A Beautiful Ramble

Pinch and a Punch

2012-02-01T17:13:00.000+11:00

... for the first of the month!

As you can see, blogging is high in my priorities this year. *Ahem*

January passed quicky and smoothly, for the most part. My husband is still limping from hurting his knee about three weeks ago. It appears that his cartilage is damaged, and according to his medical certificate there should be "considerable improvement" in approximately two years. "Rest" is prescribed. Needless to say, I'm being much nicer to him, mostly because when he walks it looks so painful it makes my knees start to ache.

In other (and much nicer) news, my teacher's registration was approved VERY quickly (in less than a third of the time it usually makes) and now I can legally teach primary school in Tasmania. I am extremely happy! Private schools go back on Febuary 9, and public schools on the 15th, so it won't be long until I have relief work.

Looking at my photos, it appears that January has mostly involved taking photos of Bumblebees and flowers... here are some of my favourites.

Next post, I'm hoping to show you some of the stuff I've made this year... until then!

Happy (Belated) New Year!

2012-01-08T18:01:00.000+11:00

I'm a bit late to the party, I know, but I really must wish you all a happy and fulfilling 2012!

This year has already been busy, though also very relaxed. We were away camping with friends from the 31st of December to the 3rd of January, and I feel like I've only just settled back in at home (probably because I've been on an uncharacteristc cleaning and organising splurge!).

The beautiful Gunns Plains, where we camped.

Now, I didn't even think of making any resolutions until a couple of days ago, but (truth be told) I don't usually make them anyway, because I don't like setting myself up to fail. So instead of listing my resolutions, here's a list of some 2012 firsts!

Firsts for 2012 so far:

- First celebration: My 26th birthday!

- First sunburn: Julian, though his wasn't as bad as mine, which I got the next day

- First bug photographed: Dragonfly - it flew past and landed right by me!

- First alcoholic beverage: merlot/baileys in milk (I was sort of alternating between them)

- First cooked meal: Eggs and bacon for a camping breakfast

Bacon clothesline!

- First crochet project started: Tiny Whale, pattern courtesy of PlanetJune.

- Books: first finished = Princess Charming; first started = A Woman's Place

- First movie session: Alvin and the Chipmunks 3: Chipwrecked, followed by Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (this was rather fantastic!)

- First in-joke: POPPIES!!!

These are the opium kind - Tasmania is a huge exporter of these.

Records in 2012:

- I've worn a skirt everyday this year! My legs are looking a bit wonderful :D

- Rose early every morning while camping: 7am, 5am (!), 8am (this is later as we were exhausted from the early start the day before... air mattresses with leaks are NOT fun).

- Went as far along the north-west coast of Tasmania that I've ever been: Table Cape.

Table Cape Lighthouse

Stuff that has excited me so far:

- Swam in the same river my dad learnt to swim in (the Leven River, north Tasmania).

The Leven River, my husband, and two children who are not ours (though I boss them around heaps!)

- Visiting the Gunns Plains Caves (glow worms!)

"Bacon" - very cool cave fomation, the colours are from minerals.

And, Oh! I've decided to list my (very general) resolutions for this year after all:

1. Work hard but don't strive;

2. Be restful and peaceful but not lazy; and, most importantly,

3. Do everything with diligence and a happy heart (give, work, serve, create and play with joy!)

What are some of your firsts for 2012? What are some of your resolutions?

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-24T13:26:00.000+11:00

I think this just might be the most adorable retelling of the Christmas story ever.

Wishing all of my readers a wonderful and happy Christmas!

Snickerdoodles!

2011-12-19T15:11:00.002+11:00

It's been, I think, about two weeks since I actually made these snickerdoodles. I took photos of them, however, and I don't want them to go to waste.

I've been wanting to make snickerdoodles for years and years, and so when I finally took the plunge the poor cookies had a lot to live up to.

Did they meet my expectations?

YES! In more than one way, too.

They are delish, but they are also so easy to make. Best of all, they don't need any special ingredients. Perfect.

I used this snickerdoodle recipe, but added a little cinnamon into the dough, too. I also cooked it as a slightly higher temperature (about 180C). This time, I cooked them perhaps a minute or two too long, because they should be moister and chewier than this, but they were still wonderful.


This one is bleeding :(

The dough is like heaven, too! Ah! Couldn't stop eating it!

