The Non-Sewer

My older sister tells me she can't really sew. When the post arrived this morning ...imagine my delight at just what non-sewing can magic up? These two beautiful quilts are her gifts to Arlo and Tavish for their first birthdays. I would love to see what she could produce should she ever actually learn to sew. Today this humble sister turns 40... Happy Birthday, Mim! The cheesy cards always say 'Life Begins at 40' and I reckon there are adventures just waiting to be had. Glad you got there before me - you can test out the theory xxx

Chilly

To say it was a little on the fresh side this morning was true. Positively frosty. A little chilly around the nipples. Positively high beam. But beauty can be found in the most unlikely of places. On venturing outside to the bin, Dunc insisted I join him (a hot date, don't be late?) ... to see the car roof shrouded in a wallpaper-like ice design. I have no idea how Jack Frost pulled that one off ... but it was a stroke of sub-zero graphic design genius. Just so beautiful!

... and as if to remind myself that frosty mornings deliver the most spectacular of sunny wintry days - this bicycle was pulled up outside the cafe where I warmed myself with conversation and coffee. What a perfect start to a Tuesday.

Embracing the Dark Arts

What better way to conquer my fear of the Dark Art otherwise known as 'knitting' than at Knit Lab? This month we slipped in an extra Brown Owls meet to get amongst the knitted excellence that is on offer at this beautiful, interactive exhibition of woollen joy. I thought I would be heading straight to the pom pom making as the skill of knitting has, well, alluded me in my grown up days. I mean ... yes ... there were the valiant efforts in primary school ... but always the same outcome .... a scarf that collected stitches along the way until it resembled a giant triangle... a familiar story? But Isis, the left hander who knits right handed, reckoned I should give it a whorl... so on she cast (for me) and with her expert instruction off I knitted and purled... See! First row complete. How lovely is that knitted row against Amy's muffins and my AIRAC thermus? It was Brown Owls ... craft minus cake = crime. ...and there it is on the Knit Lab pixel wall ... my humble knitted square. Stocking stitch no less. Apparently I've got good tension ... a dark and broody knitter am I? I can't believe how fun it was ... I think I might have travelled to the dark side? As long as there is home delivery service for casting on?

... and on my knitted high, I joined my family at our favourite park for a spot of playground and racing.

Want more photos of Brown Owls at Knit Lab? Go here - Amy remembered to take pictures of the EVENT not just the knitting at hand! More photos of Knit Lab? Go here. Many thanks to Abigail and Isis for our Knit Lab arvo xx

The Knit Lab Exhibition is on at Sawtooth ARI, 160 Cimitiere St, Launceston until the end of this month ... make sure you get along to it!!!

Snow Day

Today we rugged up, loaded up and took off up the nearest mountain in a quest for some snow. It wasn't looking promising ... we prepared the wee girl for the worst ... but she was having none of it ... she insisted that we had gone on a quest for snowballs and snowmen and that what's would be found. I love an optimist and luckily at the top of Mount Barrow ... that's exactly what we did find. Winter wonderland with enough of the white stuff to tick the boxes.Beanies and warm coats on ... but the most beautiful of clear, sunny winter's days.Snow and jewel-like ice......and a chance to get amongst it.
...even if the snow was a little too powdery or a little too icy to really get a snowman happening. There's always next time ... and for a girl that originally hails from WA ... no, the novelty has still not worn off that this is only 40 minutes from my front door!!

A small place

I can get all philosophical. Today I am thankful for my small place in the world. Surrounded by a little bit of nice. There are small pleasures everywhere: not having to explain yourself, sitting side by side, the calm before the storm, the delicious compromise, conversing and coffee and like minds. Today I don't need to think big. Small is enough.

A Man who wears the Apron...

Some people like to wear the pants. Others don't. Some prefer to wear aprons. I'd happily trade pants wearing for apron wearing, anytime*. A man in touch with his cordon bleu? His Michelin 3 star? His master baker? Gold. One that takes on an apprentice... gold star.Would love to pass on the recipe for his double choc chip, choc weetbix biscuits ... but he is a bit freestyle on the baking front. I'm not complaining ...



*please be assured that pants were worn under the apron. He's freestyle ... but not that freestyle. Plus nude baking can lead to , well, complications ...

Science Nerds

Meet the mini Einsteins. Taken at our supercool local hangout. You can hear their tiny minds ticking from here ...

Pizza

Today the girl and I made pizza for lunch. We are pizza cheats. We use lebanese bread as our bases ... they come out all thin and crispy ... just the way we like them. Please don't report us to Interpol's international pizza crime squad. Fresh tomatoes, capers, olives ... the last of our oregano.... that's the way we roll. I was allowed to sneak some mushrooms on my half.

We all ate together. Everyone was responsible for what went into their own mouths.

The most relaxing lunch I've had in a long while.

Seems like it was a winner in the gourmet stakes. We are so darn Masterchef around here.

A man needs a cave ...

We got invited to a second birthday dinosaur extravaganza on the weekend. I had been storing up this idea for a while ... and thus couldn't believe my luck on the birthday theme... reason and motivation and last minute panic are good crafting catalysts around these parts ... so I brushed the dust off the sewing machine ... oiled the hinges on the stash cupboard and got making 'The Dinosaur Cave avec Dinosaur'. I'd never made a zippered pouch before ... I've only ever sewed two zips ... but hey? did I say last minute panic is a good carriage for focusing a wandering mind? The cave appeared from a bit of thrifted cord, some 'stolen' green velvet (thanks Annie). The mouth of the cave need some green moss (ric rac ... OK work with me here people). Instead of making it a flat pouch, after I sewed in the zip, then the two side seams, I folded the bottom seam the opposite way to form a pyramid ... um? like a sunny boy icy pole.

But what's a cave without a dinosaur? This is my take on a Tyrranosaurus Rex. Let's call him Cyril. He lives in the cave. With his vintage fabric side he can easily hide in the foliage to chomp unexpected passers by.
... and I guess he could turn this way if he wanted to blend in at a quilters convention or a night at Brown Owls.

Team Knitware

The invite to the opening of KNITLAB said wear your best vintage knitware and strike a Patons pose. I promised Dunc that EVERYONE would be applying the dress code. So we fished out a couple of beauties from my Mum's personal collection (as knitted by my English Grandmother) Even as we climbed the stairs to the exhibition, I promised him all would be good. The boys were knitted up, Edie was wearing a jumper from when I was a little girl, I had the farmhouse scene ... ensconced in wool we entered the Sawtooth Gallery. Ok ... to say the application of the dress code was liberal? ... that might be considered liberal ... but we had an excellent laugh. And I roped Loz and her friend Faye ... who had an amazing knitted stash of her own doing .... check out what Loz wore from aforementioned stash!! AMAZING ...

...and the exhibition .... well worth a gander or two or three as the exhibits grow and evolve ... Completely beautiful ... I want one of the big knitted spheres AND you can finger knit a poo, or add a pixel. LOVED it ... congrats Isis, Mae and Abigail.

and KNITLAB's facebook page is here ... don't tell the man though because I'm just saying he may be featured there (again)