Monday, June 30, 2014

meal planning monday.

back to work today after my little farm holiday, so best get back into the swing of meal-planning too!

bb and i had a bit of a grocery session on saturday, and a wee cook up yesterday so we are SET for lunches for a little while AND the freezer is well stocked with lots of yummy food to cook!



tonight, i'll pop a roast chicken in the oven as soon as i get home from work. lots of vegies. maybe some gravy? yum!

tomorrow night, i'm off to my first ballet lesson! i'm so excited! and i'm more excited because bb is going to cook! chicken and leek soup, using the leftover chicken (and carcass) from tonight. 1 chicken, many meals. love it! i'm hoping to have some bread ready to bake so he can do that too!

wednesday, i'll use up some of the last of the roast pork stash in the freezer and whip up jamie's pork ragu. it'll go nicely with some toasted leftover bread from last night.

thursday night, i'll throw this pasta dish together. hopefully. i've mentioned it in a few meal planning posts but it hasn't happened yet. maybe this week will be the week!

friday night, i'm working late. this week, instead of making the slow-cooker do the hard work, bb will be on the task. again! roasted salmon fillets. with a few chippies and some braised cabbage and bacon (bb bought 38093248 cabbages while i was away to make a big batch of chow mein. we will be eating cabbage for weeks!). should be delicious!

the saturday just gone, bb and i whipped up some home-made burgers to satisfy our weekend junk food cravings. this weekend, i think home-made pizzas will be on the cards. can't wait!

sundays, bb and i are aiming to do a little bit of a cook up, setting us up for lunches for the week ahead. this week, bb will be in charge of a big batch of pad thai. super excited as it's definitely one of my favourites. yum!

what are you eating this week? do you batch cook so you have leftovers for lunches? what is your favourite thing to make a big batch of?

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

today.

today i've been on holidays for a week.



today i'm back home after driving a friend to a hospital in town. i'm waiting for the call to let me know he's all done and ready to go home.



today i'm catching up. on episodes of masterchef and unread blog posts. the internet on the farm is not the greatest so i'm taking full advantage of the bandwidth while i'm home.



today i'm trying to take one thing at a time. and to get out of my head about all of the things i WANT to get done while i'm off from work. my own expectations of what i should be getting done are kind of driving me batty.



today i'm regretting taking all of my tea to the farm with me. it's a horrible day outside and it's the perfect weather for a big mug of tea!



today i cast on the second sock for my cousin. i finished the other last night and didn't want to linger with the second. no second sockitis happening over here thanks!

what are you up to today?

Friday, June 20, 2014

finally framed up!

today is my second full day on the farm and i'm slowly SLOWLY ticking things off the mental to-do list that i want to get done while i'm down here.

first up...



was to fill this frame, with this!
i finished up the stitching in january but it has taken me until NOW to get it in a frame.
and let's not talk about how long i've had this frame waiting for me to put something in it... *cough*21st gift*cough*



but now it's done! and off the to-do list!

now i wonder how long it will take me to get it on the wall ha ha!

next up off the list... planting my cherry tree and finishing my cape, maybe by this time tomorrow... we'll see!

what is on your mental to-do list at the moment? have you ever framed a cross stitch piece?

Monday, June 16, 2014

not meal planning monday.

normally, on a monday, i'm sitting down to write a meal plan for the week...
not today though!



today, i took a little drive to the bendigo woollen mills, to explore their backroom.

now i have about a zillion knitting ideas floating in my brain!

thankfully i'm heading down to the farm this week and will have LOTS of knitting time!

and as for dinner... pizza has been ordered! oops!

what are your food plans for the week? have you ventured to the bendigo backroom?

Thursday, June 12, 2014

my creative space.

this week, after deciding not to work on my socks for a bit, i thought i might spend my couple of days off working on my cape.



this cape is knitting up SO nicely! i LOVE it!

i'm really excited to keep doing each row, even though at over 450 stitches they take a while, because i want to SEE what those cables are up to next!



i think i might need to invest in a longer interchangeable cable though as it isn't sitting as nicely as i would like, it's a bit bunched up!

though not bunched up enough for me to stop throwing it around my shoulders every few rows...



i can't wait to get it finished, as i want to see what it will look like in this beautiful wool... but also because it will be so warm and cosy!

what are you creating at the moment?

