30 day challenge - better late than never!

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A Piccy of me and my daughter - Very hard to find one of just me lol.
Righto 15 interesting facts about me:



1. I am a mama of 2 little dinkies.
2. I love to craft, knit, sew, spin, scrapbook - not good at anything but ya know jack of all trades, master of none.

3. My family and I live on a farm in Hawkes Bay.
4. I can't cook although I try really hard lol.
5. I love learning new things.
6. I am one of 4 children, I am the second eldest.
7. My husband and I are the exact opposite and get on so well its scary.
8. I don't know what I want to be when I grow up.
9. I have a great sense of humour.
10. I am grandmummy to 10 little piglets.  Nuggs and Pere had babies.
11. I am a bit of a craft supply hoarder, but I fully intend to change that.
12. I love shoes and handbags.
13. A great moccachino can fix anything.
14. Spring cleaning is something you do when you can no longer stand the mess.
15. For all I am, and all I receive, may I be truly thankful. :)

Challenge for the next 30 days

Well after browsing my friends blog  I came across this wee challenge over at Paws Purls.

Day 01- A recent picture of you and 15 interesting facts about yourself.
Day 02- The meaning behind your Blog name.
Day 03- A picture of you and your friends.
Day 04- A habit that you wish you didn’t have
Day 05- A picture of somewhere you’ve been to
Day 06- Favorite super hero and why
Day 07- A picture of someone/something that has the biggest impact on you
Day 08- Short term goals for this month and why.
Day 09- Something you’re proud of in the past few days
Day 10- Songs you listen to when you are Happy, Sad, Bored, Hyped, Mad
Day 11- Another picture of you and your friends
Day 12- How you found out about Blogger and why you made one
Day 13- A letter to someone who has hurt you recently
Day 14- A picture of you and your family
Day 15- Put your iPod on shuffle: First 10 songs that play
Day 16- Another picture of yourself
Day 17- Someone you would want to switch lives with for one day and why
Day 18- Plans/dreams/goals you have
Day 19- Nicknames you have; why do you have them
Day 20- Someone you see yourself marrying/being with in the future
Day 21- A picture of something that makes you happy
Day 22- What makes you different from everyone else
Day 23- Something you crave for a lot
Day 24- A letter to your parents
Day 25- What I would find in your bag
Day 26- What you think about your friends
Day 27- Why are you doing this 30 day challenge
Day 28- A picture of you last year and now, how have you changed since then?
Day 29- In this past month, what have you learned
Day 30- Your favorite song.

Now will be back soon.  Have to go hang out washing and then time to play yippeeeee

Everything has gone south!

So here I sit in all my evening glory, jammies with thick woolen socks, pink dressing gown, hair looking like i got an electric shock, perched at the laptop with the fire roaring in the background.  Ah yes thats why hubby married me I'm sure!  To come inside after a hard days work and be greeted by this vision of beauty LOL.  I am a little down in the dumps this evening, mainly brought on by the fact that I have gone down a bra size.  Whilst I am ecstatic at losing weight, I seem to have lost it from the most important bits that fill majority of my tops.  THis was highlighted in a recent trip to town to purchase some new scaffholding required to 'lift' those that needed lifting.  The pure indecency of trying on bra after bra after bra was not for the faint hearted!  Determined as hell I pursued my quest to find that one item that would make me feel 'perky' once again.  I then had a brilliant idea that I should try a push up bra - the inventors of these are such LIARS! Yes they pushed up but then they looked all saggy and old womanly - not the look I was going for to wow the hubby.  So one foot in front of the other I slowly trudged out the door and along with my 'goods' dragging on the floor sweeping the path before them was my lips.

A bit of R n R

well I have neglected the blog for a wee while so I guess its time for a quick update.  Life is a roller coaster at the moment with more downs than ups.  The kids are at a new school and totally loving it.  I have kinda lost my crafting groove and am hoping to find it shortly.  Anywhoo here are a few pics of the family out at the duck pond. I wonder what else is in store this week.  Best be going to look for patterns to knit up this pure wool I think! ciao

busy, busy, busy......

