Read About This Week

Are you looking for something new to read?

Here is what excited me this week....

I watched a little boy take me through step by step "How To Make A Corn Cob Dolly"

on the Magic Onions. Don't underestimate the abilities of your kids and let them have a supervised go with tools. Imagine his pride when he gave it to his sister. 

Beautiful

"I have to stop.
There's no denying the sight I see.
Nothing can draw me away.
The view before me demands my response...."

What comes next???

Click over to Pumpkin Pie Painter to read "Unexpected Purple"

It is but a short passage but so poignant.

A good segue from that would be to "A Prayer For Our Daughters" that I read on ChickChat

You might also like to read about Marriage Discrimination that is being debated at the moment. (Stop and think and remember to consider your responses)

Virtu writes about "I DO"

And finally....

A very new blog about being Gluten free here at ValysK

Have a wonderful weekend.

There is much on my mind and much to consider.

Thanks to all the wonderful bloggers who take my thoughts elsewhere for a glimpse into their worlds.

Chicks Are 8 Weeks Old

We have 20 chicks and one of them is a male

Can you spot which one?

These Black Australorps and have been sired by a Red Rooster and some are throwing some rust colouring in their chests. 

They are a delightful bunch and becoming very used to us.

They have a large outdoor run where they can stretch their wings with lots of running flights just like children playing in a playground.

They are eating a diet of chick crumble and delighting in fresh greens every now and then from the garden.

They have been having dust baths in the powdery lucerne mulch area and they saw their first large puddle a couple of days ago.

Thirteen are already spoken for. If you are a local (Tas) and would like to purchase any of the remaining at point of lay they will be ready in about February. 

I love this hardy backyard fowl with their personable natures.

We had a group doing a class here with us last Thursday night and they were surprised how easily the older girls were handled and how calm they were.

I like nothing better than lying on the grass in front of their pen and just watching them discover their world.

Hand Towels For Christmas

We have already talked about some great gifts for gardeners like a load of manure or some bags of lucerne chaff or gardeners soap made from little bags of crocheted jute containing soap to hang from the garden tap.

The next thing I am working on is some hanging hand towels for the kitchen, so important because if they are available it means people won't use your tea towel.

I've been cutting up some vintage tea towel and table cloths. The recipient I know likes a dash of red in the kitchen.

Cool designs huh?

I source the towelling from the factory as off cuts because they are luxuriously thick for high traffic wiping and I can get good colours. I find darker colours are best because these towels get a lot of dirty hand wiping  action.

I just have to finish off with a button hole and sew on some buttons so they can hang from the oven door or a kitchen knob/hook.

I have a tutorial with pattern here.

The decorative possibilities are endless and you could look to Sweet Birdy Love for some decorative stitching inspiration like this or this

Alternatively, you could make them in the ever popular crochet tab top way.

A knit or crochet dish cloth in a coordinating colour would also be a thoughtful addition.

This is great for using up some of those smaller stash pieces and scraps too.

More Than A Knitting Book

I have had this book pre-paid and on order for many months and my excitement peaked yesterday when it arrived. Even last night while tossing and turning in bed my mind was often drawn back to the beautiful patterns and styling.

It features patterns from the 30s, 40s and 50s with original photos and new styled versions.

I even love the heavy pages that have a vintage old feel to them.

The book also gives insight and instruction for authentic finishing and attachments like knitted buttons etc.

The book also gives instruction for tweaking the styles to suit different body types and challenges like "spare tyres" and "broad shoulders" or "ample bosoms".

The patterns remind me so much of the yarns that my grandmother used and the patterns she loved.

And that's not all....

Extra goodies arrived too as an extra thank you for waiting patiently for the book to be published.

Little Jenny Wren (also a big fan of Susan Crawford books) found this video of the behind the scenes making of "A Stitch In Time Vol II". It will give you a delicious little taster.

