tea cosies

Holly gave me this awesome craft book for Christmas. State of Craft, edited by Victoria Woodcock, is full of interviews and bios of really inspirational crafters like Tatty Devine and Urban Cross Stitch. The accompanying craft projects are interesting, quirky and cool. I loved the look of the Over-The-Top Tea Cosies by Teacakes and 78s', with their fun, oversized pompoms on top, so I thought I'd give them a go. I love knitting.... you can interact with people, talk, watch movies and tv without having to focus too much on what you are doing. It's also a portable craft that you can take with you wherever you go. 

The pattern is easy to follow and it doesn't take long to whip one up!
The cosy is knitted in knit-1, purl-1 rib.

Using 5 mm knitting needles, cast on 40 stitches with double-knitting wool. 
K1, p1 to the end of each row (finishing with a purl stitch) until work measures 15 cm.

Decrease to shape the top. 
Row 1: *Knit 2 tog* repeat 'til the end of row (20 sts remain).

Row 2: Knit to end of row.

Row 3: *Knit 2 tog* repeat 'til the end of row (10 sts remain).

Row 4: Knit to end of row.

Row 5: *Knit 2 tog* repeat 'til the end of row (5 sts remain).

Cast off the remaining 5 stitches.

Repeat for other side.

Sew sides up leaving gaps for the handle and spout. I used my tea pot to work out where they go.

Make a GIANT pompom (use 13-15 cm diameter cardboard circles) and sew securely on the top. Gorgeous!!!

So now my new favourite thing to do is to knit tea cosies. They are simple to make and look stunning. Get out the knitting needles and have a go. In the words of Victoria Woodcock "Now go forth and make!" 

blue skies are calling

This is a song for anyone

With a broken heart
This is a song for anyone
Who can't get out of bed

I'll do anything
To be happy
Oh cause blue skies are calling
But I know that it's hard

This is the last song that I write

While still in love with you
This is the last song that I write
While you're even on my mind

Cause it's time to leave

Those feelings behind

Oh cause blue skies are calling

But I know that it's hard

I don't think that it's the end

But I know we can't keep going

I don't think that it's the end

But I know we can't keep going

But blue skies are calling

Oh yeah blue skies are calling

Oh blue skies are calling

But I know that it's hard

I love this song by Noah and the Whale. It resonates in my spirit. I feel like I've had to say a lot of permanent goodbyes in my life - to my Mum and Dad, John's Mum and Dad and of course my beloved husband - John. I feel like I've had my fair share of dealing with the emotional and physical toll of cancer on the people I love - with my Mum, John's Dad, John's melanoma, my sister's breast cancer (now in remission. Yay!). There's been a lot of sadness, a lot to process and deal with.

This year has been a funny year so far (not the haha kind). I've spent six months with a stress related illness that is taking a long time to come right. I've said "goodbyes" to my precious Holly as she's spread her wings and flown to England. I am so happy for her, with lots of exciting adventures ahead. But now I'm finally living alone and working out what that's like for me. I've had times of feeling really lonely (even though I've got 262 Facebook friends!!) and it feels like a time of transition. To what... I'm not sure!

I'm optimistic for the future... pondering what's ahead... cause blue skies are calling but I know sometimes that it's hard...

mount goodbyes

When my beautiful mother-in-law Merle died last year, it was the end of an era in many ways. With our final goodbye to Merle, came other goodbyes. Her house and beach house were sold as part of her estate. So many memories, family gatherings, good times and holidays reside in both of those houses. To celebrate all of those good times the family gathered for one last holiday at Mount Maunganui. It was so much fun to be with the cousins. It was the usual rowdy gathering round food, drinks, conversation, board games, joking around and laughter.

You know you are nearly at the Mount when you hit Matamata. We stopped for some sustenance from the Kaimai Cheese Cafe. Delicious!

Next stop the Mount, with the first stop there - the beach...

