inkberryblue

Blogcation

noreply@blogger.com (inkberryblue) — Sun, 10 Oct 2010 09:26:00 +0000

Just wanted to let you know, dear blog friends, that I won't be able to post here for quite a while. I'm busy busy busy getting ready to move out of my home so that I can get my flood damaged floors replaced and I know that work is going to be really demanding for the next ten weeks too. When I get the chance, though, I'm still planning on dropping in on you!
Blessings.
x

Sweet Spring

noreply@blogger.com (inkberryblue) — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 12:41:00 +0000

It's still officially winter in Australia but Nature is definitely saying it's spring.
The mornings are warmer, the days are longer, the birds have begun to gather nesting material, freesias and jasmine are sweetly scenting the air...I love this time of the year. I spent the weekend in my garden,
sweeping and weeding and repotting,
clearing up the damage from the March flood,
kept company by industrious bees

and small, squabbling honeyeaters.

Amongst the debris from the storm, lots of flowers were blooming,
including a delicate native flame pea

and the coral gum I planted when I first moved here.

It was a lovely way to spend Saturday and Sunday.

I spent time crocheting a new blanket too. I'm making one with Lucy's Granny Stripe pattern. I haven't taken any progress shots yet but I have managed to take a picture of the yarn I'm using. I've chosen colours to go with my living room. It's going to be bright!

In other crafty news,

I've crocheted a One Row Lace Cowl:

which I have given to my good friend Robbo,

I've worked on a stirling silver and copper ring:

which I've since oxidised and polished

and, lastly, I have had the pleasure of seeing my What the Dickens Fingerless Mittens being made by somebody else! A lovely and busy blogger from Holland has crocheted four pairs, which you can see here. I really like the yarn she's chosen.

And you?
I'd love to hear about what's happening in your corner of the Earth.

Blessings..
x

Tah Dah!

noreply@blogger.com (inkberryblue) — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 13:00:00 +0000

I haven't meant to be away from here for so long
but I've been busy busy busy getting my mittens pattern ready.
It's actually a very simple pattern, but it's my first and writing it has been time consuming. Since I last posted I've worked out the thumb holes and successfully crocheted the pattern in different yarn weights. I've managed to put it into a PDF format (hooray!) but have been completely stumped by computerised crochet charts (boo!);
I think I could go on tweaking it forever...
But mitten wearing weather is almost over in Oz
so,

drum roll,

click here for the What the Dickens Fingerless Mittens PDF pattern.

Please note: the PDF pattern has charts that should make the instructions (especially for the thumb holes) really clear.

Re~edited to say: You should all be able to access the PDF pattern through the link above. If you can't please let me know. The What the Dickens Fingerless Mittens pattern is now listed in Ravelry. And, if you scroll down a little bit, you'll see that the text only, no diagram version of the pattern is still in this post.

As I said in my last post, the mittens can be made out of 8 ply or 10 ply yarn (the pink mitt has been crocheted out of 10 ply wool and the black mitt has been crocheted out of 8 ply), they're hooked in the round so that you can fit them as you go, and they're super quick to make.

What the Dickens Fingerless Mittens

Yarn: 8ply (light worsted weight) or 10 ply (worsted weight) yarn.
Approximately 70 grams of yarn.

Hook Sizes: Small/Medium use 3.5mm (E) and 4.00mm (G) hook.
Large/Extra Large use 4.5mm (7) and 5.00mm (H) hook.

Skill Level: Advanced Beginner

US Terms:
sc = single crochet
sl st = slip stitch
ch = chain
dc = double crochet

Note: What the Dickens Fingerless Mittens are crocheted using US terminology. Mittens are worked in the round. Do not turn at the end of rounds.

Special Stitches:
Shell = 2dc 1ch 2dc in one stitch.
Crab Stitch = Reverse single crochet, sc from back to front of stitch.

Beginning:
Chain 28, join with sl st through back bump of first stitch to make ring, being careful not to twist chain.

Round One: (Small/Medium ~ use 3.5mm hook.) (Large/Extra Large ~ use 4mm hook.)
Ch 3 in first ch, 2dc 1ch 2dc in same chain (shell made) * skip 3 chains, 2 dc 1ch 2dc in next chain* repeat around. Skip last 3 chains and join with sl st to 3rd chain of beginning ch 3. Do not turn. Stitch count for all rounds (except rounds 10 and 14) 6 shells.

Rounds 2 - 6
Ch 3 in first stitch (on top of chain 3 below.) Skip 2 dc of shell below * 2dc 1ch 2dc in middle chain of shell below (shell made) skip 4 dc * repeat around. Join with sl st to 3rd chain of beginning three chains. Do not turn. For longer gauntlet add one or more extra rows here.

Rounds 7 – 9
Switch to larger hook. Repeat as for rounds 2 – 6.

Round 10 ~ Left Hand
Ch 3 in first stitch (on top of chain 3 below). Skip 2dc of shell below. 2dc 1ch 2dc into middle chain of shell below (shell made). Loosely chain 7, skip one shell below, 2dc 1ch 2dc into next shell (thumb hole made.) Continue in pattern for remainder of round. Do not turn. Stitch count for Round 10 Left Hand: 3ch 1 shell
7 ch 4 shells.

Round 10 ~ Right Hand
Ch 3 in first stitch (on top of chain 3 below). * Skip 2dc of shell below, 2dc 1ch 2dc into middle chain of shell below (shell made) * repeat for 3 more shells. Loosely crochet 7 chains, skip one shell below, 2dc 1ch 2dc into next shell, sl st to top of beginning 3 ch (thumb hole made and round completed.) Do not turn. Stitch count for Round 10 Right Hand: 3ch 4 shells 7ch 1 shell.

Round 11 ~ Left Hand
Ch 3 in first stitch (on top of chain 3 below) 2dc 1ch 2dc into middle chain of shell below. Skip 3 chain 2dc 1 ch 2dc into 4th chain, skip three chain, 2dc 1ch 2dc into next shell below. Continue pattern for remainder of round. Do not turn.

Round 11 ~ Right Hand
Ch 3 in first stitch (on top of chain 3 below) 2dc 1ch 2dc into middle chain of shell below, continue pattern for another 3 shells. Skip 3 chain 2dc 1 ch 2dc into 4th chain, skip three chain, 2dc 1ch 2dc into last shell below. Sl st to top of beginning 3 chain. Do not turn.

