check out these stars

hi hi!

umm...

There's not much to say 'round these parts. Life is pottering along and between work and home and all the stuff in between there is a new crochet project. But I'm not going to show you that yet. Instead - check out these stars:

Photo from Little Woollie

Aren't they fab. They're from here (which is a lovely tutorial) and I love love love them! I am so going to get distracted from my new project to do a few of these! Our Christmas tree is going to go up on the weekend, and I'd love to have some stars to decorate it with.

How 'bout you? How's the balance of work/home/life going? And when are you putting up your Christmas tree?

crochet finger puppets

I don't have much in the way of words tonight. It was my first day back at work today and it involved sitting in meetings non-stop for most of the day. So I'm a bit worded out. Instead, here are my finished finger puppets:

 

They worked out really well. I followed this pattern for the dog, and then simply made up the others. Surprisingly, the lion wasn't that much of a hit with little-miss-e (she usually loves lions), but the dog got lots of kisses and woofs, as did the koala (we have have a book about koalas and joeys, which I can recite, so the koalas acted out the parts from the book). The butterfly I made from copying one of my Nan's crocheted butterflies that now live on my fridge, and I just added a green finger hold to a flower I already had. I saved the puppets up for the flights there are back (small,compact lightweight and easy to play with), but they've now entered the general toy collection. 

They were really easy to make, and I think I'd like to make a few more. Another few butterflies and I had also planned on making a bee, a frog and maybe a ladybird. The possibilities are endless...

How 'bout you? Have you got show and tell? Join in with Leonie (on Thursday) then!

a (holiday) library collection

It's holiday planning central 'round here. I'm busily writing lists and I'm yet to cross anything off, so I thought I'd drop in quickly and do a holiday library collection. I popped into the library yesterday and picked up some holiday reads:

What's not to love about Jane Austin with added Sea Monsters? Possibly a lot, but I couldn't resist giving it a go. And the yawn book looks lovely for little-miss-e. I'm yet to show it to her, it'll be her holiday treat.  How 'bout you? Have you been to the library recently?

the coasters

My crafting mojo is definately back, and boy is she keeping me busy! I have a number of projects on the go at the moment, but first, here is my completed water jug and cup coasters for my desk at work.

I love the way they turned out, simple and sweet. My desk is usually so crowded with papers and books and things, these really bring a nice spot of peace.

Now those are done, I've got a set of finger puppets on the go for the flight for little-miss-e on our trip - we head to QLD and sunshine on Sat, so seeing I've got 2 and 2 halves of puppets to make tonight, let alone the planning/organising/packing for our trip (don't you love that I've put the crochet at the top of that list!) I'd best be off. It'll be a little quiet 'round here for the next few weeks while we're of hols, but I'll be back soon enough, hopefully with finger puppet fun to show you all...

wordless Wednesday

squashies

My lovely husband, as I've mentioned, is from South Africa. There are many things he misses, not just family and friends, but familiar tastes and smells and fruits and vegies and meats. So every now and then I make a trek across to the other side of town and buy him a few familiar things. The last time I did this, they had squashies in stock. I fell in love with gem squash when we've been visiting over there and my lovely husband loved that I bought him some. He cooked them up and we feasted on South African treats. We also cunningly saved the seeds, as I had a the grand idea of trying to grow some.

So few weeks or so ago I carefully filled an egg carton and gently planted the seeds. I lovingly watered them and left them outside on our table, under the cover of our little porch.

The next morning though, this:

It was one of those ridiculously windy nights, and the wind had blown them off the table. I sighed, scooped up the dirt and a few of the seeds, and tried again.

Check this out!

Yay for squashies!

mojo-ing

Hooray! It seems my crafting mojo has returned! I am currently brimming with ideas of things I want to make! I'm not sure where my mojo went, she seemed to be buried under a sea of work/home/life type tasks, but now she's back and I'm happy about it!

My first project hasn't gone all that smoothly - I've been trying to drink more water at work. So I took in a lovely water jug from home, which it turns out has a little bit of a continence issue after it pours. Given that I often work with actual paper, the wet jug rings are problematic. So I decided to crochet myself a little coaster to sit my water jug on. Something bright and cotton (to soak up the leaks). And something simple. A simple square dishcloth.

Then I got on ravely and got distracted. I found a cute star dishcloth and thought - that looks like fun. Well, 3 attempts later I was at this - not very stary and not very flat.

So I took a deep breath, got back onto ravelry and found what I was looking for. A flat square simple dishcloth. Perfect. I'll post it when it's done. Now I've decided to make a little coaster for my glass to match...

And I've decided I want to make some more of those finger puppets. We've got a plane flight coming up (HOLIDAYS!) and I thought they'd be a great toy for taking on the flights. And, and, and... My mojo and I - we've got such plans!

What about you? What do you do when your crafting mojo wanders off? And do you and your mojo have plans?

wordless wednesday

library collections

So we are still fairly crafty free 'round here. I think time and energy are lacking, along with the motivation to start a new project. But mostly the energy - this working three days a week caper takes a lot out of a person - well takes a lot out of this person...

But there has been a lot of cooking and baking and reading going on instead. And that has meant more trips to the library. So here's our current library collection -

Yep, I re-borrow Les Mis, after 2 renews I had to return it unfinished. But I bravely got it out again a week or so later and am ploughing my way through it. I've paused though, to read The Happiest Refugee - which was light and enjoyable. Having finished that today though, its back into Les Mis.

And these are little-miss-e's books.

We partiucalry love this one:

There is a whole series of them on all the senses and we've had them out before. Little-miss-e has enjoyed all of the series. All of her books have been hits actually, and she often chooses one of these for us to read together. How 'bout you? Have you been to the library recently?

baby bunting

Bunting is very in at the moment. I feel like you can barely turn around in the blogosphere without tripping over a string of bunting! I think bunting is really cute, but up til now I haven't made any. This has been for a number of reasons, but mostly because I haven't anywhere to hang it once done! But a friend at work needs a bit of cheering up, so we are putting together a basket of things for her, and I thought what is more cheerful than a string of baby bunting. Teeny tiny triangles in bright colours, just perfect for hanging up over your desk!

I followed pink milk's easy tutorial, but obviously did a lot less rows!

I also made my friend a load of oaty lindt chip biscuits...

Chocolate and bunting, the perfect cheer-you-up!

duck!

So, I am a little early for show and tell, but I am pretty excited about this. I made a duck!
 
Ok, so I didn't follow the pattern all that brillantly, got my terms mixed up and whatever. But still I made a duck! Little-miss-e loves it! She shouts QUACK when she sees it, and then comes over to give it a kiss.

Ahh, the satisfaction of a quick project that turns out just right!

Pattern from here: I think I'll be making a few more of these. Finger puppets are so so easy and quick and delightful!

Do you have show and tell? Joining in with Leonie (or I will when the link is up tmrw).