After meaning to for months I finally got around to menu planning for the last grocery shop. The theory behind it is that we will have two weeks of varied meals, I will know what to cook each night (but can change days if I have to) and eventually we will save money by planning. What a big fat fail it turned out to be. I forgot to buy practically everything. We were going to have spaghetti bolognese…but I forgot the pasta sauce. Nachos? Forgot the corn chips…you know, the nacho part. And the sour cream too. Sausages and mash? Forgot the sausages. Tomato and onion sausages were out then too obviously. My 14 day menu plan shriveled to less than a week worth of planned meals we actually had the stuff to make. I can only hope that my next attempt goes a bit better because I cannot tell you how stupid I felt each time I realised one more essential ingredient I forgot.

I sort of redeemed myself in my own eyes by scoring the exact bookcase I have been wanting for ages at the thrift store. Of all our bookcases (5 – big and small) none are actually for books so it will be a novelty not to have to root around in a box under the dining table for something to read. Unfortunately the bookcase took the very last useable wall space so no more purchases until we move. Settlement of Dave’s mothers house is in exactly 2 months and our 3 year anniversary is tomorrow!! Three years of Dave and the worlds neediest cats and domestic life. Who would have thought I would come to love this life I now lead so very much?

It’s just been absolutely manic here lately. I have to write 3 stories due by the end of the month (not going well so far) then the last 2 craft fairs on my list before I have a little time to relax.

I had my 2nd craft fair of the season on Thursday and although it was as unsuccessful as I expected I did at least sell a couple of things and made enough to buy Simple Sewing which has been on my list forever. We’ve been desperately poor for the last 2 months so finally having money to buy things again feels wonderful.

On Sunday we drove over the hill to the Wairarapa. I had hoped to get a lot of work done on the crochet kitchen mat in the car but Dave takes corners like a lunatic and ’slow down’ means nothing to him so I mostly stared into space and waited for my stomach to catch up with the car. It’s slowly coming along though and I love the colours. It’s also helping that it’s just rows and rows of the same stitch. Sometimes there is nothing better than 15 minutes of a mindless project while watching TV or even just a few stitches on the way from one manic project to another.

Now I have a week to write 3 3,000 stories with no inspiration, 10 days to sew as many soft toys as I can before the last two craft fairs – my beloved Craft 2.0 on Dec 3rd and a new fair for me – Knack on Dec 5th. Then I think it’s time for a week of doing very very little. If things get a little quiet around here you can find me under a pile of half finished felt toys.

Rebekah VERY generously sent me some cotton recently so I have started crocheting a bright, cheerful, ‘probably will clash horribly but what lovely colours’ stripey rug to stand on when I do the dishes in our very own house next year.

My guess is that sometime in early 2010 I will find myself in our very own house – trapped inside for a month with two cats who hate each other(and two litter trays, it makes me want to cry) and a lot of time on my hands. So in preparation I am taking this chance to arm myself with a list of projects and supplies. There will be walls to hang things on, floors to cover and vases to fill (note to self – buy vases). So I need to plan now what sort of flowers I want to grow, what sort of food to plant in our garden (our garden!!!)  and what crafts to make. If nothing else it makes me feel like things are moving forward while we sit and wait for settlement on Dave’s mothers house. Some projects, like the kitchen mat, will be ready long before we buy a house but some will be long term. This is going to be a bag and a lap blanket:

And just so there’s a chance of me actually being the user of that lap blanket (and the sofa) next winter when it is done I am going to embroider and sew 2 cat beds. My rough list of house projects to make will soon be a new page up the top of my blog and I am determined for once to stop making lists and actually make a few things. Cushions, a duvet cover, blankets, I’ll have no excuse to be bored for the next 6 months!

The winner of the giveaway is Martha, who has a beautiful blog with lots of free embroidery patterns and colouring book pages that would be just as cute embroidered. Definitely go take a peek! Martha, I will be a touch in a day or two!

Now I have 3 craft fairs in 17 days and the first of them is tomorrow night so please excuse the silence while I go panic about whether I have enough stock!

Around Wellington the sun becomes little more than a distant memory during winter and early spring. It does one thing here and it does it well: it rains. It’s just the way it is here. But come late spring just before we completely go all “The Shining“  the sun starts to peek out. If you drove an hour north it’s probably been sunburn season for a month or more but here that little bit of sun is still a novelty. As someone who suffers depression that sunshine is like a big ol’ battery charger in the sky. I can feel myself getting happier, nicer to know and more productive. Lying in the sun for even 20 minutes reading or just being alive is truly my idea of heaven. But I find it hard to cover my eyes because of my glasses. They cost a fortune for regular ones so prescription sunglasses are unlikely. Covering my eyes with my arm makes me worry that my glasses will get broken plus you have to tilt your head just so. Hardly relaxing. So I decided to whip up this eye mask.

It took less than 10 minutes to make (admittedly not my best work but they are only for lying in my yard) and even then I dawdled – the longest part was choosing a fabric. I used batting from an old Avon cushion kit I never used but you could use an old thin towel or flannelette instead. Now all I have to do is wait for the next bit of sunlight…..

