real life

The first (probably of many) new house tours

Posted on December 10, 2013 by bekswhoknits

My new house!!!!

We’re almost completely moved in now, with only two wardrobe doors, a dining table, and some cleaning supplies left at the apartment.

Moving day wasn’t quite as easy as I had hoped. There was emergency dental surgery, settlement delays, rain clouds, friends who didn’t turn up, some moving day bruises (me and the house) , and a really sore back.

But we got there. Jen once again wins the best friend award as she carried boxes for most of Saturday, where as the Man’s best friend showed up precisely as the first beer was opened on Sunday.

I always buy new bedding whenever I move into a new place. Any excuse for new sheets and quilt covers.

This isn’t the grand tour just yet. Stuff is still being sorted out. And I can’t do anything much with my crafty room until the wardrobes have doors, so it looks more like a spare room but give me time.

But I have sorted out the kitchen!

And as soon as I figure out how to take a good photo of the book shelf I’ll give you a guided tour of that.

But for now I’ll have to love you and leave you with the view from our balcony. The first night we were greeted with fireworks and we’ve had a few spectacular sunsets as well.

Cheers!!!!!

Finally it’s tomorrow

Posted on November 28, 2013 by bekswhoknits

There has been radio silence for a while because my life is full of boxes, bubble wrap, and being an adult arranging things like insurance, electricity, and water.

But finally it’s tomorrow. Tomorrow is moving day where all of these sleepless nights spent virtually moving house will count for something.

Just one more day of waiting.

Turn around bright eyes

Posted on November 20, 2013 by bekswhoknits

A very special moose has her growing older day tomorrow.

When I first met the moose way back in 2005, there was a lot of karaoke.

And from the very beginning there was Bonnie Tyler.

The first time was in Kalamunda on a Thursday night. We fumbled our way through a disco version which thankfully was never to be repeated.

But since then, audiences at various locations all around town, have been privileged enough to witness Beks & Jen singing Total Eclipse Of The Heart.

And so the idea for a cushion was born.

The original idea was to make a print out of the lyrics and have that all over the cushion. But making them centered looked better (and I’ll admit was slightly easier.)

I transferred the lyrics from my computer to the fabric using tshirt transfer paper.

The reverse side is Eiffel Towers just in case any one visits her that wouldn’t understand why she has a cushion with the lyrics to total eclipse of the heart on it. (But really it’s because a cushion needs two sides.)

And the number one reason Jen keeps getting awesome Beks Handmade Originals is the delighted squee and thanks I get every single time.

Best friends forever!

(Yes there are hand actions – yes there was much singing whilst making this – & yes this is why I made a Beks&Jen epic playlist about a month ago. I can keep a project secret if I have to)

FO#24 – Elementary Watson socks

Posted on November 15, 2013November 15, 2013 by bekswhoknits

I have been killing it at being an adult this week. My giant to-do list is getting shorter, our new house is now insured, our apartment is one step closer to being rented out, and in a surprise twist almost all of my Christmas shopping is done.

Mums pressie has been done for ages, the family over east just needs wrapping, and a pair of socks for Dad came off the needles this week.

Although technically they are a birthday present. There are 3 December birthdays in my family which I tend to include as part of Christmas shopping.

The pattern is elementary Watson. It’s cables like this that make me wish I was attracted to solid sock yarn.
The pattern does get lost in the self striping, but it’s still there.

I particularly liked the fleegel heel. I think I’ll be using that again in the near future.
And as usual these are toe up, two at a time, magic looped on my trusty 2.5mm Addi Turbos.

This is sock number 7 this year! I have to get shuffle on if I’m going to make 12. Methinks slightly larger needles for the next pair.

Because the ladies they can sing

Posted on November 6, 2013November 6, 2013 by bekswhoknits

I know Haim have pretty much taken over the world already, so I’m admitting I’m late to the band wagon.

This is one of those songs when I need to drown out the world around me, I can turn it on and forget about the world’s inane chatter.

Ladies are absolutely killing it in my playlists this year which is awesome.

Dresses, apart from being a confusing and yet very cool band name, have all the sweetness you want in a song and have wrapped it in a polka-dot bow.

Hulloooo!!!!!!

Posted on October 21, 2013October 21, 2013 by bekswhoknits

What. A. Month!

It’s not quite all over, it’s still a really busy time at work and we haven’t moved house yet, but I’ve started to think like a blogger again.

Just as I fall asleep imagining my hands knitting the last knitting pattern I was working on, I’ve started to think in blog posts. Which means by brain is bored and I need to start writing again.

So what’s been going on? Plenty!

Most of the stuff for our new house is done! Except the whole moving in part. We’ve signed our life away several times and have started putting our life into boxes.

Even though the weather is being a bit of a tease, it does feel like spring is on it’s way and there has been a hint of sunshine.
Look! Bare legs!

