Ending This Sock War Right Here and Right Now!!

It's over I tell you, I have had enough, no more, this is the end of the road. The sock war is OVER!! *phew* glad I got that off my chest. Ok so is this the sign of a domestic chic, or have I just gone totally crazy - you be the judge.

Here is the maths- 2 boys at school x 4 days of the week in navy socks = 16 navy socks, 8 in size small and 8 in size medium x (times by) a little boy who at odd times only puts 1 sock in the wash and the other (!!!!!) behind his pillow *?* Sock matching nightmare be gone says this crazy Mumma! Enough is Enough!!

They needed new socks, so I bought new socks. Six pair for both of them.

The solution - Little socks = red cotton. Big socks = blue cotton.

Until the big socks become the little socks, then we swap colours and carry on. Oh and still training my little one that BOTH socks go in the laundry basket please! Too much time on my hands you say? A-haaaa, I disagree, quite the opposite, this is a case of good time management and forward thinking. (Basically just over wasting time stuffing around with navy socks really.)

As for this ratbag bunch, it's puppets for you lot.

Aaaaahhhhhh it's sock valium - at last!

What boils you and how did you solve it?

P.S. Have a wonderful weekend at your place. In Australia, NSW its a long weekend and daylight savings begins early hours of Sunday morning. We still also have another week of school holidays and so I will be scarce here again over the next few days. Take care of you, huggle your family, laugh and love with your friends. Bless.

On Wednesday We. . . .

Got groceries, met up with friends in the park, made rocky road,

Finished off this quilt - (very basic, machine sewn, no hand stitching for this one at all, it's been in the sewing box for about 3 years and I thought my boys would have outgrown the 'toddler' style colours and animals, but they love it.)

of course a picnic with their mates on the new quilt.

Today we also played maths games on the computer.

. . . . and admired this ever changing, stunningly beautiful sky above our heads. (Can you see the little dot of a bird flying just below the darker shade of grey cloud. Flying home to its little family to be snug and safe and warm.)

Out to our backyard to see two mates having a great chatter to each other before they too rush home to their families before the storm.

Gosh I love my camera, wings outstretched, a millisecond of a moment, captured it all it's beauty.

I love private moments like this, so close to creation, breathe it in, let it fill your lungs, taste the sweetness of the breeze just before the first drops even know they are going to fall to earth. Even my boys feel it, they are outside, they are alive, they are part of it, the trees are dancing in the breeze, the birds are squarking home across the sky, calling to their family to come home. Leaves twirling and scattering, clouds gathering and changing form. There must be a thousand shades of grey, merging, reforming, what a stunning show. A granny rug in these greys would be fabulous.

We are about to snuggle in for the afternoon, puzzles, games, reading, might even pop on over to MonetPaisley - thanks so much for the wonderful craft idea, I so love your beautiful mobile. Also if you want to know the story behind the beautiful peace cranes, you can get that information here. I remember reading a book while at school regarding a little girl that was sick in hospital and she made these, did anyone else read this book and do you remember the name of it. I would love to get a copy to read to my boys. I am not sure it's the story of Sadako herself or a modern story of a young girl ill in hospital who was inspired to also make 1000 paper cranes. Any ideas?

Have a wonderful afternoon at your place, thanks for stopping by, and thanks so much for all your wonderful holiday inspiration. I think we need at least another week to get it all done.

Today We. . . .

Played dress ups with paper.

Cutting out lots of lovely shirts, dresses, pants, shorts and overalls from pretty papers.

Then sticking them down to make our family and friends.

These are super easy to make. Just hand draw your clothing but make sure it will fit the main sheet of paper being used. I sized mine to fit an A4 piece of paper, this then allows for heads and legs depending on how tall your family are. The main paper we used was A3, this allowed plenty of room for grass and sky. Of course if you have the colours, you can also rip your grass, use coloured cup cake papers for the sun, cotton ball clouds, buttons on shirts, if you have old magazines, cut out everyones hair from pics also. You could come up with some wild styles for sure, don't forget your animal family members either, and well, the list really is endless. If you have an abundance of fabric, well go for it, the textures would make wonderful family collage. Corrugated card painted and cut to strips makes a great frame as well. Like I said, endless options for this mega craft afternoon. Too cute! Am thinking what great birthday cards my creative little artists can do, little triangle party hats and all.

