Happy (Belated) New Year!

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!

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!

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

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. 

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!

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!

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

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!

Remembering and Rainbows

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.