Happy Christmas Everyone!

Bad Blogger

Yes i know it has been a bit quiet here of late! I have been busy doing Christmas Crafty things (yes I know a very technical term!) and so i do have lots to show you all but just need to find the time to blog it!

Purify

Check out our (mine and Kathy's) new blog! We have decided it was time some things were changed and well...purified in our lives. Less consuming and more giving back. Simplifying our lives!
I am actually yet to post but do have many future posts up my sleeve! We have been cooking, planning and soap making. The veggie garden is well on it's way and we are trying to consume less. So check it out and see what we are up to in purifying our lives.

What are you making for Christmas?

I have so many wonderful Christmas gift ideas going around my head it is all rather exciting! Last year I had grand plans to make some of my gifts but only made one which is a bit sad. But this year I am ready to go and have HEAPS of ideas! So I though I would share some of them with you...

Super Cute Key Chain
Change Purse
Marble Magnets
Scrabble Tile Pendant
Reversible Journal cover
Felted Bags
Ribbon Ring Teether
Monogrammed Handkerchiefs
Felt Flower (to adorn felted bags?)
Covered Buttons (maybe for bags too?)
Wrapped Soaps (with handmade olive oil soap)
Notebook and Pencil Holder (for Elsa)
Olive and Archie (Elsa and Isla)
Recyclable Shopping Bags (to fill with lots of yummy food!)
Juggling Balls
Place mats
Coasters
Knitted/Crocheted Facecloths

And more to come I am sure!

Knit one, Purl one...

Yes, it's knitting show off time! I have completed a few knitting projects in the last few weeks and have finally got around to taking photos of them!

You see I love to put completed photos on the girls right away and they (Elsa especially!) get them dirty pretty quickly so then I have to wash them and dry them (takes AGES with the current weather in Tassie!) before I can take my photos again!

First here is the shoaker I knitted with my wool I dyed. I wasn't sure about the striping at first as I had imagined that the colours would be more mixed together but now that it is done I love it!



Miss I was not in a smiling mood and whatever I did she refused to smile! I am sure if some of you had seen me dancing around the room trying to get a smile out of her you would have been quite entertained!

I have had this sitting in my knitting basket waiting for a button for about a month (or longer!) and since the weather is starting to warm up(well it was last week anyway!) I though I had better sew the button on so Miss E can get a few days wear out of it before it gets too warm!


My most recent completed item is a pair of shorties/capris for a friends little girl for her first birthday. I used the Ladybug Loops pattern and all the options are great!

The day has arrived!

Doll Quilt opening day that is!

I was especially blessed to recieve TWO quilts from the lovely Cass. (Thanks Cass!)

Elsa has claimed both of them and has wrapped her baby and thrown it and the quilts into Miss I's cot (she can't reach in hence the throwing) as that is where babies sleep!





And here is what I sent to Missie.



I had hoped the yellow would stand out a bit more.



The Strawberries are my favourite

Green fingers...

Although I have been out in the garden a bit lately this post is not about gardening it is about dying yarn and the colourful fingers that often result. I used to be ultra careful to not get any dye on my hands with gloves and newspaper everywhere but with the little time I find to do these things lately it is easier to just get the colourful fingers and let it wear off. It is only food colouring and it is slightly amusing to see Miss E running around trying to find a 'washee!!!!!' to clean my hands only to discover however much she scrubs it won't come off!

Here are the results of my lastest dye up!

Have you seen this AMAZING costume!!

I frequent the grosgrain blog. Not just because of her amazing giveaways but because of her inspirational creative sewing!

Check this out!!!

Marie-Therese Gown GIVEAWAY !!!!!!!

Drumroll please...

The winner of my little give away is... LISA. (Comment 5)

Lisa, can you email me your address so I know where to send the package. Please allow a couple of weeks as I haven't made the 'something I made' item just yet!!!

I forgot!

Last Monday was my 1 year blogsversary! So with getting into the spirit of things I have decided a giveaway is in order. I have not completely decided what will go in it but I know this much, it will contain...

• something crafty
• something yummy
• something I made
• something luxurious
• something old
• something red

So if you would like a chance to win my surprise pack then leave a comment below and tell me what your favourite online store is. It can be crafty or not. Not that I need to do more online shopping, but it will be fun!

