Monday 27 May 2013

Busy Happy Times

Hello to you all and thank you for popping in and leaving me lovely messages; I love reading them and responding to them. If you are a newcomer to my place then please feel welcome and do let me know you've been here - it's so nice to hear from all of you!

I hadn't realised how busy it's been around here until I began to upload my pics! Last week it seemed like I didn't have much to report, so didn't, but time has caught up with me now so I'll get into my sharing without further ado!

First off let me show you the progress on my 'round the colour wheel' blanket, as well as the little one with the central flower - which is now finished.


I really needed a change after all the blanketing and decided to make something completely different this time, so out came the sewing machine after quite a long break - it's a wonder it wanted to speak to me after such neglect! 
I came across a magazine that is new to me (Inspiring Country Threads, Stitchery - published in Australia), and this is Vol 14 No 1 - so obviously not new to other folks. Something on the front cover  looked like the sort of pattern I'd been searching for off and on for quite some time so I jumped into it!


My lovely husband thought she should be called 'Annie' so Annie she is.  I made some changes to the original pattern just to personalise her - mainly the hair and the shoes, and I'm quite fond of her. I do remember my Mum making lots of toys and dolls, and teddy bears; she did such a great job of everything she tackled! I'm pretty sure she would like Annie, but sadly she's not around to see her!

I also decided to try my hand at a pair of socks - it's been years since I knit with four needles - and even longer since using 4 ply yarn which was a bit of a challenge to begin with but I'm getting there!


This is King Cole's Zig Zag yarn and I do like the way the colourways have worked out. It's always a bit risky with multi-coloured yarns isn't it, but also exciting to watch how it 'pans out'. In this pic you can see a little bit of progress where I've turned the heel.


It was my birthday yesterday (Sunday) and family and friends really spoiled me with lovely gifts and attention - and I soaked it all up of course. But I'm getting ahead of myself here. We've been having a run of cold nights but lovely sunny days just recently so on Saturday J and I took a short drive up Mount Shadforth Road to 'The Lookout', just so I could get some sunny pics to show you a bit more of our beautiful countryside .


The cows have the best view in the area, overlooking the inlet and ocean!

So back to Sunday: we took a drive to the other side of Albany - probably about 70 kms all together - to the lovely Goode Beach, where we took a nice stroll along the sand then had a cuppa at one of the picnic benches provided there. The sand is squeaky clean at this beach and as you can see from the pics, there is also a gorgeous residential area built up around it. We find it is rather reminiscent of Robin Hood Bay (those of you from the UK) but the houses are completely different here of course. RHB is a favourite spot of ours - we just love the old fishermen's cottages and the twisty turny little pathways there!


Afterwards we drove into Albany and took a couple more pics, this time of Princess Royal Harbour, before having a quick look at a particular car yard that presently is housing the most gorgeous new release VW Beetle. I love it and especially it's retro dashboard - but the lotto didn't come up for us this weekend YET!

Now then, I think it's time to let you have a look at a couple of my lovely gifts:
That beautiful cup and saucer is Wedgwood - Deco Bloom - and although my lovely parcel postie delivered it on Thursday, I managed to not open the box until Sunday morning - did I do well, or did I do well! My elder daughter chose it for me and I absolutely love it! And do you see that beautiful Kaffe Fassett book there? Well I had only mentioned Kaffe's first name to my younger daughter recently and she went off and found (among his many titles) the very book that I had on my wish list. My daughters are wonderful and I so appreciate and love them!

I've been sitting at this computer for quite a while today - do you find it takes a long time to sort out and prepare pics? And that's only the start isn't it! But I am so happy to be sharing with you some of the happenings in my life and I also very much enjoy following your lovely blogs too. Thank you for visiting and please do leave me a message if you would like to.

Happy week to you and keep well and smiling.


Joy xxx



32 comments:

  1. And your daughters love & appreciate you Mum! Happy birthday - you deserve all the lovely thoughts and presents. And probably that new car too, but I don't think you can pay them in crocheted goods - more's the pity!