Rounds 12 ~ 13
Repeat rounds 7 – 9.

Round 14
Finishing Round. Ch 1 and crab stitch (reverse single crochet) around top. Fasten off.

© inkberryblue
You are welcome to use this pattern for personal use or charity work.

Thank you to everyone who gave me feedback on the name. Your suggestions were really helpful. I do hope you like the pattern, I would love to know if you make some mittens and I'd really appreciate any feedback if you do.

I have lots more to share.
I've made more jewellery in silver smithing classes,
crocheted a cowl,
taken photos out in the bush whilst I've been away on a beautiful retreat,
found some yummy recipes
but there's only so long that a girl can stay sitting in front of the computer in her pyjamas (don't tell anyone, but I was here almost all of yesterday) so it will have to keep for another post.

Have a wonderful week.
Blessings
x

Chilly

noreply@blogger.com (inkberryblue) — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 12:03:00 +0000

I've written my first pattern
...for fingerless mitts!
It's winter here in the Land of Oz and it has been very, very chilly in the mornings. I have really needed something to keep my hands warm
and I've come up with these:

They are made out of 8 ply wool, although the pattern is easily adapted to 10 ply, they're crocheted in the round so that you can fit them as you go
and they're super quick to make.
I'm planning on posting the pattern in the next couple of weeks (once I've finished tweaking the construction of the right hand glove and when I can fit blogging into this crazy, busy life of mine.)
I haven't come up with a name for them yet. I'm considering something Dickensian ~ fingerless mitts always make me think of Dickens and I actually crocheted one of these while watching (and loving) the television adaption of Little Dorrit. I could call them Little Dorrits, perhaps? I've also thought of naming them Crisp Morning Mitts, which is a play on my name. My pun loving sister came up with What the Dickens. Or maybe I should go with something more sensible like Lacy Fitted Mitts?
What do you think?

I came up with my own pattern after making two sets of Shell Lace Fitted Fingerless Gloves:

This is one of the most clearly written patterns I've ever worked from and really helped me to understand how fingerless mitts are constructed.

In other crafty news,
I received this gorgeous knitted washcloth and soap in a Ravelry swap from the wonderful WendyLew, my swap partner

and Little Red Hen gave me one of her beautiful HANDbags when we met up for coffee:

It's constructed so cleverly and I love the pretty floral fabric.
As well as generously giving me some of her handiwork Little Red Hen engaged me in a really interesting conversation that covered, amongst other things, travelling, teaching and selling art which was very thought provoking. I never usually sell any of my work but after talking about how validating it can make you feel, as an artist, I'm thinking that I might exhibit some of my paintings some time in the not~too~distant future.
Thanks for the inspiration, Dette.

I've enjoyed cooking comfort food during this cold snap. I made a Bread and Butter Pudding for a family dinner that was so nice I came home and cooked another one just for me!

The recipe asks for vanilla beans, and demerara sugar that's sprinkled over the pudding to create a crunchy, caramelised top. I left the crusts on the bread and that made it even crunchier, a fantastic contrast to the egg custard beneath.
Yum. Yum. YUM.
(It was so delicious I had it for breakfast too.)

It's been too cold to do much outside
but my garden's bloomed,
regardless:

Flowers bring me so much pleasure.

I hope this finds you enjoying the comforts of home too.

Blessings.
x

Little Pockets of Joy

noreply@blogger.com (inkberryblue) — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 04:01:00 +0000

I have sat down at the computer with the intention of posting here quite a few times over the past month but the words just haven't wanted to come. It's been very, very busy at work and I've been doing loads of reporting, interviewing, commenting, reviewing...
And I think I'm just all talked out.
(Which some members of my family will find very hard to believe, I know.)

So today I'm just going to share photos,
mainly,
of things that, in amongst all of the hard work, have brought me joy.

I've walked around Lake Monger in the soft light of dusk:

I've also spent an afternoon with my mum,
where we drank tea, talked honestly, and busied ourselves with crochet and knitting ~ Mum making bandicoot bags for the local wildlife rehabilitation centre, me working on yet another Sweet Lorraine scarf.

I have admired the little posy of marigolds that's been sitting at my sink,

finished the ring I've been working on in my silver smithing classes (hooray!)

and met the charming Little Red Hen for afternoon tea at Fremantle Arts Centre.
But more about that in my next post...

I'd love to know what's been bringing joy to you.

Blessings.
x

Cosy

noreply@blogger.com (inkberryblue) — Sun, 30 May 2010 10:16:00 +0000

I'm almost done for the day ~ after I post this I'm going to curl up on the couch with my cat, some crochet and Dr Who on the television for company.
Yay!
It's been another good weekend.
There's been enough balance between paper work and play for me to feel relaxed and to have been really productive...not something that happens often and definitely something to savour...

I spent part of Saturday in my silver smithing class working on this ring:

You can probably tell from the photos that I need to finish riveting the glass bead to the silver cup, and that I also need to clean up some solder and straighten it all too but,
I hope,
I'm almost done.

I've also been sewing up the Monroe Lacy Stole that I crocheted last Winter:

and I have been admiring this gorgeous array of wool (and the little glass button) that I received in my Ewe Beaut Fibre Sampler Box:

(If you follow the link above and look at the contributors for the April 2010 box you'll be able to find out who created all of this hand made goodness.)

I've been enjoying the change in season too.
My poetic friend Jen (who writes beautifully and very very honestly)
says that Winter is a quiet, sacred, restorative time.
I do so agree.

I love wintery skies:

and late roses:

and daisies that bloom valiantly despite the rain:

I hope you, too, are enjoying the time of the year,
wherever you live on our beautiful Earth.

Blessings.
x

Textured

noreply@blogger.com (inkberryblue) — Sun, 16 May 2010 12:16:00 +0000

I've had to spend most of Saturday and Sunday writing reports and I'm still nowhere close to repairing all the damage that was done when my home was flooded...but I have had a nice weekend anyway!

