Monday 11 May 2015

I've been busy!!!!



Hi everyone!!!!


Oh, boy, can it be that a month and a half has passed since I last did a post??!!!!  But believe me I've been busy!!!  So many times in the past I have said that I want to share with you what I'm busy with when I'm absent from Blogland, and finally now I have taken lots of photo's of projects, other than card making, that I enjoy doing.  Be warned - this is going to be a picture heavy post!!!!  (Apologies for the bad quality of some of these pics!!)


A lot of you will know that I love to knit and crochet so I'm starting off sharing some pics of knitted and crocheted articles.  Some of these are projects I've done in the past and some others I'm still busy with.
These are sweaters I've knitted for the boys.  The top left one I've knitted a month ago and it has taken me six days to complete - I've been a very keen knitter since my school days so I knit very fast after all these years!!!!





These little jerseys I've knitted for charity.  Whenever I've got the time I love to do my bit for charity.
It has to be mailed to Cape Town during the coming week and I'm hoping to do another one before I mail it.






In the line of crochet I'm busy with three blankets at the moment:


This one is for one of my nieces and it's close to finish at this stage.  I've started with it in June last year - it will be big enough for a queen size bed when completed which will hopefully be within a very short time.









This is another charity project - will be the size of a single bed when completed:

 
 
 
 And I love to crochet granny squares so I had to start with a granny square blanket, too!!!!  These will be joined with many others that need to be crocheted still, to cover a queen size bed.  This will also go to a niece of mine.

 
 
 
A big project that has kept me quite busy three weeks ago was these slipcovers I have made for my dining room chairs.  As much as I love burlap, I hate to work with it, but I'm quite happy with the end result.  I've made the little cushions on the chairs, too and done the tablecloth and the overlay with embroidered protea's and pincushions on it.
 
 
 
 
 
 I made some burlap curtains and white roman blinds for the lounge.  I still need to do the tiebacks.  I'm going to use the rope in the pictures, for the tiebacks and I'm going to add burlap and white roses and maybe some raffia.  I know what I want to do, just have to figure how to do it now!!!!!










And now for some smaller projects:
 
I've painted these jars on the inside with white paint.  The little wooden tiles I got at a local stationary shop and I've tied the letters to the jars using some of the twine I use on my cards!!!  The letters spell our surname (Swart) and are the first letters of our names (B,P,T,A).  These jars are on a shelf at the top of the fridge.  And, yes, I still need to make a few paper flowers to put in each jar.

 

 
 


 
  
And look what I've made from air-dry clay, to decorate my fridge:
I think I've got the coolest fridge in the whole of George!!!!!
(Need to make 2 more paper flowers!!)
 





After being frustrated so many times to find my kitchen utensils in an overloaded drawer, my son and I made this  - makes life much easier in the kitchen!!!!!




A cushion:



...and these still need to be put against the wall:




...and this is hanging on the inside of the front door:




Two glass vases I've dressed up with brown paper bags and some burlap and fabric roses:



These I've crocheted for myself, but I have done a few for other people as well:



Some knitted and crocheted cushions on our bed:


 
 
 
These are mason jars dressed up with burlap bags I made:
 



And I love to do this:  flowers in wellies!!!!   There's a small jar in each of the boots to hold the flowers.   (The boots are meant to be so dirty!!!!!) 

 
 
 
 
Some mason jars and banners in the kitchen:





...a mobile - added some Cuttlebug butterflies cut from old book pages!!!

 
 
A crocheted rug:
 
 
 
 
Like a lot of card-makers do, I, too, love to do scrapbooking!!!
Here's a few of my favourite pages I've made recently and in the past (there are many more, but I'll stick to these):
 

 









I love to do mini albums and I'm busy with one I doing with our wedding photos.
 
Oops - can't upload any more photo's to this post!! 
 
And then of cause a mom has to spend some time in the kitchen, too!!!  The boys had their autumn break from school in the beginning of April and I decided to spoil them with some goodies from the kitchen!!!  How do you like Wild Boar Pie with seasonal vegetables, Breakfast scones with bacon and gruyere cheese, served with green fig preserve, Venison meatballs, and Apple pie with fudge sauce to name a few!!!  Yep, I do love to cook and bake, too!!!  Hubby and my eldest son love to go fishing and my son was lucky enough to catch a lovely fish on one of these outings.  We did the fish in the oven and made a lovely onion, butter, white wine and cream sauce to enjoy with it  (the recipe for the sauce we got from a sjef at a local hotel).  I  made some savoury rice and steamed butter green beans and carrots to go with it and we had a feast!!!!  I've even taken a photo of how I served the fish, but I can't load it - sorry!!!
 
 
For those of you who are still here:  thank you so much for allowing me to share some of my creative world with you!!!!!  I've got some more photo's I would have loved to share, but maybe next time!!!!  So next time I disappear from Blogland, you will know that I'm busy with some creative stuff!!!!  Very often I don't really plan to take a break from Blogland - I just get busy with some other things and end up being carried away with what I'm busy with!!! 
 
 
And now I've got some blogvisits to do and I have a CTS card to share  -  will be back with that shortly!!!  
 
 
Thank you so much for the visit and have a great day!!!
Keep well!!!
 
