running away

Everything is running away at the moment, time, days, projects, deadlines, ok really it all comes back to time. No matter how organised I think I am I seem to be forever running to catch up.By Sunday night I had got myself into such a state I had to sit down and draw up a massive planner with all my due dates, appointments, work etc.  Phew! it is pasted to the window next to my beloved imac, and is scaring the bejezus out of me!! I must learn not to say yes to everything! well at least not before checking my schedule.  In short this is why I haven't responded to your lovely emails and comments, and haven't dropped by to say hello (boy you guys all write alot!!).  However, this post is not about boring you with my inefficient time management skills.  Once again the whizzme clan have been taking in some sights.

Last week Mum was over (the mother who lovingly finishes my knitting projects for me) again.  Mother whizzme, Miss whizzme and myself went to Bendigo for two nights so we could once again visit the wonderful Sheep and Wool Show that the town hosts each year.  This show never disappoints, and if you have never made the trip and love yarn, I would suggest booking it in for next year.  I was restrained in my purchases this year, but still enjoyed the wonderful colours and creations and textures on show.  That ol' sheep has got the right idea. Miss Whizzme enjoyed the nursery farm - for about 2 straight hours!  On the way home we also stopped into Kyneton, a lovely town with some great shops, and a yarn store of its own.

Mum came supplied with the Sarah Dallas wrap cardigan knitted ready for sewing up - and it looks lovely so far.  It meant confessing to the fact that I had not yet sewn up last years cardigan, and was thoroughly falling down on my part of the bargain. Enough said!

I luckily received one of RicRac's wonderful little birdcages - they are so adorable, he is hanging here now keeping me company - thanks Jodie.

Meanwhile, I am slowly finishing my mockery socks (boy are they aptly named - they mock me every day!), trying to ignore the morning surf scarf (on ravelry) I started in Bendigo and attempting to squeeze in a quick gift making session for a new baby.  Most mornings however, I can be found rushing Miss Whizzme to school while brushing my hair, knitting a few rows at traffic lights and wondering how I managed to put my top on inside out again!

so far so good

well a week of school down and we have not been late... so far!  Miss Whizzme has settled in well, and is enjoying being back with her friends.  That her first question to me on the way to school on the first day was "how late are we Mum?" was not the most amusing moment, but the following day when we arrived extraordinarily early and she asked "is it lunch time Mum?" even I had to admit that her expectations of us getting back into routine were pretty low!  

It took most of last week to finish all the final unpacking, washing, putting away that coming back from holidays brings, so I was much encouraged this week to think I might get some sewing done.  Unfortunately, I miss calculated just how long it was going to take to finish the winter edition for the Four Seasons Quilt Swap - a few days late - sorry partner.  But it is finally in the post - phew!  Now on to the mobile swap - I have some ideas but not ready to share them yet.  So instead I will share the new project I have started for 2008.

I have wanted to create a ripple blanket ever since I saw one on Alicia's blog.  While we were at the beach my sister was finishing off the throw from Erika Knight's Simple Crochet book.  It looked so wonderful, and moved along so quickly that I immediately abandoned everything else, took out my odd balls of 4-ply cotton and started.  It is now being allocated as a single bed throw for Miss Whizzme's bed.  The odd balls of 4-ply cotton I have (and I have quite a few) make me think about new colour combinations as I crochet, rather than working it all out beforehand.  I really have no idea how long my cotton will last, but I am determined not to have to buy any yarn for this project.  It is currently being carried every where I go, as it is quite addicted once you get started, and easily picked up when stuck in traffic, waiting for school to finish, waiting for a Dr.'s appointment, sitting in front of the tv.  In fact, it even went to the swimming centre with me on Monday, when I took Miss Whizzme and her friend there for a swim after school since the weather was so swelteringly hot.  The photo you see is actually my progress up until then, as I had planned to post Monday night (dreaming!) so there are even more rows now.  The joys of a project that is mediating but progressive enough that you can see it growing.  I also managed to finally up load all the holiday photos, but now need to sort them, so no more pics just yet.  Might be my weekend project, especially as I have so many great op shop finds to show, and finished projects, yes, you read that right - finished projects!  I am still basking in my own glory of that.  Hope your week has been great so far... back again soon.

no reality for me thanks

That's right we are still at the beach, and having some wonderful weather which means that beach exploring is a must everyday. So our days are filled with lots of sun, sand, water, shells, crab spotting and even glimpses of fish.