I've been admiring this lovely begonia as I've been working on my computer:

I have also managed to get out to a jewellery workshop at Fremantle Arts Centre where I've had fun playing with texture:

(These are little copper samples that I embossed with an onion bag, some upholstery fabric and a dried leaf.)

started to make a new silver ring:

and enjoyed the beautiful surroundings:

(This carved lino floor was installed in the Centre's main hallway as part of an exhibition which was held at the end of last year. Isn't it gorgeous?)

Importantly for me and for my sense of well being, I have been listening to Pema Chodron, a Buddhist nun, who has, I think, a fantastic perspective on life and its challenges.

It's also become cold enough in the morning to wear scarves. Hooray!

(I'm currently crocheting this Sweet Lorraine scarf. It's my second ~ I really like the pattern.)

...and I am just about to eat a large piece of delicious home~made white~chocolate cheesecake.
(Thank you Nikki!!!!)

I hope, dear readers, that your weekends have been full of simple sweetness too.

Blessings.
x

Potpourri

noreply@blogger.com (inkberryblue) — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 13:00:00 +0000

Those of you who follow this blog will know that my home was completely flooded in a storm last month. I've been fixing up flood damage ever since and it's a big job. All of the flooring has to be replaced, so yesterday my dad and I scraped old underlay off the floor in one bedroom and tomorrow we're going to tackle the other bedroom. The underlay is dusty, a little mouldy, makes me wheeze ever so slightly and I can't wait to see it go.
But today I am taking a break!
I thought I'd treat myself to some blogging. I've got some crochet to show you (surprise!), some musings and some long forgotten pen illustrations to share as well.

Here are the drawings:

(The picture above is a stylization of a nocturnal gecko that's native to Perth. I currently have one of these dear little guys living in my garden shed and another one living under the bird bath.
They're very shy and very sweet.)

I rediscovered the drawings when, after the storm, I was salvaging belongings I'd stored in my spare room. They are part of a set of posters that I made waaaaayyyyy back in the 1980s when I was studying Education. These pictures are pretty modest little efforts but I'm fond of them, and I am very happy that I didn't lose them to the flood. Actually, I'm amazed that they survived without any water damage. They were packed in a big box that got wet but, miraculously, the box's cardboard absorbed all of the moisture.

I think that one of the reasons these old pictures are precious to me is because I do so little drawing these days. I'm always making resolutions to get back into drawing...but never getting around to it. Next year, though, I'm going to apply to work part time and, if I get an extra day to myself and all of my creative dreams, I hope I'll be able to summon up the energy and focus and commitment that I need to draw. In the meantime, I love the inspiration I can gain from people like Paul Heaston and Kelli Nina Perkins, who's been interviewed at Janeville (thanks to Judy for this link). Do you know of any other inspiring artists?

Crochet, on the other hand, is a very well developed habit.
Since my last post, I've finished felting my Marvellous Mini Tote:

I've also started crocheting squares for the Save The Children Fund's Knit One Save One campaign:

(The pattern's called the 6-7-8 Square and I'm sure it will look much prettier after it's been blocked. )

I've crocheted a necklace too, which I really like:

I used a slightly modified version of this tutorial. I worked with tigertail instead of craft wire ~ tigertail is much easier to crochet with than craft wire because it's more flexible. Unlike craft wire though, tigertail doesn't hold it's shape so I had to finish off the necklace with cord tips rather than the wire wrapping that's suggested in the tutorial. You can see the cord tips (they're little clamps) in the photo below:

This worked up really fast ~ it only took a few hours to create and I'm sure I'll be quicker next time.

I don't feel that I can finish this post without marking that today is Anzac Day, the national day of rememberance for Australians and New Zealanders when we honour those who died and served in military campaigns. Anzac Day is always a day of reflection. This year I've thought of some of the places I saw in Vietnam, which made the horror of war very real, and I've thought of some of the people I met in Vietnam who touched me with their capacity for forgiveness. Anzac Day has personal signifance for me too: my grandfather and great grandfather lost their lives in World War 2. They were both very brave men and their loss, of course, has had a huge impact on my family.
Lest we forget.

Blessings.
x

Wet

noreply@blogger.com (inkberryblue) — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 02:30:00 +0000

So much has happened since I last wrote here:
there's been some creativity
(which I'll get to eventually if you can bear with me)
but last month my home was flooded in a freak, incredibly intense, autumn storm. It hit at about 5:00 pm, meaning I had to drive into it on the way back from work...under ink black clouds and forked lightning, through rain so heavy I often couldn't see out of the windscreen and flash flooding on the roads...and arrived home (safely, to my amazement) to discover that instead of a parking bay I now had a small lake, and that the water had poured off the street, down the driveway, gushed into my back garden and streamed under the laundry door covering everything inside with at least a centimetre of muddy water. After a few moments of open~mouthed disbelief and some frantic phone calls I started the very, very big job of cleaning it all up.

Luckily for me my neighbours and my family were, and have continued to be, terrific. On the night of the storm, my sister and brother~in~law drove for an hour and a half, through chaotic traffic, to come and help. My dad, too, spent much of the next week at my place doing the most horrible jobs while I was at work. Thanks to everyone's assistance, and despite a few near misses, I haven't lost anything irreplaceable. My family have mopped, moved heavy furniture, cleaned out muddy electrical points, repaired brick paving that collapsed (with me on top of it), ripped out all of my sodden, smelly carpet and patiently listened to a few slightly hysterical stinking~carpet~induced rants from me. Theoretically, my insurance company should have helped me with most of this but they were so overwhelmed by claims I couldn't get anybody to come out...so I took photos for them instead:

Mopping Up, Midnight

My Back Garden, Morning After

There's lots more to do: my no longer beautiful bamboo floor is going to have to be replaced, my bedroom's too dusty and mouldy to safely sleep in, the back yard's still full of debris...but I'm getting there.
Molly's quite happy to keep the bed warm for me, for however long it's going to take:

(By the way, the windows are always wide open when she's in there.)

I've tucked cheerful little pots of flowers in amongst the mess out the back, which makes such a difference:

I'm planning on getting bamboo laid in the bedrooms too ~ hooray!!!!!

and,
of course,
I've been crafting.
Nothing too taxing,
sorting out the storm damage's challenging enough,
but I've taken some more jewellery~making classes:

Copper Pendant and Bangle

I've started knitting another Fascinate wrap:

(I love the Noro yarn's subtle colours ~ they remind me of looking out over the sea and the sky on an early, wintery morning.)

and I've crocheted a little project bag which I'm just about to felt:

The pattern's called the Marvelous Mini Tote Bag
and the flower's another five petalled rose made with directions from Crochet Bouquet. I've crocheted with stash yarn, in much duller colours than I usually use, but I really like it regardless.

