All Signed Up

I could tell you about the five plus hours I spent on Tuesday filling in paperwork and hunting for information all in an effort to see if Elise is eligible for rent assistance and whatever other assistance the government is likely to give her.

I could tell you about the long line I stood in at Centrelink to put in the above paper work and the lovely girl who was so incredibly helpful when I finally was served and who made the process so much easier and less stressful.

I could tell you about the stinking hot drive Elise and I had yesterday (Wednesday) to Bendigo.

I could tell you that the “back road” to Elise’s new house and the road to home is super easy to find and takes a whole 7 minutes from the turn off to her front door.

I could tell you that the owners were at Elise’s house doing a bit of what looked like last minute painting and repair jobs before she takes over next Wednesday.

I could tell you that the road to the university from Elise’s house to the uni is just as quick and super easy to navigate.

I could tell you that we did very little shopping yesterday…..apart from the dress I bought (a bargain at $10 -severely marked down) and the pj’s Elise bought.

I could tell you that the universities air conditioning was either non existent or just not coping with the heat.

I could tell you that between a lecture on the course and signing in we were at the uni for a whole 2 1/2 hours and now have all the paper work filled in, a car parking pass and all other relevent documentation.

But I won’t.

Instead I WILL tell you that Elise is now signed up to Study for a Batchelor of Education at Latrobe University.  Orientation week starts the 20th of February and her classes begin the following week.

At this stage it looks like she will be at Uni on Tuesday and Thursdays and that prac placement days (when the students go into real live school classrooms to practice what they have learnt) will probably be either Fridays or Mondays.  Of course those days will quite possibly change but at least we have some idea of what is happening.

It finally is starting to feel real that my girl is off to Uni.

On the cat front – we are going to check out the RSPCA  in Bendigo for a kitten or cat to adopt next week. They – the kittens and cats that is –  are vet checked, de sexed, vaccinated and flea treated for a fairly modest amount of money which quite frankly I think is fairly cheap when you consider how much it would cost to get done if you popped into your local vet clinic.  Plus the idea of adopting an animal that may have been dumped or not wanted and abandoned really appeals to both Elise and myself.  The hard part is going to be choosing which one to take home.

Exciting News

Life has been a complete whirlwind of events since I last posted.

In fact I’m still trying to get my head around all that happened so you will forgive me for giving you run down of all that happened starting from Wednesday January 11.

On Wednesday 11 January Ashley and I celebrated our 20th Wedding Anniversary. It’s still so hard to believe we have been married for twenty years and still happily married I might add.  I was thoroughly spoilt with Ashley giving me a  Canon EOS 550D camera.  Sorry no photos cause the old camera just isn’t up to the job after using this little beauty.  Check out the link here for all the info stuff on it.  I love it, love it, love it and am slowly learning all I can do with it.  I have to say that my photos have never looked better. That could be the subject matter….kids, dogs, flowers and anything that moves are all prime material….vbg…….but it’s also super easy for a very bumbling photographer like me to use. It was a combined Anniversary/Birthday present which couldn’t have been nicer.  We celebrated the day very quietly and just Ashley and I went out for tea at the local Chinese Restaurant with the kids paying for our meal. Lovely.

Sunday saw Elise, Nicola and I packing our bags ready to head off to Bendigo for a mini vacation on Monday.  The plan was we leave for Bendigo after the mail came as Elise was waiting to see if she would receive an offer for University, we would stay in Bendigo fora  few days, flat hunt, shop, have braces removed (Nicola) and then head home on Thursday the 19th.

Well the mail came Monday morning but no offers – very disappointing.  What made it more difficult to work out was the teachers had told all the kids they would receive their offers in the mail first thing Monday morning.  VTAC (the governing body) didn’t release any offers until 5 pm that night.  The Herald Sun was publishing them at 4 pm so we decided we would look on line in Bendigo to see how Elise went.  Off to Bendigo and booked into the most amazing caravan park – The Ascot Caravan Park .  No affils but if you are in need of accommodation in Bendigo this is the ants pants – clean, quiet, friendly and easy to get to and a beautiful fully self contained cabin for three nights that was the equivalent price of staying in a motel with no kitchen facilities.

Monday afternoon saw us sitting in McDonald’s logging into the Herald Sun only to find no mention of Elise’s name.  Damm!!!!!  Elise  thinks she must have ticked the box that said not to publish her offers.  So, disappointed, we headed off to the local supermarket to pick up something for tea.  We are in the supermarket when Elise’s phone rang. It was Ashley.  He had finished work early to check the results on VTAC at 5 pm as Elise had given him the details he needed to log in.  Success at last!!!!!!  Talk about get some funny looks. The three of us were jumping up and down and generally acting like complete looney’s.  Hey we didn’t care.

