Here's my first self-portrait with this month's theme of 'Personal History'.

Here's a picture of me and my mother, about 1981, when I was a chubby wee one year old. We're at Tahunanui beach in Nelson, enjoying the shallow sandy stretch of water- perfect for toddlers! (And it still is, according to Arlo!)

As you can see, I haven't photo-shopped this picture very well and you can still see a bit of the photo album I scanned it from! (It's dinner time while I try to write this) I love this picture because when I look really closely at the original, I can see it's my late Grandad in the very right of the picture, watching us swim. He was always so keen to see us in the water, having fun. I always wanted to be a competent swimmer and 'water-baby', but just never was, despite his best efforts! He was in the navy during the war, and a surf-livesaver as a young man, and would swim in the sea in all weather.

This weekend, Tom and I took the babies to visit a nearby beach which is very popular with the tourists, named Kaiteriteri. It's only an hour's drive away, and very beautiful, but we've never taken Arlo before. This is mostly due to the insane amounts of people covering the beach in all seasons. But we had a really nice time, even though most of it was spent scooping handfuls of sand from Keira's mouth! (I thought I'd just let her go crazy on the beach, seeing as she was enjoying it so much!)

When we got home I found this picture on our camera, and it reminded me of the one above, of my mother and I. Don't you love those chubby knees!? Guess they're hereditary!

You can find more self-portrait bloggers here.

I received this wee knitted friend in the mailbox a few days ago:

A schoolfriend of mine, Lisa, sent her to me from Melbourne, where she's just moved to live. Kitty has become a best friend of Keira's already, and is regularly dragged around the house between Keira's teeth- a sure sign of love.

Lisa wrote in the card along with her present that in Melbourne craft is taken very seriously and seems to be more celebrated than it is here in New Zealand. That's reflected by bigger craft markets and stores, and more expensive prices! I'm secretly hoping that Lisa can use some of her crafty and creative genius to earn her living over there.. I'm waiting to hear, Lise! thanks for the sweet present!

In other crafty news, Rhiannon's hosting a kiwi-kids-only craftster swap! The deadline for signing up was going to be the 17th of this month, but I think she's decided to extend it to today... so if you want to join you have a few more hours only! Go to her blog, then scroll down to the second entry, for more information.

Have a happy weekend!

This is my first photo for Amanda's 'Corners of my home' group which I have been enjoying so much over the past two Thursdays. Here's a corner in our home, and it's definitely not my most favourite, but I've put it here because it's somewhere I look at a lot- the wall behind the oven, kettle and toaster in our kitchen.

I've been thinking about this space a lot lately because to me, this part of the kitchen has almost defined what my life has been about for the last year we have lived in this house- cooking, baking, making cups of tea for visitors, and feeding the children, which, during the day, I often do from a little table near the oven.

On the shelf above the oven sit all the tins of plunger coffee and teas, Arlo's Milo and those bottles of herbal breastfeeding supplements I am supposed to take but always forget. Also a bottle of cinnamon sticks I never get around to using, but like the look of, grapeseed oil, which I use ALL the time, and balsamic vinegar which we have every night on salads from the garden (I love summer vegetables!) At the top is a little cream-coloured enamel teapot with a wooden lid given to me by a friend's mother when I had Arlo, 'because now you will always have friends coming over for cups of tea'. (It's true!) It's hard to see but to the right of the shelf is a strange sort of antique power switch which doesn't work anymore, and, among the pictures, a photo of baby Arlo in a preserving pot on the stove, which always makes people laugh, but is slightly embarrassing for it's Anne Geddes sensibilities.

Since Tom has been home from school for the summer holidays, he's been really keen to cook dinner most nights- which has been AMAZING, let me tell you, especially because that time of the evening is usually so crazy and I find it a daily challenge to occupy Arlo and Keira while I'm working away trying to make something out of the ingredients we have! (This is what I most hate about cooking dinner, deciding WHAT TO HAVE, and never finding in the cupboards what I need. I can cut down most items of large clothing and make smaller, completely different ones, but do you think I can choose what to make from the veges we have in the fridge? No.)