Kind regards
Petra
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 

19 comments:

Hannelie said...

Vaderland jy is 'n meester met enige iets wat jy aanpak! So bly jy het ons gewys! Jy kan bly wees daai gehekelde handsakke is so ver anders het ek dit wraggies gegaps. Ek is MAL daaroor!
'n Trui in 6 dae... dit wil gedoen wees, jy en my ma sal heerlik saam brei!

My Card Attic: Hazel said...

How on earth, did I manage to miss this, your first post back in a month!! Lovely to see you back my friend! WOW!!! You certainly have been busy, haven't you? What a lot of gorgeous things you have created in your absence from blogland! Your photos are terrific and the picture of you and your family is just adorable! Have a great week! Hazel xx

I Card Everyone said...

I am totally amazed by you, Petra! So many wonderful burlap creations! You've kept very busy making gorgeous things, but selfishly, I'm very happy to have your cards back in blog-land!
=] Michele

Rosemary said...

wow... you have been busy, Petra!! it would take me YEARS to make everything you have made over the last few months! your creativity astonishes me... all your projects are absolutely beautiful!! (i'm now just a little bit tired reading your post, lol!)

Joyce said...

Wow--you have crafty talents all across the board. Thanks for sharing all those photos of your wonderful projects.

Deepti said...

Oh my God! You are so talented, Looking by the variety of project you did, I am amazed. Hats off to you :)

Mynn xx said...

OH my goodness, you HAVE been super busy!!!! WOW--these are all GORGEOUS, Petra! I LOVE seeing these crafty creations! I hope you share more in the future! HUGS! :) Mynn xx

Wanda Cullen said...

I certainly have missed your cards and blog visits, but my oh my...you have been REALLY rocking all your varied creative skills! Thanks so much for sharing your beautiful projects! I have loved sewing home decor in the past. Made all of my valences for my windows, but haven't tackled any long draperies. Love your painted mason jars filled with paper flowers and your pillows are so great in those happy colors! Your cooking descriptions sound heavenly as well! Your knitting is exceptional (so envious as all I've ever knitted was scarves)! I love unique, handmade decor and I'll bet your home is very special. Thanks again for sharing! ((hugs))

Sharon said...

Oh my goodness Petra... You are so freakin' talented it is scary! I LOVE all your beautiful work. Where do you find the time?? I can't point any 1 particular thing as they are all so awesome. Those beautiful jerseys for charity, you still doing those? I think I need to get some wool and a pattern or two as I loved knitting for Kendall when she was small. I just taught her to crochet the other day and she is busy with a poncho for herself. Remember those? Lol take care, big hugs Sharon xx

Pat said...

How multi talented are you Petra and I love your style. Your knitting is beautiful and your crocheted bed covers are gorgeous, but everything you have shown us is so stylish. No wonder you haven't had time to blog recently! x

anja curvers said...

Oke jij bent wel een echte crea bea zeg wow heb met plezier alles bekeken en vind alles prachtig zeg, wow waar haal je de tijd vandaan en de ideeen? OOk leuk om te zien dat je layouts maakt ben ik mee begonnen en zo af en toe vind ik het ook nog leuk om ze te maken. Kaartjes zijn alleen wat handzamer en sneller klaar ( soms).

Sientje said...

Wow this is a very long blogpost ;) but I loved it, You've made such a beautiful things. I can't knit or crochet and when i see al these beauties I wish I could.

stampingbowd said...

Wow Petra!!!! I am in awe! How very crafty you are. Everything is so elegant! I think you are quite amazing!!! Thanks so much for sharing!!!

Big Hugs, friend!

Martha said...

WOW...WOW...Petra, so many wonderful creations! You are amazing!

Amelia Breytenbach said...

Sjoe, Petra jy was omtrent bedrywig! Alles is so pragtig, ek is versot op die kleure wat jy gebruik het. Die proteas in die hessian sakkies is so mooi. Jy moet asseblief weer fotos van jou artikels met ons deel - ek het dit so geniet om na alles te kyk.
Groete,
Amelia

Anita in France said...

Wow, I'm in awe, Petra ... such skill and expertise ... what a fabulous post, so chock full of your wonderful creative talent! Yep, really WOW! Great photo's too of your handsome men! Anita :)

Marika said...

You are so talented. Only 6 days to finish a sweater. I knit sometimes myself and my mom does all kinds of things with yarn but six days. That is not fast, that is like super fast! Loved to see all your project!

Vicki Dutcher said...

WOW! WOW! and WOW! YOU are amazingly talented! I knew you created fabulous cards but GF you ROCK at knitting, crocheting and sewing - dang! Just call me SUPER IMPRESSED :) -- I also loved the fun mason jars and your utensil holder. WOW! You GO GIRL! :)

Cindy Lovell said...

Oh WOW,Petra...you have been crazy busy! And i am looooving everything i see,you are so talented!! I wished my days had more hours...i miss crafting,i mean not cards...but home decorations and so on! I used to love that! Hopefuly one day!! Your projects are all fabulous and your Layouts...you have an amazing scrapping style! And yum...the fresh caught fish with the creamy sauce,now i'm hungry!!!
i am glad though,you are ok,was missing you!!
Thank you for all of your lovely comments today!! :)
Have a wonderful day,
Cindy