slow sundays.

since moving back home to the country, i've been trying to really slow down, and savour our new environment.
now that we're a little more settled in that is...

in the week just gone, i got to a wee bit of baking.
i used this recipe to whip up some dinner rolls.



this is the start of the second rise they get, just before they were put in the oven. they ended up quite big! but boy were they delicious!
i'm not sure i cooked them 100% correctly as the texture was a little bit scone-y, but i kinda loved it and bb has already requested that i make it again, and again, and again!

i've been doing a wee bit of travelling to check out the 'local' produce selections.



this little collection came from the grow lightly food hub, about a 25 minute drive from our new digs.
all of their produce is from within 60km of their front door, and is produced with no spraying at all. i was impressed because this wee selection was a little over $20, and has gone a long way with a few pickings from the vegie garden at home to supplement.

i'm looking forward to checking out udder and hoe soon too. it's a wee bit closer to us, and seems to be doing all sorts of great things. i started following them on instagram last week, and there are beautiful photos popping up every couple of days. bliss!

i was invited by my mother in law to set up a little learn to knit and crochet stand at a little youth festival she was organising.



although i didn't really get to teach any students anything (i think they were a bit too timid to approach me) i taught bb a wee bit of crochet, as well as the girlfriends of two of my bro's in law. they all took a few things away which was awesome!
my three bro's in law were also playing live music so it was nice to sit and knit and listen for a couple of hours with nothing else on the agenda!

despite the fact that we're well into april, there are STILL mountains of tomatoes on our vines. i had a really big pick last weekend and while i was focussed on all things red and juicy, i came across this perfectly formed raspberry too!



as well as looking so good, it was the most delicious raspberry i'd ever eaten!
i'm hoping i might come across another few whenever i'm out there, as i found several green ones too.

this mass of tomatoes were turned into a passata type sauce for the pantry. so nice to be preserving this summer glut for later in the year!

after finishing one of the big projects i wanted to get done from the start of the year (will share as soon i can get some photos of it on my not so willing model), i took the opportunity to gleefully start something new! for me!



i cast on a siberia anorak for myself and i feel like it's already flying along! just as well as i can NOT wait to wear it.
we have a sample of it knit up at work and it is the warmest snuggliest jumper ever. like wearing a hug.
and who couldn't use a hug?!

how has your week been?

100 days of creativity - week 7.

days 43-49 saw me finish up a beanie (which i realise, i still haven't gifted to it's intended owner, oops!), and start another project (this one) and work on it while watching a little webinar by yarnhaus...



after getting through the first ball of yarn for my cowl, i also finished up the cutest little pair of shoes (available to buy here!) and started ANOTHER big project (oops!)

what a week!

what have you been creating this week?

100 days of creativity - week 6.

day 36-42 saw me mending a pair of bb's pants, taking a double knitting class, working on a secret crochet project...



finishing my silver swatch (and knitting to gauge, YAHOO!), putting a little more length on the alpaca beanie aaaaaand finishing up my double knitted swatch.
it's such a cool technique and i can't wait to try it in a project!

what are you creating this week? have you ever tried your hand at double knitting?

100 days of creativity - week 5.

days 29-35 saw me working on that little green beanie a bit more, and finishing it! as well as making a start on a new crochet project for work, a little more swatching, and lots of work on the baby blanket...



as well as a finish on the baby blanket, in this photo, there was still lots of ends to be sewn in, but they're all done now. the blankie has also had a block, and is all packaged up ready to be delivered to a sweet little newborn.
i also made a start on another beanie... not for the beanie festival this time, but as a birthday/thank you gift for a friend.

what are you creating this week? anything coming off your needles?

november.

helloooooooooo november. if you could hang around a bit longer than the previous month, that would be REALLY great!
october was pretty freaking manic around here, work-wise and at home too, with the same old story; too much to get done, not enough time!

my goals for october were pretty simple, so i managed to get most of them knocked over quite easily!
the dreaded final red sock is done! my sock plans are slowly on their way, i feel like i've gotten heaps done in the greenery stakes aaaaaaaaaand...



