Home-Schooling....

I get quite a few emails asking how we're going with Connie's 'Home-Schooling'. We're all really loving this new and exciting stage in our little girls life and enjoy being able to share the experience together as a family....

But, it does engulf us ALL with 'learning' taking place in just about every corner of our home as well as extending outside into the garden, paddocks and surrounds. Some days it can seem to be quite a struggle and it's on these particular days that we all take a deep breath and a well deserved break...

So this coming Monday we're hitting the road to attend yet another Camp - this will be the 3rd for the year. These are a great way to meet other like minded families and helps build an outside support network...

Nothing beats the smooth silky texture of fresh home grown eggs - poached and served on top of fresh picked greens for lunch is our favourite way to eat them at the moment.

Are you a hoarder???? Well when it comes to chairs I guess you could say I am... I picked these 4 up for $9 at a clearing sale over the weekend.

The yellow one would have to be my favourite for sure! With a good clean, a few repairs, a bit of a sand and a generous rub down with some good ol' bees wax these will look good as new... Don't you think???

The knitting needles are still running hot and the start of last week saw the completion of this little hat for a friend at the WCMA.

I was so thrilled to walk into her office on Wednesday this week to her sitting there proudly wearing this sweet little hat. Robyn - you look absolutely gorgeous in it....

On My Verandah.....

There are boxes of books awaiting unpacking....

And a rusty old tin full of burnt forgotten treasures, begging to be turned into something...

If only I knew what...????

This crochet hat is destined to keep the head of an English Teacher warm for the remainder of Winter...

I love everything about it from the chunky Cascade 128 in the gorgeous charcoal colourway, to the rusty red shade of the 220 heathers that I used for the flower right down to the hand painted button... It all just seems to work - don't you think???

Well, my friend (the teacher) did, she absolutely loves it!!!!

Switched Off!!!!

On Sunday, around midday, my trusty 9 year old computer decided to bite the bullet and refused to fire up... So for the past 5 days we've been 'switched off' from the world - no emails, no blogs, no Internet, nothing!!!!

Now we're facing the frustrating battle of trying to recover all of those important things that are trapped inside our lifeless old computer as we place it in the hands of a technician..... I'm in town today trying to catch up on my fav blogs and reply to as many emails as I possibly can.... Has your computer ever decided to bite the bullet??? What did you do???

Thankfully I've had some knitting to keep me sain with the completion of a super squishy cardi (thanks again for your help with this one Mum)........

This one is for a friend so is extra special... I love the chunky Cascade 128 yarn that she chose and the delicious cappuccino colourway is super scrum-y too... The pattern was 'Iced' and I used mega 8mm needles and followed the size 38' bust instructions to fit a size 10 woman.

Winter-y Weekend....

I knew it wouldn't be long before I started whipping things up using my NEW NORO!!!!

This is a scarf/neck warmer/mini shawl for a friend and fellow lover of Noro....

Here's hoping you're keeping warm on this chilly, wet, Winter-y weekend....

Yarn Addiction....

Hello - My name is Jodie and I am addicted to yarn!!!!!! It's been 45mins since I last fondled the new deliciously decadent rainbow coloured balls of Noro that arrived in my shop earlier in the week....

You see - the only down side to me owning a yarn shop is that most of my stock makes it's way home with me before it even gets a chance to hit the shelves....

It's truly not my fault, I promise... But when 8 skeins of Paris Night Malabrigo whisper sweetly that they want to be turned into this cardigan what am I to do, just leave them there??? And when 2 balls of violet infused Taiyo scream out to be whipped up into this top/dress for my littlest Miss, seriously - what am I to do???? Grab 4 just in case - right??? I could go on like this ALL DAY LONG!!!!

Plans Change....

Today we had plans of heading to the 'big smoke' for a couple of days. We were going to eat out at a nice restaurant, for lunch and dinner, and even do a little retail therapy (I know, I know it's only Bunnings but - I'm currently painting the outside of my house and need supplies)....

Well, our plans changed a bit and here we are still hanging out on the farm doing our usual chores. Watering some old ewe's locked up in a paddock, mending torn work clothes, spending time in the veggie patch, entertaining 2 adventurous little girls, repairing DH's busted sheep truck,

and amongst it all finding some down time for a little more crochet...

