COLOUR!

I love colour!

I love playing with colour and all the different combinations you can design.

 

I love colourful yarn and that's probably why I have so much yarn in my stash.

 

I love the way colours make you feel

 

 

I love the way colour can lift your mood

 

 

I love colour in nature

 

 

I just love colour

 

Hello...........................Is there anybody out there???

It has been so long since I last wrote and so much has been happening. I'm thinking of trying again bit by bit, maybe try a post a week.

My business Rice Pudding Baby is powering on. I have had a shift and am now making crocheted dolls as well as blankets. Dolls are more popular and faster to make so they are dominating my time at the moment. Juggling this with a fulltime job can be challenging especially when crocheting is what I would love to do fulltime..........ah retirement how close are you???? Not close enough as my husband reminds me! Oh well at least I will be busy in retirement when I finally get there.

Ok, busy day planned and unfortunately not a happy one. A dear friend that I work with passed away last week and her funeral is today. It is going to be very sad and very, very big. She was a much loved teacher at the school and colleagues and students past and present will be attending. Her favourite colour was pink so I think it will be a sea of pink.

Be back soon

Anne

Lists!

I am a list person! I love to write lists. You either are or you aren't and I am. My Mum was a list writer and I still have scraps of paper with her lists written on them...precious memories

 I find it helps me to gather my thoughts and put them in order. It also keeps me on track....yes I am also a procrastinator...big time. So, if I write a list I at least have it in writing what I need or want to do.

Today I am going to start writing the list of things I would like to do these holidays. It will be a mix of need to, want to, have to and love to.

Need to

• Hairdresser - love this too as she serves the best coffee
• Scrub all bathrooms
• Vacuum house thoroughly
• Weed garden and trim and clean-up pot plants
• Organise my daughters 18th Birthday evening - BBQ and Bonfire ( I live with a family of Pyromaniacs)
• Hand washing - you know those things that always end up at the bottom of the basket until you have more time
• Clean and sort out my bedroom..... those little things that need to be put away in the right place but just don't over time!

Want to

• Walk every day for at least one hour
• Take my dog for his daily walk...as he has gotten older this has become a twenty minute daily sniff-fest. We just go for a wander and he can sniff whatever he passes.
• Cook yummy healthy meals
• Soup - experiment with some new soup recipes
• Organise my craft room - my daughter moved out 6 months ago and her room was meant to become a guest /craft room. So far it is only a guest room so I need to 'claim my space'!

Have to

• Write and send some letters to my Post circle (If anyone is reading this I am so sorry about being so disorganised and slow about this)
• Shop - I need new shoes and clothes for work. I might just need to combine that with lunch with a girlfriend (so that could also go in the love category)
• Take my daughter to her optometrist appointment. She needs her eyes checked every six months and scarily her eyesight deteriorates a little each time.

Love to

• Fly to Sydney to visit my Dad
• Road trip with my sisters (5 hour drive up the coast to my Dad's house to clean it and sort it out before selling. Fun times with my 3 sisters, no kids for three days)
• Celebrate my youngest daughters 18th birthday
• Catch up with friends that you have trouble fitting in when working fulltime
• Crochet - what more can I say....time to crochet, finish a few things for my shop, take better photos for my shop (not my best talent)
• Read - more books and less internet. I love reading blogs but I must admit that the online community can consume you and you find that hours have gone past very quickly.
• Sit in the winter sun. I love winter living in Brisbane. We do have very cold nights but the average daily temp is usually at least 20 degrees Celsius.

Wow what a list, lucky I have 15 days left to do all this.

Five days until......

In five days I am on winter holidays for two weeks. Am I looking forward to it.....am I ever!!!

Five days until I can

Put my feet up and crochet.....whenever I want to!

Five days until I can.......

Spend some time in the garden enjoying the winter sunshine with my loyal mate!

Five days until I can......

Take my dog for walks on the local beach

Five days until I can .......

Start reading the huge pile of books I have accumulated beside my bed....no this is not a real picture!

Five days until I can.........


.......just breathe because I can do whatever I want whenever I want.


Five days..................


Anny :)

Proud Mumma

This is my daughter...if you knew what she has gone through over the last few years you would understand how proud I am of her. Her comment to me...Mum I am leaving all that #%*" behind in the plane. Enjoy your fresh new life Liv xxxx

10 Good things right now..or maybe 8!!

So let's hope I don't jinx myself but I am going to give this a go!

 

1.The weather is changing. I live in Brisbane which would be considered Sub-Tropical and we can have very hot steamy summers. Don't get me wrong I do love summer but some years the humidity really wipes me out. Slowly the days have started to cool down and the nights are glorious...time for my snuggly crocheted blankets for the lounges.

