Woah Nelly!!

Have you seen the GORGEOUS new paper range from Kaisercraft "Miss Nelly"? I have totally fallen in love with it!! Here's a page i've created with it, using one of the Kaisercraft Blog Saturday Sketches for August:

I've been looking for an embossing Dymo machine for AGES!!! Finally there is a scrap store in Australia that stocks them - Scrapboutique!!! Chels is amazing - her shop is just unreal and the forum is so fun and encouraging. You should really check it out!!! The quote i've used is for the Scrapbooking From Scratch August quote challenge - isn't it a good one?

The cute birdie border is a Martha Stewart punch - isn't it adorable!!

How gorgeous is this pink flower? You wouldn't believe it, but i actually made it myself!!! I've used some stash ribbon (i think this actually came with a present!!!) and a Cosmo Cricket 'Glubber'. Spiced it up with a Delish brad and it looks GORGEOUS!!! I've had these grubbers for a while, but haven't had a chance to use them yet. Now i've got a little girl to scrap for you'll be seeing much more of them!!! I've mixed this flower with an old Prima flower and some Kaisercraft flowers - it's nice to be finally using up some of the flowers i have in my stash!!

Scrapping with Purple Pumpkin

Remember that great sketch i shared with you yesterday? Here's my take on it:

Aren't the buttons from Purple Pumpkin yummy? I just love them!! I've used an old Basic Grey paper range on this one - Hopscotch. I just loved it when it came out, but i really couldn't justify buying it because i wouldn't use it!! But now i have a great reason to buy pink papers!! And since Scrapbooks Etc is closing and had a massive sale on, i bought some last weekend!!

The bling flourish is from Prima - an oldie too that i've had in my stash for a bit :D And the punch is a Martha Stewart (love her punches!!!)

My page is about Scarlet (of course!!) and how when Calvin first heard her cry he called her a noisy bird!! So cute!!

Speaking of Basic Grey, they have just started a new blog! This has been something they have been missing for some time now, so i'm super excited about this!! They are also on the hunt for new members for their design team, so visit their blog to find out how you can apply for the team, or suggest someone you think would be great on the team!!

What's on your needles right now? I'm working on a lovely lace shawl called Haruni, using some Ella Rae yarn which i LOVE. I love this yarn so much that after i knitted socks for Calvin out of it, i just had to find something to knit for myself - and i've been wanting to tackle a lace shawl for some time now!! I'm up to row 75, which is over 200 stitches now!! I think i'm doing pretty well considering i started this AFTER i had Scarlet!!!

My 'no brainer' project right now is a cardigan i started for Calvin in size 9 months. I never got around to finishing it because it was around the time we moved interstate, and LOTS of stuff got put on the back burner then. Anyway, i've pulled it out to finish for Scarlet - i think this colour can be quite feminine really - it's a similar colour to what i'm doing my shawl in after all!! It's quite a good pattern, since it's knitted all in one (less seams to sew up is ALWAYS a bonus :D ), but it's a very simple, square pattern so it's great as a beginner pattern too!!

Today, I Scrap!!

Morning all!! Life has been pretty busy around here with 2 children now!! Scarlet is growing so quickly, and she's gaining weight at an amazing rate - 200g last week!! Calvin is going great with her - giving her lots of hugs and kisses all the time - so cute!!

Calvin's in daycare today and DH is busy painting Scarlet's room (this week is his second week of paternity leave - i'll be at a loss next week when he goes back to work!!!) so today, i'm going to scrapbook!!! Last night i joined in on Scrapbooking From Scratch's 100th Blind Crop and it was fab - lots of newbies came along to join in, and of course most of the regulars. I did a lovely little page of Scarlet - to go with the other page i did last week. I just love the paper range i've been using - Fancy Pants "Baby Love". I'm going to try and use something else today though!!!

Someone i'm a HUGE fan of at the moment is Purple Pumpkin. Their buttons and embellishments are sooooo super cute and usable!! I think i used some of their product on almost all of my masters entry recently 'cause they are so perfect!!! I'm going to try and do their monthly sketch challenge today (or sometime this week...) - it's a really nice one don't you think:

Have you seen their embellishments? Here's a sample of what they do - and guess what? You can win this selection this month!! Check out this post to find out how!!

Well, i best jump to it so that i actually get some scrapping done!! Have a great day all!!

A Slice of Pie

Here's a pattern i've created based on two different sock patterns i've used recently. "Pie Socks" and "Leftover Socks" - both were sourced from Ravelry. I just love the heel flap on the pie socks, and the functionality of the leftover socks. My second child was born 5 weeks premie, and i've had a lot of trouble buying socks to fit her feet - they were really long and really skinny, so i've been doing a lot of sock knitting since she was born!!! Here's what this pattern ends up looking like:

Isn't the heel flap detail devine? Just love it!!! Well, onto the pattern.

Size: Newborn (foot length can be varied though, so it could probably be used for up to 6 months or so - adjusting needle size would create larger sizes too, but i haven't experimented with it yet)

Needles: 2.75mm. I've written the pattern to be knitted using two sets of circulars.

Yarn: Any 4 ply would work with this pattern

Abbreviations: ST = Stitch(es); K = Knit; P=Purl; YO=Yarn Over; P2tog = Purl 2 Together; SSK = Slip-Slip-Knit (slip 2 stitches knitwise, return to left needle, and knit them together through the back); S1 = Slip indicated number of stitches purl wise (unless otherwise noted)

Instructions:

Cuff

Cast on 32ST using long-tail cast on (or any elastic cast on). Distribute 16ST per circular and join into round, placing marker for beginning of round if desired.

