Merry Christmas from The Lazy A

Have started food prep for Christmas, and now I wait for the pavlova to cook. Ive nervously checked, and  its looking great... smells how it should. We have ideas for smothering our cream filled pavlova with our own home grown berries this year. Mr 12 is head chef, and Im practicing tonight so he can make another one tomorrow... Lots of cooking to do, and this year, everyone who is going to here, will be helping. It has been thoroughly enjoyable.
We have had a good round of end-of-year functions and pre-christmas celebrations that we have all enjoyed and definitely need more sleep in general :) A bit bleary-eyed you might say!

Before I sign off, I want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas.
Thanks for reading my blog, I hope next year will be a busy year - 2012 had some big ups, and some pretty terrible lows too. Nothing we cant handle, and I know there are worse here that people have to cope with.

Where ever you are in the World, drive safely, remember your sun screen or keep yourself warm, and swim between the flags.. and pay it forward if you can...
Thinking of  those of you who have lost special loved ones this year and have an empty place at the table this Christmas...

Til next year,

Love and Abundant Blessings,
Earth Butterfly
XXXXXXXX

Bit shaky Saturday... Lights and Things

Its been a bit shaky this week. Two of significance, but not huge ones, just little wobbly shakes to remind us we are still in Christchurch I think!
Its been a busy week. Classes finished for us almost - one more child to finish, and then we are off on holiday. It is a good feeling to almost be there :) We are all really excited about getting away for Christmas day. We have always been home, but this year we arent tied at home with visitors. Of course, with the older children doing their own thing, this could change!

Last night the children got to go into town with some friends to visit the Christmas Grotto. They came home well after dark (10.45pm) and the Littles were well and truly tired but soooo happy! Apparently it was awesome. Music, bright colourful sparkly lights and lots of Christmas things from blow up sleighs to Santa himself! What more could you ask for at this time of the year when you are six and twelve!
Weve had a day of laziness, just catching up after our late night at the disco - a good success - 70 kids and around 30 adults. It was so much fun - the dj was awesome, the music really went down well, and the kids were well behaved generally. My baking even worked, and the star shaped cookies we took lasted all of three minutes.

Have had a very good crop of strawberries this year (*Chandler* variety). Once the birds knew they had to move along, and the wind chimes were put in place, weve been taking between 20-50 off the plants every couple of days. Ive started giving them to the neighbours, no complaints there :) The Alpine strawberries are not as good this year, and I dont think I ll give them much room next year.

I have fresh swede, mesculun, foxglove, aquilegia, calendula, marigold, parsley and red kale seed. The black kale is still drying, as is the red cabbage. I have had a lot of fun trying to figure out the easiest winnowing method, and will keep working on it.
Have lost a lot of my taller plants this year to the mighty winds we have had.  I need to investigate adding further wind breaks, despite putting two new breaks up this year. I guess this is something we have happen every year in between spring and summer. I just have to work around it.
Because of the constant mulching, I seem to have found a good medium - the ground retains the water better than last year, and the strawberries and their solid growth is an indication of this. I will be mulching furiously again once the growing season has slowed a little.
The comfrey has gone native, and Im pulling leaves off to add to the main compost pile almost daily. It responds really well to the night showers we have had!

Ive realized this month, after watching things in the garden go from small to tall, neat and tidy to sprawling and untidy, that collecting seed means untidy mostly!
There are always going to be things that look untidy... none of that clipped manicured look of gardening here!
Still, it is colourful this year, theres a lot of places to hide (ask Miss 6 who loves hide and seek amongst things!) and Im loving it.

More later, once things get less crazy :)

Seasons Greetings to You and Yours
From my Garden to Yours
EBUTTERFLY
XXXXXXXXX

First of the Season...

Lots happening here and there, it goes with the time of year I guess :)
We have some new faces popping up through the garden, it is so nice to have some good long hot days in Canterbury!

Harvesting the berries this week, we have had great success with the strawberries (Chandler especially!) and have a pottle or two of other mixed berries - black currant, red currant, raspberries.



Shame about the wind, but its what we are famous for I guess - the ole Nor' West wind!
The tomatoes are starting to appreciate the weather and are growing accordingly - slowly but surely.
A healthy dose of composted pooh and some seaweed is helping.

Have harvested some seeds in the past two weeks and learned how to winnow fine seeds successfully.  Swede, Red Cabbage, Mesculun varieties such as rocket, mizuna and mibuna, Black Kale and two varieties of carrot, and two of lettuce.

