Bargain buys

So living in the western suburbs has SOME advantages- and I'll show you a few I nabbed yesterday and today!

As the Little Miss was at her uncle and aunty's on the weekend, I had a lazy day yesterday, until I had to drop a DVD back, and decided that deserved a trip to Spotlight. Lookee lookee what I found- 50's prints for $8 a metre, and some vintage shroom fat quarters!

I bought this chenille on sale on EBay, this store is having a huge sale. This will do nicely for Little Miss's bunny quilt. If you've ever wondered what the fuss was about with chenille, here's your chance to find some cheap!

Forges of Footscray is closing down! Haby items are so cheap, and a good brand, I went for essentials as well- thermals and underwear! There are a few days left, everything really cheap.

A trip to Kmart in Footscray was next, to find bathers- ugh, why does she always need a new pair in winter! Impossible to find- but we found these blue ballet flats for $1 a pair! And the other 2 were $10 a pair each. Bugger the bathers. It's all about me!

Aww, had to throw this one in, a curl that won't be straightened. All youse* blessed with curls will go 'huh?', but I adore them- won't be long before she is straightening them out...hang on, that's how she was returned to me last night form the rello's, with straightened hair, so we have a stray one!

PS * 'Youse' is a deliberate typo, I don't normally talk like that ;)

Finally a post

Have been a bit blah this week, so haven't really had the energy to blog. The SAD has hit early (I've never been officially diagnosed,but I'm sure I've got it!) and just getting to work and back has taken up my time! But I managed to get out Thursday night, to NCB, and had a blast, such good medicine! I keep trying to take heaps of pics when I'm there, but I'm too busy- eating Chair 14's yummy food (roast pork- yum!)

and doing my 'slow craft'- 4ply wool and tiny needles makes this a bit slow!

But it's coming along.

This week we had Perle 8's join us, there was half a room full and LOTS of talking.

I also went to the movies- I saw SATC2, which is so funny- don't go for complicated plot lines, or wanting to come out and dissect it- go for fun And laughs and fashion and all the other good reasons you go to the flicks.

The cinema I go to also has a bookshop next door, open late, bad for book addicts, but good when I came home with this- a bit of work on my plain white cardi today, I think!

Hope everyone else is managing the cold snap ok!

A more serious one

Ok, a 'non'staged' one this time. Glad I made you laugh, though! And Murray wolfed it down, parsley and all! He's the well-behaved child teehee

I got the best pressie yesterday when I got home, my apron from the Great Apron Swap! Michelle made me this amazing apron, it's more like an outfit, and so much hand sewing, it's amazing! The packaging was equally gorgeous, but I forgot to take a pic in my excitement, so have a look here.

Fully lined!

beautiful base fabric

and layers of ruffles, sweet!

Michelle's brief was NOT pink, I find it funny she made this so pink! But I love it, having a bit of a tomboy child, who's favourite colour is blue means I don't see a lot of it.

Had a break from the last of the pencil rolls last night and made these little purses, I followed this tute to do the covered zip ends. It makes them look a bit less messy than my usual purses. I also used some interfacing on both the outer and lining fabric, so they are pretty sturdy.

The piggy/shroom one if for work- as I am change bags a bit, I wanted something I could put all my work stuff in (id lanyard, Paw Paw cream, stamp for good kids etc) that was easy to move bags but not let me forget anything! And of course the top one has my business cards!

I'm having a procrastinating/lazy Wednesday, how about you?

Oh, my

Masterchef has gotten the better of me

(and he ate the parsely, too!)

A productive day

OK, it's been a busy one, I didn't even notice I didn't get a nap in!

First up is my last project of the day (I still have night time to come heehee). It's the Catch Kidston bag that comes with the MAKE book. It was sitting on my shelf staring at me, and I needed a bag to carry my knitting in....

Perfect, don't you think? I added a magnetic snap, too hard to turn the tube to make a button loop!

