NIKKI-SHELL

winners and tea leaves

Thanks for all the lovely birthday wishes!  It's lovely to know who is reading and how long you have been popping by my blog.  I've not been well the past few days with migraine and spent most of my day off yesterday sleeping.  A 12 hour straight sleep seemed to do the trick and although i felt quite fuzzy today i am MUCH better now.  The winners of my birthday giveaway are Lynsey and Kelly, please email me your snail mail addresses at nikkishell(at)gmail(dot)com

This is my current commuter knitting.  Now that the weather has turned chilly i need more layers and I don't have one decent cardigan in my wardrobe.  That's all about to change!  

I'm knitting the Madeline Tosh Tea leaves cardigan in black Alpaca from Bendigo Woolen Mills.  The idea is that I will be able to wear it with most of my wardrobe being that it's basic black and all.

 The yoke seemed to take forever, switching from one size needle to another to create the gathered effect, but as soon as i got through that i seem to be flying through it considering i only knit on my 15 minute train journey and sometimes at night (to be fair i did knit quite a bit tonight).  It's now about 4 or 5 inches longer than in the photo above.  Still another 8 to go before i can start the sleeves.  Then there's the button band, oh my! I want to wear it now!!

I was pleasantly surprised to discover there is a tiny version of this cardigan which i'm sure my little Esme would love.  I'm sure i have yarn in the stash for this, i need to reduce that stash a little.

Knitting has been my only crafty pursuit recently, i've been collecting sewing projects together for Craft Camp this weekend.  Did i tell you i'm off to craft camp? No?!  Oh i can't tell you how excited i am, From Friday until Sunday i will be sewing (and knitting) NONE STOP except to eat and maybe sleep a little :)  I hope to finish a jacket, dress, skirt and a coat muslin and i'll be throwing a few extra projects in there just-in-case.

Celebration

It is this little blogs 5th birthday today.  Have i really been doing this for 5 years?! WOW! When i started blogging there was only a small circle of craft bloggers, most of whom are still around today many of which have become real life friends.  

Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to read about my adventures.  I may not get around to replying to all comments but please know i truly appreciate each and every one of them (well almost every one, i don't care much for the obviously false comments telling mehow wonderful my blog is then linking to their online stores, THEY can sod off!)

To celebrate i'm putting together 2 surprise sewing related birthday gifts for you.  One for Aussie readers, the other for International readers.  Leave a comment making sure to let me know where you are in the World and your email address before 11pm (local time) this Sunday.

Oh did i tell you today is also my birthday?  Another year older, another year wiser. ;)

My little turtle

Esme has recently become obsessed with all things TMNT.  She's even starting to look like one!

Ezra's hat

 

 

 

Details:

Pattern: Herbie brimmed hat from Summer 3/2010 issue of Ottobre magazine
Main fabric: Manhattan Check, poly blend 
Lining: Bitter Groove, poly/cotton/viscose 
Trim: 15mm green cotton/viscose grosgrain ribbon for band inside the hat 

All from Tessuti Fabrics

 
 

Six

I became a mother six years ago today to this sweet, funny, easy going, friendly, chatty, outgoing and wonderful girl.

She requested a 'Rock n Roll' birthday and we obliged with a guitar bag (found on a recent trip to Sydney) and leather cuffs (made by me).

She also requested this guy....

...who now stands in the corner of her room.  Yes, a life size cardboard cut out Paul Stanley now lives in my house.  But there is still a girly girl hidden underneath that leather jacket who likes to pretend she's Mammy to her new baby doll (who by the way poos her nappy!!).

We took her out for sushi for lunch, milkshake in the afternoon and celebrated with a studded birthday cake tonight.  

As I tucked her into bed tonight she told me she had had the best day, what more can i ask for?

Happy birthday big girl!  Enjoy being 6. 

My Mother's Day was a good one.  I hope your's was too. xx

  

Esme's nightdress

Esme's nightdress has been cut out and overlocked for over a month and has sat on the 'to-do' pile ever since.  I finally put it together the other night and changed her into it while she was asleep.  You can see how pleased she was to discover what she was wearing the next morning!

Details:

Fabric: from Tessuti Fabrics

Pattern: New Look 6334

 

Again, I made it much shorter than the original pattern just like Mia's which the lovely girls over at 'Sew It To Me' recently featured.

Jus, my express post parcel arrived with my blogging mojo inside.  Thanks for returning it! ;)