Sunflower - Giant Russian (6ft and still growing!)

Salmon pink Hollyhock

The first of my flowers are coming to flower this week - more of the red opium poppies, but after losing one to the wind, I have staked the remainder.

 I also found a purple variety which have just started flowering, and theyre quite smart - an unusual colour, so quite striking and very tall like their red cousin.

Thats all for now,
Happy Gardening!!
Take care
EB
XX

Tuesday already...Plans... Globe Trotting Teens... Bikkies for Breakfast.

Cant believe it is  Tuesday already. I know, its Tuesday every week, but this Tuesday has come around so quick. Think about what you were doing last Tuesday. To be honest, Im not sure I can remember the details. It involved reenactment of the chicken with its head cut off, panic, frenzied shopping and Lists. Ahh. Thank Goodness that is over!
This Tuesday Im planning. Ive just bought another red currant. And an Autumn Bliss Raspberry that fruits late Summer/Autumn. I think it is the wrong time of year to buy things like this, but they are On The List of Wanted Plants, and they can sit until the beds are ready to go in. Im planning next years garden already.

My list of Wanted Plants is extensive. I think Dwarf Comfrey sounds good. The blue variety. To put right along my fenceless edge that I share with our neighbours. Theres a huge *hedge* of Flax and Bears Breeches, and Im thinking some dwarf comfrey along underneath might encourage some good soil eventually.
It is very dense soil out there, and it has been sorely neglected.

Also, I have a list of herbs Id like to have access to. Not all for culinary purposes, but medicinal too.
Some of the herbs have the most romantic names - Pellitory-of-the-wall, Alexanders, Skullcap and Lovage...
Watch this space, Ive not made my selection yet, still in the Learning stages - ie, Im reading up on things.
Thank Goodness for my aged copy of A Modern Herbal by Ms Grieve. It is great for reading up on herbs...
Yes, this book information IS ONLINE!

So the Pre-teen with the Cellphone has spent the morning catching up with his brothers. Theyre the Globe Trotting Teens that have this morning, hit Auckland and are looking to see as much as possible while theyre at a Family Function. Its awesome theyve had the chance to go, their Dad is very brave taking two unruly teens on holiday with him and his wife, for a week... I hope Auckland looks after them - if youre up that way and you see one very bedraggled, tired looking man and two perky looking teenagers, its them...  :) I hope they have a blast! Its not often they all get away together.

And Im picking Im in line for Bad Mother of The Year award given this mornings fare for breakfast. We have eaten so much of late, and there was a dearth of goodies left, or given... It was bananas this morning, that took their fancy, and shrewsbury biscuits, with milk and shortbread afterwards... Oophs!!

After watching Harry Potter (Deathly Hallows 1) last night, this morning I have the pleasure of watching The Muppets Take Manhattan, with Miss 5. She loves it. The rats are so funny, and she giggles her way through it all... I get more pleasure out of watching her reaction, than the actual movie.

Well thats us.
I hope youre all doing fine, and enjoying the sun if you have it. Remember to Slip, Slop, Slap and Wrap if youre in the sun!

Thinking of You,
Love,

E BUTTERFLY
XXXXXXXXX

The Big Wake Up Call...5.1 for Breakfast!

Blue Skies with a tinge of cloud, and an aftertaste of SHAKE!
Good Morning Christchurch, this is your Mother speaking - Mother Nature that is!
WAKE UP! Youve slept long enough... Yeah I know, you didnt sleep a wink... Or you lot there (Us!)
I know youve just got to sleep, but cmon - WAKE UP!!...




Zander

 5.1 should be enough to wake the dead.
Oh wait, theyre NOT dead, theyre just rather badly traumatized and very very tired!
My Littles didnt sleep well. We went for a walk around the neighbourhood last night, checking on their local haunts.
They came home, we watched TV until late. Sleep. Bliss. Shake. Uh-Oh!
We were awake between the hours of 1am and 3am. Sleep again. Wake Up!!! Mother Nature calls... The 4.2 at 5.50ish I almost slept through, rearranged the blankets and cuddled under again.
6.30ish and we have LIFT OFF.
By the time I get off the floor to check the kids, the damn shaking is over, and I realize that I was the only one moving. The only one awake...Oh except for one very scared, big-eyed cat who meows at me.  (And now I think about it, that meow could have been for food, not empathy for our predicament!)

