So, I've been a bit busy...

Yes, I know it has been ages since I have written anything for this blog - almost 3 months! I thought it was high time to check back in and catch you up on what I have been up to (and maybe this will be the start of more regular blog posts! Although that is what I thought last time...)

The main reason I haven't posted anything here in a while is because I am working 3 (yes, THREE) jobs outside the home. Since January, I have been working three days a week as a secretary in a music department in a school here in Sydney. Then, in July, I was asked to teach a class in music and philosophy at one of the universities - for the term that started at the end of July! I am a "casual academic" (the Australian term for adjunct), and I have one lecture and lead three tutorials (the Australian version of recitation/labs/discussion sections) - and this all happens in one day (yes, it is a long day). But I LOVE it - I have 75 students and things have been going really well. A couple weeks after I started teaching, I was hired to be a research assistant (official title: "Research Officer" - it sounds like a carry a badge!) for one of the professors at this same university. So I have been doing that as well. And of course this is on top of being a mama and doing things "normal" mama things.

So, yes, I guess you could say that I've been busy.

But since knitting/crocheting is my "outlet," I have managed to find time to continue doing that as well. And it helps that I have a long commute (1 hour and 15 min one way) to my teaching gig. So, here are some of my more recent projects...

I have made two versions of this snake for birthday presents for two of Vincent's preschool friends. This is the BEST snake pattern and is adapted from this pattern from The Purl Bee (there are so many amazing patterns on this website - all for free! Check out this octopus, these hedgehogs, and this adorable sheep pillow)

I made this cute owl lovey for a co-worker who is having a baby in a few weeks. It is from this pattern from Stitch 11 (I really like her patterns, too. You may remember the crown I made for Vincent. I have also made her flower pattern as gifts for Mother's Day.)

This year, daycare is putting together a team for our local Relay for Life. Last year, I made these koalas for the fund raising raffle. This year, I asked Vincent to help me pick out something to make. He picked this monster and also picked out the colors. Meet "Cecil, the Computer Monster" from Rebecca Danger's Big Book of Knitted Monsters. I have made three or four monsters from this book - pretty mindless knitting, but the end result is so cute!

And I made this snake for Desmond's second birthday. It is from Susan B. Anderson's Itty Bitty Toys. This is my main "go-to" toy pattern book - I have made several of the toys in this book (koala, wrap-me up puppies, lion/elephant, doll, plus a couple other ones I don't have links for). This snake was easy and used up some leftover sock yarn I had lying around. Desmond seems to really like it as well!

I'm not sure what to work on next. I have started working on my Christmas presents list. But I was also thinking of maybe making something for myself (gasp!) But for course, as soon as I get started on something for myself, I'm sure Vincent will come to me and say, "Mama, can you please make me a [fill in the blank]." It will likely be something like this or this or this.