So it's been quite strange, because I almost miss my weekly routine baking and cooking for us all by 7pm. It feels like I haven't stood in front of this wall, stirring a pot or opening and shutting the oven for a long time. Strange, the security we receive from our roles in life, isn't it?

You can go here to see more Corners. So inspiring!

We've just arrived home from a couple (more!) days holiday in the Marlborough Sounds. I managed to do a little bit of knitting, while Tom took Arlo out in the kayak, and Keira enjoyed the big box of toys that lives there. Of course, I had to dream up a little project because I only had a couple of balls of wool with me. So I made these little gumnut/acorn-style hats:

I've been making these for a while- since Arlo was born, but because I don't have a written-down pattern each one turns out a little different! I'm hoping to make a few to put in Tiny Happy over winter.

Here's the pattern (just as much for my reference, as your's, so I can come up with a standardised pattern!) I use straight needles, then sew the hat up, but if you're not pathetically addicted to straight needles in all your knitting (unlike me), I think a small circular would be more appropriate.

Gum-Nut Hat

Size: 0-6 months, or longer, depending on size of head! (This size still fits 10-month-old Keira nicely, although she does have quite a small head)

Measurements: ribbed brim is about 17cms (6.5") across when hat laid flat, without stretching. From brim to crown = 15cms (6")

Materials: Double-knit (8ply) yarn in two contrasting colours. I used Naturally Luxury D.K 50% Mohair and 50% pure wool. The hat could be made for a bigger baby in a chunkier yarn! One pair 4mm straight needles, darning needle.

Directions:

In contrast colour, cast on 70 sts and work 5 rows in K2, P2 rib.

Switch to the main colour yarn and garter stitch (every row knit). Work 30 rows in garter stitch.

Next row: *K9, K2tog,*, rep to last 4 sts, K4.

Knit 3 rows without shaping.

Next row: *K8, K2tog*, rep to last 4 sts, K4.

Knit 3 rows without shaping.

Next row: *K7, K2tog*, rep to last 4 sts, K4.

Knit one row without shaping.

Continue decreasing in this manner, alternating each decrease row with a plain knit row. Then K2tog across the entire remaining row, break yarn leaving a long end, and pull up tightly. Use this end to sew back seam of hat. Darn in all extra ends. To make stalk, with contrast yarn, cast on 6 stitches. Work 10 rows in st st. Break yarn, and thread the end back through live stitches, pull up tightly. Sew side seam of stalk and then sew securely to top of hat.

Please let me know if you notice any mistakes! And I'd LOVE to see a picture if anyone ever makes one of these hats!

It was a quiet morning at the market this morning, mostly due to the intermittent rainshowers which meant Amelia and I had to throw a plastic tarpaulin over our stall ever ten minutes or so. But I still had a really fun day- I made a new friend, a woman from Toronto named Becky, who makes beautiful bags and summer tops, all from recycled fabrics she finds at the tip and similar places. And she might even join our sewing night on Tuesday!

I also met a woman named Julie, who was visiting from Massachusetts and gave me the 'small is beautiful' badge above (the other is one of Rhiannon's creations- I love it because it reminds me of Arlo when he was a wee baby, riding in his backpack in winter.) Even though I received some teasing about the appropriateness of pinning Julie's badge to my chest, which, I must admit, is not as 'full' as it could be (I blame breastfeeding...) that's not what the 'small is referring to! I was really interested to hear a little bit about the E.F. Schumacher Society organisation she works for: it promotes a local and scaled-down sense of economic identity, and encourages ways of working within a community to create a sustainable and ecologically-friendly economy. I like the concept of embracing small community-sized projects and really focusing on what's around us. I know the 'Buy Local' idea has been promoted before in New Zealand, but I think it's something we need to be conscious of, all the time! I'd like to find out more about the Society.

The two new badges are being modelled on my latest bag creation, finished about fifteen minutes ago- it's almost midnight! (sorry about the dark photo.) I used my trusty Simplicity pattern with the pleats in the front, and made it up in a sort of eggplant-coloured wool fabric for the outside (it's a bit scratchy!), and a purple 70's paisley flannel sheet for lining. A good texture contrast, which is my favourite thing about it!

