There are so many beautiful reasons to be happy. 😊

Good morning all you beautiful people, how are you all this morning? So I've been missing for a while and I've had some of the busiest weeks known to mankind, as we all have from time to time. There have been several events that have come up that have taken me away from my crochet hook and knitting needles, but they've been fun things.

 

I entered a Mud Festival with my beautiful niece and her crazy friends. It was 3 kms of running, climbing, sliding and jumping into mud pits and muddy tunnels. The course is usually 5km but due to covid they shortened the course. I'm actually surprised they had it at all but I'm glad it was still on. In Western Australia our covid cases are so contained and we have had the good fortune to move around more freely. My niece is the gorgeous girl with the white cap on her head. The others are a bunch of crazy people 😂

Photo taken before and after the fun. 

and then ......the normal family photo. 😜

It was such a fun day and any time I can spend with Lisa, the better for our hearts.

So I have acted normal from time to time and I did get back to the real world. I was very happy with the outcome of this little sweater that I was commissioned to make. It is knitted in a 4ply yarn, with cable running up each section on all pieces. The roll down collar was amazing and it looked so good when I completed it. The lady was very happy with it too. 👍

My little partner in crime.....Heather the feather gave me a couple of bags of yarn because I needed some pink for the next 2 orders for baby cardigans. She is very kind, and as Heather is cleaning out in preparation for her move, it is one less thing she will have to pack. It will be another chapter in our lives when Heather moves away but gladly the distance won't be impossible for us to still catch up. 💓

Several weeks ago I was fortunate enough to score these cement balustrades and the tops that go on them. All we had to do was dust and paint them. As each one was painted I lined them up in the garden to see how close I would have to place each one and how they look in the garden.
 

I'm so pleased with how my garden is slowly looking "Italian" and that makes me feel like I'm home.

A couple of weeks ago Heather the feather and I decided to do a little road trip to a town nearby, (and terrorize the place)....oops....I mean visit the place. 😂😂😂😂. Of course one of the things we do best is pop in to the op shops. Just sitting there quietly was this cute little thing. I grabbed it. I elbowed, bit, scratched my way passed Heather and got there first. It is an amazing and very eye catching banner. Don't worry Heather is fine now.....her black eye and broken leg are healing well. lol Just kidding.

And the latest job I'm working on is this crocheted baby cardigan that will be on sale at the Christmas markets in December. I have a heap of orders to get through before then and many of them are little baby cardigans.

This is crocheted in 8 ply and a very simple pattern. This is one of the colours that are in style at the moment. It seems quite dark for a baby but that's what people want. 

Well lovely people, I am going to have a scratch around in my shed to do a bit of a clean up. It really needs it. Our weekend has been very wet and cold, which is unusual for this time of year, so getting into the shed has been a bit tricky. The rain directs itself straight through the shed door and anything near the doorway gets wet. It is too dark in there to shut the door so I go in there only when the rain stops. lol

Stay happy and well, and enjoy the day.

Ciao, Anita.

 Write it on your heart that today is the 🌸 best day of the year. 🍒

Well Buongiorno & Good Morning to you all and haven't I been off the scene for a while 😂. My last order gave me grief, so much so that I started calling the Bride and Groom some rather nasty names. lol  This knitting order came with urgency in it so I had to really make a fast move to get it done. These little sweethearts were going to be a keepsake for the young couple getting married. The family had made an order to get dolls knitted from someone else and when they received the order, it was not completely what they'd asked for. Apparently my name had been suggested several times and the lady came to me for help, which I gladly did...oh but the pain. lol I mean that in a nice way. 💕

Special requirements came with the order: the Groom had to have surfie hair and cream attire ; the Bride needed some green trim and has brown hair. Due to covid, I found it extremely hard to find any yarn that would be suitable for his hair, so I had to dig through Heather's yarn stash, and because she is such a yarn and fabric addict......😹😹😹😹....I found some. 

So these beauties were made using a pattern for 7 inch dolls but I had to adjust everything to suit dolls that were more like 12 inch dolls. I do love how they turned out and I was so glad to finish this project, not only because it was challenging but the thought that the lady was going to get her order.

I even made a glittery wedding bag to wrap them in. 💏

  These little beauties are the reason I have not posted in several weeks. I had been so consumed with completing them that my housework went to trash, my friends had hardly seen me, hubby has done the clothes washing 😘, and nothing else has been made. lol Last Sunday morning, when I finished this project.....I was straight on to the next order........

A knitted sweater for a two year old. The pattern is in cable and I'm using 4 ply yarn. It is a very nice yarn to knit with and I'm pleased to say that even though it is a fine yarn, I have the back and front made. Not bad progress for something I started only last Sunday.

  I attended a baby shower last Saturday and as luck would have it, my niece Lisa was also attending. It was so lovely to see her again, as lately I am seeing her more and more. Lisa is on the left hand side of the photo. The lovely pregnant lady in the middle, Tayla, is a work friend of mine and friend of Lisa. It doesn't matter where I go, I'm always the shortest......and the 'blondest". 😄

Yesterday Heather the feather and I took off to the little historical town of Toodyay. Heather was only allowed to come with me if she behaved herself and that was challenging. lol Everything was going on in that little town: car racing, tourists, car boot sale, people at every corner of the street. I met a friend while we were in Toodyay and she asked if I'd seen the fabric at the car boot sale. Somehow, we missed seeing it, so we went back. Oh gosh....we found the table, it was stacked with a mile of fabric, so I had to buy some.

Now my lovely friends, it is time to actually get some work done and then call the afternoon my own. I would love to get this little sweater completed as soon as I can because I feel like making something random and a project that suits me. lol

I wish you all a good day and I hope you find time to do something you love to do.

