{work in progress}

Chicken No. 2 is turning 8 on Wednesday, so this mama is burning the midnight oil making gifts for the special occasion. Of course, at the top of my hill are plenty of wondrous gifts to purchase, but, no! I have taken the handmade pledge- I think I did this at birth, and must make all!!

So: a bean bag upon which to dream into the incredible books of the world!

the cardigan...

{this moment}

Odelette to the Sproutings

Oh Spring, you are being a touch coy, methinks. Yet,
the little sproutings sighted hither and thither reassure me
immensely!

the noble basil

the humble salads

 I have just discovered Elsie Marley's blog, and her kid's clothes week challenge.
Have managed to knit for one hour at least per day, trying to knit up Chicken 2's birthday Spring  tea leaves cardi.
Highlighting the fact that knitting is a s-l-o-w way to do things....but I love it.
After having been raised in a family of runners, in every sense of the word, I have, for the first time in my life, discovered the joys of slow.  The healing benefits of knitting, indeed.
Now to get this cardi finished in time!!!
oops

 

This is a divine pattern, and I am enjoying knitting the yoke so much! It always amazes me what nifty things one can do with some knits and some purls!

 

 And because the sun showed its face a little, and because my favourite  magazine arrived in the letterbox yesterday, I sat and knitted and "read" said mag in between little hand grabs...

The Upcyclers

Dr Anna's super cute bunnies and carrots- which lucky bunnies get to have the two extras??

We pondered the general sensibleness of "upcycling", the practice of taking used items and rearranging them as a "something new" item, like Anna's completely "upcycled" dolls...

 

and another Anna's upcycled yummy shorts...

A most fantastic day it was: full of more delightful busking good hearted children, happy handmade-loving folk, busy craft fingers and more fiscally splendid for the orphans ... yay!

 

donated items made with love, enormous altruism and faith...

 

and a certain dose of cleverness...

 

Gratitude in abundance to the many good folk who made, shopped, smiled, and played. 

Felting/Baking

Last night, husband and I spent a few hours felting for the stall on Saturday. I must say, his wool sculpting abilities outstrip mine hands down. He is particularly deft at character-full animals.
I on the other hand, prefer to stick to chubby birds. Giant ones, as it turns out...

Today I set myself the task of baking at least one Orange/Yoghurt cake  from my all time fave New Moosewood Cookbook,  to take to Chicken 1's play this evening.

The play, "The Death of Baldur", and the cake, were a hit!
And Chicken 1 was the most magnificent cello playing Queen of Hell a proud mum could ever ever wish for

The Peace Fleece Corps

Last night I spent some wee hours at ComfortGertrude's house with three wonderful fellow wool addicts,  winding our newly arrived Peace Fleece, sipping honey mead from Kangaroo Island, hearing about sightings of whales out of kitchen windows, and generally revelling in the company of colour, fibre and friends!
The colours are all divine, and it will be so fun to watch it slowly (in my case) and quickly (in the case of FlickaFish!!) transform into garments, and toys! The Chickie Masla is so deliciously yolkish, softer than in the photo actually. The Seamoss is also much, much more dreamily green and divine in real life.

Kamchatka Seamoss and Chickie Masla

Ukrainian Red, Patience Blue, Zarya Fog, Antarctica White

Purl101's Violet Vyehchyeerom and FlickaFish's Lena's Meadow

Stack of Lauren's Coral- yum!

super winding action shot

My own knitting has been on the back-burner a bit, amidst the excitement of the Orphfund craft stall...slowly getting through the yoke of my Garter Yoke Cardi...

ALSO...The supremely talented and ever-creative FlickaFish contributed some divine little skirts for the upcoming Orphfund stall this Saturday at Ceres. Thank you!!

the table glowed with handmade love

We had our first fundraising stall for Orphfund today!

The sun shone,

the table glowed with handmade love






the children busked,



Anna sewed, Katie smiled,


the baby slept,



A wonderful, stupendously enjoyable, and successful good-vibes time was had by all.
Thanks everyone!