So. Its Saturday, and I have visitors arriving later, Family!
Bring it on. Lets Celebrate all that comes our way.
Best foot forward and besides, its CHRISTMAS EVE.
Joy. Peace. Spirit of Santa - of GIVING, sharing, loving.
The Joy starts when I realize Im alive. Theyre alive.
Im safe. We are safe! We have everything we need.
Most of what we want.

We can celebrate and whilst we celebrate, we can duck into doorways when required...The serviettes may not match, the glassware will be sparse.
It wont matter at all.

Merry Christmas.
Happy Holidays
Blessings!
E Butterfly
XXXXXX

Mandarin Satsuma Miho

First fruit of 2011 - Bloody Butcher Babies!

Poppy Head, still no showing of colour... Exciting!



Another gorgeous morning in Christchurch, New Zealand.

My furry friends have been out there *helping* me with the composting... See below for some cute furries!


Washington - Rubbing on the sticks that are put there to deter poohing in mummys garden!
See Zander lying in the polystyrene box behind. They all love those boxes, they must be quite warm.

We have water restrictions, and today is not my watering day, so weeding it is, well once the coffee break is over!... We have 26 degrees promised today, which is great for the tomatoes. Not so great for us who wish to have our beds tidy and weed-free for Xmas... but of course, Ive learnt, Gardens are always a work in progress, and as so, are never weed-free.



Parsley Babies... Yum!








Theres always some little unwanted plant creeping up somewhere!
Next year I hope to have some swan plants in, to attract the butterflies. My efforts as such this year are the buddleias - I have a creamy peach one to pick up tomorrow. Below youll see the Barbie Pink one. I also hope to gather others, I love their flowers, they remind me of lilacs, which I hope to have one of eventually too... Then theres Spindleberry, I love their wee berries... Oh heck. Add it to the Plants To Gather list!!


Buddleia. This one is lipstick pink. Like HOT pink!
Barbie Buddleia!


We have Kereru, or  NZ Native Wood Pigeons in the trees at the back. They dont stay long, but they nibble the plums next door. I think they must come from Woodham Park which is around the road from us. It is wonderful to see them, though they never stay long enough, big fat luscious berry-eating, branch benders that they are. Theyre far bigger than anything else we have visiting us, and their wings make a definitive noise when they fly!



Maori Potato with flowers. Im new to potato growing, with mixed success. Next season will be better!


The Eau-de-cologne Mint from Miss B along the road is growing nicely.
The scent is quite unusual. She also gave me Sweet Cicely which has made itself at home and is quite sweet indeed,  has an earthy after taste with it.

We have two stevia plants that I love. How awesome to know you have sugar when you dont have sugar *grin*

Another thing to do, is to figure out where to put grains. I really am itching to try growing something to provide us with a versatile grain...
Im hooking into Kay Baxters book Koanga Gardens Garden Guide. It is awesome, and very informative for NZers and their gardens... I aim to get my own copy, the library wants theirs back!!

Well thats it for today.
Im glad I wrote, its more real when its there in pictures, and I can look back. I just need to put aside some time to write more often...
Hope youre all enjoying the Spirit of the Season, whatever your beliefs, traditions, culture or location.

Be kind to Yourself,
Love,

E BUTTERFLY
XXXXXXXXX

Doing it all over again! Merry Christmas...wanna shake with that Ham?

Joy to the World, 
Mother Nature has Awoken!
Here we are, on the other side of  a very pleasant lazy Christmas day, and Christchurch city and the surrounding districts are shaking again!
In the middle of Christmas night, we woke to a horrendous shaking - not such a big one, mind. Just 4.9 the highest has been so far, but so so regular... Tonight weve had a 4.4 that rocked and rolled, and shook us nicely... Our central city is suffering building losses again, so fortunate again, that at 10.30am when one good shake bought down brick buildings, again we were lucky not to have loss of life...

