how to stay warm Benbow style

With such and amazing day yesterday it was pretty disappointing waking up to rain and gloom.. to top it off it was absolutely FREEZING!

here are some tips from Mr B himself on how to stay warm, and keep winter at bay...

Find the best seat in the house, stick on the heater and enjoy..

rug up with some yummy knitwear...

Snuggle up close with family whenever possible...

try this DIY idea! it is perfectly reasonably to rip a hole in one of mums favourite blankets and stick your head through... perfectly offset with a mini sombrero and tequila (not shown)

you old codger!

Woke up to a glorious day, summers last hurrah and Robbie's 28th Birthday!
Not one for an over the top display, we had a lovely relaxing day at home...

Robbie went out in his blue canoe...


I sat in the sun and made some granny squares for my 'bigs and smalls blanket' and sunned the bump...



Benbow had a bone.. in his hilariously awkward way.


went out with the family's for some Thai food and came home to some tea, a sing-song and my handmade fabulous chocolate cake! (hem... from a packet)

what could be finer?
hope you had a great day babe...

Black Cockatoos

While cursing at my curve hating sewing machine a flock of black cockatoos flew into our backyard and made themselves at home in one of the taller trees, just incredible!

Unbelievably destructive though...
think they ripped a fair chunk of the tree off in a very short period of time,
sounded like a hail storm!

Ducks in a row - complete

Yeah! finished all 6 even though my sewing machine is hate full and doesn't like to do curves... stupid machine had me swearing like a drunken sailor and doubting my curvy ability. Pure Evil.


On the last ones i decided to hand sew the edges, even though it took 5 times as long to complete I think it looks much tidier and more professional, even considering undoing the machine stitching on the others to make them just as pretty as these three!



see? ohhhh.... pretty!


On another note, my lovely sister in law Alexie bought be these groovy silver sharks teeth. Need to come up with some ideas for a fangy monster club of sorts... any suggestions would be very welcome!

Project alert - Bigs & Smalls and Ducks in a row

got a few things on the boiler at the moment, but am trying to focus most of my craftiness on just 2... difficult i know!

the first is my big and small blue crocheted blanket that has been in the works for.... hmmm, a while. Started out trying to make one reaaaallllyyy big granny square, just like my nan makes perfect for draping over the knees. but got bored when it got bigger, lots of work for little reward... going around and around was just getting dang tiring!
so i ended up making 2 smaller, big granny squares. but that just wasn't right either it needed something else... in come the small squares. That is how it went from big granny square, perfect for draping over the knees on those cold nights to MEGA PROJECT!

I've since started on another 2 smaller, big granny squares (it really should be a square) and need to make about a thousand more small squares for joining it altogether and a border.



all those blues do get me a little excited (it is my favorite colour!) and knowing that a good 90% of the yarn has been saved from many a back room gives me the warm fuzzies a bit too..

2nd project

I really have a thing for softies at the moment... here's the latest - Ducks in a row... or maybe birds, you can decide.

From humble beginnings (beautiful picture Robbie)

to a work in progress!

trying to get the hang of sewing curves on my 40 year old Janome passed down from mother to daughter (thanks mum) so they are a bit wonky but i think I'm getting the hang of it (i hope!)
in true style i think this will end up being a mobile for bubba.. sure they will love the bright colours and wont mind my wacky stitching.

Granny Square Scarf

Here is the FIRST project that i have finished in ages!

it all started back in 2004 on our trip to Europe where we ended up living in Guildford UK for a few months, where i found this luscious yarn! it was so soft and super plush, totally out of our backpacker price range but i just HAD to have it... so i got a ball of each!

Made a few granny squares during our travels with the vague notion that it would be part of a bigger project 'one day'... couldn't really think of a lot i could do with only 2 small balls of wool.

fast forward 5 years to 2009 when i came across the unloved squares and Voila... inspiration!

A first!

After some serious inspiration from some other notable blog sites, and some extra time on my hands due to the impending bundle of joy, I've decided to start my own!

Full of little bit and pieces that i just LOVE, some creative exploits and the most important thing of all... family and friends.