craftymum

Three Thirty Magazine for Kids!

2011-11-29T13:09:00.002+11:00

Just an unashamed plug for Three Thirty Magazine!
Please check it out, (title is the link) it's a kids magazine, for primary school aged boys and girls.
It's a great alternative to any of the magazines currently available for kids.

There is Something Very Wrong With This Picture

2010-02-06T11:26:00.003+11:00

I mean apart from the poor resolution (mobile phone camera again, one of these days I'll have to get a half decent camera.)

I am so embarrassed it took me so long to notice, and SO glad I decided to keep this one for myself.

Made N Thornbury

2009-12-08T15:08:00.004+11:00

Not that I'm trying to rub it in or anything, but did you realise that there are only 17 sleeps until Christmas? That's not very many is it?

This Saturday is the Made N Thornbury community market, you should go and check it out, there are going to be heaps of lovely things, and some bloggers you might already know.

I know I'll be trying to squeeze in some last minute Christmas shopping, in between holding a stall myself.... some Mums from school and I are holding a stall at the market to raise funds for our kids' school.

Below is a couple of the things I have made for the stall, but there will be heaps of other stuff. In my haste to get this post written up I haven't got any other photos to show you... you'll just have to come to the market and see what a clever bunch of friends I am so lucky to have.

Brisbane Ranges National Park

2009-08-25T13:12:00.003+10:00

Need a not very far away from Melbourne day trip in the bush?
Brisbane Ranges National Park.

Wildflowers are out now; some sort of prickly grevillea, happy wanderer, little pea flowers, and the heath is so, so pretty. Didn't get a picture of the heath though.

Laugh, Cry or Applaud? Quotes from the eight year old.

2009-08-20T13:24:00.003+10:00

"It isn't TV that kills kid's imaginations dead, it's school."

"How many years do you have to go to university to be a Mum?"

Busy

2009-08-02T10:48:00.005+10:00

Just in case you are wondering where I've been.

Show and Tell

2009-05-21T13:00:00.004+10:00

Little vest for littlest Monkey, made using my homespun, dyed with food colouring. It's my second version, I've written down what I did, but I still think it needs some changes if I were to make it again. It's made in the round from the bottom up, there is no seaming at the end. If anyone is interested I'll try and put up the pattern, it's a size four, and the gauge is bulky.

Meanwhile my obsession with eco dying continues:

Iron Bark

Eucalyptus Cinerea

Before and After

2009-04-25T10:43:00.014+10:00

Unwrapping the bundles is the fun bit.

Lemon leaves, vine leaves, mirror bush?, bougainvillea?, red berries.

Flowering gum, two different natives from the nature strip.

Seed pods from the nature strip.

Fallen eucalyptus leaves, she-oak?, lilly pilly?

Grevillea, correa flowers and leaves, native bluebell, native mint, two different gum leaves.

Close up of the lemon leaves, one of my favourite results.

The colours are a little less washed out looking in the flesh. Click on the photos for a closer view. I need to brush up on my botanical knowledge! Any hints or tips on formatting photos?

Eco Adventure

2009-04-24T10:12:00.007+10:00

No, I'm not talking about riding in a jet plane, paying out heaps of dosh for the privilege and going trekking in some wilderness far, far, away, but something much more exciting.

I was trying to make that sound ridiculous, expensive, wasteful and uncomfortable; I've completely failed and instead think I've almost convinced myself that a wilderness trek far, far away could be just the thing....

I digress, what I'm actually talking about is eco-dying. I have dabbled in dying a bit before now, with commercial synthetic dyes, food colouring and natural plant materials (no link here, it was WAY before my blogging days), but my interest has been reinvigorated by a book, Eco Colour written by India Flint.

I also have a book on natural dying, which has less pretty pictures but is a hundred times easier to read, and much thinner, I can't find any links to it. My quarrel with this book, is the use of (mostly) toxic mordants which I am unwilling to keep about my house, so the methods India Flint use are much more appealing. I greatly admire India's work, and love the pretty pictures in her book, but I wouldn't necessarily recommend it as an enjoyable read, it certainly contains lots of information, but you have to work really hard to decipher it.

So, between India Flint's book, the book I own, and my own knowledge I've started experimenting with fervour. I have found this dying bizzo is much easier to do in short 15 minute bursts of time then the sewing caper, which I'm finding practically impossible to keep up with.

My apologies to any readers who aren't interested in this kind of thing, but I'm planning to use this blog as my journal for my eco-dying experimentation. Not solely, it's just convenient for me.

So here are my first attempts, based on India Flint's bundling method, on bamboo and calico, no mordants were used, I was hoping something used in the finishing of the fabrics would act as mordant, these pieces were new and unwashed. The basic method here is to place your plant material on your fabric, tightly roll it up and secure it, (I used cotton twine) steam for 30 minutes and leave it to go cold before unwrapping. This method has two purposes, it can give a beautiful eco-print, (a term which I believe was coined by India Flint) and an indication of the dye potential of the plant material used.

This piece is a bamboo/lycra blend, the leaves used were vine leaves that had just turned red, the colour is a beautiful pink, definitely planning more experiments with the vine leaves.
This one is a bunch of eucalyptus leaves and gum nuts on 100% bamboo fabric, complete failure in terms of colour, but look at the beautiful embossing!
Lesson: try pre mordant next time.

This is the same eucalyptus I used on the bamboo, this time on silk, the silk yarn was the only silk I had at the time, and I was feeling impatient. As you can see the eucalyptus has given a light golden brown to the silk, and you can even see a faint eco-print of the leaves, which will of course be lost when I use the yarn.

Above and below are the smashing method, on calico. I am very pleased with these first results. I used geranium petals and the vine leaves in various states of colour change. The petals and leaves were sandwiched between the fabric and banged with a hammer. That simple. I'm pretty sure this method won't take to heavy laundering, but as India Flint points out in her book, you can always do it again, once it has faded.

How cute is this flower press? (op shop find, for the kids, but kind of really for me)
The flowers, we found already pressed inside, note the blue flower, which I -think- is love in the mist? anyone? It has retained it's colour beautifully. I'm planning to try some smashing with blue flowers.

My conclusions from these early results, and there were others (salt turned those eucalyptus leaves to a dark steely grey) was that I needed to get my hands on some silk and wool. (Which take dye much more easily.) I mustn't be the only one scouring the op-shops for white silk and wool, because it is very, very difficult to find, and when you do the article is often too beautiful to cut up. Eventually I found a suitably hideous silk skirt and old pair of woollen long Johns*....

Here are my silk/wool samples bundled up with all sorts of stuff, in the steamer. I had to wait all night to open up these bundles, the suspense was killing me, and since this post is already way too long, I'll show you the results another day, can you bear it?

*Sometimes when using recycled, or used materials, invisible stains become visible with dying so the first thing I did with these was cut out the crotch, because despite the appeal of India Flint's less conventional methods, there are some stains I am JUST NOT willing to embroider around.

Happy

2009-03-23T10:38:00.002+11:00

I've been tagged by Janet for this.

Here are the rules…

Link to the person who gave you the award. If you want.

Post the rules on your blog.

List six things that make you happy.

Tag six people at the end of your post and link to them.

Let each person know they’ve been tagged and leave a comment on their blog.

Let the person who awarded you know when your entry is up.

"Now I'm going to skip the whole family and big things that I'm grateful for like a house and job, and not living somewhere we could be bombed etc. Let's just take those things for granted eh? I'm going to list the little things, the small joys..."

The above is copied from Janet, and I just want to say, ditto.

1. Lying on the grass on a not too hot, not too cold, probably autumn day, with the sun on my face.
2. Having a whole day to myself to make and potter and do whatever I want, or do nothing and not feel guilty.
3. Reading a book cover to cover, in one go without stopping.
4. Eating food I haven't had to prepare myself.
5. Quiet.
6. Filling a bag up with rubbish. Really. Op-shopping also gets filed under this one. I get all exasperated at my littlest Monkey who loves nothing more than to fill up a bag of bits and pieces of rubbish, but I think I know who she inherited that little habit from....