Christmas has Landed

2011-12-08T19:14:00.001+11:00

So! Today was awesome!

I did some volunteering in a friend's classroom (which I've enjoyed so much) and that led to me getting to decorate a gingerbread house! I had to do it super quickly as it was almost lunch time (and the kids were using all the lollies I wanted!), but I think it's cute.

That's the door - notice the two hinges!

After supervising several groups of children, I knew that for a gingerbread house to be successful (and look extremely tempting) a huge amound of icing is crucial!


A bird's eye view.

After volunteering (I was only there from 9 until 1), my husband and I went to Mitre10 (a hardware store) to find a real, live, prickly, conical and cute Christmas tree. I love the one we chose - a White Spruce, still very much a baby.

It's decorated with bells (red and while), angels with glitterly wings, and a starry garland. We think it's too small for the lights, though I may add them. It would be nice to have it lit up.

I also wrapped a silver and red ribbon around the pot, to make it look a little nicer.

As we now had a Christmas tree, it meant that decorating could happen, and now the house is decked out. The potted rosemary plant, however, was feeling a little left out, so I prettied her up with some baubles. It makes me smile when I look at her.

I'm pleasantly surprised at how many times I've already posted this month, I half expected to get to Christmas and realise I hadn't posted at all!

I'm planning on being back soon to share about my snickerdoodle making venture and the recipe for the yule log I plan to make for boxing day!

Wedding Anniversary Number Six!

2011-12-03T14:10:00.000+11:00

I've been looking at wedding photos for the last few days (preparing to finally get them printed!) and so now it is finally my wedding anniversary and I'm so excited!

Tonight we are going out for dinner and then a movie - nice and relaxed, just like our wedding day was! I can't wait! Wood fired pizza, here I come!

Also, honey, if you finally catch up on reading my blog, the last six years have been wonderful, and I'm looking forward to the next 60!

Summer is Here! Hence the Rain!

2011-12-01T21:32:00.001+11:00

In typical Tasmanian fashion the first day of December - and of summer - was cold and drizzly. Not that I'm complaining, becuase I LoVe this sort of weather! But it would be nice to have warm toes!

The "Christmas Month" has started off slowly. Today I did the dishes and some present making, and that's pretty much it. The yarn for one of my husband's presents (a beanie) arrived today, which is a relief - I was starting to get concerned I'd run out of time to make it.

I've been thinking about trying to post every day in the lead up to Christmas, but I'm not going to be too strict on myself. I will try to post every other day though. Be forewarned: it will mostly be crochet and food and house rearranging and decorating.

And because I don't want a pictureless post, here are some snapshots of a sunshower we had just the other week:

I love how the rays of sunlight are visible, there's something so magical about it.

See you back here soon!!

Pears and Roses

2011-11-26T17:52:00.000+11:00

Hello!

As you can see from all the posts, the 21 day organising challenge is going great! Okay... so maybe not. Somethings are more exciting than organising (though don't get me wrong - I love to organise stuff!).

Instead of organising I've been busy crocheting like the wind!

A while back I decided it would be awesome if I managed to reach 150 finished objects (FOs) on Ravelry by then end of 2011. In the last week alone I've finished a total of seven projects, which means I've only got 15 to go!

Totally reachable!

Here are some of the things I've been making. Each of these projects were for a Kris Kringle gift.

A tiny pear keyring.

A pear pincushion. This was the first time I've used two colours simultaneously while crocheting. I love the result! Inside are a couple of metal scourers. Apparently they help keep pins sharp.

This is what it looks like on the inside:

A rose brooch - I was very gratified when the recipient pinned it on immediately!

Now I just want to make dozens of tiny pears and rose brooches!

"Revenge": a video in which my brother is almost naked (disturbing? yes, a little)

2011-11-15T00:02:00.000+11:00

Want to hear my brother singing in the shower? Want to find out how crazy my family actually is?

Did you answer "YES" to either of those questions?

If so, this 4 and a half minute video is for you!

Revenge

This was made by Southern Christian School for the My State Film Festival... I don't know how they got away with so few clothes.

Remembering and Rainbows

2011-11-11T18:16:00.001+11:00

Originally, this post was just going to be about a rainbow badge I made for my niece, whose birthday is today (she's currently into rainbows), but I also want to say something to acknowledge all the courageous men and women who have fought to keep Australia free.

