MADELINE'S HAT

A hat for Maddie in New Zealand. The pattern is from Last Minute Knitted Gifts and I happened to have some of the yarn they recommend from my last visit to Canada! (Mission Falls Cotton).

WHILE THE CAT'S AWAY

Dada's been in Sydney for meetings this weekend and Elsa and me spent the time playing. We visited the relatively new local bookstore called JP Junior Everlasting Books. So many great books including plenty of classics by the likes of Pat Hutchins, Shirley Hughes, Judith Kerr, Lynley Dodd...We bought a Berstein Bears book for a friend (I loved these bears as a kid and hope Oliver will too) and some new crayons for Elsa.

We also visited the 'big park' and I managed to get a few rows of knitting in while Elsa played away...just a few though. One of my sister-in-laws knitted me this Jo Sharp Tweed Beret (the purple one under the pattern in the photo) and it's so comfortable and easy to wear - and I love the colour. So, I'm knitting it for a friend who will be visiting from Bendigo next week but in a different colour - 'Willow'. I'd forgotten just how nice the Jo Sharp Aran Tweed is; so soft and knits up really well, and quickly which is always nice.


And we visited Francesca for her 3rd birthday. She seemed to like her Lazy Day skirt and I was really happy with the finished product too! I hope it provides plenty of twirling inspiration. (photo to come). And Dada was home just in time for a 'holiday pancake Monday'.

CAMERA WARS

Elsa took her first photo this morning...of (part of) my pillow. I kindly asked for the camera back - no luck. I insisted that "the camera is for Mama and Dada, not Elsa" - still no luck. .I offered to take a photo with her - STILL no luck. Finally, she got this photo taken as the wrestle to retrieve the camera began! Thankfully, it ended in giggles and not tears.

A SEWING WE WILL GO

We found a use for the brown mushroom print Japanese material...pockets on a pair of brown cord pants for Elsa for winter. I got them cut out this week but that's about all...shouldn't take too long. Elsa is such a big help when it comes to passing my pins and laying out the fabric - truly! She's ever so careful with the pins and loves to chat to me while I cut out. She's such lovely company and, at this rate, she'll be sewing by her 2nd birthday :). And she looks pretty cute in the orange stripey cotton hat I knitted her when she was just a tiny, tiny girl. I don't think I'll be able to squeeze it on her for much longer. I have my eye on some pink cotton to make her another for next Spring.

OFF TO CRAFT

On Tuesday, Elsa woke at 5.30am and we had to be at craft group at 10am so, besides the regular morning 'stuff', how to fill the wee hours? Bake of course! Some scones for crafting friends this time...

AUTUMN VILLAGE PICNIC

It's finally Autumn!!! This is my favourite month and though many of the trees have already lost their leaves due to extreme heat, I look forward to all other trappings of the season; cooler days (fingers crossed), darker nights, warmer meals, extra baking, longer sleeves....

While Dada has a Sunday morning sleep-in, Elsa and I made scones to take to a Family Picnic Day at our local park. We met with friends (members of our local 'mothers group' and dadas too!) and enjoyed a few hours devouring all the home-baked goodies, playing on the park equipment and chatting away. Elsa particularly enjoyed the bike ride there and back!

FAMOUS FIVE

One of my nieces lent me a few of her 'Famous Five' books recently after I expressed an interest in reading them. I never read them as a child; for some reason, they just didn't appeal to me. I've almost finished the 'Five Go Adventuring Again' and I've really enjoyed it. My favourite character is George. I think I'll read a few more and I'll definitely keep an eye out for them in second-hand stores for Elsa to enjoy in years to come.