Well that didn't last long....

I had great plans to blog regularly... and as soon as uni gets going, my plans fall to the wayside!! Oh well.. such is life! Pick up and move on... and just blog when I can!!

Our "Freshen Up 2016" has begun nicely. Our bedroom and ensuite was emptied out and we are now sleeping on the mattress on the lounge room floor. Hubby has been sanding the window sills and re-staining them. We have been choosing paint colors and addressing storage needs. This Easter long weekend, we intend to make the most of the public holidays by painting both ensuite and bedroom walls and ceilings.

(Our empty bedroom where our bed normally is)

I haven't been crafting a great deal, apart from the occassional piecing of my apple core quilt, and some quilting on my hexie quilt. I need to make a baby quilt for my hubby's cousin who is due to have a baby in the next month or so. I have the fabric sitting right here on my desk, waiting for a moment to get on with that! Perhaps inbetween coats of paint drying over Easter?

My BOM has not been happening. Neither has my cross-stitch. I have however started a new crochet project. Cold weather crept in like a thief, and we went from boiling hot to cold overnight!! Which reminded me that the kids need winter uniforms next term... and Mop needs a scarf. So I picked up my hook and began crocheting her a scarf.

I only have 4 weeks left of term, and then it will be school holidays. Maybe I can make up for my lack of crafting then? 

WIP Wednesday {March #2}

Just a quick post today....Uni kicked off with a bang and I spent a lot of this week doing study related stuff. It was a bit of a shock - and jerk back to the reality of more study - less craft. Sad, sad!! On the upside it is a reminder to make the most of the time I do get. I might have to have some social media free days again...

We also have begun the process of giving our home interior a bit of a freshen up. We are looking at replacing carpets and the starting of repainting our ensuite and bedroom. Our house is going to look like a bomb has gone off as we pull apart furniture, empty rooms, paint, varnish window sills and then put it all back again. Although I am hoping to do a cull while we are doing that. Also for our daughter's 13th birthday present, she is getting a bedroom makeover. So we will be ditching all her little girl decor and bringing in a more mature look for her teens and early adult-hood life. We have had fun looking on Pinterest for ideas and inspiration. Her birthday is in July, so we hope to get started on that in June sometime.

In the meantime I have been plodding along on with a few crafty things.

• Continued on with my cross stitch.
• Continued on piecing my apple core quilt
• Began hand quilting my hexie quilt.

So many projects!

A few days ago the kids went back to school. The silence roars! I've been really busy while alone working on a few things.

1. I've started scripture journaling (digitally)

It gives me the opportunity to be creative each day plus spend time in the Word. I'm really loving this and loving what I am learning as I go along.

2. I've caught up with a few project life pages

3.  I've made headway with my Stripey Crochet blanket. I've been working on that while watching TV. My only issue with this is that I am running out of half of the colours - hoping I make it to the end alright.

4. I've finished the bunting for the Sunday School room at church. I seriously under-estimated how long it would take to make 20 meters of bunting!! I will show you a picture of that when it is hung up at the church.

5. I'm working on a quilty project for my Mum's birthday. I decided a few days ago that I would do that. Her birthday is in 9 days. Yes I am freaking out.

And in amongst all that - I have made headway into doing a big declutter - starting with the king of collections and mess himself - my son's room! 

Crochet is the best medicine

My body is fighting a lugie. I feel my head starting to fill and my throat feels scratchy - and MAN! I am tired!! So today has been made a day of rest. Which means a day of crochet!

I whipped this up and got a pattern ready for my students in my crochet class

Some squishy mail arrived today for my next project that I am doing with my crochet class. 

I love these colours!!!!

I've also been working on another commissioned charcoal beanie project and have a pink one on order as well. I also have a few other crochet projects on the go too. Crochet ADHD! It's perfect for a day in my armchair, with essential oils in the diffuser and a cup of tea to sip.

 

More blocks for my Granny Sampler

I'm pretty happy with these and they look good with all my other blocks. I've done 40 blocks so far! Still a way to go though!

This week's mini-challenge

I've decided to give myself daily/weekly mini-challenges to keep me focused on finishing some of these projects that are taking FOREVER!! So this week's mini-challenge is to attach 100 hexies. That would mean 20 per week-day. Seems doable, especially if I make the most of my non-uni days. I want to have this quilt top finished and basted and ready to go for hand quilting once winter arrives.

Let's see if I can do it!

What is your crafty goal this week?

The suckiest thing about big projects.....

.. is that it takes FOREVER to finish them!

This week I have been crafting, but plugging away on the same old projects. And I'm nowhere near finished them.

I've been working on my crochet sampler blanket that I'm doing with my crochet class. I found a few more squares that I want to do and that I will work on.

I've also been basting and attaching hexagons for my hexie quilt. I'm making really good progress on that quilt top, but still have a way to go to finish it. 

I'm also keeping up with my project life which is fun, but just don't have anything to show for it yet. 

So if it is quiet around here - it's because I'm plugging away and not wanting to bore you with the same old stuff. 

Strawberries are in!

Everytime I say the word "strawberry" my mind drifts to the series "The Darling Buds of May" where Ma says "strraaaawbries" Love that series! Anyway.. I digress...

