Thursday, January 28, 2010

Knit and Crochet

I have a Showcase on Etsy this coming weekend and I have been knitting tea cosies and making crochet flowers and leaves



And I found some gorgeous sheep buttons and a chicken button and a fence.  I looked in more boxes and




I found a house and a red flower and some tiny green and white flowers.


I knited  some daffodils

And then painted the town red with this tea cosy. You can see more tea cosies at
http://www.etsy.com/shop/hawthornecottage  and I have more to finish in the next few days.

Monday, January 25, 2010

Sunday's Market

This tea cosy is just finished and is decorated with silk flowers, beads and leaves. I even ventured into my basket of Habu yarns to decorate this tea cosy. This tea cosy is listed in my Etsy shop.





Yesterday was a busy day at Southbank. I had been working on tea cosies last week and planning to list them on Etsy. Took photos etc but didn't have time to list on Saturday. So the tea cosies made their way into the market bag when I was packing on Saturday night. And yesterday was tea cosy day at the market. So back to work this week. I have the cosies knitted so the flowers need to be knitted or made using silk fabric. Have dyed some silk this morning.
Taffy and Brie both return from holidays this week. Taffy has been in Vietnam and Brie in Japan. Both have had to send parcels home!!! Perhaps a little too much shopping.


Friday, January 22, 2010

Water Lily



Some time ago, maybe a couple of years ago I gave David the gift of a water lily to plant in our dam. Nothing happened so I thought it had died. Last year the water level in the dam was low and the plant pot just sat lifeless. But to my joy David told me this morning that there was a water lily.


So I went and took a photo. On the way back to the house I remembered one of the reasons I like water lilies. When I was young - pre teens young - my mother went out on Monday and Wednesday nights. On Monday nights she went to the Stawell Tech to do a class. Firstly it was millinery and Mum made many wonderful creations. I still use her hat block.


The next class she took was cake decorating. The hats she made were good but the cakes were really something special. One of the cakes she made was decorated with water lilies. Each lily was carefully moulded and then hand painted. We didn't madly take photos in those years and I'm sad that I don't have photos of some of the decorated cakes. I remember the Dolly Varden cake made for my 8th birthday - I still have the small two faced doll.


When I was at boarding school I remember one birthday cake my mother sent me - decorated with a horse and horse shoes. And there were the cakes for friends and relations, special birthdays and weddings.


And the Wednesday nights Mum went out. Well Mum and 4 friends played solo. These women didn't play for money, they used counters. I still have the box of shells. When "cards" were at home (there was a strict rotation around the houses) I would count out the shells and give each player the required number. Sometimes these card nights went late and Dad would worry if Mum was not home by midnight. Strange the things you remember.


The big deal about card nights was that there was supper. The magical country supper. If it was at home my brother and I would hope the ladies didn't eat it all and maybe there would be leftovers for us the next day. I remember Mum used to make a luscious slice from her Elizabeth David cook book. I have that book now.

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Engagement!

Our son Taffy has announced his engagement to Anna. We are so happy for them and are delighted to welcome Anna into our family. What a wonderful beginning to 2010.


Work has been a mixture of hand spinning and tea cosies. This is my latest cosy made using Chunky yarn and finished with a felted flower.

Jam making keeps me busy at this time of the year. Today I made apricot jam. I am relieved that it has set really well and it tastes yummy.


Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Burrumbeet Races

New Year's Day was celebrated at the Burrumbeet races. The country racecourse is close to Ballarat and such a delightful setting. We packed a picnic lunch and headed to the racecourse early. Each year we park the car near the horse stalls and set up our table and chairs.

These two wonderful greys belong to the clerk of the course.


Getting ready for the race on a very grassy track.



There is only one race meeting here each year so for the remainder of the year sheep graze the track. This year after the rain hay has been baled as well.




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