Some Lovely News...

Hello everyone,

We have been having the most heavenly sunsets here in South Africa at the moment, beautiful radiating light...

Ok, now for the wonderful news!

A local writer, here in South Africa will be publishing the most amazing book of knitting patterns and instructions early next year. I have been asked to contribute two, knitted animal patterns that are to be included in the book! (Happy dance!) I feel very honoured to be included, thank you D:)

The two animals that have been chosen are indigenous to South Africa and Africa and I have just finished writing and knitting the first pattern.

Below is an Aardvark pronounced (Ahhh-r-d-vark), the english translation from Afrikaans is 'Earth Pig'. They are mammals and can live for up to 23 years. They eat termites and females give birth to 1 baby per year. They have long sticky tongues, about 12 inches long, that they use to remove termites from termite hills. Here is a link to more information about them. I love these creatures, they are adorable!

 

This knitting book will include a large variety of patterns and instructions as well as information about all our local yarn makers and dyers here in South Africa. The author and publisher are still deciding on a title for the publication but as soon as I know what it is, I will update everyone:) It will be avaliable for sale here on my blog as well as from local South African book shops, internet book shops and also oversease. The book will be avaliable in English and Afrikaans.

I have just spoken to the author and she has a lovely proposal. There is a search going on for a title for this book, please feel free to comment and leave your suggestion for a title. If your suggestion is chosen, you will be sent a free copy of the book when it is published wherever you are in the world! I am looking forward to your suggestions:)

I will be adding this little Aardvark to my Etsy shop for sale soon too:)

Tomorrow, I will be sharing my Easter Rabbit knitting pattern on my blog as a tutorial for everyone:) Thank you so much for all your comments and those who follow this space:)

Have a wonderful day:)
Warmly
Linda

Easter Transparency Tutorial

Dear Friends,

We have been busy working on Easter transparencies and we have so enjoyed this process. They just look so pretty when lit up with a candle in the evenings. I thought I would share our journey...

These are some of the materials you will need:

An A4 piece of thick card, paper works too.

A large scissors, I also used a small one for tight corners

A pencil

Glue

Wax wrap papar or opaque tissue paper.

Fold the sides into the middle and crease. This will make the side supports for your transparency and will help it to stand upright

Draw your image onto your paper, something that you can easily cut out. I also shaped the top of my paper for a more creative effect.

Cut out your image and the top.

Cut out some wax wrap or tissue paper larger than the shape you have cut out.

Place glue all around the outside edge of your tissue paper.

Stick your tissue paper at the back of your card over the image you have cut out and shape your tissue paper as you have shaped the top of your card.

This is how it will look from the front.

And there he is, the Easter rabbit!

Stand your creation up with sides folded back creating supports and place it on a mantlepiece with a candle burning behind it. It really does look beautiful and creates a stunning effect...

Here is one Jenna made:)

Happy Tuesday everyone and happy crafting...

Hugs

Linda

Monday, Wickiup Shelters...

We had a wonderful day today, Jenna and I began our day with some yoga. I haven't done yoga for quite some time, but it really did leave me feeling energised for the entire day. We have decided to include this as part of our daily rhythm. You just feel so good afterwards!

Caiden started his Native American block today and we began with a study of the People of the Longhouse. It was amazing to learn all this new information. We are using the lovely Christopherus curriculum and it is really wonderful and easy to work with:) Then to finish off todays work, I read him the story of Heron and Hummingbird a Hitchiti Tribe tale.

He built a Wickiup all by himself from pruned branches and loved the process. When Native American Indian's used to be out on a long hunt and weren't returning home that evening, they would build a temporary shelter, similar to this to keep them dry and warm for the night. Tomorrow he will learn how to light a fire without matches, his sister is a Sea Scout so she will show Cady how to do this. (He is very excited)

Later today, just as the sun was setting, we brought some blankets to put down on the floor of his Wickiup shelter and we all crawled in through the little opening and I read the story of the People of the Longhouse to Cady and Erin. Such a beautiful book with lovely illustrations.( Houses of Bark by Bonnie Shemie.) We are learning each day in such a practical way, I just love it!

Our Oak trees are already showing signs of Autumn...

Wise Olive... watching me from the dining room window...

Playful Charlie, always ready to pounce from the bushes to an unsuspecting passerby...

A beautiful sunset to bring a close to our day...

Thank you for visiting, friends:)
Warmly
Linda

Nature Drawing and Garden Photos...

Hello everyone,

I would like to just say a huge 'Thank You' to all who follow this blog:) I was very excited to see that there are 180 Followers who visit here... This is very heart warming for me and wonderful :)

Today is a glorious sunny day in South Africa and we have spent quite a lot of time outside in the garden. There are so many flowers blooming here, I do feel the coolness of Autumn approaching in the evenings but we are still enjoying Summer's warmth during the day for now...

Baseball update; Jenna and Erin's baseball team, the Benoni Indians won the League, they had 11 matches undefeated!   mama is smiling:)

Yellow roses, my favourite...

I can't wait for these Granadillas' to ripen, they have always been so sweet in previous seasons...

This is a pumpkin vine that started growing all by itself... I was a little sad that we didn't plant pumpkins this year, but to our surprise, a single vine has emerged from the compost heap all by its own doing and already has quite a few pumpkins growing on it... Hooray!

These Morning Glory flowers are growing all over our herb garden, their show of colour is remarkable...

This beautiful tree hangs right over our wall from our neighbours garden, it is so spectacular when in bloom and when it is finished flowering, it drops the lovest little conkers that are perfect for nature crafts...

Today, Erin and I spent some mama, daughter time together. We went down to the vegetable garden and sketched the Aubergines... Of course Charlie was there and soon after, so was Gus...

Have a wonderful Sunday everyone and thank you for visiting,
Warmly
Linda

Corners of My Home...

Hi everyone,

Thank you so much for all of your wonderful comments in the previous post about the knitted snail pattern, you are all so kind:) I really do love to hear your thoughts and I hope you enjoy knitting him:)

Today has been a really productive day:) This is my study and for quite a while now I have wanted to reorganise all of my books into categories. ( It really isn't fun looking for a book and you have no idea where it is on the shelves:)  Today was the day...  and early this morning, I started rearranging everything.

It feels so much better in this room now, all the knitting, dyeing and spinning books are together on their own shelves, the homeschooling books have their own shelves and so do the recipe and gardening books... etc...

This girls are at baseball with their dad playing their last game of the season, if they win today they will go through to the finals tomorrow, hold thumbs!

I am off to knit...

Have a lovely weekend everyone,

Warmly

Linda