A few days ago, my Auntie who is an avid gardener dropped off a present for me. A load of strawberry plants that were surplus in her own strawberry patch. So I got to work, clearing a small patch of the tiresome winter weeds and planted them in. The plan is - as they grow and mature and shoot off runners, I will be replanting those so one day we should have a decent sized strawberry patch. :)

So here are the first members of what will be a continuing project - Operation Veggie Patch. 

July Challenge

I'm setting myself a challenge. I am going to aim to have my boy's Circles to Squares crochet blanket finished by July 31st. I need to get a wriggle along if I am going to get some other big crochet projects done by December 24th!

Anyone else got a reasonable sized crochet project that they want to finish? Feel free to join in the challenge.

Starting to come together.

Remember that circles to squares project I am doing for my boy?
And I made piles and piles of these?




And these?



Well I am starting to put them together to make some of these:



I have a feeling I will be needing more wool to make more blocks so that this blanket is big enough. Still... happy with how it is starting to look!!

Circles to Squares WIP update

For a while now I have been working on Circles to Squares blanket for my boy which I found on Pinterest. The urgency is picking up since:

1. It's nearly winter, and I wanted him to use it for winter.

     2.  I have found another blanket I want to crochet for DD for one of her Christmas presents

So while i have been watching The Block I have been plodding away at it.

I have been making these:


Then I make them into these:


This is such a relaxing project. Barely any mental energy is required, and I can just hook away without a care in the world.

Lone star Quilting

Hand quilting has begun :)

Lone Star basted!

Last night I began the huge task of basting my lone star quilt. This thing is HUGE! It covered my entire lounge room floor!



(Sorry about the dodge photo - it's just easier to use my phone than the SLR)

I went to my local spotlight store and found some cute backing which is in similar colouring to my quilt top, even though it's a completely different range.



There was also 25% off wadding :) SCORE!!



It's all done! Ready for hand quilting to commence as soon as I want to start!

Today I might plug on with EJ's crochet blanket. At this rate it will be done at Christmas, not winter, like I originally planned!

Lone star block # 4

This is the final block for this quilt.



Next comes the sashing. :) It's going to be a beautiful quilt. I can't wait to have this proudly on my bed. I'm now starting to look for designs to quilt around it. I have expanded my abilities this far, may as well try and stitch something other than a straight line.

Lone Star Block #3

I'm on fire here! This quilt is going to be done in no time!

Lone Star Block #2

2 more to go, then it's sashing and then the quilt top is done! :D

Lone Star - block #1

I awoke a few days ago to the sound of rain pattering on the ground outside my window. The wind was howling and cold. I shivered. BRRR!! Winter certainly was on it's way! Oh no! Winter is on it's way! I don't have a quilt to hand quilt during the winter months!! That is one of my favourite things about quilting and winter - that the two go hand in hand. So today I pulled out a WIP and the sewing machine and began to piece.

There are 4 blocks in total. This is the first one. I'm so happy with how it looks. :D

Advent Blog Along # 12 - No more pencils, no more books..

Schools out!! Only an awards ceremony in the morning to go and it's all done and dusted for another year!! I'm looking forward to lazy days at home, no getting up at the crack of dawn *cough cough* and doing the school drop off. I have a few more projects to get done for Christmas presents, but the pressure is definitely off!!

So here is my updated list:

Felt Christmas Tree ornaments (Started - just need to attach the baubles) Cancelling because I just can't be bothered!
Applique initials on 4 x facewashers for nieces and nephew
6 x rice hot packs
6 x felt bookmarks
3 x mug rugs - Done 1
Secret squirrel project (about 2/3rds of the way through)
Menu for Christmas Day
Decide what to bake for Christmas and Christmas gifts.

So overall a pretty productive week eh?

Today I needed to finish the final two teacher's gifts. And I did a Cheater McCheaterson, and made them smaller and less sections. It meant that I finished it all in good time and was able to deliver them to the teachers today.

I still think they looked cute!

Weekend stuff...

This weekend was flat out as usual.... but I did get a bit of time to do some crafty stuff.

Now that my Ripple is finished, I am eager to start another crocheting project.....

Here's a glimpse at the wool I have bought for it:

I did a bit of work on a secret squirrel project that I've been plodding away at for a few months now...

I also made up some lavender rice for Christmas presents... more about that later.

So I didn't quite make it...

My one project a week plan? I didn't make it. That's because I had something better to do with my time. I spent lots of time with my children while they were on school holidays. We went on outings, and did activities together. My crafty dreams were set aside, while I helped my boy create a 2-d solar system art work for his bedroom. It's still not quite finished, but he had a wonderful time doing it. I taught my big girl how to embroider and helped her finish off her cloth doll that she has made. The kids go back to school tomorrow, and I have a full week planned, so I doubt I will get a project done this week either!

What I am working on, slowly but steadily is my ripple blanket. I'm now over half way done, so I guess that's something. I will keep working on that as I can. I want to finish that soon so I can start playing with my new toy!

DH bought me an overlocker!! :) I'm planning to get more into dress-making, especially for my girls, since I can't stand the tween look of today. I like my girls to BE girl, not to be teenage look-alikes. There is plenty of time to look like a grown up later on. I'm so excited - and a bit scared. I've not used an overlocker in years, so it's going to be a challenge learning how to use it. But I reckon once I learn, I'll be off!!