Workshopping

Yeah!!!

 The kids are being looked after by a friend as I have started an eight-week course in developing "Web-presence and Social Media for Artists and Community Groups" at the Castlemaine Continuing Education.

Feeling very inspired and focused....

And in case you were wondering, I am still knitting...and sewing. Photos following soon...

And the spring diet? Still going strong. Today we had Brown Rice porridge with blueberries..Yum

Lovely Spring Storms are crowning the day.

Tonight's dinner? Salmon Stir-fry....thanks Jamie (Ministry of Food)

Hope you had a lovely day Mardi

Alex

Why does knitting appeal?

At the moment I am never not knitting. I carry my lacy scarf in my handbag, the socks in the car and a half finished project in my knitting basket.

Many claim it is the tactile nature of knitting, the soft, comforting feeling of the yarn as it slips through their fingers only seconds before assuming its place in a neat line-up of loops on the needles. I can certainly attest to that. I often find myself squishing the knitted fabric with my hands, feeling the silky softness, admiring the deep color, or even sticking my nose in a skein of Alpaca.

And then there is the meditative quality of knitting, the repetitive motion that quickly erases the day's tension and worries. Its like a good book, a knitting project has the ability to carry me into a different world. Or if I choose so, I can ponder my thoughts in quiet. I am known to come up with great ideas while quietly knitting away.

Or how about us multi-taskers? You can watch TV while knitting, stand in the que at Medicare and knit, catching up with friends and knit...the options are endless and the hands never idle...

It is amazing to hear stories of all the different reasons people knit and the feeling it evokes?

Do you knit? How do you relax and unwind?

Today is the last day of school for my big girl. Spring Festival is on and the weather is playing along nicely.
Gazanias have started popping up all over town, a sure sign that spring is on its way, despite the still chilly temperatures and intermittent rain.

I met with my friend and a local web-designer to discuss a project that is still hush-hush. Watch this space....

Have a great day, knitting or not.

A fresh start

Is it a coincidence that it has been exactly one year since my last post? Hard to believe that so much time has passed....

In a year we had 2 overseas trips, lost 2 teeth, did a few trips to the hospital (nothing serious), made lots of decisions, a renovation/extension on the way, lots of visitors from near and far, 2 weddings and a lot of yummy family time. A lot has been sewn and knitted. And for the first time in many years, I immersed myself in an almost forgotten pastime.....reading books.

There is something incredibly nourishing about losing oneself in a story. I really enjoyed 4 months of intense reading, almost disappearing in the unfolding drama or romance. Admittedly, my obsessions are not always easy on the rest of the family, as they have to keep calling me back to reality and the issues at hand. But sometimes it is lovely to just sit and read ....

Is it time again then that I will revisit this space and explore more avenues of creative expression? I am bursting with excitement at sharing some of my craftiness with you.

I am in the midst of a knitting frenzy, absorbed in learning about different techniques, drooling over all the delicious yarn that is available and the overwhelming choice of patterns. My mind is constantly planning projects, so much that I almost don't know where to start.

Well, actually, I have made a start by going through my wool stash and knitting up things with my horded yarn. Fist on the needles was scarf with some Jo Sharp "Silk Georgette" in the colorway Quince (the color does indeed remind of the ruby of poached quinces). The pattern is a simple lace motive that I found on Purl Soho's inspiring blog  purlbee. I am nearing its completion and I am still unsure if it will be gifted or kept for myself...will see....

A less portable project is a sturdy woollen jumper for Timon with yarn from the Bendigo Woolen Mill. And finally I simply could not resist casting on for a pair of socks for Gian with dark green sock wool that I found on Etsy.

But plans are in the pipeline for some cotton tops for the girls in our family. Can't wait to cast something new on.

Outside time and those socks

Remember that lovely, sunny morning in my kitchen? The hot coffee (as opposed to lukewarm), the cat and my knitting?

Well, here they are. Totally unmatching and the color is just sooooo beautiful, I could eat them...

The wool is Kureyon Sock Yarn from Japan, ridiculosly expesive but as a treat, totally worth it. Or should I say, 'because I am worth it?' Well, G is wearing them reluctantly, but as it is getting cooler, I am sure I can persuade him to wear them. I mean, they are so cute, I could just hang them up decoratively...




I have started on T's woolen socks....I'm on a roll.

We've been given a pair of soccer shoes by a friend and Miss E turned into Maradonna for a few hours....it was hillarious, watching her recruit G, set up goal posts and kick the ball. For 2 hours.....And then we just wandered around the garden, enjoying the crips late afternoon air and climbing trees.

Good mornings

Kids have finished their breakfast. They are full of beans, eager to start the day, venture out and loose themselves in their play. I love these mornings, when we are all so in tune with eachother, happy to be together on this beautiful day. On this particular day however, it is the kids who are in sink. As soon as they finished their bowls of musli, the three of them ran off to an adventure in the sandpit, leaving me at the table with a still hot coffee....

I din't have to think twice! I got my new knitting project out and soaked in the silence and morning sun. Even Tiger felt it and jumped on my lap. I breathed in and tried to enjoy the moment....no plans for the rest of the day, chores to do and shopping lists.....just me, the wool and my hot coffee.....

Goodness!

But it was over rather too soon and these little scary faces made me wake up to reality and the rest of the day.