Hugo loved fun times with Beth

Then later that evening we got out this fine looking lady, who was a gift for my 40th birthday. She has spent many happy years here by the beach. It seemed fitting that we would light her up on this final visit. As you can see, she is quite spectacular. Although by the end of the weekend she looked like the gruesome victim of extreme sun exposure!

The beach house is like a time capsule from the 60's and 70's. I love all of the decorative touches. The eclectic gathering of furniture, accessories, fabrics, leftover paraphanalia from all of our houses. It's been the final resting place of many an off-cast piece of furniture, kitchenware, bedding, books and games. Check out these classic "bach" styles. (We were never allowed to call it a bach. It was definitely a bit more upmarket than that - a beach house!)

Archways and shagpile carpet

Decades of glassware styles 

The classic imitation candle sconce

Vintage styles in the sleepout

 Seaside touches

So many complicated, frustrating jigsaw puzzles have been completed on this table. Always the bigger, the more pieces, the better... leading to conversations like "Do you think this blue piece is the sky or the sea?"

All of the paintings at the beach house are oils by Merle. She was the most amazing artist. 

Then it was time to say our goodbyes. It was so special to be able to gather, remember, reminisce... to think about all of those special memories we've shared and the people who helped create them, especially Merle and John. 

 And this is why we love the Mount...

Beautiful!

Goodbye. Thanks for all the memories...

queen's birthday jubilee

Well, after almost a year out of the blogisphere, I'm back! I've been pouring a lot of creative energy into my new job and just haven't had much left over for blogging. I've really missed it, so here I am again...


It's been a long weekend in New Zealand, celebrating the Queen's birthday alongside the jubilee celebrations in England. I do have a soft spot for the Queen and royal-themed souvenirs. Here are some of my royal treasures...

 Catherine David "Queen's Head" blackboard 

(from Holly who now lives in London and attended the jubilee celebrations in person!)

 Vintage coronation tin

(from Beth who found it on Great Barrier Island. Who knew such treasures were hidden there?)

 Crafty Union Jack cushion 

(from my sister Meredith who bought it in England for me) 

It's been so much fun to embrace the Queen's birthday and jubilee this weekend. No royal celebrations are complete without freshly baked scones...

Pimms

Union Jacks

tea

and the most amazing "Queenie" jelly made by Beth. Two litres of boysenberry jelly no less. The mould was a gift from my friend Helen who lives in England (and is also aware of my fondness for Queenly jubilee souvenirs).

Here she is before the unmoulding

 Nervous lifting

 Phew! She is set and looking lovely (if not slightly disturbing when she wobbles)

 Delicious! The destruction has begun...

Kiwi royalists

"Happy birthday and jubilee celebrations, Ma'am!"

(Flags and crowns courtesy of Holly)

lana del rey - video games

Loving this song right now......

Swinging in the backyard

Pull up in your fast car

Whistling my name

Open up a beer

And you take it over here

And play a video game

I'm in his favorite sun dress

Watching me get undressed

Take that body downtown

I say you the bestest

Lean in for a big kiss

Put his favorite perfume on

Go play a video game

It's you, it's you, it's all for you

Everything I do

I tell you all the time

Heaven is a place on earth with you

Tell me all the things you want to do

I heard that you like the bad girls

Honey, is that true?

It's better than I ever even knew

They say that the world was built for two

Only worth living if somebody is loving you

Baby now you do

Singing in the old bars

Swinging with the old stars

Living for the fame

Kissing in the blue dark

Playing pool and wild darts

Video games

He holds me in his big arms

Drunk and I am seeing stars

This is all I think of

Watching all our friends fall

In and out of Old Paul's

This is my idea of fun

Playing video games

It's you, it's you, it's all for you

Everything I do

I tell you all the time

Heaven is a place on earth with you

Tell me all the things you want to do

I heard that you like the bad girls

Honey, is that true?

It's better than I ever even knew

They say that the world was built for two

Only worth living if somebody is loving you

Baby now you do

(Now you do)

It's you, it's you, it's all for you

Everything I do

I tell you all the time

Heaven is a place on earth with you

Tell me all the things you want to do

I heard that you like the bad girls

Honey, is that true?

