the friday list.

i like to write myself lists.
a lot.

it's definitely a theme in a lot of my blog posts huh?



anywho, this is my list for today...
well this morning at least, i'm off to work this afternoon!
a late night at work and then a weekend off.

i can't wait!!

do you have big weekend plans??
do you like to write lists?

my creative space.

last night, i opened a parcel i'd received a few days ago...



and in it were these awesome knitting needles!
i'd been eyeing them off for a long while and i finally thought, bugger it! i'm getting some!
this knitting thing obviously isn't a passing fad for me and some good kit never hurts the inspiration...

and it didn't!
last night i cast on this tea cosy, as a housewarming gift for my boss.
he asked me to make him one probably a month ago, but i'm only just getting around to it now! oops!



anywho, that's what i'll be working on today, and tonight, and probably the next couple of days...

what are you creating today in your space? join in over here!

birthday scarf.

b has been staring longingly at my wool stash for a few months, and not so subtly requesting a new scarf for himself.

i decided to get him one knitted for his birthday...
knitting in secret to make it a surprise is not so easy!
there were many times i thought he was thoroughly engrossed in game world, only to find him trundling up the hall behind me.
i'm getting pretty good at stuffing scarf bits into bags/under my arm to hide them!!



the pattern is a rib stitch (k2p2) and i cast on 30 stitches on 6mm needles with bendigo woolen mills luxury in navy blue.
if i knit another, i'd probably cast on more stitches as it wasn't as wide as i'd liked, the rib tending to pull the sides in.



i was a little late with my delivery, b's birthday being on saturday just gone, but he'll be able to wear it to work today, hopefully happy with how it turned out :)

what crafty bits and pieces have you been up to lately?
have you made any gifts?
started any CHRISTMAS (dun, dun, DUN!) crafting yet?

the happenings.

in the 12 days since i last wrote a post i've...

done 8 loads of washing

worked 9 days

cast on a scarf for bb for his birthday (it was his birthday saturday and i still haven't finished it... oops!)



made this soup. the first time i forgot to put the tomatoes in it and it was just as delicious :D

knitted some more of my reversible wrap

done some super secret sewing



signed up for blogtoberfest

done some meal planning

tidied the house innumerable times

and treated myself to a new gadget




what have you been up to?

meal planning monday.

little bit of an extended break there... this month has been extremely hectic so far! i've got a whoooooooole lotta things i want to get done this month and time is running out SO quickly!

can you believe it's nearly october? and by october i mean blogtober ;)

but onto the food plans for the week shall we...



tonight, i'm cooking up some fresh salmon after work, served with a big whack of green salad. it'll be just what i need after a big day of work AND a staff meeting. actually, maybe a glass of wine would go down well too!

tomorrow night, is date night! there's a new thai take-away place that has opened up in our neighbourhood so i think we'll definitely need to give it a try!

wednesday, i'm at work all day, so the slow-cooker will be back in business tonight (after a bit of a hiatus!)
i've got plans to make sweet and sour beef from the sally wise 'slow cooker' book. can't wait!

thursday, another day at work, and another day for the slow-cooker. tonight though, chicken with fennel and lemon sauce.

friday is my late night at work so i'll make sure that i've got a fragrant potk curry in the slow-cooker for when bb and i get home from work.

which brings me to the weekend! a weekend off from work! seeing as how satuday is grand final day, i forsee football food in our future, meat pies and beer anyone? not the healthiest but i'm pretty sure it's the only way to go ha ha!

on sunday we're heading out for a birthday lunch for a friend, so i highly doubt we'll feel much like a big dinner, we'll definitely play it by ear!


what are your plans for the week ahead?

the home of meal planning monday

my creative space.

last night, i finished joining the rest of my bamcal squares...



now i'm just waiting for october's squares :D


today, i'm working on finishing my reversible wrap!

i won't be getting it finished today, but it's getting closer with every stitch!

