Dolls houses and easter

Easter came and went very quickly this year. "It was late this year" people kept saying - as their tired children struggled through a very long school term. But life in our house is yet to be run according to school bells and semesters - so we pottered on in our own time.

Lola had 3 separate easter egg hunts, and last years Bunny basket was put to very good use (blogged about back here).  We spent the easter weekend visiting with family and just slowing down a bit..

But the weeks preceeding Easter were filled with a project. I found a dolls house at the Rocklea discovery markets one Saturday, and paid a sweet $25 for it (found out later it's actually 'Hanna Montanas Malibu Beach house).  It came complete with 2 naked barbies, rooms full of tacky furniture, some stained flooring, and a thick layer of dirt and dust all over it.. Here is a before photo of the dolls house in all it's 'hideous' glory:

But I knew it would be gorgeous with a bit of new flooring and a good clean. So it got the following makeover:

- a nice hot bath in warm, soapy water and a few days in the sun to dry
- new wallpaper (scrapbook paper stuck to the walls with double sided tape)
- new flooring which was just simple contact from kmart (thanks for the idea Belinda). Looks great but was a helluva job to cut and stick down :)
- I tossed half the homewares and only kept the good stuff.
- I made a few soft homefurnishings for the house (a quilt like lola's)
- and I made barbie a new outfit for the grand unveiling (a girls gotta look good right?)

And I think Lola loved it

Could I be a knitter?

Or am I better off trying to get good at one thing (such as sewing), before I start trying to knit? I am surrounded by very talented knitters (my best crafty bud, my nana and my mother in law are all fantastic knitters) and I do love the feel of wool in my hands. Is that enough? 

I recently visited Tangled Yarns knitting store in Newstead, and saw so many beautiful creations and the softest wools (all creations can be found on their Ravelry page).  I really was inspired. My mother in law and I jumped on Ravelry when we got home and made a purchase.  Lily is going to knit this gorgeous creation for Lola.

The designer is Georgie Hallam and the image is copied from Tangled Yarns ravelry page

And now I can't stop finding (and buying) more gorgeous patterns from Ravelry.

I LOVE this blanket made by Kelly Kingston (which is on display in the Tangled Yarns store)

image copied from here

And tonight I have found my favourite shawl ever, and of course had to buy the pattern :) It's by Carina Spencer and it's called Whippoorwill

image copied from here

It looks like one of those beautiful items of clothing that can be worn a myriad of ways.  I'm not sure yet whether I will attempt it myself, or if I could give my wonderful mother in law 'one more' project? (I will blog soon about the beautiful barbie clothes she has been making for me).  It says it's a project for an 'advanced beginner' - which makes no sense to me.. wouldn't you be one or the other? but not both? I can do a knit stitch and purl stitch, and that's it. I'll take a look at the pattern though, consult the experts, and hopefully be in possession of this beautiful shawl/wrap someday soon. maybe it will be my first creation :)