for notes

I've been doing a lot of crafting lately in preparation for the Auckland Art and Craft Fair in December ( it's sneaking up way too fast). I was working on these notebooks last week. I've been delving into my collection of embroidered linens to make these covers, they fit a standard 3B1 notebook so the notebook cover can be reused on a new one once the old one has been filled. I must find the time to make one for myself as I love how the cover creates a little pocket for little notes or receipts, something that is always floating around in my bag. I was pleased to come up with an idea for using the linen as my collection is getting rather large, it seems I can't pass up them when I see them in the thrift store,when reasonably priced that is.

harvest

The strawberries are coming thick and fast here in our garden. They won't win any prizes for size but they are tasty. It's been a race between us and the birds with the birds winning I think. I've started picking them before they are fully ripe and letting them ripen up on the windowsill. The kids haven't been too interested in them at this stage so I have been squirreling them away in the freezer to make jam before Christmas, so far I have one full ice cream container and I'm making a start on a second one. Any large ones that the birds have pecked have the pecked part cut off and the rest added to the freezer. It's certainly a part time job going out each day, and picking the ripe ones and removing the pecked ones so they don't rot on the plants.

What I am really excited about however is my boysenberry plant, after 3 years of producing very few berries is absolutely laden! Probably me moving it to a better sunnier position has a lot to do with that. The berries are only tiny and green at the moment, but it won't be long till they are large and juicy. The bonus part is that I moved it close to the kitchen window and for many weeks now we have enjoyed watching all the bees come and go pollinating the flowers, those bees are certainly very busy.

for miss E

There has been alot of waiting around here, waiting, waiting for her turn to have a stone. She's seen them gifted to friends, packaged up to be sent away and always asking " Is that one for me?"
I was given a huge box of crochet cotton recently (yay!) and in amongst all the plain colours was this rainbow variegated ball. Not really my thing, but perfect for a little girl who has been patiently waiting. I worked on it while she was asleep as to keep it a surprise. She was very pleased and took it to preschool for show and tell. Look at the sneakers will you, apparently that is the only way to wear them, with the tongues hanging out!

I see red, red, red

My favourite colour has long been red. Then green took over and over the last few weeks I've noticed more red creeping back. My new shoes, that I got from here, after I read how inexpensive the international shipping was here (thank Ella!). I was all prepared to buy some lovely brown ones, being sensible about what I could wear them with, then I realised that as red is my favourite colour I have tons of clothes that would go with red shoes. I'm glad I did, I do so love red shoes. They are so super comfortable, after an initial panic that they were too small. The exchange rate is oh so good at the moment to they worked out to be really reasonable, and they look like they are going to last for many, many years, much better than buying a couple of pairs from the No 1 Shoe Warehouse and them only last a season ( something I'm very guilty of doing). So yes, I have happy feet!

I have had some great red thrift store finds too, that red Citta bag, brand new with tags on for $5, and those cute Japanese mugs for miss E to drink milo from for only $0.20 each! Bargain.

weekending

It's been a busy weekend, I've been trying hard to fit in some crafting time here and there. It has been slow going but I've got a couple of new crochet/ceramic pendants finished and a couple of brooches too. They are destined for my stall at the Auckland Art and Craft Fair in December, which is creeping up very, very fast, gulp!

We have been having some beautiful sunsets lately, a true sign that summer is nearly here!

more roses

Not long after I read this post by melissa that I found I was surrounded by roses too. There was a lucky find of a sheer embroidered cloth from my local Salvation army(in perfect condition), the kind that you cover up food with. It has beautiful roses embroidered all over it and a crocheted edge, just what I need now as the "fly" season approaches. There are the rose cards that I had just finished stitching, gorgeous prints from a vintage botanical book that I picked up at a secondhand book sale recently (they are now listed in my etsy shop). Lastly there is the iceberg standard rose that is planted outside our front door now in full bloom and giving off a divine scent. We had ten standard iceberg roses here but I sold all but one as I didn't like the idea of spraying them to keep them looking good(and they were taking up space that could be a vege garden instead). The one that I kept was the healthiest it always seemed to be the last that got the dreaded black spot (the curse of growing roses in Auckland) and I planted it right outside our front door.

pine

In desperate need of some more stationery I set about making some more stitched cards from a vintage botanical book. It had a large section of pine and conifer like images that reminded me of a Scandinavian Christmas, I've kept some for myself and added a small set in my etsy shop. I like things that have the a Christmas feel without being all about the tinsel!

berry good

Hull and prick with a skewer ..........

cover one third with castor sugar .......

cover with vodka! ......leave in a dark place for a month ......strain and then hopefully it will look like this picture from a magazine. Strawberry liqueur. The magazine suggests using it in a trifle, pouring it over ice cream ...... any other suggestions?

weekending

First harvests of the season and a new recipe tried. Yum!