And the storm rolls in......

Hope gives wings to

the wishes of the soul.

Hello. Do you like ladybirds in your garden? Here are some that have invaded mine! They’re pretty cool, you don’t have to feed them or water them and they don’t bother anyone. They just look pretty. I can't remember where I got the pattern from but I had made some awhile back in a previous post.

Ladybirds in the garden

I found myself up at 3am because I just couldn't sleep, so I decided to take down the washing from the back patio. There were lots of white clothing hanging up so I decided to take them down before the flies got a chance to do fly poo poo all over my washing. Thank goodness I did, we had so many flies this morning. I also got to sew a cushion cover for a much loved cushion that needed recovering. It's quite a big cushion so in my stash was just the right stuff to use. I can see that material pile going down big time!!!

Kids cushion

How about this cute bunny! Very simple, great for using up bit of yarn. I have made my bunny in 8 ply yarn using size 10 knitting needles. I am a loose knitter so I have found size needles are the best for me and you can't see the toy stuffing when you fill the bunny. Click here for this scarily easy pattern.

Cute bunny

I have made mention about our hot weather recently, and yes, it summer but I have been emailing to friends today and I mentioned our weather. At lunchtime we had reached 40C and it had well gone passed that by later in the day. Look at the sky now.....

 

We have a storm, a bit of rain, thunder and some wind. After days and days of 40C+ it is a relief. I hope we have a bit more rain to cool the place down. Hmmmm my sewing shed might cool down. Maybe I could go and check that out!! Before I go I must let you all know that some how I managed to wipe all my favourite blogs off my sidebar. If you're not there anymore, I'm sorry. I am replacing them as I remember the names of my favourite visiting places. I am a dill. Best wishes for the New Year.

Cheers,  Anita.

P.S. Miss you Heather!!!

There is no fireside

like your own fireside.

-Irish proverb

Hello, I hope those who celebrate Christmas had a wonderful time. We had a fantastic Christmas, most of the time hanging out in the pool. It was 44C in our parts, but having a pool is top fun. I have stitching together some left over squares to make myself a table topper for a small desk in the library. It measures 20 inches x 40 inches and will make a nice display with the books.

 

I have knitted a small bird from leftover yarns and it is a pattern I have loosely copied from the net. I decided to use buttons for the eyes and stitch on the wings.

 

Another knitted bird that can be knitted using just normal yarn or you can knit it in a furry yarn. I tried the furry yarn as I have a tonne of it, but it was tricky sewing on the eyes and beak. Still a good result. Click here for the pattern.

 

More knitting than sewing going on around here, but while it is so hot outside I may as well get some knitting done under the air conditioner. I could do some housework, but lets not go there. lol. I am knitting a few extra baby garments to sell, so I have started with a cute white beanie. It fits a 3-6 month old and is very soft.

 

The tribe has come back home so it looks like lunch is on the cards. Wherever you are I hope you are having a great time.

Cheers, Anita.

 

 

Welcome Christmas! heel and toe,

Come and fill us ere you go!

-Mary Mapes Dodge, Rhymes and Jingles.

Not long to go now and Santa will visit all those who believe. The last minute preparations are being made and with only a few more gifts to wrap, things are set. We are expecting 40C in our parts and that's fine because the swimming pool is waiting for us. I made this cute little reindeer brooch in next to no time. I was google imaging a pattern or design for a reindeer to make and just by free hand drawing, I made this little guy. He is made from felt scraps, sewn on eyes and a bit of stitching. All up he is about three inches high.

Whimsy reindeer

I had fun knitting up these little Christmas puddings and added a chocolate to balance things out. A calorie free treat with a treat that's loaded with calories!! I wrapped them in cello and served them on a small saucer. Of course, the Principal had to get the biggest Christmas pudding, that was a different pattern to the small puddings I knitted.

With love and good joy

A cute little knitted teddy to go into the library for next year. The pattern is from the Guardian Angel book. Some more little owls crocheted to go and live at another school library (not mine). A knitted cat had been made, also for the other school library. Click here for the pattern. Very simple and quick to make. I didn't include the whiskers because the kids have a habit of pulling anything sticking out.....I even wondered about the tail!! lol.

Just quickly on the sewing front, I went into my sewing shed to start cleaning it out and ended up sewing a little Christmas sack. It is only 5 inches x 7 inches approximately but it will be handy to present a gift to someone.

