Our Crayon Roll

We could learn a lot from crayons; some are sharp, some are pretty, some are dull, while others bright, some have weird names, but they all have learned to live together in the same box. ~Robert Fulghum

...or rather...'live together in the same roll'.

I really should be doing something else, preparing for our school holidays etc. etc. but we really needed this crayon roll. Do you have the same habit as I? When I really should be doing the many things running around in my head I decide to invest my time in a new creation. I knew this would be an easy project, so much fun for my girls and also not too time consuming. I knew what to do having made One Red Robin's pencil and book holder previously, yet it was lovely to be able to view this tutorial to take some of the thinking work out of making this crayon roll.

Little Eee had lots of fun helping me sew by arranging and rearranging pins in my pincushion as well as pinning bits and pieces together for me. She also enjoyed filling the finished product after some frustration with placing crayons in the slots. I am certain that with use the fabric will soften, find its place and this task will be much easier.

Once again I used up pieces of fabric from my stash. I remember appliqueing a special cushion for a dear friend of mine which incorporated that yellow and blue check - they were certainly 'her colours.' She still displays it in her bedroom which delights me so. The adorable fabric is one which caught my eye on a sale. I loved using the Helen's Friends ribbon once again adding a touch of friendly childhood playfulness to the mushroomy forest scene.

I think I need some more crayons, this was such a quick and easy project. They'd make a lovely gift so I'll be thinking ahead for Christmas.

Snowbells on Millbrook

How can one help shivering with delight when one's hot fingers close around the stem of a live flower, cool from the shade and stiff with newborn vigor! ~Colette

After a fabulous day out and about in Hahndorf with my visiting sister and her family (oh how the girls enjoyed their cousins!), we enjoyed our drive home through the beautiful Adelaide Hills. Spring is the perfect season to enjoy the green of the paddocks and undulating hills, the flowers blossoming here and there, and extended afternoons afforded by later sunsets.

"Shall we take Millbrook Road?" asked my Generous Gentleman. "Why not?" I replied, "little Eee is sleeping and I already have some tea prepared for our arrival home." Millbrook Road is our very favourite road to drive along in the hills. We first encountered it after the rainy, flooding spring of 2005 not long after we arrived in Adelaide. We took drives to explore the beauty of the hills and allow our baby to sleep after a day at the markets.

Millbrook Road won our hearts! With creeks flowing through valleys, arum lillies growing wild in the creek beds and little flowers lining the roadside, its abundant beauty would have to turn every eye!

We ambled down the gravel road admiring as much beauty as our eyes could behold with the sun creeping lower behind the trees and hills to the west, the birds calling as they flittered and twittered through the magnificent gum trees and of course, the flowers blooming beautifully in season.

When my husband asked, "do we need any of those?" Ess and I jumped at the chance to leap from the car and fill our hands with pretty bouquets of delicate flowers which would grace our home in the days to come.

Ess and I loved picking the flowers which we have dubbed snowbells. I thought they might actually be snowdrops or snowflakes. However after doing the research I am not sure at all what they are - so if you know, please tell us.

Whatever they are named, they look beautiful in our living area, gracing the table where we share our meals and reminding us all of a beautiful day out with family and nature, joy and peace, excitement and tranquility.

Oh, I have been wanting to share with you the link for a lovely headband I've been making for my cherubs and also my sister. My darling Ess refuses to model it for me yet I have noticed she was wearing it while flower picking. She just loves the rainbow colours which enhance the predominant pink. I am crocheting a neutral one for my sister. I loved learning a new crochet stitch which I have never come across - the linked stitch. It is very easy and a nice flat finish, ideal for a headband.

Hope you enjoyed a beautiful weekend.

Projects on the go...

Can you guess what I'm making?

I have had such fun with this, honing a new skill by refining my crochet which Granny taught me as a young child. Perhaps one day I'll be courageous enough to show you the rug I worked on as a child. Now I'm exploring amigurumi...just by chance. Lots of fun!

I've used some more of my lovely hippo fabric, to make a bag for all the bits and pieces which came with my new camera.

I do have a proper sturdy lined camera bag for carrying it around in but this is something to hold the instruction manual which always gets so dog-eared and the recharger and the software and other warranty info etc. etc. I'm sure you know the drill.

Once again I thought the simple black and white design so suitable for a camera accessories bag.

The other thing on the go is a lovely little memory banner which Ess has been quite inspired to make. She is drawing from memories of her whole 5½ year life so far, such as her 2nd birthday party and cake, which is so very sweet. Can't wait to see what else she recalls.

Morning Tea Anyone? Child's Play.

It's spring fever. That is what the name of it is. And when you've got it, you want - oh, you don't quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so! ~Mark Twain

What better way to spend a beautiful springtime morning than at a pretend morning tea party with your two year old daughter in her bedroom. Who could want more than this?

The sun shines into her room so brightly each morning and I long to return there after cleaning my kitchen which is sadly situated in the centre of our home rendering me very very little light in which to prepare our meals. Oh how we wish the designers had included a sunlight. Why don't they do that with stock standard homes? We'll plan better for our own, sometime down the track.

The dolls also very much enjoyed their treats of tea and fun felt food.

They usually spend their mornings resting in their little bed. Here is Baby covered in the sweet quilt and pillow set inspired by Mel and featured in her recent magazine Australian Homesewn.

Mel also inspired me to make a little baby cot blanket with the snowballs I have recently enjoyed knitting with yet having very little idea of what to do with!! This is how I found them after entering the bedroom to photograph them. Just too sweet to rearrange. I love child's play.

Casting on and off the snowballs is quite frustrating so I incorporated some crochet. I started by crocheting a chain to knit the balls onto. It was very easy to pick up every 3rd chain of crochet to knit rather than wrestling with the snowballs while casting on. I cast off loosely after changing yarns to a bright pink cotton which I used to added a decorative edge. Here you can see a little scalloped edge (YouTube) added to the completed blanket for a little decoration in the girls favourite bright pink.

Baby has gone to sleep here without her clothing on. In other pictures you have seen the little jacket and beanie I have knitted for her. She is still awaiting some pants still sitting on my needles, yet I have become distracted by these couple of patterns.

Off for more fun childhood play! ;)

Spring brings...

warm, breezy days,

busy buzzing bees,

bright flowers of every colour dazzling our senses, inciting squeals of delight,

sniffly noses from hayfever and flus

Freesia buds

runny noses and a diminishing supply of oranges

is sadly what September has brought us this year,

along with some delicious new growth in our garden

which makes me very happy...

new leaves unfurling on my propogated begonia

such an intense pink colour, almost fuscia

fresh new growth on my precious Children's Rose

In springtime, love is carried on the breeze. Watch out for flying passion or kisses whizzing by your head. ~Emma Racine deFleur

A gift from my husband, which a few days ago, looked thus.

Are now an absolute delight to behold.

A sure sign of Spring.

While I would love to be telling you that these divine tulips were picked from my garden, alas, it is not so. They were obtained from the central markets last week. A gift! My husband knew what I needed. They have continued to delight my heart, day after day as the blossoms appeared in all their glory.

There are some blossoms however, delighting us in our own garden.

An elegant white freesia.

A delicate soft pansy.

Many, many, too many, oxalis blossoms. Beautiful, bright yellow flowers which are a common weed we call soursob.

Enjoy Spring!