Thinking about these two things, the rainbow and Rememberence Day, I realised that there is a connection - for me at least. For me, the rainbow is all about remembering. When I see a rainbow, it reminds me of God. I'm filled with joy and thankfulness that my God is faithful and trustworthy. I can honestly say that God has never disappointed me. He has made even the hard and difficult parts of my life into something beautiful.

This post is getting much deeper than I intended!

Here is the rainbow badge I made for my neice:

To make it, this is what I did:

I crocheted a flat disk (sc), using the usual increased (6, 12, 18, etc) until it was 36st around, then did a round of slst (blo), doing an extra ch in each of the six corners.
I then embroidered the rainbow on, using chain stitch and some running stich, and I used the yellow to sc around the outside.
I then sewed a piece of felt onto the back, and sewed on a brooch pin.
To flatten it, I boiled the jug, held the badge in the steam (being careful not to burn myself!) and then pressed it flat.

Here's the back, all nice a neat with a bit of felt covering all the mess! I really enjoyed doing some handsewing again.

To give it to her, I am planning on putting it in this little bag. I think she'll love it! I hope so!!

And now to the Rememberence Day part of the post...

Several men from my family have been in the army, including my father in Vietnam, my maternal grandfather in WWII (I think - he was stationed in Darwin), and my great uncles in WW1, one of whom died. The other was literally saved by the Bible in his breast pocket, which prevented shrapnel from wounding him.

I have seen the damage war does, even decades later, to those who give their time in service. I love my father, and I recognise that his service in Vietnam took it's toll emotionally, physically and mentally. It's is all due to God that my father and our family is as whole and healed as we are. I count myself blessed when I see how other veterans and their families are still suffering in a very real way.

I honour these men, and I pray that my brothers, my husband, and my future children will not to bear the burden they did.

Day 5: Under the Kitchen Sink

2011-11-11T16:04:00.001+11:00

Hello! I have been a little absent - oops! I have, however, kept on with the organising challenge. For the time being I'm skipping day 4 (the linen closet) because I haven't quite decided how I want to rearrange it, so here is day 5!

I enjoyed rearranging under the kitchen sink, making things fit a little better, and getting rid of a few things too.

Here's the before:

Here's the after:

Can you spot the differences?

Day 3: The Tupperware Cabinet

2011-11-03T22:00:00.001+11:00

I should start this post by letting you know that I don't have a tupperware cabinet.

I have a plastic tub that I keep all my plastic (tupperware and otherwise) containers in.

I have a small kitchen!

This is where the containers live, in the tub directly under the microwave under the stairs:

See the neft guns? And the ladybugs? And yes, we use margarine (shock horror!).

This is before I started going through my "tupperware tub":

These are the things I decided not to keep:

The things on the left were put into recycling, I'm using the drinkbottle and I want to declutter the tupperware.

Finally, this was after:

As you can see, there's still plenty of tupperware left.

It's not much different, but it is neater and it's enough to make me happy, and isn't that what organising your home is really all about?

Btw, would any of you like these tupperware "FlatOut" containers? A set of four, barely used.

This is what they look like "popped out" - 950ml capacity.

Flattened out, they really don't take up much space.

Leave a comment and I'll get back to you (make sure you include your email address).

Day 2: Computer Desk

2011-11-01T22:13:00.000+11:00

The computer desk is my husband's domain. I use the diningroom table as a computer/yarn and knitting/uni work station.

My husband, while not filthy or disorganised, is not immune to leaving things like steak knives on the computer desk for weeks at a time.

This is the computer desk before I started on my cleaning and organising:

And again, from another angle:

Cous cous and coffee, anyone?

Yes, we really do have a computer with no sides... it was overheating. I think it looks pretty awesome like this.

After taking these photos, I procrastinated for about half and hour, before starting on a general tidy up of the floor and desk top. This led me to cleaning up the two top drawers a little, and the middle drawer now contains computer related cords which are bound up neatly with metal ties (the ones that come with freezer bags). I'm really quite pleased with it!

Other things were relocated upstairs, some things even went into the junk drawer. Once tidy, I dusted. And dusted and scrubbed and dusted... for ages!!!

Finally though, this was the result:

The thing with the heart on it gets put in front of the external hard drive so the flashing light doesn't annoy me.

