A Big Birthday!

 My big boy Archie turned 10 yesterday. It is funny how the blog often goes quiet for a few days before an event like this hits.... Too much time spent baking and scheming methinks.

I included this photo of the cake just to show that not every cake is an amazing 6 tiered rainbow cake or  crenellated castles replete with jelly moats. Sometimes they are fall apart chocolate cakes grouted back together with icing. And it is always such a relief to see them all eaten with the exact same amount of gusto.

 10 year old boys can even light the candles on their cake!!!

 Such a milestone!

 By the way, this is Archie's new jumper that was knitted by his Gran Gran. It is incredible and is particularly cool with his teal skinny jeans and purple sneakers. 

Lots of love,
Kate xxooxx.

p.s. These school holidays we have decided to make life a little more low-tech... unfortunately this includes me which may mean that blogging will have to occur on the down low.... if I can sneak it in. 

More Quilt Photos...

 Sorry guys - but I just had to take some more photos of the quilt before I send it away. It was such a joy to make and I loved the contrasting corduroy with the lighter weight cottons.

My favourite thing (apart from snuggling under it) is seeing a quilt folded up.
Lots of love,
Kate xxooxx.

An Early Morning Quilt.

 Yesterday I made a new quilt. Archie very kindly tried it out for me this morning. See him pretending to be asleep. Doesn't he do it well, almost as though he spends at least 10 hours of his 24 hour day practicing. 

 We are very excited because we have proper, drought-busting rain. However this means that as far as photography is concerned, light isn't so plentiful. So please excuse the warm glowys colour that don't quite represent the quilt properly.

 A little bit of pink corduroy never goes astray...

 Asleep under a quilt.

Awake under a quilt.

Lots of love,

Kate xxooxx.

Yesterday.

 Today the rain came and thank goodness for that. Still not enough but a good promise. Yesterday however, the weather was glorious. I found these little mice popped into the hot air balloon by an anonymous child. Very cute.

 With Archie off hiking on a scout expedition, Jonno and I took Hugo pine-coning. And of course we took a picnic, bursting with newly ripened feijoas. 

 There was a tyre swing which Hugo found to be slightly distracting. Look at my little boy with his crazy eyes.....

 His extraordinarily long legs.

And his dad.

Lots of love,
Kate xxooxx.

A Bookish Weekend.

 All we feel like doing this weekend is reading and eating. Luckily I went to the library and stocked up. Below is a small selection of the at least forty books I came back with. Novels for us all, cookbooks, comics, craft books, photoshop manuals and talking books. We are safe.

Have a lovely weekend,
Love Kate xxooxx.

A Bear in the Wild.

 John the Bear is finished. He is so much happier how he has his head.

 Here he is in the wild.

 And now he wants to be picked up.

Don't be frightened.
Lots of love,
Kate xxooxx.

Bear in Progress.

 John the Bear is almost finished. I have decided to start calling my little animals after family members. John is for my Dad and also for Hugo (It's his middle name). 

 I am just hoping John the Bear will keep standing even when his head is attached... wish me luck.

And here is a photo of some twine I bought yesterday. It's very small and fits nicely into the world of crocheted animals. I think they might end up as electrical spools for a rabbit burrow or something.

Lots of love,
Kate xxooxx.

A Fabric Fix.

Today I went fabric shopping - the first time in ages. I was actually going to spend the morning doing computer work but then a flyer came from Spotlight and on the back page were these new prints from Belle and Boo!!!!! It was like a dream come true. So I rang my next door neighbour (I thought she might be up for an adventure), jumped into the car and teleported into town.

It just so happened that there was a sale today on all quilting fabrics and the selection I was after went down to slightly less than half price!!!

 I bought stuff.

Still in the washing machine (funny how quickly I wash new fabrics but school uniforms... they can lounge around in the bottom of the laundry chute for days) are some corduroys and a plain acid yellow drill. I'll show you them tomorrow.

Lots of love, 

Kate xxooxx. 

Bear Face.

 I am working on a new friend for Stanley Rabbit and Franco Fox. 

With luck a body should follow soon...
Lots of love,
Kate xxooxx.

Me at Work.

 This is what I look like when I work. I love having my own personal photographer - Thanks Arch, I hope your childhood doesn't end up being scarred by it....

Lots of love,
Kate xxooxx.

p.s if you are waiting for the egg cosy - I ran into some technical difficulty and it may have to wait for a few days.

Easter!

 I love how Easter gives you a chance to dress rabbits with flowers,

 Jugs with cosies,

 And tables with more than just food.

 I love watching babies eat their first eggs.

 Or husbands wearing their favourite sellotape moustaches.

But most of all, it's the time we get to spend together with family and friends.
Lots of love,
Kate xxooxx.