Weve had 29 shakes throughout the day...  a memorable Boxing Day this has been!
Funny how, although we experienced bigger ones last time, you just get out of the way of doing the ducking, weaving and diving for cover... until you feel that first lurch or hear the crack, the rumble or it knocks you off your perch!! You sort of hover in waiting to see how long its going to take to pass, in the hope that it will indeed pass quickly, which most do... Some swing for a few minutes afterwards.
These quakes we are feeling in the Eastern suburbs more keenly this time, I think because they are shallow, and we appear to be on the immediate fault that is being affected. It is a new fault that appeared during the last series of quakes and aftershocks, but nevertheless, it has made itself well known...
So... Christmas day was low key, the children were well fillled with candy and fussed over and presented with armfuls of parcels, and they had a good day amongst it all, but today we are a bit strained, lacking in sleep, and all in all a bit stressed... Our little girl doesnt understand the shaking and demands we stop the Earthquake from hurting her... but she knows also, to keep her shoes handy *in case the earthquake visits* ... Her favourite place is the trampoline. Out there, we cant feel the swaying and life goes on as normal.
Onward and upward... I dont think we are going to lose our shaky reminders for some time... I just hope they dont escalate to devastate our world, the people here in CHCH are a mixture of fragile and fractious and tough and resigned... Im just not sure which bunch we belong to yet! Though we seem to get through it, and Im grateful we havent suffered as some have...
Our bug-out bags are packed again, the water supplies are being topped up, and the torches are handy...
And in the meantime,
Merry Christmas, 
        wanna shake with that Ham?

Be Safe
E Butterfly 

Oh Hail! The Lazy Sunday...

Been thinking about blogging for a while, but still finding it hard not having a camera, so I have to depend on my writing skills which are seriously lacking, as youll see if you get past this first paragraph :)
I write as I think, it all just comes to the fore at this time of the year... So there, youll be glad when I replace my camera... Less talk, more photos!. I miss it more than my right hand I think (leftie here!)...
So here I am, its Sunday.

I live in suburban Christchurch, it is hot baby! ITS HOT! and its RAINING :-) So it is humid, and boy it saps the strength from your very marrow of your bones (Ok, bit dramatic maybe, but Im a Cancer, prone to exaggeration maybe?)
Life is cool though. It is Sunday, Im sitting here on the couch, radio cheering me on with easy listening stuff dotted with all the old favourites and carols you can sing along to. It so helps me get through the chores, the dishes are done, the washing is on, and oh boy - its SUNDAY!
I dont usually move far on a Sunday. Mr EB is always out on the farm on a Sunday so I dont see him in daylight hours, and I miss him to talk to, more now than ever before actually (aww... sniff!) The kids are just out of school etc, and so theyre either in bed, on bed, or watching some kind of screen given its raining, although as the youngest lad states He wont Melt, and every now and again he and Max Steel (action figure) pop out the door and are back in around 30 minutes, lightly feathered with big warm wet drops.
Missy is glued to TV. I dont think she has ever been so quiet - Ive had to check on her constantly - you know how scary it is when your kids go quiet --- but no, shes doing great.
Thank god for TV and Christmas Movies. Remember the 80s and The Gremlins? Well, thats playing today, a really good Sunday movie for the children to watch, harmless enough tho a bit scary in some places maybe if youre a little sensitive to small furry animals. That one is then followed by The Gremlins II - so here I am, sneakily secreted away with my keyboard, my coke and the hot pikelets dripping with butter and jam, watching the movie I remember scaring the daylights out of me when I was a little tacker (was I ever a little tacker?) and sniggering at all the really funny parts (are there funny parts??? hmm.)

Mr EB and I went and did the Proud Parents thing last week at the school break up when our lad finished Primary - on he goes to Intermediate next year.
We have managed to do a large part of the Christmas shopping already, we both dislike crowds and detest this time of year, both of us saying this weekend - Oh God, its only a week til Christmas... like it sneaks up out of nowhere... and lets face it, when you have this link thrust upon you every morning, you SHOULD know when Christmas is... CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN

So there we be.
It is Sunday, and what a nice one... I love that noone pushes to get things done, dishes wait, meals are easy, noone pressures anyone to go anywhere they dont want to...

Oh Hail, the Lazy Sunday!

And while we are at it - Ive added something to my Christmas List (we dont as a rule, buy for Adults, but this isnt Store Bought)

Santa, if you can, please may I have a Lazy Christmas, just like our Lazy Sundays... 

but most of all, Can you make sure all the people I love can be safe and happy... always.

Id be most obliged! 

Signing off

Be Happy!
Love

Earth Butterfly

XXXXXXXX 

Good Stuff...

Gee, the Good Stuff has Begun..It is DECEMBER finally! (or the Crazy Season as some refer to it!)
Im running around like everyone else no doubt, getting *Organized* (dislike that word, so foreign to me!), knitting furiously - which I enjoy, designing some new outfits for the girls baby dollies - the surplus of which is getting sold online... After waiting almost half an hour to post parcels (serves me right for waiting til the weekend along with everyone who cant get there midweek!) we invested in a sprinkler for the garden *yeah right!* - The children claimed it, and I swear, its the best $10 Ive ever parted with, they LOVE it.
I love seeing them having so much fun, gotta say, the shrieks are tremendous. Nothing like it, happy squeals! Still no camera, but I ll get some pics when I can...