 I wanted to make this one for a friend with a birthday coming up, but my slap-dash sewing and the dim lighting will combine to make it look a lot worse in the daylight. Hmmm. I guess I needed a new bag anyway...? I'll have to make her a nicer one!

We had a surprise visit today from my old friend Rose, who is on holiday from Wellington. And she brought with her two new puppies! I introduce to you, Jasper and Angel:

Look how cute!!

Arlo had just woken up in a very bad mood when this picture was taken, but the puppies worked like nothing I've seen before at cheering him up. Jasper is ten weeks old, and Angel is 5 weeks, but very small because she was the 'runt' of her litter.

It was so lovely to see Rose again and her puppies- and now I think we need to get a dog (or two!)

Woohoo! My first-ever published design came out in the new issue of  Magknits just a couple of days ago. I worked on this dress pattern for quite a long time last year, and had a lot of trouble working out the maths for the different sizes, so it's really exciting to see it online finally!! (Especially because I can't work out how to post patterns on my website myself- hehe!

Here's one of the 'outtakes' of Keira modelling the dress, she was trying to take a good bite of that succulent plant. (And yes, she did grow faster than the dress did... but that's the beauty of the 'wrap-around' style, no?)

Now, I've been asked about the yardage of the yarn I used, as it seems I left that detail out of the pattern! The Silkwood Fine Blend yarn I used is a now discontinued locally-spun one, and is not available anywhere except the little Silkwood shop itself, here in Nelson, or by emailing the guy I talked to, Brian. There are approx. 84 metres (sorry, not sure how many yards that is) per 50g ball, according to the shop (I seem to have misplaced the label!) But it would be worthwhile to buy an extra ball, just in case!

We arrived home from our holiday on D'Urville Island this evening. We had a fantastic time, despite it requiring an almost military-like operation getting there (and back!) There were sixteen of us altogether staying in an lodge owned by Tom's school. We knew there was only boat-access, but didn't realise there was no jetty! We had to unload our (somewhat excessive) luggage into a small dinghy (rowed by Tom) quite a few times... in the pouring rain! Naturally, it stopped raining almost as soon as had managed to cargo all the boxes and bags and people- babies included! It was a fairly uneventful, relaxing holiday after that, though. There were many willing hands to help hold Keira and Arlo, and lovely to go to sleep at night just a few metres from the beach, listening to the waves lap at the sand.

Needless to say, next time we visit we'll take one bag each!

D'Urville Island with rain clouds approaching...

I think it will feel very isolated when we get to D'Urville Island this evening. We're off in the car in half an hour or so for a three-hour drive to a remote part of the Marlborough Sounds, then on a boat to Catherine Cove, D'Urville Island for a four-day holiday with Tom's family. Most of them fell in love with the idea of the island after reading this book last year. I've started it too but hope to finish it over there, if this kids will allow! I don't know much about the island, but I've read it's very isolated and the weather can be quite variable and merciless! I do know there'll be no chance of internet, so I'll be having a blogging break as well until Sunday.

See you then!

Have a great week, and wish us luck, with the babies in tow!

Arlo and Keira were given a very special present last night- a new outfit each from my friend Rhiannon! It was such a lovely surprise, and definitely A and K's styliest outfits to date! I tried to get a good picture of them together wearing the clothes, but it was hard to get them to cooperate. This is the best I could do!

I hope to get some better ones with actual detail of the clothes! But they're so, so sweet, and really well-made. Arlo's is a pair of overalls with a friendly lion face on the front (sorry you can't see the face - Arlo was 'talking on the phone to Rhiannon')- with big vintage buttons fastening the top of the overalls and for the lion's eyes. I need to hem them a bit (Rhiannon left them unhemmed so I could adjust them exactly.) He was pretty excited about wearing these and is jumping around roaring like a little lion!

Keira's dress is made from beautiful green vintage fabric with a pink flower applique on the bottom, and is in pinafore style too. Rhiannon even made matching brown cotton bloomers to go with it! How sweet! It's a bit big right now but I think the pinafore style of it will mean it fits for a long time.

Thank you so much Rhiannon! I just adore these clothes!