While my little crafters were mega busy, I could not resist playing with pretty papers myself, so started on more bookmarks for the school fete, which is scarily around the corner.

Again, anything is go here, pretty fabrics ironed onto stiffening will also work really well and have such a lovely texture. I have used scrapbook papers which I back with a contrasting card to strengthen and this way they are reversible. I then use DMC cotton to match and finish off with little beads. Here you can do buttons, beads, shells, whatever you have that you can thread.

Can you see the sequin on this one too? Lovely.

Apparently we are keeping this bookmark, and it's to go in this book which I will be reading tonight. (Looks like I have been told!)

I made up 16 of these altogether this afternoon.

Today we also played memory game. It's a firm favourite.

Oh and it was a jammie day again here today, however, I decided to wear a dress instead, apparently I was allowed to wear a dress today, because 'Mum's can wear a dress you know!'

I can't believe it's been a week since I last posted. However, I worked 3 days of last week, completed another assignment (woo hoo!), did my student volunteering at the school, topped with a busy weekend and our holidays began yesterday. I hope to catch up with you all over the next few days in between our holiday busy-ness. I also got a shock to see I have so many new blog friends. Welcome to you all and I can't wait to meet you, if I haven't already.

I hope your holidays are just as wonderful.

Oh Bliss is me, playing with my boys, no clocks, no homework, no packing lunches.

I could so easily be a home-school Mum. *sigh*

Enjoy your lovely days whatever it is you are doing, and I hope to catch up again soon.

What's On Your Table - Tuesday.

Happy Tuesday Morning To You!

This is going to be my last Tuesday Table for a while. We have school holidays around the corner and I need to dedicate more time to my studies.

Today is an update of my Crochet Rainbow Blanket.

I am leaving this on the table for the whole day. I can't bring myself to remove it just yet, and I am thinking I should just do this heart in the middle of a blanket instead of the rainbow. There are just sooooo many options in my head with this right now.

What is on your table this Tuesday?

Shiver Me Timbers!!

Ahoy me hearties it's International Talk Like A Pirate Day today, aarrgghh!

For some great piratey goodness check out below.

International Talk Like a Pirate Day - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

International Talk Like A Pirate Day

There be so many websites to choose from me lovelies.

I really be liking this day because there be no huge commercial hype related to it (as yet that I know of and if there be, then let them walk the plank). It's just a fun day to 'Ahoy matey' everyone and to set sail for a bit of joviality.

Aarrgghh ! How be ye Sunday of Pirating!!

Little Gifts for Little Girls

My youngest has a birthday party to attend tomorrow. It's a little friend in his class, he has known her the last 3 years through preschool and now in kindy.

We bought her a little book today, she loves fairies, her favourite colours are pink and purple. She has lovely curls that we thought would look very pretty tied back with some flowers in her favourite colours. I did some in blue as well, to compliment her lovely fair locks.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend at your place, and to all our friends in Tasmania, please keep safe if you have to be out and about. Those winds look icy and rather quite rough, oh and the surf!! Yikes - huge swells.

My Creative Space

Step 1. A little collection of beads, crochet hook, and crochet cotton.

Step 2. Thread all beads onto crochet cotton in preferred pattern.

Step 3. Crochet your cotton, hooking in the beads as you go.

Step 4. Adorn neck with beautiful strand.

All inspiration from a very talented and dear friend, who made the above strand for me as a birthday gift last year. Yes, it's taken me almost a whole year to make one myself. Shame, shame, shame!

I am going to call my strand 'beached'.

It's the colours I see at the beach, the sky, the dunes, the ocean, the sparkle of the water as the sun dances over the little crests and curves of the waves, the green and the blue of the deep, the orange and brown of the dunes where shadow and sun play.

We have had a few warm days here lately, hooking my blanket has just been quite warm and my eczema has even started to annoy my skin. Not to be beaten by the weather or my skin, I dug this lovely green from my collection, which I have intentions of hooking a lacy summer scarf/wrap, and made my strand.