Anyway,
I'd best get back to it as there are phone calls to make and quotes to organise.
I hope, dear readers, that you're all well and happy
....and that Nature's being a little kinder to you than she's recently been to me.
x

Peace

noreply@blogger.com (inkberryblue) — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 07:49:00 +0000

Simple offerings from me this week.

When my life is complex,
as it is right now,
I cherish the peacefulness and quietness of my garden:

mementos that remind me of joyful times:

(This necklace of freshwater pearls and turquoise beads was made especially for me by a lovely and incredibly hard working jeweller in Hoi An, Vietnam)

...and I love the way that working with my hands gives me space for simplicity and solitude after a day full of noise and demands:

(The pattern's called Dot's Little Ditty Bag. I made it out of cotton and adorned it with a five petalled rose from Crochet Bouquet.)

What's bringing peace into your world?

Bejewelled

noreply@blogger.com (inkberryblue) — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 11:00:00 +0000

It will come as no surprise, I am sure, for me to tell you that I adore things that have been handmade. Time, effort, creativity and love go into individually crafted work. I get so much pleasure from surrounding myself with handmade homewares and I really enjoy wearing unique pieces of clothing and jewellery...so I've been doing a little shopping over at Etsy and I thought I'd show you what I've bought, along with some of the things I've been making.

I purchased some lovely earrings from Renee at cocoapod botanical jewellery :

They are bright yet delicate. I'm so happy with them!

I had a ring custom made by Teri Lee Jewelry too:

I was thrilled when it arrived (and relieved that it fitted.)
I love the symbolism of the lotus:
the idea that, just as the lotus plant can produce exquisite flowers when growing in the dirtiest water, I can transform the most negative of thoughts and feelings into wisdom and beauty.
The ring's a gentle reminder for me to be positive.

And, as for the things that I've been making things myself,
I've been wearing a bezel set ring that I constructed last year at Fremantle Arts Centre:

I used sterling silver and a beach pebble from Tweed Heads that my wonderful tutor, Claire Townsend, supplied. (One of the little boys I work with thinks that the stone might be magic ~ inspired by the Deltora Quest books he's been reading~ which tickles my imagination too.)

I also made a set of wine glass charms for my dad's birthday
so that we don't get our wine glasses mixed up at big family dinners anymore.
Here are some of them:

If you'd like to make some there's a good tutorial here.

I've been working on my sunburst granny blanket too:

and I've started to make a cardigan from a pattern in September 2009's edition of Yarn Magazine:

I don't know if I like the way it's working up, the pattern uses a really soft, squishy bamboo and I'm crocheting with cotton, but I'm going to perservere with it for a little while longer...and, if it doesn't work out, I'm going to use the yarn for another Chevron Lace Cardigan.

I'd love to know what you're making!

Blessings.
x

Making the Most of It.

noreply@blogger.com (inkberryblue) — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 10:59:00 +0000

I'm working full time again.
After six months of leave
filled with art lessons,
time with family and friends,
resting,
cooking,
travelling
and general fabulousness
I'm back to dead lines, routines and responsibility.
Truthfully, I could happily take another six months off right now
...but really it's not so bad. I'm refreshed and it's lovely to be working with small children again. I've missed the sweetness of little kids!
I have some lovely memories too.
Looking at this drawing has brought back some of the feelings of peace and well being I experienced when I was out in the bush:

I drew this from a photograph I took when I went walking in my beautiful childhood home, the Darling Ranges. It reminds me of all the drawing classes I took too and how I love being in a studio. (Studios always make me feel close to my darling grandad, who was an artist.) I'm planning on hanging it outside my bedroom so that I can see it from my front door and from my bed.

I love looking at the photographs I took in Vietnam as well.

These were taken at a magical place called Halong Bay,
where I stayed overnight on the water in a luxurious little boat,
drank good French wine and kayaked through the rocky outcrops at dusk.
Heavenly recollections!

I'm also enjoying being relatively free of clutter. I doggedly sorted out all my resources at work and at home when I was on leave. My spare room has gone from this:

to this:

Just looking at those neat stacks of labelled boxes makes me feel happy
and when I've put up some more bookshelves up there will be even less in there.

I've consoled myself, too, by buying myself some treats from Etsy.
I haven't photographed them all yet but I can show you this gorgeous pillowslip which I purchased from Beata at rosehip, after I read about her work on Lindamade:

It arrived, all prettily packaged, from Canada:

and,
I think,
fits into my bedroom beautifully:

Beata, by the way, has a free pattern for some truly beautiful crochet flower pillows on her blog.

And,
of course,
when all my work is done for the day, I've been crocheting.
I've started to make a blanket using Priscilla Hewitt's Sunburst Granny Square.

I'm planning on edging it in an oatmeal colour or white, like Fantasy Landscape's. It's going to be a great portable project and a good way to use up left over balls of wool.

I have to get back to paperwork now and then iron clothes for work.
Ho hum
...but I'm so glad I've managed to squeeze a bit of blogging in!

I'd love to know what's bringing joy into your world, too.

Blessings.
x

A Guid New Year

noreply@blogger.com (inkberryblue) — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 14:00:00 +0000

I'd like to wish you all a belated happy new year
or,
as some of my family on the Scottish side still say,
a guid new year tae yin an' aw!
Even though this is very belated, I'd also like to express my gratitude to everyone who has visited inkberryblue in 2009. My connection with you all genuinely inspires me. Thank you.

You may have noticed that I haven't been here much of late. It's not that I haven't wanted to be...but I've been spending most of my time valiantly clearing out my (incredibly) cluttered craft room in the hope that I'll get it organised before I go back to work in a fortnight's time.
I think I'm going to make it.

I have been knitting!!!
Inspired by a fellow Raveler Angeluna's beautiful work I've been making a Fascinate wrap using Noro silk sock yarn. I'm loving it! (By the way, you'll only be able to view Angeluna's projects if you're a member of Ravelry. I think that Ravelry is the best resource for knitting and crochet on the net and if you haven't already joined you should!)

