New Things

Nothing finished since the exhibition went up, I have been madly nesting postponed knitting projects over the last couple of weeks and now have about 6 on the go at once. The exhibition has been going well, I have had lots of positive feedback and even made the front page of the local newspaper.

I had a birthday along the way and scored some lovely things. Mum made me a mosaic house number, which she and Greg installed when they visited for the exhibition opening. It is beautiful, although you can't really see the details in this picture.

Greg came home with this fabulous metal mermaid who has made a home in the garden.

Scott found this amazing Victorian watch fob, apparently you clip it to your pocket and attach a little upside down watch to the chain (like a nurses watch). It is hard to see the detail here but it has a little goblin like bulldog face on it.

Until I make myself a steampunk waistcoat with a fob pocket it is living on my hat.

Tonia gave me an original zombie picture which I love, she also bought be a completely cool bear plate but I forgot to take a picture so it will have to come later.

Plus on Saturday we were in the Silver Compaq (the coolest second hand shop ever) and we found this:

Looks kind of ordinary but wait till you see inside:

The most fabulous 1960's Italian picnic set ever (it even still has the stickers on the base of the glasses). Of course picnic weather is still a way off but we were unable to resist its modren (as Norbert would say) fabulousness.

I promise by next week I will have finished something - the Wool Leaves rug is drying from blocking as I type so that should be done for sure.

The Stars Have Aligned

It finally happened, the stars aligned the terrible Cthulhu arose and the exhibition opened on Friday night. Foolishly I did not take a picture of the finished Cthuhu before we set up on Wednesday but mum sent me her pictures from the opening night.

If you came along and are reading this thank you so much for all your support, enthusiasm and well wishes. I was so nervous about the whole thing but everyone has been fantastic.

Super extra special thanks have to go to Scott who started the whole mess by asking for an Innsmouth Golliwog, plus he puts up with my obsessive crocheting and always takes brilliant and thoughtful care of me.

Cthulhu Stirs

I really wanted Cthulhu to rise from the deep but he just rolled over mumbled a bit and went back to sleep. I honestly thought I could finish the sculpture this weekend but there is still quite a bit to go. You may wonder what I was doing gallivanting about on a road trip with all this work to do but I promise I was crocheting all the way in the car and in the motel that night.

Road Trip

I cannot remember the last time Scott and I managed to go away anywhere together which made our road trip over the last couple of days extra special. In preparation for our upcoming week in New Zealand we went away for a night to give our excellent friends Wendy and Bevan a chance to practice looking after the terrible two.

We drove up to Bendigo on Good Friday under some of the most fabulous cloudscapes.

Every so often a really heavy squall would come through.

When we got there we went to the Chinese Museum which was full of the most stunning embroidery unfortunately the lighting was too dim to get pictures of most of it but I did manage this one.

We also fed the goldfish in the garden.

We had a fabulous dinner at The Dispensary Enoteca I highly recommend it if you visit, especially the Cucumber Martini and the Gorgonzola Soufflé.

After a not too comfortable night owing to a soggy mattress we had a yummy breakfast of poached eggs and headed off to the Bendigo Woollen Mills. I mail order a lot from them for my monsters but this is the first time I have been to the factory outlet. Needless to say my stash has been enriched and my wallet depleted - now I just have to figure out where to put it all.

Next we went to the chrysanthemum and goat show. I had no idea chrysanthemums were so big some of the flowers were almost as big as my head.

The best bit of course was the goats, they had these beautiful Anglo-Nubian goats with totally amazing colours and spots.

This particular goat loved Scott she put her hooves up on the fence and lent over to give him a big kiss, she was beautiful and we would have smuggled her home in the car if we could.

Then we discovered there is such a thing is a miniature goat - I want one so badly they are adorable. Apparently you can keep them in our area if you get a permit from the council.

Then we went back to the centre of town for lunch and a wander round the art gallery. We drove home the back way via Kinglake and Yarra Glen. All in all a fun journey and the dogs were not too evil while we were gone, although Corto is still in a bit of a sulk.

Time To Catch Up

I know I have been missing for a bit but I have been working away on monsters. Cthulhu is the last large monster for the exhibition and I am probably about a third of the way there.

He is going to be bigger than I thought.

I have also done a bear making class with Linda Benson which was lots of fun. I haven't made bears for ages but I learnt some wonderful techniques which I hope to apply to some of my other work. I have not quite finished due to monster time pressures but it is very cute so far.

I learnt so many cool things about making leather noses, and eyelids and paws and open mouths.

Other than that have had my Aunt and her friend visit or a couple of days which was lots of fun.

We are going to Bendigo for a night at Easter to visit the Woollen Mills and see the Chrysanthemum and Goat show (an odd combination I just just hope none of the goats get out and eat the flowers).

But mostly I will be crocheting Cthulhu.

Sunday Shoggoth Frenzy

Yay, four out of five big monsters are now finished for the exhibition, last one is the big crouching Cthulhu for which I have had some ambitious ideas that I hope I can pull off in the time left.

Monster number four is the Shoggoth, particularly amorphous in its written descriptions (other than driving sane men mad as is par for the course with Lovecraft beasties). My interpretation has 13 eyes on stalks and 13 eye/maw thingies and is otherwise kind of slug like. I think it is kind if sweet and cuddly.

Here are this weeks sock creatures:

The antlers were a bit of an experiment but I think they came out well.

Tuesday Shelf Frenzy

How amazingly beautiful is this. There are lots more pictures here.

I have wanted to see lava for real ever since I was little, maybe one day.

Some new sock monsters for the market - mostly gone now as I had quite a good day on Saturday.

No new monsters but I made a shelf for Ithaqua which hopefully will work for the exhibition.