Spring Knitting

There was a small gap in the rain today 

so I sneaked a couple of pics of Lil Misses new cardigan

Gingham dress made by my Mum

I realised I have been so busy knitting for new babies, that she was still wearing a cardigan I knitted her last year....

 so this became my project during the school holidays.

I'm not convinced whether I like the ribbon or not, since it doesn't tie together properly and it makes it bunch up, which gives the illusion that it doesn't fit.... so I might change that? 

Maybe a button instead? What do you think?

Despite that I do love the colour and the construction was quite unique.

Knitted in a lovely Possum Merino blend from Utiku 

( The Wool Company )

Pattern - Jane by Tikki Knits

For the first time in a while I'm linking in with

Our Creative Spaces

September - October

So whats been happening here in the last month?

Busy gearing up for planting.....

Moving a huge truck load of wood shavings with the 

help of my three boys.... I knew there was a good use for having three boys

The cows are weaned, we've had a couple of new lambs been born

and we're enjoying the sunshine, spending hours outside... 

which for Lil Miss that usually includes taking all her 

clothes off when my back is turned!

Our very own Lady Godiva ")

Been viewing properties with mum.....she loves it here and is now actively looking! yay!

Also we are in the last couple of weeks before our house down Sth is handed over to it's new owners! Double Yay!

So I have been back there to box up some more stuff to squeeze into every gap we have left here.

And the boys have started a new school.... 

as the last one just wasn't working for us.  

Today was their first day and Middle B said this afternoon that he can't wait to go back tomorrow!! 

I've never heard that one before!

And then there is the endless enjoyment of those wood shavings.... it seems to be quite an attraction for all the visiting children

I guess it's like a giant sandpit? 

Just keep your eyes closed when the wind blows - ouch

Feeling refreshed!

This weekend started with Big J having one of his bad days.  

Something I've neglected to mention here before is that he has Aspergers, and the reason I have kept this quiet on the blog is that it's something we have only discussed with him recently,

 now that he is old enough to understand it.

He has learned to cope with it better as he has got older and wiser, and there are many days that you wouldn't even notice it!

But then there comes those days, or those meltdowns, when it is obvious.... especially in times of stress. 

(which there has been a lot of around here lately)

Or then there are the times when you're followed around the house with him reeling off endless facts of information, that another person couldn't possible pluck from their head..... 

These are the time's that I'm clearly reminded that this is who he is and this is what makes him unique.

And Saturday was one of those days! 3 meltdowns before 10am.

But lucky for us, when my mum came to visit, she came to our rescue.... and acting quickly she whisked away my two youngest boys to stay with her.  

Giving my eldest and I some much needed time together. 

( Recently my Mum has moved house, and for he first time in 10yrs she is only 15 mins down the road...yay! It beats 5 hours ") )

That evening, once my little girl was tucked into bed, 

we got out the paints... 

 Big J's Work in progress

we spent the night oohing and aaahing over each others creations, and I taught him some new techniques to give a try.

Art is a passion that we can share together.... 

Some of his little drawings... 

and we enjoyed our time so much that he didn't go to bed till 9.30... 

It has been several years, that I have dabbled with the paintbrush, 

and once you're in the "zone" time just flies

 my vision for our garden

On Sunday we spent the day pottering around the garden enjoying a calm and argument free day! Something that we both needed.

Then to complete the weekend, after the cows afternoon feed...

 we drove to mums to arrive to a Sunday roast.....

Ahhh! BLISS!! I tell you.

So what could have be an stressful weekend, turned into the one of the best weekends I've had in a long time.

All thanks to Mum x

Gearing up for the growing season

One of the bonuses to moving to Northland is a longer growing season

This year I am dreaming of the harvest 

Tomatoes, Capsicums, Chillies, Eggplants, Watermelons

.... and the list goes on

As you can see I have already started

I used my hot water cupboard to get them started ( covered in clingfilm),  and prepped to plant by the moon calender only to find while telling my neighbour that I got my dates wrong.... I planted on the days it said "do not sow seeds"...shame!  Luckily my mistake made little difference and my tomatoes germinated in 5 days!

