emerson-j handmade

recently

2011-05-31T10:15:00.001+12:00

found this pattern on ravelry and just changed it up a bit!

my friend loved this moose for her baby girl as her husband is from canada!! pattern now on ravelry created by this crafty lady

love these colours...crochet

2011-05-09T12:46:00.000+12:00

crochet blankies...

2011-05-04T19:11:00.000+12:00

crochet...so coooool!!!

2011-04-18T13:51:00.001+12:00

isnt he awesome!! get free pattern HERE, from my new favourite blog "You never quite know what bees are thinking!" i love him so much but he resides on master js bedroom wall as he loves him too! master j call him "mouth" because he doesnt have one!!

2011-03-22T20:33:00.000+13:00

headband that she wont keep on her head!!!

and seriously this is the closest he would get to a pear...he loves it and i stuck a rattle in it..

this is some of my craftiness lately...really gotta do some housework oneday.....

busy with crochet...

2011-03-12T21:16:00.000+13:00

still selling rattles, want to make hats and blankets too...i have been slack doing housework but im a crochet addict....i have set up facebook page...any suggestions on how much i should sell the blanket for?

selling like hotcakes...

2011-02-27T22:24:00.000+13:00

ive been busy selling these through my good friend shelley who is a mumma of two boys and knows lots of other mummas with bubs and tots, i did plan on setting up an online felt account to sell them but am too busy!!

have got two "nini rattles" ready to send to Leonie for the
Softies for the children of Christchurch

Christchurch needs us..

2011-02-23T20:17:00.000+13:00

click HERE

Leonie from Kiwi at Heart is collecting softies for the children of the Christchurch who have been in the latest earthquake. Its horrible and just heartbreaking...watching the news tonight i have just heard a 5mth old died from being crushed by furniture, and a 9mth old died from a tv falling on him, the stories are just so hard to watch...75 passed away but more to come...
btw a softie is a handmade toy it doesnt have to be sewn, i cant sew at all! so i will crochet some of my new rattles. *sigh* this is just a nightmare, so lets shine a little light for some kids

obsessed......to say the least

2011-02-16T13:44:00.001+13:00

crochet...again ;)

2011-02-09T14:23:00.003+13:00

hello everyone!!! my latest creations...

pink and grey is such a great colour combo

i love grey at the mo...

am interested in selling my stuff but dont know much about blocking blankets...i guess u would block each individual square maybe??

thought about crocheting a toy for bubs so made a giant rattle, freestyled with no pattern just used the whole crocheting a ball concept and "poopoo puppy" as my 3yr old has named him, was born!!
miss'e having a gnaw...

started as a bunny but ....

has ended up a...well a mix of bunny and puppy ;)

i want to start selling things online coz theres only so much crochet a home can get away with and i am still totally addicted, but am nervous..i guess thats normal?

phew...bring on 2011

2011-01-10T20:21:00.002+13:00

im happy to say goodbye to 2010, i have lots of projects in the works but a broken camera...here are some pics from the holidays

see ya soon with some crochet and other crafty goodness :)

my darling babies had birthdays too so its been hectic , master' j turned 3 in december and miss'e celebrated her first with a giant cupcake birthday cake...

its been ages...and some craftiness

2010-12-21T12:06:00.002+13:00

i have not blogged in a long time, however i have still been reading all of yours!

its a funny time of year, its a joy filled holiday and at the same time it still cannot keep away loss,sadness and anxeity from hitting people...cos thats life!

for people it can be about remembering past xmas's that may have been sad, or stressful, or people unable to be together due to a variety of reason beyond control or tragedy. ive noticed in blogland there has been some sadness and as im getting older i understand it so much better and why its kinda magnified this time of year...

but it is also because i have my babies xmas seems better for me now too....

anywho!! some of my latest crafting...finally used modge podge!

i roughed them up so they look distressed (not the best photo)

and i finished miss e's blanket...whoohoo, im going to make one for my besties daughter who is a girly girl to the max so im doing lots of pink!!

wishing u and ur families a merry xmas ;)

new crochet hats...freestyling again

2010-11-05T23:45:00.005+13:00

the past few months when taking a break from blankets i will crochet a hat, i dont really use patterns, i tend to look at pictures, teach myself the stitch then its all trial and error...i dont have enough heads in my house for all of these...

i made miss e's bow a few months back from looking at a picture and i cant remember where, may have been from ravelry... she pulls it off her head straight away so i was lucky to snap this pic...

little miss roman solider with a pompom, i love big pompoms on wee hats!

this one doesnt look right, shell stitch or something??

this one has found a home ;)

made this pattern by crocheting in front loop then in the back loop of next stitch

special photos...