I love the way the colours in the Noro unfold as I work
...and it's an easy pattern for a beginner knitter like me.

And now,
as promised in my last post,
here are more photographs from beautiful Vietnam:

Embroidered Screen, Dalat, Vietnam.
These flowers were stitched onto sheer material ~ the embroidery worked, painstakingly and with great skill, so that there is no wrong side to the fabric.

Man Sheltering from the Rain, Hoi An, Vietnam.

Young Woman and Little Boy, Hoi An, Vietnam.

Marble Buddha, Hoi An, Vietnam.

Mauve Waterlily, Hoi An, Vietnam.

Silk Lanterns, Lantern Street, Hoi An.

Hoi An is a magical place. The people are incredibly friendly and welcoming, the city is old and very beautiful (it's a World Heritage site) and there are many businesses which custom make clothes, shoes and jewellery ~ I had some beautiful dresses made out of Thai silk. I would looooove to go back!

Carnivorous Plant, Cuc Phuong National Park, Vietnam.
I found the Cuc Phuong jungle to be enchanting. Our night trek was especially wonderful ~ bushy tailed gliding squirrels peered down at us from impossibly tall trees, fairylight~like fireflies followed us into deep darkness...

Forest Giant, Cuc Phong National Park, Vietnam.

Cuc Phong is also home to the Endangered Primate Rescue Center which is doing much needed conservation work with lorises, macaques, langurs and gibbons.

Jungle Vines, Cu Chi, Vietnam.

Pink Waterlilies, Hoa Lu, Vietnam.

Tomb of Tu Duc, Hue, Vietnam.

White Waterlily (and wee moth), Hue, Vietnam.

Vietnamese Coffee, Hue, Vietnam.
Vietnamese coffee is drip filtered and mixed with condensed milk ~ the sweetness of the milk counters the coffee's bitterness. Actually, I don't usually drink coffee but this was delicious! I treated myself to this cup, from a roadside stall, after an exhilarating, hair~raising motorbike ride through wet countryside.

DIY spring rolls in Hue, Vietnam.
We rolled garden fresh zucchini and lettuce, piquantly dressed carrot and cabbage, fragrant baked fish, satayed pork and beef, and savoury omelette into rice paper, dunked it in a variety of mouth watering sauces and washed it all down with Saigon beer.
Absolute.
Heaven.

Vietnamese food really is sensational. In between decluttering, I've managed to make a few dishes that I learnt in the cooking classes I went to and I'd love to share them here
but,
as this post seems to be taking on epic proportions,
I'll leave that for another time!
Until then, here are links to chef Luke Nguyen's television series and gastronomy blog, which both convey the fabulousness of the cuisine.

Blessings to you.
x

Xin Chao!

noreply@blogger.com (inkberryblue) — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 04:51:00 +0000

...which means hello in Vietnamese!
(You pronounce it sin jow.)
I came back from South East Asia three weeks ago
(it's taken me a little while to settle back in)
and I'm happy to report that I enjoyed Malaysia,
and would really like to spend more time there,
and that I looooooved Vietnam!!!
Vietnam has beautiful, welcoming people,
a picturesque countryside,
divine food and a fascinating history.
Here are some of my many, many, many photographs:
(...and I'll load more onto Flickr as I edit them.)

Batik, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Mosaic detail, Islamic Arts Museum, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

National Monument, Lake Gardens, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Exquisite needlework, Dalat, Vietnam
There was lovely embroidery for sale throughout the country. I saw a lot of women crocheting in their market stalls too.

Figurine of Quan Yin, Nguyen Nga Centre for Children with Special Needs, Quy Nhon City, Vietnam
The Nguyen Nga Center is also a sheltered workshop for adults. I met some of the young men and women who live there and they were absolutely charming! They produced really beautiful weaving and jewellery too.

Small boy from the Koho Minority, Chicken Village, Central Highlands, Vietnam
This dear, playful little fellow followed us all through the village, alternately showing us karate moves and growling like a tiger.

Bride and groom, Dalat, Vietnam
They were so happy!

Dog, on the road to Quy Nhon, Vietnam
Did someone say lunch?

Chinese temple, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
(This shot was taken by my fabulous guide Ling)

Mosquito nets and early morning light, Mekong Delta, Vietnam

Early morning, Mekong Delta
I loved the Delta and its soft light, quietness and tranquility...

Mountain waterfall, outside of Dalat, Vietnam

Sunset, Quy Nhon City, Vietnam

Lamp light, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Lunch, Saigon Cooking Class, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
This was first course ~ Mustard Leaf Rolls with Crunchy Vegetables and Shrimps.
Mmmmmmmmmm

I know that I've been really fortunate to have had this experience.
I am really glad that I chose to travel, for part of the way at least, with Intrepid Travel and I feel so lucky to have met the people who took the tour with me. Caroline, Sonia, Anne, Donald, Sue, Sharon, Hong, Loy...thank you!!!!!!!

Of course,
I took some crafty work with me.
I finished off my Sweet Lorraine scarf just before I joined the Intrepid tour:

Such a good pattern ~ Sweet Lorraine was easy to memorise, quick to make and had a border that worked up as I crocheted. It kept me lovely and warm too.

In case you're wondering, I've started to watermark my photos to try and stop people from using my pictures (and profiting from them) without my permission. Sadly, I've come across a few sites who've helped themselves to my images and haven't removed them even though I've written to them and asked them to. If anyone would like a tutorial on how to put watermarks into your shots (I have a PC and use Photoshop Elements) just let me know.

And now I am off to catch up on some long overdue blog reading and commenting.

For those of you who celebrate Christmas, I hope yours is a merry one!
Blessings.
x

Adventuring

noreply@blogger.com (inkberryblue) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 11:09:00 +0000

I'm dashing off this post because I am getting ready to leave for a holiday to Malaysia and Vietnam...which makes me very excited and a little scared all at the same time!
I am busy, busy, busy getting organised
but I didn't want to go without saying goodbye to all my dear blog buddies and readers
or without sharing a little something of what I've been doing since I posted last.