You have a week to leave your comment.

Oh and some pics to make this post pretty and because they are just so cute!!!

This is...

My favourite kitchen tool.

I really had to think about this one as I am one of those people to have HEAPS of little kitchen gadgets that just sit there. I could NEVER throw them away as I might just need them one day and then where would I be! So after much thought I decided on the very uninteresting dishwasher!!

(photo not of our kitchen it is from the FRANKE site)

I love being able to 'hide' dirty dishes and not having to wash heaps of bottles by hand every day!! Boring I know, but I love my new (new house = new dishwasher!) dishwasher!

Thanks to Handmaiden for this weeks theme.


You can even find online coupons for any kitchen appliance or tool imaginable.

Lots of Vintage Lovelies

Oh it was SO fun recieveing all the packages, opening them up and discovereing what lay inside! BUT it was also hard work sorting them all out. I piled them on the kitchen table and tried to remember who sent what and then redistributed them all. I appologise if you got some of your own back, or if you got multiples. A few people sent a lot of the same print and they got a few of them back as there were not enough people on the end for then to be shared around!. I hope you all recieve at least a little of something you love!



So what are you going to do with yours? A quilt perhaps? Small projects? or just save them and look at them every now and then! I think I will make a quilt with mine!



PS If I have 'short changed' you on your FQ's please let me know. I would hate to have messed it up!!

sorry...

Sorry...to all my readers for being away for so long. Yes it was one of those times where you say that 'life got on top of you'. I don't want to make excuses (but I am going to!) we have all been sick but are better now.

Also...

Sorry...to all the people taking part in the vintage sheet FQ swap. I am very late with it all but it is all sorted now and they are on their way. I just hope each of you get something that you love and that inspires you to create! Photos have been taken and a post is on it's way!

1. Sorry .... :(

New house, silly internet, and the sniffles...

Theses are the things keeping me from posting in here of late!

We are finally in our brand new house! When the internet gets sorted I will post some pics of our lovely new house!

So soonish expect this blog (and me!) to be up and running again. Until then, play nicely!

Persephones Tunic

Hooray! I finally finished! Not that it was a particularly hard or long knit it is just that I left it sitting there for too long. I do wish I had made the effort to finish the sleeves sooner as now it only just fits Miss I. I think she may have to wear it as often as possible until it truly won't fit anymore!

So here it is...Persephones Tunic!

I LOVE my new scarf! (and so does Miss E!)

I have recently recieved the most gorgeous scarf! I took part in the Australian Knitters 'We've got you covered' Swap on Ravelry. We each had to knit something for the other person that is a covering. Items ranged from beanies and scarfs to hot water bottle covers and tea cosies!

I opted to knit my swap partner, Andrew, a beanie and also included some other little goodies!In return I recieved this gorgeous scarf and other goodies (chocolates and one ball of yarn are missing already! They have gone to good use though!) from Shelly.

Miss E has taken a liking to my scarf too and this morning found her outside playing with my scarf around her neck!

VSS (Vintage Sheet Swap) Details Sent!

I have emailed (to those whose email address I have) out my address and other details...so if you haven't recieved an email them I probably don't have your details so please email me at meikaslittletreasures(at)gmail(dot)com . Thanks!

Thanks Tara!

Yesterday I recieved some gorgeous sock yarn from Tara in our Christmas in July yarn swap!
Isn't it just lovely!

Popcorn Bloomer and Blouse GIVEAWAY !!!!!!!

Popcorn Bloomer and Blouse GIVEAWAY !!!!!!!

This is so gorgeous and just the right size for Miss I!

This is...why I love where I live

1. Coast of Tasmania, 2. the view , 3. Richardson Beach, Tasmania, 4. Eaglehawk Neck on a clear day, 5. Classic Hobart View, 6. Mt Wellington, over Bruny Island, 7. Taroona Beach, Winter Solstice, 8. Tesellated Pavement, 9. Russell Falls Pano

I've been tagged!

I've been tagged by Marina who has a lovely blog Wink Designs and has just had the most gorgeous baby girl! (almost as gorgeous as my 2!) So here goes...

What were you doing 10 years ago?

