Yeah, you could pretty much say I've gone totally mad, making a cozy for an apple... but aren't they soooo cute!?!
The beautiful Em from duck-egg blue ...and tea cups too got me all inspired last week with her cute wee apple cozy (here). I've been wanting to make one of these for ages but just couldn't find the right pattern (until now).
Wouldn't this be a unique way to store an apple in your bag... or a sweet gift for your child's teacher? Not sure if any of my children's teacher's would appreciate one of these though... especially the male ones.
Apples seem to be the one thing my children leave in their lunch boxes, so I'm tempted to see if making apples 'cute' will do the trick!
Yesterday my beautiful Nana turned 79!
When I spotted these chocolate false teeth on a stick, I couldn't resist popping them into her present... and as you can see, she had a wee giggle (I think we all did).
We celebrated her special day as a family with a meal out at one of our local Chinese restaurants. I love Chinese food... especially all you can eat!
There were only a few of us (I left Symon home to mind the kids) and had a lovely time catching up with my extended family, including my beautiful cousin. Somehow, there ended up being a few shenanigans (must run in the family genes) which included a bit of arm-length measuring and action shot photography. Let's just say that I'm rather surprised at how long some peoples arms can actually be ;)
Anyway, "Happy Birthday" to my special Grandmother. She is such a precious lady, artistic, faith-filled, an amazing cook and crafter (she's the one who taught me to crochet), one of those cuddly Nana's that always has lollies in the top of her pantry and leaves lip stick kiss marks on your cheek.
I wholeheartedly believe that no matter what is happening in your life, there is always something that you can be thankful for... no matter how simple it is.
Here are a few of the things I am loving at the moment...
Great thrift shop bargains! I've been wanting a teapot just like this for ages (and may even crochet a teapot cozy for it!!)...
Pinterest - yes, I've decided to speak openly about my love for this amazingly inspirational place. My pins here.
Mondays and Tuesdays - I love them! These are usually Symon's days off which often means a stroll to one of our favourite spots...
Link love: The amazing job Leonie (from Kiwi At Heart) has done in gathering over 180 softies for the kids in Christchurch! With the recent shakings, I am sure that these special toys will bring lots of sunshine to some precious children. Also loving my free Russian Matryoshka Doll Crochet pattern from Cait! Thank you so much.
Loving school assemblies celebrating National Language Week... but not loving that I didn't recognise my own child until the end! How shocking is that? For your information, she's the one here in the middle, dressed in Middle Eastern garb. Thankfully I 'accidently' took a photo of her!
Loving a wee bit of softie making...
New fingerless gloves, bought not made this time...
Here's how you can join in....
Link up below with your blog post telling us what thing/s you are loving, and don't forget to link back to here in your post (or use this button below) and visit the others who have joined in too. Linky open until Sunday!!
I have an "All things Mario" obsessed son who has been begging and begging me to make him a Pixelated 1up Mushroom blanket for his bed (inspired by this and this) for his upcoming birthday. Now, when a son asks you to crochet him something, you jump at the chance (because frankly, not many boys I know are into crochet rugs on their beds).
I've been putting off starting it for ages, thinking I'd finished some of my other unfinished projects first (like this), but then suddenly I realised that I needed to crochet well over 200 granny squares, then join them all together!
So far I've done 87... only 100+ to go!
This is a seriously delicious slice (chocolate and walnuts = HELLO!) but alas, it also has a lot of butter... so bake and share!
Ingredients
125 g butter
½ cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons honey
1½ cups rolled oats
½ cup self raising flour
¾ cup walnuts, finely chopped
1 cup chocolate chips
Heat oven 180°C. Grease and line pan - 20cm x 30 cm.
Melt butter, sugar and honey in pot. Stir gently till sugar dissolves. Stir in oats, flour and nuts.
Cool mixture, add choc chips and press mixture into pan.
Bake 20 minutes.
I finished mine off by drizzling melted chocolate over the top of the cooled slice... mmmmmm!
For more delicious recipes visit here.
Original recipe found here.
I wholeheartedly believe that no matter what is happening in your life, there is always something that you can be thankful for... no matter how simple it is.
Here are a few of the things I am loving at the moment...
Feltidermy. Strange yet cute, I'd love to try making some of these oneday...
By Girlsavage
I've discovered that dipping plain biscuits (like these ANZAC biscuits) in chocolate, takes them to a whole new level... in deliciousness and calories...
I'm loving girls who don't mind posing next to helicopters...
Making my first beanie for the winter...
Cute drawings made just for me...
I'm totally loving Freebies! Check out this amazing free album download by Bjorn & Tara... I love love love it! These very cute printable lunchbox notes are such a great idea too, and perfect for all ages.
Finally, I'm loving my crazy family...
Here's how you can join in....