But my nights are spent concentrating on creating winter for the Four Seasons Quilt Swap while watching the Australian Open.




Such a contrast has led me to step outside my comfort zone with quilting and try something different. This is just a peek as really I am not ready for the reality of daily life, back to the beach for me.... see you soon.

back on the chain gang...

ok, so it's not quite that bad. Although, I wasn't going to post until the house was in order, but given that we have now been back 5 days and it is hard to gauge any progress I thought it I'd better post before you Mum sends out the search party! It's a good thing that you cannot see the washing still to be done, the roomful of washing to be folded and put away, the beds to be made, dishes to be scrubbed, bills to be paid let alone the emails to be answered, all now added to my pages of the ever growing 'Must get this done soon' list.  Instead I will fill your eyes with the good times from our holidays.

For me this meant a lot of time enjoying this

finishing some projects

spending a lot of time at the beach with Miss L

and other lovely family pursuits that can be found at Phillip Island.

For Miss L a large part of the holiday was enjoyed by collecting jellyfish from the shoreline (hundreds of them, all about coin size) and then releasing them into an appropriately surveyed rock pool.  Thank goodness my only involvement in this daily project was pointing the oozy little creatures out with my toe. ick!  When we were able to drag Miss L away from the beach, it was to spend over an hour in the animal farm holding her favourite adoptee guinea pig. Sheesh!  

The upside of this activity being that Miss L is now intent on being allowed to have her own guinea pig, and so is attempting to prove her ability to be responsible.  I am of course milking this situation for all its worth using this as a perfect time for her to learn tidying up, putting away, packing school bags etc. etc.  We will see how long this lasts.

For Mr Whizzme it meant mainly spending much cherished time with his girls.

Since returning

- I have started the training course to become a telephone counsellor at PANDA

- joined my often partner in crime into guilting inspiring each other with joint gym sessions

- got about 1/3 done of both chevron scarf versions

- started the Christmas shopping

- organised the next sewing session for shop goodies.

Now that I am feeling better about my no more neglected blog I will return to the 877 posts still to be read in bloglines, the 15 commentors I still have to reply too and probably the washing.

off again

I think I mentioned a few posts ago that the Whizzme family is not that good at staying still for too long, so tomorrow Miss L and I are off to Rye for a few nights, then Friday the whole Whizzme clan (including the black one) are heading down to Phillip Island for 9 nights.  This has meant that my sewing plans have met some serious snags and I am currently hand-piecing and quilting in a frenzy to get my seasonal quilt finished.  It has nothing to do with the fact that I leave things until the last minute - nothing to do with that at all!

I must say a HUGE thank you to all your wonderful feedback I have received of late - it has me blushing with pride.  Mr Whizzme liked the fact that Dani had finally cracked my secret - I am a crazy lady wielding knitting needles  - sorry if I have ruined any illusions you may have had of my awesome multi-tasking skills - HA!

Also another awed thank you to those of you that snapped up my Aunty Cookie tote's so quickly.  When I get my hand's on some more of Shannon's fabric I will try to stitch a few more.  

In the meantime please excuse me if I do not visit in the next little while or I'm late to reply to your comments, I'll be at the beach....

hello spring

I know I promised hexagon's but I haven't managed any photo's yet, as once again I have succumbed to another infection - throat this time - no talking?  lucky I can still type!! so here is a little bit of the activity spring has brought.

A finished tote and crochet holdall for the back to school swap.  The swap also included a journal and photo album.  Once again I used my version of the tote from the simple gifts to stitch book - and I lined it. - so much better.