And again:

Julian used to have awesome headphones too, but they broke. New ones for Christmas, perhaps?

I ignored the "media centre" right next to it, on which some things from the computer desk were dumped:

That's a job for another day!

Day 1: Junk Drawer

2011-11-01T02:15:00.001+11:00

I sorted through my junk drawer not to long ago, so there isn't that much difference between the before and after pictures, but some things were thrown out and others were relocated, so all in all it was an organising success!

Welcome to my junk drawer:

Before:

As you can see, it's quite respectable for a junk drawer. This is partly because all the batteries, lightbulbs and glues have a drawer of their own. The blue bag is full of pens and pencils. The thing in the top right corner is an old fashioned camera.

The scariest part is the white container:

As you can see, this is full of a whole lot of random things, from sunnies to goggles to a handbag strap. The teeth were a present for my husband from my mum and dad. They chatter and chomp and are really quite entertaining.

In the white container were these little treasures, all belonging to my husband:

Clockwise from the top left: Manchester United keyring, brought back as a souvenir from the UK by his (that is, my husband's) sister; my husband's Bronze Medallion for swimming, earnt in grade nine; the glasses that my husband wore in primary school to help him concentrate; an Australian 2 cent coin given to my husband from his nan, featuring a frilled neck lizard.

Needless to say, these did not get thrown out, unlike half of the padlocks in the picture below.

Here are all the things that were thrown out (the game was from another drawer, and the Slazenger bag is empty):

As you can see, I didn't get rid of that much. Below is a picture of the things which were relocated, mostly to the computer desk, though the corner cutter thing will go in the box with the card making supplies, and the sunnies will go in the basket near the front door.

And this brings us to the finished result. There aren't too many differences, but it is just that bit more organised, which makes me happy! The main difference is that now all the screws, allen keys, and other things of that nature are all in a bag together. Also, the 3D glasses for the cinema are now kept in this drawer too.

After:

I find it amusing that this drawer looks MORE cluttered since organising it! But this is partly because other drawers were organised at the same time, and things were moved around to make the best use of the space I have to work with.

Since taking this, a couple of other things have also been put in here, as a result of cleaning and organising the computer desk, which I'll talk about in my next post.

21 Day Organising Challenge

2011-10-31T18:17:00.001+11:00

Brought to you by A Bowl Full of Lemons, this challenge came to my attention because of my friend and her bloggie woggie.

Basically, over 21 days, your tidy and organise 21 mess "hot spots". I've only done the first two days so if you are also tired of not knowing where your Nintendo DS is, or of all your towels falling out of the cupboard when you open it, please feel free to join in!

21 DAY ORGANIZING CHALLENGE

Join the Challenge (at any time)
Day 1 - Junk Drawer
Day 2 - Computer Desk
Day 3 - Tupperware Cabinet
Day 4 - Linen Closet
Day 5 - Under kitchen sink
Day 6 - Dresser Drawers
Day 7 - The Pantry
Day 8 - Coat Closet
Day 9 - Toy organization
Day 10 - Laundry Room
Day 11 - The Freezer
Day 12 - Spice Cabinet
Day 13 - Medicine Cabinet
Day 14 - Under bathroom sink
Day 15 - Medicine/Vitamin Storage
Day 16 - The Fridge
Day 17 - The Mail
Day 18 - Keepsakes
Day 19 - Master Closet
Day 20 - Photos
Day 21 - You pick!

Go here for more info and to see some inspiring before and after photos!

It's FINISHED! (plus two snails)

2011-10-29T22:32:00.000+11:00

Well hello!

It's gotten back to me that certain people (Beka) are mourning by blogging absence, even though we see each other a lot. As in, the only other person I see more is my husband (who is totally freaked out about how similar we are haha).

I admit that I have been putting off writing a post, because I feel like there are so many other things I want to say, so this is going to be a sort of summary post. You will, however, have to visit my other *ahem* healthy living blog to see me with a giant box of chocolates.

Okay, let me get you up to speed, from least to most important:

1. I took lots of photos of a cute snail which I was going to blog about, but didn't. Here's one of them:

2. I've added a "Follow me on Pinterest" button on the sidebar. If you're on Pinterest and you like the sort of things I pin, start following me, and I'll follow you in return! I am just a little bit addicted...

