Twelve Weeks Old!

 

a new week!

i feel as though they're racing away this year

&

baby kai

my first and only grandson was 12 weeks old

on saturday.

 

look at those bright eyes,

they were blue at birth but are turning brown...

 

 

 

it has been so hot in taipei

that he gets around in his aussie bond's singlets mainly...

 

 

 

but i was thrilled to see

him wrapped up in the blanket i knitted

&

sent over before he was born.

 

this is my favourite pic.

 

just look at the way he gazes

adoringly at his dad.

his mum has had to go back to work

but

dad works from home

so is there with him every day.

it's an arrangement that's working for everybody.

 

i've just noticed the church across the road

has put up a sign

for a 'trash & treasure' day

next saturday...yay!

 

 

i hope they have some goodies for me...

have you found any lately?

 

 

enjoy your monday!

 

 

naturally Carol xox

 

 

 



Dragging My Feet...

 

hi there!

 

i have noticed everybody getting their act together

regarding the big changeover from google reader

to other circles and links

but i'm dragging my feet.

 

it's not that i don't love you

and don't want to belong

but

i have issues.

 

i have a problem

handing over more of my personal information...

address,

working status,

even my name

to another set of people who i don't know.

 

i don't do facebook or twitter

for the same reason...

and then there's the information or photos

i may post there...

what could they be used for or by in the future.

 

i am cautious...perhaps overly...

but i'm not committing 'til i see how this all plays out.

so if you see someone

behind the crowd...

just observing my friends racing ahead...

it's probably me.

 

....and by the way

 

 

 

i'm knitting a little jumper for kai,

'cos in another couple of months

the weather will be a bit cooler

and he just may need it.

 

 

the back's done...the front is on it's way...

 

waving to you from here

behind the crowd...

 

 

naturally Carol xox

 

 

 



All Kinds of Wonderful!

good morning!

 

this morning is all kinds of wonderful...

the sun is shining,

the bed linen is changed,

the washing is drying on the clothes line,

the dishes are done,

the ensuite is clean,

the dinner is cooking in the slow cooker...

 

kai is four weeks old today...

 

 

 

his dad has just informed me

that he's having his belly button checked this morning...

 

my ladies beach beanie is finished...

{it's called that 'cos i think it would make the perfect beanie

for walking along a beach on a cool windy day!}

 

 



 

i like the way it's looking

with its contrasting tiny stripes.

 

isn't it amazing how a little bit of sunshine...

and feeling heaps better after beating the lurgy...

can energise a person!

 

how's the weekend looking from your end?

 

haveagoodone!

 

 

naturally Carol xox

 

 



Friday Snippets...

good morning!

 

i'm just quietly celebrating friday here.

it's queen's birthday weekend

so a long one for us with monday off work for mr w...and some of the boys.

 

it has been a normal week here...

no new babies

no falling down steps

or other nonsense...

thank goodness.

 

so i've just put together a few photos to capture

a normal week here...

 

 

..snuggling up warmly and comfortably

is popular at night here in front of the tv or computer...

 

 

 

 

 

...a bit more knitting has been done

over the past couple of days.

{ a beach ladies beanie actually??}

 

 

 

 

there's always washing up to do every day...

but the oranges are lovely freshly picked

from an orchard just up the road a bit...juicy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

i love my new black tempered glass 'black board'...

i bought it yesterday from aldi...only $14.99.

i think it's a bargain..

my new toy.

 

mr m was very efficient putting it up for me...

he did a great job and it only took him 5 mins!

 

what's going on at your place?

 

have a great weekend!

 

 

naturally Carol xox

 

 

ps...some of you think we have baby kai here...unfortunately location wise he is in taiwan and we're in australia.  skype and email are our best friends!

 

 

 

 

 



Man Beanie!

 

hi!

 

 

 

after the weekend of great excitement

when 'baby bean' a.k.a kai was finally born,

it has been a week of busy-ness here.

 

nothing spectacular, different or fabulous...

just plain old busy.

 

 

 

my blog has almost become a stranger

&

i've neglected almost everybody i know.

i apologise.

 

i also thank you for all of your kind wishes and

beautiful sentiment for our littlest family member.

we appreciate every gorgeous comment.

 

 

 

i did finish a 'man beanie' though

and it has met with the approval of mr t

who has already stretched it onto his head

where it has a semi permanent address already!

 

 

 

the colours just happened to coordinate

 with all this spectacular leafy glory beautifully!

{..or maybe i just have orange and black on my mind}

 

up here in queensland

we've been having glorious winter weather

and it's been a long slow change in colour for the deciduous trees here.

 

outside my bedroom window this morning

the crepe myrtle was at it's best...

showing off on this cool sunny winter day!

 

 

take care...

