Bench Monday and more

This is my second "flickr" Bench Monday pic...
If you want to join in a really great flickr group this is the one...
You can only upload one pic a week and it has to be on a monday...
apart from that it just has to be a shot of someone or anyone
standing on a bench (table,chair,stool)...
to go to this just click on my Flickr photo stream in my sidebar...

Now for some more "Grandma Love"
this time in cool purples and cream...

I have also finished my zig - zag cushion
that I had been waiting on getting the wool for...
now I just need to track down the right buttons...
but that one will be a keeper
as it will be just the right colours for Vintage...
Talking of Vintage
stay tuned as I pick her up on Wednesday...

More Grandma Love

As you all would have noticed I have
gone a tad overboard with the crocheting hook
of late...
Have wool = will crochet...
No wool = pretty peeved...
so this week has been a mixture...
Had wool...Run out of wool...
No stuffing...Some stuffing...
Wrong colour...I suppose that will work colour...

I really wish I lived closer to the shops...

But then saying that, if I did I could be in
crochet overload and the family would be pulling bits of wool
out of their dinner...
"Oh really how did that get in there"
"well just think of it as extra fiber"

mmmm don't think they would quite see it that way...
So here you have another "grandma love" cushion...


and a very long pair of wristwarmers...
I did get very bored will the wool shortage and just kept going with these...
they are really warm thou...


Well here's hoping I will get at least to the shops next week
or I could start to crochet strips of plastic bags...
Actually I think that has been done by someone...
I really should google that?

And What a Cake

I am so lucky to have
a sister
who can make something so incredible...
My very own coca-cola cake...When my sister started making cakes
she was still living in America...
and one of the cakes on "order" for when
she moved home was this...
Yes my very own Coke Cake...
I know for some this sort of request may sound unusual...
But that me...
I am sort of renowned for the amount I drink...
I think I could have kept Amatil in business for the last 25 years or so...
And even thou it looked way to gorgeous to cut
I did anyway...
Well how could anyone resist chocolate mud cake...
and yes the whole cake is edible...
and was scrumptious!!!


Thanks Ness!!! Brilliant work...

Pillow Plus Curtain

What a week...

The sun was shining today and even
thou it was still about 12 degrees...
It didn't stop me dragging everything out side for a photo shoot...
and even took the shoes and socks off for this shot...
The skirt is a op shop curtain that I tied up with a belt
and you can get a glimpse of the new
"Grandma Love"
cushion...
I will upload some clearer shots on
Loving The Vintage
really soon...
It is now in the little Local Shop in town
just waiting for the right person
to take it home...
It was an amazing cushion to do...
and even thou I had a pattern I had to undo about 5 rows
and change and reshape it so that it would sit better...
I did "huff and puff"
several times while making this but I still adore the way it turned out...
And maybe, just maybe I will make one for myself...
We will see?
Thanks again for all the warm wishes...
they were the sweetest!!!

Baking Playing and Nanna Nap's

Thank you for all your kind Birthday wishes...
Today was lovely filled with


Baking


Playing


and Nanna Nap's...I hope all my Birthday's are this sweet...

Pre-Loving

Today... the day before the event...

of turning another year older...
It was all about the Pre-Loving...Goodness...

A nice batch of banana muffins
on a rather unusual "goldfish" tablecloth...

I found this last week and was more than happy I did...

And then I popped in the car...child free
and had a lovely stroll
around the second hand shop and Vinnies...
I found the most amazing little stool...above...
and I'm sure it will make it's presence known
in many a photo shoot...

Well like now...

Some nice little dollies...

And a great array of pillowcases and sheets...
and the most gorgeous curtains below...
which there are two of and I'm thinking they will look really
nice made up into pillows or
I just might wait and see if they can be used in "the caravan"
(still dreaming)
but dreams do come true sometimes...