So now my girl is off to University to do a Batchelor of Education Degree in Primary School Teaching.  We are so very proud of her and excited and a little scared.  Having one baby fly the nest - especially the first one is incredibly hard but it’s an adjustment the whole family will make…we couldn’t stand in her way of studying for a career in something she is so passionate about.

Elise and I had been looking at the real estate agents websites in Bendigo for some time and had picked out about six houses and flats/units that we thought would be suitable so Monday night we hopped in the car at 8 pm and drove around these houses.    Two were discarded immediately – not what we were looking for at all but others had distinct possibilities.

Tuesday (in incredibly muggy heat) saw us popping into real estate agents to put our names down for house inspections.  These  days it’s make an appointment for a group viewing and you have a whole 10 minutes to make up your mind.  Not the easiest way to find a house but luckily the first house we saw – managed by a real estate agency that is all women – was the one we wanted. We did check out another house with the same agency but it wasn’t a home like the first one was – it was just a rental house – yuck!!!  So that afternoon saw Elise putting in her application with the agency and was told we would hear either that night or the next day.

Ok shopping here we come.  I was just debating the merits of some rather nice wool in Spotlight when Elise’s phone rang – it was the agency to say she had the house…..a whole two and a half hours after we had put in the application.  Now from what I have heard that is pretty amazing as most times it can take 48 hours to a week before you hear.  The next day  (Wednesday after Nicola’s Orthodontist appointment) we cancelled any other viewings we had, signed the lease and paid over the bond and two weeks rent,  bought a tape measure, borrowed the keys for an hour (with the agency’s blessing) and measured and drew up a plan of the house so we know what furniture will fit where then went and had lunch. Elise takes possession of the house on February 1st….only two short weeks away.

It’s an older home owned by the same couple for the past twenty years and managed by the same real estate agency for the same amount of time.  Three bedrooms, one bathroom, massive lounge, nice sized kitchen, freshly painted with new carpet to the hall and bedrooms and lovely small back yard.  There is space for two cars under the carport and best of all Elise can have a cat for company. So now the hunt for the perfect kitten is on.

It’s in a really nice neighbourhood on the corner of two courts so there is no through traffic and by the looks of it most of the homes are owned by elderly people so it will be lovely and quiet.  Aldi, McDonalds, the petrol station and a small shopping centre are 10 minutes up the road, further than that there is a huge shopping centre with fruit and veg stores, butchers, another supermarket as well as the usual shopping.  Just around the corner is the “short cut” through to the university in one direction if you were to drive in the opposite direction it takes you the back way through Bendigo onto the road home to us.  We really couldn’t have got a better home if we tried.  It feels like a home – bright and light and very welcoming. None of those nasty creepy vibes if you know what I mean.  If you were driving past you honestly wouldn’t know that it was a rental property it has been so well looked after.

So with Elise sorted we celebrated by going to the movies and seeing Nicola’s choice “Sherlock Holmes” the lastest one. It was brilliant and a perfect way to end the day and an awesome choice on Nicola’s behalf.

Wednesday morning saw us up bright and early as Nicola was to have her braces removed at 9.30 am.  She was so nervous. Worried that it would hurt. Worried that her teeth wouldn’t be straight after all this time. Worried about the whole thing.  Well  I will leave the photos to tell the tale……

Nicola has the most beautiful smile and is super happy with her teeth. For the first time in two years she could eat pain free and without cutting her food into little tiny pieces.  Brilliant.  Back to the orthodontist that afternoon to get the retainer fitted – not so happy about that as there is a fair bit of pain until she gets used to it – but hey pain comes with beauty – doesn’t it????

That night we were all so exhausted we curled up on the couch, watched movies, Elise and I knitted and Nicola tried not to fall asleep.

Thursday was my birthday. I was greeted with a small box from the jeweller - lovely gold earring the girls had bought me and after breakfast and packing (who knew we had taken that much stuff) we headed home to arrive before lunch time.

James had made me a collage of pictures to put on the wall of my sewing room of me and the dogs and various other events that have happened. He did a wonderful job choosing the photos and printing them onto paper then putting it all together. Ashley gave me a hug as the main present was my camera.  I was super excited to receive a lovely present from Lise (The Chocolate Cat) who made me a gorgeous mug rug (part of the swap we decided we would do months ago) a gorgous Mug that Nicola is insanely jealous of cause it means I get a bigger cup of tea than her, a lovely framed stitchery that is sitting on my sewing room window and a bag of chocolates which I have hidden from the rest of the family and am savouring slowly.  Sorry it’s not in the photo – it was well hidden by the time I had taken the photo.

