Smart New Trousers for Hugo.

I'm still on my sewing kick at the moment and made up these pants from Heather Ross's 'Weekend Sewing' yesterday ( I added the cuff to jazz them up a bit). They stay up and he likes them so in my view, that makes them a success. The linen/cotton blend used for making the pants were taken from a duvet cover which I bought at a drastically reduced price. There is so much fabric in duvet covers and always such good quality too.

More photos to come of our new baby rabbit which we adopted today - we are still waiting for the boys to name him although Hugo is thinking Big Ears would be good as he is obsessed with Noddy.

Sewingy Stuff.

First of all, I need to explain my sporadic blogging. Our internet connection is terrible at the moment and it is possibly due to corroded wires which will hopefully be fixed by the end of the week. The lack of speed means that it takes forever to write up the blog and at the moment, it is even more difficult to go visiting all of my favourite blogs which is sheer torture. So please don't think my blogging obsession is waning... it's all still there wanting and waiting to come out.
As consolation I have been going through a sewing stage again with the sewing machine firmly placed on the kitchen table downstairs. Sometimes I find sewing to be such a headache but at the moment it's fun.

I'll just make this quick and sign off before our connection drops out but I have so much more to show you over the next few days so I will be back. Take care, xxooxxooxx.

We went visiting...

This weekend in New Zealand isn't just any weekend, it is the weekend of the long weekend variety - for labour day or something. The sky has been blue and has stretched seamlessly above us, the air softly butting against us with velvety warmth and the garden uplit into a golden, song-filled paradise. It has been a good weekend anyway.

Yesterday morning we went to my cousin's house for brunch. Have I ever told you about Jodie. It is all very legal, I promise you... but here it is... we are cousins as well as sisters'-in-law. The easy way to explain it is this, we are cousins who married two brothers. And the other way is this. Jodie (Australian) met Darren (Kiwi) in a Sydney pub and liked each other very much. Eventually they became boyfriend and girlfriend and then we met Darren. He immediately told me I was destined to marry his little brother and I didn't believe him. Then, Jodie and Darren were getting married and Jonno flew over from New Zealand for the wedding. We met each other, loved each other completely and to the surprise of everyone (it was moderately quick), we married each other. And for the past nine years we have adored each other to pieces.

Tomorrow is our wedding anniversary which I have to say, as much as I love birthdays, I am not a big anniversary person. But when I look back to the beginning, I think if anybody told me that on the cusp of a wedding anniversary (that would mean I was married) I would be having brunch in New Zealand with my cousin Jodie and our highly related children (they really, really, really can't marry between themselves), I don't think I would have believed them.

By the way, our super-genetically in common children look nothing like each other which to me is perhaps the most bizarre thing.

Zen Roses.

These roses were a great reminder to me yesterday when the house (as mentioned previously) had opened a hell-mouth portal and had demonically charged mess spurting forth from every corner. The roses sat there, still roses despite the mess, still fragrant, beautiful and calm.

Right now the boys are having the special treat of watching 'Masterchef'. Archie is so excited because one of the girls is having a big cook-off involving a complicated dessert, "I'll get lots of tips for you Mum". 'Sponge Bob' and 'Masterchef' are definately the top shows in our house... who would have thunk it.

Lots and lots of sewing went on today in a slightly tidier house. Photos tomorrow.

Crocheted Horses and a Good Film.

I spoke to my Mum on the phone yesterday and she said that I had to update my blog. She said that she kept checking and there was nothing more and she needed more... so here I am - an obedient daughter.
First of all though, sorry about the quality of the photos, the light as been pretty appalling for the last few days. However, with a bit of sunshine today, I will get the camera out and capture a bit of colour.

This is a little pony I made for one of Hugo's friends. She was having a barnyard party so we thought she might need a horse. It actually turned out to be a great challenge but because I put the head on slightly to one side, it turned out to be an extremely melancholy horse. That is the thing with something handmade though, they do come into the world with their own emotions. A bit of therapy and a handful of love and maybe then it will just look relaxed and sleepy.

Speaking of relaxed (and not particularly sleepy), I went to the movies with a friend last night and saw the most wonderful film, '500 Days of Summer'. It was the best romantic comedy I have seen for such a long time - funny, thought-provoking and edible. We drove home afterward discussing it the whole way which is a rare phenomenon in my book. So now I am feeling a little as though I have had a holiday with that lingering happy warmth.

Once again, the house is beginning to cave into me and I am sure that I picked up a bit of gas-gangrene from the stairs. I think that means it is time to get the pick-axe out and start hacking through the layers. I might even find Jonno and the boys if I tunnel far enough. I hope you are all having a great week and go and see the movie if you can. You won't regret it.

Spring Roses!!!

My roses are opening their first fat buds to the steamy Spring warmth. I picked a yellow rose today and drank the dew from it. If you make a weired sucking noise, the perfume comes with it and your mouth is filled with rose water. Something I do a lot of at this time of year.

I felt that I needed to include more photos of the jug cover and doily that my friend Belinda made for me. Made from extremely fine cotton, I don't know how she hasn't turned into a crone with hunched shoulders and bulgy eyes. Belinda, you are utterly amazing and I am so lucky to have you for my friend.

Hugo is in the garden at the moment playing with our big,black extremely friendly dog Willow. Jonno heard him say "Sit, stay still Willow, sit. Oh, thank you". Jonno then assumes that Willow put her paw up because the next thing Hugo said was "Pleased to meet you". Good to have a friend when your big brother is slightly out of action with a sore tummy.

Thanks to my cousin (the yellow necklace maker) I have been introduced to sago. Like offal, it was a food I never ate growing up because Mum was left with a pathological dislike of it due to bad experiences at school. So for me, it is the most exotic kind of nursery food ever. Right now I have some in the slow cooker and the house is alive with the smells of cinnamon and vanilla. Better give it a stir and lick the spoon. Have a lovely Friday night.

Crocheted limbs and book groups...

I am hoping the little collection of body parts will slowly creep their way toward each other over the next couple of days and form themselves into something special for one of Hugo's friend's birthday. All of the limbs seem a little strangely shaped but surely that is a good thing... it will be interesting to say the least... or the most.

And a little peep of the print I ended up with the other day - very simple shapes but I overlaid it with some tracing paper that I printed on in a different colour and that gave it a little more depth. I am addicted to the process though and can't wait to start on my next one. Can you see the little bit of cross-stitch sewed onto the bottom right hand corner. It is actually a name so I had to block it out for the sake of birthday top-secretness.

Off to book group soon and I am raring to go. We read 'Tulip Fever' by someoneorother and it was a cracking read, my favourite so far. Hopefully the unveiling of next month's book will have something just as good... I have to admit that we do get the occasional book that is as exciting as a pebble race. Life is just too short for bad books, especially when the world is teeming with wonderful ones bursting forth from writers' hands every minute. Pop, I just heard one then, pop, pop, pop - look three more. Anyhoo, I had better go and pack my book into the crochet bag. Night-night.