A Walk Along the Road.

 As I was driving the boys to school yesterday, I noticed these toadstools springing up. And so, Dominique and I went for a little walk, carrying lots of Stanley goodies with us for a photo session.

 Alas, it was too late in the morning for good light but we had lots of fun anyway.

 Stanley and his mother enjoyed it.

 They stayed there for so long that a fairy ring formed.

Check out these two, definitely up to mischief. Do you think teenage Stanley is about to stuff a bit of toadstool in his satchel.

So there you go - if in need of a bit of creative inspiration, stuff a few toys and handmade goods in a bag with your camera and go for a walk. I came back feeling so refreshed and ready for more adventures.

Lots of love,

Kate xxooxxooxx.

Liberty, Velvet and Chalk.

 Mum is due to arrive tomorrow and I have spent the morning making her bed, sewing cushions and trying to keep my ridiculously surging excitement under control. Aggggghhhhhh!

 I bought the navy blue velvet cover yesterday. It is like nestling your head against the furry underside of a bumblebee. Archie is desperate to claim the cushion but I know there is a place for it in my room once Mum leaves.
After making the first Liberty cushion cover, I knew a second one was calling. I love how they are snuggled up together looking out the window.

 Doesn't the navy blue cushion look proud of its little friends.

 They lub each other.

 Now all we need is a Gaga (Mum) to complete the picture.

Oh yes, here are some books waiting for her.

And if you were wondering what's in the yellow striped mug.... It's chalk.

Lots of love,

Kate xxxxx.

p.s. Hurry up Mum!!!

Bad Habit Bear.

 Ummm, so I came home today and found this going on..... I think John the Bear may have a slight problem - aside from the fact that the billiard balls have been triangulated in the wrong direction.

 Oh look, how funny. You can see him realising it.

 He's fallen in with a rough crowd. 

 And now has to prove himself.

 So much is riding on this break.

The tension amongst his "friends" is palpable. 

Lots of love,

Kate xxooxx.

A Tablet Cover.

 Please excuse the photos... the light isn't all that great today. In fact right now, rain is cascading down and the thunder clap a minute ago sounded a little too close for comfort.

Anyhoo, enough of the weather report. Here is the cover for my Samsung tablet that I have been working on. It's supposed to look like a ruled up piece of paper. Can anyone else remember having to go through your school books ruling them up?

Now it's safe to travel.

Lots of love,

Kate xxooxx.

Washi Tape, Scrabble and Blackboards.

 This weekend was pretty special. Lots of little things that added up to wonderful. The boys and I went to the library on Saturday morning (I really should have taken a photo of our book stacks for this post) and then Stef came around in the afternoon with a 10th birthday present for Archie. 

The present of course was amazing - if you are needing presents for 10 year old boys, you can't beat a tin full of science experiment cards AND a mini book-sized pool table. The boys played with it all weekend. However, what really impressed me was the wrapping. Archie knows and understands me well, see how carefully the paper was removed....

 Washi tape wizardry.

 Later on our neighbours came over for a curry and scrabble night. Jonno had to show us his letters as he came up with a new chicken flavoured fizzy drink which he is sure will be a big hit.

 During the early hours of Sunday morning, I dreamt that I was painting a big old Victorian house. And so upon waking and in a decorating kind of mood, I finally painted the blackboard wall I have had earmarked for quite some time. Hugo helped too.

 And did the final coat this morning (nothing in this photo is actually touching the wall and it was dry by the time I pushed everything back). I can't wait to season it (you rub chalk sideways over the whole wall and then wipe it off) and then be able to draw all over it. A pretty good transformation for $25.

 I think it is going to be a great background for photography too so I am really excited.

Those colours are doing it for me.

Lots of love, Kate xxx.

p.s. Jonno and I saw Iron Man 3 yesterday afternoon and it was insanely good - my favourite so far and hysterically funny. I hooted loudly and often.

Rain Clouds and Crochet.

I have two of my favourite girls in the world come to my house a couple of mornings a week before school and sometimes, if I get out of bed early enough, they do crafting. This morning Lily left this scene on my kitchen table - how could I not take a photograph. 

 This is what I woke up to this morning. My very own hot water bottle and cover... still warm might I add.

I have alos been making a few of these, not the best photo in the world but there you go.
Lots of love,
Kate xxooxx.

Crochet Colours for Today.

I am now well on the way to recovery but still having to pace myself a little - Fortunately pacing involves lots of crochet and tea drinking - I'm okay with that. 

