Stash Enhancement

Nothing benefits my craft stash more than a visit to Nana’s. We had a 21st to go to in Nelson last weekend. (10 hours of driving in 48 hours) and a visit to see my grandparents (and a trip to the Nelson Market and a netball game with my sister) was an added bonus.

Some beautiful old buttons.

Good news folks- you can uncover covered buttons! These ones are ready to use again

A skirt and top set in this fabulous knit fabric (all ready to be cut up).

And a bag of homespun, begging me for a little food colouring love.

And lastly, thanks heaps to everyone who has been leaving comments lately- especially those coming out of the woodwork to say hi! I really enjoy getting them, and checking out what’s going on over at your blog too.

The Cake Lifter

I love love love the cake tin my sister gave me for my birthday this year, its a great colour and it’s as though my silicone cake tin was made to go with it- the cake fits perfectly! However trouble strikes when you want to take a cake somewhere- how to get it in and out.

This afternoon I made a cake lifter- an interfaced fabric circle with handles which sits under the cake when icing it, enables the cake to lifted into the tin, and out onto the plate at the destination. Home (with a piece of cake left if your lucky) and straight into the wash!

(Carrot cake with walnuts and apricots on top.)

It even works perfectly (though the name is a little unoriginal!).

I (heart) my Postie

And my Extremely Talented little sister.

This was her first non-garter stitch scarf knitting project- made for school “Protective Clothing”. She was the only one in her class which knit anything. (Funny story- when I was in that class, doing that assignment I was also the only one in the class to knit. It’s possibly genetic!) She got a merit (kinda like a B).

A reasonably ambitious project (without cable needles- does this make it easier or harder?) which she has executed almost flawlessly- her one self confessed alteration next time would be to check guage- but hey, who needs that right? I think she’s done extremely well, and I’m honoured to be the recipient. Thanks Olivia!

I think it’s called dumpster diving….

A couple of days ago while walking Pedro down our street I passed a couple of lovely old chairs on the street with a “free” sign on them. It was raining, I had the dog, but I could see they were fabulous chairs- they were rocky chairs (but not a rocking chair if you know what I mean.) Well I walked on past, and kicked myself a couple of days later when they were gone.

Walking Pedro past the same house today I noticed a wooden bed base (with holes for drawers) sitting precariously on top of their skip. I went around the block and thought to myself- I’ll just head down that way and see if anyone’s home- that bed would be great in the spare room. As I got closer (the house is only about 6 away from ours) I could hear a thudding noise. Sure enough their was a teenager hacking up the bed with an axe, no doubt so it would fit better in the skip. I tell you, I couldn’t make this stuff up!

His parents pulled up in their car in that moment and when I commented on the chairs speedy disappearance the woman said she had another chair in the garage she was going to put on trademe, but that I could have it!

Well worth the effort of lugging it home (not so far but it was heavey!) and it’s waiting on the porch, where it’s “shabby chic” look blends right in, for Michael to trip over it on his way home from work tonight.

I have some creamy upholstery fabric (somewhere) in my stash which would work perfectly for this chair, and look, I’m not the only one who as had this idea!

In other exciting news Charlotte from LovelyNZ asked me to participate in her LovelyBlogs blog. I’ve just sent back the interview- so watch out for it in the next couple of days!

Hope you all had a nice weekend : )

In case you were wondering…

 

You  can double your fabulous double chocolate muffin recipie and bake it in a cake tin and it turns out just fine. And in case you don’t have a fabulous double chocolate muffin recipie, you can borrow mine.

Mix together

1 c of flour

1/4 c of cocoa

1/2 t baking soda

1/2 t salt

1/2 c of sugar

1/2 c chocolate chips

Mix together

2 egg yolks

1 c yoghurt (I use berry or similar if I can, it adds a yummy flavour)

and stir to the flour mixture, until all flour is just wet.

Beat till almost stiff

2 egg whites

1/2  c of sugar

and fold into the other mixture.

Bake at 200 C for 12-15 minutes or until centres of muffins spring back when lightly pressed. (Or double the recipie and cook in a cake tin for about an hour)

While it’s still cold….

There’s plenty of time to get some wear out of my brand new coat!

After a little button angst (I didn’t buy enough self cover buttons, Mum’s fancy new sewing machine which makes one-step, automatic button holes wouldn’t make a big enough button hole, then a second button shopping trip yeilded some Fabulous buttons, and I took the plunge and used my machine to make the button holes).

n.b. My machine’s feed dog won’t drop so button holes are a little tricky- but given it’s age and beauty (born 1953) I forgive it this one little thing!

Some careful measuring and not a mistake you can see when the buttons are done up.

And buttoned right up (the preferred style in the current weather), note the lovely brooch.

Whats that I hear? You’d like to see a close up of the buttons?

It’s just a shame that I can’t see them when I’m wearing it!

The only thing I would change next time is the addition of some pockets- I’ve tried to “use” them about 15 times today!!!

A chilly cold morning.

On the way home last weekend we spent a night in Murchison for my good friend Penny’s 21st birthday party. Murchison is renowned for be literally a hole- the township is in a low spot, and is surrounded by towering mountains. And boy is it cold! Driving to Murchison we passed places where cliffside streams had frozen into icicles and the frost on the trees and grass was so thick (but it was too cold for a photo stop) due to layer building up upon layer as the spots don’t get sun during winter.

The next morning we awoke to a spectacular hoar frost- where the mist had rolled in overnight and frozen to all the trees, grass leaves- everything! This was very different the frosts I am used to, where dew collects and freezes, so it is mainly on surfaces, such as the ground. The ice was very delicate and beautiful.

On the way home we stopped at the St James Walkway in the Lewis Pass, hoping to see snow, which we did, but the tarn was frozen too! (Don’t worry, we didn’t venture too far).

And having been in Murch, I can safely say that Christchurch no longer seems as cold! (But it is still pretty chilly.)

3 FO

The scarf for Penny

The button and paua are connected by a piece of wire to form a “cufflink” which can be worn either way to change the look of the scarf.

My sister sat down with a piece of newspaper, drafted a pattern and pulled on this jacket roughly 12 hours later. She is quite talented (and only 15!) No sketches involved!

I finally got around to making the spotty hoody I’ve had the fabric for for 6 months. It only takes a 700km car trip.

We’re back home now, cleaning the fridge and catching up on the washing. Back to uni tommorow (but not me- I have a rare day off this term, so look forward to heightened levels of crafting.)

A flurry of activity.

Mum dyed some wool

I finally made a pouch to fit my camera, except now the camera is in it so I haven’t got a photo of the whole thing, just the wee bit of embroidery I did. (I think it looks a bit like a pink rhododendron.)

And 1 birthday present complete (it’s a jewellery roll for my friend who is going overseas)

A bit hard to see in that photo- there’s a large pocket with a flap, a smaller pocket which is actually 4 pockets, mesh for earrings and a ring sausage, in ascending order.

And I sewed the sleeves into my jacket, but due to my petite shoulders, a major refit is required!

On Holiday

A new playmate (in my Grandparent’s beautiful garden) 

And walks on a deserted beach.

We’re not actually staying at the beach house, but just visiting my cousins who are there at the moment.

And there is currently some wool stewing in shades of green on the stovetop.