Salihan Crafts Blog

Cross Stitching Again

Salihan — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 22:55:28 +0000

I’ve started a new cross stitch project. It’s weird that the last time I did some cross stitching was around Christmas time too, but that was back in 2006. I handmade Christmas tree decorations and a stocking for Richard’s family then. These were the pretty cross stitched ones:

In retrospect, these look dang good and I can’t believe I made them! *pats myself on the back*

You can read more about that Christmas at this blog post and if you would like the free tutorials for these decorations, follow the links here [pdf] and here.

Anyway, back to my new project. Cath gave me an old copy of Cross Stitcher magazine (May 2008) that she no longer wanted. I like gifts like these. There are so many pretty, non-nanna-ish patterns in that one magazine.

Plus, it came with a free complete cross stitch kit. Woohoo! Don’t you just love those red tulips!

I got cracking on Saturday when it was too hot to move off the sofa. This is how much I’ve done over the weekend.

My poor RSI-stricken elbow is thanking me for taking a break from knitting and crocheting. When my elbow is happy, I am happy!

Hmm… I wonder where I will this hang this up when I’m done…

Related Post:
Christmas 2006

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Special Discount from American Yarns

Salihan — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 21:00:03 +0000

American Yarns is a Brisbane-based yarn shop dedicated to well-known and respected American and international brands like Lion Brand, Red Heart, Noro and Caron. It offers a huge range of yarn, knitting needles and crochet hooks, craft bags, knitting looms and machines, spinning wheels, pattern books and much more.

Recently, I contacted American Yarns to inquire about a particular Red Heart yarn which it doesn’t stock and was delightfully treated to outstanding customer service. Gabrielle, the owner, answered my query very quickly and offered to order the yarn I wanted in her next shipment from US! Her emails to me were informative and professional.

We ended up chatting a bit more and she has generously offered a special discount just for YOU. I convinced her that my readers are the bestest in the world and deserve a reward.

Simply use the code ‘salihancrafts’ at checkout to redeem a 10% discount off your total! Yay!

American Yarns ships Australia-wide and internationally so no one misses out. Double yay!

What are you waiting for? Let’s GO SHOPPING!

Pssstt… just between you, me and the lamp post, I heard from a little birdie that American Yarns will sponsor a giveaway here too. If you don’t want to miss it, might I suggest getting automagic email blog updates or subscribing to my RSS.

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A Garden Surprise

Salihan — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 21:45:41 +0000

It started with what looked like a weed growing between the compost bin and our beloved banksia tree. On closer inspection, Richard discovered that it was actually a tomato plant! We didn’t plant it and our neighbour grew her tomatoes in pots. How on earth did it get there?

We decided to just leave it alone and see what happens. It’s right next to the compost bin so it’ll get plenty of nutrients. Richard told our neighbour about the mystery tomato plant and she gave him a stake to help the plant grow. That’s all we did for weeks. We staked it, watered it rarely and let it do it’s own thing.

And I think the plant did very well on its own! Look how big it is!

There are little green tomatoes now too!

And even more coming soon!

I’m very excited. I’ve never eaten home grown tomatoes before but everyone tells me they taste better than anything you get from the shops. Can’t wait!

P.S. It’s summer here in Australia.

P.P.S. Does anyone know what variety of tomato this is?

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65 Roses Quilt

Salihan — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 23:47:45 +0000

I crocheted rose petals to add to my block for the 65 Roses Quilt {tutorial}.

Look at the little tiny stitches.

Pattern: Rose Petal Satchet
Yarn: Milford Mercer 20
Hook: 1.3 mm
Mods: Only worked one side

And here is my completed quilt block.

You can view more squares from other contributors in this Flickr group.

Related Post:
65 Roses Quilt WIP

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Johnny Apple & Little Mac Available Now

Salihan — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 01:31:51 +0000

Johnny Apple and Little Mac crochet pattern and softies are now available for purchase! Thanks everyone for all your feedback on yarn choice and apple names.

[Read more...]

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Star Wars Graffiti Knitting

Salihan — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 08:37:09 +0000

Today I found the perfect place for the knitted graffiti tag I made months ago. I used the chart from this Star Wars Scarf {pattern} and plain old 8ply acrylic yarn.

