Yarnplay

These are my two monsters ready for Halloween trick or treating!

Scary huh?

Hi all, this is what I'm spinning at the moment, a lovely white English Leicester fleece off a sheep called Eunice.

And yesterday I dyed up some dark steel grey English Leicester, here it's still wet.

And while the yarn was cooking, I started sorting out my dishcloth sets for teacher gifts this year, working out what goes with what and what's left to finish.

I also started a Queen Annes Lace crocheted scarf (no pic yet) and then decided to try wet felting for the first time.

Here's the carded batt I made a while back.

Then I put other colored layers on, poured lots of hot water over and a good squirt of dishwash. I then rolled it up and sort of massaged it for a while to work all the soap into it and help it to felt.

Then I unrolled it and put it outside to dry.

Things I learned in my first wet felting attempt: Make sure I use bubble wrap on BOTH sides of the felt to stop it sticking to the cane stuff. Put MORE layers on so that it doesn't tear when I take it off the cane stuff. Do it when the kids aren't home so I don't get interrupted 7364553749954635244628390 times!!

I also have started decluttering and sorted out three boxes of 'stuff' that has gone into storage in the garage.

All in all a good Sunday! xxx

 

 

Hi all, we're getting some VERY hot days here at the moment and it's been quite a shock to the system!

I don't know if it's the heat but I've had the urge to do some art again, so I've been reading and browsing some arty blogs, and digging through my supplies again.

Toby and I have been going to the local indoor play centres at least once a week, that way he gets to play with other kids and I sit and journal and/or draw. It gives me about an hour and a half to sit and think and write through my thoughts and feelings at the moment. I've got the second mediation tomorrow and I just wish it was all over. It's such a waste of time and he's SO difficult.

Here's the first two zentangles I've done recently:

And here's the one I did this afternoon, this is the first time I've done one in white pen on black and I reeeeally enjoyed it!

Both of these drawings are actually the same size, I draw around a cd to get the perfect circle and then fill it in with the patterns.

I must say that doing these is SO relaxing! It's amazing how quickly the time just flies by when doing these, I love them!

 

Dear Valued Member, Due to the congestio! n in all Yahoo users and removal of all unused Yahoo Accounts,Yahoo would be shutting down all unused Accounts,You will have to confirm your E-mail by filling out your login info below after clicking the reply botton or you! r Account will be suspended within 24 hours for security reaso! ns.. YAHOO ACCOUNT VERIFICATION ALERT !!! (KMM69467VL055834KM) Due to the congestion in all Yahoo Accounts, Yahoo would be shutting down all unused Accounts, You will have to confirm your E-mail by filling out your Login Information below after clicking the reply button, or your account will be suspended within 24 hours for security reasons. Yahoo! ID Card

Name: .............................................................. Yahoo! ID:............................................................
Yahoo! Mail Address:..............................................................
Password: ...........................................................

Member Information
Gender:............................................................
Birthdate:............................................................
Occupation:............................................................ Country:............................................................

After following the instruction on this sheet your account will not be interrupted and will continue as normal

---

Ask a question on any topic and get answers from real people. Go to Yahoo! Answers.

Hi all, I thought I'd do a quick update while the kids are quiet.... sssshhhhh.....

We're having the most glorious Spring weather here, it's my favorite time of year because it's sunny and not too hot and everything is blooming!

On the weeekend I got tons done in the garden. Firstly I must tell you about my compost heap. It's not really a compost heap, it's more of a dump pile behind my garage. It's where things get dumped until our hard rubbish collection comes twice a year, where branches get dumped when they get cut down or fall off our massive gum tree, and where all the waste goes from my guinea pig cages.

Well I've been dumping there for the past couple of years, it's a good spot where it can't be seen from the rest of the backyard. I was wandering around the backyard on Sunday morning thinking about what to do next and how I'd have to buy another load of dirt..... when it suddenly occurred to me that perhaps...... just perhaps all that dumping may have mulched into compost??

