Really MIA and lots to report

 It's been a while.  But I am well and things are going swimmingly leading up to Christmas.  

I have been training the new recruit at work and he has settled in quite easily.  He is very young but has a lot of industry knowledge and is a quick study and an all round nice guy.  The boss just has to get comfortable with having another person in the office to rely on.  I think the 2 weeks I just had off came at a good time.  It was the first time I have come back to work and all I really had to do was delete most of the emails because just about everything had been taken care of. I think I am looking forward to working next year.  

Mo has been busy finalising projects for her final semester at uni. And raising more money for the graduate show and preparing the Catalogue that was handed out to guests.  Just before we were due to fly out on holiday we attended the Graduate Show for the program.  Awards were announced and Mo was one of 3 Dux of the Program all with GPA within decimal points of each other. She told us going in to not expect her to get any awards, we were all pleasantly  surprised.

She is now searching for a part time job and is going to do a few more short courses and build her portfolio over the next twelve months.  Probably do some markets and try and get her name out there.  

The week before we headed of the dog managed to dislocate her hip, she is on the mend but it ended up being a very expensive weekend just before we went away.  

And now for our trip to Tasmania.  We drove (I drove) nearly 2,000 km up and down mountain roads  doing a full circuit of the island it was fun but very exhausting.  DH was sick about halfway through, we assume it was just a head cold, I didn't get sick and we didn't have access to a covid test to check by the time we got back near to a chemist he was well again.  

The country side was pretty spectacular and the coast was very rugged all in all it was a great get away and we are quietly starting to think about our next adventure.  Prepare for photo overload.

15 minute Challege, New Start and Settled in to New Office

We are all settled into the new office, and last week the new guy started.  I don't think I've trained anyone in probably 20 years but luckily he is a quick study has been in the industry for a all his working life so he is picking stuff up quickly and I think will be a great asset to the branch.  That being said I was so tired by the end of the week who knew that talking so much could be exhausting.  He is off to Melbourne tonight for more training in Head Office.  

The boss is interstate but will be back later in the week and we are in winding down and consolidating mode. 

Hubby and I will be going on a holiday in a few weeks, the first big holiday we have had on our own since the kids were born, and as Maestro just turned 23 that is a pretty long time. Its a driving holiday round Tassie and we are both looking forward to a chance to recharge and hopefully  not kill each other over directions. 

Mo has been pretty busy, with a market (setup below), more competitions and both raising money and finalising the book catalogue for the Grad Show.  Last week it was a quiz night and movie night this week it is a Halloween party.  

She didn't win the beer label competition, but in the end she wasn't too fussed about that, she found out she would have had to appear on their podcast and receive more beer. She is a finalist in a Manga Competition next.  She has lots of deadlines over the next few weeks so apart from dropping off at places I don't think we will be seeing much of her.  

I have been doing some embroidery, and have finished a couple of motives from Cottage Gardens threads Field Journals Book 1. I spoke to Mo about the setting as I'm unsure about the business.  I thought I may start the hexagon border again and keep to one colour round each one, but she thought if we used the linen or maybe a single colour in the joining hexagons it may tone it down a tad.  Think I'll just concentrate on the embroideries for a while.  

I have another dolly body finished, but the hair will have to be redone, as it wasn't fitting the head.  

Took a picture of an amazing display of Kangaroo Paws on the verge on our Sunday walk.  Excuse the finger over the lens of my phone.  

that's it for this week.  Head to Kates.

Its been a while 15 Minute Challenge

 Can't believe it has been a month, but it has been.  Last week we moved into our new offices, there are still a few things to do to get us fully settled in but I'm really enjoying the new outlook from my desk.  I think its going to be lovely looking out onto the balcony especially when I bring a few plants from home to decorate.   

It also looks like we found a new person to work with us.  I think they will be offered the job this week so fingers crossed they will be starting in a few weeks.  

Mo is a finalist in a competition to design a beer can for a local Micro Brewer Shifty Lizard Brewing Co.  Her design will go up tomorrow for voting.  The link to vote for Liquid Treasure is here.  The brief was to use your own style to for the design the label and name the beer.  I think her design is pretty spectacular but it is up for public vote so we will have to see how she goes she is up against another 3 designs.  

Her class had a successful stall at a Comic Convention they raised more money for the Graduation Show. She also was chosen to have a market stall and the Uni's Wellness, I have been helping her paint stands so the next week will be busy getting things ready for her stall.  

On the crating front I've finished 1 doll (no clothes yet) and have hair and an arm to do on another.  

And I've managed to do some stitching.  Using Katie Dawsons Tack it Easy tool and a hexy stamp to mark the fabric I've made quite a stash of hexies to go round the stitcheries for Field Journal.  Both these tools make taking hexies super quick and easy almost enjoyable.  I managed to almost fill this little box before I started putting them together.    The first stitchery is almost done, if I manage a post next week I should be able to show one finished block.  

Head too Kate's to see how everyone is going in their challenge.  

15 Minute Challenge

Well that's August gone don't ask me where it went.  Work is very busy, with the move 2 and a bit weeks away, i've  been trying to make sure we are organised and sorting through papers and working out what needs to be disposed of.  My boss keeps telling me not to tell me what is going off to the shredder.  

I did manage to finish another doll.  The dolls are keeping me from going insane at the moment.  I have another body just about finished ready to put hair on.  I've decided to just do a few bodies for now and then work out how I want to dress them. 

I've also been collecting a few embroidery patterns from Cottage Garden Threads, and I'm planning to work through the field journals but I don't think I will bother about collecting the threads as I have a big stash of Cottage Garden Threads as well as countless other varieties which will be fine to use in the project.  