I have a heap of finished pencil rolls, had to wash a few, they are looking lovely hanging up to dry. I had a little dilemma- it seems Smiggle have stopped making the barrel pencil sharpeners I attached to my last lot! SO if you have one of these, they were limited edition. I have a new way to attach wooden ones, but they may be limited edition too, apparently Smiggle like to 'keep things fresh' :P

Savers had a 50% off EVERYTHING sale today (as opposed to the 50% of some items, and you end up spending more on full priced items on a sale day!). I grabbed 2 pairs of winter jammies for the child- size 10 and 12, but easily run in to fit her this winter. $2.50 a pair. Bugs Bunny ones are a hit!

I also snatched this one up ($2.50) I don't mean that to sound violent, but has anyone been to Savers at 9am on a sale day? Madness. I have 2 thicker ones in this colour, same style, I am really attracted to them, don't know why. Thought this will be goof when you are in heating, not too bulky.

And I found this little number for Little Miss ($3). Actually it was for shrinking, its acrylic/nylon/angora, so soft, but non-shrinkable! And Little Miss decided she liked it, if I dyed it another colour. Any tips??

I also managed to get to the Post Office, which is a rarity nowadays, so if you are expecting something from me, expect it soon!

Catching the knitting bug

Here is the finished cowl- I'm pretty happy, because I shirked a pattern (couldn't find one basic enough!) and knitted a tube of plain knitting. Sure, it messes the hair up when I put it on and off, but my neck will be super toasty. And I'm sure it will stretch.

I used Zara Plus. And got it at the shop in the link.

bn(but i'm sure she told me it was 10ply, hmm)

So this is my next project- the beanie on the left, of course.

And there'll be a beret too- knitted flat and sewn up, just like i like it!

Oh, I've ditched the footy beanie, that'll be bought, boring!

Always take your knitting....

You have to read all the way through to get the title of this post, but it should be worth it!

So I got up on the wrong side of the bed today. Maybe bringing Little Miss into bed at midnight to sleep with me for cuddles was a wrong idea, I don't know, but I haven't been able to shake the bad mood and headache. So I wrote this post in my head in the few snippets of light in the day, and here it is!

I realised I had forgotten to show the goodies I got at the MMQG day last Saturday. We all got a prize from a fabulous sponsor, mine was Moda fabric from PK fabrics, that will get added to the stash! And I was sitting next to a REAL quilter, one who has her own long arm machine- just for fun! And only uses 100% cotton thread, so I came home with her prize, thanks Clair!

This was from S.I.T, but when I opened it today, I thought "coat hanger cover? My arse!" What a gorgeous piece of fabric, from Thea and Sami. I'll keep that in the stash to use for good (and make some coat hanger covers from sheets heehee)

The pencil rolls are coming along, they were nearly done when I noticed a couple that I'll class as 'seconds', so had to make a few more. The colours cheer me up, and it's my own pattern this time, so pretty chuffed! I'm also finishing an apron for a swap this weekend, so having a bad day has left me a bit behind, but I'll make it- just!

Little Miss has kept herself busy, with he new book ($2 from Savers, $28 at Angus and Robertson!!). She decided she had to draw him...er, Mum, will you draw him? I free-drew the face, then taught her to trace with greaseproof paper- pretty good result, I think! She did the tree herself (in case anyone thought I did it!)

And, for the title of the post- here is my finished cowl. Not sewn up yet, there's only so much you can do STUCK IN YOUR DARK CAR when it RUNS OUT OF PETROL! It then decided to have a flat battery- and the trip home was all about the kindness of the RACV man (and me explaining how I paid him in advance to help me) and the man who helped push me off the side of the road. The child wanted to get out of the car, but I don't think we needed anyone to recognise us....

Not only is the moral of the story 'take your knitting', but make sure you are able to be pushed under a street light, so when the battery dies you don't turn on your car-mate with the knitting needles...