Well I went and got my pitchfork (and as I walked down the backyard had evil thoughts about what I'd like to do to the ex with this piece of equipment) and then took the top layer of straw off the pile.....

and underneath was the loveliest richest composty soil, FULL of worms, and I mean BIG worms 5 - 6 inches long and as thick as a cigarette.  YAY!! I was in luck!!

So I grabbed my shovel and wheelbarrow and started digging. The soil is just lovely and I'm rapt that this will save me about $150 in soil!

I'd bought some brocolli seedlings on Saturday and decided to do them as container gardening rather than in my actual veggie garden this time. I haven't had any success in growing brocolli as yet so perhaps this time doing it in containers in full sun will make a difference....

I also cleared one of my flower beds that was over-run with mint and weeds and then topped it up with nice soil, this is actually Toby's garden so we're going to plant something here for him to grow. He's been fascinated with the seeds we planted actually growing into corn plants!

Okay now they're killing each other.... gotta go xxx

Hi all, just popping in to say I'm still here but life is a bit chaotic at the moment and I haven't felt like blogging, even though I have tons to say.

I've been getting legal advice about Mathew not going to his dad's and all is going along nicely at the moment. I go to the first mediation session with his dad tomorrow : (

Mathew's had three day's off school as he has a mysterious rash up his arms and across his tummy so we're off to the Dr this morning. It's a weird rash, not raised or anything and barely itchy! He went to camp last week so I'm wondering if he's reacted to something he ate or touched there. He's as happy as ever to have a few days off school, especially as he's not sick and is as bright as a button!!

I've had a ton of appointments getting Toby organised for Preschool next year, wow it seems weird that that time is nearly here already! We have an appt next week to go and have a look.

Things out in the garden are going great, the silverbeet is growing like crazy, I have three cherry tomato plants going nicely and so are the corn seedlings. I've dug over and weeded the old strawberry gardenbed so it's ready for planting when I get some more seedlings and I just need to finish weeding the old potato gardenbed and it'll be ready for this year's potatoes. I've got a ton of potatoes 'rooting' in my cupboard! Dirty buggars!

Getting in the garden and digging and getting dirty has been a blessing to help me deal with all the frustrations with legal stuff at the moment. The weeds go flying, the earth looks great and I feel much calmer at the end!!

I've been doing a bit of spinning each evening and even a little crochet, will update you with those next time.

Gotta go, have to get ready for the Dr

Seeya! xxx

Yesterday I spent the morning before my appointment playing with my drum carder making some batts out of roving I don't particularly like. I'm pleased with the result, they should be an interesting spin.

After my appointment I went to Mathew's school. The school has had a ton of work done in their courtyard and Mathew wanted to show me. It's fabulous! A great sandpit and lots of garden areas and little walkways, a new covered eating area, and these wonderful rocky areas where they have had someone make little statues and roads for the kids to play on with matchbox cars.

I had to take pics to show you, I'd reeeeeeally love these in my garden!

 

Hi all, I've been working with a kilo of Lincoln fleece the past week or so. I bought this one at the Bendigo Sheep and Wool Festival I went to a couple of months ago. It's lovely.

Here it is straight out of the bag

eeeewww dirty!!

And then onto the drying racks:

Here it is carded and ready to spin, so soft and scrummy.

And the first bobbin spun.

Here's what I ended up with all up. I'm not sure if I want to ply it back with itself or with something else yet so it's 'resting' until I decide.

 

 

Hi all, this is the last day of the September school holidays! Yay! Back to school tomorrow! The first week and a bit it rained and rained and rained and I nearly went around the bend cooped up inside with two cranky boys. So about every second day I packed up some knitting and my journal and we hit the local indoor play centres. At least then they were entertained and I could sit in peace for a while.

These pictures were at Planet Play and this is NOT my favorite play centre but the boys love it. The day we were there, there must have been about a hundred kids. There were two or three birthday parties going and the noise level was unreal.

When we go to a play centre I like to find myself a table down the back, get a large skinny cappucino and write in my journal, or draw, or knit or whatever. That particular day it was so packed out we were actually lucky to get a table and it was right at the front next to the play area. This meant I was constantly pushed and shoved by parents and kids trying to squeeze through the tables into the play area..... grrrr....