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

green love.

a bit more noticing happening this week...

noticing a little friend on the bush next to the front door.



can you see him?
he was inhabiting the little watering can on my front step, but i thought he'd enjoy himself more on this plant.

while i was out the front, i also noticed the first flower of my grape hyacinth.



the shoots popped up ages ago now... so it's nice to finally see some pretty flowers.

i was walking home the other day, coming in through the backyard, when i noticed how much the jasmine back there has GROWN!



a few months ago now, bb gave both this plant, and the one growing out the front, a massive trim. and both plants have responded like all creepers seem too, grow like crazy!
i love it!

to be truthful, the thing that caught my eye was the BACK view...



i love that all this jasmine is growing through the fence and into the back lane... the ivy on the adjoining fence, and my passionfruit vine on the opposite side are doing the exact same thing! greening up fences is so fun!

what are you noticing in your patch at the moment? do you like to cover boring fences in greenery too?

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

we're not friends.

today, my sock knitting and i are NOT friends...
well i have nothing against the socks really, but those needles. we're keeping our distance after this morning...



you see this morning, i dropped my car off for some repairs, and upon jumping into the taxi to head home, i jumped ONTO my knitting bag.

two knitting needles, right in my leg.

the poor taxi man didn't know what to do when i sat down and started swearing and looked to be on the verge of tears!

thankfully, i did not have a lot planned except from knitting. guess i'll be knitting on my cape rather than the socks though ha ha!

have you ever injured yourself with your craft supplies?

Monday, June 9, 2014

meal planning monday.

gosh, i won't lie, i have been absolutely useless at sticking to my meal plans the last couple of weeks... late nights at work for bb, and unplanned meals with friends and family have had it in a shambles...
maybe i should rename these post meal guide monday ha ha!

maybe we'll have better luck this week!



tonight, i think i'll get bb to organise dinner. it's a public holiday here in victoria, so he has the day off. i am however working... bringing home the bacon!

tomorrow night, i'll whip up something delicious as i have the day off from work... a slow cooked one pot beef ragu? topped with potato? sounds pretty perfect to me!

wednesday is craft night this week! i've been looking forward to it since last time! can't wait!

thursday night i'll grab some sausages out of the freezer, and make up some meatballs! i haven't made them for ages (last time i had them planned, they never happened...) and all i seem to want to eat at the moment is PASTA, think it must be the cold weather...

friday night i'm working late. i never got around to the satay chicken last week as i went and had lunch with my mum instead! it was awesome, but i didn't have time to get anything in the slow cooker! this week i should be right ha ha!

i'm working this weekend so i'll leave bb in charge in the kitchen. i've got my fingers crossed for a bolognaise, it's been ages since he's cooked up a batch!

what are you eating this week? are you craving pasta too?

Sunday, June 8, 2014

sunday snippets.

i'm joining in with tinniegirl today with her sunday snippets...

i'm adding in some words though, because i can't resist sharing a story (or 5)...

roller skating.



not going to lie, i had a very sore behind not long after i took this snap. the ground and i had a very sudden and rude meeting when i tried to roll from asphalt to concrete.
i'm super keen to get back on the skates though, hopefully this weekend!

he's staked his claim...



on the blankie that isn't even CLOSE to being finished yet! suuuuuuuuch a #jerkcat!

foggy foggy fog fog.



pulled out of my driveway to this on monday morning... most definitely DID want to turn around and go back to bed ha ha!

a mid-week cocktail and magazine.



i was in the city for a work meeting and decided to take advantage of the location... a quick trip to here for the magazine, and then a cheeky cocktail while i waited for bb to finish work. it was lovely!

and finally, a snap from our trip to sydney last weekend...



couldn't resist the opportunity for a snap out the front of the opera house, the harbour bridge in the background, getting my knit on. so cool!

pop over and share your sunday snippets with tinniegirl!