 

Friday James made me a birthday cake – we didn’t have time to make one on Thursday and it was delicious. Chocolate cake with lashings of icing, Happy Birthday written on it and candles. Yum.

So the last few days have been catch up days. Washing, tidying the house – although I haven’t got far there and just pottering. Saturday saw Ashley, Elise and I choosing white goods for her house – a fridge, microwave, washing machine and vacuum cleaner which will be delivered on Monday – she has everything else she needs.  Next Wednesday Elise and I head off to Bendigo again to sign her up at the University then we will be madly packing to shift her down there the following week.

If anyone sees a slightly bemused looking woman who is reaching for the tissues cause her baby is leaving home it will be me. Luckily I bought some wool in Bendigo – sock wool and Bendigo Woollen Mills wool so I will have a little woolly goodness to help with missing my girl….grinning rather bashfully – so much for the yarn diet.

Now if you have managed to stay with me to the end of this long and somewhat rambling blog post I now give you my blessing to grab a glass of something cold or a cuppa, a block of chocolate or a biscuit and have a little lie down. Goodness knows I need one after all this.  No wait – I have Mount Vesuvius of Ironing to tackle.  Perhaps it’s me that needs the cold drink……..off to check out the fridge.

Some Knitting……and Some Crochet

Just to show that I am using up my stash I have been madly knitting squares to make an Elizabeth Zimmerman Mystery Blanket.  Click on the link and it will take you to some gorgeous blankets on Ravelry.

These squares are easy to knit.

Starting off can be a bit tricky – two stitches on each of four double pointed needles can try a girls patience so I worked out that if I put these needle point protectors onto each needle and moved them as I knit each round by the time I had six stitches on each needle the knitting was stable and no stitches would fall off.  Ok so possibly if I started knitting a bit tighter I wouldn’t have the problem of escaping needles but I hate tight knitting with a vengeance - loose and comfortable is more my style…vbg.

Each square begins with  Emily Ocker’s Circular Cast On and I know to some of you it will look daunting but trust me get a couple of these blocks knitted and you won’t ever look back. It’s my preferred method of casting on when I make anything circular now.

If the thought of using a crochet hook brings you out into a cold sweat (and remember you are only casting on 8 stitches for the beginning of these squares and then you change to double pointed needles) then google seach for Circular Cast On which uses knitting needles.  There are plenty of You Tube video’s out there that are excellent to watch also.

I started off pacing myself making just one square a day using what ever colour took my fancy and whatever were the smallest balls…….

….then I got super hooked and I’m making two squares a day. I would try for three squares a day but unfortunately domestic stuff like washing, cooking and the occasional bit of cleaning are getting in the way of knitting bliss.  I will confess to sitting up and watching a movie with Ashley last night that finished at midnight just so I had the excuse to finish off another block.

Each block is being finished off with three rows of black which should make weaving the squares together so much easier……I hope.

Now if that hasn’t convinced you that I’m totally weird check out my Granny Squares.

I’m determined to use every inch of the yarn I have so I started these Granny Squares. Me being me – measured out exactly how much wool each round takes, labelled each bag appropriately (ie Round 2 – 4 metres) and as I have tiny scraps of wool left I measure them out and put them into the right bag.  I can’t stand the thought of throwing out wool – even the colours I loathe  and this is one way to get something useful and pretty out of what would otherwise be waste.  If I’m totally honest I will admit to being seriously in love with these squares – mix matched colours and all.

More Fabric

I know I’m on a self imposed “I will not buy any more fabric/wool/treasures” thing this year in an attempt to tame, in all areas, the stash that abounds in this house………

….but in my defence I did buy this fabric last year.

Due to Christmas and all the parcels that have been winging their way throughout the world my fabric has only just arrived.

I figure that’s a pretty good excuse.

Work with me on this people!!!!

Fabric all is 100% cotton from Thousands of Bolts my most favourite online fabric store.  I bought minimum 2 yard cuts so I can make myself some much needed clothing.  I seriously love clothing made out of quilting cotton. Soft and comfortable and just right for the weather we experience over summer.  Best of all I get to make quilts and table runners and all sorts of other things out of the scraps….lol.  Never mind the fact I adore the colors and patterns.

