Crafty biz

In knitting - a scarf in moss stitch (seed stitch) has been produced - though needs its ends tidied up still. It is super warm, great for teaching me a new stitch - but superbly slow I realise now that I am back to knit stitch. So in the much more exciting (and instant gratification craft department) I have made stars for this years handmade Christmas ornament swap (and yay Lou for getting in the paper!). Fast and easy - my kind of project.
Also, some rather exciting news, and thanks to being another year older, I finally own my first sewing machine. The one that I used to use was borrowed (on rather a long term loan - so much so that I did the servicing!) and the owner left town. Currently brushing up the old skills and spending money on future projects instead of finishing the ones I have half done. Watch this space for progress!

Late edit: star pattern used came from here

Melly Muse phone home

Yes well,

Where did the last few months go? I am sure I should have been reporting on progress. I am not so good at writing when I am busy doing things. When I am quieter (and thus have nothing to write about) I have plenty of time to write. Hmmmmm.....

How to summarise the new house in a few points.....

• The surroundings - peaceful, quiet, space to run around in, nice rural views.
• The gardens - long grass as ride on mower broke down, glasshouse made of random pieces of wood and old doors and windows (and 8 toilet bowls full of dirt and weeds, 1 bath, 1 sink.....??) yet seems to do the job, vegies not a big priority (next year she says!), fruit trees flowered but no fruit yet

• The house - small yet well formed, facing south (d'uh - what were they thinking), freezing cold in snowy October, extension and renovation plans in design stage, insulation and new heating system compulsory

• Sheep stories - 3 fat sheep came with the place, 7 came to visit from friends up the road, one of ours died and was duly buried in a big hole in the back of the paddock, yesterday they were all shorn (after I chased them out of my garden and back into the paddock - dont ask - moving of gates to make pens, cunning plan gone wrong), visiting sheep went home, now two fat, naked, lonely sheep remain.

Tis lovely being out of town. No neighbours in view (even though we're only on 3.5 acres) and no people noise except for the odd car.

A new beginning

We are packing and cleaning, cleaning and packing. As much as moving is such an awful process, it is also quite good to go through all the stuff and be reminded about how much we cart around from house to house.....and put it back in the boxes because we cant be arsed sorting through it today. And wow - kids create way more stuff than I thought they would. Run out of boxes already.

It totally feels like we are at the start of something new. A crossroads on the next part of the journey. I am off to Brisbane with Lily this week and when we come back we will be in a new (old) house on 3.5 acres of land and nanny-less (she has gone on to other things). So not only is our location and environment changing, our patterns and routines are also about to shift. i.e. I am going to have to get way more organised as daycare doesnt appreciate me just showing up when it suits my timetable.

Plus it is spring, the season where we all get inspired to start things. Like the seeds I should have planted last weekend but will be rushing to do tomorrow while we shift most of our stuff into the new place.

The next grand adventure is about to begin.....

Impatience is a virtue

I would be very virtuous.

If only impatience was a virtue :)

Waiting for the rain to stop.
Waiting to move house.

Do you remember when you were a kid, wandering around after your mum, complaining about being bored? So bored that you can't even be arsed thinking of something to do to keep you amused? That is me this week. Even though there are plenty of half finished projects, people I keep meaning to call, and there is always housework...

The house is conditionally sold - Woo hoo!! one week til it goes unconditional. Waiting, waiting...

On the upside, I am celebrating not having an open home for the first time in 9 weeks by not cleaning the house this weekend.

Cast on!

In joining a new knitting group:

• Try to turn up after the friend who invited you to join them - it makes introductions a lot easier.
  
• Try not to stuff up your knitting in the first ten minutes, thus requiring the help of the group expert to unravel the mess.

It is amazing how much knitting you can achieve when all you have to do is knit and chat for a couple of hours.

I can only hope to create an equally divine dessert as the homemade raspberry cheesecake when my turn to host comes around.

New Look

Time for a change.
Over the old look.
Over winter rain.
Don't "they" say that change is as good as a holiday.
Can't holiday right now.
Can't move house yet.
So blue for blue skies.
Will I get sick of it or used to it?

The creative vacuum

I am in the search for the next project. Or projects.

I had a light bulb moment today. With the theatre show finished, and sleep back to normal patterns, I don't have a large creative outlet on the go. Also, since the house is for sale we are not even gardening. Just weeding and cleaning house, and while this does provide short term satisfaction for the retentive, organised left brain, it is not exactly exercising the other half of my brain, or satisfying the soul.

I also discovered a few days ago something which friends and workmates probably already knew, that I seem to have a minimum level of activity/projects/commitments that makes me feel content/wanted/busy/satisfied. I know this is due to having an overactive enthusiasm, and unwillingness to pull out when the passion has long gone. This is why I overcommit and travel the road to burnout more often than cruising at a sustainable pace.

This is fascinating me - how many projects is my perfect balance between the rewards of activity and the joys of slow mode?

I am trying not to commit to anything big while I answer this question. But that doesnt mean I can't start (or-restart) lots of small projects.

• Photos - on the winter to-do list for the past 4 winters.
• Pull out the knitting box, cruise ravelry looking for ideas I can do without having to buy new wool or needles. Cast on two new projects using existing stash.
• Then promptly order two new knitting books, and some yarn to finish a half completed blanket.
• Look for a creative writing course I can do by correspondence.
• Storyboard two novels, and actually start to write one of them because I want to see how the characters develop.
• Design my dream house for when we move (and have an endless supply of funds).
• Read about native plants and visit the botanical gardens - in preparation for planting natives on our land.
• Commit to regularly writing in my blog - to develop regular writing habit and take time to reflect.
  

A bored mind really can come up with all sorts of things to keep it busy.

Dream, think, plan, imagine, design, plot, scheme.