Photo A Day - August 29 / 30 / 31

I'm behind, but just in time :-)

Photo A Day - August 29 - Down

Looking down at Dohles Rocks

Photo A Day - August 30 - Card

Photo A Day - August 31 - Hidden

https://www.facebook.com/DreamingDragons?ref=stream

The End
******

Photo A Day - August 27 /28

Photo A Day - August 27 - Tap

 

 Photo A Day - August 28 - Clock

 

Finished - Tablet Cosy / Case

Hi all,
Did anyone spend their $5 voucher from Spotties this weekend? I had planned to go down anyway to search for some large beads for a project out of my newly found Vogue Knitting Crochet & Macramé book.
My small purchase ended up being a little cheaper, which is always nice.

The black beads are lovely they have tiny rosebuds inbedded in them, so I'll use them to make some stitch markers like these HERE 

Thought I'd share a pic of the Tablet Cosy I've finished using my Camera Cosy Pattern

My Tablet is a small 7inch one. I ended up buying it instead of a Kindle earlier this year. It was only slightly more expensive at the time, and it's been the best thing I've bought. It's been ideal for storing my patterns, photos, books and accessing the Net. It has a pretty good battery life, much better than my laptop and I can also use it as a Kindle and download books via the Android apps & the Kindle site.
I adore it!! It's so portable but when I first bought it I couldn't find a case for it.
There were plenty of cases & covers for the 10inch Tablets / iPads and everything else, but not for these yet.

So now I can safely throw it in my bag. It's plain and simple, but colours are endless & you can tart it up with flowers or whatever you like.

Now this was experimental, so thought I'd share what I'd change if I made another.

I used Bernat Mosaic, colour - Psychedelic and a 5mm hook. It took less then 100g to make.
For this size Tablet which measures 19.5cm (7.5 inches) wide, I commenced with 52 ch to fit my Tablet snugly, but measure your's so the chain fits with a slight stretch. It's worth testing it again after a couple of rounds, as I ended up going back & decreasing the size so it would be a tighter fit.

Originally I planned to do the whole cosy in dc (aus) to make it quite thick, (the yarn is 10ply?). I was using self striping yarn and didn't need the 3 row pattern to give me different size stripes, but because the self striping colours blended better using the original pattern, I stuck with that. I also skipped some colours when I came to the flap (ie cut & rejoined), so I could use the colours I preferred for the flap.

A hint - when you do rounds using a self striping yarn you're always going to get a mismatched colour jog somewhere at the join, inevitably when the yarn changes colour. To stop this spoiling the look of the back on such a large item, instead of positioning the seam at the back, as in the Camera Cosy, I kept the seam to what would become side edge then commenced the flap from there.

So, the back looks even with the join running along the right hand side. I also knotted a doubled strand of Aqua yarn a few rounds up from the bottom, to take around to the front and wind around the button to secure the case.

For the flap, I still used dc (aus) every row as in the pattern, but because the case was so wide, I started decreasing after the 1st row, and also decreased every row, instead of alternate rows. Without doing this the flap may be too long for the case if you're using thicker yarn (you can always finish with a flat edge not a point  or fold the point up to the outside then attach your button to make it interesting).
So that's about all, I'm happy with it, it was a quick crochet project, and I like the colours.
Thanks for staying and having a read - Jen.

Photo A Day - August 25 & 26

August 25 - Fresh

 Fresh Caramel Mud Cakes

August 26 - Dream

A recurring dark dream about a house.

Finders Keepers

What I find and why I'm keeping it

I love to pick as we've come to call it thanks to American Pickers. I suppose here we rummage, or junk shop. Either way we love to collect our stuff!
Last week I couldn't go past this book at a local charity book sale, and a little Teapot elsewhere in my travels (but I'll leave the Teapot for next time).

It's lost it's dust jacket, but it's an old Vogue Book.

I've seen plenty of Vogue Knitting Books at countless Bookfests, but this one had all 3 crafts.