2010-11-04T07:10:00.003+13:00

these are some of my fav photos of master j....

my first sweater...

2010-11-02T18:37:00.002+13:00

my first efforts at a cardi, i sat infront of u-tube watching mikey from mikeyssmails

its the imagination sweater, on u-tube its called the simple sweater. got the idea from one of my fav new blogs Art Evy

this wee one is newborn size, i did want button holes but didnt quite know what to do...

here is miss e in her sweater for next winter, i closed it up so it wasnt a cardi but the collar is a bit open so i might add a button near the top.

not a great picture but shes a wriggler

isnt that owl adorable, i found it at a local linen/homewares botique
you pull the tail and it plays a lullaby....miss e smiles and laughs when she hears it.

WINNER of Borne naked liner is ....

2010-11-01T11:54:00.002+13:00

hi all,

using the true random draw generator (which i couldnt for the life of me add to my page or copy and paste result!!!) *sigh*

the winner is

#19 which was the lovely ...

Meg who said "oh very cool, thanks for the giveaway"

i will email u and get it in the post!

review and giveaway "borne naked liners"

2010-10-18T10:45:00.010+13:00

hi everyone! yes indeed i am also reviewing and giving away a Born Naked Liner for your handbag!! this elegant bag liner is for making bags more organised and easier to transfer items to other bags so where ever you go you have your essentials with you.

my bag everyday bag (as i use it the most)...smiling on the outside, sad from disorganisation on the inside
lets take a peek...

if i need to find these items i have to fish around blindly through my bag

a-nnoy-ing!!

(ahem...yes that is an unpaid parking ticket)

lets welcome...

*cue heavenly music*

the borne naked liner

comes in 3 sizes S, M, and L

im using the M

results...

everything fits! nappies and wipes fit perfectly (large size nappies too!)

lets look in the bag now!

fantastic!

this liner is great because when i change bags i can just grab out the liner full of my essentials and chuck it in a evening bag, gym bag, nappybag, handbag, suitcase or whatever im using!

i think this would also make a great to keep bathroom items in as its easy to clean.

go to www.BorneNaked.com and check these out!

soooo if you want one leave a comment and your email address i will do a random draw on the 1st november and will post anywhere in the world.

dont forget to check out KIWI MUMMY BLOGS the other blogs doing this review and enter their giveaways also as these liners can be used for many things or you could re-gift for xmas.

free styling for the first time...

2010-10-14T12:37:00.003+13:00

i made this headband cos im bored with the blankets at the mo...i didnt use a pattern just went for it, i re-started it a couple of times as the side were uneven...so dont look to close. i have to say u learn a lot just going for it, lol.

its way to thick for summer but its still windy here in nz and she can wear it next winter.

modelled by miss'e and a marmite sandwich :)

i have some friends having babies so have made some newborn hats all in single crochet, the girl one looks soooo small!! im not sure that it will fit a normal size newborn, her baby girl will most probably have a doll one day so im sure it wont go to waste.

crochet carpet/mat

2010-10-12T14:11:00.004+13:00

at whitcoulls (on sale for $20) i found a book called Knitting (baubles,scarves,cushions and more to knit and crochet) it is a made in france book. the author/artist is Hikaru Noguchi

this is called crocheted carpet

i didnt use 100% pure wool, but if u do and wash it and it turns to felt it just looks amazing!really fun to make, uses chunky wool so not that long to make, which is a bonus for someone like me who is not patient!!

i am going to get a white waffle duvet cover for the bed is miss e's room and have it on top, i may slowly add extra rings as its a double bed.
i would love to post the pattern but am not sure if am allowed due to copywrite of book?

i also won a caterpillar suit on facebook from a store in aussie called DNK store, altho its called "rambo (rainbow) bug" suit in our house!

slowly growing...for my mum for xmas

im naughty and have been neglecting this blanket, this one is taking ages but i still have a few months till miss e's 1st b'day...

link ur stuff...@ annemarie's

2010-10-02T13:45:00.003+13:00

theres some linking going on over at annemarie's breiblog, i linked up and had a good nosey at others craftiness...check it out ;)

enjoy ur weekend

finished crochet pillow

2010-09-29T14:15:00.010+13:00

finished pillow a while ago but have had sick kids so alas no time to blog, i also managed to turn 30, eeeek. not sure how i feel about that at the mo, have decided to turn 35 twice if i can get away with it! lol the back is just a big granny square

miss'e in a vintage inspired "run scotty run" top, thanks Lacey!! i worked in a swanky childrens store before i had babies and fell hard for , fred bare, rsr, gumboots, mini haha, hum, thunderwear and more. luckily i brought some key pieces (and half the stock) when the shop closed down (bargains galore) so have some nice things for my babies, and to pass on to friends kids when im done.

crochet pillow cover...