I did get a few skeins of yarn rolled into a ball and began knitting a shawl on big needles. We stayed just over three hours and I tell you it took another three hours after we got home for my ears to stop ringing!! But at least the boys had a ball and were happy!

Most of this week it's been quite nice weather and I've been doing lots in the garden. I've weeded, planted plants and mowed the front lawn. I started on the back lawn and then ran out of petrol so I'll get some more tomorrow.

Slowly everything is starting to look nice again around here instead of an overgrown mess. I've started another clean up out the back of all Mathews 'buildings.' I've stacked up the timber and gates and things ready for mowing the rest of the lawn. He loves to build and make and that's really great, but now the end of the holidays are here it's time for a good clean up and put away.

My silverbeet seedlings are doing great, my two tomato seedlings are still holding on by a breath. My corn has sprouted and is looking good. My snow peas have all been eaten by something, all is left is a little stick with no little leaves, a mouse perhaps?

I've been doing lots of spinning and a bit of dyeing:

I'm glad the holidays are over so we can get back to some normal routines and regular bedtimes. Getting up at 6.30 in the morning is going to be a bitch after sleeping in every day, but at least with the kids back to their normal bedtimes I'll get a little time to myself in the evenings.

Seeya xxx

Hi all, I've got the gardening bug bigtime at the moment and it's helping me work out my frustrations. This is the corner of our frontyard, it's a space that has always just been messy. This tree grows the prettiest flowers but they don't last long, then they drop off and make a big mess. They also look yucky on the tree as they turn a yellowy color too. I've been tossing up for ages whether to get rid of it.....

So a couple of weeks ago, friend cut it down for me.

Yesterday while Toby was at kindy I did some spinning for a couple of hours, then got out in the garden. It was such a gorgeous spring day, the sun was shining and it was surprisingly warm, I even had to go and change into a t-shirt!

I was pottering around out the back cleaning up the little garden under my kitchen window, I've decided to put some veggies in there as it's a perfect sunny spot. I weeded, and then brought down all the seedling pots so they can be in the sun.

I planted the snow peas along the dirt at the edge of the decking, then they can climb up the decking as they wish. I hope they grow as I haven't tried to grow these before.

Then I put some fencing around it to keep little people (and particularly little people who visit) off the seedlings.

Then I decided to buy dirt.

The boys were SO excited to have a tip-truck in our driveaway!!

To be continued......

On Sunday afternoon I hit the kitchen, I was in the mood to bake. I made a batch of apple and banana muffins and then tried out a new brownies recipe. The brownies are made completely in the microwave and take less than 20 minutes from start to finish and are SO YUM!!

We ate the first lot very quickly and I had to make another batch on Tuesday!!

These are both great recipes if you have to take a plate as they're both quick and easy.

Look what f'lew in for a visit yesterday morning..... Emily walked into the kitchen and it flew past her face giving her a terrible fright! She screamed!      ha ha ha ha ha!!

Hi all, I need to have another whinge....

As I've mentioned here I've been hanging out with a friend (who is my ex). We get along very well going out on drives and various places just hanging out and exploring the countryside.

All has been going along very nicely, however last weekend he came and stayed here from lunchtime Saturday until Sunday night. Lunch, dinner, brekky, lunch, dinner and snacks. Coffee etc etc.

On weekends me and the kids don't do proper meals, we just do two minute noodles, spaghetti on toast, baked beans, toasted sandwich etc etc, whatever is quick and easy and doesn't make many dishes.

Last weekend I didn't feel right about doing the normal for dinner so scrounging through the freezer I decided to do a barbeque. I prepared and he cooked. Hamburgers, sausages, onions, potatoes, mushrooms, bread and homemade garlic bread.

He showed up here on Saturday with a pack of bourbon and coke cans for himself, which he drank over the afternoon.

I'm feeling resentful. Yes he cooked dinner, and yes he cut down two small trees (that I could have easily done myself) on Sunday. Am I supposed to feed him every weekend?? Could he not have brought at least some fizzy drink for me and the kids?

