Pink, More Pink and An Ordinary Start to the Week

It was a fabulous weekend of bloggy meet ups and kid soccer and dinner with friends involving a memorable slice of lemon meringue pie baked by the Mr, while wearing his heavy duty, seriously-working-now overalls (affectionately known around here as his tutu). I have since read the recipe and understand why one pie slice was enough. There is a limit to ‘delectable’ when you’re eating FOURTEEN eggs and SIX HUNDRED AND TWENTY GRAMS of butter. Apologies to the arteries of our friends who scored the leftovers.

In between all that business, there was the completion of an In Threes pink baby cardi for this sweet kiddo.



I scored a gorgeously long cuddle yesterday but it took three seconds to remember that weird rocking from side-to-side thing that you do, when standing holding a wee one and seven minutes to recall that hot water bottle effect of a small babe and twenty eight minutes to recollect that dull ache in the arm/back/neck. Waaaay out of training, I am.



I searched high and low – like, even beyond the button jar – for the perfect buttony accessories and it was all a case of ‘meh’. But there’s never anything ‘meh’ about Liberty fabric, so I set about making my own.



At one point the Mr spotted me making all fairy-like with stitchery and bits of wadding and fabric scraplets and pondered aloud whether there could be an easier way?



Of course there’s a million, but I used what I had to hand and I am entirely confident that these buttons will not come adrift, partly because they have been attached to the cardi with three hundred and sixty-seven stitches. Besides, I am more than happy to fairy-stitch Liberty fabric to the moon and back, for anyone who I think will appreciate it.



Speaking of appreciation, I cobbled together another pink thing this weekend. I’m confidently (sort of, with fingers crossed) declaring a mini-win. This is because the child is not slightly blue around the edges from cold. That scraplet of a scarf thing was worn almost all of Sunday and when it was taken off and then misplaced the kid actually came looking for it. Knock me over with a feather. Just goes to show what own-wool-choosing and button selecting and frilly bits do for kid co-operation and nearly-there seasonal dressing (one battle at a time, let’s overlook the t-shirt for now).



This morning, before kinder, the kid thanked me for the ‘hearty kiss’ (stitches attaching the button)...



...and then without pause wanted to know whether ‘sexing’ really was when a man lay under the bed and a lady lay on top?

Let the week begin.

.........................

PS. In Threes Baby Cardi ravelled here.

PPS. Pink Scraplet Thing = DK weight yarn, 26 stitch cast on, two stitch rib, (ss, yo, k) buttonhole and a crocheted picot edge thing. Clear as mud?

PPPS. The covered button tute I used has gone AWOL. It is a cyber mystery. This one is a little like it (although I think you get a cleaner finish with a lighter weight fabric and I also added a fabric backing). And if you’re after a speedier button covering method there are always those little addictive gizmos used to make these...

Stuff and Miscellania

Stuff and Miscellania #1
In top-of-the-list, air-punchingly exciting news, the Middle burst in from the back garden to declare he had spotted a GREEN BIT ON THE DINOSAUR EGG. Goodness knows if this is caused by anything distantly related to moss, but here is the photographic evidence (you might have to squint). I think this is a win!?



Apologies to new readers. Here is the back story should you think I am (more of) a weirdo (than I deserve).

Stuff and Miscellania #2
Now both of my girls are wandering about in high end, cutting edge blanket fashion.



Stuff and Miscellania #3
Lately, all the incidental, everyday joy-stuff, seems to be about textures.



And leaf prints on pavements.



And crisp, sunny autumnal days.



(pay no attention to that summer dress. This kid’s thermostat is also entirely out of whack).

Stuff and Miscellania #4
I am crocheting through an extensive stash of yarny leftovers. I am not listening to any of my own advice. I am leaving the weaving-in business ’til the bitter end, when I shall whine and rant and the Universe shall have a God-given right to 360 degree eye-rolling.



Stuff and Miscellania #5
Wonderfullest, birthday-themed surprises in the post!

