you know that sinking feeling

you get when your computer dies?  I mean really dies, like you are told that it's gonna cost thousands to retrieve anything off the hard drive.  In other words everything is lost forever.

Do you know that tightness you get in the pit of your stomach when you realise you haven't backed up any photo's to the external hard drive for the last six or so months (because you didn't know you could set up the computer to do it for you automatically - double d'oh).

Do you know that complete and utter feeling of dispair and desperation when it dawns on you that

every. single. pattern.,

both free and bought, crochet and sewing, that you have very concienciously and systematically filed on your desktop just waiting for that day when you'll have the time to make them are

gone

gone

gone

f.o.r.e.v.e.r.

Half glass full - slate clean, start again. 

Probably never would have gotten to them anyway.............. 

Couscous Salad

About a month ago, Miss A's school had it's Sports Carnival.  I spent the day at the oval as I'd volunteered to help out for the day.  At lunch time, one of the other mum's gave me a taste of her Couscous Salad.  Yum!  I couldn't stop thinking about it, so last week I asked her for the recipe.

A couple of days later she presented my with a beautifully typed up recipe!  I made it for dinner tonight and it did not disappoint :)  Thanks Maria!

Couscous Salad

• In a glass bowl put 1 cup of couscous
• In a saucepan put 1 cup of water, pinch salt, 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder.  Bring to the boil and mix well together.
• Add to the couscous, stir well and cover the bowl with cling wrap - leave for 5 mins
• Thinly dice - spanish red onion

                            - red capsicum

                            - spring onions

                            - celery (stems and leaves (if you like))

                            - cherry tomatoes (take out the seeds)

                            - Avocado (optional)

• Finely chop - fresh coriander (optional)

                             - flat leaf parsley

• open a can of chick peas - rinse and drain well.
• Once the couscous has absorbed all the liquid use a fork to seperate the grains making the couscous fluffy.
• Add all your chopped ingredients, season to your liking with salt, olive oil, red wine vinegar and squeeze some lemon juice and mix well.

Did she really eat it for dinner? - not a chance







A day in the sun

Today Miss A's school had a Pupil Free Day, so Mr D organised the day off work and we had a family day out.

First port of call, Harry's Cafe de Wheels for lunch - a first for my girls!  Miss B l.o.v.e.d. her sausage roll.  In fact when asked at the end of the day what her very favourite part of the day was she hugged me and said, "my sausage roll".  Simple pleasures indeed!

We then drove down to Nielsen Park at Vaucluse.  What a beautiful little part of Sydney.

 

And today it was perfect. 

Sunny, warm and a weekday, so not many people around. 

Don't kids just love the most simple things.  Give them some water and some sand and you could just spend a whole day having fun.

Unfortunately we didn't have a whole day, just a couple of hours, so after an ice-cream each it was off home again.

Oh, and I found my new house!

The Gardener's Cottage at Nielsen Park. 

Even as a child I dreamed of living somewhere like this.

Picturesque isn't it?!

boy sewing................

is not something I've had much opportunity to have a go at. 

But recently a cousin of mine gave birth to a beautiful baby boy, so I jumped at the chance to make something hand made for him. 

Ive been crushing on the tie shirt tutorial posted by Emily over at Saltwater Kids ever since I first came across it so knew straight away I'd be making a tie shirt onesie for the little fella.  I decided to pair this with a matching pair of shorts. 

I used the baby bloomers pattern from the book making children's clothes by Emma Hardy.  The idea was to use the same patterned fabric for the tie and the cuffs around the bottom edge of the pants. 

As usual though I managed to stuff it up and attached the cuffs to the top edge of the pant pieces. 

As I'd lopped 2 inches off the main pants pieces I couldn't just unpick and re-sew though.  And as I have been trying to use only fabric in my stash for projects this year I had squeezed the pant pieces out of a very small piece of blue cotton I had left over from this dress so cutting the pants again wasn't an option.

 

After much cursing and chastising of oneself, I decided the contrast as a waistband was a fabulous idea and that adding a couple of matching knee pads was only fitting as the little man will surely be crawling by the time he fits into this spiffy little number!

I have to say I am very happy with the end result, and if the need to make another little boy outfit should ever arise again I will do it just the same :)

I'm also happy to say my cousin seemed genuinely delighted with this little piece of hand made and I thouroughly enjoyed an afternoon of snuggling and cuddling the latest addition of my extended family. 

pirate pondering.......

Am loving this song at the moment. 

Not only because I think it's a catchy tune with a moving sentiment, but also because it has been really challenging my 7 year olds understanding of relationships. 

Much food for thought.

coming out of hibernation

It's been a while.................. winter tends to do that to me.

 

There has been constant crafting, making, doing. 

But in the evenings, rather than sitting in my cold bedroom at the computer I have much prefered to be curled up in front of the tele with the fire on and a crochet hook in my hand.

This is my latest creation and I have to say I am much too pleased with it to keep it to myself!

I came across this great tutorial by Heidi Bears while doing a spot of blog hopping last week (yes, I've still been sneeking a little time at the computer) and just had to drop everything else and give it a go.  I decided to keep it pretty small and as I've been wanting to make a table runner for the sideboard near my front door for a while now decided this was perfect!

I had great fun making this. 

Once I'd made the first couple, I could practically do it with my eyes closed - perfect for that curled up in front of the tele senario. 

To make things even better, I followed Heidi Bears tutorial for joining as you go, and as I did so, I crocheted over the wooly ends, saving me from having to weave them in when I'd finished Woo Hoo :))))

Now I have read many times that blocking is only worthwhile if you've used natural fibres.  Well I'm here to tell you it isn't so. 

I made this using acrylic yarn and when I'd finished it was a little wonky and wavy around the edges so I decided to block it and I am very impressed with the finished results. 

I'd read somwhere awhile ago about pinning your finished item to those interlocking foam mats you can buy from just about anywhere these days. 

I had some stashed away out in the garage from when my kids where little so I gave it a go and it worked f.a.b.u.l.o.u.s.l.y. 

Now when I walk in the front door on a cold and dreary day I have a wonderful, colourful piece of handmade goodness to greet me.  I think my new table runner finishes this little entry display off very nicely.

Now let's see how long I can stretch it between posts this time.......

rrrrrrribbit?

I was going through my yarn drawer the other day, looking for a quick, easy, satisfying little project to hook up after the mammoth effort that was the Dolores, when I came across 6 balls of scrummy Moda Vera Cupcake yarn in Aqua.

 

I bought them awhile ago from the sale tub at my local Spotlight for $1 each - bargain, yay! 

I just love LOVE the colour, and the yarn (50% nylon 50% acrylic) is so soft and bungee and squishy. 

I decided this would make a perfect cowl. 

So I jumped on Ravelry and searched for free (I'm cheap like that) cowl patterns. After searching through all the patterns I decided that the Convertible Cowl was exactly what I was after.

Fast forward a couple of days and this is what I've got.

  

Juuuust not sure if I like it.........

 I was expecting/hoping for something a fair bit more snug around my neck.

 

It's designed to be worn as a hood if so desired too, which is great, I just don't know if I'd ever wear it like that though?

But I did wear it into town yesterday and it definately kept me warmer than I would've been without it!

So what do you guys think, frog it?