Friday, June 6, 2014

lush love.

looking around at the little clusters of beauty products around the house, in the shower, on my dresser, in the medicine cabinet, i noticed the other day, that everything is getting a little black and white...



with every product i buy, my love for this brand grows and grows!
i love that their products are made fresh, and have an expiry as well as the name of the person that made them.
i love that their packaging is no frills, and non-virgin (meaning that they're made from recycled products) and that they look, well cool.
i also love that they smell amazing! and leave my skin feeling super nice and silky and smooth.



while bb and i were up in sydney, i picked up a few more new (to me) products...
the ultrabland cleanser, which is a cleanser you apply and remove, WITHOUT water, is kind of blowing my mind.
i am known to be very lazy when i'm on my way to bed, i KNOW i should be washing my face before climbing into bed. washing off the day and all that. but generally the last thing i want to do is splash my sleepy self all over with water (no doubt cold, our plumbing is terrible and old!), and get all woken up again!
the ultrabland cleanser solves that problem, it goes straight on, and then is wiped off with a cotton pad or warm flannel (i run one under as hot a water as i can stand, and then wring the living daylights out of it).
it's also super effective at getting rid of make up! i was wearing bright red lip stain the other day, gone in no time! loving it!



the other product i picked up, was the toothy tabs.
they're little tablets that you crunch up with your front teeth, and use instead of toothpaste!
they sounds a bit weird, but they work just as well as toothpaste out of a tube, but without the used tube of toothpaste ending up in landfill!
they come packaged in easily recyclable cardboard, too simple!

oh and don't even get me started on the dream cream... or that eye cream actually, or any other product to be honest. i love them all!

do you love lush? what are your favourite of their products?


EDIT: i realise this post sounds a bit sponsor-y... but it's not sponsored. i've bought all these products with my own coin (with the exception of the shower gel, that was a christmas gift from bb's brother and sister in law. it smells DIVINE by the way). i just seriously adore these products!

Thursday, June 5, 2014

my creative space.

this week, not surprisingly, i've been getting my knit on...



though not on the cape i posted about on tuesday... i've decided to keep that for days when i am at home, and can give it the full attention it needs and deserves!

so in the mean time, i've been swatching... and then washing and blocking said swatch... sounds completely unlike me no?

well i am having another crack at the socks for my lovely cousin...



i decided the previous one was far too small, after my cousin sent me her foot measurements. it was what i had suspected all along!
i'm not going to lie, i'm a bit scared i might be going in the other direction with this one, and that it might be too big... but i'll finish it i guess and see what happens...

better to be too big than too small right?

how do you go getting knitted socks to fit? what are you creating this week?

Wednesday, June 4, 2014

green love.

i can't help but feel like, at this time of the year, i'm doing a lot more noticing in the garden, than actually doing...

like noticing these little guys popping up their heads.



i planted four beans in this box out the front, and have a way better success rate than the ones i planted in the backyard, 3/4 in comparison with 1/4.
seeds are funny, fickle things.

my pineapple doesn't seem to be minding this change of weather at all...



it looks as though it's grown quite a bit since here. love being able to track things like this with my blog!

i'm also noticing how few leaves are left on trees everywhere...



it truly is winter now!
i've got plans to take this little guy down to the farm with me later in the month.
i've got the perfect position ready, i'll just keep my fingers crossed for a little sunshine to get to digging a hole big enough to fit it in!
after 7 or so years cooped up in this pot, it's well and truly time to let this cherry tree do it's thing in the ground!

what's growing in your patch at the moment? what changes are you noticing?