2. My dogs leg is starting to improve. We have one very loved, very spoilt golden labrador that we all just adore. Since he was about 3 he has had trouble with his knee joint on one leg. He is now nine and recently it was giving him a lot of problems but we are now on a new routine of medicaton and we are starting to see some improvement.

3. I have made a few more sales of my crochet blankets on line. I cannot believe how excited I get when I make a sale. I make just for the sheer joy of it and when somebody else chooses to own one of my creations it just give me such a high.

4. All my children seem to be going ok at the moment. It's funny about being a parent, you think that as they get older you will worry about them less but that is so not the way it is. You just have different things to worry about and having 3 daughters, 25, 23 and 18 there is usually some drama happening in somebody's life

5. Work......I have had such a busy term so far....haha the two weeks that I have been back from holidays. Seriously, I love my job as a Special Education Teacher and everyday is certainly different with its range of challenges.

6. I received an email today inviting me to join a #Post Circle. I was reading about this here and thought what a great idea. I once had a Norwegian penpal when I was about 10 years old but it fizzled out after about 3 letters. I love the idea of actually writing a letter. Penmanship was always one of my best subjects at school and I enjoy writing in long hand.

7. Soup...I love it when the days get a bit cooler and we can start eating soup. We aren't big meat eaters in this family so most of our soup is vege based. My favourite at the moment is Sweet potato and corn from here.

8. Family....I love my family dearly and am looking forward to catching up with them all very soon. Unfortunately we live 1000km apart but as my eldest daughter is currently working for an airline we are able to get some good prices to travel so hopefully we can visit more often.

 9. Hmm I think I am running out of things...what about health and fitness. I am just about to start on a new fitness program. The senior students at school studying Fitness are training teachers and I have nominated to be one of the 'guinea pigs'. Time will tell!

10. Yes I made it to 10! Friends, I have some very close girlfriends, some of them going through some 'heavy' stuff at the moment and this makes you appreciate what you have and also what great support we bring for each other in times of need.

Well I did manage to find 10 good things. It's difficult to think over your life and try to be specific about what is good for you right now. This will definitely make me look closely at each day and see the good in what's happening 'now' and not be constantly planning and thinking of the past or the future.

Anny :)

Rice Pudding Baby.....my alter ego!

So, I forgot to add in my random facts last post that I have started selling my crochet on line. Yes I have opened both an Etsy shop and a Madeit shop.
I was taught to crochet when I was about 8 years old and fiddled around for a few years but really knitting was my 'thing'. Then I went to university and was busy, young and 'cool'. Then I married and had children...I did still knit the occassional jumper or hat but didn't really have much time with 3 small daughters. I think I found my crochet mojo again about five years ago. My hands needed to be busy, especially in the evening in front of  the television. So I started to crochet again and OMG am I now obsessed. I think my family would even say I neglect them for my crochet....bah humbug!!
 So what was I going to do with all this crochet...I live in the sub-tropics and my youngest daughter is 17 and no grandchildren in sight. Therefore to justify my yarn stash to my huband I decided I would give selling a go.
 So far so good...I have sold about 10 blankets and that has kept me motivated to keep going. I still work fulltime as a teacher so I am time limited but I'm pottering away at night and just adding blankets to the sites as I complete them. Please take a look and I would love to get some feedback.

https://www.etsy.com/shop/RicePuddingBaby

http://www.madeit.com.au/storecatalog.asp?userid=79941

One last thing....why Rice Pudding Baby?? My Mum was a major part of my life and my favourite food that she used to make was her Rice Pudding...so add Baby and that's what I ended up with...a bit of Mum, a bit quirky, a lot crafty.

Anny:)

A Year has just slipped by.....

Today is once again ANZAC day and that means it is exactly one year since I have written on this page. I love the thought of being a 'blogger', but unfortunately I just can't get the hang of doing it in some form of continuity.

Yes I could say, Oh my life is busy.....but it's not really compared to some.....and I could say hmm what do 'I' have to say.....but that doesn't cut it either...Its my blog and really I should be able to write what I like. Maybe I just don't know where to start................