Spidery Malabrigo, shouting out to become a Citron from this Lady of Witty Commentary.



Kokeshi fabulousness from this true Earth Mother.



And Doug the Chook from a cheeky Guess Who?



Stuff and Miscellania #6
This crafting of anything and everything disorder-thing I have happening, is extending ever-wider, with the accumulation of three, roadside find, Hint of Potential chairs. The Mr is dubious of the oddness in number. Naturally, this is the bit that appeals most.



Stuff and Miscellania #7
Finally, here is the Small with her souvenir gift from a holidaying Grandma and Grandad.



Meet Sweat, the Turtle. Much loved, much coo-ed at, much fed and much disturbed: Sweat! Darling Sweaty turrrrrrtle, it’s time to wake uuuuuuuup!

??

Every (Single) Day Cowl

This is me, trying not to let on to the contortionist photography that is hand-held self-portraiture and entirely comprehending how much of a dork our onlooking dog thinks I am.



This is me, not letting on to contortionist photography and hiding behind the hair frizz, because, frankly, I always feel entirely dork-ish on this, the wrong end of a camera lens.



This is the finished Honey Cowl I was trying to contortionist model.



It’s everything I knew it would be. Squidgy and neck-warming and go-with-anything and without the pesky scarf ends flapping about. I plan to wear it the rest of autumn and the whole of winter (apologies to those who see me daily).



All the nitpicking knitty details are right here.

The Fortnight of ‘Not Quite’

It’s been a doozy of a couple of weeks. Not long after I’d cleaned away the last vomity carrot chunk (sorry) and we were all looking on the mend (but not quite), a temperature soared and then it was all about the ‘other end’ (sorry again). It’s all a bit of a blur and now I am left with pondering which of the emails I did actually respond to and which of the emails I telepathically responded to and which of the recipients of the latter are likely to have the foggiest. There have been cancellations and not quite getting around to the rescheduling, shopping for essentials and not quite remembering the loo paper (cripes) and a bazillion wheat bags that never quite made it to the School Fair...



I tell you, we’re looking top-to-toe toasty this winter.



Although apparently it’s tricky to tackle a nose itch,



when you’re arms are weighed down by kilos of wheat.



There has been a sad lacking in on-the-ball parenting and the igloo building (from sugar cubes) homework is still not quite half way.



And while a few weeks ago there was the uber efficient crafting of pink, pink, pink (sorry Gina), for the sweetest bundle, there were not ‘just the right’ buttons in the button stash. It’ll be ‘just the wrong’ size if I don’t hurry and haul my act together.



And because there were Two Whole Weeks without anything on the sticks and then there was a realisation of great clanging clarity that knitting is the thing that keeps me semi-sane, I finally cast on that cowl I’ve had bookmarked for eons...



and while it isn’t quite finished and I’m still not quite back to my old self, things, thank goodliness, are looking distinctly up.

Now HOW ON EARTH are you lovely lot?

TELEGRAM! #4

Meet Gary. My Tattooist.

Today I walked into a tattoo parlour, looking like any other just-turned forty year old woman, in the midst of a mid-life crisis. I took my tattoo design with me...



Gary was very kind. He put me at my ease, pointing out that Chapel Tattoo is Health Department approved...



and that all tattoos are Done With Electricity...



(which I presume is a good thing).

Gary assured me that the whole procedure wouldn’t hurt much – at least not as much as a drug-free labour and birth, although bottom tattoos tend to be a bit ‘bitey’.

Then Gary batted not one eye at my bizarre request and prepared to draw the Great Mid-Life Crisis Giveaway winner...

(the entries):



And voilà!



(Here’s a closer look):



Congratulatories to TAS!

Please email me your details (including book choice) and I’ll ensure everything is quick-sticks headed in your direction.

Thank you to everybody who entered (and provided much-needed, aged therapy). Thank you to Gary for your good sportedness. When I’m eighty and have summoned up the tattoo-ed nerve, I’ll be back.