Windy Weekend

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I spent as much time as possible this weekend indoors, out of the wild winds that whirled through Brisbane, only braving the breeze long enough to fight the flapping laundry. Instead I cleaned, baked, crafted, napped and nursed the sniffles. I finished the striped garter stitch blanket I've been working. After a wool wash it will be tucked in to my hospital bag. I also finished my first ever cross stitch, Alicia Paulson's Winterwoods ABC, which I am so pleased with. I do believe I will frame it and pop it on the picture ledge above my bed. I've pulled the half finished striped scarf out of my knitting basket now, and there's a few other projects still waiting in there once it is finished. 

I'm looking forward to a few more quiet, crafty weekends before the baby arrives.

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PS.  I'm offering a free upgrade to Express Postage in Australia, on any purchase over $50 in my shop. Available until Thursday, 8 May 2014. Just leave the word 'EXPRESS' in the notes section to take advantage of this offer and ensure delivery in time for Mother's Day.

Yarn Along

~ Two of my favorite things are knitting and reading, and the evidence of this often shows up in my photographs.  I love seeing what other people are knitting and reading as well. So, what are you knitting or crocheting right now? What are you reading? Take a photo and share it either on your blog or on Flickr. Leave a link below to share your photo with the rest of us! ~ Ginny

I've been a little side tracked by cross stitch this week. My 'Winterwood ABC' arrived from America and I was excited to get started. As their weather warms ours starts to cool. I've admired this pattern since I first saw it, and have seen it floating around many of my favourtie blogs in blog land. Eventually I decided to stop thinking about it and just try it. It's my first ever cross stitch, but Alicia's wonderful tutorial covers the how-to so nicely that I haven't had any trouble with it. I've been enjoying it so much that my knitting has only progressed a few rows. 

I've almost finished Stephanie Pearl-McPhee's most recent book, The Amazing Thing About the Way It Goes, then I will be looking for my next read. Any recommendations for me? What have you loved lately?

What have you been making and reading?

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Joining in with Ginny.

Ravelry.

A list of goals I'm working on

 






1. Pancake morning 2. My first cross stitch 3. Drying some of our many homegrown chillies 4. Belynda Henry at the opening of her amazing show, Jigsaw 5. Baking with Mama 6. A new work in progress 7. Sketches for a client's pearl

Along with my usual list of goals - to be organised, to make from scratch as many of the things we use as I can, to read two books a month, to make time to craft etc, there is another list I have been thinking about and working on that revolves around the things I want to achieve before baby number three is born - especially given that I am now 31 weeks pregnant and the remaining weeks are going to simultaneously drag and fly by.

- A new collection for release in the store in time for Mother's Day.

In between working on custom orders, client repairs and stock for Finders Keepers, I have been sneaking downstairs for a couple of hours each night to work on a collection of Pearl pieces to be released soon, for Mother's Day. There will be drop pendants, drop earrings, traditionally knotted pearl strands and pearl studs, starting from $45. Sign up to my newsletter to be kept up to date! 

- Stock and display for Finders Keepers Market

I've been staining my wooden display for the market and still have a long list of things to do in preparation for those two days in July. Like making a table cloth big enough for a 1.8 meter table, sourcing a 'credit cards welcome here' sign, ordering more packaging and display boxes, organising insurance and of course, completing all the stock I have planned to bring with me. So very much has been crossed off the list though, thanks in part to Didi, my fantastic intern.

(There is a great interview over here with the founders of the Finders Keepers Market.)

- Nesting: de-cluttering, cleaning and organising our home

Yesterday I tackled Cohen's room while he was at school (best to do these things when they aren't looking!) I filled two garbage bags with broken and outgrown toys, paper, and hoarded 'bits'. I last did this in December, and try to do it at least every few months. I tidied up the book case and toy basket, cleaned the surfaces and windowsill, moved the bed away from the wall and vacuumed the floor and scrubbed the wall too. Going through his closet and chest of drawers for clothes that no longer fit is still on my list. 

Also on my list, my studio. I started the process of de-cluttering and re-organising my space, but I've hit a wall while I wait on a book case and table. In the meantime Emerson is having a wonderful time going through each box.

Emerson's room and my closet are also on the list.

- Baby clothes

I've saved many of the children's baby clothes in boxes and garbage bags in the garage. Some I've lent to friends little ones, but the 'newborn' clothes and those special clothes, that loved ones brought for us, or that I wore as a child, are boxed up waiting to be washed and sorted in preparation for baby. So much washing. One garbage bag at a time.

So, what goals are you working on?

What's on your list?

This post was inspired by Lisa's list of 27 blog topics.