What a Glorious Day!

So today could have started as the worst day. I woke up with a suinus headache and was running late as I needed to iron a shirt. Then I got into the car and the fuel light was flashing on empty, so a further delay to get more fuel! I could have been really frustrated when I got to work and had a crappy day, BUT a series of amazing things has happened to make me think today is going to be the best!

1. I am glad I ironed the shirt because I look cute.
2. When I pulled in to the service station, the man was changing the price. It was going up by nearly 10c. I went to bowser and accepted the fact that I was going to pay $1.27 per litre and that I should have got petrol last night (instead I got my mojo back and knitted 20 rows of my suprise!). So after a few deep breaths, and some acceptance of how crappy fuel prices are, I looked at the bowser and the price had not been changed yet! How lucky did I feel! I went in paid for petrol had a happy chat to the man behind the counter (complete with a huge smile and have a nice day) and left. I cant tell you how good the trip to work was!
3. Took tablet for Sinus, it has kind of worked but still have lingering headache. Drinking lots of water seems to be helping.

And finally......
ok, you know you can tell it is going to be a really great day when all your favorite biscuits magically appear in the bickie barrell!! Today we have iced vovo's, passionfruit ones, spicy fruit rolls, and hundreds and thousands. AND to top it off in the savoury bicckie barrell there were chicken crimpy's!!! :) YUMMO!!!!
I feel like I am being thanked for working my behind off over the last couple of days! Can't believe how busy I was and it is only a taste of things to come. I can see many late nights coming up in the next few months..........

In Craft related news, I am in training for the Clap-a-long. I am setting myself a challenge to finish 3 projects before I start the Clap. So far so good. I completed 20 rows of one of my suprise projects last night and am now on the decrease. Will post photos at some stage, but dont want to spoil the suprise! :) Will start on suprise two on the weekend.

Game on CraftStars, Game on!

Do your thift shopping homework

Cause vintage shop finds like awesome old pinking sheers


can sometimes be found to be very blunt when you get home and test on fabric!

Of course the 1950s hair ribbon is just fine.

I wonder how many other thrifters out there who post all those perfect, beautiful, amazing, one-of-a-kind finds on their blogs ever find their new purchase to be a dud when they get home? They never really speak about that stuff though do they? Not me, I have dud sissors and I'm proud, at least they look cool, maybe I'll start a vintage sissor collection? Which reminds me, while I was doing all that work travel, I started to collect hotel sewing kits!

Cake Love

That's right, cake love, yum.

Those sugary flowers look cool so Adam and I decided to go a bit crazy and decorate a bit - but 5 on a cupcake doesn't make for good eatin!

In other news on the weekend I bought a pair of vintage fabric pinking shears and a gorgeous hairribbon from the 50's. Sadly, aside from yet-another-pair-of-slippers that's about the extent of my craftin report for now....hopefully there will be more to come.

Oh in completely non crafty news...Sister Sadieandlance got engaged!!! Yay! Soon to be Sadieandlance brother in law asked her on a beach in Fiji. Nice huh.

Ahar there scurvy sisters!

MrBP and I have been going through the old Women's Weekly Recipe cards (they're good cause they're simple!). Check out what I found:

I have one of those!

What a coincidink ;)

Grin.

*Smirk*. Look what I did:


They're sweet peas! Aren't they...well...sweet? I'm a bit proud (just a pinch) cause I grew these from seeds. Seeds, people! Not the cheaters-shortcut-sprouted version! Aren't they lovely? I like to look at them and sigh. You know, one of those dramatic, i'm-wearing-a-corset-and-you're-lucky-i'm-breathing sighs? Well one of those. Not that I would ever wear a corset (I'm not in to bondage like some, and she knows who i'm talking about).

It's Spring, ladies. Bring on the garden craft!

Clapotis

Is done. And I love it!
It was a bit of a drama at the end. I ran out of yarn 2 metres before the end, but luckily managed to get another ball in the same dye lot. The Specs:

Pattern: from Knitty
Yarn: Noro Kureyon No 128 from yarnsonline (highly reccomend yarnsonline!) 6 balls + 2 metres.
Comments: Love it, love it, Love it. I'm not a very clever knitter, but after a couple of rows of each section I was knitting with no hands (by which I mean I went into autopilot and wasn't really paying attention to what I was doing). I found it really theraputic to knit this. It's essentially sets of repeats, so once you understand the theory (methodology? Ha! That's for you Kel) it's very straightforward. In the end it only took me about 8 days to knit, but that's probably because I was sick. It was reassuring in the same kind of way maths is: there's an answer, you just need to learn the rules and you'll figure it out.
To block, or not to block: While I was knitting this I just assumed I would block it. Especially so given I wanted to get rid of the cast on and cast off edges curl against the rest of it. However then I checked out some that have been blocked and some that haven't and I tended to prefer the ones that weren't blocked. Cause they do this:

Isn't it lovely the way it twists? And the ridges, yum. (On another note, I wore this top to work. Was I flashing a bit too much boob? Haven't noticed it before. Maybe it's just the angle. Or maybe my boobs are just difficult to miss...)
Any reservations: Although I love Noro, i'm not sure Kureyon was the best yarn for this pattern. It's a bit more 'rigid' than some of the silk/merino ones i've seen. But I love it anyway!

In other news. I have finally decided to move out and start my own blog. I hope you will come and visit me. I'm worried i'll have commitment issues, but I've decided to give it a go.

Craft Goddess can be Naaaasty!

I have been contemplating my good Craftin' Buddy's last post, and while my current week and it's frustrations dont compare to last week, I feel I have an understanding of where she is coming from.

Yesterday I decided to be 25 again. Just for the day. And boy did that tempt the Craft Goddess to hit me with the stupid stick. NEVER, EVER, decide to pretend you are younger again. It will bite you on your ever lovin' craft rear end!

So yesterday, at band camp, I like, decided that I was going to think that I was waaaaaay better than my actual job. So then like, the gnarly Craft Goddess, she like totally made sure that I had many boring things to do which are just such a waste of my like totally awesome talents, you know?

Ok, so I was very quickly, totally over being 25. I want to be 36 again. I dont want to be hit with the stupid stick anymore! I promise I will never tempt her again, but I dont think the Craft Goddess will let me get away with it!

Ouch, she just hit me again! I think I tempted craft fate writing this post!

Clapotis v.1

Well, I think we're all aware by now that I go through pretty intense craft obsessions. Meet the latest:

First 2 sections (the 'increase rows') of Clapotis v.1 finished. I say 'v.1' because I've already ordered the yarn I want to use for my next one. The pattern is that addictive! Since I took this photo i've actually gotten to the 'dropping stitches' section, but i'll save that for another time! I was knitting it on 5mm straight needles but there were so many stitches towards the end of the increase section that i've transferred it to a pair of Addi circulars. I haven't used these before and i'm finding them a pleasure. Very light and the yarn slips easily. I'm using Noro Kureyon and it's coming up pretty well I think. I'm always impressed by how Noro comes out, the colours really are amazing.

In other news the start of Spring has been heralded in the garden by the blossoming of Freesia's (finally!) I've been waiting for these to flower for a while, but it was worth it!

And this is for Shazmina and V:

Don't Tell Meena!

Albert is the love of my life. Dont tell Princess Meena, she would be very put out if she knew. When I come home from visiting Albert (and Brown Pants :) ) Meena ignores me for at least 1/2 and hour. But I can't give him up! He is possibly the most wonderful cat I have ever met, and the only cat worth cloning!

I heart Albert! ( and Zeus and Buzz and Brown Pants!)