A Gardeny-knitty Weekend.

I had a friend come over for morning tea yesterday and she bought me a present - can you believe how the wool and the rose shine with all the same colours!
My second batch of roses to leave the house - with a little earwig, I do like to share....
I am back onto knitting again, this time a hooded cardigan for myself. It is hard to see from this photo but the navy blue has such an inky depth. It really is the perfect navy (according to my eyes).

It is always such a treat when Jonno doesn't have to work on the weekends.

I am feeling a little tenderised today - in a very good way I had better add. On Friday, the boys had a sleepover with their cousins which meant that Jonno and I could go out for dinner and catch a movie. It was so blissful. The weather was warm and we ate outside the restaurant (at their tables - not the car park) and watched all the bustle of a Friday night. Not everyone stays at home on a Friday night watching D.V.D's, what a revelation.
Once we regained custody of the boys, we then went and bought lots of vegetables seedlings (I am not having much luck with seeds this year, apparently they need lots of water - hmmm) and some apple trees and then spent the afternoon making new homes for our leafy friends.

This morning however, it is action stations. Hugo has been invited to a birthday present so I will have to track down the birthday present which I know it lurking somewhere nearby and dress him in something other than pyjamas.

p.s. The give away is being drawn tomorrow so if you would like to enter, click here!

Spring Crafting.

There is nothing like clover and daisies starting to flower all over the farm.
Or gathering together some of your things and realising it is all starting to mount up.

That it really is turning into quite a pile.

And another flower, this one made of tulle and tissue paper.

I have very few words today... all of the festivities have left me a little tuckered out. Birthday energy can only last for so long.

Thank you so much for all of your entries into the give away, even if you have entered, it it worth going back and seeing what everybody else is reading at the moment and if you haven't, enter now!!

Lots of love, Kate xxooxxooxx.

Birthday Flowers and More...

Birthday flowers from my friend Shar...
They came in the most gigantic bouquet imaginable and were wrapped up in tulle(which was quickly remade into a flower) and antique cream tissue paper.

And then held together with yards of this beautiful ribbon.

And - Amanda sent me one of her Mad March Hares as part of a rabbit swap. I have to say that photos don't do her justice, the stitching is so intricate down to embroidered flowers on her head and a little lace necklace. As for the colours, Amanda has me pegged and could not have done better. Thank you so much, she (name is still being decided) will be cherished forever!!!

Another reminder of the big give away going on below. This is a pincushion I made this afternoon... remember, the winner is able to choose their pincushion so this one may end up being yours!!!

Love Kate xxooxxooxx.

Birthday Bits...

The birthday girl in new jewellery and new coat from sis-in-law/cousin (Jodie and I married brothers. Can you see the birthday glow??? Who was the Birthday Queen I ask...

Brother-in-law...

Sister -in-law/cousin.

Everybody, thank you so much for your birthday wishes and favourite reads - I am just loving it and thinking it may have to become an annual event. So, if you haven't, please enter the big give away below... it's worth it.

Last night was a big family dinner which was made even more fun by the addition of moustache straws, a project taken from one of my new birthday books, 'Paper + Craft'. Over the next few days I will try and fit in a little review of my new books.

Tonight is the finale to Kate's birthday festival, dinner with a few girls at a wonderful Indian Restaurant in town... is it weired to take in my own decorations... am I just getting a little too into it?

Once again, thank you so much for your comments, they helped to make my day so special.

Lots of love, a very 34 year old Kate, xxooxxooxx.

Happy Birthdays and the Great Big Greedy Give Away!!

It has been a wonderful birthday so far - lots of spoiling, good food, a few presents (including the necklace and headband from tamar.etsy.com - I can't get a link on it at the moment) and plenty of careful rose transplanting. The weather is beautifulish and the crackle is definitely pinging through the air. Oh to be born on the 10/10 and be alive in 2010!!!

So to celebrate 10/10/10, it is time to kick off the big give away. The prize is made up of one pincushion of your choice (crocheted or sewn) and the book pictured above, 'Kyuto! Japanese Crafts: Woolly Embroidery'.

In order to enter please tell me your favourite read of the past year and your nameif you can't sign in with a pre-existing account.

Happy Day!!!

p.s. I will draw the winner on Monday, 18th October. Good luck...

First of the Spring Roses... and another pincushion.

Life begins again with roses starting to burst in the garden. Everything just seems so much more, well rosey and that makes the world my most favourite kind of place to exist in (even my best friend who is very much neglected at the moment is called Rosie). This year is going to be particularly exciting as I have ordered lots of bushes so I can sell cut garden roses at the local farmers market. The new batch are still about a month away from their first flush but I visit them everyday to check. They have been chosen on size, colour and scent and so will be extremely different to the hothouse variety on offer at the moment.

Years ago when I lived in Melbourne, I worked part time in the most beautiful florist shop (Domain Flowers - opposite the Botanic Gardens) while I was at uni. They had a seasonal supplier of garden roses and I can remember the frantic rush that would take place as soon as they were placed in vases and their scent would unfurl into the cafe crowd sitting outside. The roses weren't necessarily perfect or blemish free but no one seemed to mind.

Onto some other news... I may have let slipped that it is my birthday on Sunday and as much as I would love to invite everyone over for cake and games, it's just not possible. So instead, on the 10/10/10 I will be having a birthday giveaway. It will be open for seven days and the only condition of entry is that you tell me your favourite book of the past year. The prize will be a pincushion (much like the one featured above) and a book. Drop by on Sunday and check it out.

In the meantime, I had better go and do a bit of house clearing so when I wake on Sunday morning it will be to gleaming surfaces, fresh sheets and hopefully, some windows we will be able to look through.

Love Kate xxooxxooxx.

P.S. Don't enter until Sunday - that's the day to sign yourself up with your favourite book!

Pin Cusions.

You know how you go through your stages of things you must make, simply MUST. Well, at the moment for me it is pin cushions. Pin cushions that you can stick all variety of needles into, thick and thin. I think the deal with it is that you get to make a cushion (I love cushion making) but it is in miniature and has a function and is much faster to make.

Can you tell that I have had a couple of days to myself and my studio. It has been bliss, especially looking out onto the blossom tree and dogwood going mad. Thank goodness for Spring and sunshine and blossom and healthy children!!!

Love Kate xxooxx.