Small is Beautiful

I'm sitting typing this in the middle of an empty living area. Everything but the telly, the laptop and the fridge has been put into storage so that new bamboo boards can be put down. My horrible old flooring is going to be pulled up tomorrow, and I can't wait!
...although someone around here is going to miss the carpet:

(It's OK ~ I've got a new rug at the ready so that she can roll around on that instead.)

Much of the past week has been spent packing boxes and moving furniture, but I have spent a little time out in my neglected garden which, despite having grown even wilder and more tangled, is still pretty.

The potato flowers are blooming,

the pomegranates have ripened

and I've unearthed a wire candle holder that I like, made at a Saturday workshop a few years ago, and I've hung it from my little gum tree so that I can see it from my bedroom window. The glass is very reflective and glows in the sunlight:

I haven't been doing a lot of crochet but, when the floorboards have been put in, I would like to start making some new scatter cushions. I've decided that I want to make something like the first pillow you can see here. I'm going to use motifs from a Japanese craft book I own called Crochet Motif Item. (Sadly, it's now out of print.) I particularly like Motif Number 30, which I first tried crocheting last year:

I want the cushion to be sturdy so I'm crocheting the motifs out of kitchen string and I am planning on felting the backing.

...and of course, in between all the packing and moving, I've still been gaining lots of inspiration from the internet. I've really enjoyed visiting lucy at attic24. Lucy creates colourful, joyful posts and has put together some excellent crochet tutorials. I've also been loving jek in the box for her exuberant, quirky photos...and when I've been feeling tired of renovating my cramped little unit I've been going over to Apartment Therapy and reminding myself that small really can be beautiful, as you can see here and here.

Have a fabulous week everybody.

Brilliante Spring

As I mentioned in my last post, Andrea at Indigo Blue Designs presented me with this award. Thank you so much Andrea, I'm very happy to receive it!

Here are the rules:
1. The winner can put the logo on his/her blog.
2. Link to the person you received your award from.
3. Nominate at least 7 other blogs for an award.
4. Put links to those blogs on yours.
5. Leave a message on the blogs for the people you've nominated.

I've chosen seven bloggers who have blogs I really love to visit but who I haven't given an award to before:
MagnusMog,
Old Red Barn Co.,
be present be here,
Moonstitches,
Resurrection Fern,
Cornflower Blue Studio and
Dancing Mermaid.

All of these bloggers take gorgeous photographs. They write and craft with sensitivity and beauty. (Also, I am really inspired by MagnusMog, Ressurection Fern and Old Red Barn Co.'s commitment to sustainability.) If you haven't visited their sites before you are in for a treat. Enjoy!

Springtime's come to my corner of the Earth.
When I go out walking I sometimes catch the scent of jasmine and freesias, which I adore.
The fruit trees are in bloom as well.
This almond tree, which grows in the laneway behind my home, is covered in flowers:

I love the delicacy of the blossoms and the softness of the colours.

The weather's warming too.
I found this tiny lizard sunbathing by my backdoor last weekend:

As you can see, it was very relaxed, and let me come up surprisingly close to take this shot.

Craftwise, I've been trying to finish off the scarves I've been making ~ in another few weeks it will be too warm to wear them. I've also been playing around with wire. I'm in the process of crocheting a beaded cuff and I am having fun!
Here's where I got to last night:

I'm using purple plastic coated 24 gauge wire, an assortment of glass beads and a 3.50 mm steel hook.
...and, for those of you who might want to have a go yourself, here's a good tutorial.
I'm hoping that I can finish it off tonight ~ I need to do some more crocheting, and I also need to "block" it and to attach fastenings. I'm looking forward to putting it on ~ it will be interesting to see how it works as a piece of jewellery when it's worn.

Have a wonderful week, everybody.

A Parade of Scarves and Wirework

Hi!
Long time no blog, I know.
My job keeps on getting in the way.
I have some catching up to do!
Thank you to everyone who left lovely comments, in my last post, about my mum's drawings. She was tickled pink to receive them.
Thanks, too, to Rachel, from corn flower blue studio, and Cindy, from Chronicles of Yarnia, who tagged me for a meme. I'll respond as soon as I can.
I'd also like to blow virtual kisses to the lovely Andrea, of indigo blue designs, who presented me with an award. I'll acknowledge it properly next time I write here, I promise!

Even though work has been really time consuming, I've managed to get out and enjoy a little of the gorgeous Spring weather we've been experiencing here in Perth
...and I've been crafting, of course.

I've finished the chunky neck warmer I was working on:



...and I've completed the fan scarf I was crocheting:

I'm not totally happy with the second scarf because the weight of the wool pulls the fans out of shape but I've received enthusiastic compliments when I've worn it to work, and that's nice.

I've been gardening too,
and I thought I'd share some of the wire work that I've hung outside.

I have a mermaid reclining on the back fence:

I also have a sun catcher hanging in the garden
which, I've discovered, is hard to photograph because it's so long ~
so here's just a part of it:

I made both the sun catcher and the wire mermaid a few years ago with an artist called Regina at Fremantle Arts Centre. Sadly, Regina no longer lives in Western Australia. I wish she did, she was an excellent teacher and was lots of fun to work with.
I made this beaded ring in one of her workshops too:

I'd love to construct more of these...
Here's to a a joyful and productive week, everybody.