Tag yourself if you feel like doing this. It does feel good to think about the little things that make you happy.

This is What I've Been Up to

2009-03-17T21:45:00.011+11:00

Because I know you are all dying to see a glimpse of the chaos, I didn't bother with a nice backdrop. This is my latest idea, winter weight peaked caps, unisex.
Below is some of what is in the shop;

Little girls apron.

Boys shirt, made from a vintage (unused) pillowslip.

Man shirt, vintage fabric.

Horsey skirt.

Spotty dress, (SOLD, YAY!) and a glimpse of some of other people's stuff.

Photography is not my strong point.

My Boy Likes School

2008-08-13T11:42:00.003+10:00

Yesterday, as I was driving home past the boy monkey's school after a fairly normal (ie. fairly traumatic) supermarket shopping trip with two girl monkeys, I realised I had exactly one hour to go home, get the girls out of the car, get the shopping out of the car, unpack the shopping, then get the girls back in the car* and be back at school to pick up the boy monkey. Why not just pick up the boy early?

I'll tell you why not. Because he will cry, and it will break my heart, and I will feel so guilty I will let him stay, and I will have to admit to his teacher I lied on the early release form, and then I will have to come back to school less then an hour later, and it will be icy cold and pouring with rain. That's why not.

*Sound easy? It's not.

TOTALLY UNRELATED CUTE STORY

The littlest monkey was wearing a skirt the other day, and she told me it was so she could do a skirtsy.

Still Here

2008-07-20T14:36:00.002+10:00

I'd been promising to make the girl monkeys one of these each for months, five days at my parents house in the school holidays finally gave me the opportunity, they chose the fabrics themselves from my mother's scraps. Turned out OK I think, my satin stitch is a bit tight on the nose, also for the hems I just turned up once and used zig zag, so I only had to stitch once. I'm lazy. I think it's fine for things like dolls clothes though. The other one has a red bow, and clothes in blue, white and a floral. She also has a mouth drawn with yellow highlighter.

Yet another birthday party to attend, so I tweaked the hello kitty pattern and made this:
It was one of those I can quickly whip this up before the party type affairs. I couldn't. We are still waiting for the opportunity to give her to the birthday girl.

A Little Bit of Nothing

2008-06-14T10:29:00.004+10:00

Last year for our anniversary, my husband and I celebrated by going out for tea.

Our friend and his girlfriend baby sat for us.

As we pulled into the driveway, I noticed a cucumber lying in the foot well of the car. It had fallen out of the shopping bags earlier in the day. I was now faced with a dilemma, take the cucumber in, which might look pretty weird, or leave it in the car where I wouldn't be bothered to get it later and it would be rotten by the next day, as it was summer.

If I was to take the cucumber in, should I explain myself? Or would that just draw attention to it? I didn't want to be drawn into a potentially embarrassing conversation about why I might think it was unusual to be seen carrying in a cucumber on our wedding anniversary night. I could just imagine myself blushing bright red as I said, "It fell out of the shopping...."

So I decided to just take the cucumber in, which I did, and I tried to be inconspicuous and nonchalant about it, just casually placed it on the kitchen table like it was a normal thing to do. Did they see?

We would have been quite happy to sit and chat with our friends for a while before they went home, only shortly after the polite amount of conversation about whether or not the monkeys had given them any trouble, our friend said, "Well, we'd better go and let you get on with your celebrations...."

Was it my imagination or did he say that in a slightly pointed way? I badly wanted to explain the presence of the cucumber, and not that I care what other people do but it wasn't included in any further celebratory plans, only what if they hadn't noticed? What if that hadn't even occurred to them? So I let it go, and I still don't know.

I wonder what sort of night they had?

Winner!

2008-05-27T14:19:00.002+10:00

I recently stumbled upon a blog, the day of a giveaway, and guess what? I won!

How lucky am I? I won some vintage fabric from the fabulous and generous Cintia at My Poppet, and as you can see, I've already used some.

I've also been to visit Cintia's little shop, and if you are over that side of town it is well worth a visit, the shop is gorgeous.

Quickie

2008-05-20T12:25:00.001+10:00

Quick, first person to go here and leave a comment gets a bar of the best soap ever.

And I promise, there will be some blogging over here again very soon.

The Wisdom of a Two and Four Months Year Old

2008-05-01T13:57:00.003+10:00

"My have a little spider up my nose. My getting it out."

"Amimals do wees on the garss. Amimals do wees and poos on the garss. Ephelants do wees and poos on the garss?"

"Wroo have a fat tummy have wroo? Wroo have a fat tummy, wroo have." Mad giggling.
"Let me have a look at wrour fat tummy, that's funny." More mad giggling.
"Wroo have a big button."

"Yes, my don't."

"My like biting. My want to bite." (Said after being removed from the action for biting her big brother.)

"Just one more... just all of it." (Said while eating chocolate, I know how you feel darlin'.)

Easter Camping Trip

2008-03-26T15:29:00.004+11:00

As I lay on the precipice of my under inflated camping mattress, not quite warm, pillow hijacked by the toddler, I became aware of a sound in the distance. A high pitched whine of engines.

In my midnight delirium I thought, "The fucking bogans are out riding their dirt bikes in the dark."

It was audible beyond the moans of my diarrhoea stricken husband, beyond the rowdy singing of the group of drunken campers on the other side of the dried up creek bed. The creek bed just behind our tent where lay the rotting sheep carcass. The sheep carcass which lay just beyond the large communal garbage bins, the bins which which were situated just next to our tent and the pool of vomit my son had produced earlier.

I quietly congratulated myself on the ideal location of our tent.

Morning found me feeling decidedly nauseous and upon my first journey to the toilet block, I heard the damned engine sound again. All was revealed, the fucking bogans hadn't been riding their dirt bikes in the dark, they were playing video games.

It was supposed to be a bush camping trip. It was supposed to have included such things as campfires, quiet, bush sounds and feelings of bonhomie or at the very least bonmothernaturie. It was supposed to be fun. It wasn't supposed to have included gastro. I couldn't even eat my Easter chocolate.

In-Laws

2008-03-18T12:21:00.005+11:00

I just thought of a very good reason why Washington D.C. could have been an extremely attractive option.

Update on Washington D.C.; it's not going to happen.

Ooooh! and I have a meme, I've seen it around, it's the book one, where according to my old friend Cocktails I open the book I am currently reading at page 123, skip the first five sentences and share the following three.

At first, like Cocktails I thought I would have to do the book I last read (Which was The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, it's good.) Only then I remembered I am sort of in the middle of a book, Captain Underpants and The Perilous Plot of Professor Poopypants the Fourth Epic Novel by Dav Pilkey, so like Cocktails my selection is also, and for completely different reasons a children's book.

Page 123, brings us right into The Incredibly Graphic Violence Chapter (in Flip-O-Rama)

"While you are flipping, be sure you can see the picture on page 127 and the one on page 129.
If you flip quickly, the two pictures will start to look like one animated picture.

Don't forget to add your own sound-effects!"

A little background on my friend Cocktails:

I first met her in kinder (or prep) where we became fast friends and I taught her to play doll house in the dirt with a twig of pine needles and a few sticky up tree roots. Sadly she moved schools soon after, and it wasn't until high school that we were reunited with each other.

I think the only time I ever cheated in school, was off Cocktails, and it was in a music test, in year 8. I was musically deprived, particularly where popular music was concerned, my childhood was pretty much devoid of any secular music, lest I become possessed by the devil or something. Anyway to demonstrate my pitiful music knowledge I will tell you what the answer I read from Cocktails' test was; Michael Jackson.

I love to check in on her wild, child free life, though I admit all that music talk still goes over my head, though I'd still be just as happy to receive a mix-tape from her. (I wonder if she still does those?)

We lead completely different lives, far, far apart, and yet somehow we remain friends. Perhaps the next time we are reunited* it will be in a nursing home. I hope so.

I mean, if I do end up in a nursing home, wouldn't it be nice if she was there?

*Visits don't count.