the crocheted blankie i was whinging about not having finished on thursday, it's all done too!
AND up in my shop already as well!

and now, november... i've got a couple of kris kringle presents to work on. and i'd love to finish up my sock plans.
i'd also love to actually get running this month, i haven't pulled on my runners since BEFORE last month. can't believe it's been so long.

what are your plans for this month? are you making some gifts for christmas too?

my creative space.

this week there hasn't been a whole lot going on creativity wise...

just a fairly large amount of this!



i was hoping to get this little gem FINISHED over the weekend. did. not. happen.

the balls i'm working for seem to be never ending, so this has been what i've been up to for the last week...
sometimes accompanied by a cider, or a movie, a big cup of tea or a tv show (i've just finished re-watching the west wing, and started on gilmore girls), or none of those things because i'm in the car!

lots of action for this blanket in any case!

here's hoping i'll have it finished by THIS weekend, as i am SUPER keen to work on something else for a bit!

what have you been working on this week? do you have any balls of wool that just go on forever?

my creative space.

this week, i've been working on a little commission project. i was sent a picture of some wee little baby booties from a school friend, asking if i could recreate them.
i've been working on them in little stretches, over the weekend, and bits and pieces after work too.

the hardest part, not working from a pattern, has been to get the shaping right...
this was my first attempt.



and the shaping is not right at all!
they look super odd, and this was after many attempts too! lots of frogging and re-stitching went into this little finished product and i was still not happy!

so i started over. completely different tact with the way i was putting everything together...



aaaaaaand much happier! it actually looks like a little boot, which was EXACTLY my intention! yahoo!

now to make another to match... and some cute little ties to pretty them up too!

and just as an fyi, i'm using bendigo woollen mills classic in cream and bendigo woollen mills colonial in grey. both held double and hooked up with a 4.5mm hook.

what are you working on at the moment? do you ever make up your own patterns when you're knitting or crocheting?

creatively challenged.

or maybe a more appropriate title would be 'time challenged'...

i signed up for clare's 2nd creative challenge after kicking myself for not signing up for the first. what i didn't take into account though, was a supreme lack of time!!

i had plenty of time to think about what i wanted to do, just not enough to achieve what i wanted to do though...

my two clues were...



a snowflake, and the colour 'wisteria'.
and my mind went one place...



to this amazing little pattern book, full of beautiful lace inspired crocheted patterns (written by this lovely lass) and i've been picturing an 'anya' made up in this purple cotton i have lots of ever since.



should make a perfect christmas present!

do you ever have the absolute best of intentions, and not quite come through with the goods? did you join in with clare's creative challenge?

my creative space.

as always, i have a couple of things on the go this week...

i'm working around and around on this little granny square.



the balls of wool i've been using are definitely not as full as they were when i started, and well, it's grooooooowing!
it's nice to see the changes right before my eyes!

i also started a little something... that i was swatching for last week...



a pair of socks! i so LOVE this colour. so SO much!
i couldn't resist not casting on with the wool once i'd finished my swatch... particularly because i'd borrowed this book from my local library and i was desperate to give the technique a go!

it's going quite well, except for the whole not having sufficient time to knit them!

i also kind of wanted distraction from the blasted red sock... i splashed out and purchased a set of decent dpns, in lots of different sizes so that knitting the remainder of the red sock will be a dream. and well, i thought i could start something new while i waited!

however...



my new needles arrived earlier in the week! so now i have no excuses not to finish up that silly red sock quick sticks!

i also may have picked up a couple of extra things from the online store i purchased the dpns from. new supplies to keep knitting my socks two-at-a-time!

what are you creating at the moment? are you a dpn sock knitter? or a magic loop sock knitter?

tour through blogland.

a couple of weeks ago now, the lovely megan of silver threads of happiness tagged me in her tour through blogland post, and i am so excited to take part!

i've been reading megan's blog for a little while now, after officially finding her on instagram when she started commenting on a few of my pictures.

i'm loving reading about the renovations that megan and her partner are working on at the moment, and all of the crafty little things she gets up to!



and how could you not like someone surrounded by tulips?

anywho, i have some questions to answer about myself...