Hard to Clean Bottles/Decanters

Bottle brushes are very useful for cleaning bottles but sometimes it's hard to get the brush effectively into the bowl of the bottle.
This little bottle I acquired is about the size of my hand and though pretty in shape and a beautiful emerald glass, had residue on the inside from many years ago. I was tempted at first glance to toss it. Sometimes these cleaning jobs look improbable.
I used a couple of teaspoons of uncooked rice in the bottom of the bottle as gentle abrasive. For good measure I also added a couple of teaspoons each of bi-carb soda and vinegar.
Holding my thumb over the neck, I swished and swirled and shook the rice around the bowl.
Within a few minutes, as you can clearly see, success.
Some of you will know this method well but I think it is helpful to keep passing these simple well known household tips along.
Now the jug will take on a new role as an oil/vinegar bottle.
This method works well with decanters and awkward vases. They can take a while to dry out completely but placing a roll of absorbent paper or cloth into the bottle neck creating a "wick" will help it dry in no time.

Almost Always Enough...

I am guilty of using the phrase 

"there's not enough" 

way too often.

When I want to plant more successive crops or flowers or herbs I always prove myself wrong and find somewhere. When I really look there is plenty of space "between".

It's a matter of changing my perspective.

Time...never enough time!

Really?

Depends on what for.

I seem to always find time for fun things so it must be perspective there too.

I have to take responsibility for time management myself and prioritise.

Do you remember the Disney cartoons when Goofy would have the angel-Goofy on one shoulder and the devil-Goofy on the other? The conscience and self desires would have back and forth conversations. 

That is what it is like in my head.

One voice is saying "just a little bit longer on the computer" and the other is saying "the carpets won't vacuum themselves"

If I didn't spend so much time procrastinating I would get twice as much done!

Priorities and perspective.

No-one can do it for you.

A phrase I like and tell myself often;

"If it's to be, It's up to me"

Coming up to market day every fortnight I think, there is nothing to sell, I have nothing in the garden, there is not enough.

But if I go to and harvest,

all of a sudden there is an abundance of food to share.

The same when it's dinner time;

there is not really anything for dinner but out I go and...

Some baby cabbage and a kohl rabi to shred, mixed with some salad greens, flowers and all.

Add in a couple of stalks of celery, parsley and vietnamese mint and chopped chives.

Dress with olive oil, soy sauce and lemon juice.

Scatter the top with purple chive petals and chopped hazelnuts....

Steam up some Blue Saphire potatoes...

Amazing!

Dinner from nothing....

Whether it's money, time or space....

whatever,

sometimes we say "not enough" too readily.

Nearly always it's about perspective, priorities and problem solving.

So what else do you "not enough" about?

Your fabric stash

Your breaks at work....

Mind you there isn't such a thing as enough hugs or love. I can sure use plenty more.

Suicide - Ed's Legacy

photo image by seaskylab on freedigital

There is something very special happening right on my doorstep.

There is a property halfway between Launceston and Perth (Tas) owned by a very dynamic and positive woman.

Her farm gate is right on the highway and last year motorists watched as a crop grew and grew on either side of the gates.

it grew taller and taller, until,

finally it revealed bright golden sunflowers.

A sea of tall waving happy faces of sunshine.

Then amazing messages of 

LOVE

LIVE

ENJOY

in very large letters at least 6' high stood further up the rise in the paddock.

This is Lydia's message she wants to share with everyone and get the topic of suicide out and into the open.

Lydia's son Ed and my daughter were born on the same day.

Tragically, Ed took his life in 2009.

Ed's family began the Nettlefold Foundation to help people cope with and understand depression. They also provide life changing experiences for young people.

Ed's Threads is a clothing range created in his memory and the proceeds assist the Nettlefold Foundation.

I contacted Lydia a couple of weeks ago and mentioned that I do the growers market down the road and wondered if she had any seeds from last years flowers that I could sell to raise funds to go towards the Nettlefold Foundation.

In typical fashion Lydia has taken the idea and exploded with it and there are big plans....

for now I have seeds from those famous sunflowers and I would love to see them appearing randomly in people's yards; beside the letterbox, outside the kitchen window or in the middle of the rose bed.

The packets cost $3 each and all funds go directly to the Foundation.

They are ready for planting now in the Southern Hemisphere and like to be grown in full sun but protect the seedlings from snails in the initial weeks.

I will post these seeds free anywhere in the world till the end of the year and they can be purchased in my shop "Jubilee Jumble" (see the tab at the top of the page under the header).

Won't you help us spread the message of

LOVE
LIVE
ENJOY

and get people talking about suicide and depression.