Lillabilly

My first project since forever is up and running. I am making a blanket from a lovely variegated acrylic yarn that I spotted in Lincraft a little while ago. It's beautifully soft. and the colours! It's a lovely mix of fluorescent rainbow and grey storm clouds, I think. Like someone took the sky after the rain and threw it in a blender.

See? Rainbows and storm clouds

I have not ever used variegated yarn before and there was nothing in the same weight to mix it with so I am going for a plainly stitched blanket and letting the lovely colours do all the talking as they mottle and pool. It should be about single bed size when I'm finished - I have chained 120 and I'm just using triple crochet stitch, for those who want to get technical.

Only scarf size so far!

If it doesn't end up on our lounge come next winter, I'm thinking it would work for my youngest who just might be in a big bed by that time. She seems to attract bright colours just like these. Of course, this has resulted in cries of "I need a blanket too!" From my eldest. Her granny square throw which I made a number of years back, is suddenly a bit too small for someone who seems to be growing taller by the day. I think she might have lined me up for my next project already!

Well, HELLO!

Long time no see, right?

I have been super busy raising some small children, who, funnily enough, are not particularly interested in raising themselves and hence, have not left me much time for blogging, or crafting or anything else in the spare-time-department, really.

BUT.

I think I am finally on the other side of those intense first years and it's time to start doing a little blogging and crafting again! Hooray!

I am starting slowly with a post in tribute to one of my favorite bloggers, Pip Lincolne of Meet Me At Mikes. Pip regularly does a post called "Taking Stock" and invites others to do the same. The idea is to copy and paste her list of words and fill in the blanks, relevant to what is going on in your life right now. Lots of people do it! It's the perfect post, I think, to launch myself back into blogging again.

So, here it is!

Making : A new window-box full of succulents to hang on my kids cubbyhouse. We've grown lots of marigolds in it already and the kids have loved them, but they always end up looking like they belong outside the Addams Family house - i.e. very dead! The amount of time the kids remember to water them would probably suit succulents much better and I'll feel much nicer when I spy them across the yard from my kitchen window. Dead flowers don't give quite that same feeling, I don't think.

Cooking : This yummy, summery Hawaiian pasta salad. My eldest has loved taking it to school for lunch. She is not too keen on salads smothered in mayonnaise, but she loves this one, as I adjust the dressing to taste more of sour cream so it has a much lighter flavour instead of being mayonaisse-y. I love the tangy pineapple pieces and the fact that my eldest is eating capsicum without really noticing! I also get to use my home-grown shallots. It's a big win all round.

Drinking : Loads and loads of water cause the weather is warming up!

Reading: Next year's school book lists, uniform lists, stationery lists and school handbooks. Soon to have two at school! High school AND primary school ...PHEW!

Trawling: Instagram, which I have recently joined. Why did I not do this earlier? Possibly no time for anything except kids and because I KNEW I would get sucked into the vortex. I am a very visual person and oh my goodness, the beautiful arty, crafty, flowery images just don't stop. If you'd like to follow me, I am here.

Wanting: To be organised for Christmas already. There is so much to do between all the birthdays we have coming up, Christmas and being prepared for school next year that I just want at least part of it done so I can enjoy the school holidays when they hit! We usually have the big family celebration at our place so it definitely requires a bit of preparation, but the actual day is so fun that I really don't mind.

Looking: At all the lovely Christmas editions of the home-decor magazines.Those glossy covers lined up on the supermarket shelves, just waiting for me to choose. I do my best to resist them throughout the year and get my home decor fix from Pinterest instead. But beach visits during the summer holidays require casual reading material and I love the Christmas inspiration those mags bring me!

Deciding: What to put on the menu for Christmas Day. Must be something that's easy to prepare in advance, feeds a crowd and is a bit festive! Maybe I should be trawling the recipe sites instead of Insta?

Wishing: There were more hours in the day!

Enjoying: The cooler hours in the evening after the hot sun has sunk down. Perfect for sitting on our deck and enjoying an icy drink while the kids jump on the trampoline and squeal at each other.