Getting the chance to whip a few more jug covers up - adding rusty bells to the edge, instead of buttons, for something a little different...

You know, as much as I was looking forward to getting away, I really do love just hanging out on the farm... Even if I'm eating lamb chops on the BBQ for dinner at the end of the day, instead of a meal in a restaurant...

What Would You Do????????

At the very edge of my piano sits my almost finished Shalom.....

It's been sitting there for a couple of weeks now, staring at me....

You see, I've hit a bit of a brick wall with the sleeves. I have 1 finished but don't like the way it's sitting, or should I say 'Ballooning'. So, do I rip it back and start again or do I leave it for a couple more weeks in the off chance that I might change my mind and actually come to like the 'Ballooning' sleeves after all????

What would you do????

'Big Knit'

I've had the Kerrera pattern and the 8 skeins of Malabrigo that it needed set aside for quite some time now...

I just love Gudrun Johnston's designs and this was going to be my 'Big Knit' for Winter.....

I oohh-ed and ahhh-ed over it many a nights and now with the help of my Mum and her super fast knitting hands this 'epic' knit (you're so right Caz!!) is finally finished......

I love the fluffy look of the Malabrigo Worsted and the patch like packets on the front. The double garter stitch border is also a favourite feature of mine and the reverse knit stitch panels at the top of this cardigan really set it off....

I can already see myself spending many a chill-y days (and nights) snuggled up in my new favourite cardi....

Ohhhh yeah, did you happen to notice my brooch????

It's the work of an awesome designer from Strawberry Hills - NSW. I love her quirky style and couldn't help but buy 4 brooches last week when she had her $10 brooch sale...

Sweetly Scented....

Can it really be Wattle time already?????

It feels like only yesterday that I was picking this gorgeous flower from my garden, but has it already been a whole year???!!!!

Thank-you Mother Nature for giving me beauty such as this. Golden, delicious, sweet scented blossoms in a time when frost's and naked trees are the norm, Winter, you never cease to amaze me.......

Passion-Fruit Butter (Curd)

Feeling in the mood for some deliciously decadent passion-fruit butter to fill some homemade shortbread tarts I raided my freezer for a bag of pulp and set to work making a small batch of 'crowd pleasing' passion-fruit butter....

Here's the Recipe.....

Ingredients - 10 passion-fruit (pulped), 1 & 1/2 cups of white sugar, 3 eggs (lightly beaten), 180g butter.

Method - Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and whisk over a very low heat until the mixture thickens and resembles honey. Do not allow the mixture to boil or it will curdle and you'll have something that looks more like 'scrambled' eggs, not honey.

Pour the mixture into sterilised jars and seal immediately. Keep in the fridge for up to 4 weeks.

This is delicious spread on toast or my favorite way to eat it is spooned into pastry cases and topped with freshly whipped cream - YUM-MO!!!!

Also, when scanning through the books on Sale at my favorite on-line book store last week I came across this little gem....

Having heard great things of this Author I quickly snapped this book up and now that its arrived I am so pleased that I did.....

It's just gorgeous!!!!! Filled to the brim with fantastic doodles, inspiring quotes and awesome activities - all to help fuel, excite and motivate the creative mind...

Have you bought (or read) a great book like this lately?? I'd love to hear what it was...

Have You?????

I've had this little cardi off the needles for quite some time now and thought it was high time that I shared my version with you all....

The pattern is 'Liesl' by Ysloda ($6 from my shop), the yarn is Malabrigo Worsted ($11.40 from my shop also) in the almost black colour-way 'Cypress' and the needles are 8mm's.

This is the second Liesl I've made but my first with sleeves (well if you can call them sleeves at this length - right??? LOL!!!)

I just love this pattern!!! It only took 2 skeins of yarn to make up, can you believe it????
It's construction is one of my fav's - top down and seamless. The sleeve stitches are placed onto some waste yarn so you can continue with the body section. After casting off the body the sleeves are then worked in the round too - just what I like!!!

One of the things I love most about this pattern is that no matter how many completed version's I see, I'm yet to come across 2 that look the same. There are heaps of variations for this pattern which makes it a versatile knit for all ages, sizes and tastes....

Have you knit a Liesl yet???!!!!