Christmas sack

I would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas and stay safe over the festive season. While some bloggers take this opportunity to maybe have a break from blogging, I take this time to blog a bit more as I have holidays. So I hope to make lots of things to share with you over this time.

Cheers, Anita.

 

 

Just a tiny seed of faith, watered

with love, wisdom, and hard work,

grows into a majestic tree of blessings.

I’m finding it hard to believe that I have just three more working days to go and it’s summer break for me!! Everyone at home is very happy about that and we’re all looking forward to a lovely break. I have been busily making a start on Christmas goodies to give to my work mates, and these cute little Christmas puddings are the start.

Calorie free Christmas puddings

The puddings are small measuring about an inch and a half across the diametre and the same height also. I used 8 ply for the project and I imagine you could use any ply you fancy. I opted to use size 10 knitting needles instead of the recommended size as I am a loose knitter and the toy stuffing is always visible when I stuff whatever I am making. Click here for the pattern.

I've been making some quickie Christmas decorations too. This little Christmas tree to hang on the library Christmas tree, is just 20 stitches cast on to no. 9 needles, using garter stitch I have worked 2 rows and then decreased on every alternate row until I had 2 stitches left, and then I increased at each end of every alternate row until I had 20 stitches again. Stitched on some beaded randomly, stitched the two sides together and made a tail to hang the tree and whacked it in the tree.

Christmas decoration

Found this fun mushroom pattern while I was surfing the net. The kids have spotted them in the library and have tossed them into the salad bits I had knitted before. Click here for the pattern.

Cute little mushies

I'm secretly making a door stop for someone special who dropped a big hint. I played it down and pretended not to hear. I have just made up the pattern, but got the idea from looking up google images and saw lots of fantastic ideas to make door stoppers. Mine is filled with a packet of yellow peas in their packet and stuffing.

For someone special

Well I have lots of Christmas presents to wrap, so better get cracking with it. Not to mention all the housework that somehow hasn't been done. lol. There's not much left of the weekend, but enjoy what time you still have to relax.

Cheers, Anita.

Who’s going on a holiday then?

Up to no good!!!

Skill to do

comes of doing.

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Boy I have to admit it....I’ve been up to no good the last few weeks. At a recent P & C meeting our Principal stirred everyone up with his cheek so I decided to get even. Revenge called for a look-a-like cloth doll to be made and here he is......

Principal John

Making sure I set Principal John up at his desk while he was away in another town having a meeting gave me good opportunity to set the doll up in position, ....

Have you got a headache?

Do you want one?

Stick some pins in his head, and that was just for fun and had the office girls cracked up all over the place with laughter. Everyone commented on how alike the doll actually looked. So other people better beware!! Lol. The Principal John doll is about 33 inches high and made out of calico for the body, assortment of wool for the hair (including mullet hairdo), coat made from an unused coat and stitched on eyebrows. Everyone had a great laugh including John. I didn’t need to stick the pins into his face, he’s a pretty nice guy, but it was for fun!!

In the making department I thought I would make myself a Christmas beaded doll brooch and also my friend Lizzie who is working at the same school as me. Lizzie is a lovely aboriginal friend whom I have become very close to. I will give her the brooch on Monday morning.

My friend Lizzie

In the knitting department I have knitted up this cute little elephant, a free pattern on the net. Simple to knit and you have a choice of knitting on double pointed needles or just flat and sew it up when you finish. Click here for the pattern. Super fun, super cute.

Cute elephant

Also knitted..... Miss bear. She is from an older edition of Guardian Angel. I have knitted her in a 10 ply yarn, but the pattern in the book is 8 ply. It doesn't really matter what ply it is, just go for it. This bear is bigger than when I have knitted it in 8 ply, but it doesn't turn out much bigger in 10 ply. Elephant and bear are in the library.

Finished projects

Not long to go now and I'm on holidays again for the summer break. I intend to do lots of craft work, gardening and swimming. I am trying to recover from a night out to the city during the week. Having woken up at 4.30am, working most of the day, shopping and then off on a bus full of canteen ladies and two brave men to the city. We went to the Burswood Casino for dinner, had a look around and didn't get home until almost midnight. So as you can guess, I had a long day. I'm having a quiet weekend doing some craft work and playing catch up. Hope you guys are having a great weekend and chat with you soon.

Cheers, Anita.

I’m naughty!!