Let's start again with the basics...10 random facts about me

1. I am terrified of lizards.....major anxiety 
2.  I am dreading turning 57 or I could say looking forward to turning 58. Both my Mum and my maternal Grandmother died at 57 so it is an age that really stands out for me
3. I hate people touching my feet...sounds weird but my daughter is now the same
4. I enjoy time to myself with no noise...my house always has some kind of noise...my husband and daughters can come home and the first thing they will do is turn on either the television or the stereo...I love the silence
5. I hate my teeth...major dental problems but I carry my stress in my mouth!
6. I love the beach..my mother use to take us climbing over the rocks at the beach when we were younger and we would always come home with shells and pebbles. My children also enjoyed this time with her and after she died we often would collect a special piece and put it in the 'Nana Jar'
7. I have travelled around Australia with my husband many years ago but am now looking forward to travelling the world....after we married we had our children straight away and as I was a SAHM it wasn't in the budget to travel overseas. My youngest daughter is in her final year at school so we have some major travelling plans ahead
8. I want to go and live for a few months in another country...especially a non English speaking one. I want to live within a different community and immerse myself in a different culture
9. I am a perfectionist....in some things....not housework.....I love to crochet and every stitch needs to be perfect or I undo it.
10. I started this blog just over a year ago......I have told nobody that it exists......nobody

So, what next.....have I found my voice....I think so

Anny :)

ANZACS

Today is ANZAC day in Australia and New Zealand. It is a public holiday and many people take the opportunity to attend a local Dawn Service.

My youngest daughter and I both go and work at the same school. It is a local Catholic College and it is well known for its interest and participation in Social justice issues. I was so proud when Little volunteered to represent the school at the dawn service this year.

At 4.30 this morning we were up and dressed ready to travel a few minutes drive to our local RSL cenitaph where the service was to be held. Little was up before me dressed in full school uniform including blazer (note this is a day off for this 16 year old so that usually means her not emerging from her room until well past 10am). We then had to park over a kilometre away and walk silently with a flow of people towards the cenitaph (still no complaining about the walk!!) It was a moving service with thousands of people attending. We stood in the crowd for nearly an hour watching the sun come up while listening to the last post....so solemn, definitely a few tears shed.

She is now back in bed....and we probably won't see her until nearly lunch.....but, she did it because she wanted to be there. It is moments like today that you look at your children and think what great human beings they are becoming.

Anny :)

I am still here but life is just getting in the way!!

Sorry, I have just checked and it has been over two weeks since my last post! End of term is pretty full on in a school, especially in a Catholic school leading up to Easter....Lent, fundraising, Easter liturgies, reports, cross country.............

But........holidays started yesterday, YIPEE!!!! By the time I got home yesterday arvo I was truly spent. I sat down in my lounge chair and attempted a little crochet...my arms were so weary I could hardly hold the hook!

But.......today I feel revitalised! I am making a list of all the things I would like to do in the next two weeks....crochet, read, eat chocolate eggs, crochet, long walks with Cooper the dog, out for coffee, crochet, read, eat chocolate.....I can see a pattern forming here. Maybe I had better curtail the chocolate eating and add a bit more walking as my sister's wedding is in 4 weeks and the Year 12 formal in 3 weeks.

Ah yes I must add shopping to my list...I need a new outfit for the wedding!

And hopefully more blogging. I have nearly finished my sister's wedding blanket....so happy with it, photos coming

Be back soon......

Anny

WIP

So remember all those little squares from my last post.............

Well here are half of them sewn together ( the colours look a bit washed out in this photo). This is to be a baby blanket for a young teacher at school. She goes on maternity leave at the end of term......two weeks away (yay), so I had better get a move on!

I'm loving my Stylecraft DK xxxxxx

Anny :)

Glam shots

Okay I have found a camera with a battery that works. I have taken a few quick shots to reassure people that I do crochet. Unfortunately I am not really a photographer. I think I might need to glam up my shots a bit!

Lots of little pieces to put together for a baby blanket!

My very messy work basket...one multi colour ripple waiting for it's border and one queen size ripple that needs some attention soon if it is going to be ready for my sister's wedding present.

So, now I've got this photo thing sorted I plan to have some tadah moments coming up...stay tuned!

Anny :)

Thank goodness it's Friday!!

Oh boy, I am sitting on my lounge enjoying a glass of wine reflecting on a 'big week'. We are now into Week 7 of the term and  on the countdown...three weeks to go. The first term of the year in Australia is always the most exhausting one.

My year started poorly. Our school's library was extensively damaged by fire over the summer holidays and yes, my office was situated in that building. So for the last six weeks we have been surviving with no work space, no resources and coping with anxious kids that had lost their 'safe place'.

Last week our temporary accommodation was ready to move in to. When they say temporary I think that may mean at least 12 months or more!!! So what was salvaged from the wreckage was returned to us this week in many boxes that then needed to be unpacked.  Dirty, heavy, sweaty work but also very rewarding to get our space up and running again. Gradually over the week we have managed to make this space into our 'home' again.

Now let the year begin proper!!