If I can find at least one thing in these old books I can use, I'll grab it.
All the pics are black & white, but it has quite a few things in it I'd revamp. There's a nice ripple crochet flared above knee Jacket using Fuzzy Wuzzy - remember that? It's definitely something I'd like to make using modern yarns. There's a great long knitted lace skirt, I know someone who might wear a black short version of it, a cute girl's top & skirt,
There's this -

   

If there was nothing else useful in the book, I still would have bought it just to own this crochet Wedding Dress pattern!

While I never got into Macramé in the 70's (I was too young - cough!) Mum did, and she was very gifted at it.
We all had the Macramé Owl sitting on the tree branch. She had the big lampshade frame saved under the house to make the Macramé round table with glass top, but never got around to it.
Mum did make me an awesome hanging glass table for my room. It was superb! I still used it in my first home, it hung behind our corner lounge.

Of course now Macramé is making a bit of a comeback with beaded jewellery. The book also has some nice little beaded bracelets so all in all very well worth the $2 I paid.

At the moment I'm collecting Teapots, but only little ones & metal ones, which have proved invaluable for display. I also collect toy sewing machines, the occasional big one, Peanuts (Schulz), retro pattern books, things that remind me of my youth, but not limited to these lol.

I'd really love to start collecting vintage coloured glass jewellery but you have to stop somewhere ... don't you?
Tell me what do you collect? 
If you could spend an unlimited amount of money on collecting what would you collect then?

Thanks for visiting
Jen.

Photo A Day - August 24 - Path

The Path

winds all the way down to the North Pine River
John Oxley Reserve

Progress on the White Dresser

Hi all,
For the rest of August I'll post the pics for photo a day straight into the page, so they won't come up as a post EVERY day. If you'd like to keep viewing them, then go to this PAGE. 
You might remember my white Dresser back in this POST.

I finally got time to sit down, read the instructions for the lead tester and hold my breath while I tested the dresser for lead. Depending on the results, it will either be a fairly easy job or a massive one if I can't sand and have to strip the paint.
The test kit comes with two plastic vials enabling two separate test applications. Because of the cost of the test (I fell over in-store) I wanted to get it right the first time, so I could keep the other one for future use.

The vial has a sponge applicator on one end, and two enclosed capsules inside which you must press and break on either end, to enable the chemicals to mix for the test. You only get a couple of minutes to do the test so I made sure I had a few test areas ready on the dresser before I started.
If there are several layers of paint, you need to cut a wedge shape through the layers to get an accurate result for lead in underlying coats of paint.
The area tested will turn red if there is lead present.

The kit also comes with a test card, with several test circles printed on it. Each circle has a small amount of lead on it. If you test your item and there is no reaction, you must then test the card to make sure the applicator isn't defective. The area within the circle will turn red immediately if the tester is working properly. If it doesn't you need to purchase another kit....hmmm!

Well I tested a few areas on the top, legs, drawers and they all had NO reaction to lead so good news!
It looks like the dresser had been stained or varnished originally and someone has just painted a couple of coats over it in a Shabby Chic moment.
Now I can give it a sand, and do some fresh coats of white. I don't want it to look perfect, I want to retain it's shabby look but not as shabby as it is now :-). I don't think it's enamel paint, but I'll test with some acrylic I have here, to make sure it doesn't bubble up.
Now to decide which "white" ridiculous!
Jen.

Photo A Day - August 19 - Hole, 20 - Today

Photo A Day - August 19

Hole

Photo A Day - August 20

Today 

A boring Monday, cleaning up after the weekend, washing, food shopping, but look at the sky - what a beautiful day it was. Tomorrow will be more fun, going to a kal (knit a long) and using one of my cosy patterns. Spending the night making crochet flowers to share - Jen

Maureen's Underwater Theme Tea Cosy

Maureen has sent me some photos of her Underwater Theme Tea Cosy she made from using my Flower Garden Cosy pattern.
As Maureen said, the colours where similar so it was easy to adapt it to an underwater theme. I really enjoy seeing the pics people send and seeing how they come up with different creative ideas.
I love your cosy Maureen, the bright colours and all the critters are brilliant! Thanks so much for taking the time to send them to me - here are the pics

Photo A Day - August - Inside

Inside

our computer through a little clear window on the side of the case.

Photo A Day - August - Faces.

