Getting Colourful.

I am still spending a lot of time working out Christmas wreaths for the workshop coming up in November and stumbled across this tutorial through pinterest. I loved making the flowers from felt as originally suggested in the post but then had a go with corduroy and felt they came to life. I am slightly obsessed so all I am saying, is that it is at your own peril if you come to visit wearing corduroy pants.

The birds are beginning to nest which is wonderful to see them so at home.

The flowers are disappointingly nectarless though.

And here is my last project coming along. A knitted hexagon cushion with a pattern that I AM WRITING NOW!!!! It is so easy and satisfying and I know I have a million patterns to post already in line but this one I must put up first.

Oh dear, is that the time. I had better go and pick up the boys from their friend's house.

Lots and lots and lots of love,

Kate xxooxxooxx.

Birthdays!!!!

Saturday saw us giddy with excitement over Jonno's birthday. Jonno lives in a family completely obsessed by birthdays, not just our own, but every single person we have ever met. And because we particularly love Jonno, Archie, Hugo and I spent weeks discussing it and making all sorts of difficult decisions so as to ensure him the best possible day ever.

The day began (after he returned from the milking shed - we are all slightly less enthusiastic at the crack of dawn) with a big cooked breakfast and lots of presents (including a pie maker... more about that later).

Cuddles on the trampoline are also a big part of the day. Would you believe that this is our second trampoline. The boys spend every spare moment bouncing and actually wore out the first one. One moment Archie was reaching for the stars and the next, he was swallowed by the earth.

In the afternoon we took Jonno bowling and out for dinner which was kept as a big secret. We had his family jump out from behind a secret hiding spot when we walked in and shout out "Surprise" -it seemed the most appropriate thing for them to say under the circumstances. he had been told they were all busy and wouldn't be able to catch up on the day. Jonno said to me later he felt guilty because while he was surprised, he found it difficult to act surprised. It is very hard when you are somebody who takes everything in your stride to jump out of your skin at the sight of your loved ones in a bowling alley. But, he was surprised.

One of the highlights of the weekend was the pie maker that Hugo gave to Jonno (Jonno loves making pies). Hugo and I are both gluten free and this little man has gone through his whole life without ever having a pie. I have just found some great gluten free pastry in the freezer section of the supermarket (by Pavilion if you are in N.Z.) and so, Jonno and Hugo busied themselves cooking up lots and lots of pies. Can you see the joy in Hugo's face!!! I have to say that they were the best pies I have ever had and if you are gluten free - a pie maker is a must.

Birthday cake... it disappeared very quickly.

Sadly, this bread is not gluten free. Gluten bread for the birthday boy. I made it for him with love and had to cross my fingers that it would taste okay as I couldn't test it.

The last two photos are of what I got up to on the weekend. I am loving knitting stripy socks, the pink is almost a marl and is so beautiful I could eat it.

Lots and lots of love,

Kate xxooxxooxx.

Stanley and his 'Uncle'.

Stanley sensed something was not quite right with his mother's new boyfriend.

To make matters worse, she couldn't seem to keep her hands off him.

This week has seen a little bit of papier mache, crochet, pompom making and a whole lot of tissue mountains as another cold sweeps its way through our house. Our health record over this half of the year is looking a little dodgy. How much vitamin c and good food can one family consume and still be all milky white and full of germs. There is only one thing for it. Time to get into the bubble. Boys, let's head down to the sterile bunker. What fun it will be!

Lots of love,

Kate xxooxx.

Yellow.

Sunday was a cold and rainy day. The boys were playing with our next door neighbour, Jonno was working and I was upstairs playing in the studio.

I am in the process of playing around with my second Christmas wreath using a more Scandinavian palette (or at least my interpretation of it) with pale blue, cream and lots and lots of yellow.

I still have far to go but it's just so much fun. Now for some papier mache...

Lots of love,

Kate xxooxx.

Bird Making.

Well, the little bird pattern is still under evolutionary development at the moment and I am so looking forward to being able to post it but I just need to do a little more to it's bottom. The wing section however, is pretty well done and I am so pleased as I wanted it to have a feathery look.

It has been a big day with my Dad and Stepmum flying back home to Australia. It's always hard to say goodbye so losing myself in working out a new pattern is a great distraction.

Anyhoo,

Lots and lots of love,

Kate xxooxx.

Life on the Table.

The Spring Equinox has roared its way into New Zealand and we are taking shelter inside with our fire stoked back up again, crochet, slow roasted lambs and board games. Dad is teaching Archie to play Chess and enthralling him with stories of ancient Persia and armies and battles.

Jonno and Hugo opted for Guess Who. They look like an advertisement for it don't they...

Lots and lots of drawing has been appearing while the rain sweeps sideways. This is Hugo's King.

And as for me, more little Floss Bunnies.

Lots and lots of love from a wind swept land,

Kate xxooxx.

Dots......................................................................

Hugo and I finally got around to making our dot prints. I love his heart...

This is a very short and mildly depressed version of a budgie pattern that I am developing to share with you. There is a long way to go before it turns into a happy little chirpy bird.

Spare moments are going into a new jumper for Archie. It's lovely to be knitting for him while he reads his school reader to me, my favourite time of the day.

Gosh it is good to be blogging again. I am very tired tonight so once again, many more photos than words but pictures do just say so much don't they.

Lots of love,

Kate xxooxx.

Spring.

It really, really, really seems to be Spring at long last. The breeze has this new quality which I call (for some strange reason) ice cream air where it wafts by in layers of warm and cold and smells slightly floral. It really is delicious, good quality air in New Zealand at the moment...

My daffodils are all trumpeting about and giving me lots of inspiration to make things yellow and orange coloured - they are such cheerful colours aren't they - and they tend to give such a lift to multi-coloured projects.

Right now in our house it is very exciting because I have my Dad and StepMum (Fafa and Granny Lou Lou) staying. The boys are in heaven as there are always willing eyes to watch their amazing tricks and patient (amused) ears ready to listen to all of their stories.

Fafa and Granny Lou Lou are very, very happy to spend their holidays eating bananas. Apparently in Australia, bananas are between $16-$18 per kg. because of the storms and flooding in Queensland. In New Zealand they are around $1.99 per kg. because they are sourced from the Philippines - not very eco friendly I know but we don't buy them very often, just when our potassium levels begin to dip. Right now I have a banana cake baking in the oven. When bananas are that expensive, they must be eaten straight away and so, a cake is true luxury.

Anyhoo, I had better hang some washing on the line while the sun is shining and remember to take the baking out of the oven.

Lots of love,

Kate xxooxx.

Another Floss...

Another little Floss has found her way into a new home.

Have a lovely weekend.

Lots of love,

Kate xxooxx.