I was most happy
with my birthday haul...
and I would much rather a lovely thrifting day like today than
anything flashy or expensive...
Tomorrow I will get the kids to help me make a birthday cake...
The more sickly the better...
Then sit by the fire and read a few golden books to "Little Miss"
and watch her create a drawing for my birthday...
Help "My Shadow" with his movie script,
a budding director in the making...
And scroll though a few pages on e-bay and etsy...
Now that sounds like a perfect day to me...
I hope if your birthday is coming up you are as lucky as me...
xxx

Teal and Gray

Teal and Steel Gray...
A great combo...
I have made this cushion up
a bit differently as you can see by the buttons...
After making the first one up I realized it might be
handy to actually take the cover off...lol...
so a bit of adjustment
and ha presto! buttons and button holes...

And after a much needed visit to the hairdresser I can now
take pics of the top of my head with confidence...
Try explaining that to the hairdresser...and see her reaction...

I think I only every seem to get my hair
done once a year and it is always right before my birthday...
Which is always a risk if it don't look good...
But this time I'm really happy with the result...
Now I really wish it would stay this perfect for another week...
But we all know the minute you wash it you can never
seem to get the same perfectly blow dried look...

Still working on the bikini bottoms...and finding it harder
than I would like...
(well hard for my attention span)...

hoping you all have a great craft week...

winter and summer

Sitting in front of the fire in the bar...
I do get quite a bit of crocheting done...
well only when there are no customers...
like yesterday after lunch...
the wind was freezing and everyone was at home
in front of their fires I suspect...
In the middle of winter I have started
working on these very cute summer bikini's
for 'little miss" and my niece's...
my grandma made a set of these for
my sister and me
when we were about 7 and 8...
mum still had the pattern...amazing...
my grandma must have changed the pattern
as most of it I have had to change too...
the straps in ours were only lengths of chain and in the pattern
they are twice as wide as what I have ended up doing on these...
and the "cup size" in the book would have fitted me...
so more adjusting...
the bottoms are still in the progressing stage...(more adjusting)
so hopefully a pic by the end of the week...
now I just have to remember how I have changed the pattern
so I can make two more sets...
I really need to write these things down!!!
After finishing these I tried them on "little miss"
she told me how "beautiful" they were and how much she "loved them"
Half an hour went by, she came and cuddled up next to me
and said in her sweetest voice
that even thou they were "pretty"and looked just"right"
she would much prefer "pink"...lol...

Petal Love

After running 2 rows short on wool to finish my
second cushion...
I made a few of these up...
and I know two lucky girls that will be getting
these in the mail real soon...
not that the colour is a give away...And if I can't finish my cushion soon
you will be able to buy some Petal Love brooches
in my etsy shop by the end of the week...

And the winners are

You didn't think I would tell you right away....
no... I need to thrill you dear friends
with what I have been making this week...

and for me this is big...
while most will say...but it's only a cushion...
well a nice one at that...
this dear readers is much more to me...
this cushion represents
a family tradition...
you see my grandmother
made many,many rugs with this same pattern...
and my mother still
makes many,many rugs with the same pattern...
and while I have always adored them
I have had no patience to do a project
that would possibly take me all winter...
that was until I found I could turn it into a cushion and it
would take me no time at all...
well a week but that's not bad...
so this one is my first of hopefully
as few more,
of what my family have always called a
"Van Dyke" pattern...
The family tradition will live on...


Now for the lucky winners...


Nikki and Linda
CONGRATULATIONS
I hope your prizes keep you warm and cozy
this winter...

And a huge THANK YOU
for all the lovely comments
they do mean so much to me...
And here's to another 200 posts
of chatting and blogging...

So cold I have decided to just keep adding the layers
I had a great time op shopping
on Thursday and this lovely blanket was the most
amazing score
only $5
and it is so warm and so cozy...
I love it!!!

I managed to find the most wonderful pile of my fave
vintage plates and cups and saucers...
yes I was in true op shop heaven...

but back to reality...
i have to go to work and i would much really
chill on the verandah ...

or sit in front of the fire and munch on the batch of rock cakes
i made earlier...

this very old and crumbling cook book
is my great grandfathers...
and still has great recipes...
don't you just love recipe books that still use ingredients like
"lard"...

200 Really

How Amazing!!!
still really don't know how I have managed to
get this far....

Only that without all of the wonderful
comments and e-mails
I think I would have
just been here typing to myself...lol
That's a scary thought!!!