I've been crocheting a Sweet Lorraine scarf to keep me warm when I get up to the north of Vietnam:

It's working up really, really quickly.
The pattern calls for Foundation Single Crochet at the start, which you can see at the top of the following photograph:

I've never used the Foundation Single Crochet stitch before and it's a little tricky but it creates a very stable foundation so I'm glad I've worked it out. (I found this Ravelry thread really helpful, if you'd like to have a go too.)

I have taken some not~very~good photographs of the glass beads I made at a workshop at Fremantle Arts Centre.
Here are my favourites:

They were surprisingly simple to make. I'd love to do another workshop.

I've been gardening,
watched over by a gentle mother dove who's made a nest just by my back door:

...and I've finally got around to photoshopping the last of my wildflower shots:

Hibbertia and Leschenaultia, Chittering

Blue Tinsel Lily, Chittering

Veined Yellow Pea, Chittering

Silky Yellow Pea, Chittering

I wonder what my next post will contain?
Adventure awaits!

Blessings.
x

Reasons to be Cheerful

noreply@blogger.com (inkberryblue) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 12:36:00 +0000

I'm still loving being on leave.
Simply being able to get enough sleep is fabulous!
So is having time to cook, time to go to art classes, becoming relaxed enough to really enjoy being with family and friends, having small adventures ~ so many joys.
I'm just back from a holiday,
going out into the Western Australian wheatbelt to see a spectacular show of wildflowers,
and what a lovely time I've had...
but, just before I show you any travel photos, I'd like to share some creativeness.

Here's my almost finished Monroe Lacy Stole:

(I've sewn on one panel of the edging lace and I have only one row of the second edging panel to crochet.)

and here are some Burnt Butter Biscuits which I made from this recipe on Little Red Hen's cooking blog:

(yum)

and, lastly, here's a gorgeous little coin purse that I received from the ever generous 2paw:

Thank you Cindy!

So now on to my little vacation.
I went to find wildflowers with a dear neighbour and fellow flower enthusiast. We stayed at New Norcia, a monastic town (and a little oasis of Spanish culture) that's found in the middle of the wheatbelt. My friend and I also travelled out to a farming community called Dalwallinu. We were rained on a lot (it's been a wonderfully wet Spring) and got very, very muddy but we found wildflowers everywhere ~ blooming along the sides of the road and flowering in carpets out in the bush. Bliss!

Egg and Bacon, blooming just behind New Norcia Hotel.

New Norcia Hotel, where we lunched. Their pizza was delicious!

The view from our room at the Monastery Guesthouse.
Such a tranquil place to stay.
I struck up a conversation, over dinner, with two fellow guests who were translating papers from French and Spanish in the Monastery's archive. They were very European, very devout and fascinating to talk to. I am so grateful that I have the time and the opportunity to meet people who are so different to me and to the people I normally encounter (much as I love the familiar.)

Climbing Fringed Lily, New Norcia

Purple Fan Flower, New Norcia

Milkmaids, New Norcia

White Banjine, Dalwallinu

Acacia, Dalwallinu

Unfurling Everlasting, Dalwallinu

Molly's glad I'm back, although she didn't have to go to the cattery this time ~ Mum and Dad kindly offered to cat sit. She looked very relaxed on my return:

Incidentally,
she's given my Monroe Lacy Stole the seal of kitty approval:

I have so much more to share!
I'm looking forward to showing pictures of the glass beads I've made, the pastel drawings I've worked on, further progress on my stole and yet more pictures of wildflowers...

Have a wonderful week.
x

Wildflowers, Pastels and Lace

noreply@blogger.com (inkberryblue) — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 13:57:00 +0000

I'm sorry it's been such a long time since I've posted here.
I didn't intend to take a big break from blogging but my laptop was hit by a really nasty virus. I had to wipe my computer's hard drive and reinstall all my programs ~ which was very time consuming.
But now I'm back with lots (and I do mean lots) to show.

I have continued to doggedly crochet my Monroe Lacy Stole.
Despite all my mistakes,
I have almost finished the body.
Hooray!

Now I'm working on a beaded edging:

I've done a little travelling since I posted here last, spending a weekend in an historic town called York with my oldest friend. We were so busy catching up and having fun I mostly forgot to take pictures...but I did manage to photograph the pressed tin ceiling in the town hall:

(If you care to look, there are some fabulous photographs of York here.)

I've been attending a pastels course too, which I'm loving. I didn't realise how much I'd missed being in a studio...and I'm learning a lot technically and meeting some gorgeous people.
Here are some of my works in progress:

Still life with Lemons

Still Life with Pears

Nasturtiums at the Front Door

...and I've been out in the bush again.
It's wildflower season here in Western Australia so there are some exquisitely delicate little flowers blooming in the country. (It was only a couple of years ago, when I made an internet friend who happened to be a horticulturalist, that I realised I lived in a botanical wonder.)

These tiny beauties grace my sister's home and the bush block that's close to my parents' house:

Milk Maids

Flame Peas

Hibbertia

Grevillea

Hovea

Me!

I do adore wildflower season. I used to love playing in the bush at this time of the year when I was a little girl. I was a great fan of an Australian author called May Gibbs, and I firmly believed that bush babies and fairies lived amongst the flowers...and, you know, I'm still not totally convinced otherwise.

I'm going on a tour of the wheatbelt soon, in search of more flora. This time, I'm hoping to take lots of pictures so that I can draw from them, as well as post some here. Before I go, though, I'm planning on catching up on my blog reading ~ I've missed the good folk of Blogland!

Have a wonderful week.
x

Nuno Felting, Bushwalking and Frogging (sigh)

noreply@blogger.com (inkberryblue) — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 14:00:00 +0000

I've been to a nuno felting course at Fremantle Arts Centre. (Nuno's a technique which involves felting fibre into fabric with water, soap and agitation.) It was so much fun!
My tutor, Louise Snook, was lovely ~
enthusiastic, incredibly knowledgeable and generous with her skills,
the materials I got to use were glorious ~ richly coloured wool tops and hand~dyed silk tissue (from Treetops Colours),
I loved that there was an element of surprise to the process,
the method was very fast (I made a silk poncho in two hours flat),
and it can easily be done at home in the kitchen.
There's going to be more!!