Don’t get too excited, this is a second hand book. But it is beautiful. The Anchor Book of Crewelwork Embroidery Stitches. It has a bunch of stunning patterns at the back to practise your new stitches on and I can say from experience that these Anchor books are tiny but awesome. I love how little they are so you can take it to the park or the cafe or wherever you usually find yourself with time to learn. I used to get them out of the library all the time for their stitch explanations and when I saw it at the thrift store in such good condition my first thought was I bet you guys would like it. If you’d like to win it then leave me a comment telling me your favourite embroidery stitch whether it’s one you know or one you want to learn. I’ll draw a winner On Monday the 16th NZ time (next Sunday night US time).

I fell down some stairs on Sunday night (while holding the cat), I went down like a ton of bricks (lets face it, I’m no pixie) as I fell and landed on my left kneecap. Oh the pain. Agony. The really annoying thing is it only looks like a grazed knee. You look at it and think surely I must be the worlds biggest wuss. But even today, 4 days later, I knocked it at the library and nearly screamed an expletive. It feels absolutely fine to walk on but touch it and I’ll bite your hand off. I am beyond clumsy and far too embarassed to fess up to how I fell but needless to say it’s not the first or last time stairs have proved too much for me. Oh yes and the cat is fine. I did however finally start my weight loss exercise on Sunday afternoon. The spring rains seem to have finally stopped (the words Noahs Ark come to mind) so we walked around the block. Well Dave walked and I complained. But what a view from the lookout over Welllington Harbour.

The local Waldorf school is having their annual toy, food and craft fair this weekend and I have waited all year for it so hopefully I will be back in a few days with some great photos to share.

The newsreaders are currently frightening me with a countdown to Christmas and the first ads have started playing in high rotation on TV. $320+ for a tree and thats without decorations? Yeah right. Not even if I had that sort of money. Anyway here’s a freebie for anyone who has more free time to stitch than I do. I intend to ask Santa for a little more free time.

As usual click on the picture to go through to my flickr and get the big version.

I nearly squealed when I saw this bag at the thrift store today:

I’ve been eyeing up a Holly Hobbie framed wall hanging for a while at the recycling centre but they are getting too pricey and lets face it: I’m not 10 anymore. This is an awesome excuse to have a little Holly in my life though. The bag is a little dirty and the embroidery probably won’t stand up to washing so I am going to try replicate the pattern (adds it to the floor length list of things to never get around to) but will use the bag as is cos you know….it’s Holly! I had Holly Hobbie’s Book of  Time (or something) as a kid and may even still have it. Did you know they’ve made her over though? Mmmhmm destroyed her is more like it. I get SO MAD when they take my childhood memories and RUIN them for the kids of today. Seriously, leave my childhood alone and come up with a new idea you lazy jerks. Hmmppff. Here is the abomination that is the new Holly Hobbie. As the title says: Back in my day we didn’t doubt Holly Hobbie’s virginity. Enough said.

Once the bah humbugs pass I will be back next week with a embroidery book giveaway and a Christmas embroidery pattern freebie to share. Oooohh free stuff! Enjoy your weekend!

Shhhhh, it’s a secret but I had to tell you. Dave’s mothers house sold today! Now the paperwork hasn’t even been signed so this could just fall flat and I’ll have to backtrack but for tonight I am just plain ol’ happy – something I have not been for a while. Settlement is the end of January which gives Dave’s sister plenty of time to find her own house then come February we are house hunting baby! Is it possible that next year just might be a good year? I certainly live in hope!

1. Ready for the off, 2. scarves january – february 2007, 3. table, 4. tribute to Wendy, 5. DSC_9735[1], 6. Leaf Fairy Handspun Yarn in Progress, 7. rgradientballs3, 8. ‘choco rainbow’ on targhee mohair, 9. Untitled, 10. Untitled, 11. little friend 2, 12. Crop Circle Table Runner, 13. peace on earth, 14. Flock of Amigurumi Birds, 15. fairy, 16. WIP Wednesday:The Gnome & The Quest for Mosaic Moon

I’m feeling a lot better, if not yet fully well but my coordination is still a bit dodgy so pointy scissors and sharp needles are soooo not happening. I have trouble not stabbing myself at the best of times. At least my typing is much more legible and after cancelling some commitments I feel a lot lighter. Of course the world keeps turning, the power bill keeps arriving and men still need women to go around the house picking up lost socks (seriously 39 is old enough to PUT IT IN THE WASHING BASKET!!) so theres not as much rest as there should be but a good sleep in or two has done wonders.

I was going to show you my growing yarn stash since adding to that is all I have managed to do lately but ummm as you can see my yarn basket is frequently occupied. Yeah, all that wool covered by a nice thick towel makes the perfect cat bed. The number of times I have turned around to see a cat blinking up at me from the basket like butter wouldn’t melt in their mouth…they are SO lucky they are cute.