Blog carnival time!

The topic for this months Blog Carnival is:
In the southern hemisphere it's autumn right now, the days are shorter and the nights longer.

1. What's something interesting you have found out about living 'down under'? (yes the water does go down the plughole the other way :-) ) :)
2. If you have travelled 'down under' what did you see or do?

I chose these topics to show the international flavour of the EtsyBloggers team :-)

When my parents said we were emigrating to New Zealand this is what (as a 15 year old) I knew:

My granddad and uncle worked at the Captain Cook Museum in Middlesbrough, so I knew about the Moari people wearing grass skirts.
I knew about Captain Cook because the area that I grew up in in the North of England was known as 'Captain Cook Country'.
I saw Auckland on the TV once when the French bombed the Rainbow Warrior and I heard a lot of: "Oh, you're moving to New Zealand... isn't that attached to Australia by the Sydney harbour Bridge?"
(it's not by the way - Australia is a different country and a good couple of hours aeroplane ride away :-) )

A (ahhmm) 'few' years later I know that New Zealand has the most amazing unspoilt countryside in the Alps in the South Island, 90 mile beach in at the top of the North and the plains of the desert road in the middle. I enjoy going on holiday in the country I live in, even though I sometimes would love to pop to a country pub in Britain or a castle in Europe. So the most 'something interesting' thing that I have found out about living down under is that a new (in terms of history) country is just as beautiful as an old country. They just have different beauties.
Oh - and I personally think that southern hemisphere makes better red wine ;-)

A serene crochet world

With the craziness of moving it feels great to pick up the crochet hook and go off into a more serene and creative world for a little while. This crochet world feels better than 'real life' at the moment and the amount of things I've made attest to that, I thought I might just share photos until I'm ready to come back and write stuff :-)

I'm Square a Day in May'ing

This is the story so far (though I have gone further and I really like the outcome :-) )

I've added day 4 becasue the 4th is about finished down here :-)

Fab stuff

This month Linda is the Etsy Blogger team member of the month.  Linda makes some really cool things for Jewish people as well as a load of other fab beads and magnets.  I spent quite a lot of time having a look around her shop, she makes so many interesting things!

This caught my eye: 
 

 Its a Kippah, and I think even if you weren't Jewish it'd be a great accessory!
 I also like these recycled bottle caps (because recycling is nice for the environment).
  

Also while I'm here, you might want to pop to T's blog for a fun Royal Wedding quiz (it's stiring the ex-pat within and now I want to go to a street party! )

Normal is... Lime Green

A spot of normality in a sea of cardboard.... (can you spy it?)

This time next week we'll be on the other side of the Bombay Hills, and unpacking. 

So this is what we've done with our long weekend, hope yours has been as productive  & you didn't get too wet at the ANZAC Day dawn services

Etsy Bloggers Carnival!

Yep possibly the worst team member around, I've finally got around to get into the blog carnival - and I even offered to host one in May - wonder if the organisation of it will do my head in? :-)

So this months blog carnival is this:

The first Public Library (in the US) opened on April 9th, 1833 in New Hampshire
1) What fond memories do you have of your public library and reading?
2) Peterborough is the town where the first library opened. What's your town known for? Show us around!

I thought I do number 2 - and living in between 2 towns and in the middle of nowhere I found it a bit tough - should I talk about Pokeno Sausages and the enormous ice-creams that everyone who travels over the Bombay Hills stops for? 

Or should I talk about Mercer cheese?   

And just up the road is Bombay well known for it's posh restaurant Bracu and Simonvich Olive estate 

Or should I share pictures of cows? (what I see from my windows)

Then I thought I'd do fond memories of my library and found myself 2 hours later still on google maps going up and down the main street of my home town in England on some kind of enormous trip back into my teens! 

And so here we are - in the middle of fab food country!

Mercer cheese has won awards

And pokeno bacon make the bestest sausages for local New Zealand pork

A Taste of Rural New Zealand
As you travel south from Auckland, friendly country villages along State Highway One welcome travellers with tempting food options, local produce and craft stores.
Bombay is home to New Zealand's largest olive estate, producing award-winning olive oil skin care products and an excellent restaurant.
Pokeno is a favourite stop known for its generous servings of icecream, its locally produced bacon and sausages and friendly country village atmosphere.
Mercer, beside the Waikato with its Dutch cheese shop is a 'must do' in any itinerary.

 Enjoy having a click on the links and seeing my part of new Zealand :-)

Faeries & Squares

I've been spending any extra money in the Handmade4Chch Trademe shop, I've bought some presents for friends and family for their birthdays, and I bought myself this fantastic faery headdress made by PixieMoon.  It's very cool and I've been wearing it everyday since I got it!

Crocheting stuff has been busy as well.  Today in the mail I got some gorgeous NZ Wool from Skeinz which I'm going to use to make slippers for my mum to take to her sisters in the UK and USA when she visits in June. 

And I've just joined a CAL (Crochet Along) on Ravelry to make a square everyday for the month of May. So I should have a gorgeous throw/blanket for the winter months :-)  If you fancy having a go - check out the Hooked on Handmade blog, it has all the info on it