Here's one of my samples:

The sample is made out of wool tops, scraps from an old nylon scarf and ribbon yarn. It didn't adhere together as well as it might (I should have put another fine layer of wool over the ribbon) but I like the colours and I love the possibilities!

And here's the silk poncho:
(It's the size of a scarf and, when I get the chance, I'll take some photos of what it looks like on.)

It's made out of silk georgette and fine merino tops.
I was really happy with how this turned out,
especially the colours:

its delicacy:

and the linear textures created by the felting process:

It was fun to photograph too!

And now on to my Monroe Lacy Stole.
Not such a happy story.
Here it is...

...just before I discovered that I'd made mistakes on some of the shells at the sides and had to frog it back to a fifth of its size...and I was going to wear it out to lunch this Saturday. Ho hum.

But I'm on holidays
so I haven't been staying down for long,
especially when I've been able to do things like go out bushwalking
through the beautiful Darling Ranges
with an old school friend (who didn't mind how many photos I took, bless her)
in sparkling Winter sunshine:

Nyaania Creek, Darlington

The Bee Tree. (Named so because it has a hive of native bees living in one of its branches.)

The Bee Tree close up.

Bark detail.

As well as glorious trees, my friend and I came across tiny blue wrens and a bubbling spring and jonquils...and we had a yummy vegetarian lunch at a little cafe in Glen Forest.
Days like that one make me feel glad to be alive.

And,
to close,
I wanted to share a few life affirming websites that I've found ~
the wishstudio
and, especially,
kind over matter and gratefulness.org

Wishing you all moments of glad~to~be~aliveness.
Have a wonderful week.
x

Warm

noreply@blogger.com (inkberryblue) — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 06:55:00 +0000

Well,
after being given some gorgeous presents
which included these beautiful flowers

and lots of heartfelt goodbyes,
I've left work for six months of Long Service Leave.
(Long Service Leave, for those of you who don't know, is additional leave that is given in Australia and New Zealand if someone stays with an employer for a certain length of time. It's to do with our colonial past; it used to be a way of enticing public servants to come out to the furthest reaches of the Empire...and it's a fabulous institution!)

This is a real change of pace for me
and it's started beautifully ~ I spent my first weekend at a retreat in a lovely, secluded property on the outskirts of Perth. It was wonderful to reconnect with Nature out in the bush and in the gardens:

Proteaceae

Lichen on granite

Xanthorrea

Winter narcissus

I also felt blessed to spend time with some truly wonderful people. I caught up with old friends and made some new ones. We meditated and walked and danced and shared delicious, lovingly prepared meals. We also created mandalas. I drew one in white pencil, using the beautiful camellias and sweet alice that were growing in the gardens as inspiration:

Camellias

Mandala in progress

Molly, poor love, had to go to the cattery.

As you might be able to tell,
she's terribly timid and it was horribly cold
so she was very, very glad to get home.

Since then we've been doing a lot of snuggling on the couch,
Molly and I,
and
in~between~times
I've been making a Monroe Lacy Stole:

I can't wait to get to the edging ~ I'm going to put in some small glass beads.

I've also been keeping warm with this beautiful, hand dyed, feather and fan scarf, which I couldn't help but buy from Spacefrog's etsy store:

What's bringing warmth into your world?

Prisons, Pictures and Great Grans...

noreply@blogger.com (inkberryblue) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 02:45:00 +0000

....with some crochet, of course!

I thought I'd take another break from work
and all the filing, packing and shredding I have to do
to say hi.
Hello!!!!

Since I last posted, there's been a bit of crafty action here at Chez Inkberry.
I've made yet another simple dischloth:

I do like making these cloths.
I can crochet one up in an afternoon, which is satisfying,
and I use them for dry brush massages which, I've been told, are good for my immune system. (In my version, the washcloth takes the place of a brush.)

I've also been working on something for the Victorian Bushfire Appeal.
Meet Bluey:

I'm using Crochetroo's pattern, a 3mm hook and Shepherd Colour 4 Me wool.
He's lots of fun to make.
He'll probably be very hard to give away too.

...and I also thought I'd share some photographs taken at Fremantle Prison museum, which I visited recently.

Fremantle Prison used to be a maximum security gaol and, before that, housed convicts sent out from Britain. Not surprisingly, it's a pretty grim place but its history is fascinating and, unexpectedly, it has some amazing artwork. There are pictures that were painted by the last men to be imprisoned there:

and there are delicate drawings,
rendered secretly onto the walls of a cramped, dark cell
by a nineteenth century forger called James Welsh:

Beautiful, aren't they?
(Thanks to J for letting me use her fantastic prison photos.)

My paternal great grandmother's family came out to Western Australia around about the time James Welsh was drawing on the prison walls
...but I can't claim any convict heritage ~ they were all settlers.
My great gran loved to knit and crochet however and,
although I never met her,
I feel a sense of connection with her because of that shared love of yarn. I remember, when I was little, admiring a hexagon blanket that she had made, which might be why I'm so fond of the pattern now.

Here's a photo of her, knitting by the fire, with my great grandfather:

and here's a picture of my (very sombre) grandmother and great aunty, wearing her lacy socks:

(My nanna's on the right.)
I would imagine my great grandmother would have loved the internet, especially Ravelry!
Do you have any family stories to tell?

Have a wonderful week everyone.

Surfacing

noreply@blogger.com (inkberryblue) — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 12:05:00 +0000

I'm posting this very quickly before plunging back into paperwork and packing. There's only two weeks to go before I'm on six months long service leave (hurrah!) and, as we're only half way through the academic year here in the Land of Oz, I'm preparing a handover for my replacement
so I am busy busy busy with work
but taking lots of little crafty breaks in between.

So the hexagon pillow cover has grown:

(By the way, you can find a link to a tutorial on how to crochet the hexagons here. ... and Andrea, who asked if I thought this would be good for people who aren't very experienced with crochet, my answer is yes! The second row and the joining row are a bit fiddly but the tutorial's so explicit this shouldn't be a big problem. )

I've started to make a new scarf:

which is based on the Romantic Wrap pattern (Ravelry link) from Crochet Today! magazine.

I have managed to get out into my garden and to enjoy,
if only for a little while,
the Winter sunshine and my beautiful, bright red, ivy geraniums:

and I've baked two batches of a quick yet delicious slice called Cammy's Father's Favourites.