MATTEL Eat Your Evil Heart Out

2008-03-12T11:23:00.003+11:00

You Learn Something New Everyday

2008-02-27T12:05:00.002+11:00

In the case of last Sunday, I learnt a new word.

Vaginormous.

Courtesy of the lovely and very talented Kirsty, you can read more about our adventure over here at Stompergirl's place.

H&B knows what we were talking about.

The Ship's Cat

2008-02-22T16:14:00.002+11:00

Here is my Pointy Kitty, a free download! How could anyone resist making one of these?
This particular kitty is for a four year old boy, he likes pirates.

Also, thankyou to knit, crochet, stich, stick for giving me a "You make my day" award. Ta mate.

Tooth Fairy! You're Fired! (again)

2008-01-30T13:09:00.000+11:00

I don't know what it is about the Tooth Fairy. She just doesn't like visiting our house. I can't understand it, night after night she forgets.

After the first tooth, it took her five days to remember, that's right FIVE days. Useless. The next tooth, she forgot again, several times.

Third tooth was her last chance. She failed, so we had to give her the sack and don't tell me under the circumstances you wouldn't have done the same. I graciously took up her duties, as the teeth continued to fall out, I coughed up the required gold coin there and then, on the spot, in the cold hard light of day. Good system, I thought.

Only it's much more exciting to get the coin under your pillow, or so I'm told.

So, we decided to give the Tooth Fairy one more go.

It's exactly seven days since the latest tooth fell out. SEVEN DAYS. Tooth Fairy still hasn't come. How can you forget for SEVEN days in a row? How? Again I say how?

Bad fairy.

Read as Much as You Like Between the Lines, You are Probably Right

2008-01-01T13:50:00.000+11:00

Well, it turned out we moved before Christmas, not after. This was immediately followed by an in-law Christmas visit, and then actual Christmas spent at my parents house, a longish drive away. Not good timing for Monkeys. Monkeys were little nightmares. I got sick, stayed in bed for two days. I have never done that since I became a mother. Pity I was sick or I might have enjoyed it. Lucky I was at my Mum's house, and Husband looked after Monkeys.

Did I mention this was the 6th move in 6 years?

Oh yes, and I spent Christmas eve nit-combing the Monkey's hair.

I ended up having to do that last minute Christmas shopping thing at night at a shopping centre.

So, we didn't go camping after-all, as predicted by me it was crazy talk, the Monkeys were too unsettled.

So, Christmas is over, Thank God for that. We are back in our little house, and it's OK.

I have finally got my way over cutting the bunk in two. Just turned two is too little to be climbing up and down bunks. It took a skull fracture to get Husband to do the deed, but there you go. Now I am working on convincing Husband that a cubby house that's floor starts two metres from the ground is a very bad idea. Wish me luck, I need it.

The littlest Monkey is fine, she has a very sore head, the fracture didn't cause any other damage, and it hasn't moved, so no treatment is necessary. I just have to try and keep her from climbing too much, so she dosen't fall again. We are very, very lucky.

Oh, and I may be a little thin on the ground as far as blog posts go for the rest of January, but don't worry, I'll be back.

Wordless Wednesday

2007-12-12T12:01:00.000+11:00

Love Thy Neighbour

2007-12-05T11:04:00.000+11:00

There have been whispers going around that we are moving house, and it is true. It is sad because we will miss our neighbours, not the ones with the barking dog, these lovely ones. We will be moving just after Christmas. I hate moving. There is some good news though, we are moving back to our little house which we own, which means no more renting. Have I mentioned that we are renting?The silly season is upon us and I have been trying to avoid buying too much plastic rubbish for gifts. To this end I have been to The Reverse Art Truck, and bought a whole garbage bag full of actual rubbish. It's great! This kind of place is my idea of a good time, the tip shop is pretty good too. I got the idea from a clever friend of mine, the idea is to make up art boxes as gifts, filled with sticky backed foam shapes, shiny paper, sticky paper and that sort of thing.

I have also stolen the same friend's idea (told you she's clever) for adult Christmas gifts, and am going to screen print some tea towels using the children's hands as templates. Inspiration? This screen printing on the cheap tutorial, and this quilt by the talented Tanya. I was going to do the whole family of hands as chooks, but they won't fit on the tea towel, so it'll just be three little chooks. (Chook=Chicken.)

Moving on, a recent birthday party prompted me to have a go at a little girls dress, testing the waters, to see if I think I would really like to sew all day for a little money.

The fabric was in the cupboard already, it was meant to be for some clothes for a rag doll, but I hadn't got around to it for five years, so....
Pattern? Just some rectangles.

We still haven't put up a Christmas tree.

2007-11-17T12:08:00.001+11:00

So, my life drawing class was cancelled, and I bought a little sketch pad.

I found this apron at The Op Shop, it's for me because I like it, only I think it's so cute I can't bear to use it. Ideas for the cherry tablecloth feature on the next page in the sketch pad. I have forbidden myself from entering any op-shops for at least a month, because it is clear that I have become an Underpants Gnome.

Well, a buying shitloads of stuff at the op shop gnome anyway.

Thankyou Ebay!

2007-11-15T10:57:00.001+11:00

It is with immense pleasure that I present to you:

The witticisms, I'll leave up to you.

Me Piles (of books)

2007-10-24T20:03:00.000+10:00

A little while ago, Fairlie issued a challenge to show her our piles.

I don't actually do a lot of reading, but once upon a time I was very bookish, so I always look at everyone's bookish blogs/posts and book memes with a little wistfulness.

I cannot put a book down half way through, I won't do it. I don't want to. I want to find out what happens goddammit! Unless it's a history book or something... I am halfway through "The Fatal Shore" by Robert Hughes, I will finish it one day.

The fact is I transform into a total bitch to the outside world if I am lost in a book. Not a good look when the baby wakes up from her nap. Theoretically I could read at night but then there is still the problem of putting the book down...even with my collection of P. G. Wodehouse's short stories, it doesn't work. Just one more story. I do need sleep. You get the picture.

So, this is beginning to get very long winded, the point is these piles are not my reading pile by the side of the bed, they are; firstly the top layer of the box of books that until last week had remained packed from when we moved in, and secondly, the pile of books on my husband's chest of drawers. (Beats me why Husband was suddenly possessed to put the books away given that we'll be moving in January.)

Top to bottom:
1. Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift
2. Beautiful Losers by Leonard Cohen
3. The Gnomes Kitchen by France Lloyd Owen
4. Biggles Gets his Men by Capt. W. E. Johns
5. Tales of the Fish Patrol by Jack London
6. Divine Mistress by Frank G. Slaughter
7. Winnie the Pooh by A. A. Milne (and NOT by Disney!)
8. River Road to China by Milton Osborne
9. Poems of Keats
10. The Age of Reason by Jean-Paul Sartre
11. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
12. The Snows of Kilimanjaro by Ernest Hemingway
13. The World's Best Fairy Tales Reader's Digest
14. Tales of Long Ago by Enid Blyton
15. Heidi by Johanna Spyri

Top down and from left to right:

1. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
2. Brief Candles by Aldous Huxley
3. Poems 1956-1960 by Leonard Cohen
4. The Oxford Library of Short Novels
5. Journey to the Source of The Nile by Christopher Ondaatje
6. A running magazine
7. India Lonely Planet
8. James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
9. Marathon by Higdon
10. Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond
11. Children of the Sun by Morris West
12. The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat by Oliver Sacks
13. The Blackwater Lightship by Colm Toibin
14. Down Under by Bill Bryson

As you can see, not a lot of recently published tomes in that collection.