January is……

….Fruit Bottling Month.

aka Get All the Fruit in the Coolroom into Bottles and Preserved so I have some more room in said Coolroom Month!

We are incredibly lucky that a great many of the fruit growers that Ashley works for – getting their cool rooms running properly, sorting out problems with the packing machines or labelling machines – very generously give us trays and trays of beautiful fruit as a thank you for his prompt service.   For a great many growers and the packing sheds any down time caused by their machines breaking down can cost them wages of up to 30 people standing around until the machinery is fixed, which as you can imagine cuts deeply when it comes to the end of the week and wages have to be paid and balanced against what has been earnt for the week.

As always I tend to put off bottling the fruit for as long as I can. It’s not that I don’t like doing it – it’s just a messy job.  Fruit juice everywhere, sugar syrup to be made, bottles, rings and lids to be found and it’s generally hot….and I do mean  really hot when the fruit is ready to be done.  Having said that it’s always a fantastic feeling to get the fruit bottled and into the cool room afterwards knowing that we have plenty of lovely, preservative free fruit for the coming twelve months.

The  children are starting to learn that when Mum says we are bottling fruit they are expected to be in the kitchen, bright eyed and bushy tailed and ready to help. No excuses are accepted.  Nighties and PJ’s may be worn so long as you get on with the job.

James is my main man. He finds the bottles, rings, lids and jar clips for me. This year he also mixed up the sugar syrup (I do a light syrup to preserve the fruit in – 1/3 cup sugar to 1 cup water).  He also carries the finished jars into the laundry so they can be put into the big Fowlers Vacola Bottling Unit that was my Grandmothers.

Nicola and Elise peel the fruit and cut it up for me.  They both do a fantastic job and are becoming quite expert at the whole event.

Nicola of course had to see if she could peel off the longest piece of intact peel.

As no one else was game to try – she won….vbg.

James thought it was easier to connect the jar clips and see how long he could make them.

Again he was the only one trying this – so of course he won that event.

Elise and I both competed in the who has the comfiest pj’s/nightie to wear. I personally think I won, but that’s a win that’s still being debated.

And yes if I look tired in this dreadful photo it’s because I was!! We were nearly finished by this stage thank goodness.

An hour and a half after we started we had finished with 16 bottles of nectaries and 8 bottles of peaches all waiting their turn to put through the bottling unit.  Even the kitchen was clean and a well deserved cuppa was being enjoyed.

There is still another tray of peaches in the cool room waiting to be done – they weren’t quite ripe enough – and I have asked Ashley to get more peaches if we are offered any fruit as he does like peaches and ice cream, and peaches and custard and peaches and jelly for sweets. Not necessarily all at at the same time but most evenings.

 

 

A New Cushion aka Making Do

The big clean up in my sewing room has produced results already.

I sewed all these hexagons together years ago.  They are 1 1/2 inches across and I made them out of a bundle of charm squares I bought even more years ago that were all sewing themed.  At the time I was even motivated enough to sew them to a background fat quarter and even tacked the batting and lining fabric in place obviously with the thought that I might hand quilt them.  Like that was ever going to happen.

Today I machine quilted just once around the hexagons then made them into a cushion.

I love my sewing chair but even with the padding on my behind sometimes a girl needs a little more comfort – especially if there is some major sewing happening.

To create the cushion filling I cut up an old wall hanging that I made years ago (I’m beginning to feel old at this stage) that none one wanted hanging in their room and tacked the three circles together to make the padding. It works well. I’m sitting on the cushion as I type this post.

I feel so good at having reduced a little more of my stash, created some comfort and used up a UFO.

There’s nothing like a good ending to the year.

Thank you all for the lovely New Years Eve wishes and thoughts on Mum. She is fine. I heard her come back from her walk at 7 am this morning – no doubt she went early to beat the heat – and then James was up at her place helping her garden for a little while.  He said she was fine too – especially as she paid him for his help…vbg.

 

Christmas is Over…Roll in the New Year

It suddenly dawned on me that tomorrow night is New Years Eve and that a whole week (or there abouts) has passed since Christmas so a quick round up.

