MADE it... {19}

I might be learning something here... months and months ago I made a couple sets of these - which sold SO quickly.  Perhaps, I thought, perhaps there might be something in that - how about I make some more, again.  So I did.

They photograph SO well.  It's amazingly hard to get nice photos.

And, today I collected a few more cotton colours to make a few more earrings.  Eep, exciting!



xx

It's Giveaway Time!

Yay!  After a year or two of blogging, it's about time I do this thing, right?

A couple of weeks ago I mentioned that I've been trying to find my niche.  Since then I've been busy playing with colour combinations and tweaking my design here and there.

I've been playing with wire, building stock, and making silly rings which would get caught on everything if I were to wear them.

May I present to you, my 'babies' of the last week...

I want one of my awesome readers to be the proud owner of a pair for free!

"Party Blue"  pink/blue

"Moss"

"Rain"

"Sunflower"

"Fushia"

Colours available at this stage are:  Party Blue, Moss, Rain, Sunflower, Fushia.

All you need to do to have one entry in, is comment at the bottom of this post, and tell me your favourite colour (not anonymous unless you leave your name and email address).

For a second entry, share this on facebook and make a second comment telling me that you did.

Tweet this post (and make another comment) for another entry.

This giveaway is open until the 31st of May, 2013.  Winner will be notified here and via email in the week following the 31st of May, 2013.

As I get more made, with different colour combinations, broader collections, I'll start popping them into my felt online shop.

I hope you like them as much as I do...  eek!


Linking up with Show and Tell




xx

My addiction

It's crochet.  Before you think I have a serious problem, just know, it's crochet.  Yes, you can call me Nana.

I have quite a lot of this dark-coloured wool, actual wool.  Amongst the burgundy 'splash' is a green and a brown 'splash' too.  It's so awesome to crochet with.  I probably say it enough, but there really isn't much yarn that's nicer to use than real, genuine, natural yarn.

I love this wool.  I've had it here staring at me for only a few weeks, "crochet me, crochet me," it really has been taunting me (crochet addicion gets weird sometimes).

The plan was to keep it for a project for me.  And, I'm proud to say that I have accomplished that!  So many things I make are for something/someone else, or for the 'felt shop'.  An actual project just for me.  I wanted a scarf/cowl/thing-a-ma-bob.  It wanted it thick, warm, smooth, comfortable and to look good on me.

I've also had a bit of a 'thing' for a particular kind of crochet square (note my previous post on wrist warmers).  I don't think it can be called a 'granny square', but it might be able to be called an 'afgan square' because afgan blankets are made all kinds of ways.

I love how it crochets up like a smooth, thick fabric.  I love how wool is heavy, which makes it feel cosy.  I love the corner/diagonal detail that looks like a tear-drop.  In fact, looking at it right now, its kind of like a water splash and the square 'rounds' are the ripples.  Sort-of.  Yeah?

I joined them with a simple slip-stitch in the back-side of the top loop only.  I like how it leaves a thin border around each square.  I had to take these photos before I joined the ends together.  It really is such nice wool.

The mini-mini makes the whole thing look smaller.  I was trying to give it some sizing perspective but it didn't really work.   It measures about 30cm top to bottom, 75cm left to right.

I have to figure out how to take some nice photos of it finished, scalloped edge and all, while on me.  I took it for a spin on the weekend where us three (husband, son and I) went to Spencer Park after I was inspired by Sophie Slim's post.  If you go there, you'll see chickens, maybe a baby goat*, pigs, geese, ducks, peacocks, rabbits, guinea pigs, parrots, pidgeons, kakarikis.

Any tips on taking a self portrait with a timer?
 
*The baby goat, Milo, was staying there for a short time while the owner made a better home for it.  Milo was full of mischief and had been getting out of his usual home too much which was annoying the neighbours.

Linking in with Show and Tell



xx

MADE it... {18}

Last Christmas Juliet of Tartan Kiwi gave me a not-so-secret Secret Santa gift.  Amongst all the goodies she gave me were two balls of Angora/Lambswool type wool.  I'd been keeping them aside, waiting for the perfect project, something right, something just for me.

This week I made myself a pair of wrist warmers with not much left to spare.  The amount of wool (50gms total, 8ply) was perfect.

I love these.  They're soft, they're warm, they're perfect for Autumn and Winter, and they are mine to keep.

Can you tell, they're made from one granny-square each.  Yes, you can make yourselves a pair of these - you need only know two things:  how to crochet a square (or a granny square), and how to stitch the sides together (using a needle or crocheting with slip-stitches).

I hope you're feeling inspired to make a pair of your own for winter.  These 'hooked up' so fast.





xx

Sharpening Up

Sharpening the pencils, putting colour concepts together.  I've got neutrals, naturals, neons, combos and solids.

xx

Lucky

A few weeks ago my husband found a four-leaf clover in our own back yard.

He was pretty proud of himself.  I was proud of him too.  I was gutted it wasn't me who found it.  I mean, I know I've been out there and have spent a whole lot more time trying to find one.

Because that's what you do when you see lots of clover, right?

Do you look for four-leaf clovers?  It's not just me, or my husband, right?

Last weekend we were wandering around Pegasus, a new-ish town in Canterbury.  We visited a cafe and had a great coffee.  Great service.  Then we went wandering around the man-made lake.  We walked over a couple bridges, chased our Little Lion around.  Watched him chase the seagulls.

It was nice, peaceful, relaxing.  I was taking photos as we went.

Roy stopped and picked up another four-leaf clover.

I couldn't believe it! How coooool!  I want one!!!

I thought, maybe there will be more there, and maybe I'll get to find my own one.  I went over and started looking.  No sooner had I started looking than I found one. Then I found another one.

I could have picked more, there were heaps of them.  I still had to search for them amongst the usual 3-leafed clovers.

I came home with eight.

I've pressed them, and now I'm wondering what to do with them.  Give them away?  Keep them?  What to do?

Do you want one?

Of the eight, about 4 are in good 'condition'.  So, if you want one, email me and if any are left I'll post one to you.


xx

Hagley Park

Last week Little Lion and I went for a wander.

It was cold.  It was fun.  It was relaxing.  It poured with rain literally moments after we had returned to our warm home.

The trees are enormous, the leaves are uncountable.

I think the urge to climb a tree might just be etched in our soul long before we are given the idea from another.


xx