I have also started to get ready for my wonderfully long holiday.
I'm planning lunch and dinner dates, and weekends away, with long neglected friends,
I've booked an overseas trip
and I've enrolled in (big breath)
a pastel drawing course,
a nuno felting workshop,
a glass bead making workshop
and a silversmithing workshop.

I'm so excited!

Have a wonderful week everybody.

Hexagonal Happiness

noreply@blogger.com (inkberryblue) — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 12:00:00 +0000

I've been crocheting hexagons
and it's fun!
Like lots of people in Blogland, I've long admired moonstitches' beautiful hexagon throw.
I also really like Linda Permann's crochet hexagon pillow
and,
now that I've discovered knittingnonni's half hexagons pattern
and Lucy from Attic24's excellent tutorial,
I'm making a hexagon cushion of my own:

I can understand why so many people are making these.
I love the flowery shapes and I'm really enjoying being able to play with different colour combinations.

The pottery shard,
by the way,
is from a hand painted pot,
made by a woman called Jo
and, sadly,
broken in one of last year's Winter storms.

Here's another little painted pot that I bought from her:

My work load's becoming crazy again
(I'm seriously thinking of working part time to get a better work~life balance)
but,
along with a little crochet,
I've managed to bead (yet another) memory wire bracelet:

(I love burnt orange!)
and taken photos of the pointsettias that are blooming outside my kitchen window:

and beside the front gate.:

(I love scarlet too!)

Hopefully, I'll be able to get enough time away from report writing to be back here soon.
Have a wonderful week everybody.
x

Pinkberryblue

noreply@blogger.com (inkberryblue) — Sun, 17 May 2009 12:33:00 +0000

This is another post brought to you by the colour pink!

I have almost finished my coral~coloured Chevron Lace Cardigan.
I've sewn in all the ends but I haven't blocked it yet.
I haven't come up with a way of closing it (that I like) either.
Here it is left open:

and here it is closed with an organza ribbon:

I'm thinking about making a floral pin to finish it,
something like the one from Interweave's Spiderweb Cardigan.
I'd love to hear your opinion.

...and now for some more rosiness,
in the form of close~ups of jewellery that you can see me wearing with the cardie.
One of the button necklaces:

(the other button necklace can be found here)
and my sequin and seed bead cuff:

I bought the necklace from a gorgeous, eco~friendly stall called Starfish Designs. You can, sometimes, find them at Kalamunda Markets. The necklace is made entirely from recycled buttons. The cuff is a Christmas present from my dear friend Felicity.

Tomorrow is forecast to be one of the last fine and sunny days of the season
...so I'm planning on wearing my cardigan out!
Today was a beautiful, light~filled day,
perfect weather for being in my garden.
Here, in a final burst of pinkness,
is a picture of some of the apple blossom hibiscus that I found blooming there:

Have a wonderful, joy~filled week everybody.

Buttons, bags, biscuits...back to business!

noreply@blogger.com (inkberryblue) — Sun, 03 May 2009 07:55:00 +0000

I'm very happy to report that my new bamboo floor has been installed.
It's taken a bit of doing.
There's been a lot of dust swirling around,
much packing and unpacking,
a weekend spent wading about on a gritty concrete pad
but it's all over
and I love it!
It's shiny,
beautifully patterned
and it even smells nice (in a woody sort of a way.)

(The first photo best captures the real colour.)

Molly,
who's terribly timid and who's spent a lot of time hiding under the bed,
is very glad it's all over too:

Renovating has been unexpectedly time consuming but,
since the floor's been finished,
I've had more time and energy to devote to being creative
and my chevron lace cardi now boasts a sleeve:

Incidentally, here's a close up of the button necklace I'm wearing with the cardi:

I made it, stringing the buttons with fine wire, a few years ago.

I've been keeping the cardi in this gorgeous bag that I bought from the Station Street Markets out at Subiaco:

I love the applique flower, the polka dot lining and, especially, the vintage corduroy fabric ~ my mum made me a butterfly sleeved smock out of material much like it in the seventies.
When I've finished the cardigan I'm looking forward to wearing it with the bag.

I've even been baking. I made these orange and poppyseed shortbread fingers for friends who came over for morning tea:

They're moist and tasty
and my visitors left with the recipe, which is always a good thing.

Have a wonderful week everybody.
...and thanks for dropping by.
I haven't been posting a lot of late, I know, and I really appreciate that people still take the time to come and visit.
Blessings.
x

Small is Beautiful

noreply@blogger.com (inkberryblue) — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 16:09:00 +0000

I'm sitting typing this in the middle of an empty living area. Everything but the telly, the laptop and the fridge has been put into storage so that new bamboo boards can be put down. My horrible old flooring is going to be pulled up tomorrow, and I can't wait!
...although someone around here is going to miss the carpet:

(It's OK ~ I've got a new rug at the ready so that she can roll around on that instead.)

Much of the past week has been spent packing boxes and moving furniture, but I have spent a little time out in my neglected garden which, despite having grown even wilder and more tangled, is still pretty.

The potato flowers are blooming,

the pomegranates have ripened

and I've unearthed a wire candle holder that I like, made at a Saturday workshop a few years ago, and I've hung it from my little gum tree so that I can see it from my bedroom window. The glass is very reflective and glows in the sunlight:

I haven't been doing a lot of crochet but, when the floorboards have been put in, I would like to start making some new scatter cushions. I've decided that I want to make something like the first pillow you can see here. I'm going to use motifs from a Japanese craft book I own called Crochet Motif Item. (Sadly, it's now out of print.) I particularly like Motif Number 30, which I first tried crocheting last year:

I want the cushion to be sturdy so I'm crocheting the motifs out of kitchen string and I am planning on felting the backing.

...and of course, in between all the packing and moving, I've still been gaining lots of inspiration from the internet. I've really enjoyed visiting lucy at attic24. Lucy creates colourful, joyful posts and has put together some excellent crochet tutorials. I've also been loving jek in the box for her exuberant, quirky photos...and when I've been feeling tired of renovating my cramped little unit I've been going over to Apartment Therapy and reminding myself that small really can be beautiful, as you can see here and here.

Have a fabulous week everybody.