The phone rang at 8 am Christmas morning and it was Mum.  She wasn’t feeling well and could I pop up and see her.  Mum lives about 200 metres away in her own house on the back of our block.  Whipped up and found her on the bed, extremely dizzy and when she tried to sit up she was sick.  Called an ambulance who was there very promptly and the ambulance men were lovely.  Got Mum to Casualty  where they did the usual tests and we had to wait.  Two hours later the lovely nurse (with a Christmas Apron and Reindeer Antlers perched on her head) came in to tell us it would be quite a wait as they had about 5 heart patients that were the priority. By this time with no breakfast and all the rushing around I was feeling pretty average myself and the irreverent thought popped into my head (but not out of my mouth thank goodness) that those patients must have received some pretty awesome presents.  At that point I went home (with Mum’s blessing) to open presents with the kids and Ashley and get some much needed breakfast. The hospital rang at 11.30am to say I could pick Mum up. She had had an injection for vomiting and been given tablets to help with the nausea.  Apparently it’s something to do with the middle ear and her Doctor had already been looking into the problem.  Most of her results from the specialist are back but she is waiting on the final few then has to see her Doctor again.  Mum didn’t have much for lunch – unlike the rest of us who tucked into cold meat and salad and cheesecake – then went home for a sleep. She came down again later – feeling 300% better than that morning to have a roast lamb with all the trimmings tea.

Even the dogs get Christmas presents.

Despite the dramas Christmas was lovely. Lots of food and drink and laughter. The home made presents were very well received and everyone was very, very pleased with what they had made and what they had been given. Mum had made home made gifts too and totally surprised the kids with what Nan could make…..wicked grin.

Boxing Day was spent very quietly. I still felt very unsettled after Christmas Days excitement,  Mum however was back to normal and going about her usual activities including a walk at some unearthly hour!

I would love to say we have been sitting around and relaxing but that would be far from the truth. Elise asked me to help clean up and resort her room. Nothing had been done in there since about half way through Year 11 and it was truly pick a path. In her defence study was the priority but it was nice to get in and rearrange the room and thoroughly clean it. So much “stuff” was thrown out I began to wonder if our really big industrial bin would hold it all. It’s ok …….it did….lol.  Six hours later (I kid you not) the room is clean, dust bunnies are gone and she has room to move.

The next day James decided to clean his room!!!!!  Yes I was shocked but he did get stuck in and sorted out drawers and the wardrobe and lots and lots of toys, pencils, textas etc.  Part of the appeal was he received Elise’s old TV and a TV cabinet so now he can play games in his room.  Apparently it makes it easier to concentrate if you aren’t falling over things.  Who knew!

Roll onto the next day and I decided to get stuck into the sewing room. It has become the depository for all the things that don’t fit anywhere else, for the stuff from Elise’s room that she didn’t want any more but didn’t want to throw out and sundry other items.  Now it’s semi clean – ok I’m a crafter it won’t ever be totally clean – but at least now I can get to the sewing machine and my spinning wheels have been unearthed from where they were hiding. A major resort of all my books and magazines happened and several boxes were emptied to disclose several UFO’s that will be either finished or morphed into new items.  I even managed to throw out some stuff that I would never ever get around to using or even wanted in the beginning.

While I was doing that Nicola decided she couldn’t stand the state of the kitchen any longer and started cleaning it – including resorting some of the cupboards!!!  She then moved onto the dining room and the lounge room. I love that girl. She helped me earlier in the week pull the Christmas tree down too and we sorted, discarded and restacked all the Christmas decorations.  It is always much easier doing all those kinds of things with a helper…..and it makes it much quicker.  Best of all I hadn’t asked her to help – Nicola just waded into the mess and began doing her thing.

Today has meant a trip down the street with Elise to do a few jobs, a nanna nap this afternoon and some more knitting.  I’m working on Elizabeth Zimmerman’s Pi Shawl which will end up being a blanket and made up of lots of different colours of wool acrylic and is a somewhat desperate attempt to tame the stash.  It’s an excellent project to work on while watching TV as I am literally just knitting in circles.   I also unearthed the knitting machine a friend gave me a few months back and I intend on knitting lots of strips, joining them together and making another blanket. The hope is that I will use up most if not all the cones of machine knitting wool I have sitting here that was given to me even more months ago and have something useful to show at the end of it.

Ashley has taken two weeks off but most days has had to do a small job or two. People are generally very considerate over Christmas and the man who called him out Christmas Day (a valued customer) apologised profusely and gave him a Christmas present to thank him. Turns out it was a Power company problem but Ashley had to check it out first and advise him on what to do.  In his off time he has relaxed on the couch, enjoyed lots of cold beverages, put in a filtered drinking water system into the cool room so now cold water is on tap and just generally pottered around.

After the storms and weird weather all Christmas Day – we were rewarded with a beautiful rainbow at the end of it.

