Give every day the chance to become

the most beautiful day of your life.

                                       -Mark Twain

Good morning lovely girls, I have just had a quick wander through the front yard and I do declare I can feel the wind starting to pick up, the wind chimes knocking into each other a little louder as I stand here, and certainly....the clouds are rolling in. Our expected temperature for today is 20C and I'm excited about that.

I have been very busy this week and knitting like mad to get a very special project done before time runs out. Our young Italian girls will be leaving us soon as it nears the end of the school term. I will be heart broken to see them leave but with the knowledge that I was fortunate enough to have met them in the first place. One of the girls has a niece or nephew due this year and I have made her something to take back home. The gift will have a double meaning, the obvious one being a gift for the baby and the other meaning will be...if I can't live in Italy something I have made will live there in my stead. It fills my heart I can tell you.

I have knitted this beautiful jacket, bootie and beanie set. I chose these colours as they are a neutral soft colour and I've used a 4 ply yarn of very soft texture. I'm very happy with the finished work and the pattern is from an old book I have called Patons royal baby. 

 Last weekend I told you I was off to sit in my sewing shed, and I was true to my word. I made these three very cute little girls bags, oh they're so sweet. (Very much like me rather than Heather the feather...lol) Sorry everyone...I had Heather here for afternoon tea and she gave me lots of cheek. She is naughty. 

 So my plans for today are : to do the ironing, a quick bit of weeding if it isn't raining (but by the picture below....still the clouds come), start on my knitting orders and wish my husband a safe journey home. Today will also include teasing the kids, as this is a favourite pass time of mine. Both of my boys have ended up with my sense of humour and my husbands ability to come up with crazy stuff from the left field, so really I've got my hands full. lol

I hope, wherever you all are that life is treating you well and that you are happy.
Arrivederci, Anita.

God sends many blessings and the

nicest ones are friends!

Good Sunday to you all! How glorious to have these cooler days and it is less of a struggle to get things done in the heat our summer months bestowed upon us. Our nights have cooled down, the morning has a tinge of cold breeze and the days, though still warm, are bareable. All round……good knitting weather.

Do you all remember the popular yarn called "Feathers"?

 It was very fashionable a few years back, but lost it's popularity very quickly. I don't know if it was due to the fact basically,  all that seemed to be made from it were scarves, beanies and the occasional child's sweater ; or that it needed to be accompanied using another yarn with it ; or that it was a pain in the neck if you dropped a stitch? The good points about the yarn was that it was soft to the skin....and that's about it. lol

People gave me so much of it that I decided I needed to find a way to incorporate it into my products to sell. I cannot just throw things like this away, so I have to become creative in my thinking. Well I decided that if I use several different textures and knit them up perhaps something wonderful would be created. I have to say I'm pretty happy with the results.

This week I concentrated on lots of knitting as lately I had drifted on to crochet, though I did squeeze in some crochet. Even some sewing managed to get done too. Below is a cute little cushion I made using a strip of flannel material in bunny prints. It measures about 16in x 16in, just the right size for a small child.

 I knitted two beanies and finished off another that I had already started on. The grey beanie is going to have crocheted flowers and embellishments added to it yet, so I'm still going to work on it.

 As I was just minding my own business cruising through google, I came across heaps of pictures of poncho designs and realised that I haven't made one of these in years, so out came the crochet hook again and then off I went. There is no pattern to this one because just looking at a picture of another was easy enough to design one of my own. I made 16 granny squares and joined them together. Crochet a long cord to thread through the top of the work and you're done.
 This one is big enough for a 2 year child.

 And look here!!!! Another great idea.....a scarf and hat all in one. There's probably a name these are called but I do not know what that is, I just liked the idea.

 How do I use up a left over ball of yarn? I knit up a baby cardigan and a matching woolly hat, that's how I use it up. lol An addition to my market items.
 

Creating is beautiful

 This little character is being a calm dog at the moment, so we're wondering what's going on? lol Perhaps Milo is lulling us into a false sense of security and will dig up the garden.....later on today? lol He was in trouble yesterday for trying to jump up on Heather the feather. (I feel like jumping up on Heather the feather sometimes....but I don't lol).

 Milo

Now I leave you all to go and tackle a few chores and then enjoy my Sunday. It has been lovely to have some cool weather and as I sit here typing, I am enjoying the warmth of my pyjama's. I welcome our autumn weather as I know some of you gals are welcoming in the Spring. Enjoy! It is a lovely time of year.

Ciao, Anita.



Smile, it’s the key that fits the lock on everyone’s hearts.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ladies, I am so happy. I have met two lovely Italian girls who will be stationed at our school until the end of the term. I have asked them a thousand questions and still they are happy to quench my curiosity with information about Italy. They are patient, funny, caring and I could keep going on about them.  Welcome to Australia girls, may you both have a wonderful time here.

  From I'm standing....I'm pretty happy right about now.

Per sempre tua

Forever yours
I have been commissioned to make a sensory pack for a young girl. The idea for children with issues for being able to keep still is to get them to carry some weight either in a back pack or as a neck warmer. I thought I would make something fun in bright cheery colours. Ironically I made a 'snake' one this time. 

 For some pleasure I am knitting a beanie or woolly hat, from a fantastic pattern I found on the internet. I feel in love with the honey comb look and fisherman's rib stitch.

 

  And I thought I had finished with my crochet blanket last week but I kept looking at it thinking perhaps a border could finish it off well....with a little picot edge too. Now I'm done. lol

 This week we have struggled through some terribly hot weather with no relief at night. The last few nights we have had to sleep through 24C heat and it really does make you feel a bit 'edgy'.

I'm thinking that one of the only plants in the garden to be truly happy are the succulents. This one is thriving. 

