Conspiracy?

I seriously think that the world is conspiring against me.... well against me and my tent. For a good two months now I've had the camping itch and it seems every weekend I plan to go something happens and of course this weekend was no different. It's wet - almost 15mm of rain has fallen today with predictions of more coming. Not happy. Nor are the children so to attempt to please the younger members of the clan our tent is currently erected in the back yard at my parents house. Seriously not happy now as that's part of what I was trying to get away from.

Results came out today. Very very seriously not happy.

Onto bigger and brighter things I have been super efficient and organised in the past few weeks getting lots of stuff in my life sorted out. Much christmas crafting has been occuring and I am actually feeling well prepared for the event. I did have a slight brain snap last night and invited both of my biological parents to lunch. At the same time. On christmas day. I think I've gone mad. Certifiably mad. Anyway, I'm now off to trawl the mags to put together a christmas day feast. Wish me luck because I'm bloody well going to need it!

Guess what I am making.....

More christmas crafting....

So tonight I've started on my Mums table ware - I'm planning a set of placemats, coasters and depending on the time frame and my motivation perhaps a table runner. I saw this fabric at Spotties a while ago and liked it but resisted. Recently it was 20% off and resistance was futile. I'm really happy with this though - it's the first top....

Now I'm trying to decide if these will be turned and topstitched or if I will put them together with a bias binding edge. Will ponder that a bit longer as I get the house clean for the plumber who will be knocking on my door at 8am tomorrow - yep - that's 8 am on a Friday morning! Argh!

Christmas crafting.....

So with only five weeks today (yes - FIVE) to go until the big day I've finally gotten myself organised and started making gifts. I've taken the handmade pledge as you can see in my sidebar but to be honest I'm struggling with this for a few reasons. Firstly, I'm out of ideas for SUPER hard people to buy for - my parents, sister and nephews - because they have everything. I mean everything that anyone could ever want for and so I'm stuck. Last year my sister and I got mum a digital photo frame. It's never been used. I knitted a bathroom set for her. It's never been used. For Mums 50th I knitted her a stole and not just any stole but one that really pushed my buttons. It's never been out of the drawer. You get the picture so I'm reluctant to spend much time crafting for those who don't seem to appreciate it. So my new pledge is that I will give at least *one* thing which is handmade to each peson on my gift list.

This fabric was once the liner of a magazine rack and I'm bummed that I didn't remember to take a piccie of it before I pulled it apart. Anyway, it was chopped up, added some black lining from the fabric stash and turned it into a satchel style bag for her....

I'm also knitting her perhaps one of my very favourite knitting patterns - Fetching. I have made quite a few pairs of these now but they have always been for gifts or swaps - eventually I'll make myself a pair! The yarn is Vera Moda Cupcake and although the meterage for one ball is lots more than the pattern I quickly realised (after I'd almost finished the first one!) that I was going to run out of yarn. Never fear I thought - Ravelry is here! And it came through with two lovely knitters sending me a ball of the same yarn so I can finish her gift. This yarn suits the pattern beautifully - the stitch definition is fantastic, they knit up to be quite a thick fabric which I like and they are so snuggly soft! I've added a cable repeat at the finger end because I think the original pattern is quite short. Given that this one took me two evenings to complete I'm fine about spending a short amount of time on something that will be lost/damaged/in the bin before next winter comes around....

I had planned on making her boys sock monkeys but due to an unexpected visit they have already got them! Bugger! In saying that, 'Fred', the monkey for Mr A has been to bed with him every night since he got it and has been going to kindy as well. Seems the little guy is attached to the little guy. They are 2 1/2 and 1 1/2 respectively so I've decided to make them little drawstring backpacks so they can carry things around for themselves. They both love the green bags from the supermarket so hopefully these will be just that bit nicer. Oh and a pair of PJs - I'm going to do a reverse applique singlet with a star on it to match as well.

The other nephew will get the same set but the fabric for his bag is lime green spiders and turtle fabric for the PJ set. There are plans for coasters, place mats, shopping bags and quite a bit of baking but - strangely - I'm feeling prepared and excited about this christmas! Anyway, off to sew another backpack...