So now we wait until the clock strikes midnight and we begin a new year. I’m not making any New Years Resolutions.  Apart from the fact that I never keep them, I honestly don’t know what the year has in store for me let alone the rest of the family.   It’s still a waiting game to see if Elise is accepted into Uni. Nicola’s braces are to be removed on January 18th then not long after a new school year begins for both her and James.  Ashley has plenty of work to keep him busy into the New Year. I am finding myself dithering as to what I want out of life next year. To be honest nothing appeals at the moment so I’m adopting a wait and see attitude. If it takes a couple of months for me to find my direction then so be it.  In the meantime I will enjoy my time with my family while there is no urgent need for any of us to be anywhere in particular and work on whatever takes my fancy at the time.

I hope you all have a wonderful and very Happy and Safe New Year. May it be a year where your dreams come true, trials and tribulations be few and far between and family and friends be with you all.

 

And So This Is Christmas

December has been one of those kind of months. Full of highs and lows, busy days, semi manageable stress levels and lots and lots of Christmas baking….which of course always helps to make Calidore’s world seem right.

The beginning of December found Ashley, Elise and I dressed up and heading off to Elise’s Graduation dinner.

It was truly a star studded night with the students being the focus.  The girls were dressed beautifully. Mostly long evening gowns, a few shorter ones, but all in the most gorgeous colours and textures. The guys were in suits and ties or dress slacks, waistcoats and ties.   It was almost weird in a way – you could see the students, in that one night, shrug off the bonds of childhood and embrace being an adult with all it’s joys and responsibilities in just a few short hours.   The meal was amazing – roast beef or chicken with vegetables, sticky date pudding and ice cream or pavlova and berries.  Yum.

We came home to give Elise her present of an Ipad. She has wanted one for ages and if finishing Year 12 and coping with all the stress that it entails isn’t a good enough reason then I don’t know what is.  To say she was super excited is an understatment….vbg.

VCE results came out a few days later with much anticipation.  There was good news in that Elise passed and did well but unfortunately her ATAR score (which determines which uni course she can get into) was 2.45 points below what she needed for automatic entry into teaching.  Still there is a very good chance that she will still get accepted on either the first or second round offers. The waiting is the hardest bit but in the mean time she has two part time jobs – one an office job which she loves and the other in a clothing store which is good money but perhaps not quite as exciting as the office job.  Either way she is earning money and learning new skills and loving doing different things. Last night was her office Christmas Party and she had a fantastic night.

In the middle of all this I was off to Cohuna for the Cohuna Spinners and Weavers 40th Birthday Party. It to was a exciting time as past and present members celebrated a group that is still going strong and is very active. They are a wonderful group of ladies and we all enjoy each others company and learn so much from each other.

The end of the school year rolled around. Nicola did very well in Year 9 and is looking forward to Year 10 with anticipation. She will be studying two VCE subjects next year. Year 11 Biology and Year 11 Community Services. Apparently they can fast track some subjects if the child and teachers think they can cope. Nicola loved Biology this year and is really looking forward to learning more next year. Added to that a cleaning job at a friends house – only a few hours once a fortnight – plus the organising here that she has done and life has been busy for her.

James finished Grade Five on Thursday and is looking forward to Grade 6 next year. He has the teacher he wanted – apparently she is very strict but lots of fun – and he is looking forward to his final year of Primary School. The past few days have seen him either relaxing on the couch playing his new Xbox game that he bought or cleaning his room. Both activities are progressing well….vbg.

Ashley is still busy but is taking the next two weeks off. He has a number of projects planned for his break but wether he gets them done or not remains to be seen.  He is very tired and the heat we are now having isn’t helping but hopefully a couple of weeks off relaxing will help to recharge his batteries.

As for me. Well I have been busy sewing, knitting and crocheting. Keeping in the Handmade Christmas spirit I am filling the  stockings that hang on our chairs with a knitted or crocheted Christmas ornament and a colourful pillow case. The girls chose their fabrics but didn’t see the final pillow case – Ashley and James have no idea and I spent longer trying to choose fabrics for mine than I did with anyone else’s as I just couldn’t decide what fabric to use…..the horrors of a good fabric stash….lol.  All the presents are wrapped and there are only bits and pieces to do today to be organised ready for tomorrow.

The baking is all done.  It’s cold meat and salad for lunch tomorrow and then roast lamb with vegies for tea.  The weather is going to be HOT. Close to 40 degrees with a good chance of rain – depending on which weather forecast you listen to so I think settling down under the air conditioning with a cold glass of something and a slice of Christmas cake will be the order of the day.