Ciao, Anita.

 

 Springtime 🌺

 One of my favourite seasons in the year would have to be Spring. There's so much happening in the garden with the colours of the rainbow popping up all over the place, the crispness of the cold winter morning dulling down and the lovely sounds of the bird chatter. The sunrise is coming earlier and earlier, a good indication in the change of the season. Oh...the only thing about the sun rising earlier is that our gym instructor will be opening the side gate at the gym and we will have to start running around the establishment. 😭😭😂

I've been on holidays the past week and the op shops have had several visits from me. I love looking for little bargains and treasures that others no longer require. This week I found a whole case of embroidery threads, new baby yarn and another interesting textured yarn. All of these things make me pretty happy. 

What makes you happy?

During my break from work I have done several knitting and crochet projects that you've seen before so I won't show them again, but I have been commissioned to make a bride and groom knitted doll pair. Here is the bride on the make and I intend to have this finished by this weekend. I have the groom knitted up but not sewn up. 

This is not a very clear photo, but these are pairs of finger less mitts to fit adults and children. The colour is actually very pretty but it does not show up well here.

So even though I have made much in the way of craftwork, I have nothing new to show you, so how about a walk through my garden with me? Gardening is one of my other loves.        Come walk with me....

 This is the side of our house with the morning sun peeking through 😊

My front door, a place I love to just look at because I know all the love that is behind that door.

My backyard is filling with vegetables growing in pots and my ever expanding geranium patch(es). Geranium are everywhere in the yard.

Not only does our yard have the Italian touch, there is also a little Greek corner, dedicated to one of my gym instructors.🍷 The little patch below is slowly collecting the blue and white colours of the Greek flag. This is another nice little place we all love to sit and ponder.

Now back to the Italian look 💖

Oh no.......it's Milo!!!!!! 🐕

My bougainvillea plants have grown to this height but have grown no more. I'm not sure why this is. If any of my Italian friends can give me some idea how to encourage the height to improve, I would love your advise. My bougainvillea is growing on one stem so all the flowers grown high instead of growing as a bush.

Milo insisted on joining me on my garden walk today and the look on his face when I took a photo of him is priceless. It's almost as if he's saying 'Don't take my photo when I'm standing near flowers.'

I have taken after my mother in so many ways but my sense of humour has to be the strongest trait she gave me. My Mum was such a little teaser....in the nicest possible way 😂. This morning I found this weird looking thing on the floor. I picked it up only to discover that it was a false eyelash. 😨 My son and his partner now have a cat and it decided to steal Emma's eyelash and play with it. Apparently cats don't clean up after themselves so they leave things on the floor.'

Of course.....I have to make a big deal out of it. lol

 

For my Italian friends, the message says: Lost property. Go to claims department to collect. 

Oggetti smarriti. Vai al reparto reclami per riscuotere.

My last photos of the back entry to our yard. You are greeted with hanging plants just waiting to grow and burst into colour.

So.....lovely people, I sign off now to go and start doing a few jobs before I get stuck into finishing the knitted bride and groom dolls. I hope that wherever you all are in the world, the restrictions in your country are easing up and there is a little more freedom for you to travel or at least go out in your community. 

Ciao, Anita.

We were born to be real, not perfect 😋

 Good morning beautiful people! My week has been one that has experienced almost every emotion and yet.....I am still here and I survived. 😂 One of the amazing things that happened was a catch up with my partner in crime....Ian. As you can see by our faces, we are nothing but mischief. When Ian lived in town he was my gym partner and the trouble we used to get into was unbelievable. We made our instructors annoyed on several occasions with our antics. We had a lovely afternoon tea and catch up. I miss his company, jokes and conversations. If I was ever to have a kid brother.....Ian would be the one. 👦👧

On the subject of nice people my oldest son Brandon bought me what is called a "Oodie". It is a blanket that fits like a big sweater. The outside is a soft fabric and the inside is a soft wool light weight fabric. It is good at night when you are sitting down in front of the television and you have to get up. No feeling the cold air, your blanket goes with you. Love you Brandon. 💘

I had a win on our local buy and sell  face book page. I managed to snap up this gorgeous mobile chopping block. I'm pretty happy to say the least.

I decided to use up some 4 ply baby wool and as we are a little low on baby boy cardigans. I love this crochet pattern, how quick it is made. I found a free pattern on the internet and such an easy pattern to follow.

I also had a go at this knitted baby vest pattern. I'm thinking it is one of the cutest patterns I've found. I know someone will love this at the markets.

I don't know about you lovely people, but I just love retro and visiting the op shops in our town. I found a bag of yarn for $5.00 and once I finish these knitting orders, I am getting stuck into the yarns in this bag.

I went for an early morning walk around the garden and I'm very happy with the colours, the smells and the good feels I get while being there. This is my front yard at the moment and it is reflecting the start of our spring time. Today we are having a very cool 17C and it is so windy outside. The rain is happening as well.

I'm clapping my hands like a wild thing because my nectarine tree has little fruits on it. I was surprised to see that because it is such a young tree.

......and this is my view as I walk out my front door. 😊

As I said this week was full of different emotions. I had many good feelings, the sad feeling was that a work mate of mine lost her Father, and a couple of people annoyed me so much that I was very angry. I'm not talking about those people who annoyed me. In the end, we are the Captains of our own ship and I choose to just keep pushing forward. 

I have so many good people that lift me up and make me laugh. I hope you are all in good health and happy. Even though it is cold outside I plan to go out there and do some gardening. This coming Thursday I go on school break again and I can't wait. I will have two weeks of bliss away from work. 

See you all next time and thanks for dropping in.

Ciao, Anita.