New Year, New Opportunities

Any new years resolutions?  Cliché I know, but I think resolutions are a good thing.  It keeps us moving forward and it helps us to evaluate where we are in our lives and where we want to get to.

My resolutions for 2014 are:

1.       Post WEEKLY on ‘make me some happy’ (this is a big one)

2.       Get fit

3.       Crochet more

4.       Socialize more

5.       DIY more

6.       Create more moments with my family

7.       Expand my family ;)

8.       Do not fall behind with my school administration (first year as a teacher)

9.       Get a monthly facial

10.   Work in the garden

That’s it, I’ll leave it with these 10 for now.  I think this is already a handful to master.

On a more crafty note, I went a bit fabric-crazy during the holidays. 

Seeing that chiffon is making a comeback I was determined to make myself at least 2 tops, 2 cotton dresses and a skirt.  I just love the pink Aztec print.  A valuable lesson I learnt from working with chiffon:

Before you cut out your pattern, make a saturated sugar or starch solution, dip the whole length of the fabric in the solution and hang straight to dry.  It causes the chiffon to become stiff like cotton and subsequently the fabric is a breeze to work with…no more stretching, cutting skew and getting caught in the machine.  Afterwards you just rinse the garment and TADAA, soft and flowy like it should be. 

The holidays were so busy but so far I've made...

A Salmon chiffon top using Simplicity pattern number 1806

A cotton dress (60's) work in progress made from Simplicity pattern number 2922

These are projects I still have to do before the end of the week:

I still have so much to do, I love taking my time though.  On Friday we're having a Masterchef Mystery Box party.  I got the idea from my sister in law, who held one very successfully.  I'll let you know how it went and how it works.  

I'm eager for the holidays to be over to get back into our routine.  I hope this year is a big year for us and for you.   Blessings and good luck for 2014 for everyone!

{L}

'n Onderhoud en 'n Dames tee in Standerton

Ons trek Mpumalanga toe!  Ek het vrydag 'n twee onderhoude gehad vir onderwys poste in Mpumalanga.  Die hoof van die Azalea skool het my 'n Departementele pos aangebied en ek het aanvaar.  Ek begin in Januarie!

'n Stadsmeisie oppad plaas toe verruil ek nou Pretoria se pers vir die Hoeveld se goud (en natuurlik pienk en wit kosmos).

So gepraat van pienk en wit, Saterdag het ek saam skoonma en skoonus na APK Standerton se damestee gegaan.  Skoonus was ons tafel se gasvrou en het haar tafel prentjie-mooi gedek!  Skoonma (hekel-fundi wat sy is) het vir haar roos borsspeldjies gehekel wat sy vir elke gas gegee het.  Die roos se patroon is beskikbaar HIER.

Dankie skoonsus vir 'n heerlike oggend!

en toe ondtek ek die WAFFLE

Na al my werk vir die dag afgehandel is (goed ek moet bieg, die skottelgoed staan nog) het ek myself bietjie verlof gegee en terug gesit met 'n koppie vanilla chai en begin hekel.

Ek het 'n kompetisie geloots op Kersiepit se blad en die gelukkige wenner was Lelanie, wat binnekort saam haar man op 'n Europa toer gaan (Swede toe as ek reg is?).

Die wenner kon kies wat hul wou he, solank dit met een bol wol of minder gehekel kon word.  Sy het 'n kop/nekwoel (cowl) vir die koue winter weer daar anderkant gekies.

Ek het gesoek vir lekker bonkige wol op gister se "Rubys ekskursie" en het besluit op Elle chunky (lief lief lief).  Vanaand was dit pinterest toe om te soek vir 'n bietjie anderster hekelsteek....EN TOE ONDEK EK DIE WAFFLE!

Hoe het ek nie geweet hiervan nie!  Dis so maklik, het 'n lekker tekstuur en is effens rekkerig :)

Daar is 'n baie oulike foto tutoriaal op Suburban Jubilee se blog.  Te danke aan hierdie lekker patroon is my naweek nou so te se volmaak!  Baie sterkte vir die week wat voorle, ek sal die pos opdateer met 'n foto van die eindproduk.

{L}

Ah Saturday!

The three of us had breakfast with the family yesterday (Saturday) morning at Oppieplaas in Waverly to celebrate my stepmums birthday.  

Little Riaan enjoyed all the attention and Karel and I could enjoy our meals in peace :)  

Afterwards (after much persuasion) he took me to Rubys Haberdashery.  I urgently needed some supplies for projects that needs to be finished by the end of the impending week, and yes I did not just buy the supplies I needed...

I have so much crochet works in progress (wips) and orders I need to finish!  I just don't get time to sit quietly and crochet, there's always either house work, school work or tutoring work do get done.

The white Elle wool has to become a head/neck warmer for a friend who won Kersiepits' (facebook crochet page) first competition.  The embroidery string I'm going to use to make small roses and then use the roses for earrings.  The lace will become a headband for a friend little newborn girls newborn shoot, and the mint/teal beads I thought would make lovely necklace pendants.

They were R3 (about $0.38) and I think they came out nicely

aaaand a close up

I hope to be posting more often.  Have a good week!

{L}