Went to the Op-Shop Looking for Ramekins

2007-10-22T12:55:00.000+10:00

Came home with all of this. ( The thongs, pink teddy bear and blocks are just our normal mess.) No ramekins. Actually the ramekins were my excuse to go to the op-shop, but I also had in mind dress-up shoes and some summer clothes for the girl monkeys. Middle Monkey chose those hideous blue and yellow beach shoes for dress-ups. I went with the intention of not buying anymore toys, but failed. Boy monkey requested a t-shirt with a jungle animal picture, and even though he doesn't need clothes he gets all indignant if the girls get something and he doesn't, anyway there were no such t-shirts, so I got him a jungle animal instead. Oops. I also went a bit nuts buying stuff to alter and/or for the fabric, thinking about clothes to make for my "make kids clothes from recycled materials" business idea. Anyway I ended up spending $126.00. I justify this by saying to myself, if I'd gone to K-mart, and only bought the kids clothes it would have cost the same, and anyway I was in a bad mood with Husband because he is going hiking for 10 days in February just after we move house, and he just bought a $600.00 kayak without asking. (made possible by a tax return, nevermind the stuffing spilling forth from our couches, or the new fridge seals we really need.)

Part of my haul was 6 magazines, they were the last thing to be checked out, and I erroneously counted them as five for the checkout chick, trying to be helpful. Another lady came over to re-count them, "There are six magazines here", pursed lips, hoity toity tone. Oh yeah, 'cause I counted them myself to rip them off $1.00. I just relieved them of a garbage bag's worth of stock for Fark's sake. They should have given me a bulk discount.

So here are all the lovely things I got for the business idea:

Some merino,

Some cotton,

Some silk,

and some more cotton.

The thing is, when I surveyed my purchases, I realised they are all perfectly good, gorgeous clothes. A Kookai silk top, a Cue silk/cotton cardi, some other brand merino top and I'm planning to butcher these? Then I started thinking, ebay.

Then I thought, hang on, silk is no good for kids clothes, you can't throw it in the washing machine. Some of the wool might be machine washable. Bugger. Ebay?

And what about that skirt in the last picture, cute huh? Too short for me to wear, but I thought it could be turned into two skirts, or dresses for little people. Is there any legal reason why you can't do this, if you plan to sell it under your own label? I wonder.

What to do, what to do, someone please tell me what to do.

Anyone for Corn on the Cob?

2007-10-20T23:24:00.001+10:00

What gets me is not so much that this happens, but that I don't see it happening. I mean seriously, she had her chair pressed right up to my leg. She couldn't have been much more than 30cm from me. Little monkey. I was going to boil it for a few minutes and serve it with butter, along side the sausages. I salvaged what I could and added it to the salad.

The other day it was sugar, carefully spooned into the vegemite. Again, practically under my nose, without me noticing a thing and while I was cooking sausages.

I don't actually eat meat, but I do cook it for the rest of the gang, and I am very particular about the sausages being evenly cooked, which can be quite challenging, and absorbing apparently.

I Think This is Amusing

2007-10-16T10:42:00.001+10:00

There's Always So Much Knitting To Be Done By Everyone

2007-10-13T20:21:00.000+10:00

As you can see, as soon as I weave in the ends my organic coloured cotton top is finished. It was looking too long as I was knitting, so I shortened it a little, and now I'm concerned it is going to be too short because the label says it will shrink. I knitted it with bigger needles/looser gauge than recommended and I didn't do a proper swatch. I have never blocked. The lace edges definitely need blocking, but this is cotton, and it is going to shrink. Help! Any knitting people care to offer me some advice?

On the plus side I like the way the colours look, one row each colour, the gentle gradation reminds me of lizard skin.

Here is the beginning of a little vest I am knitting for my newest nephew. I am knitting on circular needles so I won't have any seams to sew up when I'm finished. It is also knitted from the organic cotton, only it is with the recommended needle size this time. Still didn't swatch though. Babies grow and this will fit at some time or other so I figured I could get away with it. The pattern is a free one from the lion brand website, I haven't linked it because you have to sign up to access the free patterns.

Next on my list is a white cotton baby hat, something classic, and unisex.
Or perhaps I will use this, I bought one ball to use as an accent on something and I was sent the wrong colour. I was kindly sent the correct colour and allowed to keep this. Do you think one 50g/100m ball would be enough for a baby hat? And which do you think would be more to H&B's taste?

Then I am planning to do some knitting for my monkeys, this ankylosaurus from Patons Dinosaurs,
and these little vegetables from Jean Greenhowe's Little Dumpling Dolls, Part Two - The Village Men.

Then, I have plans to knit the short sleeve version of this for myself, with this silk/viscose blend:

And that is only the half of it.

Where do I find the time you ask?

I have a secret, you should see my house.

PS. The title should be sung to the tune of a children's song, that can be frequently heard on Play School, can you guess the word substitution?

Where Have I Been All My Life?

2007-10-10T12:02:00.000+10:00

Had my first life drawing class last night.

I was ridiculously nervous. It being a small group, and tutored, and it having been a while and all. And I was a bit worried I might blush.

I learned something. As much as knitting, spinning, crochet is meditative, therapeutic and I couldn't imagine living without making -something- with my hands; this drawing thing feeds my soul. In a poetical justice kind of way I feel so raw and naked telling you this, and scared, and teary.

I have done life drawing before, 14 years ago I did one year of a graphic design degree, it wasn't for me. I hated it, and I was very bad at it. However I did enjoy the illustration class, part of which was life drawing. Since then I have done casual un-tutored classes here and there, but nothing since having children.

The class finished at 9.30pm. It took me until midnight to wind down enough to go sleep, I was wired.

This is one of my 30 second warm up sketches, and the only one I am happy with, it takes a little while to let go ...
And this was the last pose, 10 minutes. It is done with pastel in white, grey and black. I don't remember ever having used pastel before, charcoal but not pastel. I liked it. Working at an easel was new too.
I am particularly happy with the arm.

Now for the funny parts.

When I showed my husband he said, "You drew his doodle."

Which is funny for lots of reasons, but also because I was -this- close to leaving the poor man with a gaping blank space, and whilst most of the time apart from the initial two seconds, you just don't think about it, I still don't like to stare at that particular bit*, but you kind of have to, to get it right.

I think because of the way men 'work' my husband assumes that the sight of doodles excite me. He is SO wrong.

He mentioned it again this morning, trying to think of something funny to say to his work mates about how his wife was off drawing penises last night. I mean, really!

I suppose I am fortunate that he is not the jealous, over protective type. Which brings me to a question, is it safe for me to walk home at 9.30pm at night, even though it is only just around the corner? Husband thinks I'm a lunatic to even consider taking the car, but then he also expected me to walk 20 minutes in the middle of the night through a park, when there were reports of a serial rapist in the area. I point blank refused to walk on that occasion, but he makes me feel as though I'm being a silly scaredy cat when this thing is just around the corner. What do you think?

*I had a very sheltered good christian upbringing. Church every Sunday. Hardly ever allowed to go to parties. Not allowed to listen to secular music. Not allowed to have boyfriends. So, I had reached the ripe old age of 18, without so much as kissing a boy, I was a good obedient child, unwilling to rock the boat. (Once I left home I made up for lost time fairly quickly, I might add.)

So, when confronted with a naked man, in my first year of university, I looked every which way, except the direction I was supposed to look, and for the first pose he was standing full frontal in my direction, he had 360 degrees to choose from, the class was in a circle, and he faced me, dear God!. I think I spent the entire first life drawing class as red as a beetroot. I favoured drawing their faces, neck and shoulders. Suffice to say, I much preferred the female models, which I didn't find so confronting. I am not so concerned now, but I still feel a little self conscious about drawing doodles. Silly.

What's in a Name? Meme

2007-10-05T15:49:00.000+10:00

Before I start, I need to say a huge thankyou to H&B, who gave me a much needed kick up the bum to get my blog fixed (by basically doing it for me) so now everyone should be able to comment. Yay.

Now, I first saw this at Shula's and liked it, then I saw it at Bec's and decided to tag myself.

1. YOUR ROCK STAR NAME: (first pet & current car)

Midnight Falcon

2.YOUR GANGSTA NAME: (fav ice cream flavor, favorite cookie)

Rum N. Raisin Macaroon

3. YOUR "FLY Guy/Girl" NAME: (first initial of first name, first three letters of your last name)

Acro

4. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color, favorite animal)

Red Elephant

5. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, city where you were born)

Wagga Wagga (Ha ha! I don't have a middle name actually, this just does not work.)

6. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first)

Croal

7. SUPERHERO NAME: (2nd favorite color, favorite drink put "The")

The Orange Gin

8. NASCAR NAME: (the first names of your grandfathers)

Jim William

9. STRIPPER NAME: (the name of your favorite perfume/cologne, favorite candy)

Sandalwood Truffle

10.WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (mother's & father's middle names )

Mary David

11. TV WEATHER ANCHOR NAME: (Your 5th grade teacher’s last name, a major city that starts with the same letter)

Kembrey Kalgoorlie

12. SPY NAME: (your favorite season/holiday, flower)

Autumn Blossom

13. CARTOON NAME: (favorite fruit, article of clothing you’re wearing right now + “ie” or “y”)

Mango Jeanie

14. HIPPY NAME: (What you ate for breakfast, your favorite tree),

Pine Nut Citrus

15. YOUR ROCKSTAR TOUR NAME: (”The” + Your fave hobby/craft, fave weather element + “Tour")

The Spinning Balmy Breeze Tour.

Nothin' Really

2007-10-01T17:22:00.000+10:00

Oh, man, I don't know if anyone can read this, because even though I can log in and write this post, I can't actually view my blog.

I am at my wits end with my littlest Monkey, she has just discovered a way to get to the top of the bunk without the rungs, via the window sill.

Also, she has been escaping under the gate, and I caught her halfway up the gate this morning. It is a big gate, twice as tall as me. Sigh.

Anyway, I might get around to trying to fix my blogger problems, but I might wait til after the school holidays, so see you then.

School Holidays are Finally Here

2007-09-21T14:14:00.000+10:00

Oh, I tried to bore you with another personality test, but I couldn't get it to work. Anyway, the gist is, I'm lazy, I drink coffee, and my bedroom's a pigsty.

Breaking news:

The sock monster has had such success in our household, he has graduated to shoes.

The school holidays start tomorrow, yay. I will have some family staying, and then we will be staying with family. Be back sometime next week.

I have enrolled in a life drawing course, spur of the moment. Will keep you posted.

My boy had his first school concert last night, we were so proud, he was so terrified, but he did it. Aren't preps tiny? And they had such high little voices! I never really noticed before, he is the biggest kid here at home.

Fresh Meat

2007-09-18T10:37:00.000+10:00

It has occurred to me that with this blogging thing I now have a fresh audience for all my stories, you know those ones you tell over and over, the standby party stories?

I did intend this blog to be mostly about knitting and spinning and stuff, but it just hasn't worked out that way so far. Anyway our camera has just broken, so I can't show you anything anyway. I have never made a new year resolution, never. I make up for it by making little mini resolutions to myself nearly everyday. My latest being, I will start doing more craft posts on my blog. But then the camera broke.

Anyway so, you may have noticed that while a few weeks ago I was grumpy and out of sorts, at the moment I'm happy and chatty and such. You (or at least husband) will be pleased to learn that I have just purchased some evening primrose oil tablets, which I am hoping may alleviate the mood swings. Actually what I have just experienced was I think pre-menstrual depression, quite different to ordinary PMS. I didn't even know it existed, but I have been looking at the Beyond Blue website, evidence enough that I was having more than just ordinary PMS. Anyway, I wasn't going to talk about that in this post, perhaps another day, if you are interested.

Anyway so, in the absence of a camera, I will now tell you a story, sorry Stomper, you've heard this one already. Too lazy to do links today but Stomper's post about some unwelcome guests reminded me of this one.

It was a few years ago, before I had children, and in between boyfriends that I lived two minutes from the pub. I spent many hours there, a kind of substitute lounge room, and a welcome escape from my house mate. I had a pool playing buddy, under whose tuition I could actually pot a ball occasionally, and who would often pop by the house to see if I was in the mood for a game of pool at the pub.

At this time it had been my misfortune to have received a visit from some unwelcome guests who took up residence in my hair. They were stubborn little blighters; having already survived two attempted evictions, I purchased a 'leave in all night' lotion.

I painstakingly applied the lotion ensuring every strand was covered. Just as I had emptied the final drop on to my head there was a knock at the door, it was my pool buddy.

"I can't possibly come to the pub tonight, look at my hair, I have to leave it in all night."

"No one will notice, come on."

"Are you kidding? I look like I've dunked my head in some kind of grease pit."

"Please? Come on, you look fine, really."

"Well, I guess it has stopped dripping, I'll just tie it back, you sure it looks OK?"

"You look fine."

"Alright."

It was 30 minutes later, while I was standing at the bar that I noticed a male admirer sidling ever closer. Not in the mood to attract attention I studiously tried to avoid eye contact. Not to be deterred, my admirer found his way to my side, (as close as he could get, what with me inching away feeling most uncomfortable) luckily for him the bar was crowded or he wouldn't have had a snowball's chance in hell of being within earshot, and then it came, the ultimate pickup line;

"You smell nice, kind of....medicinal."

I'm a Sucker for a Personality Test

2007-09-15T22:03:00.000+10:00

Well, this one was pretty good actually. It said I'm an artist, of course I liked it. Beats that stupid ink blot one that said I am obsessed with sex.

Hover the mouse over the colours for a sneak peak into my head.

Considerate Artist

Shameless Bragging and a Finished Object!

2007-09-13T10:12:00.001+10:00

When I first saw this picture I assumed husband drew it at Boy Monkey's request. I have had to draw many a toy car replica, anyway turns out Boy Monkey did it all by himself, while husband and I were sleeping in. Pretty damn good isn't it?
Notice anything odd about this picture? No, not that the beds aren't made.
See? No rungs on the bunk.
We had to remove the second (and final) rung three days ago, because my littlest Monkey who turned 21mths this week could still climb up, sans bottom rung. The three Monkeys all share a bedroom which can be quite a challenge at times, littlest Monkey getting into Boy Monkey's bed somewhat hinders the process of Boy Monkey getting to sleep.

Anyway, here's some craft. A finished object, yay! It is made from my homespun wool. Look at the buttons! See that lovely clean white wool? That is the same dirty brown stuff that was on my niddy noddy in this post.

Bad Blogger

2007-09-06T16:20:00.000+10:00

Sorry guys, it's just my mother taught me if you haven't anything nice to say don't say anything at all.

Might take a while.

Give me a week, or two.

Happiness

2007-08-23T10:06:00.000+10:00

I was watching telly the other night, as I do most nights, knitting needles in hand. I do enjoy a bit of compass on a Sunday night. They had a forum type show on about happiness and one of the guests was the guy that wrote the book Affluenza, I have only read the reviews of the book being in a mostly non-reading stage of life, but it does sound like a good read.

Anyway, the show started and I was feeling a little tired, Author of Affluenza was talking along the lines of the misperception of happiness as being having the big house, fancy car, massive TV that sort of thing, the crazy pursuit of material possessions, etc.

It was at this point that I found myself saying to Husband, "I wish we had one of those fancy set top box thingos so we could record this and watch it later, because it looks really interesting but I'm tired and want to go to bed."

The irony was not lost on me.

Oh, and in case you are wondering we don't have a VCR as it broke and we didn't see the point in replacing it, our DVD player has also given up the ghost and it wasn't a recording one anyway, so that's why I couldn't record the programme.

Speaking of material affluence, my boy monkey is very materially orientated and was whinging all morning about some new lego set he wants. I told him he would have to wait for Christmas, and he'd better stop whinging or Santa wouldn't bring him anything.

"Santa can't see me."

So, in that annoying parent way, I started singing, "He sees you when you're sleeping, he knows when you're awake, he knows if you've been bad or good, so be good for goodness' sake. You better watch out, you better not pout...."

Surprisingly, he listened patiently while I sang myself out, then said, "That song's just to make kids be good, it's not true. Santa can't see me, he lives on the other side of the world."

I have to admit I was quite pleased at his response. Good boy. I wonder when he's going to work out how Santa manages to come all that way from the other side of the world to give everyone gifts in just one night?

He has thought about it, but he sees the presents in the morning and that is evidence enough apparently. Unless he is keeping up the farce, in case it stops when we find out he knows. (As I did, when I was a child. I remember saying to my parents in the morning, "I saw Santa last night, he looks a bit like Dad" just to see how they would react. I also remember asking my Mum about where babies came from just to watch her squirm, not because I really had any interest in the answer.)