Anny :)

Planning

What an exhausting afternoon I have had!

Beach wedding!

This afternoon my husband and I sat down to plan our trip down south to my sister's wedding. My goodness I didn't realise how brain racking it would be!

One of my younger sisters is getting married at the end of April so our family are making the trek down to Sydney for the occassion. This involves 10 flights, 3 motel rooms, 1 hire car and I am sure knowing my daughters a lot of luggage.

What should have been a reasonably simple procedure was made more complex by the fact that everyone is arriving and departing at different times and on different days. At one stage I had 3 tabs open on my computer and was trying to flick back and forth coordinating flights while getting the best price... aaahhhh!!!!

So as of now I have 10 flights booked, 3 rooms reserved (hubby needs to ring back with credit card details) and hopefully a car booked (not too sure about that one as the site dropped out).

So, the hard stuffs done, now to really get organised for this wedding: finish crocheting the queen size ripple blanket for the wedding present, buy a new outfit, book a hairdressers appointment, get a carer for our dog, schedule a few days off work, make sure hubby's suit is clean, keep an eye on the girl's packing of their luggage...................

Lucky I have 7 weeks to go.....

Anny:)

Vietnam

Hanoi

 

Vietnam is such a beautiful country. We were fortunate enough to travel there in 2010 with not just our children but also my brothers family. This trip was bittersweet as it would probably not have eventuated without the tragic loss of two family members.

Daily life on the streets of Hanoi

Three years ago now my MIL passed away. We had to travel to Sydney for her funeral and while we were there we were also able to catch up with my brother and his family, It was my daughters birthday and we had a great night of catching up. The conversation centred around the importance of living life in the now. My brother and his wife had also lost close friends recently. So we decided that a trip to Vietnam was the go. My brother had travelled the world extensively in his youth but Vietnam had never been on his list. We were fortunate to have a little inheritance coming our way to finance the trip.

Moving the cattle along the beach at Hoi An

 We left dinner that night on a high...we had a plan....the kids were excited....it would be their first trip overseas!

Hanoi -this man made these detailed figures from Vietnamese playdoh!

That was the last time I saw my brother alive......he died three months later very suddenly and very tragically.....ten days after his fiftieth birthday!

Beautiful view after 1000 steps!

Nine months later my husband and I decided that we were going to continue planning our trip. I sent my SIL an email explaining our decision....would she be ready to join us?? I was certainly overjoyed when she accepted our invitation.....it would be have been what he wanted.

My SIL (R) and I on a junk in Halong Bay

So to say that trip was memorable is an understatement. We had the best time! We laughed , we cried, we remembered, we experienced, we celebrated, we honoured. My brother has now travelled to Vietnam as we left some of his ashes in the most beautiful place on earth.

The most beautiful, special place on earth.

Ramblings

I am so sorry...I am not a good blogger!!

 I started this blog during our summer holidays. Being a teacher I had plenty of time over the holidays to spend time reading blogs. This inspired me to start my own very spontaneously late one night. All was going well until school went back and my time was a lot more limited.

 One of my favourite things about my favourite blogs is the photos. They inspire me to keep crafting, decorating, cooking, travelling....being!! The world is out there and through this window I am able to peek into the lives of others.

So, you say where are all your photos! What does your world look like? What are you making, doing, cooking??? This is where I am failing as a blogger. I need to take more photos but at the moment I need to organise my camera.

I grew up in the era of the film camera. That's right..take two shots of the same scene just in case the first one isn't great. Put the film aside to be taken to be developed....many months later actually do it. After much expense you get your envelope back of very poorly lit, badly framed, double shots.

So when digital photography came in I wasn't in the habit of taking photos and having a camera with me at all times. Yes I have probably missed many significant moments in my children's lives.

A few years ago we upgraded our camera for a trip to Vietnam. We had such a memorable trip and I treasure the photos we have of this family time together. From this I realised that I need to be recording these special moments more often.

 So what happened you ask?

 My camera broke....and I need to either get it fixed or replace it. Time once again has gotten in my way....this blog is my motivation to resolve this problem. I want to show you what I am making, doing, cooking, living, creating, being...............

Please watch this space...I will be back to show you my world.

Anny :)

Discovering Crochet

My mum was a knitter and taught me how to knit from a young age but I actually taught my Mum how to crochet!!

When I was about 8 years old my best friend at school was called Megan. We were inseparable and I spent a lot of time at her place. Her grandmother was a lovely lady and was constantly making something. One day she sat us down and showed us how to crochet a simple granny square . Ooh I was hooked (excuse the pun!) and there started my love of crochet. I have swayed back and forth between knitting and crochet through my life.

