Bits & Pieces

Hello there.

bbbrrr, it's freezing out there today and with the official start of winter only a few days away now, we've been quite lucky to be still having nice sunny days but not today!

On my knitting needles over the past few weeks have been a few little baby items, firstly, a little set for one of the mums that has a little girl going to Hannah's daycare, who has recently had a little boy, Geordie, what a cute name.  

A simple rib new born baby hat, Aviatrix baby bat, Ravelry details here, and 

Greemy booties, Ravelry details here

Another simple rib baby hat

I have a baby shower to go this coming Sunday so I'm hoping to get another pair of booties knitted in time to go with this little hat and then I'm going to start a baby blanket using this pattern. Fingers crossed it will be done by August!

I love the new look of the Australian Homespun magazine, its so pretty!  I've bought this magazine on and off again for many years now so have quite a few on my craft shelves.  Another recent buy was the latest issue of the Simply Crochet magazine - I'd bought a few of the earlier digital issues, but I do like the real thing!

I started this book recently, 600 + pages, gulp!  But its a good read and I'm now just over half way.

Lastly for today, my little water babe - we spent a relaxing Saturday afternoon at the pools recently and Hannah's confidence in the water is amazing, must be from all the time we spent in our pool over the summer.

Hannah is off to a birthday party at the pools this coming weekend so she's really excited, swimming and cake, perfect!

See you soon xx

Holiday Shopping

Hello friends, 

how's the weekend been for you? It's been a good one around here. I took Hannah and Zoe to our local Church spring fair yesterday then Hannah had a friend come to play for the afternoon, and today I've been tackling some spring cleaning jobs - almost getting to the end of my list, yay!

Anyways, I promised some photos of my holiday shopping - how could I not take the opportunity of being in Rotorua to stop by Cottage Flair, found in the small village of Ngongotaha, only ten minutes from Rotorua. 

This little patchwork, knitting and embroidery shop has always been a favourite of mine - I think I bought my first Shepherds Bush design from here many years ago: )

I only had a small amount of time here, while DH and Hannah wandered up the street, and before I knew it, they were back looking out for me. I could have happily browsed away in there at the gorgeous fabrics all morning.

So my purchases, the latest Australia Homespun, the Pink Issue:

And Red Home by Natalie Bird, which I'd been admiring on lots of Aussie patchwork blogs over recent weeks. This book is wonderful, I'd happily make every project out of it.  So now I'm going to have to start collecting red fabrics, lol.

There was lots of other shopping done during our holiday too. Our motel was situated right by the main shopping centre, how handy, lol.  Lucky for me, Hannah loves to look at the shops too. 

As I've probably mentioned before I have a little addiction to OPI nail polishes, and like to buy one, or two!,  if I'm travelling away from home.  These two are my latest additions - Your web or Mine from the Spiderman Collection, and I'm all Ears from the Minnie Mouse Collection.

Some great new colours for the summer months.

And yay, waiting for me at home, was the 2012 JCS Magazine, which had arrived from the US.

I love lots of the designs in this issue - the Primitive Hare, the Sisterhood, Lizzie Kate, Country Cottage Needleworks just to name a few. Trouble is, which one to do first!

Thanks for stopping by x