A one hour craft project

Well it was meant to be a one hour project but it took me three days! These are heart shaped pot holders for a birthday present for a very dear friend who is turning 70. One of her favourite flowers is pansy. In my current recovery state only a little bit could be done every day. And even then I once forgot to mirror the heart shape so had to make another side.

I used the template from "A spoonful  of Sugar" blog. I did not read the instructions or the how to as I had decided to do the top piece using the quilt as you go technique.

finished product, bit of a struggle getting the lighting right.

The underneath I used some wool, then heat reflective fabric left over from making an ironing board, then batting and then lining. I do not want her hands to get burnt. Tip of the day - make sure the heat reflecting fabric faces towards the outside of the finished pot holder.

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How to make your own plant rooting hormone

While my sister was here with me on one of our walks she picked a pile of young willow branches from the river. We brought them home and put them into half a bucket of water. It is just under the bark that all the goodness lies. This is where they get asprin from and is also a great starter for any cuttings. I always used to buy rooting hormone from the garden centre until I found out that willow is essentially the same thing (just not dried and in a container).

So once the willow has steeped for a while I put a pile of cuttings into the water of the ugni berry. This has two common names Chilean guava and NZ Canberry. It is not a cranberry but is the closest thing we can grow and the flavour both fresh and after a light stewing is stunning. Anyway the ugni berry cuttings are all planted up to do their thing as I want to use it to hedge the raspberries. So with the leftover water I soaked the punnets that I am planting my cucumber and courgette (zuchini) seeds into. Lots of people are spending money at the moment on seaweed liquid as a plant starter - but hey just pick some willow and get the same result!

My first outing since surgery was for Aaron's birthday. Date night (earliest date night ever - 5pm as I fade after 7pm)

We went to the Polo bar and restaurant. It was great. 

Jakob has been the best company for me during recovery. He has accompanied me on all my walks. Being spring the blossom trees (cherry) are amazing and planted in groups of three all around our suburb. Jakob just kept stopping to look at them as the petals were drifting down like confetti. I thought that wedding couples should be stopping for photos.

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A bag for travelling

When I was at my craft retreat Jane was making the most amazing posh, exotic bag for her to stow her dirty laundry when she travels. What a great idea, I am always trying to stash my dirty things on one side of the bag and then try to remember when unpacking. So I set to and made one myself. It is large - good for 4+ days away. I just used things I had with me at the time. Some sewing fabric, left over bits of batting, a zip that was in the bottom of a box. Stipple quilted all over. Thrilled to bits.

My sister was doing high tea for her older son who lives away from home, so the Eli and I gate crashed that. It was super yummy. She has been a star, cleaning my house while I have been recuperating, it takes a load of my mind.

Eli got inspired and came home and made some delicious chocolate chippie cookies. Using all the bits of chocolate left around at the ends of packets. Yum.

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Warning I am not a fun aunty!

This is what my sister told my boys about day one, when she came to look after me for a week. One thing that has been awesome about having an operation is the time I have had with my sister. She lives a 5-6 hour drive away so we don't meet up much. When Aaron had to go back to work, she flew up to be with me. There have been so many amazing people who have helped with so many things, that I cannot name them.

 But I dispute the lack of fun in this Aunty!!

I am not a fun mum as the only computer or xbox game I play is minecraft (and I have gone off that too). But my sister plays first person shooters - the boys were ecstatic, I went to bed!!!! 

The three sisters, husband and load of books from the booksale. Gosh we
are looking similar as we get older!

Both my sisters are great readers and we had an awesome time at the Rotary annual booksale. They bought new series of books for both the boys to read this school holidays.

And that is not to mention the amazing Op Shopper extraordinaire that she is. Op Shops and Dump shops beware.

icky curtains

new blinds installed

Last but not least she (and her awesome partner) have fantastic DIY skills. They took down old icky calico curtains and installed the new blinds. The last room in the house to have the curtains done. Now the whole house is sorted.