We finally cleaned up enough of an area for me to sew a cushion cover (with an invisible zip!).

And we found enough space for some blocking mats.

Not much space, but enough.

With any luck I’ll now be back to my usual schedule.
I have so much more to show you all!
But will leave it here for now.

xx
beks

Because I love my little brother

Posted on August 30, 2013August 30, 2013 by bekswhoknits

I made him a cushion.

Because my family don’t understand presents without a reason it’s a “housewarming” present.

Even though he moved into his new place about a year ago.

I love my little brother.
Every so often I will get a text message just with a quote from a TV show we both like.

His text tone is from futurama. “The alien mother ship is in orbit here. If we can hit that bullseye the rest of the dominoes will fall like a house of cards. Check mate.”

Even that just makes me laugh.
He calls me little sis because I’m only 5’10” and he’s over 6″.
I call him my little brother because he’s 5 years younger.

So I figured the best way to celebrate this relationship is with quotes on a cushion.
One side is from black books “feng shui is nine tenths of the law”.
The other is from doctor who (in case the tardis didn’t give it away).

My middle brother may not be the TV geek that my little brother and I am, but his two little ones had birthdays last week and I couldn’t let that pass without sending off some knitted gifts.

You can’t really go wrong with a hat and a scarf.

Now I just need to figure out what to do for Father’s Day!
I’m trying to track down some handkerchiefs to embroider with little success. If all else fails chocolate coated sultanas always go down a treat.

This is another cushion for my 13 in 2013 project.

Home

Posted on August 29, 2013August 29, 2013 by bekswhoknits

We are now one step closer to a new home, which means leaving the apartment I’ve lived in for 4 years (1.5 of them all by myself) to an actual house.
I have been dreaming about living in my own house for so long I almost can’t believe it.

Of course the first thing I’ve done is make lots of lists. The majority are pretty boring like ‘people we need tell our new address to’ or ‘new house budget’ or ‘services we need to reconnect’.
But there’s also…

Things I won’t miss about living in an apartment.
– Hearing other people’s toilets during the night
– Hearing other people’s TVs / arguments / pigs making noise
– Being so close to other people
– Climbing over hewhofishes to get out of bed every morning
– The spare room being a combination laundry/shed/sewing room/office
– Tripping over the tools in the hall way
– People looking into our living room
– The cold, cold tiles
– Stepping over things to get in the front door
– Moving the bins when we have to answer the back door
– Every single photo having shadows in them and the terrible lighting

Things I will miss about living in an apartment.
– Being able to (accurately) throw rubbish into the bins in the kitchen from the living room
– The rail over the bath that I use as a spare laundry
– Being 400 meters away from a train station
– Being so close to MidniteMoose. We’ll have to have a MooseRoom again. Or maybe a tram service between our two places.
– My silver CD wall
– Knowing that if we lose something it has to be in one of three rooms.
– Scribbling on the walls whenever I feel like it

Things I will be able to do now that we’re buying a house.
– Have enough space to trace and cut a pattern
– Recycle
– Play ‘Test Match Cricket – The Board Game’
– Send hewhofishes outside to potter in the garden
– Decorate!
– Walk to a decent local pub (not the best local pub, but still better than our current local pub which has naked ladies on the walls and its food menu is toasted sandwiches)
– Have a chaise lounge
– Have more than 3 people over at any one time.
– Sit on the balcony in a deck chair
– See the Australia day fireworks without leaving the house
– Have kitchen appliances specifically a mix master
– Take nice photos of my knitting

Things that probably won’t change
– Me being able to find scissors
– The frequency that I wash the floors
– Being sober enough to see the Australia day fireworks
– Not having enough space for all my doctor who merch
– All the clutter

There’s still plenty of time for the deal to fall apart, but a girl can dream.

cough cough

Posted on August 27, 2013 by bekswhoknits

Guys I’m dying.
I have a trifling cold and it’s sucking all of my energy.
Between work, sleep, and catching up on breaking bad (I’m just about to start series 5 so no spoilers please!) I have no energy left to knit, none to blog, and only a couple of scheduled posts left.

So everyone go and look at Marielle’s Edible Nacho Party Hat!

*Obviously this photo is from Marielle’s blog and not my own but doesn’t it make you want to make this straight away!

If any one needed more proof that knitters are the most awesome people

Posted on August 23, 2013August 23, 2013 by bekswhoknits

I present exhibit A

I received this little guy in the mail this week from the oh-so-wonderful Keri (who writes whendidibecomeaknitter)

As well as sending her something I was the third to comment on her post.

So I am now the proud owner of a knitted dalek, some Keri handspun!!!!, a Canada mug and Canada coin purse.

I have been dreaming about what to make from the handspun (which I confess I have fondled inappropriately).
Or I could just leave it on display to be fondled and admired.

Thank you Keri!!!!
xx