Tuesday, June 3, 2014

testing, testing...

so those test knits i've been banging on about for what seems like months?
today's the day i'll actually share!!



the rubus patterns are what i have been testing and testing!
the patterns are written by the clever sandy holdaway of purplepurlz and features a lovely lace pattern which is dead easy to whip up, and looks superb!



i knit up two beanies, one in a chunky style forest green wool that i picked up from the bendigo woollen mills back room way back when, and another in the leftover 10 ply from bb's jumper (also from bendigo, but from their luxury range).



being that i had heaps of wool leftover from the green hat (i bought 3 and a bit balls originally i think), i cast on a cowl to match!
i did manage to run out of wool though, and made the cowl a bit skinnier than the pattern stated.



all three patterns really benefited from a really good block!
the hats i soaked and blew up a balloon inside of them to really stretch out the lace and create a beautiful drape (particularly in the 10 ply version, the chunky hat was still quite solid), while the cowl i pinned onto a couple of towels laid out on the ironing board.



the pattern is now available for purchase, the hat and the cowl and would be a fantastic challenge for an advanced beginner! the pattern features full photographic instructions of the trickier stitches that you might not have come across before, i had no idea what i was doing before i started ha ha!

i've now started on a different test knit too, you can never have too many things on the go you know?



this time i'm testing for this lady, a cabled cape!
being that i haven't done a lot of cable knitting... the results are coming out quite well. very good and thorough instructions are the key i think!
i have to make sure i'm in the right frame of mind to work on this one though, lots of intricate detail means it's very easy for me to make mistake!
i feel like i'm learning heaps of stuff about cable with this project though, and it's giving me a lot more confidence to use them.

are you a confident cable knitter? have you knitted up the rubus hat or cowl?

Monday, June 2, 2014

meal planning monday.

monday, monday, time for a meal plan!



tonight, i'm going to roast up some salmon fillets. salad. chips. perfection.

tomorrow night, i'll whip up some of jamie's slow-roasted pork ragu. should go perfectly with some pasta. yum!

i'll be in the city for a work meeting on wednesday, so i might grill up some steaks when i get home. serve them up with chips and steamed vegies. quick and easy and delicious. that's assuming bb and i don't stop somewhere on our way home for dinner ha ha!

thursday night, i might put together another jamie meal, sweet pea fish pie this time.

friday, i'll be working and therefore slow cooking. i think i'll whip up satay chicken again. i didn't actually eat any of it last week, but bb said it was delicious so i'm a bit keen to try it for myself ha ha!

saturday night, i'll leave open, i'm not sure of our plans at this stage! maybe we'll got out, and if not, i'll try for this recipe again. we ended up catching up with some friends last minute last week. it was awesome!

sunday night, i might put together some of jamie's crispy pork tacos. lots of jamie recipes this week, but it should really help to get through all the leftover roast meats in our freezer ha ha!

who writes your favourite recipes to cook with? what are you eating this week?

Sunday, June 1, 2014

june.

it is halfway through the year and it still feels like january! well it doesn't weather-wise, but you know what i mean...
where has the first HALF of this year gone?

my main goals this month were to finish off projects that i was halfway through as well as get some beanies sent off to the beanie festival...
i sent off 7 beanies to the festival (albeit a little late... different due dates on the entry form and website had me totally confused, but hopefully they get there safe and sound!). i actually had 9 ready to go, but sold one on instagram as i was knitting it and gifted another to bb's mum! at least i get to know they'll DEFINITELY be enjoyed!
the other projects i wanted to get finished were a cowl i was test knitting (which has been released, so i'll share in the next few days) and this beauty! there was also mention of some sock knitting, which hasn't happened at all! i haven't even touched them!

i was also hoping to get a few seeds planted and growing which hasn't happened either... these short days are kicking my butt a bit!



i also got busy on a blankie like georgie's too!

june is going to be an interesting month for me, as i am taking almost two WHOLE weeks off from work! my parents are off adventuring and i am farm sitting for them! i am super excited!! two weeks of no work responsibilities and lots of farm time!
the only down side is that my mum won't be there ha ha!

i have grand intentions of doing LOTS of knitting, gardening and baking! and little else except for looking after the animals.

oops, except spinning! i also intend to give that a crack!
bb gifted me a spindle for christmas and i have barely touched it. i feel like this is a skill i really need to give myself some real mental space to be able to have a good crack at it. i see myself getting SUPER frustrated with it if i'm feeling rushed or distracted!

what are you plans for june? are you in shock about the fact that it's june too?