How are you all surviving out there?  It's that time of year where things can get a bit crazy with a million and one end of year functions and Christmas gatherings.  How do you handle the stress?

The school holidays are nearly over, and I've loved every moment of them this year (well, just about).  On Tuesday we will be back into routine, which is nice, but I'm going to miss the slow pace of the holidays, the late nights playing board games with the kids and trips exploring our area.

Love getting mail - I've been waiting for a quiet moment to be able to devour this book!  These girls from A Beautiful Mess are so inspirational.








Check out this lovely cake a lady from our church (Keri) made.  Love the rustic look and colour...






Finally, loving getting into cross stitch again.  This is a Star Wars one - so many awesome patterns available on Etsy now..

Feeling a bit chuffed.

Inside Crochet (a UK crochet Magazine) has a little section of their favourite blogger in each issue, and guess who was their favourite blogger for their April edition (Issue No. 40)??

Me!  Crazy huh?!?

Because we can't get Inside Crochet in New Zealand (as far as I know), I've had to settle with a digital edition via Pocketmags, although a lovely friend who is in England at the moment is trying to hunt me down a hard copy.

Love this magazine - let me know if you have read it before!

I had so much fun making this burger... a bun one night, a slice of onion on another.  It looks almost tasty enough to eat... in a mouth full of wool kind of way.

I found the pattern for this in "Amigurumi - Super Happy Crochet Cute" by Elisabeth A. Doherty, a book full of amazing crochet creations.  I would highly recommend it.

And of course, my hamburger loving son just had to have this for himself (he loves everything relating to food, yet is the fussiest eater in the whole house and pretty much a self-confessed vegetarian!).

Here are a few of the things I am loving at the moment...

Loving my super flash new hair straightener - secretly bought online by my hubby for a super good deal!!  I'm actually starting to wonder if my old one died after all the strange things I used to use it for (see here).


Loving my new crochet hook - it's even my favourite colour!!


Loving free glasses for hubby thanks to Clearly Contacts NZ - they gave away 10,000 free pairs of glasses within 2 days!  Please note: this is the 'forced to pose for blogging wife' look.  Very similar to this one actually.


Cracking up when going on Doggelganger (the kids forced me to... honest!) that I was matched up with a Staffy!  Looks like me and Boo really are a good match.


Loving the fact that messes aren't permanent and can be cleaned up.  I'd like to introduce you to the exploding packet of cocoa and the exploding bedroom...



Loving wafer sticks!  Totally love these crunchy wafer treats... they are dangerously delicious.


Link ♥... 
Loving the World's Best Sewing Tutorials, 101 Pretty Free Printables, and 101 Sewing Tutorials. Also loving all the inspiring and moving stories being posted lately by my blogging buddies... Neetz, Arna and Jaz - you guys are inspiring and such precious people!!

Here's how you can join in....

Link up below with your blog post telling us what thing/s you are loving, and don't forget to link back to here in your post (or use this button below) and visit the others who have joined in too. Linky open until Sunday!!

I am loving the Christmas holidays!  To be honest, there have been quite a few moments where we would have loved to send our kids right back to school, but apart from those moments, some great memories have been made.

Surprisingly, there have also been a few 'makings' happening in amongst it all...

Two Christmas stockings for the boys (I made these for the girls two years ago).  I found two very cheap felt stockings and made two cute gingerbread men from Twinkie's book to sew onto them and also added a felt letter for each of the guys names.   

A few more amigurami cupcakes have been added to the shop...

and a black crochet phone cover for Symon's new (free) phone...

Four more sleeps until Christmas!

For more makings click here.