Well with everything going on I have not had much time to myself lately.  But I have been abusy little bee knitting a hotshot vest from my friend Julia.  I am really rapt with the result and so is the wee man of mine.
I am also finally getting around to knitting a clapotis from yarn my friend Manda sent me last year so I had better get off here and knit some more.

been a while....

Have been really busy at work doing stuff, but I entered into a swap and received some lovely yarny goodness from cas.  I just adore the bag and am itching to give it a go.  I went away and had a cool crafty weekend with friends and came away with a skirt pattern and some lovely swap things.  here is a few piccies of what I received.  Isn't it just gorgeous?  And everybody knows that green is my favourite colour!  I have joined the local cook island group in support of my wee cousin and as part of what we are making next I am having to chose two colours to make a Tivaevae which is very exciting at the moment the colours I am playing with are purple and green. :)

Whoopsies, kinda haven't been around to post lately, can rack that up due to having to work for my money and not much play time for me.  was browsing through some of the photos when the kidlets were little and just had to share this one, it is in my faves as I love the elephant in the background.  Am currently at home as the little miss has both asthma and bronchitis so dh and I are playing shift work in order to both still get our jobs done, as we really need the money at the moment.  He does morning and I do afternoon, that way I still get paid for a whole day, how sad is that lol.

I also discovered this in the folder as well a very gorgeous 2 year old son, running the 1500m at the school athletics. Aaah nothing like a trip down memory lane.  Will update the craft section once I can locate the camera cord!  I have been hard out spinning trying to get enough wool spun so that I can knit the husband a homespun jersey or maybe knit me one, haven't quite figured who will benefit from my spinning as yet.  I am not progressing much on my secret project, just not had enough time of late.  I was supposed to go to Taumarunui for an opening, but decided to give that a miss due to the wee one being unwell, then I am supposed to go to Gisborne for a principals meeting on Thursday but I am actually feeling really tired and I just want to stay put!  Might just have to pull the pin on everything and just stay home, hibernate and craft me thinks.  Anyway off to locate that camera cord.

Yehaaaaaaaa!

we have just had the most amazing weekend.  We decided on Thursday night that we were going to go and see  husband's grandmother.  So on Friday we toddled down to Wanganui and stayed the night at nans.  Next morning we did the round with the cousins and then back home to get ready for stock cars YEAH BABY!!!!!!!!!!  Low and behold Nan decided that she was going to come too!  At 80 years old LOL.  So husband, I the kidlets and Nan went to the speedway to watch the NZ champs.  OMG it had been far too long for this petrol head and I had a ball!  Better still the car I was following won and on his victory lap after some very loud encouragement from husband and I pulled some wicked doughnuts right in front of us.  Pure music to my ears !!!!!!!!!!!

 

  

will update later on the next part of the weekend LOL, best go put the wee ones to bed.

2 more sleeps

Until I have to go back to work, boohoo!  Mind you it has been a topsey turvey start to the new year.  I think that I may have to learn to do one project at a time, but alas I am a typical gemini and tend to get bored with just the one project so like to jump between quite a few things all the time.  At the moment I have the pliers out to make another set of stitch markers.  I have begun hand  carding my raw fleece in the lounge and have my knitting sitting on the couch LOL.  Husband is trying to sing along with the computer, he is loading his MP3 a very PAINFUL process in this house, this means that we are subjected to his lyrics to the songs and him singing louder than the stereo whilst managing to not even acknowledge that the others in the family are trying to watch telly.  I can. not. wait. until he gets all his playlists done, I have heard songs I am sure weren't even thought of when I was a baby haha.  OMG we have now progressed from singing to whistling - save me please!  Anyway, I think me and my laptop will just go to the other end of the house and watch telly, thank god for the 2nd tv that came free when we upgraded our last tv.

and I am very pleased to add my finally finished Ishbel!  I hope my Ma likes it!

things I would like to achieve by the end of 2010.

