Made By Hand - Link Up

As has been established, I am not a speedy knitter, despite my best wishes. Nor have I found much time to devote to my knitting lately. This little sweater is still on my needles. It seems when the jewellery work takes over, knitting takes a back seat. But thankfully, stitch by stitch a garment is built, no matter how long it takes. And unlike weeding or cleaning, time doesn't serve to undo ones efforts. 

Once this project is finished, I do believe I will try to learn how to lever knit (which is apparently the fastest way to knit). I would like to make another blanket, but the last one took me three months...

What have you been working on this past week?

Swap Link Progress

There are only four days left to finish up your ornaments and get them in the post! How is everyone going?

I love clicking around and seeing the wonderful ornaments that have been made so far. There is so much talent and creativity in this blogging community of ours. I have also discovered some lovely new blogs in the process. Thank you to all those who have linked up so far or sent me an email to say their ornaments have been posted. If you haven't started your ornament yet there is still time! I would hate for anyone to miss out. Difficulties do arise though, so please email me if your ornaments won't be in the post by the 1st of December.

Some of the beautiful ornaments that may be on their way to your letter box.
Makers blogs from left to right - Paravent, Typically Red, Yardage Design,
Creative Chaos NZ, Zaranne Handmade, Pumpkin Sunrise,
Imogen Eve, Petticoats and Peplums, Tales from Swallow Barn

Swap Progress Link Up

Swap Progress Link Up

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The last of the three bed rooms. This is the progress in the nursery so far, though it won't be finished until after the baby is born and we know the sex. Then we can finish decorating. In the meantime we are keeping it quite plain and neutral. This was how the room looked when we brought the house, this is how it looked after receiving a new ceiling, new paint, as well as having the carpets removed and the floor boards polished.

And this is how it is looking now-

The cot and change table were both Cohen's. The cot we brought from ebay, the change table from Ikea. The glass light cover was thrifted for $2.

This sweet old chair was my Grandmothers, the cushion was thrifted, the doll hiding in the cot was mine as a child.

This wardrobe is another ebay find we brought recently for $40. One day it will receive a new coat of paint and some new handles. And that little vintage dress? Well, I could not resist it and as we have Cohen's things should this baby be a boy, it seemed only fair to have a few things just in case it is a girl.

Thrifted 'Baby' embroidered pillowcase, baby shoes and vase. Porcelain bird house from Spotlight.

And a few more vintage dresses inside, just in case...

This room is also waiting on curtains and a rug. I can't wait to fill those little empty frames after baby is born. I have my eye out for a lamp table and a nice lamp, as well as a mobile. I love walking into this space though and imagining welcoming our new little one come March.

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The house tour continues with progress photos of our bedroom. This was our bedroom before the renovations, and these are during, while this is how our room is looking now -

The closet doors have been removed, undercoated and are half way through being painted with white enamel. (To cover the original layer of purple paint.) I am looking forward to hanging them again so I don't have to keep looking at the contents of our closets.

We still have a vintage sheet in lieu of a curtain, until we find the right ones and the budget allows. I'm looking forward to finding lamps for the bedside tables and adding a shelf above the bed to display our photos, prints and nick-nacks. I'm yet to find the right lamps though.

This lovely old piece of furniture was given to us by the parents of a friend. They knew I loved old furniture and no longer had room for it. The story is that their grandfather made this for his intended fiance as a gift and they were married for many many years.

A Kitty Horton original, a Black Apple print and a Cartier-Bresson postcard of Matisse from our recent trip to the Queensland Art Gallery.

Again, the skirting boards need painting and of course we need curtains. We're on the look out for an interesting light fitting, lamps and new handles for the closet doors. But I am loving the simplicity of grey, white and wood.

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As promised, progress shots of the house, beginning with Cohen's room. This was Cohen's room before and during the renovations. 

And this is Cohen's room now -

Looking through Cohen's bedroom door.

The light shade is a Bakelite reproduction. The little white desk was made by my Grandfather and ours as children. The little wooden green chair I found on ebay. The play kitchen is from Ikea and the hobby horse was a gift brought at a craft fair.

Cohen's big boy bed is from Ikea, painted white. As is his step stool/bedside table (which needs to be painted). His ripple blanket and stuffed toys are Mama made, except for the knitted teddy which was a thifted find. The chest of drawers was also ours as children. The mat is from Spotlight.

Clothes, book and toy storage. The shelves are from Ikea, the Silkyoak wardrobe was another ebay buy for $60. The print on the wall is Van Gogh's 'Cherry Blossom', brought from the Van Gogh museum in Amsterdam before Cohen's birth and put away for our first born. There is still a box somewhere, with the rest of Cohen's books in it.

The skirting boards still need to be painted with enamel and curtains made for the windows. The walls are still a little bare and the floor could do with a rug. But I think it's getting there and Cohen certainly loves his new, bigger bedroom.