 Now I have left this story until last.....ironically I make a 'snake' sensory toy, and...... unlucky for us we have found another snake. Milo was hopping around the garden the other night and I thought he found a frog. It was when he started growling that I realised oh no it might be a snake. Yes, a snake. We thought it was one foot long....

 but last night we found the other half. 
I have often shared with you all some of the lol....crazy, funny people I have as friends and this snake episode brought out the best in their mental thought process. Lovely Chris suggested that perhaps the snake could be added as an ingredient in my 'cauldron'. Her off sider Neville couldn't have agreed more. Oh boy!!! Where do I find these people? lol
To my Italian friends, if you ever come to Australia you are certainly more than welcome to join me in some Sminuzzate la zuppa di serpente = chopped up snake soup.

Now that I have made you all feel unwell....makes me smile.....lol......I will go and enjoy this lovely long weekend we are having. I will be making a gratis project for school today, but then back to the paying projects. Wherever you all may be in the world, I hope your hearts are filled with happiness and good health.
Ciao, Anita. xx
Beautiful Venice.💗💕

In a world where you can be anything..... be kind!

A good morning to all! In Australia we celebrated our last Saturday for the summer....lol....but this does not mean there will no longer be hot days. Our summer is coming to an end and Autumn will be  upon us as far as the calendar is concerned, Mother Nature will decide how much hot weather she deals out to us though.



To me it doesn't matter what weather I have, I will always enjoy my craftwork and this week I show you more of what I have been up to. I have finally finished a baby set using some yarn I had wanted to use for ages. It is an 8ply yarn with a tiny hint of gold thread running through it. Usually I steer away from yarn that has the gold or silver threads as it tends to be a bit stiff. But this particular yarn knits up very soft. I was extremely happy with the result.

 Just to shock myself, I did a whole heap of sewing too!!!! I proved to myself that I can actually leave my knitting needles for a short time and survive it. lol. 

I needed a new ruffle bag as mine was really past its use by date. I love the black and white printed fabric, so I went for it. I loved it so much that I made 2 bags in the black and white fabric and will sell the second one.

 The next two bags are for the markets and have a completely different look. We have the goth and punk look here. The first bag has studs lined up the strap and a thick row of shiny stones around the top section of the bag....and skulls on the ruffles. lol

 The second bag is a plainer pattern style that highlights mainly the print on the fabric, finished off with a big button.

 I knitted up a little beanie through the week, and this came about because I could not cope with putting a tiny ball of yarn back in my stash.

 My project of the week though is this cute crocheted baby blanket. This also came about because of all the yarn laying around the house. Oddly enough....there is also tones of blue laying around the house as well. I don't like to say that too loud as my dear husband might remind me that he built a shed so I could get all  my fabric and yarn out of the house. lol....oops!

This might look just like a plate of salad to most but to me it is a reminder that I am thankful to my oldest son for installing a better lifestyle for myself.

Years ago my oldest son started going to the gym, and then slowly changed his eating habits. I noticed this, and I was very proud of him for the care he was taking of himself. His way eventually rubbed off on me and he then suggested that I go to the gym as well. It is years later and now I without a doubt, would be the healthiest I have ever been.

I now sign off as I have a busy day ahead of me. As always, I wish you all a beautiful week ahead. Sending good wishes to my Italian friends and hoping Carnivale celebrations are going well.
Ciao, Anita. xx

Kind words can be easy to speak,

but their echoes are truly endless.

-Mother Teresa.

happy happy happy

Hello lovely ladies, I have truly had one of the best weeks on record. I seem to have met some really genuine and happy people, had nice things happen all week and managed to get stuck into some serious craft work. I have my health, wonderful friends and the people I am surrounded by are the nicest kinds. I send out a Birthday wish to my friend Chris. I know you will have a lovely day, you are surrounded by so many lovely family members. You are much loved xx.

We managed to avoid being flooded out last week end but then it was a game of catch up this week…..but that went smoothly, so I’m so happy! Why don't you come with me and see what I've been doing ........ My aim, as I am using my balls of yarn is to use it all up withough having to put away a tiny length of leftover bits. So I had some of this yarn leftover and it made a cute pair of booties.

As you all may know I am more of a knitter than a crocheter but I am learning and I have clicked on to crocheting very well. On the net there are many good simple patterns to help the learner along, and I have found this one. I have been able to make several baby jackets and they all have their own look just by using different colours of yarn.

They are so pretty

I have even become confident enough to change the stitch design and not adding sleeves. It is such a great pattern and if you would like to try it....click here.

Can you remember the 'Feathers' yarn that made a quick appearance several years ago and then lost its popularity almost immediately? Well I was given heaps of it, and you well know.....I can't just get rid of things. lol. I decided that perhaps you could add several different yarns with it and get a different look altogether. My first result.....a beautiful scarf and it has a nice looking finish to it. I was very pleased with it.
I LOVE MAKING THINGS

Now to a fun make and a pattern that I found somewhere on the net. This is a Fat bellied bag and I love it! It is crocheted, with fabric lining. For the underneath of the bag you crochet 9 squares, stitch them together and then crochet a few laps around all of those squares.

You attach a couple of rows of lace and then gather it all up. Adding flowers, straps and a fabric lining.... Oh Jane...you will recognise this fabric lol.

Again, another way to use up those small precious bits of yarn.

Beautiful

I am so glad for the internet, I think of all those wonderful people in blogland that I would never have happened upon if not for the internet. The ideas and inspiration that I may have missed out on. Today I will be sewing handbags....from ideas and patterns Ihave found on the internet.

I am off to help my husband with some outside work now. Have a beautiful week ahead and thank you for your friendship ladies. 

Ciao bella, Anita.