Link up below with your blog post telling us what thing/s you are loving, and don't forget to link back to here in your post (or use this button below) and visit the others who have joined in too. Linky open until Sunday!!
I spotted this free pattern for 'Pippy Slippers' on Pip's site (Meet Me At Mikes) the other week and was super keen to make some for myself.
When I showed my finished slippers to Symon the other night his instant reply was, "they are so rude!'. Isn't he lovely? Reminds me of his loving comments after I crocheted my first coasters (see here).
Anyway, I just love them - they are simple to make and great for any sized feet (and believe me, my feet are as giant as a Yeti's feet).
Oh, and speaking of Yetis, I accidentally made one slipper waaaaaaaaaay too big, so Symon's Yeti softie now has his very own beanie!
It's been a while since the party invitations were given out, but last night we finally got to have another fun family themed meal!! Remember last time when we became "The Drake Fighters"? So much fun!!
This time we had our very own Mad Hatters Tea Party!
The plan - come dressed up wearing something on your head (a hat, crown or tiara) and take part in cupcake decorating, family photos, our very own tea party and finishing up the night by watching Alice in Wonderland!
The highlights: Delicious cupcakes, the excitement that a bit of tea drinking causes amongst the kids and drinking sodas later while we watched the movie.
The low lights: Boys who don't colour coordinate their outfits (ahem... Symon), and the fact that the time of night meant we didn't get to take super clear pictures!
So much fun, and relatively cheap and easy to organise. I love you guys!!
More fun themed meals here.
I've been on a journey - a journey of learning to love the unlovely (you may remember me talking about it back here at the start of the year).
Really loving people can be seriously difficult sometimes, especially when you try to do it in your own strength (and when the people in question are not easy to love).
Letting Jesus love people through you is a whole different story though - because He is Love... pure love.
While on my journey, there has been one simple phrase that has transformed my perspective on loving others. Thanks to my darling soul-mate, I often get reminded of this phrase while complaining, getting suspicious or despairing over people. I am reminded that "love hopes for the best".
What an inspiring thought... "love hopes for the best". Love doesn't think the worst about people, it doesn't get all suspicious, it doesn't plan for the very worst outcome, and it certainly doesn't throw away any chance of a change in a persons character.
Love hopes for the best.
Imagine what our world would look like if we all just started to hope for the best in people. Imagine if each and every person was encouraged and inspired, rather than criticized and demeaned. What would our cities be like if hope and love were spread over them like a salve to the soul.
I really do think we would see some changes. Actually, I know we would.
It all has to start somewhere - with someone... and that person is me (ahem... and you too).
"...let us stop just saying we love each other; let us really show it by our actions" 1 John 3:18
Photos via here.
I loved starting off my weekend by watching this amazing documentary at our youth church on Friday night. Loved it so much - moving, inspiring and features our beautiful New Zealand landscape!
Hanging with "King Julian". He has a serious control problem though, patrolling his territory like he owns one whole side of the fish tank. He is certainly not the easiest fish to photograph, but he does love the camera (or maybe his reflection in the lense).
Although the above cupcake may look slightly disgusting (or as my lovely husband put it, "like a mushroom flavoured cupcake"), these were sooooo good! Oreo flavoured cupcakes!!
Loved having my first ever day-sleep in years! Totally needed it as have been feeling a bit under the weather lately.
My weekend of bliss did not include having a whole cup of fish tank water poured into my bedroom drawer (which contains things like makeup, my hair straightener and other important documents). I won't mention who did it, but his name does start with 'S' and end with 'N'...
I hope you had a wonderful weekend!!
King Julian, not shy of the camera
I wholeheartedly believe that no matter what is happening in your life, there is always something that you can be thankful for... no matter how simple it is.
Here are a few of the things I am loving at the moment...
Making my lovely Mum a special birthday cake yesterday... a chocolate cake with strawberry butter cream icing and chocolate hearts! Love you so much Mum!!
Cadbury Dairy Milk Mousse! Favourite flavour would have to be Caramel... delicious!!
Family bush walks... even though there was a few grizzles, someone stepped in a doggy doo, a few of us slipped over in mud, everyone got tired and we all got lost - we did have fun in the end (I think?)...
Being given my very own V60 PourOver by an awesome couple I know (thanks Chris & Ginny) who sell their amazing (roast to order) Beanlab coffee here.
Making my first ever Vlog! Linking up here with Gail at Delightfully Diva-ish. Now you can hear what I really sound like (my strange Kiwi Accent and husky voice) and also see me eating a carrot (haha). I dare you to join in and have a go!
Here's how you can join in....
Link up below with your blog post telling us what thing/s you are loving, and don't forget to link back to here in your post (or use this button below) and visit the others who have joined in too. Linky open until Sunday!!