I was only 16 years old! I was in year 10 and although I thought I was very grown up I really had no idea! Nothing exciting to write about that really!

5 snacks you enjoy (in an ideal fat-free world)

Chocolate! Cheesecake! Chocolate! Brie Cheese! Chocolate! (did I say chocolate?!) oh and timtams!(chocolate really!)

5 snacks you enjoy (in the real world)

Phili on toast, mango, melon(watermelon and rockmelon), Chai latte, and probably chocolate too!

5 things you'd do if you were a billionaire

Build our dream home on our dream land (a few acres with gorgeous views) with my dream craft studio!

Buy a holiday home in Fiji and maybe another in Europe

Set up investment accounts for our girls (boring I know but my husband is in finance and wouldn't be happy if I missed that on out!)

Employ someone to do my housework! (more time to use my dream craft studio and spend time with my family!)

Travel the world first class and staying in the best hotels but still have days/weeks of really getting out among the local people! (family friendly of course!)

5 jobs you've had

McDonalds

maths and science tutor

collecting medical data for a PhD student

Cherry picking/sorting (sooooooo boring!)

Pharmacist

3 habits you have

Staying up too late! (I love the quiet of the house when everyone else is in bed but always regret it when my girls wake me up in the morning!)

Biting my nails when I am nervous or stressed (you can tell how I am by the length of my nails!)

Leaving things to the last minute ( I have a list of things to do today which have to be done TODAY as I have left them so late!)

5 places you've lived

Lismore (I was born here)

Bristol, UK (worked there for about 8 months but came home to have Miss E)

Hobart (where I live now and have for most of my life!)

5 things you have to do today

change nappies (not the highlight of my day!)

bath children

feed baby

go to postoffice

SLEEP!

5 people you want to know more about

My ancestors - I always wonder what they were like, If I am like any of them and what life was like for them!

One of my best friends boyfriend - She is living in the UK and I have never met him...I am yet to give my stamp of aproval!!

...I can't think of anyone else!

I would like to tag Pink Lizzy. She is always making new and wonderful creations! Head on over and check out what she is up to today!

Vintage Sheet Swap Update

Just a quick one to see ask those who haven't emailed me or put their emails in their comment to please email me so I have everyones contact details. I will email out my address soon.

And if you haven't signed up and are still interested there is still time! Drop me an email or leave a comment in the original sign up post!

I think last count we have over 20 participants so it will be exciting to see what everyone finds!

Op Shop Finds

I have had my mum visiting for the last week and a bit and I thought I would take advaintage of the extra pair of hands with the girls and take a trip to the op shop.

I was quite happy with my finds and left with a tea set for Miss E (probably a picnic set), some vintage sheets and pillowcases, 4 vintage knitting pattern books and 2 childrens books all for $14.90!

Miss Buttons

Isn't she just adorable!
Not bad for one nights work! I purchased this pattern a few weeks ago from here and I love it! I will definately use it again. Elsa loves her too. She took her to bed.

This is...what makes me happy!

My girls, my husband, my family.


Even getting up for the 3rd time in one night to feed Miss I, when she smiles I am happy! Knowing that my family is happy makes me happy!

Win this quilt!

WOW! Hows this for a give away!
Made with gorgeous Ginger Blossom fabric. Go have a look at Old Red Barn Co!

Ava Rose, Ginger blossom and more!

I thought I had better do another post pretty quickly so I don't scare too many people off coming back to my blog because of the horrible spider below!

This beautiful fabric deserves a post all of it's own anyway!

This is Ava Rose and she is just beautiful! I am going to use these to decorate my girls room. You know a couple of quilts, cushions, bunting, fabric boxes etc. Oh and this is just a small FQ pack I ordered from Fresh squeezed fabrics to see what they look like (and I am in LOVE) I have a HUGE parcel of all the range coming from the Fat Quarter Shop!


I ordered these few prints from the Ginger blossom Range when it first came out just because I liked it. I really had no idea what I was going to make with it but have now decided that I would like to make a floor quilt for Miss I to play on so I ordered a FQ pack with some other prints. (also from Fresh squeezed fabrics )


Oh I also got this pack of 1/2 yards. I think I will make this bag with it. We are having a bag challenge over in the EB Newbie Sewer group so I have a month to get it done!