In July Maestro got notified that he needed to be available for Jury duty in August.  He wasn't happy and but we talked him round, and it turned out he wasn't picked for a trial.  He only lost a couple of days work in the end.   

This week he is desert module at TAFE.  He's not a dessert person but I think it looks pretty good. 

Mo did another bake sale and the raised a good pot of money for the Grad Show.  Here are her efforts.  

Thats it for me this fortnight, it has only taken 3 days to write this post. 

Head to Kate's you know the drill.

15 Minute Challenge

The last 2 weeks have been more of the same just plain busy again.  My crochet dolls are keeping me sane.  

I have finished another doll and have the body and head finished on the next one.  The latest doll uses an additional support in the neck which goes inside the head and stabilises so there is no drooping.  I think I will use the technique in future dolls.    I have had to ordered some brown 4ply as the cotton yarn I am using is only available in baby colours so had to go further afield for more colour variety.  

I'm being called to the TV to watch our latest show, so I have to keep this short.  

Head to Kates to see what everyone is up to.  

15 Minute Challenge A couple of finishes to report

The weather has been a mixed bag it has been cold and wet and then we have had days filled with lovely winter sunshine.  

Mo went back to Uni last week for her last semester.   I think she is a little scared about job prospects at the end but she got good grades again last semester so at least she has that behind her.  She has been working on  the committee has been working on the End of Year Exhibition throughout the break and she has done a great job of designing the Catalogue and a lot of the promotional things all good experience for her resume.  

Work is still busy I don't see it getting any better for a few months, and we haven't posted the job yet, 2 steps forward and 1 step back seems to be our moto at the moment. 

To keep me sane I  have been doing lots of crochet.  Made my first doll (a bunny) finished a scarf and started a new dolly.

The wool for the scarf is Poll Merino wool and it is divine so soft and lovely to work with.  It is from a SA farm Leahcim Wool.  

I picked up the pattern for the Rabbit on etsy it is called Liberty Bunny by Lulu Compotine.  Her patterns are translated into a few languages from the original french.  There are loads of photo's and once I got the ply right it went together like a dream.  I'm now working on Little Lise.  Working on them is melting the stress of work away.  

That's it for me hopefully  there will be more to show next time.  You know the drill head to Kate's 

15 Minute Challenge No More Excuses Just Plain Busy

A post every 2 weeks might be all I am going to manage for the next few months.  My boss said we needed to discuss his schedule today and he's going to be interstate for big slabs of time over the next 3 months right when we are moving and supposed to be taking on a new employee.  I think I probably don't want to think too much about it all for a little bit.  Denial seems to be a good option at the moment.

At least I am still managing to keep up with 15 minutes every day, its been a lot more consistant the last couple of week.  Maestro's blanket is all finished.  We had some lovely winter sun last week so I got it washed and blocked.    It looks great all pinned out and I'm sure it will be perfect to snuggle under. One day he might have a girlfriend to snuggle under it with but at the moment all he does is work.  

I'm trying my hand at amigurumi crochet. I'm working on a bunny, I gave up on the first one as it turned out I used the wrong weight yarn.  So scratched it and started again, its bit fiddly but I'm having fun.  It's helping me not to think about work.  

Head to Kate's to see how everyone is travelling, I'm sure they are more productive than I have been.  

15 Minute Challenge and end of Financial Year Chaos

 Well I promised myself that I would be more dedicated to the blog and commit to a post a week but it just hasn't happened.  Friday was the end of the financial year down under and work again just got in the way.  Each year its been getting increasingly busy and this year was pretty bad.  Even with my extra hours I ended up doing more hours on top of it and we didn't start the process of getting a new person on either.  

This afternoon I should be able to finish attaching the last square the Maestro's blanket and will start working on the border.  It's been good to be able to snuggle under 4 squares as I do the final 2 and it should be better now that there are 6 to snuggle under as the weather has been cold and wet.  

I've been purchasing more crochet patterns and a couple of skeins of wool from a poll merino sheep farm which is the softest and luxurious wool I've ever felt.   I plan to make a blanket out of it I already have a scarf started in a previous skein I purchased and I just love the feel and way it makes up I had to have more.   

I have purchased a couple of amigurumi patterns, I'm hoping they are simple.  Will see but I like the idea of maybe making something small with crochet that are quick and hopefully easy.  Fingers crossed the experiments works and I have something to show in a couple of weeks.  

Mo is on uni break at the moment but is still going in once a week for the Grad Show Committee, she has managed to pick up a dreadful bug last week which had her spending a couple of days in bed but she is almost over it now.  

Mo did pottery as an elective at uni this semester and I will leave you with her finished works.  The final project was to create a set of  6 matching cups  and there are also some of her other pieces.  We love the cups they are a perfect size and shape and wonderful to use.  

That it for this week.  I have tried to keep up my 15 minutes and I have probably succeeded about 75% of the time.  

 Head to Kates

15 Minute Challenge and lots of walking

We just had a long weekend for the Kings Birthday, it use to be the Queen's Birthday, I guess they just recycled the holiday for the new ruler.  It never was the Queens actual birthday but I'm not complaining it was a long weekend.  

We walked everyday of the weekend and took the opportunity to walk a bit further.  We did a couple of 6km walks then yesterday we did a 7km walk to Henley and back.  Yesterday was the pick of the days, the sun was shining and there were lots of people on the path.  We ended up cutting back through the side streets to another pathway that eventually follows the creek a couple of blocks away from our house.  

I finally finished the 4th square of Maestro's blanket and we decided that he needs 6 squares to cover his long body.  I am close to finishing the 5th square, the 4 squares is perfect lap size for me so it is keeping me warm on the cooler nights we are getting now.    

That's it for me this week.  

Head to Kate's to see how everyone is going with the challenge this week.