2010-09-22T10:28:00.008+12:00

working on my first cushion cover and came up with this...

just have to do the back now
(the pattern for the center of square here from Annemarie's Breiblog i did the outside a bit different but it looks the same)

still working on miss e's blanket so its all about lots of circles!!

hope everyone out in the blog'sphere is great ;)

my babies...

2010-09-16T20:03:00.003+12:00

Cadi over at Chocolate Fishies (formerly MaeheGirl) has a new addition to her beautiful family and it has made me all gooey over newborns, so here are my to bubs at the same age.

double crochet hat...EASY!!

2010-09-08T21:47:00.003+12:00

tried my first crochet hat in the weekend, it wasnt to good, so i sucked it up and had another go with a stripe one for master j and it looked way better...only thing is the stripes dont match up cause its a spiral not seperate rounds..oh well the wee wild man looves it so much he sleeps in it!

miss e keeps taking hers off and trying to eat it!!!

but i managed a blurry shot...

master j call it his"pompom ball hat"

he was watching me like a hawk waiting for me to finish his new hat, that when it was done so was he!!!!!

yes those eyelashes are for real!!!

granny stripe..yay ive started..

2010-09-01T21:51:00.006+12:00

here is the beginning of the granny stripe blanket...its not perfect as its not even at the sides and not totally straight...but im hoping with a border it will look better...

i found the pattern at attic24...i know you crocheters have been to that amazing blog, and if u havent...GO NOW...and take a look

attic24 link here

cute crochet...

2010-08-30T19:26:00.004+12:00

how cute are these wee crochet balls threaded together, check out this awesome blog called "easy" to get the pattern

here...

so will miss e like it ????

yippee!!

and yes those cheeks are just delicous to smooch..

crochet...

2010-08-27T08:56:00.007+12:00

this bad boy is a xmas gift for my mum " a granny for a granny", i want to make it quite big so i will be working on this hard out till xmas, i still have to finish miss e's blanket too as shes one about 2wks after xmas...i will be busy!!

1st b'day crochet blanket...

2010-08-17T08:52:00.005+12:00

hopefully will look something like this...

from here

my little poppet needs something speesh for her 1st bday as we havent really bought her new things as she is quite content playing with her older brothers bits and bobs....and since we moved and left our wonderful friends with their funky kids behind,i dont throw the full on b'day parties coz all the sprogs are so young and the travel is a pain, its a mission for peeps to get here!! so my wee choomba will get a blanket from me, above is what im working on....

i found this circle in a square granny pattern really useful from a great blog, Quarterofaninch!

master j and wee miss e...

2010-08-05T21:52:00.002+12:00

my rascals....oh and i gained back that kilo!!!! so im now getting more determined to lose this weight.

crochet flower garland...

2010-08-01T20:57:00.002+12:00

after making master j's circle bunting i thought id better make wee miss e something special too! i think i could sell these maybe...

circle bunting...

2010-07-30T16:15:00.005+12:00

shades of blues, greens and the odd purple to match master j's decor.

so easy peasy

crochet the circles
crochet a chain
sew circles to chain

WEIGH IN....lost 1 measly kilo, i have no patience!!! better than a gain i suppose blah blah.

hope everyone out there arent to bogged down with winter bugs!

friday fun!!

2010-07-23T14:57:00.004+12:00

this is my ratbag "working out" on his new favourite plaything!

weigh in and crochet...

2010-07-21T13:41:00.003+12:00

....and a bit of knitting...

ive started 3 blankets cos i kept picturing different colour combinations and just HAVE to try them out!!