Oh Dear!

2007-08-16T09:26:00.000+10:00

I was just standing on the kitchen bench to put the blanket up, (we have a blanket rigged over our kitchen window in the absence of blinds, and because it is a very drafty window.) when my eye was drawn to the hideously dusty tops of the cupboards and the various things we have put up out of reach, then I noticed an envelope, it had Sydney Sexpo emblazoned across the top. Hmmm.

I opened it, it contained two signed photographs. One of a man, let's just call him Dick, posing with two topless women. In the other Dick is posing with a somewhat tubby somewhat hairy somewhat scary looking middle aged man. Only on the wall behind is a sign, for $30 you can get your photo taken with any star. Well I suppose the tubby man is a star, but not with his clothes on evidently; as well as his signature, he had written BIG with two arrows pointing to his and the other man's groin area. Funny.

I bet Dick's spewing he left those behind when he moved house.

Looking For Something a Little More Modern?

2007-08-15T09:53:00.001+10:00

My first instinct when I look at this is to grab her head and wind her up. Those flaps are winders aren't they?

(Oh, and if anyone is interested, you can find this pattern in Metro issue two, published by Patons.)

Look what Kirsty Gave me!

2007-08-11T14:46:00.000+10:00

Kirsty at Two Lime Leaves, gave me this. I gratefully accept. I am especially thrilled with the comparison to David Lee Roth. Hee hee, I wish! Not! Well, maybe.

Anyway, I have to pass it on to five more rockin' girl bloggers.

Stompergirl- For getting me into this mess in the first place, and I think we all agree she is rockin'.
Fairlie- 'Cause I like her.
Aunty Evil- Have you seen the photo of the weird bug eggs on her blog? They are rockin' in my book. And she is not afraid to admit she snoops in bathroom cupboards. And the comments she leaves make me laugh.
Tanya- Because she has a solar oven she made out of cardboard boxes, and she cooks with it.
Meggie- Because as her SG knows, she is a lovely girl. And she is chock full of rockin' good tales.

Are You Man Enough?

2007-08-08T12:17:00.000+10:00

The Wait is Over

2007-08-03T10:02:00.000+10:00

I think the hair and makeup on "pink, white, blue-and pretty" alone was worth the wait. (I hope.)

And because you have all been so patient and understanding, here is a bonus quilt picture.
Technically it contains many quilting crimes, but I love it. My Grandmother made it and it is all stitched by hand from old clothes. It is a really crap photo, sorry.
The orange and yellow floral fabric is from a mini shift dress my mother used to wear many many years ago. The pink floral fabric I remember my Grandmother wearing. There is fabric from one of my best childhood dresses, I'm not sure if you can see it, but it is blue with sprays of flowers.
There are even some squares from my Grandpop's old shirts. (Step-Grandfather, my mother was always very quick to remind us, but that is another story.) I'm pretty sure Grandma made this after her sight started to go, so please forgive her the mismatched corners. My Mum did the binding and she is definitely not a quilter.

Oops

2007-08-02T10:35:00.000+10:00

Husband's nicked off with the camera again.

So here is a little teaser, some excerpts about the lovelies I have to show you.

"Pink, white, blue- and pretty"

"This striking bed head, set against a plain or cleverly toning decor, forms the focal point of the bedroom" - Yes, yes it does, but only just, the wall paper -almost- overpowers it.

and then there's the "fashionable tunic" that has been "designed with men in mind"

I also have a picture to show Tanya, because I think she will appreciate it;
"Plastic spoons take on a new look, interestingly arranged and backed up with a bold black stripe. Brightly painted beer mats, arranged flat and at angles to each other and egg boxes, painted in gay colours, make eyecatching collages"

Crimes Against Craft Will Have to Wait

2007-08-01T12:47:00.000+10:00

Sorry guys. Having batteries in the camera is one thing, finding it is quite another. I've already used up my standby pics last week, so maybe later today, maybe tomorrow.

edit- Mystery solved, just found out Husband took off with camera, so it will be tomorrow.

Art Installation

2007-07-30T14:42:00.001+10:00

Peanut butter. Renters' solution to not being able to bang nails into the wall?

Tickled Pink

2007-07-27T15:01:00.001+10:00

Finally my camera has batteries! Does anyone know the difference between a hank and a skein?
Here we have some more hanks from the spinning course, the one on the left is a combination of tussah silk, silk caps, cotton and camel. The brown bit is the camel, camel is very, very soft and lovely to spin. I had such small amounts, I just plied them all together and now I have no idea what to do with it. The one on the right is alpaca plied with merino tops, also a tiny amount.
This is a picture of my home made niddy noddy and lazy Kate. The wool is from a merino cross corriedale, it hasn't been washed in this photo. I have washed it and it comes up a beautiful creamy white, the transformation is amazing and very satisfying.
This is the wool tops I told you I had waiting to be dyed with food colours. The best thing about using food colours is that the monkeys can help. The finished garment is going to be for Middle Monkey, and she had lots of fun pouring the colours on. The tops are non-feltable superfine merino, and I now understand the meaning of 'buttery soft' when describing fibre. As I bought it from a shop that mainly supplies felters, this was a bargain. It is sold as stuffing. I had envisaged a bit more bleeding of the pink and yellow, and was hoping for more of a soft apricotty result. Oh well I thought I'll see how it spins up, and overdye if I don't like it.Here is the spun single:Here it is plied. I call this colourway 'tickled pink', because that's how I feel about it! I just love how it turned out, no overdying necessary. I sat and stared at it for a good 10 minutes. It is incredibly soft.

I have also had some luck at The Op Shop lately. (Any and all charity/secondhand goods shops are The Op Shop to me.) The burgundy jumper is 100% cashmere and brand new with tags (ebay or keep?) The blue jumper is 100% merino and looks new, the orangey red jumper is a bit worn but is also 100% cashmere. What else? Oh yes, four complete sets of knitting needles in different sizes and a bee costume!And here are the finished (almost) overalls.

Climate Change Soap Box

2007-07-25T12:06:00.000+10:00

Not so long ago, I mentioned something about polar bears dying because the ice they hunt on is melting sooner than usual to my oldest Monkey. (Saw it on a doco, incidentally on this same doco, a mention was made that krill stocks in the ocean are down by 80%. I found this extremely alarming, you don't need a degree in ecology, we all studied food chains in high school, 80% is a lot, this has got to be bad.)

He asked, "why?"

I said something along the lines of global warming, electricity generation etc.
He looked in to my eyes, and his were pools of hurt, anger, outrage "Can't we just tell them to stop?" He was just about in tears, and so was I. I could not meet his gaze. I looked away. I changed the subject.

Now I know a lot of scepticism exists about global warming being generated by man or not. I don't wish to argue about this.

Let's just assume for a moment that the majority of climate scientists are wrong, that the current trend of global warming is out of our control, and has nothing to do with our past or current activities.

It still doesn't make sense to heat your spa all year round regardless of whether you are using it or not. It still doesn't make sense to orientate your house for full summer sun, and none in winter. Your hip pocket might notice, if nothing else.

Global warming is not the be-all and end-all of environmental issues. (Well it might be if it is true.) Here are some others; species extinction, air quality, polluted waterways, salinity. These are not abstract concepts, it is about the earth beneath your feet, the air you breathe, the water you drink, the food on your table.

12,000 people died in London in 1952 in the Great Smog.

(Do you think they could give a toss about the wider implications of burning all that coal when the very air they were sucking into their lungs was poisoned?)

It's about not crapping in your bed. We all live on Earth, it is our home.

Could you look into the eyes of your child or grandchild and say, "Several highly regarded scientists believe global warming is caused by human activity, and I am willing to gamble on your life that they are wrong."

I haven't got the time or the desire to turn this into some kind of highly persuasive, well researched, meticulously worded argument. It's just something I'm thinking about. It's just my blog.