My Mum was a little intrigued and wanted to have a go so we sat down and had our first lesson. Mum being a pretty dab hand with the knitting needles quickly picked up how to wield the hook and she also alternated between the two from then on.

Crochet was a great comfort to my Mum and also my family in her last few months of life. As Mum's cancer advanced she became unable to do a lot. Her vision became impaired due to radiation side effects and she spent many hours sitting in her comfy chair...with her crocheting as company.

 She was able to crochet a simple granny square ....in fact she actually crocheted many large granny square blankets....one for each of her five children and eight grandchildren. My blanket was the last one to be finished only a few weeks before she died. It would have to be one of my most precious keepsakes fifteen years later.

These blankets were also a great comfort to my older children through their grief. Each night I would tuck them into bed wrapped in their 'Nana blankets' to keep her close and cuddly. They still use these blankets in winter and I hope that each time they do brings back that memory of her.

We crochet daily for our family, pass on as gifts or sell our creations. I don't think we realise how much history and memories we are also creating.

Anny :)

Wool and living in the Sub tropics

Living in the sub tropics can be very difficult if you have a passion for wool!

One, is the difficulty finding a good local yarn store.

 Two, is the climate...the heat can make it very uncomfortable to work in unless you have fans or  air con.

 Three, is the fact that you can put a lot of work into a piece of crochet or knitting be it as simple as a scarf or as detailed as blanket and there is very little time in the year when you can comfortably wear or use it.

It is really frustrating looking at blogs from around the world and seeing all the beautiful yarns available (I am sure there are good yarn shops here but nothing with the extensive range I have seen in the southern states of Australia) So a lot of my yarn shopping is now ordered on the internet. It can be a bit hit and miss as I am a touchy feely person and the actual sensation of touching the yarn is the first thing I do in a shop. Also choosing colours on a screen can be difficult as many of you know.

Winter in Brisbane is very short and very mild. Yes it does get cold at night and as we really don't need to heat our houses a snuggle blanket is good to watch television with but really you would only have about 4 months to use it.

 So this leads to the problem I am now having...an over abundance of woolly things and really no need for any more!! So as I just can't stop this obsession I think I am either going to have to start selling my wares or lots of present giving.

Has anyone got any ideas on how to solve my dilemma.

Ooh I have a few tah dah moments coming!!!!

Back soon

Anny

Happy Australia Day

Happy Australia Day everyone,

Today is the day when family and friends get together to celebrate living in our wonderful country. Commonly people have BBQs or go to the beach. Many people take this day to become Australian citizens and usually no matter where you live the day is finished with a firework display.

Unfortunately where  I live we have had a few days of torrential rain and are still expecting more today. Many roads are flooded and driving within the city is complicated and dangerous due to road closures. Many Australia Day celebrations have been cancelled due to the unpredictable weather. Fortunately we will be spending the day with good friends with a bbq and swim in their pool...yes we will swim as it is still quite warm.

 Many schools were closed yesterday. My school wasn't and we had a very difficult day  trying to keep the students dry ( What is it about teenage boys that makes them want to get saturated in the rain only to come into a classroom to smell like 'wet dog' for the rest of the day). Hopefully tomorrow will be a bit better as it has been a rather mixed up start to the new year for the students. The students I care for do not like 'change' and this year there have been some problems that directly affected my work area and their 'safe place'. Next week may be an interesting, challenging week as we try to settle everyone back into new routines. Busy but certainly never boring.

Have a great day everyone, wherever you are and whatever you do.

Anny :)

Good result!

Yay my week of anxiety is over.

 In my mail box this afternoon was my letter from Breast Screen Queensland to say 'they are pleased to inform me that no sign of breast cancer was found in my recent mammogram'. Another year until my next check.

I had my first mammogram at 40 years of age. This was a very stressful time as my mother had passed away from breast cancer. They did find a lump that day and it was biopsied. My family and I (I have 3 sisters) had a very anxious weekend waiting for the pathology results. They returned as inconclusive and I was sent to a specialist for further consultation. He went on to take another biopsy (OMG I had that bruise for a month) and more days of anxious waiting. A few days later my husband and I returned to the doctor to be told the lump was benign, however atypical and it would be best removed. A week later I had this lump removed.

So far 10 years later I have been lucky and had no more lumps but each year I have to endure that week of waiting and hoping that all is well for another year

Please never be deterred from having a mammogram. Yes it may be uncomfortable but it is really important for early detection. Breast screening is free for women over 50 in Australia and if you have a family history or have a concern it can be as low as 40 years.

So please if you are overdue for your next mammogram  make that tomorrow's job to do...make that appointment!

Anny :)

























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