The beautiful strand that I was gifted by my dear friend is so precious to me, it's like she is here with me every time I wear it. It's one very long strand unjoined, and I can wear it about a thousand ways, I have even worn it as a belt. Yes, it's rather mega-versatile.

I have a few requests to make some in other colours, however, I am going to give this one a good work out over the next few weeks to make sure it's secure and wears well. I think I need my chain stitches to be a little tighter.

If you would like to see some very talented creative spaces, pop on over to kootoyoo.

What's On Your Table - Tuesday.

Good Afternoon to all in blog-land. I apologise for being absent these last few days, it's been rather busy at our house lately.

This is what is on my table this Tuesday, there are 15 scarves to donate to the local cancer ward. I was hoping to have a few more done, however, will take another batch out when I get them made up.

Despite coming into the warmer months here, necks still feel the chill and I hope these bring just a little comfort and warmth to their new owners.

I hope you are having a lovely day at your place.

What do you have on your table this Tuesday?? I would love to know.

International Crochet Day September 12, 2010

It's International Crochet Day this Sunday, 12th September 2010.

Woo hoo - you don't have to ask me twice, I'm in.

Here's cheers to all my lovely crochet friends *clink*

Get hooked, you know you want to.

Have a wonderful weekend to all my friends, I hope you get some lovely crafting time in.

In The Works

All study and no play makes Joyce rather weary,

so she took a break and closed her book,

pulled out her yarn and grabbed her hook,

and turned her *yawn* to cheery.

My Creative Space

My Creative Space, not all that inventive this week, however, much comings along of various projects, which is always good to see.

It's short and sweet from me today, study books are go at my place and a spot of never ending housework is keeping me out of trouble.

Join in here and share your creative space this week.

What is keeping your fingers busy today?

OMG - Joyce is a Twitter Tweeter!

JoyceLivesHere on Twitter

Yes, that is correct, I am not quite sure why I am there, I kind of get all 'qwerty' keypad shy when I open my page and so don't have much to say. *giggle* total opposite here tho.

It's sort of research in a way, I need to know how it works before I put forward a proposal/recommendation, so I am gathering my information, sussing it out and having a go at expanding my limited knowledge of all things techno, fashionable, and generally coming out from under the rock.

So ok, now I am on 'Twitter', does that make me a 'Tweeter', as in the comment making, or should I be calling myself a 'Twitter' that just 'Tweets'. Then again maybe I am the 'Tweeter' that 'Tweets' on 'Twitter'. Or am I just a 'Twitter Tweeter'. *giggle* sounds like Halloween time.

If you are on Twitter, tell me what to you Tweet about, why are you there, who do you follow, and would you like to be my fwiend?

What's On Your Table - Tuesday.

Fortune Cookie Quotes

Fortune Cookies

This was fun. A little fiddly, but still fun. I have never made fortune cookies before, they don't look like the restaurant type cookies, and they don't taste exactly the same, but they are lovely and buttery and our fortunes are just lots more fun and suited to 7 and 8 year olds, which is what we made them for.

It's China Day at school today. My eldest has been learning all about China and today they are having a lovely celebration lunch. The children are all dressed in red and yellow, the girls have beautiful outfits on, they just look stunning. Mum's are busy cooking and getting ready for lunch later today. The children will get to sample all sorts of wonderful Chinese foods.

So tell me, what is on your table this Tuesday? I would love to know.

Crochet Rainbow Blanket - The Beginning

Circles on white.

Circles on pale blue.

I love these beautiful colours. These are the chosen colours for my granny rainbow blanket to match the chair covers. I know, it's spring, who in their right mind would be thinking of blankets on a day like today - well me, of course. These are the perfect little project to make on the go as the weather warms. There is no heavy weight of blanket to lug around, they are tiny they are quick and they are in such fun bright colours, I cannot resist.

I have been at soccer this morning helping out in canteen for a gala day. My ears are still blocked and those poor customers that I served must have thought I was rather strange, especially the kids that come up with their .5c and .10c pieces in their tiny voices asking for a bag of lollies and I struggled to hear a thing and had to keep asking them to repeat themselves. I come home to my boys, we had a quiet lunch for Fathers Day and have been relaxing the afternoon away. Dinner is a lovely Moroccan Chicken Casserole.

