here are some pics of Beauregarde in his sweater i made.
He finally got it after weeks -lost inthe post!!!

my secret pal, Farrah is awesome!!!
i got my special package today and it was so exciting and cool!!
everything inside is wonderful!
from the beautiful card - which is so up my alley - art noveau and the red !!! to the yarn -- wonderful red and black chunky wool skeins and a pattern to use the yarn for- caplet ! tres cool!!
AND some really cool BROWNSHEEP sock yarn .....little T sticky pad...hello kitty sticker!!! - -even a stitch holder holder!!! which i definitely needed -as I just have my stitch holders thrown in with my needles.
and magazines -- which i am sooooo excited about-- i had a quick glance and i can't wait to devour them!!!! and ... a wonderful custom made striped knitting bag!!!!!! wow!!!!! it really felt like it was my birthday!!!
i especially liked the little notes that she included -- really wonderful !!
as you can see from the photos -even the box is loved.. by my cats....
THANK YOU SECRET PAL FARRAH - you made my first secret pal experience really wonderful!!!

LEMON YOGURT CAKE

This is a really fast, easy yummy cake!!!!

• 125 g butter
• 1 c sugar
• zest 2 lemons
• 3 eggs
• 1c flour sifted
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 c yogurt

1. pre heat oven 160 C fan forced (325F fan forced or 350 F regualr)
2. Combine butter sugar ,lemon zest - beat in eggs
3. Sift dry ingredients (flour and baking powder) and add
4. lastly mix in yogurt
5. Bake 45-50 minutes
6. SPOON- icing over cooled cake

ICING

Lemon zest and 1 c icing sugar (powdered sugar) and lemon juice.

As you can see, I haven't progress with much as far as my wrap for my Mom, but the color of this yarn is so cool. i don't know if the picture does it justice..it's like green- lavender-y grey.. mohair - merino blend.


The other the project the red knit baby pants with tail from Stitch n Bitch Nation - for little Sage- is progressing slowly- I had to rip it out a few times. The yarn is totally different and needle size is totally different-and i must not have counted when i did my swatch because it was OFF!!
so I am working on those .

and I've gotten totally sidetracked - I am going to make a baby blanket - striped lavender and white - out of that great cashmerino yarn Jonthan got me. I was going to make a baby sweater, but I was thinking i get alot longer use and wear out of a blanket then - 2-3 months from a sweater.... and it seems a waste of beautiful, soft love to touch yarn..
so- i am on a search for a cool - easy-ish, slightly-mindless knitting pattern for a baby blanket.

Looking at these pics, they are funny- i t doesn't look like much progression in a week!!!!

Getting back into the groove of things after Hawai'i and getting back to work and the daily grind has proven tiring .

I'm back in NZ. Hawai'i was super - spent lots of time with family and friends . I really miss it. It was hard to come back to the cold and rain and work. But it was good to see my husband. I can't believe how much I miss the sun and family. I got a little tan so that was good. I ate lots of food that I missed that you can't get here.. not just local food like poke(raw fish) and good sushi but cheese popcorn and Hagan Daaz ice cream.. my new favorite is MAYAN chocolate - chocolate with a swirl of fudge and cinnamon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My Mom really liked the wrap I made for my grandmother , so I am going to the yarn store today! I am also in the middle of casting on a pair of red knit pants for my girlfriend's little munchkin - Sage - she is 5 months old . I am going to make those little red pants with the tail in STitich n bitch NAtion.. they are cute!! I got some really soft wool -bright red yarn. They'll be perfect for fall and winter in Canada.

I 'll post some pics in a few days.