We went bushwalking again after several missed weeks due to rain and extreme hot weather. It was 40 degrees celcius last Sunday! Too hot to do anything.

But today, we started walking just after 8am while the weather was still mild and it was one of the best bushwalks I’ve been on. A challenging 5km which we completed in just under 3 hours. Rainforest, creeks, caves, suspended bridge and undulating, rocky terrain. This trail earned my knitted tag.

However, I left the national park with more than a sense of accomplishment. Little did I know that there was something following me as we headed straight for an early lunch and shopping at Officeworks.

I was trying out an office chair, still in my bushwalking clothes, and as I stood up, I heard and felt a pop underfoot. “Oh my god! What was that!?” I yelled out. I looked down and saw a thing, a dead flattened thing, with blood squirting out of it!

“It’s a leech!” Richard yelled while I stood there freaking out as the whole thing slowly sunk in. I scrapped blood off my shoes all over the polished shop floor and ran outside.

Richard lifted my long pants up and there it was. Blood oozing from my right ankle, my sock and shoe soaking with blood. I wanted to throw up. This leech was on me for at least an hour and all through lunch at McDonald’s!

We drove straight home and I stripped off all my clothes. I wanted to be sure there wasn’t another leech on my body. I had a really good shower, partially hoping to wash away the image of the squashed leech from my mind.

You would not believe this but it’s been over five hours and I’m still bleeding! I’ve been resting for so many hours and changed the dressing three times now. I’m not moving off the sofa for the rest of the night. I guess I just have to sit here and knit.

Honey, could you make me a cup of tea please?

Related Post:
My first graffiti knitting

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Scrabble with a Scientist

Salihan — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 23:48:19 +0000

Richard insists it’s a word. “It’s in soap!” he fervently argues.

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65 Roses Quilt WIP

Salihan — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 19:16:52 +0000

In my creative space this week, Cath and I worked on our blocks for Whipup’s 65 Roses Quilt. This charity quilt will be donated to the Australian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and it will be auctioned off at their annual gala next May.

I turned my little dining area into a sewing room for us to work in. Complete beginners in quilt making with zero quilts to our credit but we were willing to give it a go for charity. It was funny watching each other struggle with the most basic things like pressing fabric and cutting squares!

And my lack of focus and impulsive nature led me down a frustrating path. As you can see from the above picture, I had jumped out of my seat halfway through sewing to take this shot. Bad move. Look what happened to my first block:

My mushroom fabric is facing the wrong way! I know some of you might be thinking, just turn it around you silly girl. No can do. The cream, plain fabric has to be on the top left. So I had to resew another block. I guess I needed the practice anyway.

In the end, we both got there. This is my block:

It’s not finished yet. A rose design of some sort needs to embellish the cream square. I would like to crochet this rose motif {pattern} to sew onto it. Just need to get some red thread this weekend. I’ll be able to show you the completed block next week.

If you are interested in donating a completed rose block to this quilt, all the instructions are available at Whipup {tutorial}.

More creative spaces at Kootoyoo.

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Clever Jackson!

Salihan — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 10:13:23 +0000

Look what my 8 year old nephew, Jackson, did in class today:

(His bit is 46 seconds in, about drag racing)

If you don’t see the video above, click here to watch it on YouTube.

Isn’t he clever!

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Win Craft Embellishments & More

Salihan — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 21:36:56 +0000

Tammy of Girls Wear Blue Too is giving away a BIG pile of scrapbooking and craft embellishments. Simply leave a comment on her blog. Contest ends 2nd December.

Click here to enter Giveaway #1:
http://girlswearbluetoo.blogspot.com/2009/11/giveaway-big-pile-of-scrapbookingcraft.html

And that’s not all! She has a second giveaway dedicated to mummys out there.

You could win a $20 gift certificate from Little Billies, an online shop dedicated to positive parenting tools like reward charts and visual schedules. Contest ends 30th November.

Click here to enter Giveaway #2:
http://girlswearbluetoo.blogspot.com/2009/11/giveaway-and-getting-co-operation-from.html

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