Yay for fun and amazing Aunties.

A bit of crochet - a modern take on an old classic

Another item of mindless craft that has been fantastic to do while recuperating is to finish my crochet squares and turn them into a blanket. It has kept my legs warm, as I have had a bit of time getting my temperature back to equilibrium post surgery, as well as getting rid of all my bits of wool in the cupboard. I am trying to craft from my stash rather than obtain more!! For years I knitted Kaffe Fasset pattern jerseys etc and these are all the leftover bits. My boys don't like the "scratchy" home knitting and Aaron has way too many. We have also really migrated to using the finer Merino.

         

This started as trying to be smart and complicated. Some large squares with a lot of smaller interlinking squares. But it just did not work as I envisaged. So I went simple. This project has been my TV watching project for a couple of year. Great to finish it but now what will I do in front of TV? 

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My favourite kind of finish. Upcycled craft

The first finish of my recovery and convalescence. I love the designs by Jane Van Kuelen from Stash Palace, just because she uses everything, thinks outside the square and upcycles so much stuff, it is inspiring. When we were away on our annual crafting retreat Jane gave us the starter pack with the dyed wool blankets marked out with the pattern and a sample of her stitch ideas. There was an apple or pear to choose from. As you can see I chose the pear!!

 

I knew I would need heaps of sit down projects to complete. So I go this on the go and also used that as inspiration to start a shoulder bag. Again using Jane's dyed wool blankets and some off cuts of velvet that she dyes. It is so sumptuous. Of course there will be the requirement to add a lot of bling and other bits!

What I have found a bit unexpected in recovery though. Is that it is hard to get inspired and actually do the work. Quite a lot of mindlessness and inactivity happens in the day as concentration goes. Where I had thought I would get heaps of craft etc done as I had time up my sleeve, but a lot of that ends up in bed or watching TV. Slowly we are getting out of that.

I have tried to photograph better. The craft / computer room has a bit of a makeover thanks to my brother in law and sister. They pulled the old curtains down and installed the blinds I ordered ( and my measurements were accurate!!!), So I used the thermal lining on a chair to show off the article better. I am pleased with the result.
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Some beading

I am sitting in the lounge with my embroidery and beads, finishing the woollen pear, designed by the lovely Jane from Stash Palace. Today is two weeks since I got out of ICU. I have been steadily improving but still find it difficult to concentrate.  Two days ago I had a great day with my parents visiting and a long walk with Jakob. Only that so over did things that my night was ghastly and yesterday was pretty hideous.  I am having to learn to take it more slowly.  So stitching and quiet today.

Loving my new slippers

New sheepskin slippers. Warm and cosy, gorgeous and comfortable. These represent getting out of hospital, being at home, being mobile and on the road to recovery. A positive purchase.

I am going to get heaps of wear out of these in the next wee while.

Upcycling PJ's into a quilt

Well a month after I finished the quilt top I finally bound it last night. This is another quilt for the orphanage we support in Kenya - Hope Homes International. This is made from old PJ's with a flannelette sheet on the back.

I have tidied my crafting area, it will never look so neat again.

I have packed my bag and my quilt. I am now heading into one of the biggest adventures of my life. Open heart surgery and the replacement of my aortic valve. It has been a journey getting here. I look forward to recovering and feeling that I have my omph back. There is so much I want to do that I have just found too much in the last year.

So onward and upward, with a positive outlook and a great faith in Jesus.

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A finished charity quilt

I finally finished this quilt while on retreat. Ages ago my sister and I worked on getting this together. It was an unfinished piece I found in a charity shop (Op Shop) and paid $5 for. I had sandwiched it at home ready for some mindless quilting. So on Friday night it went under the machine and I just stippled it all over. So after sewing on some binding it was done. Great to have a project completed in the first night.

This quilt is also heading off to Hope Homes International in Eldorat, Kenya. The pile is slowly growing.