    Trace
    x

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    1. Oh thanks Trace - you are a darling! x

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  2. Joy,
    Well what can I say you've been so very busy. I guess first of all I'll say happy birthday for yesterday looks like you had an amazing day with lovely gifts lucky you, it's nice to be spoilt on your birthday.
    The around the colour wheel looks wonderful bursting with colour, still yet to try the ripple stitch.
    The little granny blanket looks lovely too I do like that flower in the middle.
    I think Annie suits your dolly.
    I can barely knit with two needles let alone four! I take my hat off to you, the socks look very cosy and a lovely colour. Lovely photos of the scenery around you so sunny and there are cows!
    That VW beetle looks rather nice.
    Hope you have a lovely week all the best xx

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    1. Hello again FB and thank you so much for the birthday wishes and for the sweet things you always find to say to me. I love hearing from you. Joy xx

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  3. Hi Joy, firstly let me wish you a very happy birthday for yesterday. You were obviously made a real fuss of, and well deserved. I loved reading your post and am in awe of the beauty that surrounds you. What stunning coastline, and countryside. That red V-Dub looks like it's got your name on it. Fingers crossed the lotto comes up for you one day soon.

    My best, always x

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  4. Dear Sharron, thank you so much for your good wishes and I'm so glad you enjoyed looking at our lovely scenery - we are very fortunate to be surrounded by such beauty!
    I love that comment "it's got your name on it"! I agree too! Maybe if enough friends keep their fingers - and toes - crossed I may have a chance of getting that little 'ripper'! Trouble is, it'll be difficult to crochet while our fingers are crossed! ha ha! Joy xx

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  5. p.s. Mum, what is that lovely yellow bloom in the Albany group of shots?

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  6. Don't know Trace - it may be snake vine? It is lovely isn't it! x

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  7. Hi Joy, Happy Birthday to you! What lovely gifts from friends and family which I am sure were well deserved. In our short time of chatting, I am beginning to know of what a sweetheart you are. Your family is so lucky! I will be keeping my fingers crossed for you for a new V-Dub...I wish for one myself! Your pictures are beautiful as always, everything is so beautifully "green" and the water is the bluest I ever seen. Here in Louisiana, our waters are not that lucky(we live rather close to the Gulf)....well closer inland it's more muddy but further out is just as blue and I am not one for sea legs so I will just take others word for it...
    Have a wonderful week,
    xx Shari!

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    1. Oh Shari - thank you so much for all your sweet and lovely comments!
      I will keep my fingers crossed for you too - would you choose a red one as well? It's such a stunning colour!
      Ooops, I don't have sea legs either Shari - when we migrated to Australia all those years ago I was sick the whole way - turned out I had just fallen pregnant too which may have contributed to the problem!!!
      I wish you a wonderful week also,
      Joy xx

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  8. What a lot of lovely photos, craft and your local area. I love Australia, I do like seeing it.

    The self-patterning yarn is magical, it blows my mind - I'm not sure how they work out that it's going to work but it does!

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    1. PS and belated HAPPY BIRTHDAY X

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    2. Hello Rachel - I'm happy you popped in and thank you so much for your lovely messages on my older posts as well!
      Yes, these multi-coloured yarns are quite amazing aren't they! If I had chosen to do a bigger size sock the colour pattern would have been different again. It does add excitement to the project, methinks.
      Joy x

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  9. Happy Birthday to you! What lovely gifts you have received. You have been very creative also - I love Annie doll and of course all your gorgeous crochet. Your socks look just lovely, I have yet to get the hang of knitting with 4 needles! Have a great week.
    M x

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    1. Hello M - I'm so happy to see you here again! Thank you for your good wishes and lovely comments - and I am glad you like Annie! I wish a great week for you also. Joy x