WEIGH IN......

no excuse ive been sick this week and have eaten terribly havent lost but havent gained.

this is what i need to work on....

drinking more water
take iron supplements
get better/more sleep
eat 5+ fruit and veges daily
stop comfort eating cos im bored
stop giving wee master j comfort food if hes hurt or to bribe him
keep food journal

if i can concentrate and start some of these this week, then i can look to excersize...i did buy some brown lentils!!

wednesday weigh in...

2010-07-14T21:03:00.003+12:00

healthy food from now on my little chef...

...miss e covered in pumpkin...

right enough is enough! im going to be weighing myself every wednesday and posting how much weight i have/or havent lost. this should hold me accountable for what i stick in thy gob!! my first goal is to lose 7 kilos as that is how much i have put on since giving birth to wee choomba 6.5months ago. then i still have the rest!!!! i find it hard sticking to any programmes being at home with the two kids but if i have to front up and report in i should make better progress...plus elmo will post and keep me motivated...

winter woollen hat

2010-07-09T20:21:00.002+12:00

miss e is still growing hard out!! so i found a picture of a hat i liked and copied it by incorperating a few different patterns and this is what emerged...

am happy with the crown it came together nicely.

i crocheted it together on the inside and it was sooo much tidier than my last few hats for the sprogs.... it looks better on than off.

mini crochet bunting..really cute...

2010-07-06T21:06:00.003+12:00

made this for fun, would look better up on the wall...used up some scraps of wool..wouldnt one be cute in a nursery!! a longer one in certain colours to complement a nursery theme...
i have made 2 different sizes cause some wool was thicker than the other. if a certain person who is having a baby in dec and already has a cute son would like me to create her one when she finds out whats shes having i promise to make all squares the same size.
sorry photos arent great..im hating my stupid camera..i miss my old one who understood me...sigh...

miss e's blanket...

2010-07-01T19:58:00.004+12:00

i kept changing my mind about the colours, i guess i havent made it babyish more toddler girl, the photo isnt that great, the colours are actually quite vibrant, these are the first four squares, i did do smaller ones but again changed my mind at the last minute!!

these little mini squares might become a bunting, these are a bit fiddly but still fun.

crochet...finally i can!!!

2010-06-26T09:05:00.000+12:00

yes i did it, after a week of shocking attempts this emerged last night while watching Glee!

Miss e and Master J's dad was very impressed after my week of me whining about how i was never gonna "get it"...
Thanx for the motivation Paisley Jade and Little Ted Canvas!!!
(Paisley Jade button on left side, tried to put up link to Little Ted Canvas
http://littletedcanvas.blogspot.com/ , but am terrible with technology will this work???)

this is my practice square...it will turn into a blanket. im off to see the all blacks in hamilton today so will stop and get some wool to make a girly blanket for miss e!

Also great giveaway at Works in Progress
again i tried a link but ARGHHHH, so click on the kiwi mummys blog button, find her on the bottom of the blog roll and click to see the AMAZING quilt she has to giveaway and enter!!

still knitting...

2010-06-20T18:31:00.000+12:00

after being out and about friday night we stayed at home this wkend, so miss e got some easy peasy slipper socks....dont look to close i cant sew up seams very well, eeek the fronts look terrible! sooo i will make her a new pair this week a bit bigger,i didnt realise how big her feet had gotten.

good they dont come off!!!

emersons new hat...

2010-06-16T14:53:00.000+12:00

man she is growing like a weed....so had to knit her a bigger hat and this one wont last long either! made one mistake so dont look too close!! bought the book "knitting" its a made in france book and really cool, they are on sale at whitcoulls for $20 down from $43.99!!

where did the weekend go???

2010-06-14T21:18:00.000+12:00

its horrible when kids are sick its so hard out i feel like we havent had a weekend and i feel like ive done nothing around the house. then at night when the kids are finally asleep i cant be bothered trying to catch up!! so i started embroidering a russian doll pillow/soft toy, its a kit with good details and uses 4 different stitches...good to start and learn with!!

revamp a lamp...

2010-06-11T13:04:00.000+12:00

free lamp from my friend who was trying to get rid of it, i have seen similar for $3-$6 from opp shops.

just a quick sanding as its gonna end up looking antiquey anyway...

i use a gold or brown over old painted things so a wood colour comes through when its sanded at the end, this paint has a metallic look to it...it was all i had at the time but it works..

again i only had metallic black paint but its all good...

this is all hand painted, next time im gonna spray paint just to see the difference...

lampshade from freedom furniture on sale for $14, matches the bunting in miss e's room

didnt take long, longest part is waiting for coats of paint to dry.

hats for winter, easy patterns!!