 

naturally Carol xox

 

 



Crepe Myrtle Colours!

 

good evening!

 

late evening really...

it's getting on to midnight here

but i'm more awake now

than a while ago

after talking with my son and daughter in taiwan

on skype.

 

 

while i was knitting a couple of little bright girlie baby beanies

by request of a couple of soon to be grandmas...

just like myself...

i was wondering whether their colouring

was a bit unnatural...

but then i remembered

the colours of crepe myrtles

which range from glorious bright pinks to mauves

and knew they were perfectly natural indeed!

 

 

perfect crepe myrtle colours!

 

today the grandmas took them home

to give with love to their little granddaughters...

two more warm heads in our cool aussie winter.

 

i'm crocheting a granny blanket for the baby girl

who is to receive the smallest beanie...

she's due to be born this friday!

 

there's babies everywhere at the moment

it seems!

 

 

naturally Carol xox

 

 

 



One for the Girls...

 

hello!

 

the week's rolling on

&

already it's tuesday.

it seems to me that with the cooler days

the pace of working days heats up!

 

no longer do we have the laid back days of summer warmth...

that slowed down holiday atmosphere

that permeates through til march around here.

 

 

 

i started my winter preparations early

with knitting scarves and beanies.

lately i've been practising baby boy beanies

but i've been eyeing off those sweet pink yarns as well.

 

i said 'Lord, please send me a few baby girls to knit for too!'

...and He did.

 

 

 

last weekend

i was at the local shopping centre enjoying a cappucino

and along came a friend

with her daughter and granddaughter in tow.

 

miss emma is 8 months old.

i asked whether i could knit her a beanie

and she agreed to let me.

 

 

 

i've knitted her two.

i hope they fit....or i'll just have to practise some more..hehe!

 

by the way this pattern is called 'spicchi'

by barbara aroldi

&

is available on ravelry...size 40cm head.

{free download}

 

i have added a bit more width and height on this one for a slightly bigger head.

 

 

i must say

i'm having fun with pink...

i'll show you more next time.

 

hoping your tuesday is terrific too...

 

 

naturally Carol xox

 

 

 



Baby Beach Beanies...

 

good morning!

 

this is just the kind of morning

that taking your baby for a walk

would mean popping a beanie on that tiny head...

 

 

sunny looking

but cool with a touch of mist lingering.

 

when i was making these

i was imagining

early morning walks briskly taken along the edge of the sand

or

evening strolls

catching the silvery waves as the sun sets

as the night air closes in...damply.

 

 

..keeping those little ears cosy...

away from that chilly breeze...

 

 

jazzy orange...

 

 

 

or cool grey...

 

my baby beach beanies.

 

i'm still practising for 'baby bean'.

we're all getting excited here,

he's due to arrive this month sometime.

his mum has been having practise contractions

while i practise my knitting!

 

i'm hoping you'll all have a great weekend...

and maybe even get to walk along the beach...

 

 

naturally Carol xox

 

 



 

 



 

 

 



 

 



Newborn Baby Beanie...

 

good morning!

 

 

 

i've fallen in love

with this baby beanie knitting pattern...

i do that, don't i?

{then just have to make about a dozen of them!}

 

 

 

i found this one at 'ravelry' too...another freebie.

 

 

 

it's knitted from brim to crown

instead of side to side,

so the texture and pattern is beautifully unusual...

&

makes a most delightful

little hat

for a baby.

 

happy weekending!

 

 

naturally Carol xox


 

 

 



Tweedy Blue...

 

hi

on this clear blue monday afternoon!

 

i'm still practising

my baby boy beanies

&

this pattern is 'baby drops'

a free ravelry pattern

knitted in 8 ply

...a kind of tweedy blue denim colour...

very boyish i'm thinking

though not exclusively.

 

 

 

yesterday

i took my other baby beanie to church...{last post}

but the baby i'd made it for wasn't there.

 

i was showing a friend

while having a cappucino after church

&

she asked whether i could make her one

as she was going to a baby shower

for a little baby boy this friday.

 

 

 

i didn't know whether i could,

so i offered her the beanie i had...as she loved it.

she wanted to pay me

so i said 'five dollars'...to cover the cost of the wool.

she gave me seven

which covers the cost of two more...hehe...a bonus!

 

i came home and was eager to try out another pattern

with this wool that i bought last week.

 

 

 

now i will take this one to church

for the other little baby boy.

he is five months old

and this is size 6-9 months.

 

next i'm going to try one with ear flaps...

and i still haven't mastered those 4 little needles...  :-(

 

i tried but had to frog it.

 

i hope you're more successful in your new endeavours!

 

 

naturally Carol xox

 

 



 

 

 



Baby Beanie...

 

hello!

 

i'm practising...

practising making baby beanies.