3. I've decided not to take part in NaNoWriMo this year. I already have enough going on without trying to write 50,000 words in one month. My author-friend Lissa, however, is taking part, and will be sharing her progress throughout the month (she also has some of her stories available FREE until the end of October!).

4. I've begun a 21 Day Organisation Challenge (thanks to Beka, who's also doing it). I'll post more about it in the next couple of days. If you want to join in feel free; I'm only up to day two.

5. This is the MOST important update of all...

I've finished my degree!!!*^

*so long as I've passed everything!

^if I passed, I'm qualified to teach anywhere in the world!

As you can probably guess, I am over the moon about this! I started going to uni SEVEN years ago with the intention of becoming a primary school teacher, and now here I am on the other side! If you are newer here, you can read about some of the struggles of this journey here.

Incidentally, here's another snail, made in class while completing my Master of Teacher course:

more pics

And there you are, all up to date!

I'll be back soon with a post about the 21 Days Organising Challenge (warning: there will very likely be lots of pictures).

I Dream of Vertical Driveways

2011-09-14T15:47:00.000+10:00

As some of you know (and will have read), I occasionally have pretty full on dreams, often featuring my friends.

So, here's a bit of a dream journal, about my dream last night... enjoy! (It's a bit long, but it reads fast!)

I Dream of Vertical Driveways (and rowing boats)

(Note: our family used to have a beautiful Huon Pine and Celery Top dinghy (now a family friend owns it, and Dad loves boats. Also note that I knit a lot, and that the place names are real, Google them if you so desire!)

It's stormy, windy and also sunny - only in Tasmania. Dad is teaching my brothers how to sail a rather small wooden tall ship into the harbour at Hobart while my husband and I look on.

They make it into the harbour, and then the scenario begins to repeat itself. It has become more dangerous, and there are rocks, smooth and sloping gently and decidedly into the rough water. The boys sail the ship dangerously close...

They make it, and the scenario repeats itself again. This time the boys sail the ship too close to the rocks, which are darker and angrier than before. I hear the squealing sound and see the edge of the ship scraping along the rock face. I scream out, "Dad! Dad! It's on the rock! It's too close!"

My father hears me, and a frenzy of movement on board ensues as the ship is eased off the rock. Again, it arrives safely in the harbour. I realise that my husband and I are now in the harbour too, in a small wooden dinghy which I recognise. Of course, it's my father's boat.

source

Dad is busy, organising things on the ship, getting it ready to dock. I call out to him, "Dad, we'll row the dinghy back! Where does it need to go?" He is smiling as he calls out the answer, "To Geeveston - it's a long trip!" "We'll be okay! We'll meet you there so you can drive us home."

In my dream I realise that although my dad said Geeveston, I'm picturing Franklin. (Now I'm realising that in my dream I was picturing Huonville and Franklin as just down the coast, a bit past Kingston and Blackman's Bay, when in actuality it's much further).

My husband and I start to row, and I am careful to have good form so I don't strain my back. Soon we reach Franklin, and, realising that it's not Geeveston, we decided to stop for a break and buy some scones with jam and cream. In my dreams, Franklin is much bigger than it is in real life, and I decide to pick up some knitting I'd left at a friends place. I recognise the place and the person, not from real life, but from another dream. Her antisocial and mentally ill husband stays hidden in another room while we are there. We don't stay long.

After we leave her place, we decide we are too tired to continue rowing, and start looking for a place to store the boat so it won't get stolen. My husband is skeptical, "the people who we leave it with will most likely steal it" but I brush his fears aside. We come to a place on the edge of town, and are walking up the driveway when we are confronted by an angry, defeated woman sitting on her house's doorstep.

"You should go before he sees you!"

"Who?" I reply, curious, but she doesn't have time to answer before we hear a man raging at us.
"How dare you step on my property! You'll pay for this!"

I look up to see that this house is one of several similar ones which spread over the side of a steep hillside. The one I'm standing at is at the base of the hillside. The one from which the yelling man has emerged is located half way up the hillside, at the top of an extremely steep driveway.

source

"We were looking for someone to look after our boat for us."

"Really! Just come up here and try to explain it!" His tone is threatening, but I decide to do as he said.