Yesterday we had a bbq lunch with friends at their work and last night we all met up again for Fish and Chips in the park by the river. James and his mate ended up swimming in the river while some of the adults fished. It was a lovely way to end the working week and gave us all a much needed breather and time to relax ready for Christmas. A friend and I both commented to each other we now felt like we were in the “Christmas mood”…as we drank yet another glass of ice cold water as it was hot.

So that’s our month and the end of this year.  It’s been on of highs and lows. Stress and relaxation and all those other contrasts that make life so interesting.

Thank you to all my lovely readers and the many friends I have made along the way of blogging.  Your comments and emails mean so much and I do appreciate them.

 

From my Family to You and Yours – Have a wonderful and Very Happy Christmas.

May the Reason for the Season be with You All.

 

Handmade Christmas 2011

After months of work spinning, knitting, crocheting, baking and so on I think I’m nearly organised with all my hand made Christmas Presents.

Aprons made from Tea Towels

Did I enjoy the process? Yes I did.  While it did take months it wasn’t a chore as I had so much fun choosing wool and patterns and trying to decide on what I wanted to make.  If anything the hardest part was realising that there was only so much time  and that I couldn’t make all those wonderful items that I had seen.  Never fear though – many patterns have been ear marked ready for next years Christmas……see getting organised already…..roflmol.

   Handspun wool, hand knitted (of course) Ear Flap Hat.  Pattern is here. 

I have made another hat in the same pattern with handspun yarn that James helped me dye in the colours he wanted.  No pictures sorry but the pattern was the same I just changed the patterned sections to make the hats different.

If you want a super quick and easy fingerless mitten pattern – that will only take a couple of hours and use up some small balls of yarn check out Sideways by Sydney Crabaugh.  The pattern is a Ravely download but I highly recommend it. I used up left over wool from James’s beanie and they turned out brilliantly.  Again sorry – no photos.

Did I save money? Absolutely!!!!!!!  All of us have been doing an add up on what we have spent on the presents….keeping in mind that we could buy the components to make the presents ie canvas boards and crayons, but couldn’t purchase the actual gift…………and it’s surprising just how much money we have saved.  Lets take  James’s gifts for example – the magnificent Crayon Art he created cost him the princely sum of $20 for five presents. I bet you can’t find five presents in the shops for that amount of money and have something you are proud to give.

Hand dyed with plant dyes, commercial wool (Bendigo Woollen Mills Classic 8 ply) Pattern here.  Mittens are the Cabobbled Mittens pattern here.

What the time and effort we put into presents worth it?  I have been asking the kids what did they think of the whole idea and process and all three agreed that they enjoyed it.  Even Elise with all the study and exams she had to do said it was worth it in the long run. That it gave her something to look forward to at the end of all the stress.  James told me it was a good “learning curve” and he loved it.  He thinks it’s something that we could and should do every year.  Nicola very quietly worked on her presents and seemed to breeze through the whole event with not even a ripple in her daily life.

Simple double crochet scarf that was twisted and joined to make a cowl.  Acrylic Wool from my stash. Super soft and squishy and warm.

David Tennant doll crocheted from someone who is a big fan. Pattern is here.

That’s most of the presents.  The Christmas cakes were made months ago and just have to be wrapped and there maybe some more baking to be done but I think I’m organised.   There are other handmade presents but I forgot to take photos.  I will admit to a moment of panic when I pulled out all the presents the other day  to make sure I had done everything. It didn’t seem like there was much there but then I sat down and really thought about it.  There is a lot there.  There is love and time and skill.  There is the hours of knitting and crochet and sewing when the family weren’t home. There was the fun of choosing the perfect gift and then the making of it.  The last minute moments when I would think “I’ll just crochet around this and whip up something else pretty for someone”.  The printing out of patterns and then the choosing. The spinning and dyeing of wool.  The endless questions from a small boy “Have you spun the wool for my beanie yet?” It’s all those moments that make the whole Handmade Christmas so worthwhile.

I think as a society, and this is just my opinion, that we are brainwashed into thinking that if something isn’t purchased from a shop somewhere and if it doesn’t come out of an anonymous factory the other side of the world then it isn’t “good enough” to give as a gift. That we are somehow letting down the economy and those workers and all that other stuff.  Rubbish!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  We can still support our economy even if we don’t have the skills or time to create homemade presents. There are loads of online sites selling handmade items that are absolutely beautiful.  Don’t forget your local markets or maybe a neighbour makes something that would be wonderful for a gift….and never, ever  underestimate yourself.  There are 12 months in a year. One present a month means 12 presents by the end of the year….more if you pick simple things or you get really good at something.  Treat it as a way to learn new skills. Even if you don’t think the item is outstanding I guarantee that the recipient will love it simply because you put time and effort and love into the gift.

