watching the cooking channel and knitting and gurgling at the sproglet will help!

Hmm, maybe I'm just noticing it at the moment because I'm just sitting around waiting for the kid to decide he's ready for this world, him just bouncing around thinking it's awesome fun to kick the crap out of me from the inside (so over that some days)....and once he's here I'll be too busy disposing of poo soaked nappies and washing wonder suits that the walls won't seem so close.

I did start a knitting project to take to hospital with me, now the yarn over row has been set up, etc it'll involve nothing more than stocking stitch till the ball runs out....which I think might be as much as I can handle....it's called the Sunday Market Shawl....but I'll probably be wearing it to the new saturday farmer's market that's started up near us....mine's being knit in Noro Kureyon Sock, so will be much finer and longer

We've had news of a friend's engagement recently....and the wedding which will be taking place in about 8 weeks....so I've picked up the Lady E again, hoping to get that finished in time to wear....because god knows I'll probably be wanting to hide under something only 4-5 weeks after popping the kid....oh, and I'm thinking I'll have to knit bub his first skull and crossbones cardi to wear for the occasion....can't have bub wearing just any old jumpsuit....not to his first big event.

Monday 23 February 2009

What to do in your last week of work

Read food blogs!!....and of course print off (in colour) every recipe that your addled pregnant brain thinks sounds a bit nommy!

I discovered this article in The Times....and that was the end of my day.

A couple of highlights:

Cannelle et Vanille, the photography is stunning.

Simply Recipes, as the name implies

Chez Pim, Boozy Bitter Chocolate Thruffles, say no more.

Smitten Kitchen, this is an old fav of mine

Matt Bites is also a bit cool.

This one was mentioned in the comments and has brilliantly simple recipes with everything photographed in detail....Noble Pig....I love it!

Oh....and the article's author also has a gorgeous design blog

So it's been a HUGELY productive day!

Tuesday 17 February 2009

6 weeks to go....

Yep, niblet's due to make his appearance on the 29th March....so I have a whole week and a bit left at the orifice and then 4 weeks of panic last minute shopping....and then just panic.

I've been meaning to post pics of all the dresses I made for the girl's for Christmas and of course Kiel's priate jumper....but you know how it is, this whole pregnancy lark seems to sap either motivation, energy or mental capacity....sometimes all three at the same time, so most nights are spent in front of foxtel, pointy sticks in hand, knitting away!

Friend's of ours had their first bub at the end of January, lil Alexander James and I DO have a pic of the lil cardi I made him, whipped it up in just a few nights it was a nice easy and very teeny tiny knit, so it wasn't such a stretch when it came to concentration.

Hopefully, once I'm not working anymore (now there's a thought I STILL can't get my head around), I'll get a bit more organised and take photos of everything and get blogging a bit more....and then the snorglet will arrive and I'll forget what freshly washed hair and sleep feel like.