So, don't have a heart attack . .

but I am back in blogland!!!

I decided its time my blog had an overhaul (its looking a bit dark and ho-hum) and its time for a facelift.

But first, what have I been up to for the last 6 months?? Geez I have no idea heheheh. Crafting, teaching, being a mum (a mean mum, if you are to believe my 2 mischevious daughters!). I am so loving being crafty and my girls both tell me they love having a mum who knows how to make stuff. How sweet are they??

I have finally finished Maddie's knitted cardigan that I started 18 months ago (sad, isn't it??) but the good news is, it fits her! Yay!! Emily's one has grown more than Emily, so I am hoping that Mad's will fit her for a while yet too, as the yarn seems to get a bit more stretchy as it gets worn. Fingers crossed.

I am in the middle of many projects, knitted, crocheted and paper-craft based, but here is a list of what I am current doing:

1. Knitting myself a big, bulky purple jumper. Have knitted the front and back, and started the sleeves many months ago but developed a repetitive strain injury in my hand and had to stop. All better now, so I should be able to get it finished in time for next winter! haha!

2. Knitted squares. The community centre where I teach at Dean Park in NSW is having a Breast Cancer Awareness Week Fundraiser Day in October. I have started knitting squares to put together a blanket that will be raffled off on the day. I am also encouraging the ladies who attend the knitting & crochet class to knit or crochet squares to add to the blanket. Thanks so far to Margo, Jenni and Eleanor, who have already made some lovely squares for our blanky. I hope I win!!!!!

I will pop back at a later stage with more information about this for anyone who lives in the Western Sydney area who might like to contribute to our community blanket.

3. I discovered the most wonderful blog just this week, called Attic24. Lucy has only been crocheting for 18 months, but when you see her work, OMG! it is just amazing and it looks so good, you'd think she'd been doing it all her life. The colours Lucy uses on her crochet projects is so beautiful, it has totally inspired my to, once again, take up my crochet hook to make granny squares, something I swore I would never do again 18 years ago, when I gave it up in frustration! Now that I am teaching knitting and crochet, I have learned many things and picked up so much, that nothing seems too daunting (except for a hideous crochet doily stitch that Joan wanted me to try and work out - that has left me stumped {{rolls eyes}}).

More to come about this blanky later too. If you are a crocheter, be sure to go and check out Lucy's block at Attic24

4. I am still crocheting big sqaure (sort of grannies but not really) inspired by the blankets made by my friend Virginia's sister. Actually its a blatant copy - I made a pattern by looking at the squares she made and went with that :) This is a long long term project (cos I just don't have enough hours in the day) but I love it and totally enjoy getting lost in the stitching and then looking at the lovely piles of squares. :) Not looking forward to stitching them together however.

5. I am still very much on the design team at Little Scrapbook Shop and am always busy with things over there. I am currently in the midst of a weekly Cuttlebug tutorial series (there will be 10 all together), of which 6 are already up.

Week 1: Printing with Embossing Folders
Week 2: Colour It

Week 3: Tricks with Acetate

Week 4: Cordinations Cardstock
Week 5: Creative Collage

Week 6: Fun with Grungeboard

6. I am also teaching my 2 girls to knit. It's rather painful as they don't pay attention to business, so that, while I may have started them off with 15 stitches, one ended up with 25 and the other with 32!! I guess they won't be making any jumpers any time soon.

OK, so thats all for now. I am going to now go looking for a nice way to change the look of my blog - needs to be brighter and more cheery, and then I will be back with more info about numbers 2 and 3 above.

Have a great day!!