Ok back to my blanket. I want to create something that resembles our family, something that I could hook thoughts of each of my little family into with each round. Something that, no matter who snuggled under it's warmth, would always feel my love for them, feel how much they mean to me each and every single day, feel just a little better when they are unwell. I want it to be big enough for all of us to snuggle under, I want it to be big enough to hide and giggle under, I want it to be big enough to welcome friends to play, I want it big enough to hold their dreams, dry their tears, big enough to keep safe their secrets, warm their toes and make their tummy better. Even one day, when I am no longer physically 'here', I want this rug to keep loving and protecting my little family.

I was going to choose pale blue to join them together to resemble the sky in which our beautiful rainbows live, but the white really seems to bring out those fabulous colours.

My requirements for these squares after much thought:

❤ Three 'rounds' in one colour - my three boys

❤ Last round, the square round, in main colour - my love/protection

❤ First ring 12dc - 12 months of the year, always and forever, every day, every moment.

Inspiration come from the following blogs. I say thank you to these ultra-mega-talented people for their beautiful work and sharing. There were a lot of images as well, but I can't post them all here.

✎ iCrochet

✎Crochet with Raymond Blog

✎The Yvestown Blog

✎Lillabilly

✎'SIBOL' - Sunshine International Blankets of Love

✎Coffee 'n' crochet

✎Attic24

✎thornberry

This blanket will be a journey, it will take time, the rounds will be hooked in the car, at the beach, waiting for the bus/doctor/hairdresser, they will be hooked on the train, in the caravan, at the park, in the kitchen, with my darlings snuggled on my lap. There is no rush to complete this blanket, I will keep a little log of progress, I want to journal the progress of this little project, I don't care if it takes a year to finish, it's the journey of the blanket that will make the blanket. I am so looking forward to this project and where it will take me and my family. It's the future, it's all in front of us, each and every single day, before us to make with as we will.

*Sigh* I wish I could use words well. The big dag that I am.

Have you ever made anything that you sew, hook, or weave your blessings, love, thoughts into? I understand if it is too private to share, but if you are feeling brave - I would love to know.

Oh My Gosh - I Think I've Got It.

Holey Moley, I really like it.

Enjoy your Sunday.

It's The Little Things. . . .

Happy Friday Evening to you all. I hope you have lovely plans for your weekend and little bits of crafting time as well. I would like to say thank you for your recent lovely comments on my previous post on stash. *giggle* I got such a laugh from the comments, you have all made my day despite feeling *ugg* still. I am so glad we are all in agreement here. One can never really have enough for sure, of any stash really.

Re the elastic recipe, if this doesn't make sense, I will try and explain it better, just send me a message and I will give it a go. I would love to see what you make if you use it too. I love new ideas.

The following photo is what arrived in my letterbox today. Oh lucky me, it's pretty things for a change and two lots of them. It's been a lovely day after all and it's the little things that really do make my day.

On the left I have a beautiful card from Mrs Twins with a letter and on the right I have yarn sample cards from Bendigo Woollen Mills at no cost. Yes, that is correct, I emailed them and they posted these lovely sample cards to me, free of charge. (stash, stash, and more stash here we come!)

Now if you don't know about Mrs Twins, go and visit her website 'SIBOL' she is making the most amazing blankets to donate to those that need them most. She will be delivering them in November, but will accept squares anytime of year. I think from memory there are currently 25 blankets completed. The squares are being made up from anyone and everyone from any address around the world, we post them to Mrs Twins, who lovingly puts them together to showcase all the beautiful squares. There are heaps of photos and slideshows of blankets and squares coming in all the time.

If you cannot crochet or knit, but know someone that does, please let them know. Even donations of yarn is much needed to complete the blankets. Mrs Twins does the most beautiful borders for these creations.

Thank you so much for stopping by, and I hope you have a lovely weekend at your place.