17 - Faces

Taken at Toowong Cemetery, not today but late one afternoon after searching for family graves for my family history research. I took about 10 photos before I lost the light. I didn't realize I was being watched.......

Can you see the face behind the the tombstone? With part of a sleeve and arm to your right?
Goosebumbs?

Photo A Day - August - Food

16 Food

Lemon Slice - Soft Shortcake Base, Luscious Lemon Filling, Clear Custard Topping  (CWA recipe).
Soooo Yum!

Photo A Day - August - Ready

Ready for some Retail Therapy

Photo A Day - August - Arrow

Arrow

                         

Photo A Day - August - Simple

It was a Simple Choice

to choose this photo for today the 13th of August, my Mother's Birthday. Mum would have been 86 years old today. Born on Friday the 13th, she would like to tell people that, it was the special little thing about her she thought, but of course there were lots of special things about her.

The photo must have been taken early 1963 at St Clement's Church, (the old one) at Stafford, Brisbane. 

She is holding her youngest daughter (me) at my Christening. 

In the photo the daughter hadn't made her mind up yet whether she should trust humans. 

I can still do that look. 

Photo A Day - August - Spoon

Spoon was supposed to be diving into Self Saucing Chocolate Pudding, but someone forgot to buy more Cocoa.
Oh well, someone has more time to knit tonight now.
It's not my ice cream...I swear!

Photo A Day - August - Purple

Tibouchina

Photo A Day - August - Messy & Ring (catching up)

Catching up from yesterday -

A Mess Of  Teapots

TODAY - RING

This ring has family significance for me, but remains a mystery.

Can anyone tell me the significance of the letters on the ring and the symbol to the left?

The letters are x z p a & b which you can't see in the photo.
Another shot of the symbol - can you help solve the mystery?

Photo A Day - August - Glasses

Retro peach glasses, knew I'd use them one day.

Photo A Day - August - 8 o'clock

Grace's Share Kitty / My Buttons

Hello all,
Do you like my new colours? Some redecorating makes a nice fresh change, and why not in my favourite colours (at the moment anyway).
Some new buttons to push 
If you like my new colours, react me!
I have to admit, I read a lot of blogs, but I'm guilty of not commenting very much, because I just don't have the time. Some bloggers are even deleting their comment boxes I see.
I'm going to make an effort and try to be better at it, however I do have time to push people's buttons (so I'm told constantly by those I irritate/nag), so I've included Reactions. It's not an ad or money raiser, it's just Feedback for me, and you can still make comments, ask about a pattern etc. 
Very undiplomatically there isn't a "I hate this" button, I was tempted to add one, but assumed it would be worn out lol.
They're at the end of each post, so if you like something push away, if you score a free pattern from me, pushing the thank you button would be nice, or if you want to see more of the same stuff, let me know with that button.

Grace from Ravelry contacted me the other day because she couldn't get the graph to appear in the
Share Kitty Pattern. It seems some US providers have trouble showing content from Australia. I know someone else had trouble with seeing a pattern once before, so if you have the pattern but no graph for the head let me know & I'll send you the pdf of the pattern.
Grace was eager to finish Share Kitty and she was lovely enough to send me some photos, here they are....

Grace if you see this, he is beautiful and I love the Butt-erfly (sorry couldn't resist).
Thanks so much for sending me the pics,
Jen.

Photo A Day - August - Writing

Collected by the loving Mother

Relived over & over by the Son

Treasured by the respectful Daughter.

Photo A Day - August - Logo

Logo

Photo A Day - August - Somewhere You Sat

Somewhere you sat

Photo A Day - August - Coin

                     Coin   

                     Return

Can you see the coin in the middle of the heart? I made this bag for a dear relative. The superstition goes it is bad luck to give a bag or purse without some money in it, so I tucked a 10c piece (not this one) inside one of the triangle flaps formed from making a box base inside the bag, but had forgotten to tell her. 

Many years went by and the elderly relative sadly passed away. Her lovely partner returned the bag to me, full of some wrapped china that was to be mine. When I emptied the bag I thought of the coin and wondered if she had found it, assuming she would not have tried to wash the bag, as she only used it for "special" occasions.

There was the coin still there - wish I'd told her about the coin, along with many other things.