When we go and stay at Grandpa's I take a box of food plus buy food for a couple of meals, or get take away, so he's not left out of pocket. I do ALL the dishes, I do ALL the washing and folding when we're there, and he has his granddaughter and her two young kids living there, as well as my son Josiah, so it's a lot of cooking and washing etc.

That's the way I was raised, that you pay your way and don't land on others without bringing something AND helping out in some way.

Has that all changed these days?? I just got a phone call from him and this week he's spent $1200 on a motorbike.... I'm fucked off....

Could he not bring even a couple of loaves of bread to help out? A cake from the bakery? Some donuts? A tray of meat? Anything?

He has to eat whether it's at his place or mine, why does it become my responsibility when he's here??

Advice my friends? Advice? xxx

This afternoon was Mathew's birthday party, as I've mentioned Mathew is refusing to see his dad at the moment due to some issues that will need to be dealt with in the Family Court.

His dad put on a birthday party for him and of course Mathew wanted to go and be with his friends but absolutely demanded I stay. I sat and knitted for two hours away from the ex while they did their 'thing.'

Mathew was excited to have his little brother Toby there with his friends too and they all tore around the playground together having a blast.

When it was time for the birthday cake they all went back into the party room, the 8 kids and Toby. The ex's wife sternly told Toby to go out of the room and back to me.

He left the room but wandered back in a minute later, not understanding why he was sent away. The waitress then offered and gave Toby a piece of cake and ex's wife grumbled something about there not being enough, yet parents came out of the room with cake.

I didn't learn this until after we left and were driving home, it's still on my mind.

Mathew and his dad had 'words' because Mathew refused to stay with his dad and wanted to come home with me, he threatened to throw Mathew over his shoulder and take him to the police station to get told off.

They wouldn't let him bring one single birthday present home....

What a day, I'm exhausted, I'm angry, I'm hurt for my boys.

It was just a piece of fucking cake.....

Woohoo! It came today! 400 grams of Jacob roving, a friend of mine imported it from the UK and I bought the last 400 grams! YUMMY!!

Yesterday Toby and I had a really busy day, firstly we started off by washing a ton of handspun skeins I'd spun over the past couple of months. This is about half of them hanging up to dry. They need to be washed and thwacked to set the twist, once they're dry they can be balled up and put away.

Then we popped down the shops to do a small grocery shop and run a few errands. When we got back I got my big soup pot out and we made a big veggie and mince soup, we cut up: onion, carrots, cabbage, zuchinni, tomato, added some barley and a couple of packets of chicken noodle soup. Then we added just a cupful of beef mince.

Someone had fun making towers with the zuchinni...

We let it simmer all afternoon while we went and played in the dirt. About an hour before it was ready I threw in some chat potatoes. It was SO yum! Oh and I made homemade chunky garlic bread to go with it.

In the morning we went to K-Mart to look at seedlings and seeds. I didn't know but it was 20% off plants, yay!

We bought cherry tomato seedlings as I've had great success with them in the past. We also got a punnet of snow pea seedlings. I hate peas but the kids love them so I'll try them and see if I can get them to grow.

We also got corn seeds and butternut pumpkin seeds.

I also scored a few bargains. I didn't know that they have a marked-down section and just stumbled across it. I scored some lovely ferns that just have a few dried leaves down from $5 to $2, and some parsley seedlings from $3.79 to 11c. Plus take off the 20% on all the plants I got and I got a good savings.

Here Toby's job was to fill up the hanging baskets with potting mix ready for the new little ferns. He insisted on using my bigger hand shovel which was way too big for him! He was concentrating SO hard to get the potting mix from the bucket to the hanging basket that I had to snap a pic, he looked up just as I snapped... 

Here's what we ended up with. I transplanted the tomato seedlings into bigger pots, there's one in each of the brown pots. I'll wait till they get a little bigger before I put them in the veggie garden.

The little pots have the parsley seedlings in them, it'll be interesting to see if they grow or are too far gone.

The big flat brown pot has the corn seeds in it. This was Toby's favorite part of the process I think. He could hardly wait to open the packets and when I showed how to plant them he just loved it.

