NIKKI-SHELL

Ugh

My parents and sister have gone, they left for LA on Tuesday to visit Mickey and Minnie.  They kindly left behind their nasty cold that they brought all the way from the UK with them and now i feel like shite.  My head is throbbing and stuffed up and i'm sneezing over and over again.  I realised this morning how crap i feel when i snapped at the girls because i wanted to sew for half an hour while Kev was home but they weren't having any of it.  I gave up and we all went for a snooze on the bed, which didn't really work either.  Now they're quiet and happy as i've bribed them with a Playschool DVD and Teddy Bear biscuits.  Who knows how long it will last though.
So, not a lot of creating here recently.  I did manage to get some needle rolls and Christmas stockings made for sale at Madame Butterfly Gallery.  They should be available for sale at the beginning of next week.  You'll also find an interview with me on their 'Creative Cabinet' page.

I've started work on my Calander Swap that is being organised by this fabulous lady.  Here's a sneaky peek of my work in progress.  I'm doing the month of May.  I better get my arse into gear, they need to be sent soon.

My Christmas postcards have been started too but i ran out of double sided sticky tape so they've been put on hold until i get some more.

I have some books to share with you too but that will have to wait until tomorrow, i'm off to lounge with my girls on the floor and watch Playschool.

WIP's and FO's

I said i'd be back yesterday but the day was so busy and time got away with me, so here i am, a day late.  I said at the beginning of the year that i have a goal of knitting socks this year, well i bought a couple of Nancy Bush's pattern books and the lovely Jac ordered some sock yarn for me from Martinas.  I've not had time to do much this year in the way of knitting and crafting as i've had my hands full with a new baby, a toddler and a new business but things seem to be sort of settling into a routine and i cast on my first sock last Sunday.  (I say my first sock, it's not really, i have tried to knit socks before but just plain old boring stocking stitch, no fun at all if you ask me and they were soon forgotten and later frogged before i even finished the first of a pair).  Anyway, after a little trouble with the pattern and pulling the first pattern repeat out a number of times (ahem, 3) i have this to show you:

I'm so proud of it, i know there's probably a mistake or two in there somewhere but i don't care, look at it!!!  Kev thinks i'm crazy because i show it to him every 5 minutes and say "look at my sock, isn't it nice!?".  I have 2 pattern repeats to go then i'm onto the heel, i'll let you know how it goes.

Onto other things, it's getting chillier here in Melbourne and has been raining for the past few days.  This morning i noticed that one of my little chicks (Mia) had very cold feet so i knocked up a pair of slippers for her using a jumper i bought at the op shop and felted in the machine (yes, i fell off the 'use what you have' wagon, oops).  Anyway, i think they turned out pretty well considering i just made them up as i went and most importantly, Mia likes them.

I also used some of the felted jumper to make this wee bunny (pattern from Hillary) for Mia. 

I made another for our babysitter Zoella but i didn't manage to get a pic before she took it home.  I also have another cut out for Esme, ready to be sewn up tomorrow.  Phew, aaaaannd i made aome tissue holders using some scraps of fabric, they will be for sale in my shop for US$3 each when i get the chance to upload them, maybe later today or tomorrow.

Crocheted purse

You'll find this for sale in my Etsy store.

It's crocheted using Rowan felted tweed, lined with vintage gold fabric and decorated with handmade Tyvek beads that  Fiona sent to me.  It measures 20cm wide and 17cm tall.