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Messenger Bag

Eli saw a messenger bag in the shop and fell in love. I did not at $159.00!!!! So I bought some black drill, a chunky zip and some thick cotton for overstitching and set too. A couple of D rings from an old bag that had fallen apart and it was all done.

Eli has taken it everywhere since I came home from retreat having finished it. I now want one for myself!!!

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Op shop success

Today I had various appointments to attend but managed to get a bit of op shopping in.  (Charity shopping for those overseas). The wedge heel boots were $5. The dress and tunic were $7 each.  Both are quite diaphanous but absolutely gorgeous.  Ages since I had such a good score.

A finished boys quilt

This quilt is finally bound and finished. I put it off as I just could not find a binding I was happy with in my stash. In the end I decided it didn't matter as whoever is the recipient of the quilt will love it for being theirs, not for the binding I do. Slowly getting my charity quilts done for Hope Homes International. There are now four waiting to send and I pinned out another one last night.

The quilting on the back

All ready for a boy

It has sat on the floor of my sewing area for about three weeks. I am finding it a bit difficult to get things done these days as so procrastination is at the fore.

But next weekend I am off to my yearly five day quilting retreat. This is my time every year. I have now been going for 13 years!!! So not much sewing this week but a pile of decision making. What to take is always a problem. I get there and have to have a huge variety of projects otherwise I find I am not inspired.

High Tea with Anna

A lot of birthday activity happened in our house. Eli and my birthdays are only four days apart. 

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Jakob and me at my birthday dinner

Aaron trying on glasses to see if he is good looking

Good old faithful has been replaced

With  a title like that most people would think I was referring to a car. Nope. I am talking toasters. I used to live by myself in Oamaru in my when I was 19-20yrs old. During that time my father would do motorbike trips every year around the South Island. He would visit us all. The first year we all received parcels once he got home. Yes we all got a toaster.

I knew it would be the best toaster on the market for the money. My Dad researches like crazy before purchasing anything. We always got Consumer Magazine. This toaster is still going strong and is now 29 years old. But.... yes here comes the but. Crumpets, nice bread etc get stuck as it was really just made for toast bread.

The old toaster has lived for 8 years in storage on a farm. Moved from pillar to post. Been in flats and three houses. Now it is being relegated. I am not normally sentimental, but for this I am.

So for safety and cooking sake I bought a new toaster. Same brand and looks, just a much wider area for toast.

I still have the present from the motorbike trip the next year, it was done in the winter and we all got a heater. The heater now graces our caravan. 

Pickled onions

Not too sure about these. I love pickled onions and they were a pain to peel.  I decided to use Barry 's pickle for beetroot.  I also cooked them a bit.  They smell great but could end up too soft.

A boys quilt for charity

Getting a boy quilt done for an orphan at Hope Homes International. The panel was given to me either by Val or Hazel, with some scraps of matching fabric. Not normally my thing but great for a wee boy and easy to put together when it is going to be gifted.

I had a quiet Sunday getting ready for some investigative procedures in Hospital. Didn't manage to do anything else but at least this is sandwiched together ready to put under the sewing machine.

A refashion - Merino Swing Cardigan

From This

To This

I bought the long cardigan from an Op Shop (Charity Shop) for $9 as I loved the colour. But I did not like the fact that it was made to have a big gap at the front. Winter here is too cold for that. And the length was just not right for me. I love the gather on the sleeves. So I chopped. Jakob was horrified and told me that I should not and then I realised I chopped it too short. So out came an old grey jersey which got sliced and diced too. I have been really inspired with my overlocker being fixed. Though it took ages to get the tension right when I changed threads. Why are those machines so hideous??!!! I follow a blog by Jody Pearl about reinventing fashion. She had a fabulous tutorial on how to make a small cardigan into something funky that fits. So I followed that and inserted triangles of Merino under the arms, then put on the grey border and finished it with a doubled over merino strip. I love the length.

From this

To this

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