It's better than I ever even knew

They say that the world was built for two

Only worth living if somebody is loving you

Baby now you do 

what I did in my holidays

Now that I'm back teaching I am enjoying all of the good things that it brings..... gorgeous children, weekends (after working Sundays for the last few years) and regular holidays. Thanks to some very lovely friends, I was able to return to Rotorua for a relaxing break. You can read about my last Rotorua holiday here and here.

Beth and Mikey came down for the weekend and we spent our time exploring, eating, op shopping, luging, laughing, eating, drinking, watching a movie, playing board games, drinking, laughing, eating, reading, biking (Mikey), napping (me), eating..... until it was time for them to leave. I waved goodbye and prepared to settle in for the rest of the week.

It was so nice to spend a sustained period of time when I didn't have to do anything, I could just do anything. I spent my time reading two and a half novels, more op shopping, sleeping, walking and crafting. It's been pretty full on starting a new job so I haven't really been crafting - just blobbing out in front of the tv too exhausted to think creatively, let alone make anything. I've known for a really long time that being creative feeds my spirit but when life gets busy it seems to be the first thing to go. As I cut, pinned, sewed, embroidered, knit and generally created I felt energised... and extremely productive!! Here are the fruits of my labour....

 Knitted red wool bracelet and vintage blanket heart decorations

Ipad cover made from a vintage NZ wool blanket, vintage buttons with an airforce badge on the front.... 

.... and an army badge on the back!

Nine vintage NZ wool blanket cushions

As you can tell, I love grey blankets. I particularly love the grey blanket with the red stripe up the middle. (I've only ever found one!)

Vintage blankets and doilies

And then it was time to pack up and head home. I enjoy a good road trip but the road can get monotonous so I like to take regular breaks. I stopped for afternoon tea at this lovely cafe that seems to be from another era....

Homemade apple cake presented beautifully on a Crown Lynn plate

Collections of vintage bottles

Star-glass room dividers

The cafe's chooks

Love it! As I headed back to Auckland I felt like I had experienced a real slice of NZ country hospitality!!

still missing you....

Every now and again I have vivid dreams of my husband John. He's alive and breathing, talking, living and laughing with me. They are very real. I feel his presence.... then I wake up and feel my loss afresh. Often in those dreams he walks away and I try to ring and text him and I can never reach him.... so my subconscious knows he has gone... that I can't reach him. But these dreams leave fresh waves of missing John, his presence in my life and the depth of his love for me.

So I thought I'd write a post telling him how much I still miss him. I know he can't read it, that he doesn't know what I'm saying but just putting it out there reminds me of what a lovely man he was, that he is not forgotten, that his legacy lives on forever in my heart.

So you would think after six and a half years I would have moved on... well I have in so many ways. I've grown in so many ways... I've learned to shoulder loss, to keep moving forward, to find hope again, to find happiness in the smallest of things. Small things like seeing Rangitoto and the harbour as I get to work every day makes me happy!

But all of that doesn't stop me missing you John. I loved the way you loved me... that you thought I was funny and that made me funnier because you liked it! I loved the way you were consistent, constant, reliable and a very steady influence in my life. When I was all over the place you anchored me, you made me feel safe.... that we could face anything the world threw at us, that it was okay because we faced it together. I loved it that I was the only girl for you, the only person you wanted, that I was enough for you. I loved it that we had been together for 25 years but our love was as fresh as if we had just fallen in love. I loved it that even though it was all cut short you felt that you hadn't missed out on anything, that our love and life together had been enough... enough for a lifetime. So you've gone and I miss you so much.

I hold on to all this good stuff but I keep moving forward. Who knows what the future holds for me now. I treasure the memories and the legacy you have left me. I know you would be proud of me, how I've coped, the decisions I've made and the life that I am living.

But still I miss you baby

Love you

See you later xo