March...

 

It's officially Autumn. I want to exhale and welcome in my favourite season, but the heat is .... unbearable. 

Our Tibouchina has begun to flower , though, so that lessens the blow. 

 

Roman's birthday is 1 week away and he is getting very excited. He wants a giant Ice Cream Cookie Sandwich in lieu of a cake and Kalebs Mum is going to watch the little boys for a few hours while we take the two big boys to the Cinema. I think we'll see Sing or Moana, depending on times. I just love celebrating my kids birthdays and it's quite fun as they get older and the type of celebration changes a bit.

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Knitting:

 

A quick palate cleanser project. The Lottie Cowl by Carrie Bostick Hoge. I used some very old stash from Bendigo Woollen Mills in Luxury 10ply - Blue Denim. This was a very quick knit, taking me two evenings. It's for the 2 littlest boys. I've still got plenty of wool left over, so I'm not sure if I'll make another the same so they have one each or just do the other one in plain 2x2 ribbing. It's super cute on, just a bit hard to get a photo with one of them standing still!

~~ Shara ~~

Recent makings....

 

 

Using up my Noro stash. Originally I had started a feather and fan knitted Shawl, but was struggling to keep the pattern straight in my head and so I decided to frog it and made this crochet half moon instead. This shawl is going to be a gift as I've found the semi circle shape doesn't sit very well on me. This also means that the Moonlight Garden Shawl I had already started will go in the frog pile. I really do prefer the classic triangle Shawl shape. Regardless of all this, I think this Shawl turned out beautifully and I hope it will be well received. 

 

 

Leo was invited to his first birthday party! One of the girls from his class was turning 5 last weekend and had an awesome pool party with all her classmates. It was so much fun and I was so glad to go along with Leo while the three other boys stayed home with Dad. I wasn't totally sure what to buy for a little girl, and in the end I decided to make her this special little doll and necklace pouch. She really loved it and I discovered later that she is definitely a doll/baby kinda kid. I didn't use a pattern but I was heavily inspired by 

these dolls.

 

 

Last but not least, I finished sewing the buttons on Atti's Cardigan. This was his first time trying it on and I was a bit disappointed that the sleeves are a tad short. Being top down, it will be possible for me to undo the cast off and add some more, but I think shorter will be better this winter for my toddler boy. I'll definitely add extra for the following winter. 

** My Ravelry Page **

I have a few more finished objects that are awaiting buttons to be sewn on, I'll share them once there all completed. I've got a few works in progress but I'm taking my time now, I've had some RSI in my elbow and have found that since I've been knitting less this week it had really eased up. 

~~ Shara ~~

On Wednesdays...

 

On Wednesdays, Kaleb and I along with the littlest boys, pick the big boys up from school and go on a family date. After the beach we bought dinner out and ate our Fish and Chips at the park. But usually I get dinner in the slow cooker that morning and then it is ready to serve up as soon as we walk in the door.

 

 

 

So nice to just switch off and hang out together. 

~~ Shara ~~

Knitting (and reading!)

 

I'm back to monogamous knitting and am powering through all the projects I had recently cast on. It helps that they're mostly kid sized. I made a pair of these overalls in size 18-24 months for Caspian and they're still in good condition, so now Atticus will have 2 pairs for upcoming Autumn/Winter. They're perfect for outdoor play, especially as we can get quite the cold wind up on our mountain. 

It may seem a little silly, but I definitely feel less precious about the handknits for Atticus now that I don't have to "save" them for the next child. I really should never have worried about that type of thing anyway, as I can (and do) always knit more.

Pattern:

High Waisted Baby Overalls

Yarn: Cascade 220 in Chocolate Brown (Thankyou Victoria xx)

Size: 18-24 months

I tried to make a seemingly simple modification, but I miscalculated the leg length and they'll need to be worn with a rolled cuff. No big deal, though. 

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Miracle of miracles, I've started reading a book! And I've made it through to chapter 4 already.

 

It's no secret that I have struggled with mothering/parenting these last 12 months. Pretty much all of 2016 has been a write off. I must have bought this book in amongst all of that, knowing I needed some help. 

I'm not sure what I expected the book to be about, but it's all about Buddhism (ya think, Shara!!), and how those principles can be applied in your everyday life as a Mum. Now, I'm not Buddhist and I really know nothing about it, but I definitely have been able to glean a lot from the small amount I've already read. In particular, being present in the moment. That's something I'm focussing on for February. 

I'm making up some little cards I can put strategically around the house to give me little visual reminders.

I found this list:

 

So many of these things are hard to say out loud. But I know each and every one of them are true and important. 

Here's to a new year of looking after myself so I can look after them....

~~ Shara ~~

Making...

It's only 5 weeks until Roman's 9th birthday!

 I'm compiling a list of possible gifts I can make for him to go along with some new books, a hat & a set of headphones. He is still Pokemon mad, which makes it somewhat easier to choose gifts, throw in some How To Train Your Dragon and I think I'm good to go!

Today I did a little needle felted "Rowlet". Boy oh Boy, symmetry is quite difficult for me to achieve in this fibre art, but I let it go in the end and embraced that this little fellow is homemade and full of love! 

I'm hoping to wet felt a pokeball that opens and closes, so Rowlet will have a little home. 

 

 

It's pretty rare to get a photo (willingly) of my big boy, but he loves his littlest brother so much and when I saw him giving Atticus piggy back rides this morning, I couldn't resist asking for a picture.

Love them so much! 

~~ Shara ~~ 

Knit: Baby Bubble Bloomeralls

 

Autumn is just around the corner, right?! (though the heat is so torturous today, you wouldn't think so) and I've got so many cutie patootie knits finished or in progress for my little Atticus.

One of the cutest patterns around is the 

Baby Bubble Bloomeralls by Abby Belnap

And because I'm trying not to buy more yarn, I had an idea to take a few of my favourite colours and put them all together. 

The orange is 

Quince & Co Lark in "Nasturtium" & the stripes are Quince and Co Lark in "Honey" and Timber & Twine Harvest in "Sunflower"

What a great trio! Nasturtium, Honey & Sunflower. 

The adorable Koala coat hanger was found at the op shop. I keep it in my craft room for the purpose of displaying finished kids clothes. 

I'm currently working on some overalls and then I'll start a little romper- all patterns by 

Abby

Happy Knitting!

~~ Shara ~~

The little brothers....

 

 

 

 

 

 

While we wait for big brothers to finish their school day, little brothers take advantage of the deserted playground at school. 

I had a few people wonder whether I had made my little girls bonnet! Of course, I did make it and I reminded them that little boys can wear bonnets too ;)

~~ Shara ~~

Caspian's overalls from  

Redcreek Kids