BOO!
On My Mind...
...it's time to start making ginger beer...
and how on earth did it get to be the end of September already!
Pretty
Can't tell you how pretty the front garden smells right now
and what a lovely place it is to sit with a cup of tea and my thoughts.
I have changed a few things about how I sell my dolls.
If you are interested you can read about it on my dolly blog
the clock has stopped...
Usually I wake on Monday morning refreshed and ready for a new week but last night, well very early this morning I woke, uncomfortable and unsettled.
The sun is getting up very early at the moment so I wake with the predawn and listen to the birds begin their day.
It gave me time to think about the day and week ahead and what I would like to achieve this week but an extra hour of sleep would have been better.
Daylight savings starts soon so then I will again be in tune with the sun.
Now it's time to wake the household ready for their new week and after they have all gone to school and work I think I will ease myself into this new week, take some time to enjoy the garden and think about the time between now and Christmas, always such a busy season.
Lots of changes coming up with Andy preparing to leave home, Louis home for holidays, Kate constantly changing and growing and forcing us to move with her.
Ah life, always something different even when it looks the same.
Can't stop the clock.
Can't stop the clock.
Australian Classic
Remember this?
Seven Little Australians.
Meg ( Margaret)
Pip ( Phillip)
Judy ( Helen)
Nell ( Elinor)
Bunty ( John)
Baby ( Winifred)
The General ( Francis)
written in 1894 by Ethel Turner
Knitwit am I
Do you knit?
Do you love to knit?
Do you love the yarn, almost always natural fibres for me?
Do you love the needles?
Do you love the colours, the rhythms, the patterns, the sounds, the feel, the smells?
Do you love to measure time in rows or pattern repeats?
Do you love to organise your stash of yarn, of patterns, of needles?
Do you take knitting with you when you go on a long trip, on a picnic, when you visit your Mum?
Do you like seeing things you have knitted?
Do you like planning new projects?
Do you admire other people's knitting and notice people who wear handknits?
Do you watch out for hand knits in TV programmes and movies?
Do you sometimes watch something more than once because of the lovely knitwear?
Do you watch out for hand knits in TV programmes and movies?
Do you sometimes watch something more than once because of the lovely knitwear?
Do you still have things that you knitted long ago?
Do you remember what you were knitting at important times in your life?
Do you wish you had an extra set of hands so you could make all the things you want to?
Do you like trying out interesting new stitch patterns?
Do you collect knitting patterns or books or vintage patterns?
Oh yes indeedy!
but this weekend I can't knit properly because of a not serious cut on my thumb and it made me think about how much I would miss knitting if it was something I could no longer do.
On my mind today...
...thinking about how very strange this on line world can be
and that it is so much better to live most of your life in the real world and make real things
than live in a virtual world and not make much at all.
and that it is so much better to live most of your life in the real world and make real things
than live in a virtual world and not make much at all.
Reusing and recycling
Decided to join in with Rhonda's reusing and recycling post though really the champion in this household is Stephen.
If there is a way to make something using what he has on hand he will find a way.
He even fashioned a new stainless steel blade for the scythe with some pieces from the old washing machine.
Much of our recycling and reusing is not very glamorous but that's OK, it works.
This archway above though is not one of his creations , it was made by my Dad.
The curved wood on top of the arch came from the balcony of a friend of Mum's and they had got it from an old hotel in Launceston.
The rest of the arch was made from bits and pieces Dad had on hand at home.
Dad also made the chook yard from new and recycled materials.
You can't see it but the step up to the henhouse is an old piece of sandstone, orignally someone's front step. The henhouse itself was an aviary built by the previous owners.
Stephen put limbs from one of the wattle trees in as roosts for the chooks and the water bowl is an old kitchen bowl that sits in a hanging basket chain to stop Charlie the duck from hopping in.
Charlie does have a bath , it's an old cat litter tray.
Another one of Dad's creations.
An old wheelbarrow mended with the no longer needed outer metal frame of their above ground swimming pool.
He rivetted it on to what was left of the old barrow and glued an old bicycle inner tube around the rim so it wasn't sharp.
Brilliant.
Stephen made his folly mostly from reclaimed wood, reclaimed from the rubbish skip from over the road.
This garden trug he made from left over pieces from another job.
This was originally a desk in the infant section of the primary school that I went to.
Mum saved it from going to the rubbish dump when all the desks were replaced.
She gave it to us and we used to have our stereo on it.
Eventually after many other uses it was moved to the back door where it holds shoes and boots and seeds and sports stuff and things heading back to the shed.