I start to climb the driveway. I have to hold onto the edges to stop myself from falling. Soon it's vertical, and I'm trying to pull myself up using just my arms. About half way up I realise that the man has gone inside. Just as I realise this, he emerges from his house, shotgun in hand. Without thinking, I allow myself to slide back down the driveway, listening with fright his threatening bellows and the sounds of the shotgun being loaded and cocked.

I run for the car (which wasn't there before), and realise with amusement and terror that it's exactly the same as his car, which is perched at the top of his driveway. I have the advantage though, as the keys are already in the car... but this advantage is lost when the car suddenly faces the wrong way, requiring a three-point turn. In a frenzy I leap in the car only to fall out the other side, but at least I managed to start the engine! I dash around the car again and leap in as another me moves over to the passenger seat. I hear the roar of the crazy man's car starting and think with horror of the speed the car will gain as it goes down that driveway.

Our car is now ripping out of the driveway, but instead of driving, I'm in the backseat and feeling vulnerable, scared that the mad man will shoot at the car and shatter the back windscreen. My husband is in the front passenger seat, and someone else is driving at a speed people usually only reach on video games. Putting on the brakes to corner the speed is still insanely fast, it makes me feel light headed. I look back, and the other car is nowhere in sight - perhaps we left too quickly? Perhaps the man was more about bluff than we thought?

Determined to put as much distance between us and him as possible, we continue to speed, other cars are blurs, and it's a miracle we don't crash. Finally, as we begin to realise we are safe, the speed of the car slows, and we're back at the water's edge, safe and happy to sit under a weeping willow and simply breathe.

source

The dinghy floats demurely, occasionally bumping against the jetty, and we wait. Soon dad will be here and we'll load the dinghy onto the boat trailer and head home.

Crochet Slippers - Free Crochet Pattern!

2011-09-12T01:59:00.000+10:00

A very long time ago, nearly two years ago to be exact, I made myself some slippers following this very excellent pattern.

Since then, however, I've tweaked and changed the pattern and made it my own. I've made well over half a dozen pairs of slippers using it, and I've finally gotten around to posting it on here so everyone can use it (also so I can link up my projects on Ravelry!).

Because I like to use 8 ply (DK weight) yarn, and it's what I have a lot of, this pattern is made with that in mind. The original pattern (see link at the top of the post) is written for 10 ply, if that's more your thing.

These slippers are quick and easy to make, I can make a pair in just a few hours!

Summer Slippers
(Ravelry Link)

DK weight (8 ply) yarn in two colours (approximately 120m for main colour and 6m for edging colour)
5mm crochet hook
Tapestry needle for finishing and sewing in the ends
Two Buttons

Notes:

Pattern uses US terminology.
Stitches used: chain (ch), slip stitch (slst), single crochet (sc), double crochet (dc), stitch (st).
Magic Ring (also called Magic Loop) -- magic loop video (here are some written instructions)
dc4tog: yarn over the hook, insert hook into stitch, yarn over, pull up loop (3 loops on hook), yarn over, pull yarn through the first two loops on the hook (2 loops on hook). Leave these two loops on the hook, and repeat the process another three times - you will have a total of FIVE loops on your hook. Yarn over the hook, and draw it through ALL FIVE loops, so that you only have one loop on your hook. (If you need more help with this, go here: How to decrease double crochet)
sc2tog: insert hook into stitch, yarn over the hook, pull up loop (2 loops on hook), insert hook into next stitch, yarn over hook, pull up a loop (3 loops on hook), yarn over the hook and draw yarn through all three loops (one loop on hook)
sc3tog: as for sc2tog, but worked into three stitches instead of two, so you'll end up with a total of 4 loops on your hook before you put the yarn over the hook and draw it through all four loops.

INSTRUCTIONS

This first part is worked in rounds. Don't turn your work!

TOES:

Using your main colour, make a magic ring (see "Notes"), ch 2.

Round 1: 12 dc in magic ring, join with a slst. Pull the magic ring closed. (12dc)

Round 2: ch2, *dc in first st, 2dc in next st, repeat from* (2dc in every second stitch), join with a slst (18dc)

Round 3: ch2, *dc in each first st and next st, 2dc in next st, repeat from* (2dc in every third stitch), join with a slst (24dc)
Round 4: ch2, *dc in each first st and next two stitches, 2dc in next st, repeat from* (2dc in every fourth stitch), join with a slst (30dc)

Round 5: ch2, *dc in each first st and next three stitches, 2dc in next st, repeat from* (2dc in every fifth stitch), join with a slst (36dc)

Rounds 6 and 7: ch2, dc in first stitch and every other stitch, join with a slst (36dc)

Now, you stop working in rounds and begin to work back and forth in rows.