Then I transferred them out into our cold frame... which is still in construction

It works a treat and is warmer than the hotwater cupboard!

Also I've been planting.....

 Camellia Hedge

And getting ready for deliveries of topsoil and wood shavings for my gardens.

So far we have done well on the budget...

 Mike has made all of our gates 

and alot of the fencing materials, the calf shed and chicken coop were made using left overs from home renovations and bits and pieces from old jobs at work..... which has been ideal, because we have had more money to spend on planting

This is where the entrance to my vege garden will be.

But you will need to use your imagination....

the two plums trees arching towards each other over a wooden gate...hedge's on either side and a path that meanders through a tiered vege patch, then the path continues past a feijoa hedge and down the hill under large trees to our pond.......

lots of work to do, but I'm sure the rewards will be worth it.

Love in every stitch

Saturday night I finished threading in the last loose ends and thought about how this could be of some comfort to its new owner.

My best friend's mother what recently diagnosed with a Grade 3  aggressive invasive cancer.... and before we knew it, she had undergoed surgery followed up by several rounds of chemo.  

Being so far away I wanted to send her something to show her that I cared and was thinking of her.

I needed something that would be useful, which is when this hat came to mind

 Thinking about her sensitive skin, I knitted this using Rowans Organic Cotton/Wool, and size large to make a loose soft hat band.  The colour is to match her amazing blue eyes.

I can honestly say, that love went into every stitch....

as it took me a lot longer than most hats would, and there were a lot of cables involved.  But the thought that receiving this may just brighten her day a wee bit, spurred me on.

Pattern: Snapdragon Tam

By: Ysolda Teague

Now that these pressies should hopefully be in the hands of their new owners I can share my creative endeavours over the past couple of months.

Introducing Mr Monster and Baby

(my imagination is seriously lacking.. help?)

Made using this pattern here, I'm hoping my nephew will enjoy them just as much as I did creating them. 

he's likely to come up with better name for them too!

Then hearing that my niece was born into a such an unusually cold summer in the uk, I knitted up a last minute woollen cardy.....

pattern here

Hopefully her mummy doesn't mind the hot pink that I chose!

And a little bit of bling.  I have an excuse as it's my first niece.

Once that was done I finally stopped procrastinating and attached the buttons on these booties and ribbons on this bonnet

And a bit more bling!

And lastly to top it off I made a poem to be sent with Dotti the mouse.... thats when I got a little carried away 

 The book was to encase the poem and insure it didn't get thrown away with the packaging... afterall I never paid much attention in English class, so writing this poem was a big deal.... 

And just incase you're wondering about the poem.....

 sorry I'm not sharing!

For some more creative spaces see here

Dare I say it!

Yesterday I felt like superwoman

After sending  the boys off to school, I started my day

I fed the calves - now 2 weeks old... 4 of them

Fed the chickens

Started lugging barrows full of stone to make 

a pathway to my front door

Midday I fed some electrolytes to one of the calves as a precautionary measure.......
using my mothers intuition.

Continued with the said 'path'... determined to get it finished.... which I did! Yay!!

It doesn't look like much.... but there is 13 metres of it.

In the end I was counting the barrel loads down 10, 9, 8 etc

Two weeks of rain and clay was my driving force.

Afterschool, my neighbour held down this calf, 

whilst I played nurse, cleaning pus and such from its ear tag

It may look cute but its been a problem from day 1.

Then the afternoon milk feed

And to top it off I tended to a sick child all day.... 

with a little help from Nick Jr! 

It doesn't sound very caring...but she was rugged up all day and slept most of it... I assure you tending to her actually was a welcomed relief to the monatonous shovelling of stone

As for today.....

I nursed my sore back and shoulders and took it easy.... 

though I did scrub the front steps and of course there are still those daily calf duties.... 3 weeks and counting!