I'm not saying I'm perfect, I'm not saying I'm not a hypocrite, I'm just saying I'm going to try a little harder. One small step at a time. (It took me almost a year to get into the habit of always carrying reusable shopping bags.)

I want to be able to meet my children's gaze with a clear conscience.

Crimes Against Craft

2007-07-25T10:20:00.000+10:00

Yes it's that time of the week again, already. This week it is a case of I just don't understand. I would just like to add, I will not think less of anyone who does.These are earrings made out of cardboard, and paper mache. They are very large apparently but so light. There was nothing for scale in the picture, so I like to imagine they are massive, oh how I wish they had used a model to photograph them. (Incidentally, I think these would be fabulous for dress-ups, and might get around to making them with my girl monkeys one day.)

Now this is a mystery to me. I mean I don't really like wreaths, and wouldn't like to decorate my house with them, but I wouldn't normally consider them a crime either. But this? A fake wreath? Made of fimo?

Don't these loaves look yummy? Well you can't eat them. They are for decoration. I don't get it. I just don't get it.

I did make some salt dough christmas tree decorations one year, a monkey bonding activity. It turns out that rats rather like the taste.

Goddess? Yes. Domestic? Um...

2007-07-24T09:27:00.000+10:00

Well, I don't bite, scratch or pee on the floor if that's what you mean.

This morning has been one of those mornings.

Monkey 1 decided to make a fuss about getting dressed in front of the TV this morning, (I let him do this yesterday, give an inch....) and met strong opposition from Husband. Anyway so fuss made, temperatures risen, Monkey sent to bedroom, crashing sounds can be heard. Husband leaves for work.

Finally we are all dressed and ready, thank God Middle Monkey decided to behave this morning and knew where her shoes were (miraculous!). Then I remembered it is school photo day. So I had to raid Monkey 1's money box. Then I realised thanks to my new policy of dressing the Monkeys in dirty clothes to save on washing, that Monkey 1 probably should have had a fresh set of clothes to wear for photos, oh well no time to change. So we are about to walk out the door, when I remembered oh, Fuck! I haven't made his lunch. So he is having peanut butter sandwiches for play lunch and big lunch. His hair is sticking out all over the place too. Also, the house has reached new levels of mess, so much so that Middle Monkey having left detritus everywhere else, started lining up her toys in the hallway....

If you have come looking for scenes of domestic bliss, you have come to the wrong place.

Spinning News

2007-07-21T11:16:00.000+10:00

I have finished the introduction to spinning course. This is all the wool I spun as part of the course, we got to do dyeing as well. Actually I lie, I did some others, on the last day we got to experiment with lots of different fibres silk, camel, cotton, alpaca. My camera is having battery issues at the moment and I am feeling too lazy so you'll just have to make do with this photo I already had on hand.
Right at this moment I have a sink full of wool tops soaking, waiting to be dyed with food colouring. I also have started another knitting project, haven't finished anything though. I'm still working on the overalls for the girls. Middle monkey's are just waiting on buttons, she has been wearing them with safety pins, and they look gorgeous. My garish worries were unfounded.
Ooh, and I bought my first fleece the other day! I'm so excited about spinning it.
So you see, I have been doing some craft. I -am- a crafty mum.

Crimes Against Craft

2007-07-17T10:29:00.000+10:00

The Knitted Trouser Suit issue.

WARNING: The following photographs may contain images of an adult woman wearing a cape and there may be something rather unfortunate going on in the crutch area of said cape wearing adult woman. (Click to enlarge at your own risk.)

Crimes Against Craft

2007-07-11T10:25:00.001+10:00

This is a little gem I picked up at Savers, as you can see by the stickers plastered all over it which I couldn't remove without damaging the magazine. Idiots. Anyway it is dated 1975, I haven't got around to reading it yet, but Husband enjoyed it immensely. I think the knitted toy on the front is supposed to be a panda only it looks more like a Womble of Wimbledon with an identity crisis to me. (Can you imagine calling a magazine 'Calling All Housewives'? It's too funny.)

There's just something about crocheted toys isn't there? Aren't you just dying to make one of these? Well I've saved you the trouble, here's mine:

Feel free to laugh, I don't mind. Not only does he look kind of sad and disproportionate, he is kind of prickly too, just want you want in a teddy bear.

Birthday meme

2007-07-06T13:17:00.000+10:00

I've been tagged for the birthday meme by Tanya and Aunty Evil.

The rules are that you go to Wikipedia and type in your date of birth without the year. From the results of that search, you're supposed to list two birthdays, three events and one holiday that are of interest. Here's my list:

Nov 1

Birthdays

Tina Arena, an Australian singer
Toni Collette, an Australian actor

I chose these two because they are aussies and I know who they are!

Events

1939 - The first rabbit born after artificial insemination is exhibited to the world.

Why on earth would anyone need to artificially inseminate a -rabbit-? (I realise rabbits are convenient for experimentation precisely because they breed like...rabbits, but I still think it's funny.)

1896 - A picture showing the unclad (bare) breasts of a woman appears in National Geographic magazine for the first time.

1920 - American Fishing Schooner Esperanto defeats the Canadian Fishing Schooner Delawana in the First International Fishing Schooner Championship Races in Halifax.

Sorry, but it seems nothing much interesting happened, apart from bombs and death and war related activities, I guess it just shows that destructive events are always recorded.

Holiday

Mexico- Day of the Dead celebrations begin. (Sounds like a hoot!)

If you are Catholic it is also All Saints Day, and if you live in Victoria, Australia it is occasionally a public holiday for The Melbourne Cup. (Horse race.)

So that's it, and I tag Fairlie.

I would like to introduce you all to a very good friend of mine, and a member of my craft group GirlyGirl, she has just started a blog. Drop in and say hi, she bakes a mean cake.

Crimes Against Craft

2007-07-04T09:56:00.000+10:00

Firstly I would like to talk about these strange concrete creatures that were found in our back yard upon moving in to our current abode. They are as you can see rather hideous, but I have solved the mystery of where they came from thanks to Tanya the Art Butcher, there is some sort of vortex between our backyard and Happy Hollow. It's the only explanation that makes any sense.

Now, on to legwarmers, these are actually very cute on the kids:

Somehow they just don't have the same effect on adults. Now I know how to wear those skinny jeans of mine.

As long as we are talking adults in childrens clothing, check out this clown (and I'm not talking about the picture on her jumper.)
According to the blurb on the book this design is from there are some timeless classics contained in it's pages. Take a geezer at these, timeless classics?!

At least that last one has an inbuilt head rest, beautiful AND practical.

Has anyone noticed the eighties are back? In the fashion world at least. Remember those black elastic belts? High waists? Bubble skirts? Skinny jeans? (I know I know.)
Here is a little picture that shows the dangers of tight high pants, proceed with caution, the following picture contains material that may offend sensitive viewers.
It's a camel toe. The picture is not very clear, be thankful.

Mid-life Crisis at 32?

2007-06-29T11:48:00.000+10:00

God, I think I'm having my first mid-life crisis.

I bought a pair of skinny jeans yesterday.

I have a hankering to stay up late and get drunk and go out.

Shit!

Crimes Against Craft

2007-06-27T10:28:00.000+10:00

Welcome to my very first Crimes Against Craft Wednesday. Let's get straight into it. Check out the cover of this book, you just know it is going to be good don't you?

Now, look what's inside. See how the models are laughing? They can't believe those swim suits are for real, it must be a joke, surely it's a joke? No, and they haven't seen what they are going to model next.
These little numbers sure wiped the smiles off their faces!

Whaddya Think?

2007-06-20T14:25:00.000+10:00

I rather like Kirsty's Mosaic Monday and Suzadoo's Come the Revolution Friday, and I am thinking of having my very own special day. 'Crimes against Craft', or perhaps 'Crime or Sublime? You Decide. I know it has already been done, see my blog links, but I don't want to do it every day and I don't want to limit myself to just knitting, or crochet, heck what about macrame? or stuffed fabric photo frames? we can't leave those out now can we?
I have just been sorting through some of my vintage patterns, there is some good stuff I tell you.