FOOT:
Row 1: ch 2, dc in first st and the next 23 st, turn (24dc)
Rows 2-13: ch2, dc in each st across, turn (24dc) (Adjust as necessary to fit your foot, my feet are size 7 and a half. For size 6 feet I do two less rows.)
Row 14: ch2, dc in each of next 10 st, dc4tog (see "Notes"), dc in next 10 st (21dc)

Okay, now this bit may be a little tricky, if you don't understand it at first, read it again, and if you still don't quite get it, don't be afraid to give it a go - crochet is easily undone! Essentially, we are making a seam to close up the back of the slipper.

Chain 1, and make a sc in the first stitch and the next nine (9) stitches (total of 10 sc), and make a slst in the next stitch. Now, fold the right sides together and slip stitching though the top of the dc and sc, repeat 9 more times (if you did a different number of dc rows, the sc may be at the front). The seam will be on the INSIDE of the slipper once you turn it right side out again.

We're up to the edging (part one)! And we're working in rounds again.

EDGING (Part One):
Round 1: ch1, 2sc in the side of each dc (see picture below), and in the top of each dc from the toes section, including the ones which were worked into when the foot section was started. (It should be about 70sc, but don't panic if it's not. So long as it's even it's fine.) At the end of the round, join with a slip stitch.

(This bit is confusing to explain too - hold tight! Basically, you make 4 seperate sc3tog at different (symmetrical) points around the round to tighten the slipper a little, keep that in mind and you should be fine.)

Round 2: ch 1, sc in first stitch and next stitch, sc3tog (see "Notes"), then sc in each st until the second last sc before the one done in the dc what was worked into when the foot section was started on the previous round (did that make sense? See round 1 to clarify.) and make another sc3tog to tighten the corner. Work across the toes, making a sc in each st, finishing one stitch short again, and making another sc3tog. Work up the side of the slipper, making a sc in each st, stopping 5 sc short of the end of the row. Make another sc3tog, and then sc to end of round, joining with a slip stitch, cut the yarn and draw through the stitch.

The Edging (Part 2):
We're nearly there! Make sure you read ALL of the next step before starting. Also, for the second slipper, remember that the chain loop needs to be made on the FIRST side you sc down, not the second (as instructed below), otherwise one of your slippers will have the button on the wrong side!

Join the yarn you are using for the edging by inserting your hook in a stitch, drawing up a loop and making a chain.
Single crochet in each stitch, making a sc2tog (see "Notes") in each of the front two corners. Approximately a third of the way up the second side (about 8 or 9 sc), make a chain loop by chaining 24, then make another sc in the SAME stitch. Sc to the end of the round, join with a slip stitch. (Remember, for the second slipper, make the chain loop while working down the first side.)

Finishing:
Cut a tail of about 30cm, and draw it up through the last slst. Thread the tail onto the tapestry needle, insert under the very first slst (from Round 1), and back into the centre of the last slst. This makes an invisible join and is very neat. Weave the tail under the stitches of the same colour down the OPPOSITE side of the chain loop until it is even with the loop (hold the sides of the slippers together to determine this), and use the yarn to sew on the button.

Weave in all the end, put them on your feet and take a photo!

I hope you enjoy making some slippers for yourself - if anything is unclear, don't hesitate to contact me, either by email or through Ravelry. Likewise, if you see any mistakes or can think of a better way to explain something, send me a line!

Happy slipper making!

{The copyright of this pattern remains with myself. They provided free for personal use only. The pattern may not be reproduced for commercial purposes. If you want to sell the products made from this pattern, ask me first (and it does not hurt to ask!) so that you do not break copyright laws.}

Purrrrrrrrple

2011-09-07T16:34:00.001+10:00

You might remember that I started making a purple jumper, but undid it all.

With the rescued yarn, I've made two things, an awesome hot water bottle cover and the thickest, squishiest shawl ever! Sorry for all the colour changes between the photos, purple is really hard to photograph!

I call this my "Hoot Water Bottle Cover" - I think the owls are adorable! And the i-cord was so much quicker to make than I thought it would be. Here is the Ravelry link to my project.

