Plum Dandi Knits: Simple Designs for Luxury Yarns, by by Alicia Plummer and Melissa Schaschwary

Format: e-ARC, 128 pages

Publisher: Interweave

Published: November 30, 2017

ISBN: 9781632505941

Genre: Crafts & Hobbies, Non-Fiction (Adult)

Back cover blurb: Polished knits. Plush yarns. Perfect match.

Sometimes nature’s most beautiful details are the perfect inspiration for creating simple yet luxurious knits. In Plum Dandi Knits, Alicia Plummer and Melissa Schaschwary–designers, friends, and leaders of the much-love Plum Dandi group on Ravelry–bring you 23 projects that reflect and react to the natural world with a sumptuous twist of plush fibers, feminine accents, and stylish comfort.Lace that mimics soft forest foliage or the numerous tassels of a pine tree. Textured patterns that call to mind a babbling brook or waterfall. Thick wool shawls and sweaters knit in anticipation of blustery cold days ahead. The uncomplicated pieces in this collection, knit in soft, luxe yarns, are soothing complements to slowing down and settling into peaceful moments. Wherever you seek stillness and calm, Plum Dandi Knits will help take you there.

My review: Gorgeous collection of snuggly warm patterns. The photography is wonderful, the patterns look clear, and I have almost all of them in my knitting queue to try. There are also handy hints at the back of the book with drawings for different cast-ons and other techniques. Highly recommended.

***Disclaimer: This e-ARC was provided to me by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Huge thanks to them. ***

My rating: 5/5

Amazon

The One Lovely Blog Award

I cannot tell you how amazed I am that the lovely Tamie from Bookish Temptations has nominated me for The One Lovely Blog Award! I can’t believe it – I feel like Sally Field at the Oscars (dating myself now, lol)!

In accepting this award, it is my pleasure to complete the following:

1. Link back to the blogger who nominated you (tick)
2. Post the blog award image on your page (tick)
3. Tell 7 facts about yourself (see below *blush*)
4. Nominate other blogs and let the nominees know they been chosen (tick).

So I guess I have to let you know some of my deep, dark secrets…

1. Robert Pattinson changed my life. If it hadn’t been for the late lamented RAoR I wouldn’t have this blog. Or be on Twitter, Tumblr, GoodReads… anywhere online! I wouldn’t have my great new job or so many wonderful friends all over the world. So thank you, Rob 😉

GQ Rob – my kryptonite *sigh*

2. I’ve been to only two places in the United States: LA and Hawaii. But I have been to Hawaii three times, and have been to Oahu, Maui and the Big Island. I’ve also been to Australia several times, and stopped over in Fiji once (the airport had enormous cockroaches! *shudder* #notkeentogoback #notafanofmilitaryregimesanyway)

3. I can play the clarinet.

4. I regret not being nicer to the boy I learned clarinet with – he is now VERY important at a VERY big international company and has a VERY nice penthouse in New York. If I had been a better friend maybe he’d invite me to visit… 🙂

5. I used to sell children’s books by party plan – like Tupperware parties – but I never made any money because I bought more for myself than I sold!

6. I have a whole bookshelf devoted to cookbooks.

7. My favourite colour is purple.

I’d like to nominate two other blogs for this award:

Cosmopolis – The Movie Fansite and The Book Hookup. I love the girls who run both these sites, and am honoured to call them my friends. Check them out – they are hard-working and fabulous!

Thank you again, Tamie, so much for my nomination! You are just made of awesome! *mwah!*

 

Brilliant photos from my part of the world 🙂

Brilliant photos from my part of the world 🙂

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Cupcakes are pure win!

Cupcakes are so pretty, sometimes too pretty to even eat. Over on Tumblr, there are some amazing pics that I want to share.

Fashionable

Gorgeous

Sporty

So dainty

Photos courtesy of http://cupcakesoftheday.tumblr.com/

Things of Beauty: In My Garden

This time of year – Spring here in New Zealand – my garden is coming to life with colour, cheering me up after a very wet Winter. With Spring, though, comes a bit more rain and lots of wind, so before everything got too battered I went out and took some photos.

One of my unusual peach-coloured daffodils

The wind's had a go at my early tulips, but I love how they look inside

Pure white azalea

Our camellias have been really pretty this year

My first proper attempt at embedding some music

I have just discovered SoundCloud, and this is so freakin’ easy! It’s just cutting and pasting, rather than fannying about with the complicated WordPress music file embedder thingy which never seems to work for me.

Here’s one of my favourite Kiwi songs, Message to My Girl by Split Enz.

In these shoes…?

I love pretty shoes. My bank account does not. This is often a problem, but right now I am making a concerted effort to save up for a pair of these babies.

$NZ220 from Mi Piaci

I fear they will be gone from the shop before I can afford them, so maybe I should settle for these. Chocolate always makes me feel better 🙂

Chocolate shoes = WIN!

Now for a little music to go with this post. RIP Kirsty.

In These Shoes by Kirsty MacColl

You Can’t Beat Wellington On A Good Day

Today is allegedly the first day of Spring, and my city – Wellington, New Zealand – has turned on a beautiful day to prove it.

My view of Wellington Harbour at 9am Wednesday, September 1, 2010

My view to the south of Cook Strait - dead calm for once 😉

Here’s hoping for a brilliant Spring!