our creative space.

today i'm putting together some bits and pieces for a swap. i mayyyyyyyyyy have missed the date i was supposed to send these bits and pieces by a little bit, but i figure, i still haven't received mine in the post so i'm ok (that's how these swap things work right?)


anywho, the swap item is a mix tape, well a mix cd really... the steps you would need to take to make a mix tape these days are kind of mind-boggling. and well, does anyone really have anything to play a tape on anymore (ok, i do, i ONLY have a tape player in my car, none of this fancy cd or mp3 business for me!)
so i've gotten as far as compiling and burning the cds, a mix of my favourite songs by aussie artists (both my sendees are from overseas), but now i need to make some pretty packaging to send them off in!
wish me luck, i have more than a few supplies to choose from!
more creative spaces can now be found here!

greening up.

i was very happy to be able to spend a couple of hours outside on the weekend (before it started raining that is...) i had just a little job in mind, trimming the few bushes that run along the window at the front of our house. this didn't quite go to plan though and i ended up completely ripping one of the bushes out. i figured i never really liked it anyway and my rose could really use the breathing room!


i then weeded and re-mulched the garden bed. luckily, only then did it start to rain, saving me the trouble of watering all that mulch in!
while we're out in the garden,



check out how much my jasmine has grown since this unfortunate incident. it's absolutely covered in flower buds too! i'm beside myself with anticipation and excitement!

something i'm not excited for though...


tidying up my back yard. every year i seem to let it get to a complete mess. i really want to start getting it tidied up before spring though, that way i can be ready and waiting with spring plantings :D
i've got my fingers crossed for some good weather this weekend as my mum is down and well, many hands make light work!

how is your winter garden looking? do you leave it alone for the winter like me? or are you out there keeping it nice and tidy in all seasons?

what's in the bag?

i have a bag. it's not the prettiest bag, but it's where i keep all of the things that i'm working on. and let me tell you, it's deceptively big...



it's holding a fair few projects inside at the moment.



peter rabbit cross-stitch, ready for a beautiful name and a date (that has already happened, bit slack on that one), a baby blanket in the works (which i'm trying to only use stash wool on, keep running out :s), a mess of double pointed needles (i think i'm slowly getting better with them...) and a beanie (mindless knitting project for when my brain is too busy to think!)

more details for you when each project is finished, promise!

friday.

and a lovely day it has been.
the sun was shining and the boy and i had the entire day off together and we went to see the new harry potter film. have you seen it yet? i did thoroughly enjoy it (even though they can't seem to get everyone's eyes the right colour...)

anywho, i just wanted to quickly let you know about a giveaway that the lovely pip is holding over on her blog! all you need to do to enter is to make a donation to the dry july campaign. easy peasy! you could win a whole bunch of awesome stuff for only $2!!!
now i'm off to have a glass of wine... (just kidding, mostly) and most definitely do some crochet!

our creative space.

crochet, crochet, crochet!




looking to make and finish blankie number 3 for 2011. by the end of the month.
no biggie.

more creative spaces can now be found here!

no, thank you!

the lovely lea sent me a little package in the mail, to say thank you for her blankie (despite the fact she made a very generous donation and it was absolutely my pleasure!) and well i'm feeling VERY spoilt!


look at how lovely and lovingly everything is wrapped! brown paper, vintage patterns, wool, twine and even a yo-yo! i was in heaven before i even opened anything!




and well, then i did open everything! soooooo many gorgeous bits and pieces! vintage sheeting pieces, a huge variety of paper envelopes, cute gift-tags, a happy paper garland (it really does make me happy :D), a very pretty note-book (if only i had pretty words to fill it with :( ), lovely decorative tape AAAAAAAAND...



some wonderful fridge magnets. they got their own picture because they've been on our fridge since they came in the door! bb was beyond excited about them!

so thank you lea! such a thoughtful package full of gifts! i am beyond thrilled!!!

ripple ta-da!

so this may well be the longest it will ever take me to finish a crochet blankie, but the ripple, well it's finally done!!!
i started it wayyyy back in september of '09 and finally got around to putting the finishing touches on it last night while i watched the afl upset of the season. to be honest, i actually thought i was done before the weekend, with just some ends to weave in, when i noticed in the brilliant sunshine of saturday, that i had crocheted the final row in a grey instead of a green (made me realise how terrible the lighting in our lounge room is of a night time!)
i did contemplate leaving it how it was, claiming it to be a design feature, especially because there wasn't a lot of difference in the colour...


but my perfectionist nature got the better of me... i quickly frogged the row, taught bb how to roll it back up into a ball (oh how he will regret learning this skill *evil laugh*) and re-crocheted the row within the football game.

so here it is, all done! with all the ends sewn in and trimmed off! i really think it looks pretty as a picture :D



and my favourite blankie shot! can i trademark it ha ha?




a work in progress, a long time coming. unlike pip, i am not sad to see the end of this blankie, probably because it's all mine and will get plenty of loving from bb and i over many years, but also because there's always another blankie project around the corner...

the ripple journey is mostly here.

july.

another month has flown by, it's july already. and not just the first, it's already the third!
so having a quick look back on june, i got one out of two of those baby gifts done (still waiting on the baby though ha ha!), i got a small amount of decluttering done (my 'crap' box is a little emptier and my kitchen table is a bit more functional) and my ripple? well tune in tomorrow for some news on that!
i also got lea's blankie done! which i and she were both very happy about! it even got to her safe and sound!

and what're the plans for july?
well i need to actually start (and finish) the project that i was planning on thursday as the baby is due early august (though my cousin is convinced it will be earlier...)
i also have a couple of birthday presents that i need to get done which should be easier as i think i'll actually have days off from work this month! huzzah!
definitely more de-cluttering is needed and i also want to work on a hanging feature for above our bed.

i also have grand intentions to get back in the habit. the habit of taking my lunch to work that is... the amount of money bb and i have been spending buying our lunches recently is honestly embarrassing.
though i didn't take my lunch on friday (well i didn't actually eat lunch, but i did buy a handbag... definitely not saving any money there...), i have had a very productive weekend to prepare for the next couple of weeks.




this is saturdays effort, a tandoori chicken and a malaysian curry, portioned up and in the freezer, ready to be popped in bags and taken to work.
i've been busy today too, adding spaghetti bolognaise and beef chow mein to the freezer as well. my poor little freezer is beyond full but there's more than 2 weeks worth of lunches in there for the two of us!

what're your plans for july? are you getting back in the habit?