The corner layer of the veneer started to lift off so Stephen repaired that and it will be useful for many years to come.
Now I told you it wasn't glamorous.
This old couch was given to us a couple of years ago.
It was cheap couch and I think we are the third owners.
We covered it with rugs and cushions and it was fine but we don't need it any more.
We tried to donate it to the City Mission ( charity shop) but they said it was junk and not fit to sell -
well pooh to them.
So since mid winter it has been outside, nobody wants it but I can tell you though it looks rather sad it is a wonderous thing.
A reasonable comfortable couch in your backyard where it catches all the morning sun is such a luxury.
Owing to its rather cheap construction the water just runs through it when it rains.
I just take the cushions off to let things dry out in the sun and then it's fine.
In the summer I will most likely add a crocheted rug or two to pretty it up but even without that it is a mecca for cats and humans,
what bliss.
I presume the glue, or whatever holds it together will give up with the constant assaults by the weather and of course the cover will get more tatty but until then, for this summer this couch and a good book will be in high demand.
I could show you more that mostly involves jars and yarns and pretty tins and linen and china but I have to get lots done today
so I will show you one last thing ,
just finished this weekend and awaiting its new tenants.
Kate and Stephen built this guinea pig house entirely from recycled materials even the nails and screws, all materials found on this property.
Not bad huh!
Now does anyone know where we can get some guinea pigs???
vintage self sufficiency
( click on the article for a bigger picture)
( click on the article for a bigger picture)
I found this amongst the Barbie patterns Mum had torn out of old magazines.
It's dated October 25, 1965 and it comes from the Woman's Day magazine.
I thought you might enjoy it.
The writing does overlap a little because my scanner isn't big enough to do the whole page in one but I'm sure you will cope
.
Also wanted to share two pretty blogs with you; Country Rabbit and Helen Philipps
That's all, you can go about your business now.
Pippa needs a home
Sorry I haven't been around this week.
I have blogged a little over at the playroom but I have also been busy with school holidays. It may be only Kate home now and she may be a teenager but school holidays still bring a welcome break to routine
So I just wanted to give you the heads up about a little doll called Pippa who is available in the Playroom
She is very sweet, she likes dolls and sunshine and chocolate .
If you are interested take a look
Katie has some new jewllery in her shop
There might be something just right for you.
She uses lots of pretty vintage beads and glorious colours.
She uses lots of pretty vintage beads and glorious colours.
Enjoy.
paper cutting
Look what I found this morning beside the chair where Katie was sitting last night.
Do you remember making these, how much fun it was, would they all be holding hands, those little people you so carefully cut around.
Sweet.
peaceful
Look at these cute little girls dresses
and these sweetheart dolls
and this lovely blog
and this one
A peaceful Sunday to you all.
Thank you
Thank you garden for waiting patiently for me to go through the dark woods of the past year and emerge eager to get to know you all over again.
We will be friends this spring and summer and on into the new year.
There is a peace that can only be found in the garden, hands in the dirt, mind in the moment.
Friday night
Friday night.
The eldest boy is home.
A week of school holidays is under our belt.
There's finals footy on the TV.
We've had lasagne and salad and garlic bread.
Friday night.
Living Better with Less
My friend Tanya is doing something really special.
She is sharing her knowledge about living better with less.
She has organised classes at Ut si Cafe and at Exeter Hall.
And she is doing it just because she wants to share and to bring people together.
That's pretty good don't you think.
I'm going to be there, are you?
look at me
The magnolia is in full bloom.
It has been slowly and sneakily budding and swelling and now it is shouting
' look at me!
I'm beautiful !'
Yes you are.
Chip the Monkey
I bought some gorgeous wool a little while ago, it comes in such lovely vintage inspired colours I am sure it will be wonderful for all sorts of things including dolly clothes and toys.
I do love knitted toys.
I have a little knitting pattern to share with you.
It's Chip the Monkey and he is from one of my magazines from the early 1950s.
He looks a bit aggressive in this pose don't you think, a little like King King but I think in real life and sitting on a bed or shelf he could be rather sweet.
I find quite a few of the old toy knitting patterns look rather strange to my eyes but I think perhaps it's because they haven't been Disney-fied if you know what I mean.
Anyway this little fellow might be just the thing for a Christmas present for a little boy
and I don't know that in 1954 in Australia anybody's Grandma would have been insisting on Philips lamps since girlhood.
My mother's Granny was born around the1870s and there wasn't much need for electric light bulbs then.
If you click on the knitting pattern pages you should see a bigger copy
Enjoy.
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