 Do you like my new mug?

And here is a photo of Archie's hot water bottle - Lots of purple as requested. 

Lots of love,
Kate xxooxx.

How to Crochet an Apple.

 As International Yarn Bombing Day rapidly approaches (I think June 12th), I thought I,d better get the apple pattern/recipe up on the blog! Although usually I am all for going multicoloured, I have to say, the apples looked ridiculously effective all being a uniform red.... not as much fun though - see I have already rebelled by adding a green one to the photo. Just saying though...

Materials.

red (or any colour) 8 ply (any ply is fine too)

Brown 4 or 8 ply yarn

green felt

needle

either a size 3.5mm or 4mm crochet hook

stuffing

Terms

ch = chain
slst = slip stitch
sc = single crochet (u.s.) this is dc or double crochet in u.k. terms
st/s = stitch/es

yarn (a) = red
yarn (b) = brown

N.B. All rounds are crocheted in continuous spirals.

Using yarn (a) ch 2, 6 sc into second ch from hook. Ss into first sc. (6)
Round 1. 2sc into each st until the end of the round. (12)
Round 2. *1sc into the first st then 2sc into following st. *Repeat until end. (18)
Round 3. *1sc into next 2 sts then 2sc into the following st. *Repeat until end. (24)
Round 4. 1sc into every st until the end of the round. (24)
Round 5. *1sc into the next 3 sts then 2sc into the following st. *Repeat until end. (30)
Rounds 6-7. 1sc into every st until the end of the round. (30)
Round 8. *1sc into the next 4 sts then 2sc into the following st. *Repeat until end. (36)
Rounds 9-11. 1sc into every st until the end of the round. (36)
Round 12. *1sc into the following 5 sts then skip the following st. *Repeat until end. (30)
Round 13. 1sc into every st until the end of the round. (30)
Round 14. *1sc into the following 4 sts then skip the following st. *Repeat until end. (24)

Round 15. *1sc into the following 3 sts then skip the following st. *Repeat until end. (18)

Round 16. *1sc into the following 2 sts then skip the following st. *Repeat until end. (12)

Stuff firmly.

Round 18. *1sc every 2nd st. *Repeat until end. (6)

Bind off with a needles leaving a 40cm tail.

 Thread the tail through the centre top (the top is where you have just finished crocheting) and pull it firmly through to the bottom. This is what gives the apple its shape. 

p.s. You may notice that in this photo I made a mistake and started crocheting in hdc (htc in uk terms) - I had just finished crocheting a hot water bottle and my hand kept wanting to do that stitch. It was at the bottom and I am pretty forgiving of mistakes these days. 

 Pull back up through to the top. 

 Fasten off securely and the tuck the tail back into the apple. 

 Thread the needle with a 125cm length of yarn (b) if you are going to be tying your apple to a tree. Otherwise a 40cm length will suffice. Bring it down through the centre top of the apple to the centre bottom.

 If you don't require a long length for tying and don't want a leaf, let 1-2cm remain at the top to form a stalk.

 Now tie a double knot at the base of the apple to form the - oh dear, I can't think of the term - naval? No.... that would kind of be the top. You know, the brown tufty bit at the bottom.... and don't be too rude now.

 Whatever it is called, there it is.... If you are going to use the apple either for hanging or wanting to give it a leaf, or both... rethread the wool back up through the apple to the centre top. If not, tuck the tail into the apple and snip off the excess yarn.

 Now, cut a little leaf shape from the felt.

 Stitch on with the wool firmly.

 Et voila, an apple with a tail for tying....

 Et voila, an apple with a leaf and stalk.

Bottle immediately for maximum freshness.

Good luck and any questions asked will be answered in the comment section below.
Lots of love,
Kate xxooxxooxx.

More Hot Water Bottling... From Bed.

 Hugo and I are now both suffering from the dreaded lurgy. Lots of temperatures, head aches and snuffliness. So we have both been snuggling in bed this morning, crocheting (me), reading books and playing on the ipod (Hugo).

 In this photo he is playing on the iPod - I thought I had better point this out as his stare is pretty intense.

 It's funny how kids look so much younger when they are unwell. Look at those peachy little cheeks.

 I've been working on two things this morning, a crochet apple tutorial which will be up in the next couple of days and finishing off another hot water bottle cover.

You have to be careful with these hot water bottles, they become very addictive.
Lots of love,
Kate xxooxx.