The crochet holdall was  based on an idea from this book.  

ISBN 978-4+415-30004-7

(Ok, a few more japanese craft books seem to have snuck into the house...)

I also added lining to the aunty cookie tote's.

 

doesn't that look better?! the one on the left is now on its way to a new home.

Miss L had a friend over to play so I fashioned the trampoline into a cubby.  This kept them out of my hair amused for hours.  Which meant I could get busy on my quilt for the Four Seasons Swap.  Here is a sneak peak at the fabric's I'm using.  

This is a very new colour way for me, and I'm quite enjoying it.

Meanwhile, I'll still be hexagoning, chevroning, sewing, dreaming, reading, oh wait it's school holidays - there goes all my free time - hmph!

Sorry this post is so short, but if you leave a comment you'll go into the draw for this month's giveaway - the prize will be announced with the winner. (mysterious!!) You have until Monday.

and then there were none...

Finally, the eight little hopping, Australian things I've been working on (wip mentioned here) are finished and hopping their way to the US. They are, of course, 8 little kangaroo's. Here are the other 7 just before heading off.

They are making their way to Dawn for one of her brillant Open Yours swaps. If you haven't before, try to join one as they are always great fun and you will not be disappointed with the goodies you recieve.

For those of you who are interested, we didn't get the house :( and we have decided to stop looking at the moment. What an emotional rollercoaster house hunting can be - no thanks! So, back to working with all my our clutter in our little house. (This is it on a very good day!)

In the meantime, I also finished two more mini moopies (wip from here) so I am slowly getting throught the WIP List.
One for Sallyanne - which is only a pinch of the thank yous she deserves,

and one finally for Miss L - who has now started bugging me about her own kangaroo....

what's with the eights?

I seem to have a thing about 8's at the moment, so it is pretty fitting that this is my 88th post. I've always loved writing the letter 8, two little circles, and yes, I have a thing about circles too. Anyway, before I tell you about my current 8, I have some finished wip's - done!

Firstly this mended quilt has been done for some time. I bought it looking like this from the market for 5 aussie dollars. It is now happily washed and patched and looking comfy like this....

This post is also hosting a patchwork theme, as I finished my current skirt project. This has been in the back of mind for nearly a year, so I'm glad to finally cross this one off the wip list. It is made up of some old jeans and a group of liberty cotton patches. One of the patches is the great liberty balloon fabric you saw here. I bought so many liberty patches to make this skirt that I now have enough to make a doona cover for Miss L - what was I thinking?! so a new wip to add to the list too :) but the skirt is nice and summery, even if Miss L's friend Miss E told me my skirt was falling down the other day!!!


Finally, I am participating in the Hot Socks swap, and I recieved this

lovely parcel from Barb, all the way from Sweden. There were in fact more chocolates but well, you know, they just beg to be eaten!!

And, as for those 8's? well, here is a clue - they are very Australian, and they hop!

swap from christine

swap from christine
Originally uploaded by whizzme.

One of the mulitude of swaps I was part of in April arrived today. I sent Christine some fabric and stuff and she made me one of her wonderful stamps. Just love it - thanks Christine.

Finished... well some things

Okay so the weekend wasn't quite as productive as planned, and I didn't get to the post office, but then I often think I'm going to get so much more done than I can. However, I am now ready for the post office tomorrow.

Swap packages ready for posting, fabric pouches sewn and tags made. I have a few more swaps scheduled for later and I'm sure to arrange more (as I'm kinda addicted) so I wanted to be better prepared.

And those other bags I was talking about....

4 more done. Yay! can't say who they are for yet, but I am pleased with how they look. More labels to finish with now too!

(pockets inside)
But I also have severe bag envy after seeing this today made by Anna.

However, I'm now off to do some knitting and finish the little holder for my scissors I started today. Yeah, I know another project!! Actually I should be cleaning ready for my sister and her family who arrive Tuesday. We can't wait, but for now the cleaning can.