A Camera Cosy

Because I'm doing the photo a day for August, thought I'd share the easy crochet camera case I've just finished.

The purchased case I had was quite big and bulky, so I just needed one to protect the camera when I throw it in my bag, and something that was easy to take the camera in and out of.
Besides, what self respecting Knitter/Crocheter doesn't have a "fibred" case for absolutely everything in her home. The toaster and coffee maker are looking nervously at me from the kitchen as I speak (write), thinking one day they may have to endure the decorating faux pas their ancestors endured in the 1970's of matching covers on EVERYTHING!
The fridge is sniggering at them, because it knows I'm never going to make a crochet cover for it!  And yes I just did a quick google search & couldn't find any fridge door cosies....YET.
There are a million camera cases on the net, and here's another so there's now 1000001

I used 8ply/ DK and a 4mm hook.
My Camera is just a point and shoot camera, a Canon Ixus 220 HS. It measures 10.5cm x 7 (taking into account it's thickness). Adjust the size to fit your camera.
Crochet stitches are in British terminology.
To create different size stripes, do rounds of dc, htr, and tr (U.S. terminology will be sc, hdc, and dc).
Use at least 4 colours, that way the stripes/colour combinations will differ as you go.
Each round is a different colour so if you like doing stripes you'd better start to love sewing in ends (sorry), I think its a stretch to carry up 4 or 5 colours for this one.

Every round, join in the new colour on the last loop of the slst that joins that round.
You could use a self striping yarn if you like, I'm using some Bernat Mosaic to crochet the same cover for my Tablet - look out toaster, you're next.

Ch 22, or whatever number of ch fit snugly around your camera. Join into a ring, or if you prefer, do the first row of dc then join into a ring and join the ch (I won't tell). Just remember to do 1 extra ch if you start this way, missing the first ch, then doing 22 dc.
Next round, 2ch, htr around, join.
Next round 3ch, tr around, join.
Continue repeating the 3 rounds of dc, htr & tr until the cosy is long enough to fit the camera, ending on a dc or htr round. Fasten off. Nothing wrong with doing 2 rounds of dc at the end to bring it up to the right size.

The flap is worked  in dc every row. With the join of the rounds sitting at the centre back, using the flap colour, dc across the back 11 sts (or half the stitches you've done for your size).
Dc 3 more rows.
Next Row - dc2tog at beginning and end of this row.
Next Row - dc to end,
Continue these 2 rows until there are 3 sts left. (If you started with an even number of dc continue until 2 sts remain, then dc2tog to finish)
Next Row -  dc2tog, dc 1
Next Row dc2tog
Fasten off.
Sew in all your ends and sew across the bottom edge to finish.
Sew on a snap fastener to close the flap, then the button, or if you prefer fasten like the centre one in the photo. Attach a doubled length of yarn to the end of the flap with a half hitch, sew the button below the flap, and wrap the yarn around the button to fasten. You can add some beads to the end of the tie if you want.  The red, pink, orange, aqua, purple one in the centre is the one I ended up using for my camera, Jen.

© Jennifer Stacey 2012
For personal use - not for profit.

Photo A Day - August - One

One shade of grey.

the book.

Photo A Day - August - Outside

I'm taking part in Photo A Day over at Fat Mum Slim for the month of August. Join in if you like, let me know  so I can visit your blog to have a look at your pics as well. Let's see if I can do it for the whole month - challenge excepted

Today ....Outside

We live in a lovely area, that we really don't appreciate. As I left the house I realised I could drive in almost every direction for 10 minutes or less, and find water. We live 3 minutes from the North Pine River, another 5 and I'm at a lovely fishing spot at the mouth of the River and looking out to Moreton Bay. Heading north east, I'll end up at Redcliffe a beautiful city on Moreton Bay and gateway to Moreton Island. 

Heading west for 10 mins will take me to the picturesque North Pine Dam. For this photo I headed back and drove to Bullocky Rest which is on Lake Samsonvale, a lake created from the building of North Pine Dam.

It was so quiet and deserted when I got there, not like on weekends when it's full of picnicers. The water was so still and glassy, I pulled over and took this shot. (If I take this long for every photo I'm not going to get any work done all month!)