Now I think I will start with something that I whipped up
at the start off the week...
Oh yes I would love to be sharing
a pic of a crocheted caravan but several attempts
and several colourful words much later
I have put it off for now...

So I give you two fabric versions that
I am really happy with...
The larger my favorite but they are both kind of cute...
and of course how could I not love the colour...

Now for my give-away...

I thought two very special sets would be
just perfect
to mark the occasion...

The first set is in my fav burgundy
with black little flowers...

Burgundy Wrist warmers with Black flowers...

Black choker with burgundy flower...
Burgundy Headband...
and Burgundy Choker with Black flower...
Yes! if you are drawn out first you get all of the above...

And second will be this lovely set in Pink and Brown...

Pink Wrist warmers with Brown Trim...
and Pink Choker with Brown flower...
All you need to do is leave a comment on this post...
Too easy...
Really, I would not kid...
Cross fingers...

This will be drawn in about a week
Let say............28th June...

so for now, have a great week of crafting, op shopping
and making unreal stuff...

Update

The shop is updated and over flowing
with goodies...
At really great prices...
Just follow the link in my side bar
and you will be there in
"two shakes of a lambs tail"

I must say I did tend to freeze my butt off
today trying to take the pics of the headbands...
I think I took more shots of my feet then of my head...lol...
why is it so hard to take a picture of a simple headband...
Who would have thought...

My next post could take a little while to get out
as it is a big one...
Post 200 !!!
and of course a give away will be high on the list...

have wool will crochet

Have wool will Crochet...
Now I have truly gone into the realm
of obsessed nanna mode...
I have let myself go...
and now I feel I have truly gone mad...
As you may well notice in the set above
I have gone as far as adding
TEASPOONS...
I can only imagine
what will be next
sugar bowls, milk jugs...
A cozy for the pot...
I need to regroup...
Rethink what direction I am going in...
Or am I just trying to not think about the now 2
caravans I just missed out on
by days...
yes
days...
how is this possible
one caravan had been sitting in this yard for years...
And the minute I find it
casually stroll up to the owners...
Put my prettiest smile on...
Only to be told that 3 days ago some bloke
just came in and asked them,
and they sold it and it will be picked up on the weekend...
How rude!!!
I can't even tell the story of the other one...
Way too upsetting...
So here I sit in
front of the fire
madly crocheting...

maybe it just wasn't meant to be...

maybe I just need to crochet a caravan...

Tea Pot

This is still a work in progress...
But I think it is coming together...
I love the shape of the pot itself,
the handle and spout have been worked on quite a few times
and still will be worked on...
yes there will be surely a mark 2...
but that's ok cause
they are so cute to make...

Hope your long weekend
was wonderful
and full of crafty love...

Ready for sale

Here are some new and
improved pics...
these little cups and saucers are
already in the little shop in town
and hopefully being poured over as we speak...lol...

It is so cold here at the moment
they say we will have snow by Tuesday...
I really like to see snow as it doesn't happen very often
but in the little cottage it feels like 1 degrees already...
so glad I have my wrist warmers on
I think I will have to start making leg warmers soon!!!

Crocheted tea set mark1

This was the first of many trials
I do really like it
but I have improved it
a lot and made the pattern a bit easier...
If you want to see the final (lol)
one take a look at it
over at
LOVING THE VINTAGE...
I really was planning to rest the weary hand
for a while but as usual
I just couldn't help myself
maybe I will try my hand at a tea pot...

All warmed up

I thought I should make myself some wrist warmers...
I basically winged it...
and after unravelling about 3 times i came up
with a easy way of doing them...
I just worked in rounds and after joining my 3rd round
I added 12 chain and slip stitched back into the same spot
then kept going around and decreasing at the thumb
till i had the same amount of stitches as before...

Well they are such a hit I am onto my 3rd set...

I have been very busy crocheting ,sewing and stitching
and have just finished everything up
for the markets on the weekend...
and a big THANKYOU to BETTY JO
for sending me some brooch backs
(they arrived safe and sound)
and they are all attached and packed...

Now to cross fingers and hope that they have a lovely day at the
markets...