Finally the sun has come out to play, yippee!  so I thought I would start my list of things I would like to get done by the end of this year. So starting with a random list that I can come and add to:

1. learn how to quilt.
2. make a quilt
3. spin a raw fleece
4. knit spun raw fleece into jersey.
5. make taaniko purse
6. make 3 pairs of Taaniko earrings
7. make a fabric bead necklace
8. make fingerless gloves for mama
9. make 2 more pinwheel totes
10. make a junior pinwheel tote for my princess
11. sew an outfit from scratch for the wee princess.
12. knit an ishbel and finish it
13. knit myself something
    
14. knit a dishcloth every 3 months for sanity hehe
15. do the ironing once a week for a month no stops lol
16. learn how to make Rewana bread
17. make a paraoa takakau
18. make a paraoa parai
19. visit my mama more
    
20. visit nan J once every 6 months.
21. attend knitting night when it starts up.
22. have no washing come saturday mornings.
23. 
    

Finally finished!

My pin wheel tote that I had purchased the fabric for before christmas and it has been waiting for me to get the confidence to sew.  After cooking grandma a roast and playing meals on wheels till 10.30ish last night, I made it home and decided to do a clean so I could spend the day playing.  I managed to finally put away the last of the things from the camping trip and also get everything all in order so I could have a sleep in and spend the day crafting.  The sleepin didn't happen due to the kids texting at 6.44am this morning - I am very glad they are alright, but I had to crawl back into bed because the brain was shitty from not enough sleep lol.  Woke up and thought today is the day baby! so here it is!

 

I am very proud of my bag even though I discovered that the stitching didn't measure up to the 1/4 inch it was supposed to LOL.

today is the day....

That I sort my S%$# out and get myself out of the negative hole I have dug myself into the last week.  Things aren't going so well in the working life and quite frankly, it has consumed my childfree week worrying about what is going on.  I have a great husband who has lent his ear all week and been very supportive, but I am now realising that with my negative thinking and worry I am going to the pack!  So I guess it is a good time to reflect....  An opportunity to embrace what the future brings and learn to grow within myself.

On another note I have increased my craft  supplies to add the above which contain

Some fleeces straight out of the shearing shed for spinning this is sheeps wool

A half a fage of Alpaca

The beginning of a new project - secret squirrel

OOh my mad mango wool arrived in the mail today yipee.  I really didn't like the colour of the ishbel I was knitting so decided to rip it back into another project when I see the right one.  In the meantime I am going to cast on another in mad yummy mango.

I must admit, there is nothing like having your husband home for the day to get you away from the computer doing stuff trying to show that I do not sit on the computer all day.   I am such a liar LOL.  I Managed to break the starter motor on the car yesterday which has cemented the no money to buy hand carders revelation whilst in town picking up a few things yesterday - I am kinda annoyed at that, but it is in fact the car that helps pay the bills, not my evergrowing list of craft things - bugger!  one day.......

I was very impressed with the husbands garden so thought I would share a piccy of a 1/4 of it.  Now my Dh is a dedicated man and dug this garden all by hand, and I mean by hand, up at 5 in the morning and finished in time for lunch.  Some call that dedication, another word springs to my mind.

And  with that piccy I had better go and check the roast in the oven and make sure that I have actually turned it on as per specific instructions  LMAO

time to myself

well the kids have gone off for a week on holiday and husband and I are left childless and twiddling our thumbs lol.  We have a marvelous time camping, although I must admit the munchkins were not as enthusiastic as mum and dad were to spend a week without power.  The buggy and sons 4 wheeler proved most useful as it sure beat walking for miles when we need something from back at camp.

