Kosciusko Cushion II

I was really happy with the way the original Kosciusko Cushion came out, and seems so were a few other people. It's really encouraging when I get positive comments, because I'm my own worst critic and see all the things wrong in what I make.

So I was wrapped when I received an order to make one. Rather than my craft costing me money, I would be able to add to the other side of the balance sheet for once! So when I was at Sewjourn  last weekend, I made sure the first thing I did was finish off the cushion. That way if I got distracted with the talking, wine, chocolate (get the idea from Lara's post), I had finished what I "had to do".

I've made a couple of changes this time. I've added cream to the colour scheme, and made the back more "earthy" rather than "leafy" (even though that's not a really word).

I'm happy with how it has come together. Just hope the new owner is!

Photo a day challenge

Life has gotten in the way of blogging in the past week, so I'm being a bit slack and combining a weeks worth of Photo A Day Challenge photos into one post.

08.05.2012 - "A smell you adore"

I've got a Gardenia growing in a pot at the front door. When it's in flower I can't go past. I have to stop.

09.05.2012 - "Something you do every day"

At this time of year, something I do every day is stop to look at the Autumn colour. I couldn't drive past the Beechworth Chinese Gardens with out stopping to take this shot.

10.05.2012 - "A favourite word"

Without any commercial intention, I love the way the word "Google" sounds.

11.05.2012 - "Kitchen"

We have been putting up with a dodgy kitchen sink that leaks for far too long now. So when a local plumbing supplier had their yearly "car park sale", I couldn't go past a $45 barging buy. Now I just need to pay for the plumber to install it!

12.05.2012 - "Something that makes you happy"

I've said before that I think being happy is not a constant state of being, but rather a series of moments in time. I had one such moment when I pulled up in Newmarket to take a phone call the other day. When I looked up, this is what I saw. Do you think the architect had a clown "issue"!

13.05.2012 - "Mum"

Two of the best Mums I know
Two of the best cooks I know
Two of the best gardeners I know
Two of the hardest workers I know
Two of the best women I know
My mum Lorraine, and my sister Karen

14.05.2012 - "Grass"

I've been fighting an ongoing war with the grass in the "lawn" in the front yard. But I think I've finally won the war. The grass is gone, and path is in place. Next job is to get in a couple of loads of garden soil to build up the beds. I've been planning this in my mind for so long now, that I can't wait to get the plants in, and the tulip bulbs chilling in the fridge crisp can finally go in.

15.05.2012 - "Love"

It is probably obvious to anyone who reads my blog that I love my garden. Part of that love is the creatures I see in the garden. This bee was making the most of the chrysanthemum and the last rays of warmth in the Bendigo Conservatory Gardens

Photo a day challenge

07.05.2012 - "Someone that inspires you"

My love of gardening comes from my mum. Despite our best efforts as children, she has inspired my sister and I to have a love of gardening now that we are adults. As kids, we had a game we would play when we were driving any were. We would keep our eyes open for any plant nursery and draw her attention to something on the opposite side of the road until we had driven past. It didn't always work, but as a board child at risk of having to look at another plant, it was worth trying.

Here she is in her own "home" nursery (she will hate these photos!). Anyone who visits and has an interest in gardening, leaves with a little potted something. I love the way when she comes to visit, that she takes the time to walk around my garden to see what is growing. It's great to have someone else enjoy my garden.

Photo a day challenge

06.05.2012 - "You"

I've a decision to make. Do I keep dying my hair or do I transition to "growing in" the grey? I do envy people with blond hair. It seems like it would be so much easier to transition.

I'm greying mainly around the hair line, and struggling with what to do. If you have jumped off the dying band waggon, how did you do it? Highlights, semi permanent that fades out, or just cold turkey?

Photo a day challenge

05.05.12 - "Birds"

Something had been worrying me. Why were my hanging baskets looking so tatty? Now I know why. Apparently the fibre makes great nesting material (although why they are building a nest in Autumn escapes me).