I couldn't help showing off some of my patterns in my last post (of the sublime variety in my opinion) and would love to share some more.

It has also come to my attention that some people have been trying to comment on my blog but can't. I don't know why this is but if you are one of these people you may email me at:
allydillydally-craftymum(AT)yahoo.com.au

The Secret , Mild Language Warning and Meme

2007-06-16T12:34:00.000+10:00

Okay, apparently Oprah did a show about this book called The Secret, I haven't read it or seen Oprah's show but I did see 'The Chaser's War on Everything' story about the Secret, so I'm an expert.
In the excerpts shown on The Chaser we saw a woman visualising herself with a gold necklace she had seen in a shop window. I find this really fucked up.
What I want to know is, if you really believe you can just visualise and believe and get anything you want, what do you want with a useless bit of gold jewellery? How about world peace? End to hunger and poverty? Clean water and sanitation for all? or you could start simple, how about a harmonious and happy home life? Does this mean if I visualise my house all clean and sparkly (might help with the harmony bit) it will happen if I really believe it? Bullshit. I would have to get up off my arse and clean it myself.

Tagged by Stomper for this.

One-Word Responses Meme

1. Where is your cell phone? Kitchen
2. Relationship? Married
3. Your hair? Red
4. Work? Kids
5. Your sister? Lovely

6. Your favourite thing? Family
7. Your dream last night? Bad
8. Your favourite drink? Coffee
9. Your dream car? Emission-less
10. The room you're in? Pigsty

11. Your shoes? Holey
12. Your fears? Lots
13. What do you want to be in 10 years? Alive
14. Who did you hang out with this weekend? Family
15. What are you not good at? Tidiness

16. Muffin? Chocolate
17. Wish list item? Cook
18. Where you grew up? Country
19. The last thing you did? Coffee
20. What are you wearing? Brown

21. What are you not wearing? Makeup
22. Your pet? Guinea-pigs
23. Your computer? Sticky
24. Your life? Ordinary
25. Your mood? Cranky

26. Missing? Summer
27. What are you thinking about? Coffee
28. Your car? Large
29. Your kitchen? Disgrace
30. Your summer? Dry

31. Your favourite colour? Red
32. Last time you laughed? Yesterday
33. Last time you cried? Nutmeg's (Fri 8th)
34. School? Mum
35. Love? Kids

Man, that is hard, I wanted to elaborate on every one!

You never Forget Your First

2007-06-15T09:15:00.000+10:00

Got my first hank off the other day.
I felt an overwhelmingly ridiculous sense of accomplishment when my first hank came off, like I just landed on the moon or something. I have a theory about this, and it is opposite to moon landings. You see spinning fibre into yarn is an ancient craft, been around as long as people have.
So it is getting back to the very beginning, connecting with our origins, perhaps I have done this before? Even if you don't believe in past lives in the hippy sense if you know what I mean, every atom in my body has been around long before I have, so you know parts of me could have been who knows where and part of who knows what or who knows who.

Enough with the workings of my mind. This particular hank (trying to think how I can get another 'hank off' into the conversation) was made from dirty greasy wool, straight off the sheep's back, straight out of the paddock, which made it particularly satisfying when I got the hank off (ha, did it). I can't guarantee I will stay a puritan though, those lovely clean tops (wool that is washed and sometimes dyed and combed and ready to spin) are very, very appealing.

My green top is progressing well.
I highly recommend something along these lines in something about this gauge if you are going to attempt lace for the first time. I am actually really enjoying knitting this, just enough interest, not too complicated, just right. And pretty too. I think. Having a different colour each row helps with the identification of which is the slipped stitch to pass over as well. I think I might be ready to go back to that lacey butterfly vest from Rowan after this.

When I Grow Up

2007-06-12T10:48:00.000+10:00

Dinner conversation last night:

Monkey 2, "What do you want to be when you grow up? You can be anything you want, I want to be a witch." (We have been hearing quite a lot along this theme.)

Monkey 1, "I want to be an archaeologist."

Monkey 2, " Oh, do they have horns?"

Monkey 1, with a giggle, "No, they dig up bones."

Monkey 2, "oh, so do you mean like a dog?"

Bless her little heart she really believes you can be -whatever- you want to be when you grow up, which is of course what I told her. I wasn't expecting quite as literal an interpretation.

New baby!

2007-06-08T14:57:00.000+10:00

Glad I didn't have to push this one out my you know what!

The one on the left is one I borrowed.

7 Weird Things Meme

2007-05-25T11:20:00.000+10:00

I've been tagged by me for the 7 weird things about me meme;

1. I have a thing for feet. I like looking at nice feet, just looking, no touching. I like feet to have nice arches. I can't stand touching feet, I won't give you a foot massage unless you leave your socks on. I don't like other people touching my feet.

2. I am easily spooked. When I come home at night and Husband is already in bed asleep I always touch his face to make sure it is him.

3. I like patchouli and sandalwood is my favourite, I don't think this is weird, but apparently most people don't like sandalwood and patchouli so I guess it must be. Expensive perfume smells like cats piss the moment it touches my skin, which is OK because it gives me hay fever and asthma anyway.

4. I'm a sensitive little flower, as a child I was a fainter. I have been asked on several occasions if I am on drugs, I'm not. I daydream, which apparently gives the impression that I am stoned.

5. Sometimes I forget to eat.

6. I have never had a 'real' job. I have tried studying graphic design, textiles, hairdressing and engineering. I have only had casual/part time jobs other than the hairdressing which was for one year and nearly killed me, literally. This was the year I discovered that that feeling of not being able to breathe I used to get in the change rooms at school (courtesy of Impulse deodorant spray) was asthma.

7. I can't knit lace.

What the ?? Born to clean???

2007-05-23T23:09:00.000+10:00

What kind of yarn are you?

You are Dishcloth Cotton.You are a very hard worker, most at home when you're at home. You are thrifty and seemingly born to clean. You are considered to be a Plain Jane, but you are too practical to notice.
Take this quiz!

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2007-05-23T11:21:00.000+10:00

I always enjoy eavesdropping on Monkey 2 playing, as she provides a running commentary.
Here's a little gem from yesterday, "How much do you love me? I love you 5 o'clock. Oh, that's how much you love me."
I have quite often come running in to cries of "Mum, Mum, Mu-um..."
Only to be greeted with disgusted looks, "I'm not talking to YOU, I'm playing"

She made a hat for one of her dollies yesterday;
"Where is some paper Mum?"

This is a cardi I finished last year, I made it from somebody else's half finished garment I found in an op-shop, ripped it, anyway I don't wear this colour, this is a before shot for my first foray into dying with food colours. Actually my second, I didn't read the bit about it only working on protein fibres and tried to dye some cotton. (I am allergic to the dylon and rit cotton dyes.) Stay tuned for the after shot.

I had a captive audience while making pizza bases last night;
Yes, that IS a roll of toilet paper on our kitchen table, why is it there? I don't know. I have finished the skinny scarf, hope she likes it.

I got this Rowan magazine yesterday, lots of things I want to knit, including the design from the front cover. I want to use different yarn though, started a swatch, this is all wrong, but I think I have worked out what I was doing wrong, have to wait til tonight to try again. I haven't knitted lace before other than on the cardi shown above, which I don't know if you could really call lace. It's a bad photo, my yarn is 2ply baby alpaca, in dark green, the pattern uses kid silk haze, which is fuzzy and totally different, I suppose it won't work, but I'll give it a go. Any of you knitting geniuses out there have any suggestions?

Oh dear! looks like it's instant coffee for me today.
See that black stuff? That's not coffee, it's charcoal.

Oh my, forgot to put the child lock on the fridge....

That's it, rub it in, good girl.

The Magic Word

2007-05-21T10:21:00.000+10:00

Monkey 2 "I want jam and peanut butter"

"What's the magic word?"

Monkey 2 "Abracadabra"

I can hardly argue with that can I? Especially when she wants to be a witch when she grows up, she thinks that her skin is going to turn purple, because witches have purple skin, her brother told her, and she wants her little sister to be a witch with her because her sister loves her, she smacked her in the face but she still loves her.