We are back home now, back to reality much to the childrens delight.  I am going to write up a list of unfinished projects to get finished before they return home from their holiday.  I am going to finish with a quote taken from my friend Kirstin - Do not fear the decision - let it empower you - something I  am going to keep repeating in my current job and state of mind LOL.

hi ho, hi ho, its off camping we go

With a buggy full of stuff and totally off the cuff, hi ho, hi ho, hi hoooooooooooo!  Well it is January the 6th and after a wee dissapointment for the munchkins and a much looked forward to holiday falling through, mummy and daddy decided to pack up the house and take them for a comping experience a la off the cuff style.  This afternoon we went into town and daddy signed up for a fishing competition taking place on saturday, we then went to the warehouse and purchased 2 bins and a few little extras like bins and buckets, fishing thingamajiggies, a beach umbrella and a torch and back home again to pack.  The munchkins are very excited and to be honest I am too.  I plan on taking a few knitting projects and my taaniko to start my bag whilst the kids are playing in the sand.  Although we have a cooking thingee daddy decided to pack the barbeque, and since he is the one doing all the cooking, who was I to complain......  So after writing 4 lists, yes sad I know, but I am now a list gal thanks to a certain friend of mine winkwink.  I *think* I have everything.  There is no power or cell coverage there so it will be a real holiday and I am so looking forward to it, no phone, no TV and OMG no internet shock horror.  (at this point everyone will realise my addiction lol)  so here is the buggy ready to go:

 I am just about to go and print copies of my patterns and get my crafting supplies together, Oh shivers we don't have a table, Meh I'll just throw the kids little table on, thank goodness I can shrink down to size and sit at it without looking like a giant ;0).  Okey dokey, I am off to double check the freezer list and then write up my craft list and toddle off to bed.  Daddy is getting his final fill of command and conquer before we leave, who would have thought $19.95 would provide so much bonding time for the wee man and his daddy, it is truly hilarious listening to them debating over who has the most money and who is going to blow up whose army - ya know boys stuff haha.  Oh dear, just uploaded the photos and a certain wee madam has been on the camera again after being told very explicitly she is not to touch the camera, I shall have to talk to her about this one!  Oh dear, this is what a 4 year old gets up to when mummy is knitting lace - something which requires complete concentration...........
Poor Barbie has had a colour put through her hair....

Next a close up of Madam and her darling pig.....

and ArGHHHHHHHH that is my flinkin cushion off my lounge suite!  Thank you lord for the ability to not lose my patience and SCREAM! I am going to go now, I need a glass of wine..........grrrrr

Oh my lord......

Beginning this post today, we have the muddy monster!  TK asked if she could have a swim in the bin, so we happily agreed as it was extremely hot that day.  Never in my wildest imagination did I consider this was going to happen............

 

I seem to think the little one has been spending too much time bonding with Mr Oinks Houpapa!

Well today is a glorious day here on the farm, the sun is shining, last time I saw the pig, he as wallowing in the little mud pool I made for him.   Yes i am a good mummy today lol.  I managed to finish my first knitting project for 2010 which was a simple dishcloth but alas a finished project no less. tadaa

I double stranded it and made the easiest dishcloth ever.  I have a lot little things I would like to do today, like make a long list of things that I want to achieve in 2010.  I have joined a group on ravelry called 10 things in 2010 which should prove a nice wee challenge for me.   Am pondering sending the husband off for a hunt for a few days to try out his Poem (yes I have yet to share that one!)  I have heard that venison sausages are nice, I have yet to confirm this one, as the last venison I tasted was yuck!  I was snapping away this morning at the Princess painting and had to laugh at the concentration on the face

happy new year

Heading into 2010, I was scrapbooking into midnight with my cup of coffee, sad I know lol. Dh was very happy and chatty, read as drunk hehe and missed new year by about a day. I was not a very happy camper yesterday as the pig was inside 3 times yesterday and I threatened it with grevious bodily harm after finding it had found its way into my bedroom. At least when I refer to the pig in the bedroom I am in fact not lying! It is ver windy here today and I am suffering from too much craftiness and the motivation has left the building, however I have managed to transform 2 cushions from the above post to the one on the right now.

Still have 3 more to go, but I am too lazy and uninspired to do the rest, will have to save them for another day. I am hoping to do a list of projects to do this year and somehow get some motivation, but that seems a long time coming. I am off now to check out my friends Jo, Hannah and Kelly's blogs to see if they have done any more creating. They are a source of inspiraton these ladies and I do enjoy the craftiness.

Christmas in photo style