Waiting: For the weekend so I can go to the lovely fruit and veg markets nearby.

Liking: The apple stall there. So many different apples! Pie anyone?

Wondering: When our first beach visit will be. I love the beach! Not swimming though, just the beach. Does that even make sense?!

Loving: Our air-con! It's hot outside. I don't think I need to explain further.

Pondering: If I should turn the mince in the fridge into cottage pie or spaghetti bolognaise...or something else?

Listening: To 80's tunes coming through my Bush digital radio. My big bro gifted me this for one of my birthdays. I love it.

Flashback to all the right eras

Considering: What my next crafty project should be? I spotted some interesting yarn at Lincraft the other day...

Buying: This lovely nailpolish, so bright and cheery! It's not often I buy something for myself but I couldn't resist the colour.

Watching: Jason Bateman on Yo Gabba Gabba. Actually, my smallest is watching it, I am just enjoying the fact that there is Jason Batemen! Do you remember the TV show "Valerie" in the mid 80's? I watched it religiously!

Hoping: That the coriander seeds I planted will sprout. I didn't have much luck with the last lot.

Marvelling: At the lovely hearts developing in the cos lettuce in my garden. I have been remembering to replant seedlings every few weeks as we are eating our lettuces so we will have a good supply over the next few months. Usually I forget and we have a big glut, then nothing.

Crispy and delicious!

Cringing: At the fact that Trump got in. YUK.

Needing: To switch off from the news for a while

Questioning: American politics.

Smelling: The scent of fresh strawberries every time I go to the shops. And the mangoes have just come in too! YUM.

Wearing: A striped, airy, sleeveless dress from Kmart. Cool enough for the heat and nice enough to do the school run in, without feeling like a complete dag.

Following: Lots of lovely local crafty people on Insta. Like Aqua door Designs, Made In Lisa Land and Two Warm Hands. Brisbane, you're so talented!

Noticing: All the stunning jacaranda trees in full bloom around Brisbane at the moment! Lots of people say jacarandas remind them of exams because of the time of year they flower, but I don't find that at all - in fact, I think it's a bit of a downer to associate something so lovely with something that's often a bit stressful! Instead, the lovely, light scent that drifts on the breeze under a flowering jacaranda, smells to me of summer and the long languid days during the end of year break when you don't have to be anywhere or do anything in particular if you don't feel like it. SO nice.

Purple flowery goodness

Knowing: That those holidays are just around the corner.

Thinking: About going for a walk. There's a jacaranda in the street at the bottom of mine. Do you think the neighbours would notice me stopping under it and sniffing?

Admiring: The lovely Christmas displays which are starting to pop up in all the stores. Not the shopping centre displays so much, but the lovely, stand alone stores and local markets which sell unique and handmade things.

Getting: Out all my old cookbooks and browsing for forgotten favorites. My eldest was in hysterics at the photo of young Jamie Oliver on the front of "The Naked Chef".

Jamie then...and Jamie now!

Bookmarking: Nothing, I'm too busy exploring Insta.

Disliking: Trump.

Opening: The pantry and fridge doors, constantly ...why are small children so hungry?

Giggling: At my youngest who has the most mischievous, contagious laugh I've ever heard. When I hear her giggling in another room I literally drop what I'm doing and run like the wind to see what happening ...it usually means she (and her brother) are up to something they shouldn't be!

Feeling: Accomplished. I have actually managed to fit in some creativity this week, which is saying a lot as there's so much other stuff going on.

Helping: By contributing to the local food bank when we do the groceries.

Hearing: The storm bird calling late, late at night. Summer's here!

Celebrating: That all our family is here to share our special days with us. We are lucky that we all live in the same city and as both sets of our children's grandparents get older, it makes these celebrations more and more precious as each year passes.

Pretending: That it's really, really NOT almost the end of another year.

Embracing: The fact that it will be Christmas in only six weeks. Eeeek! Better get on with that organizing.

If you'd like to play along, here's Pip's most recent Taking Stock post and you can copy and paste her list of words for some inspiration of your own.

And that's it! I promise it won't be another 5 years until you hear from me again.