And here is the Oscilloscope Shawl I made (Ravelry link). This is seriously the thickest shawl I've ever seen. I use it as a blanket sometimes. It's luuuuuuuuush.

This picture captures the colour the best.

And while we're on the topic of purple, I crocheted this eggplant a few days ago too:

Cute, don't you think? :D

African Animals

2011-08-25T19:48:00.006+10:00

*** For some reason this post is making my blog behave strangely! Clicking on "older posts" (below this post) will take you to the next page, on which everything is normal... strange, ey.***

For many, many months I've been haunting the webcams of a South African wildlife park.

There are four cameras and they update every 30 seconds. I see birds a lot, but I've FINALLY seen animals. FIVE species, in fact! I'm just so excited!!!

Stripy Antelope! I think the proper name for them is "Nyala". There were more of them but I didn't manage to get a picture.

WARTHOG!!! OH MY GOSH SO EXCITED!!!!

There were also Wildebeest, a whole herd of them drinking, a deer of some type (shown below) and a HUGE bull, a cape buffalo, I believe. Blogspot, however, spat the dummy and I lost the awesome pics I had. :(

Do you know what this is?

ETA: Also... elephants! I didn't see these myself, someone else saved it to the forums. Totally awesome!

I made Almond Milk

2011-08-23T17:47:00.001+10:00

Well, I can honestly say I never thought I'd make almond milk. Everything changed when I read this post about a sleeping potion late last night.

I followed links from that post to this post which has a basic recipe for almond milk.

I was inspired. I happened to have almonds (which is actually quite amazing). So I immersed a cup of almonds in water and left them to soak overnight.

I slept in, so they soaked for a very, very long time.

Early this afternoon, I drained and rinsed the almonds, added them to 4 cups of cold water (adding a dash of salt and a teaspoon of vanilla extract) and blended them up until it was as smooth as I could get it.

I lined my sifter with muslin (doubled over), and put it over a bowl. I poured the mixture into the strainer, and delighted as completely smooth almond milk filled the bowl, leaving all the pulp in the strainer.

Then I took pictures and wrote this post.

Does anyone else make their almond milk? I didn't realise how easy it was!

ETA: I forgot to say what I thought of it! Oops!

My husband says it reminds him a lot of soy milk. It's strange because it's the mouth-feel is of water, but it looks like milk and it tastes like almonds. I'm wondering about other methods of making it and if they will make a creamier product.

I think I could learn to really love it.

I was given Something

2011-08-22T22:42:00.000+10:00

source

It wasn't a cookie. (Also, I don't look like that.)

source

It didn't give me a fright or even poop on me. (I don't look like the budgie, either. Or the girl.)

source

It is something that makes the world a better place. (This perhaps resembles me the most.)

Charity Girl has passed on to me the Liebster Blog award:

Liebster means "friend" in German, so I'm very pleased to be included!

The award is intended to highlight less well known blogs who have something great to share. The rules for the Liebster Blog Award are:

1. Accept the award and thank the blogger who gave it to you.
2. Pass it to 3-5 blogs with less than 200 followers and tell them that they've received it.
3. Link back to the person who gave it to you.

SO.

Thank you, Charity Girl! I am so pleased to have found you, especially as you're a Georgette Heyer fan. I feel like I learnt heaps about the Greek myths during the Seven Virtues challenge, and I love your writing style. It's beautiful, clear, and clever.

I'm passing this on to:

Malcolm @ Malcolm's occasional rant because I know him and I'm looking forward to him and his family coming back to Tasmania very soon! YAY!!!! Also, I always tag him :D (It should, however, really be called "Malcolm's extremely occasional and almost endangered rant".)

Meika @ Meika's Little Treasures because she's my sister-in-law and she's finally started posting again, so this is to motivate her to keep writing! Meika is brilliant at all things creative, but happily we no longer feel the need to compete at who's the best (we decided I was the best at everything! Hehe! Oh, I'm going to get in trouble for that...!).

And last but not least, Karen @ wet and weeds and wildness. Karen and her husband are from South Africa, and currently live in Uganda. I met her on Ravelry during NaNoWriMo 2010 and we've stayed in contact since then. She is far better at replying that I am, even though she is regularly without any power. I love the glimpse she gives into Africa and her life.