HAPPY 60th Birthday my Darling 
Mr Earth Butterfly

I dont tell you often enough how dear you are to me.
Without you I would be just the empty candy shell of the M&M - you are my Chocolate centre.
You know how much chocolate means to me, so *grin* you'll *get* that.
Im sorry I cant buy you jewels or offer you riches,
just smiles, cuddles and all my love.
 Love you - in so many ways, for so many reasons!
We love you ... xxxxxxx

After a little Nana nap this afternoon, I wrote this to my beloved Mr EB
 *.....I bought an old knitting pattern for dolls clothes last week

its just arrived (in the post). As expected, its an excerpt from an old magazine... but its really cool. It also tells you about the doll that is used as a model in the pattern -, very very cool! From July 1958 --- complete with advertisements, and old stories. Very cool :) Life was simpler then ? LOL Just got up, got a sore throat which is annoying (seeing as though its Summer, and its almost Christmas!). Just wondering if Im actually in for a cold, or the stark truth of it is.... I was snoring?????? HAHAHAHAHAHA. hmm....*

Im really looking forward to knitting this pattern, let me see, here tis

Excerpt from Womans Weekly, July 26 1958

Last night we ate our first fill of Home-grown goodness! We planted some Silverbeet - *Bright Lights* which has coloured stems of orange, white, red and yellow. It has had six weeks in, and already it is substantial enough to pick a couple of leaves from each plant. I remember Silverbeet as being cold and soggy after having had the goodness boiled from it, but Im wondering now, if it tastes better when youve nutured it yourself?
The children ate it, without a fuss - most impressed, as I remember balking... green was never my favourite colour!

Our beanstalks are growing nice and curly and tall, the oak trees are tall and straight, and the other greens like our buttercrunch lettuce arent far from being ready to be used too. We have parsley plants that look like theyre growing nice and healthy, and tomatoes that have flowers on them, and are standing up nicely... despite being constantly untangled from the beans... Yes, we have a menagerie in our garden, but theyre doing ok!

How I love seeing what has grown from one day to the next, the children too, which is cool. I cant remember being interested much as a child, - I guess that is what happens when Mum and Dad own a Grocery store. Everything comes in a box, bag or crate...

Other things... not alot to report, the roses are beautiful, the scent of the numerous Elderberry blossoms springing up is gorgeous, especially at night after dark when Ive forgotten to water the garden in the daylight... it is my favourite time of night - kids in bed, quietly, quietly I creep out to my Garden with hose in hand ... Oh and not to forget the new Sprinkler (Sprindar Miss 4 calls it)... Even the cats bear with me at this time of night, they chase each other and watch nervously for the hose :) I can see the Southern Cross in the sky from my house at any time of night - beautiful. It makes me wish I were out on a spread far away from anyone, lying on my green paddocks, looking up at the night sky... one day, I promise!

Lots of thoughts on where to put the Christmas tree, so thats our next mission - decoration and location unknown at this stage, but I love how their minds work... it will have lots of lights, colour, tinsel, tinsel, tinsel oh and a star!

Our new favourite to add to pikelets, Hagel Slag - aka Chocolate Hail

Yum! Hot Hagel Slag Pikelets for a Hungry Tribe.

And that is it for this post. Back to the reality of What Must Be Done.
Wet soggy togs, dishes and floors to sweep... so I can creep out later to my favourite place - The Garden!

Blessings to all,
EB
Til Next Time, Be good! 
Oh and if you cant Be Good -- Be Careful! 
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Softly Whispering...

Another Sunday and it dawns on me that its nearly Year Over again! Roll on 2011!

Hearth & Home

It has occurred to me today that while I sit here, enjoying the quiet, that maybe the children are almost empty - tired and expectant, ready for school holidays. It isnt often that I am allowed a few minutes to gather my head before they appear on a weekend day morning... And the sun is gorgeous already, the sky the most beautiful blue, dotted with fluffy billowy clouds that are moving away quickly, as if the wind is chasing them across the sky...

Christmas Tree

The Christmas carols have been on the radio for weeks already which fuels the childrens impatience for Santa, and the expectation of presents & celebration, the stores are the same with their early exhibitions of Christmas trees and decorations for sale - every colour, every size and shape...
It used to be when I was little (not THAT long ago, surely?) that Christmas was just in December, but now - and especially this year, it seems we are dragging out the festive season for two extra months. Who can keep up?