2010-06-07T16:11:00.000+12:00

a head band in rib stitch, "anyone for tennis?"

a square hat, knit a sqaure and sew it up at the sides,

this one was slightly harder, i looked on u-tube on how to increase and decrease and its EASY!
its for miss e's brother but hes camera shy...

if anyone wants the patterns im happy to share :)

im a beginner so easy projects...

kinda liking printing trays...

2010-06-01T15:24:00.000+12:00

image from completely- coastal.com

image from bytheseajewellery

image from completely-coastal.com

my tray im filling with knick knacks...yep my cell-phone so i dont lose it again!

oops photo sideways!! loved this wee bookcase from freedom...now if you watch shortland street TK has one by his front door!

my obsession...wooden furniture

2010-05-26T18:40:00.000+12:00

this was an old double school desk i scored for free from my friend when she moved house, i ...

sanded
painted white and let dry
painted on crackle paint and let dry
painted on colour and let dry...then it crackled
sanded edges and roughed up with electric sander

i didnt use a paint sprayer i used a small roller and a brush, but the finish still looks good.

...now what to do with this one, i was thinking of painting it black and reupholstering the seat

do i do the distressed look or just leave it?????

learning to knit part 2...

2010-05-24T16:59:00.000+12:00

ok, this odd looking thing is my attempt at a soft toy, no increasing or decreasing in stitches, just casting on and off. poor thing does not have a face yet! i used really soft bamboo wool which was hard to knit as the strands kept seperating, just stuffed and blanket stitched up, made it for miss e but master j took a liking to it which surprised me cause he HATES soft toys!!

have attempted crochet and it turned out rottenly...will try again soon. i finally purchased a spray gun so will post results of my wooden furntiure projects.

easy friday...

2010-05-21T19:36:00.000+12:00

its friday, an easy day at home with the kids, J is getting more excited as his baby sister E is growing like a weed...oh the games they will play and the fun times they will have together when she is a bit older and bigger!!!!

i want these....

2010-05-19T11:07:00.000+12:00

i think these are really cool..plus educational...
a neat set of drawers for bits and bobs

images from thejuiceboxx

the letter "e"

2010-05-16T19:57:00.000+12:00

Jesse's Snuggly, love mummy xxoo

2010-05-12T19:49:00.000+12:00

i wish i was a photographer...

2010-05-08T21:43:00.001+12:00

A temple in Thailand has this gold pattern all over its walls

(it is stunning!)

My old cat who has since passed "durhi"

An old truck that was sitting on the side of the road...

An old monk who knew i was taking this photo and was not impressed, they dont like to look at females

(so i was told)...

2010-05-06T16:37:00.001+12:00

and a little fabric waits...

Fabric below is from Stichbird Fabrics (http://www.stitchbirdfabrics.co.nz/) this is my favourite fabric ever, not to sure what it is going to become, i was going to make european pillowcases...

stitchbird also sells a great range of Saffron Craig fabric, its to die for..check out her blog http://www.stitchbird.blogspot.com/ to see a beautiful quilt she has made from it..

This i purchased from a design store in town, Lakeside Furnishings. i am in the process of reupholstering the seat of an old kitchen chair and have left overs, might do up an old lamp and re-cover a huge lampshade or make big pillows ???

this fabric i was wanting to make a bird moble for my baby girls room, except i cant sew so i will have to wait till i can...i have my mums sewing machine but need to learn first...

There is a great giveaway at http://www.everyspareminute.blogspot.com/, very cool site.

now to actually start making stuff!!!

learning to knit...

2010-05-05T20:02:00.000+12:00

i decided to teach myself to knit, i learnt when i was really young but had forgotten, i didnt just want to knit randomly so i thought i would make a patchwork kind of blanket... eek!! i made sure all the colours were of the same browns, greys and blue tones, however i do want the blanket to look thrown together, like an orphans blanket from the movies ...

my son has had loads of fun playing with the squares...they were all over the lounge, now they are popping up everywhere thanks to a wee boy and his dump truck...

this is where im at...im getting nervous about sewing it together...i will have to google it so i know how to do it....

1st entry...

2010-05-03T15:21:00.000+12:00

My 1st pic..my daughter (and second child).

Being at home with my kids is very rewarding, however i feel i need a kind of outlet, somewhere to share (or not) my hobbies, thoughts, images and ideas with the world (or just myself).