Photo a day challenge

04.05.2012 - "Fun"
Fun is such a subjective thing. Someones idea of fun might be running a marathon, or watching a golf game. Not my idea of fun. Spending a few precious hours out the the garden, pulling weeds, (or in the photo below self sown Queen Anne's Lace), is my idea of fun.

Photo a day challenge

03.05.2012 - "Something you wore today"

On my way through Melbourne Airport on Tuesday night I had some time to kill, so did a spot of shopping and picked up this resin bracelet. I don't normally ware bracelets. Find they bang around to much on the desk when I work, but I fell in love with this one. Perhaps I will have to save it for "good".

Dieing to try dyeing

I've been wanting to try this for a while, so when I got my hands on a skein of 100% wool that has only been scoured and spun, I thought it was perfect. Now I just need to find the right dyeing process. I've dyed fabric heaps of times, but never wool. Help! Does anyone have any dyeing tips for me?

Photo a day challenge

02.05.2012 - "Skyline"

I've been in Melbourne for work again this week, and have enjoyed this skyline view at sunset. It's such a change from what I see out my window at home, that I'm always fascinated and stop to watch the city "get ready for the night".

Photo a day challenge

01.05.2012 - "Peace"

I've decided to get my self organised and do the photo a day challenge again this month. Even though in the past I was slack in getting the daily photo posted on time, I did enjoy the way it made me look at things differentely. So I'm jumping in again.

"Peace" - the drip drip drip of the rain lulls me into a relaxed state of peace.

Catch up time

I had a fantastic weekend catching up with my old friend Kim. I don't mean she is old, but a friend that I've had a for a long time. We worked out it has been nearly 6 years since we spent face to face time together. Kim and her family live in Kalgoorlie Western Australia, and after a family holiday to Tasmania took a detour to visit friend on the East Coast.

Kim is one of those special friends that you may not spend time with often, but when you do your friendship picks up right where you left off. As a I get older I realise these types of friends are rare and need to be valued.

We spent time with her girls at the local park on Sunday, and I couldn't resist taking some photos of the Autumn colours and the girls in the park. Living in an extremely dry area of Australia where the Autumn colours are nonexistent, the trees left an impression on them.

There was a even time for a crash course in crochet for Rose. If we lived closer I  could see more lessons happening, but as a poor substitute she went home with a ball of wool and a crochet hook (and the scarf she is wearing). Keep going Rose. It will get easier.

Storage at last!

Back in Feb the Photo A Day Challenge theme was "inside your closet", and I showed you my poor excuse for a wardrobe. Well fast forward 2 months, and I couldn't contain my excitement to finally get the first of 2 new built in robes installed. What a difference having storage makes to life. After a bit of fussing about, I settled on the  elfa storage product, as it is totally configurable to our changing needs. Love it!

Photo a day challenge

19.04.2012 - "Orange"

The changing of the seasons is such a natural thing, but I still look forward to Autumn each year. The days warm enough to still wear short sleeves, and yet the nights are chilly enough to snuggle under the blankets.

The other reason I love Autumn is the amazing colour in the trees. The splashes of colour given by the deciduous trees, against the constant colour of the Australian bush, takes my breath away. Nature really is amazing. Imagine if we humans could have this yearly show of pizazz, while getting rid of the toxins in our bodies. How great would that be!

Dot's Hat

I love, love, love Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries showing on the ABC at the moment. The acting is great, but to me the real star of the show are the sets and fashion. In last weeks episode Miss Fisher's maid / assistant Dot, inspired me to come up with my own 1920's inspired hat. So armed with a ball of 12 ply from my stash (the label is long gone, so I have no idea what it is), I played around with a basic beanie shape. Then I added a 3/4 brim and rosette to give it that 1920's styling. 

My niece Lauren was helping my at the craft market on the weekend, so was roped into modelling for this shot. Assuming none of her friends would ever read my blog, she agreed. 

Booties for Mr.

What do you do when your bandaged toes are too big to fit into warm socks or you warm winter slippers? You ask me to make you something to fix the problem. So I grabbed some 12 ply yarn from my stash, and came up with these customised "booties". Now I just have to make sure he follows doctors orders and keeps of his feet for the week.