Crocheting for All Hallows Eve

It's a long weekend, my special shawl order is finished, blocked and ready to go, the granny blanket request is 80% done and I'm looking for a little fill in project to do.

It's coming up Halloween, and I do love to make little things to leave here, there and everywhere, as well as give to unsuspecting workmates, so I'm about to start making these cool looking skulls. 

And also some of these cute little spiders :-)

 

The pattens for both can be found on the Lion Brand website & Ravelry

Auckland Diwali Festival

Diwali or Deepavali (row of lamps) is an ancient Indian festival that is celebrated throughout India and in Indian communities around the world.  This was the first time we'd been to the Auckland festival, and what a treat it was (even with the weather bomb).

There was a heap of delicious food stalls with gorgeous vegetarian offerings and different Indian sweets.  We had onion bahji (my all time favourite), samosas, pakoras, dahl thingees (whatever they were they were yum!) and some mango laksa to cool the mouth after the heat of the spice.

Rows of food stalls up Queen Street

And OMG The Bling!  
If I had smaller hands my arms would be rattling with the sounds of multiple bangles tinkling away whilst I typed.  Instead my thumb knuckles are slightly sore from trying to push the beautiful sparkly things on to my chunky wrists.  
I wonder if there is a hand and wrist diet I could do??

Aotea Square & the main stage

On the main stage there were singers when we first arrived and then came the fabulous dancers, unfortunately I couldn't get close enough to get a good photo, so this is  'general ambiance' in between squally showers

A Handmade Shopping Affair

If you pop by regularly you'd know that I sell my crochet creations on Felt and Etsy.  One of the things it has made me more aware of for myself is the want/need to buy handmade goods directly from the people who make them, just as I want people to buy from me. 

I've been incredibly fortunate recently to have bought some incredibly gorgeous creations (all for myself!) so I thought I might share :-)

A Bit of Mystery

Based in Huntly and is a great shop on felt that has loads of bags  from recycled mens ties, this is the one I bought, it's a perfect size, beautifully finished - I love it so much!
 

trash footwear

 Based in Raglan, all their shoes are made from recycled or upcylced material.  I loved it that he could tell me where the material for mine came from :-)  I got some ballet shoes in a lovely retro purpley flower material and some boots which have green leather (where the brown is) and a fab red and green tartan

 

By Nature

Based on Waiheke Island the lovely Mel is showing off a petticoat made from bamboo cotton.  Mine is black without the lace panel. Made to measure, it's the most comfortable piece of underwear I own!

Lavage Handcrafted Soap Boutique

Based in Wellington, and with a factory shop in Plimmerton, the amazing Jayne comes up with brill creative treats for your body.  A great fan of Lavage I use her handmade soaps and body mist daily. And fighting off my germs a few weeks ago, this eucalyptus soy Melt Me was great to burn in the room. 

These are just a few of my recent purchases.  Jewellery would need a couple of posts just for itself, what with the fab earrings, nose rings, ring rings, bracelets, pendants and brooches I'm a bit of an accessory nut! :-) Shamefully I haven't keep a note of everyone I have bought from from I strongly recommend having a look on www.felt.co.nz there is something to suit everyones tastes!

Tui's are chattering

Finally, the weather is warming up, the sun is shining and the birds are singing

Tui

Walking in the Manurewa Botanical Gardens this morning and there were loads and loads of Tui's chattering away and taking advantage of all of the lovely blossoms.

Spring blossoms

I love this green oasis in the midst of urban sprawl, and even though it's a stones throw from the motorway and the steady drone of traffic, you can find a spot, concentrate on the birds singing and be transported anywhere.  Having tea in a rose garden in England, lounging under a palm in the Pacific or on a bush walk in New Zealand.

Tmelord Ted

I first became a Timelords assistant when Ted visited me in hospital when I was first born.

We had many amazing adventures and heartfelt conversations for the first 20 odd years of my life.  

Ted always watched over me whilst I slept, fighting trolls and dragons that lived in the wardrobe and under the bed.  He also understood my teenage angst like no-one else.

Ted retired to my parents loft about 20 years ago, which was the same time that I got married and was no longer free to go on adventures around the Universe.

Ted was very tired and incredibly worn out! (There were many adventures!) And had tried to regenerate a number of times with the help of my mums old nylon tights (c1976)

As with all Timelords, his unquenching thirst for adventure and knowledge of all things amazing meant that he wouldn't be retired for ever.  And so this weekend began his regeneration with the help of New Zealand Wool......

And now, Timelord Ted is taking a few months to come to terms with the many changes in this world, and decide on how he will forge into the future....

Afternoon Tea @ The Langham

Today was my sisters 40th birthday, so we celebrated in olde English style with Afternoon Tea.  The tradition was reputedly started by Anna, the 7th Duchess of Bedford in the 1840s and first served at The Langham in London in 1865.

 

The service was wonderful, very attentive, the tea was yummy, they provided the leaves on the side of the pot to inspect and have a whiff of.  This pic is of the savouries & scones, the deserts came on a gorgeous old creaky trolley.  My favourite taste of the day were the savoury macaroons, which were apple and blue cheese.

In another part of the hotel they were setting up for a corporate function and had pictures of movie stars and a red carpet.  

I got to have my picture with Cary Grant.  
Now if only he'd drive me around Rome on my Vespa....

A week in crochet

Isis Shawl - made from a yarn called Fern

Exterminate that spare loo roll with the Dalek loo roll cover doll :-)

A gorgeous Russian pattern that was great fun to try and understand