Work 22 rounds of K2P2 ribbing, starting with K1, P2, and ending with K1, so that the first and last ST on each circular is knit.

Heel Flap

Work on next 16ST (stitches on first circular)

Rows 1, 5 and 9 [RS]: [S1, K1] to end

Rows 2 and all even rows to 10 [WS]: S1, purl to end

Rows 3 and 7 [RS]: S1 [S1, K1] to last ST, K1

After these 10 rows, turn heel.

Turn Heel

S1, K8, SSK, K1, turn

S1, P3, P2tog, P1, turn

S1, K4, SSK, K1, turn

S1, P5, P2tog, P1, turn

S1, K6, P2tog, K1, turn

S1, P7, P2tog, P1, turn

Gusset

Row 1: K10, pick up 8ST along left edge heel. Work 16ST rib as established.

Row 2: Pick up 8ST along right edge heel and knit across to last 3ST on needle. K2tog, K1. Work 16ST rib as established.

Row 3: K1, SSK, K to end of needle. Work 16ST rib as established.

Row 4: K across to last 3ST, K2tog, K1. Work 16ST rib as established.

Continue decreasing, repeating rows 3 and 4 until 32ST remain in total (16 on each circular)

Foot

K16, Rib 16 as established until foot is ~ 1 inch (2.5cm) from desired length.

Toe

[K1, SSK, K10, K2tog, K1] twice

2 rounds knit

[K1, SSK, K8, K2tog, K1] twice

1 round knit

[K1, SSK, K6, K2tog, K1] twice

1 round knit

[K1, SSK, K4, K2tog, K1] twice

[K1, SSK, K2, K2tog, K1] twice

Use kitchener stitch to join the 6 stitches on each needle and weave in ends.

I hope you enjoy knitting this pattern. I've found it to be super quick, easy and satisfying. I hope you do to!!!

An Unexpected Arrival

Well, it's been a couple of weeks since i last blogged and a lot has happened in that time!!! We've been blessed with the very early and unexpected arrival of our second child, Miss Scarlet Rosalie Smith. She was 5 weeks early, and a tiny little bundle at just 2.5kg!!

Thursday 28th July i woke up feeling very unwell and spent the morning having yet another 'couch day' with Calvin as i was experiencing what i thought was Branxton Hicks all morning. Turns out that it was the real thing!! My waters broke at lunchtime, as i was reading Calvin his pre-nap stories!!! I had some trouble getting a hold of Jeremy, so we didn't make it to the hospital until about 3pm. Luckily, my cousin Denise was available to take Calvin overnight - he had a ball playing with his cousins :D

After dosing me up with steroids, antibiotics and various vitamins i was transferred to a ward, since i was labouring very slowly. They didn't want to stop my labour since induction at a later stage was not an option in my case, thanks to a previous cesarian. Jeremy went home around 8pm after we'd sent the obstetrician. He was hoping to get some good sleep - hoping that i would last the night. Unfortunately at around midnight i started becoming more uncomfortable so 2pm they transferred me down to the birthing suite, and i called Jeremy to come back in. 6am the labour really started kicking in, and i got an epidural asap :D A bit after 8am i started pushing and with the help of forceps Scarlet came along at 8:55am, Friday 29th July 2011.

I was so pleased to be able to have her naturally, and i can't believe how quickly i have healed!!! So much easier than a cesarian. I can't believe people elect for a cesarian - and that i was even considering it in the last few weeks!!! I was able to have a shower on my own the night i had Scarlet, and i don't know how i would have managed going to and from the neonatal nursery and my room, had i been afflicted with a cesarian wound!!! Having a forceps delivery meant that i had more than my fair share of stitches - i had to have an episitomy as well, so i certainly had the worst of a natural birth, but it was nothing compared to how i healed after Calvin!!

Since Scarlet was 5 weeks early, she went straight into the neonatal ward. Poor little thing had a feeding tube in her nose and it took a lot to get her to breastfeed. She had her first feed straight after birth, but then she didn't take another feed from me until the next day when she only took one half a feed that day. Sunday she took a few half feeds and by Monday she was taking every feed from me.

Sunday night she went under the lights since she was borderline jaundice and by Monday night she was rooming with me! We were so pleased to have her up with me so quickly - over the weekend we had been thinking that we were going to be going home without her!!! Luckily on Wednesday morning Scarlet and i went home together.

Since we've been home it's been very busy. We've had both my parents and my mother in law stay with us and now they have gone home. It's just our little family of 4 now. Jeremy is taking the next 2 weeks off work, which i'm very pleased about. The plan for the next couple of weeks is to resume life as before as best as possible, finding our new routine and rhythm, while Jeremy is around to support me and let me get as much sleep as possible. Right now i'm waking Scarlet for a feed every 3 hours and feeding on demand at night. Hopefully by the time Jeremy goes back to work i'll be feeding on demand during the day as well, which will be much easier - it's not very fun to be waking her, not to mention how difficult she is to wake sometimes!!!

I've actually been scrapping today and yesterday!! Last night i ducked out to my local shop between feeds, which i'll probably continue to do most Friday nights now. Today i had my monthly 101 class at Scrapbooks etc., so i took Scarlet along to that. I spent most of the class feeding her, but it was good to catch up with everyone and of course do a little of the class. Here's my first page of Scarlet that i did last night. I'm super happy with it - it's pretty nice to be scrapping in pink, i can assure you!!!