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  10. What a lovely post and what a busy bee you have been. I love Annie she's so sweet and her ladybird buttons are cute. Robin Hood Bay is a beautiful place and you are right it does bear a resemblance to it. A very happy birthday and here's to another busy happy week .... Sarah x

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    1. Hello Sarah - I hope things are going well for you and loved ones!
      Thank you so much for your lovely comments - I really appreciate hearing from you - and obviously you are acquainted with Robin Hood Bay also - what a gem of a place eh! Joy x

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  11. Happy birthday Joy. What a fantastic birthday and a busy week you have had. Love Annie, she has such a happy friendly face. Crochet, knitting and sewing, you are super talented.

    S xx

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    1. Thank you so much for your good wishes S, and for your encouraging comments. I'm so glad you like Annie - I've become rather fond of her myself! Happy days to you! Joy xx

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  12. Dear Joy
    I loved reading your post, so much dear to my heart - you have been so busy and creative and your birthday gifts sound delightful. Your daughters sound wonderful I have three very special girls and can't imagine my life without them. We are very lucky mums.
    Hope you have a good week
    Sue x

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  13. Thank you so much Sue for your lovely message! Yes, I agree we are very lucky Mums.
    I wish you a good week too and hope you are settled in again after your wonderful holiday!
    Joy x

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  14. Beautiful post again, and happy birthday yoo you x

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  15. Lovely to have your message, thank you! Joy x

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  16. Hi Joy, lovely to meet another fellow W aussie! I live in the big city here and have been to Albany - it was lovely there! Such a beautiful spot! was it as cold there today as it was here in town?

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    1. Hello there and nice to meet you too! Yes Albany is a lovely place - we are just over fifty kms away, in Denmark, which is very beautiful - and it was miserably cold here today, so probably colder still in Albany. At least the rain stayed away most of the day after a very wet night. The start of winter tomorrow!
      Thank you for popping in and all the best. Joy

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  17. joy... we stayed in a place right next door to the bakery there in denmark.. which was absolutely beautiful!!! I wonder if that place is still there? It was a B&B I think it was called the edinburgh or something like that? It was right on the corner between the bakery and the fish and chip shop around the corner....just wondering! you are v lucky to be living in that gorgeous place!!

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  18. Well isn't it a small world! Edinburgh House is still there but I think it has been re-named and I can't quite think what that is right now - it has been refurbished and changed a bit but still offers some accommodation.
    There's no fish and chip shop but the hotel and couple of other places offer suchlike as takeaways! There used to be two bakeries -the one on Strickland St that wins all the awards, the other on the front street there burned down a few years ago! Always changes - that's life eh!
    Yes, this is a lovely place to live!
    Have a great weekend. Joy

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  19. Joy, I am so glad you popped by for a visit so now I can visit you and your beautiful blog. Happy Birthday to you, glad you were spoiled appropriately. Love all you beautiful creations and pictures.
    Hugs to you,
    Meredith

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    1. Thank you so much Meredith, you're welcome here any time - I'm very happy to have your company!
      Hugs to you too, do have a lovely weekend - and - watch out for those naughty fairies!!!
      Joy xx

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  20. Thank you for your lovely comment on my blog. We love to visit Galloway as it's such a lovely unspoilt part of Scotland but still with plenty to see. The countryside round your way looks beautiful too, that beach is gorgeous with the white sand and clear sea. A belated Happy Birthday to you!
    Anne.

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  21. Happy Birthday Joy!!! I love reading your beautiful posts and your photos are just stunning. I'm so glad you found my blog which in turn allowed me to discover yours. Your crochet just takes my breath away...truly. Annie is such a cutie pie. I'm sure she'll bring smiles to all who gaze upon her. xo

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  22. Oh I just so love to receive your lovely comments - thank you so much for brightening my day!
    I'm very glad that I found your special place and its beautiful contents, and that you followed me home! The welcome mat is out for you any time :)
    Have a wonderful week. Joy xo

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