Not me.
I have just pulled out the first Christmas CD and dusted it off. You find yourself tapping fingers and merrily humming to the tunes, singing outloud, (looks of amusement from said children!)
The children are practising anyways, for end of year carol services etc.
Old familiar music - how the tunes bring the bittersweet memories, the lyrics, the Christmases of long past, and childhood memories both good and bad, are all stirred up by Christmas carols.


Late night carol services, midnight mass, hushed secrets, presents that bought happy tears or thrills, excitement, smells of custard and brandy pudding, the richness of spicy fruit, or apricot sauce to thickly coat the ham. The family holidays, the swapping of gifts, the recieving, the giving.. Oh you get it... It is all so good, so good... sometimes so sad, but usually it is good!

Well its  too much to wade thru this weekend.
Maybe its me, Im winding down at the end of our Difficult Year, I feel the melancholy - the depth of emotion from the memories of people who wont be here with us this year.
I feel each and every one of them, and remember them all within my heart.
Historically, this is never an easy time of year for me, its just how I am. 





I ll buck up though, the children and I plan on getting the house ready for our Christmas tree, so the heavy heart wont last long. Soon it will brim to overflowing, full of the soft whispers...
The baking, the smells, the scents of Christmas, the shiny bows, the crispness of the paper, the various renditions of favourite carols, the stories of Christmas past... yes, the sadness will subside, and build with anticipations, fascinations, the sheer delights of Christmas Spirit.
It is in the giving - some small part, about the recieving maybe but honestly... its ALL about giving.
The joys of being a parent hover over the word FANTASTIC when you see the joy children get from such small things at this time of year.

Just for now though, I would like to hear soft whisperings...
The old year simmering, waits to fade into end. The new year, full of hope waits, like a shiny box with unknown secrets inside.
For now, I ll remember the ones I can no longer hold, no longer enjoy simple pleasures with. Memories are wonderful, painful things.

SOFTLY WHISPERING I LOVE YOU
English Congregation - 1972

Softly, whispering I love you,
echoes of your voice are calling still through my dreams,
softening the chill of the breeze.

Through my window,
I can see the moonglow
painting silver shadows on a rose-colored land;

A world that we walk hand in hand
in a day of gold
colored by the glow of new love.
 
I can feel your warm face ever close to my lips
and the scent of you invades the cool evening air.
I can close my eyes and you´re there in my arms still
and I know your soft kiss,
turning into music every beat of my heart,

When I hold you close to my heart
and I hear your voice
whispering I love you.

FOR MEHARUS
In my heart,
with all my 
Thanks & Love
Sat 20 Nov 2010 

wonderful clipart

Love and Seasons Blessings

EButterfly
  

Things Ive been making for Christmas...

A bit of a craft nut - thats me. I like to see what others do, seldom completing things myself... I have no enthusiasm to start something now,
I love seeing others projects though!
One of my favourite places is 
www.oneprettything.com

Im a knitter, and several of my favourite places inspire me. Im fortunate that here in NZ, yarn and wool is relatively inexpensive. Being a bit of a scrooge, and choosing to recycle, I have also discovered places I can purchase cheaper secondhand wool or there is always recycled sweaters/jerseys that can be unpicked for desirable yarn to be re-used.
Ive started knitting for Christmas. Mainly for the girls and their dollies - so much easier to do when you can finish things within an hour or two, they dont take up much yarn, and dont need a lot of concentration to complete... so here we go, the photos...
These ones I intend to sell, each set takes a day to complete usually!

 

Some places to go, if youre a dolly-knitter like me

... not all are free, but reasonably priced, and they email you your patterns, so no matter if you are International! 

Cant be more simple, using credit card or paypal! (I am not affiliated with any of these by the way, I love pointing people in the right direction for dolls stuff!)

www.danielbingham.com - Barbie or 16inch Doll Patterns .PDF files

www.ravelry.com - People, toys and dolls

www.etsy.com - Patterns and all kinds of handmade things!

http://www.theretroknittingcompany.co.uk/dollspatterns.html  Some great PDF Files!

http://www.stickatillbarbie.se/ - ABSOLUTELY Awesome site for Barbie!

http://www.sindyclothes.com/Sindy%20Knitting%20Patterns.htm - This site is AWESOME

Well, back to the needles...
Hope all is well with You and Yours!

Take care
EB

XX