Will we do it again???????????????????  Of course we will. How could we not?  As a family it bought us closer together – even though we were hiding what we have done….but there was the  questions of “what do you think you would like….give me a list of five things…..” that lead to present possibilities.  The discussions on colour and texture and design while working out the presents. It has lead us further down the road of creativity into area’s we would not have normally travelled.

Will all Birthday and Christmas presents be home made from now on? Possibly not. Christmas yes – birthday’s we might resort to purchased gifts but we will see.  Who knows what will happen in the future.

Regardless we went where we haven’t gone before and had fun in the process……and that’s the bit that counts the most.

 

Two Creative Weekends

You did read that right.  We have had two creative weekends here at Calidore’s house.  There is a feeling of immense satisfaction in this household at the moment – mainly because we have actually achieved something and to make it even better we have achieved several somethings.

James has been working on his Handmade Christmas presents.   We saw the magical looking art created by melted crayons on the web a while ago (there’s lots of ideas at Pinterest if you need inspiration) and he loved the idea.  So several canvas’s later and a couple of boxes of crayons (total cost with the hooks to hang them by approx. $20 for five presents) James was all set. He has a wonderful eye for colour and put together combinations of colours that I wouldn’t dream of – but we lived dangerously and experimented with fabulous results.

Of course melting the crayons was the best bit – lots of noise from the hair dryer and Ashley’s heat gun and the excitement of melting crayons – even Elise had to get in on the fun – and several works of art were created.

Here is a video – warning you may want to turn the sound down a bit – I didn’t realise just how loud a hair dryer was until I played the video just don’t turn it off as you can hear the excited noises James and Elise are making as crayons melt….vbg.

A finished canvas – flowers just hot glued on to create a garden.

Of course there is no fun in making canvas’s for everyone else if you don’t get to make one for yourself.  James told me he needed to practice on this one first before starting the others….lol…..and he is very proud of his art.

Best of all James gave me permission me to blog his picture so everyone could see what he has done.  Doing the happy dance : – )))

I managed to get a table centre/runner made out of some gifted “wool” for the outside table. The yarn is polymide, really artifical feeling stuff, but ideal for an outdoors area where it is bound to get dirty and dusty and need washing on a fairly regular basis….sigh.  It’s bigger than it looks – especially since I wet it and blocked it.  I have also made a fairly big granny square in bright yellows of the same kind of yarn as an alternative for the table.

I finally finished my Elise Shawl that I want to wear to Elise’s graduation dinner this Friday night.  It seemed appropriate to wear a shawl that shares her name.  It’s taken me nearly a month and I would have been finished sooner but I kept making mistakes and had to pull back rows….grrr.  Still it’s done and I love it.  I used Bendigo Woollen Mills Classic Cone in 3 ply, colour “Raven”.  I just kept crocheting until I had used most of the cone – nearly 800 metres and I don’t have much left.  It’s always hard to judge just how much wool you will need for the edgings and how many more patterns you can squeeze out of the yarn but I judged it just right.

I did wonder how soft the wool would be as I have used the Classic wool before and found it a little scratchy but this is super soft and fabulous to wear against the skin.  I have to say that if I was going to make baby wear I would use the Classic cones rather than the Woollen Mills baby yarn as I found it softer.

Then to top off the weekend Elise and I spent most of Sunday pulling off the revolting outer layer of one of the two lounge chairs she had bought at the op shop for a whole $5.oo each and recovered it with some lovely chocolate brown upholstery fabric that cost us the princely sum of $3.00 a metre.

I used the pieces we pulled off as templates to cut the new fabric and I think at the most the two chairs with their new covers will have cost us around $15 total.  Of course getting a semi professional finish – and we are very proud of ourselves – is always easier with the use of a air driven stapler and and extra set of hands in the form of Ashley. So one chair covered and another to go.  We are making progress.

This weekend sees us at Elise’s graduation dinner on Friday night then Elise has a friends 18 th Birthday party to go to on Saturday night after working all day Saturday.  A very full weekend especially after she worked full time for six days last week.  I think I may need a nanna nap just to keep up with her. I think I can safely predict there will be little or  no creativity this weekend.  On the up side though – James did get all his Christmas presents wrapped last night and Elise did spend some time working on her Christmas presents.

Progress is slow but we are getting there.