My Creative Space : Playing with Yarn

I've caught the crochet bug....again (I think it must be the cooler weather..maybe?)

Alannah's beanie was finished off and embellished with an over-sized velveteen bow, which she loves and proceeds to wear to school although it is still technically summer here...he he...so sweet...



Also, I'm having fun playing with a peaked cap style beanie...these two are for littlies - pink is probably up to 6 months, while the blue/latte one fits Levi who is nearly 11 months. I have every intention to add a flower or big wood button or leather star or something to each of these on the join of the peak to the body of the beanie, just to finish it off. There is a local school market that I'm participating in, in a few weeks, so I'm hoping to hook up a few of these to sell on the day. What do you think?


And lastly, just for something different, some more crochet...he he...this one is an indie slouch beanie. I have attempted this before but my hook was 2 sizes smaller than the required hook. Now I've got the right sized hook (8mm, in case you are wondering) and things already seem looser and more slouchy, and I'm in love with this colour.


After some inspiration? Head over to Kootoyoo where inspiration abounds!

A Taste of Neverland

On the weekend my sister and her hubby hosted a kids party to the theme of Peter Pan's Neverland. There were many who dressed up (adults included!), there were activities a-plenty for the kidlets and four distinct areas for play - Pixie Hollow, the Mermaid Lagoon, an Indian Teepee Village and the Jolly Rodger Pirate ship (of course :-P). It was wonderful!

A few of the mums pitched in and helped with the food, and it looked amazing, so I thought I'd share those photos first..

Ok, here we go....

Toadstool biscuits

Treasure Chest Cake

Teacup Cookies

Pirate Cupcakes

A Fresh Fruit Cake

Yummy Sandwiches tied up with string

Anchor Biscuits

There were also jelly cakes, fairy/butterfly cakes, home-made sausage rolls and blue (lagoon) jelly cups. Of course the kids all loved it!

I'm sure there will be a few photos posted over on Dan's blog soon, and I'll be back with one more post too.

xx

My Creative Space : Hooking Fun

I almost missed out this week, due to a 17 hour power failure (last week I did miss out due to our modem dying), but here I am..better late than never, right? :-P

I've just been playing with yarn this week. This is my first ever beanie, with an over-sized flower embellishment, and I've just finished another one in two-tone teal for Alannah, but hers is going to have an over-sized black velveteen bow on it.

It's fun! But I'll be back to sewing next week.

So many more Creative Spaces over here..

Not-Too-Naughty Pear & Choc Chip Muffins

These are proving a real hit with my family, and they don't have too many naughty ingredients, so are great for school snacks too.

Makes 12 Muffins

Ingredients :
240g Wholemeal Self-Raising Flour
1 tablespoon Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Vanilla Essence
1 Egg
80ml Honey
125ml Light Olive Oil
250ml Low Fat Milk
190g Diced Pear
1/2 cup Dark Chocolate Chips (can be replaced with Carob chocolate if you want to be really healthy :-P)

Method :
1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Prepare muffin tray with muffin cases.
2. Mix flour and baking powder.
3. In another bowl, whisk liquid ingredients until well combined.
4. Add flour mixture to liquid ingredients and combine.
5. Fold in pear and choc chips.
6. Spoon mixture into cases and bake for 20-30 minutes until risen and golden brown.
7. Cool before serving.


Yum!

Happy baking!

xx

P.S - Playing along with 'Sweets for Saturday' over on Lisa's blog - loads of recipes being shared on there - come check it out!

Something for Me...

Can you believe that with all the bags I've made in the past 4 months that I've not even kept one for me?!? Crazy, I know :-P

Anyhow, over the weekend, I fixed that craziness and made myself a bag.

I finally cut into my Matisse fabric stash, and followed a Simplicity pattern and...

ta da!

my new bag...


and the lining with internal zippered pocket...

So happy with it!

Have you made anything for you lately?

xx

First Day..

Jude, my little blond bear, started school yesterday. And little Miss Alannah is now in Year 2, and doesn't she look the 'old pro' at this whole school 'first day' photo thing :-P


Jude seems to be a little 'excited on the inside', if you know what I mean. He seems quite happy to go to school, but isn't bouncing off his seat like I know some preppies do. Jude is my easy going one, and he seems to just be taking it all in his stride, like he does with most things.

So with two kids at school now, and just Levi with me, you would hope that there would be more time for crafting, no?

Well, fingers crossed..he he

Oh, and I did finish Jude's library bag too...here is his robot tote...(any scrappers remember this little dude from Cosmo Cricket - it was first a scrapbooking range, now a fabric)


And thank you to all my readers (and comments) over the last few posts - very inspiring and thoughtful...and just so lovely. So thank you!

Oh, and for those who loved Lana's library bag - I can't take credit for the patchwork design - it is a piece of fabric that looks like patchwork, but isn't actually.

Back soon with a new crafty project.

xx

Messy Eater??

'Who, me? Surely not!'

I had forgotten exactly how messy little ones can be, while eating. And Levi certainly is messy!


Or maybe he is just channeling his inner Pro Hart...hmm....


Ok, maybe not :-P

Today's Creative Space..

is my first 'creative space' for 2011.
Good to be back in the blogging groove again.

This is the hooded jumper I'm knitting for Levi - this is the second half of the hood, and the last main part. I've been working on it since the end of December.

For my first project with increasing and decreasing, and also my first item of clothing that I have ever knitted, it's going quite smoothly, thanks to clear instructions and a little bit of googling :-)

Fingers crossed it fits him...


And in the spirit of all things school, I've been making library bags for the kids.

Here's Lana's...


And a pirate one for my nephew Ash..


And yes, they are different widths, but done on purpose. Ash being a preppy will be bringing home all sizes of picture books, while Lana is in Grade 2 and mainly reads novel sized books.

One more to go - for Jude - robot themed, of course :-P. And I'm just about to head off to pick up the stationary packs for the year, so my afternoon & creative space is looking to be filled with labels and contact...oh the joys..he he.

Lots more inspiration and creative fun over at Kootoyoo...why not come play along?

This Is How They Roll...

This & That

During school holidays, a lot of things have been a bit hit and miss (like blogging!) including my crafting/creating. I haven't really finished any big projects, or done a lot for Polkadot Lane but I have done a few little things - a bit of sewing, a bit of knitting, a bit of applique/embroidery and even a bit of scrapbooking...

and here's what I have finished...

a layout of Levi..

using photos by Dan


A custom order mini 'Sienna' bag with a bow feature - was requested as a 'Mummy & Daughter" set...very cute



Another custom order - this time a 'Juliet' bag in Alexander Henry's 'Willow' fabric, which is very popular and proving very tricky to find now...


And a couple of appliqued/hand-stitched bubba singlets...this one a flower and bird...


And this one a robot in a spaceship..


I do have other projects on the go, and a list so long of things I would like to make. Ooh, and exciting news for me - just last night I won a $100 gift voucher to Spotlight over on this blog - yay for guilt free craft shopping!

Be back soon..
xx