Happy Halloween

We have never got into the celebrations of Halloween.  We have had the occasional knock on the door and me running to the pantry or freezer to find a treat for the odd child that has dressed up and come knocking in the hope of filling a bag with treats.

This year however I have been introduced to it in a BIG way.

The celebrations here have been in full swing for the month.  Houses have been decorated.  Parties have been held and tonight is the grand finale.  I am looking forward to my two going off and trick or treating for the first time.  I do not know if this will become a regular thing.  But here, where we call home this year and next it will be.  This post currently has 10 American families and that is a big percentage for our little community and tonight they are putting on a celebration for the little ones.

I am off to put green face paint on a little girl who is excited beyond words.  I will be back with photos of them tomorrow. Today, you will have to see my transformation into a School Girl Zombie.  I had so much fun and even took out best dressed.

A mini break

I love nothing more then getting away with my family.  We decided that a mini break was in order (before the madness of Christmas and postings)

We packed the camper trailer and headed off to the beach.  Baden was less then impressed that this beach was nothing like our last holiday to the beach.  Lucky for us we stayed at a Big4 and had use of the indoor heated pool.

I love spending time with these two (and my husband who spent most of the weekend on the phone dealing with work stuff, it appeared no-one else seemed to care that we were on a mini vacation)

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

My Creative Space | A finished shawlette

A finished shawlette marks the first completed Christmas gift.  I have wanted to knit this pattern for a while.  I read reports that it was an easy to follow pattern.  I was doing well until I decided to knit 3 complete repeats instead of 2 and a half before the final lace chart.

It feels great to have something completed, wrapped and ready to gift and I think that I will make myself one next year.

I always have grand plans of making lots of my gifts.  But in reality that never happens as I am neck deep in packing boxes.

I'm going to keep a running tally on Christmas Gifts this year.  I'm also interested in what extra things I will have to purchase along the way.  I'm certain that I have enough fabric and yarn in this house to make most of my gifts.

Cost:
Pattern: 198 yds of heaven = free
Yarn: 85grams of Araucania Solid Worsted / 10 ply, $16 (been in stash over a year) = $0
Total: + $16

 Don't forget to pop over here.  There is still lots of neon rope fun to be seen.

The Retreat

When Abbe started talking about setting up a Retreat, my ears pricked.

I planted the seed with a group of crafty girls that I had met on my SIT weekends and the rest is history.

What resulted was a wonderful weekend of knitting, sewing, quilting, pattern drafting, skill sharing,

 

 fabric and supply sharing.

... and lets not forget about the food.

or the wine.

 And we flopped into comfortable beds (complete with electric blankets to warm the crafty bones and cute handmade quilts)
 

 
The little details are not forgotten and if you feel like a bubble bath, then there is one of those too.
 

So crafty friends,  What are you waiting for.  Get a group of friends together and book in for a weekend of laughs, fun and friendship.

I will be back tomorrow to share with you what I finished on the weekend.

Back

Did you miss me?  I fell of the Blogtoberfest wagon.  But I have a very good excuse that I am certain half of the crafty readers that I know will be jealous of.

I escaped to the country (well I live in the country, just a different area of it) and went here.  Met up with seven other crafty friends and had a fantastic weekend.

 A photo snapped on Sunday afternoon. We are missing one and her cute little helper

I'll be back later to tell you all about it.  But now I have to go and unpack my car.

1/52

I came across a new to me weekly blog post a few weeks ago.  A portrait of your child/ren once a week, every week for a year.  By the end you have 52 photos of your little ones to look back on and cherish.

I've decided to join in on the fun.  I have not nearly taken enough photos of my little ones this year and as they growing at lightning speed I really should capture them more.

Amelia:  A quick snap taken before school.  You were meant to be brushing your hair, instead I find you playing with your little gnome fairies.  

Baden: On the run in the backyard, enjoying the first few days of daylight savings. 

My Creative Space Day #11

I have cast on the first of the Christmas gifts.

It feels good to have something in progress for the silly season.  I always have huge plans of making most of our gifts but then get busy with packing or heading away for Christmas.

This year we are staying put and I can not wait.  I'm looking forward to decorating the house and opening presents under the tree.

 

Are you making gifts for Christmas?  For more crafty happenings make sure you pop over and check out this extensive list.
And if you are stopping by from Blogtoberfest.  Please do leave a message so I can pop by and say hi back.  Ihave had so many visits this week and only a handful of comments, please don't be shy (I have even turned off word verification for you)

Pulling out the DSLR #10

We are so lucky to live where we do.  Just a hop, skip and a jump from our front door we find ourselves in the bush and will often find a Kangaroo and if we are lucky an Emu too.

  This cute spot was created by another set of friends here. What a great place to hide.

 A few friends gathered on the first day of daylight savings to snap a few photos together and bounce ideas off of each other.  Julie (our local children's and family photographer who is on her way to Darwin at the end of the year, so if you are in need of a family photographer (she is also registed as an OpLOVE photographer) make sure you keep her in mind) shared some of her tricks with us.

  I have been so slack with taking photos of the kids this year and was nice to grab the DSLR and my 50mm lens and play around with the manual settings.

 

In the Garden #9

I thought that I would share with you my little herb garden.  Some of you may remember the herb garden  I built when we moved in.

I collected all the odd bricks, broken pots and rocks that I could find and went to work.  I am so pleased how it turned out and pleased to report that most of my herbs survived the winter and the frost.

The only herbs that lost were the lemon grass, chilli and basil. (but then they are all warmth loving herbs and plants)  I'm thrilled that the strawberries are already flowering. The thyme has also gone to flower and is bringing in the bee's to work their magic.