FO - Long Lacy Summer

This is my first completed object for the long lacy summer being held over at Bells

Pattern - Three Sister Scarves #3

Yarn - The Yarn Cafe sock in Evoke colourway

Needles - KP Harmony Tips 3.5mm on 60cm circ

This yarn is just adorable. I'm so in love with the colourway - it goes with just about everything I wear and although the weather is warming up I'm still getting quite a bit of wear out of it. Being a 4ply it isn't very warm so it's more of a 'pretty' accessory than a warmth thing.

I can't believe how much difference blocking can make although this yarn is a superwash so it has bounced back a little bit. Apologies about the state of my bathroom mirror too - I didn't notice how bad it was until I took these piccies! I've started a few other lacy projects but promptly frogged them - can't seem to find the right combination of yarn & pattern ;-(

Fitting in?

Do you feel like you fit in?

Sometimes I feel like I'm on a crazy roller coaster ride - a confident, strong, independent, capable woman who knows her place in the world one moment but then things happen and the seeds of doubt creep in and I feel like a scared and worried little girl. I think part of this is that I do not know any other single parents - actually I don't know any single people, parents or otherwise and I wish I did. I wish I could talk to someone about the doubts, the lonely feelings, the empty parts because I did have it once. The happiness, the laughter, the warm body next to me at night time, the shoulder to cry on, the strength of a man who took care of me, loved me and was my rock. Now though I'm plauged by the 'what ifs'. What if what happened hadn't?

Would I have a life? Would we not think twice about calling friends to do things on the weekends without worrying about interrupting their 'family' time? Would I hear the quietness of the house at night and every creak and crackle without worrying how I might be able to protect my family? Would I have someone to do the RTA furniture? Would I have someone to change the tyres, check the oil and all that blokey stuff? Would I be invited to things that seem to be 'coupled' friends only events? Would I be a better, happier, less resentful mother? Would I be me? Who knows... but I know that it hurts. It really hurts to have known the happiness that another person can bring to your life but have it taken away. It hurts to go to bed at night, watch something funny on telly and not have anyone to share it with. It feels so empty to watch your child do something for the first time or have them say and/or do something funny, turn around and have no-one to share it with. This sucks.

and George - it's not about the washing.

Did you know....

... that this week is national recycling week

FO - 100gr challenge swap parcel

This has been finished for ages but I didn't want to post until my swapee had received her parcel. The challenge was to use 100gr of yarn and I had some Yarn Cafe gradient in the sunset colourway which was just delicious and perfect but I couldn't find a pattern that I liked. My swapee is going away to agricultural college next year so I thought a neckwarmer would be warm, snuggly, stylish and less likely to get in the way compared with a scarf so I set to work. Loosly based on the Beechwood pattern this is what I came up with....

So it got packed with a few other little goodies and went on it's merry way...

Party time!

The gifts are safely packed away, cards hanging on the wall, all the gorgeous sausage rolls have been devoured and my little lady is now officially three years old! Where has the time gone? We had a small get together morning tea on Monday which was lots of fun. Strangely, out of the six families we invited only two had their children home on Mondays so it turned into more of a mummy's meeting than anything else but it was still fun!

Charlotte was totally spoilt with some crafty gifts including a kit to make spoon people from our friends Sarah, Sophie & Lily, the most gorgeous handmade hat with matching bag and twirling sticks (every 3 year old needs twirling sticks I've decided - for their mums to run around twirling if nothing else!) from Georgie, puzzles, books, Barbies and a special beanie friend that Charlotte has really taken to.

The girls played, laughed and giggled their way through morning tea with some yummy treats and cupcakes for the birthday girl - in a 3 shape of course. The cupcakes were chocolate which went down well with some of the younger guests...

By lunch time everyone was getting tired and cranky so we called it a day and what a great day it was. In other 'big girl' news - Charlotte has been dry overnight for a week now - I can't believe how much is happening for her at the moment. I've lost my toddler now ;-( and gained a little girl ;-)