Reject Kiwi Chutney

This is the kiwifruit chutney I made yesterday. In it are bananas from the orchard and rejected golden kiwifruit from the packhouse up the road, courtesy of Richie's Uncle. I don't know why they are rejects, they look perfect to me. This is a view from our deck. You can see the sheep and the cattle, and that tree behind the chutney is a mountain pawpaw. I am excited about that fruiting!

Dan's Hat and other purchases

I have not been very busy on the craft front lately BUT I have been shopping up a storm.

I bought some new boots. This photo really does not do them justice. They are blue suede and ridiculously comfortable and lovely. And they were quite expensive.

I also bought a new coat. From a shop in Napier. I tried it on about 3 months ago but because the price tag was ridiculous I didn't give it a second thought. Until last week when I rung Mum to see if it was still there! It was. And I now own it - even though it hasn't made it down to Wellington yet. The coat is by this lady and I will post some pictures when I get it. Its the most expensive thing I own and I cant wait to wear it!

http://www.paulacoulthard.co.nz/

I did make brother Dan a hat though. I dont know if he will wear it after all that because he is more of a slouchy hat kind of guy but I think it looks great!

Mooooooesli

Look what I made Stephanie, your microwave muesli! Here it is in disguise amongst the real cereal! Stephanie made muesli when I was in New Zealand which I talked about everyday (and probably every day since), it is the best cereal I have ever eaten! I shouldn't really post it yet cos I haven't tried it with milk, just while it was so boiling it will burn your mouth. It tasted pretty good then! Can you even IMAGINE how excited I am about breakfast tomorrow morning? Unless you have tried this you CANNOT.

ps. Steph, I went to a 'natural food shop', wandered around for ages and left with some fudge. So it basically doesn't have all of the right ingredients.

"je joue au babyfoot"

Stephanie's favourite baby gift combo has been put to good use here, everyone is having a baby! I knitted a yellow set for Baby Thomas and this 'petrol' set for Baby Noah. Beautiful Baby Noah is modelling the booties below...

Saucy

One of my birthday presents from my friend Ruth, chocolate sauce that tastes as fattening as I look right now. In a lovely jar and then (down below) in 'action'!

Black Wolf Ink

New tattoo...done!!!

Pre tattoo prep...

The finished product...


I decided on no thread because the sewing is done! It looks quite sharp there, it's healing right now so looks very pleasant.

Hit me Baby one more time!

This is a changing mat I made for Baby Black Wolf. It has a nylon-y back (wipe-clean!), a polar fleece middle and a t shirt cotton top. The colours in the pic aren't really true - the back is BRIGHT yellow (not day-glo though) and the front is a pale yellow. I made two but the first one looks a bit shite... Amazing that simply cutting and sewing two rectangles could take nearly 2 hours. I think I need an overlocker! I was reminiscing about craft days while I was making it :o)

This morning I went to the pottery class to do some extra bits on the pot before it dries out and I think I made some friends! (No phone numbers yet though!) There were some friendly women there all chatting away and we got talking. One went to school with Richie's sister. This is blog related because I used some of the clay we dug up from our field to glaze/seal my first pot! Just like the Romans did, so I was told. I will take a picture when it is finished, as I feel too stink to take pictures of each stage of my lame pot in front of the cool people I want to be friends with!

Rose - my pottery teacher is called Richard Parker, and he has an exhibition starting soon at Pataka in Porirua if you happen to be out that way. Also, you probably already know about this but check it out http://www.handmade2011.co.nz/

Lots of love my lovely crafty ladies. Miss you!

Damn it, Jam it (I think I love you)

I made lime marmalade out of the windfall limes, and then we got given a whole box of gold kiwifruit so I made kiwifruit jam as well. The lime marmalade tastes good but the rind in it is a bit chewy! The Kiwifruit jam is (I think) nicer than actual gold kiwifruit. I eat toast quite a lot but I think I need to eat more to get through all this lot!
I have also made a wrap skirt from a pattern off the internet, which looks pretty crazy, I am not sure I can wear it, but if I succeed with effort no. 2, I will blog it!

Don't get shirty with me!

I was just making a cd of pics for Flair of our road trip and I found this! I bought it in a funny old lady craft shop in Napier.

From the lamb onto the needles

An extremely cute lamb which I saw in the Cotswolds yesterday!

Handsome Hound

This is my most recent toy creation for another baby due in June. You may recognise the wool - it is left over jumper...