what are you creating today in your space? join in over here!

squaring up.

i've been trying to catch up on my bamcal squares recently. i'd gotten quite behind... september crept up on me and i'd barely made a start on my august squares!
after a few days of frantic hooking, i'm all caught up now though...

august's squares...



and september's...

raveled

now to get them joined onto the rest of the blankie...


are you kicking any creative goals today?

meal planning monday.

after my study week in sydney last week, i am finding it SO difficult to get back into the cooking mojo!
a week of buying dinners and not have to think about, or prepare food, got me wayyyy out of the habit!

meal planning monday to the rescue!



tonight, i cooked up some marinated lamb steaks, some sweet potato fries and a simple salad. i nearly, NEARLY, took the drive-thru option. kinda glad i didn't though, it felt good to get some food cooking and prepared :D

tomorrow night is date night. and we're heading out! i feel like it's been an age since i've been out with my man ;) a pub meal and a nice glass of wine will be the ticket i think!

wednesday night needs to be nice and simple. aspaghetti carbonara will do the trick. yummy, especially with some fresh greens on top!

thursday night, pasta again? oooooooook! i could honestly eat pasta 7 days a week! i've got some of rowan's rocket pesto in the freezer, i'll thaw it out and mix it up with some fresh cherry tomatoes and a whoooooole lotta fettucine. yum!

friday night, i think i'll throw something in the slow-cooker (poor ol' thing won't know itself, it's had a LOT of time off!) the cashew chicken i made a couple of weeks ago, was absolutely DELICIOUS! so i'll make that one again :D

saturday, i'm working all day. ho hum. i'm thinking i might find something delicious to throw on the bbq. spring i have faith that you will provide sunshine, well i AM working all day so it's pretty much assured ha ha!

sunday, a peaceful day at home with my love. some kind of slow roasted delight will be just the thing. yum!


ok, so that wasn't so hard... i can definitely get back into the swing of this cooking thing again!

the home of meal planning monday

sydney.

so i am in sydney. all on my lonesome.
i'm keeping busy by reading blog posts.
and watching tv.
and crocheting bamcal squares.
and dreaming about the killer abs i'd have if i could do this....



but instead, i'm drinking cider and eating delicious asian take-away.


how is your monday going?

happy father's day!

today is father's day! but instead of making my dad breakfast in bed, i'm at home packing. i'm off to sydney today!!

luckily, i had the day off yesterday and bb and i could go for a drive and visit our dads to celebrate!

as i shared on thursday, i was getting making for my dad...

first up, a belated birthday present...



a phone sock!

and for father's day... something to match!



a keep cup cosy :D

i also got him a pretty awesome card



courtesy of geek amour!
dad and i used to watch macgyver together when i was a kid... when i showed bb, he had no idea who macgyver even was!!! poor sheltered boy!

happy father's day to all the papa's out there! and the single mummas that have to be mum AND dad!!


ps. any clues as to good food spots in sydney? i have NO clue!

september.

it's spring everyone! happy september!
boy am i excited to get outside and get my hands dirty, getting my garden into shape!




but before we get into any new stuff, let's have a little august recap!

august was all about saving some dosh this year, and we managed to save a little. not eating out all (well most) of the month, meant that bb and i were MUCH healthier in what we ate and it had some lovely consequences... a few items in my wardrobe now fit! amazing!
i also managed to run 5k, but that was about it for the goals...
i didn't manage to get my bamcal squares done or any more on my granny stripe or my reversible wrap done!

but that's ok, because september is going to be the month of getting things finished! *dun dun DUN*



my plans are to get up to date with my bamcal squares, and get them joined together on the blankie.
to get my reversible wrap done and dusted! it's not far off, just the third piece to knit and then, well, the construction. ick!
i've also got a couple of sewing projects to get done, some secret hen's party sewing, a cover for my futon and some dress repairs (replacing zips, double ick!)

a big month ahead!

what are your plans for september?