 

i haven't made anything for a baby to wear in a long long time.

 

so i found myself a pattern...

and a baby...

and this is the beanie i've made.

 

 

 

now i haven't fitted it on the baby yet...

no, it's not 'baby bean'...

it's another baby that i found at church.

i asked it's mum whether i could knit him a beanie

and she said 'yes'!

 

 

 

so tomorrow

i'll take the beanie to church

and try it on her baby.

 

 

 

it isn't the same as the pattern

'cos when i'd finished the first bit

i realised it was going to be too thick to be doubled over again...

now it looks a bit like a tiny blue chef's hat..hehe!

 

 

 

well...

tomorrow we'll see.

i may have to frog it if it looks too funny.

 

but...

i have been on ravelry

and have uploaded several more baby beanie patterns...

 

 

so...

 

i could always try again.

 

 

naturally Carol xox

 



I'm Done!

 

good afternoon!

 

for the first time in a while

i've got the whole day free...

ms s helped get the house ship shape yesterday

&

i've no other commitments today...yay!

 

 

 

so i was able to spend most of the morning knitting...

click click clacking away

on my fuschia needles...

 

&

i'm done.

 

finished.

 

completed.

 

 

 

no more 'splendour' beanies for me.

 

 

 

i think i've finished about fourteen or fifteen

and that's enough.

i've made three out of the scraps from the others...hehe!

 

 

 

i'm not done with beanies though...

so watch this space.

 

 

naturally Carol xox

 

 



Green Beanie...

 

good afternoon!

 

it's another rainy day...

another one.

can you believe it?

it seems like it's been raining forever here...

since january!

 

well at least rain = inside

&

inside = cosy

&

cosy = knitting or reading or movies hehe!

 

 

a friend bought some green wool...

 

i knitted up the green beanie.

 

it's the slouchiest one i've made yet.

 

at first she bought me the wool

to make it up to give away...

when she looked at it

she fell in love.

now it's going back home with her!

{i have others to give ... so maria, don't fear!}

 

when i first started knitting it

i didn't really like the green

&

thought i may have to find a lady leprechaun to like it!

 

just shows

even friends

can have radically differing tastes...

in beanies, at least.

 



 

i bought this african violet yesterday.

it's a present to myself.

 

do you buy yourself presents too?

 

i hope you find something nice for yourself this weekend...

you deserve a treat!

 

naturally Carol xox

 

 

 



 



Neon Naturally...

 

hi there!

 

after doing a little 'mainly music' prep

for the start of term next week,

i drove into my driveway

&

spotted this bright beauty
hanging over the front fence...

 

 

this, i know, is a crucifix orchid...

unlike the purpley ones in the last post

which i'm not sure about!

you can spot the little crosses visible as yellow centres.

 

i think they're true neon glory.

 

 

i thought i'd lost them...

then up came this lone flower.

 

all is not lost! hehe!

 

they're in amongst this lovely purple flowering bush...

 

 

i don't know it's name.

 

yesterday

i finished another specimen

of unnatural neon-ness...

 

 



 there's nothing like a touch of neon...

natural or unnatural

to brighten up your day...

 

 

 

i hope your day is neon bright today!

 

 

 

naturally Carol xox

 

 



Tiny Orchid...

 

good afternoon!

 

i have been admiring these gorgeous little orchids

in one of the jacaranda trees

for a few days now.

 

today i took the camera out

just so i could share them with you too...

 

 

they were here living in the trees

when we bought our house here nine years ago.

with all the rain they've started to flower and grow...

i think they love the humidity.

 

i know the orange ones are crucifix orchids

but i'm not sure whether these are or not...

i'd love it if any of you queenslanders

could help me here in identifying them properly.

 

i am amazed that a flower so beautiful

grows so commonly here!

 



 

i've been taking advantage of having more time

over the past week or so {due to school holidays}

to knit up some more beanies.

 

i've now knitted seven in all...

 for fiona, rose, stephanie, alana, sharrie, jill

&

one for myself!

 

brigitte is next

and then a couple to send to maria

for brisbane's needy.

 

i think i understand a tiny bit

of how monet felt about haystacks...

or water lillies for that matter!

i remember seeing some of his haystack paintings

in the canberra national gallery,

capturing different colourings in the light

of various times in the day or seasons.

 

i look at these balls of 'splendour'

and imagine every brim a different colour

&

love it as i knit them

and the colours unravel in different ways

displaying their own particular pattern and blend of colour!

 

it was the same with aprons and cushions...

i think i'll always be fascinated and enthralled

by how different colours make different objects sing

and suit different people!

 

 

 

i hope you're enjoying

your 'obsessions' as much as i'm enjoying mine...hehe!

 

 

naturally Carol xox