Serendipity and the Hospice Shop

 After my epiphany about J's birthday presents I decided to hit the Hospice Shop for some bits and pieces.  Unfortunately it was a Saturday, so I had to let P and J come with me.  Well, I didn't have to, but when they get so excited to buy 50c worth of pencils and a pencil case to go with them, I don't mind indulging them.  While we were shopping for childrens books, pencils and a strange plastic rose originally from the Body Shop, I found some things to use for J's birthday presents.

A treasure tin

 Complete with floral motif! J did ask what the tin was for, and I just said for some stuff.  She'll still be very excited to see it on her birthday.

And some placemats to make into a flower press.  The original tutorial uses coasters, but I thought they might be a bit small for the flowers J likes to collect.  So I was on the look out for something a bit bigger, and there they were.  Its hard to tell from the picture, but they aren't full size placemats, more like something in between a coaster and a placemat.  In fact exactly the size I was looking for.  So I snapped them up as well.

 And finally a book about roses.  Since I'm going with the floral theme I thought these pictures would look fabulous pasted onto the top of the placemats.

 So $3 well spent on my birthday present bits, and once again when I have needed something, the Hospice Shop has come through for me.

Joining up with the Op Shop show off with Blackbird has spoken today.

Gifts

My project this week is to make some gifts.  I suspect I put it in this week because it is my niece's birthday, so that works out well, but the word gifts implies that I had something broader in mind.  What was it though? I'm not really sure exactly what I thought I was going to do this week.  Maybe I'm supposed to make some gifts in the hopes that I will be more prepared next time I need to give something to someone?

Anyway, I thought I would knit my niece a headband for her birthday - something along the same lines as the one I made for C.

Mermaid Barbie

I have finished J's Barbie mermaid skirt (or is it a tail?) from Sticka Till Barbie.  Its pattern 1106 - click on the link 1101 - 1150 on the left hand side.  I really like the way it has turned out.  I think the green and blues of the yarn really work with this pattern.  I think J will love it for her birthday.

The fin parts of the tail are knitted in garter stitch, and I like the textural difference between those and body of the tail.

I haven't been consciously styling Barbie's arms and hands, they just kind of fall into that position - she looks a bit creepy if you ask me.  Of course, she may just be a bit miffed that I've photographed her with no top on.  Sorry about that Barbie.

Joining up with FO Friday, and Creative Friday today.

I have been inspired

We were walking home from playgroup this morning, when inspiration struck me about J's birthday presents.  J had just picked me some flowers and instructed me to take them to work.  J loves to pick flowers and give them to people, and it got me thinking about the flower press that my sister had as a kid.  It was awesome.  And then I realised I could make/get J one for her birthday!

And then, in that serendipitous way that things often go, I was randomly looking at Remarquable Junque and found this post about a Nature bag, that included a flower press.  I might not get all the things that the Nature kit has in it, but I will definitely be using a few ideas, especially the flower press.

My project this week

More birthday presents for J.  While the Barbie clothes are coming along really well, I'm still a little stumped by some of the other ideas.

However, I think maybe I will make her a skirt, and then try to find some ponies for her.  That just leaves one present, and I think something like a game, or puzzle, is probably in order.  I did ask her what she wanted, but she also didn't have any idea.  Maybe I should start frequenting that place that I buy things in the hopes that something jumps out and grabs me.

Barbie knitting

My project this week was to knit some clothes for J's Barbies for her birthday.  I was browsing Ravelry, and came across Stick till Barbie.  Wow! If you ever wanted to knit some Barbie clothes, this is the site for you.  There are over 1,000 patterns on here.  I think I can knit from here for as long as the girls will need clothes for their dolls.  Its a bit of a time waster, but check out some of the patterns!

 So far I have knitted dress 498 (I can't link directly to each pattern, but you can click onto the ones you want on the left hand side).

and I am most of the way through a mermaid tail (pattern 1106), which I think J will love.

I've altered the mermaid tail to knit in the round (the patterns on the site are all knitted flat), using some thick and thin hand spun yarn.  I didn't really like the striping in the yarn, so I still have heaps of it.  I can see plenty more little projects like this to use it up.

Change of plans

My project for the week coming was supposed to be photos.  See I had big plans to put together a photo book, or at least print out photos from our holiday.  We went skiing this week, the first time for the girls.  But unfortunately P was (and still is) very sick.  So there was no skiing for her at all, and not much else either, well except for sleeping on the couch.  So instead this week I need to really get moving on J's birthday presents since I have done *ahem* nothing for them yet.

So that is my project for this week.  I think I will be dyeing some wool, and making some Barbie clothes.

Dress for J

I had my wool out recently, and J demanded (I mean requested) that I knit her a dress.  I really like the Maxi Dress by Elena Nodel (ravelry link), although I am tempted by the Oriental Lily by Tikki as well.

 And she picked this yarn, surprise by PureWool.  There is only one problem.  I only have 100g of this in fingering weight which isn't enough to knit J a dress.  And its an unusual colourway, and Purewool has gone out of business, and PureWool isn't known for the consistency of colours across dye lots.

 So all in all, its a problematic situation.  Rather than casting about trying to find some more of the yarn I already have I have decided to dye some wool myself.  It obviously isn't going to look exactly the same, but at least I will get the right amount of yarn in the right ply.

I had big plans

To catch up on some blog posts.  But like all best laid plans, I have hit a snag.  We went on holiday and I can no longer find my camera.  So posts but not pictures.

We have put the compost through the vege garden, and staked out the rows.  Today P and J helped me to sow our first two rows of seeds.

Our garden is laid out with alternating short and long term crops in it.
A = full season plants (like cucumber and courgette)
B = half season plants (like brassicas and peas)
C =short term crops (carrots, beetroot, spring onions).

The rows are 50cm apart, and every year we move the rows by 25cm to ensure that we are getting a reasonable crop rotation.  This year the rows run B C A C B C A C and today we planted some snow peas in the first row, and carrots and radishes in the second.

J was really keen to grow some radishes, so we sowed them, but I don't really eat them so I am at a bit of a loss with what to do with them when they come through.

What are you planting out? And any tips on the radishes?