Do you have any special plans for the weekend, or are you just going to snuggle down and be cosy? I do like cosy, cosy is good for the soul.

xx

Decision Time

Do you remember the sample square I did ages ago (to the right of the photo)? I was going to do granny squares and join them together using white? Well it's not going to happen. I don't like the white, totally, totally ruins the look I was after, so this yarn was put aside. It was bugging me somewhat, because I do love these three colours together, and I have 400 grams of each colour stored ready to hook. So before I got sick, I pulled it out one night and did some sampling. I totally love the rectangle look, seriously, our body is long, so rectangle makes total sense really, and besides, I don't have a rectangle hooked rug. But the colours just aren't doing 'it' for me anymore, have I been looking at them for too long, trying to visualise the finished product? They are the perfect colours for our lounge room too, but inspiration has fallen flat with me right now since realising the white is totally wrong. The little rectangle in the pumpkin colour is my own version of a rectangle which I am also keeping as a sample piece, cause I really like how this turned out. It's my own pattern after much fluffing around, and I don't want to forget how I did it.

Now, the only thing to do is call in the troops - outcome, they want a rug in the rainbow colours, but these are still ok Mum you know. I have promised a rainbow granny rug for my boys, and the good thing about it is that the purple and green I used in their seat covers anyway. So I only have to purchase more of the other four colours.

Now as a stash collector, this is totally up my street, cause the naughty Joyce is saying 'go for it girl, get more stash, you can never have enough stash, go on, do it, you have to get more stash to make the rainbow rug. Do it for your darling boys, they love the rainbow, they need the rainbow, you know you want to make the rainbow.' The good Joyce is on the other shoulder sighing and shaking her head 'Joyce you know you are a bad, bad girl, and I already know what you are going to choose, there goes your promise of using up stash before purchasing more - *sigh* how can I win against the stash??'

I am not going to undo these just yet, I do like the rectangle and whose to say I can't keep going with it? The larger square in the single colour layers is going to stay as is also. I really like it on the coffee table.

I feel like I have come full circle just in this post alone. From undoing the rectangle to now keeping it and perhaps finishing a rug in these three colours. Oh well I suppose that is part of journalling, voicing our thoughts makes decision making so much easier.

As for the instructions to the rectangle rug, check out this very talented chic and follow her mega easy instructions to rectangles. ErinLindsey's Pile Of Yarn

I am a visual girl, so with photos included with the mega easy recipe, makes a very happy Joyce with a hooked rectangle.

oh and p.s. the bad Joyce wins every time when it comes to stash collecting. *sigh*

Tell me, do you go to the bad side too? Come join the party, let's be bad together!!

My Creative Space and a little 'how to. . . . '

✂ Kids finished with their old magazines?

✂ You see them cutting out pictures to stick on their school books, then discarding perfectly good pictures/pages?

✂ You see $5.50 going to landfill?

✂ You see red?

✂ You need to have a spring clean and have piles of 'upcycling' in your studio ready to be converted and moved on, cause you are now covering the floor of your studio with 'jobs'?

✂ School fete is breathing down your neck, and comments have already been asked what you are making this year?

Did you answer 'yes' to any of the above?

So make bookmarks!

I wanted to do a ribbon tail for the bookmarks, but apparently according to my big boy (7.5) this is not cool, and they should be left as is. They both loved them, and decided they needed five each. *ahem* I was going to make them for the school fete, so I have claimed them back. They can choose two each when I am finished them all.

This has been a wonderful task as I can't knit or crochet at the moment, despite my backlog of scarves and squares I would love to get done, however, I cannot do 'nothing' either, so I am clearing a space in my studio, getting a few tasks 'done', starting on my fete corner (yes, I have a corner in my studio that is fete dedicated this time of year) and despite feeling totally useless, am making myself a little useful.

Pop on over to kootoyoo to see what everyone else has been making and add your creative space to the list. I would love to see what you are doing too.

The following set of photos were taken when I put the elastic through my round mandala for my boys stools. It is pretty easy to see from the photos how I have done it. You will just have to excuse my terrible dry skin. After nursing a household of sick these last three weeks, I have been constantly washing my hands, (in the hopes that 1. I would not get it (!) and 2. It's just plain yick to wipe your kids, lime green snotty nose without washing hands).

When you have finished your circle, do a row of chain around the whole thing to create the base point to which you add the elastic.

Cut your elastic to size and join with a knot.

Do your row of chain around the circle, but this time incorporate your elastic as you can see from the following photos.

Ta-Da there you have it, a set of covered kids seats ready for play.

Have a lovely day at your place. Thanks so much for stopping by.