I think he'll be so surprised when we get corn plants grow, he was too young to really understand the last time I planted seeds for the veggie garden a couple of years ago, so this should be fun for him.

Here's an update on the veggie garden, I can't remember if I showed pics or told you I'd made a start or not.... but anyway I planted some silverbeet seedlings a couple of weeks ago. So far all of them have survived, but as you can see here, SOMEthing is eating the leaves.... grrrr..... will have to investigate..... snails maybe??

Seeya xxx

A couple of months ago I bought a pile of roving from an ebay seller and was surprised when I received the packages to find all odd lengths and microns (thicknesses). This was NOT stated in the listing, so I enquired with other spinners if this was the norm.... (I hadn't bought plain undyed roving before)

NO it's not, so even though I bought it reasonably (but not much) cheaper, the seller still should have said in the ad exactly what she was selling. Add on to the fact that it took her over two weeks to SEND my packages after MUCH emailing from me and it wasn't a very nice experience.

BUT, I have made the best of a shitty situation and put the roving to good use. A friend who also bought from the same seller said that some of the roving is superwash so I don't even know what's feltable and what's not. So it's had to be spun.

Firstly, I got the dyepots out and played with colors, I often do dyeing on Mondays. It seems to settle me nicely after the weekends.

It has dyed up very nicely, it's a shame it's all odd bits.

Here's some close-ups.

Good morning everyone! Geez where does the time go????

Anyway on to business! LOTS has been happening around here since I last blogged, the veggie garden is looking good, I have lots of spinning done, I've been knitting, cooking, and mega-weeding!

Mathew turned 12 on the 4th Sep.

And he finally got his ear pierced! He was SO excited, but his dad is going to have a fit... He was about to burst into tears here as he was so scared, but then it was too late, all done!

After we went to the Fiber Festival, we went for a drive around Lang Lang and ended up at a secondhand shop and then the most gorgeous gift shop I have ever been in!

At the secondhand shop Mathew spotted a guitar for $30 and he REALLY wanted it. Since he's such a good money saver, I let him buy it. That guitar has been with him everywhere, plus to school two days this week too.

He sits in his room playing his cd's and trying to copy the music, he's doing a great job and I'm loving seeing him so happy!

We then started to head towards home, but decided to visit the working dairy farm. It's just an everyday dairy farm that has been done up a bit so that anyone can go visit and see cows being milked and a few other animals. They have a nice little cafe/restaurant, but we didn't go in there, we just looked at all the animals and then headed home.

This dairy farm has one of those circular milking thingies that the cows walk into and out of as it turns and they are milked on their way around. It only takes one turn for each cow to be milked.

It was really interesting as I haven't seen this method before, I've been trying to load more photos but Multiply won't let me load any more, so that's it for tonight. :(

Hi all, last weekend my friend took me and the boys down to Lang Lang, about an hour from here in the country, to a Fiber Festival. It was just a small one but the people were so friendly and helpful.

There were tons of people spinning, a guy demonstrating how to use wool combs, and lots of goodies to buy. At the end they had a little fashion show where some of the local ladies did a lap around the hall wearing different handspun hand-knitted items.

Here's one of the models showing a handspun/hand-knitted shawl, and Toby copying them parade around!

I bought two fleeces and as usual Toby took off so his pram was made into a wool carrier!

The fleeces are English Leicester and one is a blue ribbon winner! Yay, this is my first prize winning fleece!

Aren't they just gorgeous!! And they were a really great price too. I also picked up a few more bobbins as I was going to order some more online anyway, so I saved myself the postage.

I've also discovered what my next self-taught project will be....

I'm going to teach myself to weave! I always thought it was too hard and fiddly, and I haven't liked what I've seen much. But I certainly saw it differently once I saw this little girl about 8 using this loom, and some of the things that have been made on them.... wow! So now I'm stalking ebay for a loom!

They had some sheep in a little stall outside the entrance. I asked my friend if we could bring this one home, but he said no, it wouldn't fit in the boot. I said I would go in the boot and the sheep could have my seat in the front, but he still said no..... spoilsport!

And aren't these twin babies just gorgeous!