1) what am i working on?
so many things!!!
i'm knitting up a little red sock! i've finished the top section, and the heel, now to knit the body of the foot and the toe. home stretch basically...
i also started a little crocheted blankie project out of 3 similar looking balls of yarn i grabbed from my stash last night. i was craving something mindless to work on, but with a bit more instant gratification than i'm getting from knitting the aforementioned socks, with their super thin needles and wool! i think i'll keep working this granny square, round and round, until i run out of yarn!
i've got some other sock plans on my mind, but i'm waiting on the right size needles, and a bit of time to whip up some swatches. can't have socks that don't fit!
and i've also got a loaf or two of bread on the go, i'm working on experimenting with my sourdough at the moment, it's equal parts fun and terrifying!



2) how does my work differ from others of its genre?
um, i'm not really sure about this one... i don't really find myself being too competitive or comparative with what i do, and i just do what i do because i love doing it! comparison being the thief of joy and all that, i take inspiration from what others do, but try to rock it in my own way!



3) why do I write/create what i do?
i create what i do because i like to fill my time with making things of value and use. whether it be a loaf of bread to fill a tummy, a scarf or socks to keep someone warm, or a dishcloth to help to keep my house clean. all of which bring a smile to my own face, and hopefully anyone i'm sharing with too!
and i write about what i create mainly ha ha!



4) how does your writing/creating process work?
my mind seems to be always buzzing with ideas, forever inspired by the physical world around me or here in the virtual world. the trickiest thing is finding time to get to creating what i'm thinking of before it flits back out of my head. lists are good for that ha ha!
and lists are also great for keeping my writing on track! i've recently started keeping an editorial calendar for my blog, and it's ensuring that i've got a post planned for most days. i love posting as routinely as i can and keeping to a bit of a schedule. little bit of a control freak ha ha!



and now to introduce my two nominees... well one nominee actually...
i sent out quite a few emails to writers of blogs i love to read, but didn't hear back from lots of people. i get how busy life is though, so i'm rolling with the punches ha ha!

anywho, nominee...
cam is a blogger who i have been reading for just about as long as i have been reading blogs! and i was lucky enough to meet her in real life through a group of melbourne crafty bloggers and now consider her a good friend!
i love cam's creativity and she has a wicked sense of humour! and i love that she is always up for coffee and cake!



Well hi there, my name is Cam.

I'm a Designer, Crafter, Maker, Sometimes blogger, and Obsessed Collector of all manner of weird and wonderful things.
I adore colour and pattern and anything with a bit of vintage style.

keep an eye out for cam's post in the next couple of weeks over at curlypops! and thanks again to megan for the nomination!

sunday snippets.

playing along with {tinniegirl} and her sunday snippets.

a few pictures, and some words, summing up the week that just was.



last weekend, i spent a bit of time cleaning mortar off these 'foraged' bricks to add to my brick retaining walls. they're foraged because i found them in the while ha ha! there are a lot of dumped bricks in the back lane behind our house!

i've been making up these little yoghurt pots to take to work for something sweet after lunch.



a scoop of homemade jam (or lemon curd in this case) a couple of dollops of organic yoghurt and a sprinkling of granola. deeeeeeeelicious.

while i was away this weekend, i attempted the 1000 steps with a couple of my cousins and my auntie. they well and truly beat me up there!



it is a pretty steep climb and i definitely need to do it a bit more often, as i was s-t-ruggling to get up the hill!

to recover, most of the weekend looked like this...



crochet! and knitting of dishcloths for days for girls. there was also wine, and much chatting.
aaaaaaand...



cake! i made this sourdough cake recipe, but substituted the eggs for a little bit more coconut oil and some water to veganise it up!
it was super yummy!

what have you been up to this weekend? have you done the 1000 steps?