inspiration from around the web this week

<a href="http://wildolive.blogspot.com/2011/11/story-of-making-your-story-book.html”>this DIY for making a story book, brought back memories of a pen-pal book my primary school best friend and I wrote with each other. Each letter was in an envelope which was then bound together to make a book.
If I recall correctly we had both read Anne of Green Gables, and so naturally it had a tragic ending, like so many writers club stories had.

it’s such a pretty watch – and a really easy DIY

this tutorial also posted at the hairpin has got me really excited for sewing again.
I have a car back and the first place I’m going is my local fabric store.
I need to find that perfect pattern for a dress that I can just make in so many fabrics it’s not funny. Maybe this modcloth pattern

This really cute thread holder cosy from Scathingly Brilliant.
Although first I need someone handy in my life (wouldn’t it be useful if I lived with someone who enjoyed carpentry – oh wait! I do!) who could build me a thread holder.

A Sparkley Silver Lining finally inspired me to design buttons for all my alter-egos (look to the right! woo – look at that. And whilst you’re looking right, why not check out my google+ profile – it contains the highlights of my daily google reader addiction)

And finally from etsy this gadget wallet. I’m pretty sure I can reverse engineer it and make it myself, but I need this in my life.
For those iPad owners around the place with iOs5 installed, the newsstand feature has free issues of magazines available. The
Mollie Makes
magazine has an awesome tutorial on making a wallet. Maybe it could be adapted.
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When only biscuits will do

a basic biscuit recipe with three variations.

The first one has chai latte tea in it.
I only had chai tea bags so I tried to dilute it as much as possible.

The second ones have a hershey’s kiss on top of them.

The third ones have choc mint flavoring. Well choc mint drinking chocolate, and lots of it to flavour it.

I have no idea what we’re having for dinner but we have biscuits.

Here’s my amended recipe for chocolate mint biscuits

Ingredients
125g butter, softened
1/2 cup caster sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg, at room temperature
2 cups plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
4 tablespoons chocolate mint powder
1 tablespoon milk

Method
Preheat oven to 180°C. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper.
Using an electric mixer, beat butter, sugar and vanilla in a small bowl until pale and creamy. Add egg and mix until well combined. Sift flour and baking powder over butter mixture. Add milk, chocolate mint powder, and stir until just combined.

Spoon onto baking trays.
Place a Hershey’s Kiss on top of of each biscuit. Alternatively squish top of biscuit with a fork.

Cook in oven for 12-15 minutes.

Enjoy with a hot cup of tea. Or mug of hot chocolate mint drink for extra indulgence.

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Pretending it’s winter

It’s raining in November. That’s really odd for Perth or even Australia. It’s almost summer and instead of being sunny and hot, it’s wintery and raining.
So I’m using the excuse to cosy up in my trackies and hoodie, make biscuits, and watch the rain.

I cast on the second of the basic training sock for my boyfriend over the weekend so while I’m in a sock mood I want to try and plow through it.

I’m thinking a cosy bowl of pasta will hit the spot as well.

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A socking good weekend

Well I’ve kinda finished my Christmas list. That is the list of what everyone’s getting for christmas.

When I say kinda, I mean not really and it’s almost certain to change.

But I did want to make some more socks, so I searched Ravelry for some socks/slippers which could be made using 8ply yarn. Specifically the Moda Vera Marvel I had in my stash.

I found this pattern, and set to work on them Friday night in front of a How I Met Your Mother marathon.

I’m pleased to say I finished them the next morning.

It was some pretty solid knitting, but they were surprisingly quick.

Even more surprisingly they matched!

I don’t know who will be getting them, one of the boys probably as they’re definitely boy sized.
I didn’t actually think they’d fit anyone until my Mister tried them on and they fit perfectly.

Now to make some more.

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FO – an unoriginal hat and a minion hat.

I think I picked a decent pattern to get my head around cables. This is the unoriginal hat
Ah the difficulty. It probably didn’t help that I didn’t have a set of 5 double-pointed needles. So I combined two sets of DPNs, 4 15cm metal ones and 1 30cm bamboo one.

It made for an interesting knitting process. Although, I was very surprised at how quick it was. I was able to knock it off in a day. I struggled a bit with the cables and it probably stretches a bit too much on my big head, but I’m still happy with it.
The yarn is Moda Vera Ella. It only used about half a ball, which was useful because i’d used a ball and a half for a cowl which is currently blocking.

But the end result was pretty good.
Just a little small for my big head.

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Sunglasses and bows

This is probably my favourite DIY.

Super easy. All you need is a wire coathanger and voila! Instant storage for sunglasses and hair bows.

It doesn’t work so well for bows on bobby pins, but anything with a clip works well.

It’s currently holds my trio of modcloth sunnies. I love floral sunglasses.
A collection of hair bows from around the place, but the big striped one I found in a boutique in Mandurah. It’s from the Davie Bow-ie collection. I just couldn’t resist.

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Muffins on a Monday

Womanhood has never been too kind to me. Growing up they were horrible. I’d have days where i just couldn’t get out of bed. The pill was really good, but i was terrible at taking it. Implanon makes my cycles really irregular but they’re back to their former suckiness. But this is not a post to whinge about my period. But it did so happen that’s why I’m home from work on a Monday.

And trying to make the best out a bad situation I made cheese and bacon muffins for lunch, and spent all day working on a pinwheel purse and watching Freaks and Geeks

I can think of worse ways to spend a Monday.

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