a little break...

I haven't been around much lately, as you may have noticed. So I've decided to make it official & take a little break over the next few weeks.
Our life is full of ups & downs at the moment. My husband is unwell & I'm putting all my energy & love into looking after him (as well as myself & belly too). The past few weeks have just been exhausting both mentally & physically, so we're both going to lay low & just take it super easy.
Thank you all for your support & reading my blog this past year. It's so wonderful to be a part of this little community.
May the end of this year finish with family, friends & happiness; & may the new year be a beautiful beginning for all your future dreams.

yay for saturday...

Well I'm officially out of the grumps, so you can all come out from your hiding places... the crazy lady has stopped throwing things.

I'm excited today, because in a few hours three of my besties will arrive for the weekend. Lot's of food will be eaten & lots of belly laughs to be had too. Tonight we're cooking sicilian & two more friends will join us. I love dinner parties. Not in a fancy, doodah way. Just in a way where there's a few peeps & some yummy simple food. There will be three pregnant ladies at the table, one due on the 12th of April, me who's due on the 16th of April & the other is due on the 5th of May. I'm sure there'll be lots of belly comparing & I wonder which order the babies will come out in too.

I was out in the garden picking more rhubarb to stew & look what I came across. What a sweet little froglet. I bet he's enjoying this inclement weather we're having..

the problem with technology...

... is that it doesn't always work.
My computer has been on a downhill slide for a few months now. It was taken to be fixed by a lovely man, who didn't actually fix the problem... it just progressively got worse. Until this week, when it decided to die. Now it really needs fixing, because the darn thing won't even turn on.
So here I am posting from the hubby's computer. Please excuse the quality of my pictures, as I'm uploading them direct from the camera. It's amazing how much one can miss photoshop, I think I'm addicted.
I digress, enough of my whinging & whining. It's not the end of the world & it really isn't that bad compared to losing a limb or something of the like.
I did put up this lovely little garland I made from crochet stars. It's my only contribution to decorating the house for the festive season so far. The splash of colour is making me happy, so maybe it will become a permanent fixture.

I'll try & pop back tomorrow with a chirpier post, when I'm not so cranky bum.
Have a great weekend!

oh mister postman...

I lay in bed this morning listening to the rain fall upon the roof, it's rhythm soothing & constant. It's still raining now as I type & I don't think it will let up for a while yet. A day inside is definately in order, luckily, the wonderful postman dropped a parcel of books off yesterday. I do have a bit of cleaning to do & some cooking aswell... but after they are done, I shall sit on my comfy armchair & soak up the beauty that lay between these pages. I think there will be a few more projects added to my list after today.

grandma's hands...

One of my favourite Bill Withers songs, such beautiful & true lyrics.
These tiny baby clothes came to us in the post this week. They were crafted by Samuel's grandma's hands. Such an amazing knitter, she whipped these up in a week!
Do you think perhaps she is hoping for a boy? This will be her first great grandchild & she's very excited. For a lady in her 90's, she certainly has alot of sprite.

let's take a walk...

Early yesterday evening before dinner, the husband & I took a walk. It's so lovely to amble along this piece of countryside, taking in the surrounds & the fresh country air.
Our house is on the corner of a gravel road only taken by farmers, even then perhaps only one car per hour at most. It takes us up a big hill from which you can see 360 degrees around.

The winds blow from all directions, so be prepared with a life preserver. I fondly call mine the sleeping bag. A lovely windswept hairdo like mine is also inevitable.

We pass lots of cows of course, this groups always runs to the fence when we pass. Perhaps they think we'll bring them food. They often give the dogs an awful fright, I'd be frightened too.

The rolling green hills seem endless, only stopping when they reach the sea. We've had good rain lately too, so all the dams are full & healthy.

New neighbours are met, along with their dogs & black angus herd.

Our boys run like mad, excited for the adventure. I just had to catch Otto midflight, I love the way his ears flap up & down when he runs. Poor little Arthur has quite short stocky legs, he runs double time to keep up with big Otto.

The walk home down the hill has a more relaxed pace...

Until we get to our dam of course, then it's last one in is a rotten egg. For the dogs that is, I don't have a bar of that game.

a day in the kitchen...

Today has found me in the kitchen, I truly haven't done much else. It's a beautiful day outside & there's a bounty of fresh food due to yesterdays shop... what better reason to relish the day cooking away.
First thing to make was muesli for the husband. He has been having trouble with his energy levels & tiredness at the moment, so I'm trying to find foods that combat this at the same time as being delicious. This muesli is chock full of pecans, almonds, pepitas, sunflower seeds, figs, dates & apricots... & oats of course. I wanted to add some linseeds, but couldn't find any at the supermarket. I made do with some lsa mix & perhaps I'll make a trip to health food store for my next batch.

This apple & cranberry loaf is also a winner & healthy too. The recipe said it is good toasted with some ricotta & honey atop... I bet! Might have to give that a go for breakfast.

Our rhubarb patch is out of control at the moment. It is planted with the mint & they're both quite abundant. Let's not say out of control... that sounds negative. Flourish my pretties.

This bunch has been stewed with some ginger & honey, should go nicely with the muesli me thinks.

I've also marinated some tofu, made chickpea patties for tonights dinner & whipped up some quesadillas for lunch. I think I still have time left in the day to stew some apricots too.
I feel the day has been quite a success, now for a little rest on the couch.

checking in...

I can't believe it's been a week since I last posted. My blogging mojo has been a bit up & down of late. I guess it's a reflection of my energy & the fact that my computer is being tempermental & I cannot for the life of me find my battery charger. I'm gently coaxing my computer to be more consistent... & for now it is working. Yay! As for the battery charger, I may have to cave in & buy a new one.
I've got my head down & hands making today, a big bookbinding order is due tomorrow & there's still a bit to do. Of course, like everything... I like to leave things to the last minute, to get the full adrenalin rush. Crazy yes, but it's just how it always pans out.
Off to Melbourne tomorrow to catch up some friends, hopefully I'll fit in a spot of fabric shopping too. My stash is getting a little low, (meaning: I still have heaps, but nothing is inspiring me at the moment) so I think I need a little top up. I love that I can justify almost anything these days, most of the time I use the pregnancy excuse & it really does work.
Anyway... I'll stop nattering & get back to the task at hand, lots of cutting & gluing!
Here's a gratuitous flower shot for you... because you can't have a post without a picture. Right???

Hope you're week is turning out great!

looking forwards...

Still up to the usual tricks over here, pottering about watching life meander by. There's an awful lot I'm looking forward to at the moment. So much, I've decided to write a list. Because that's what you do when you have a group with a common thread... well that's my justification anyway.
Looking forward to
:: beautiful friends visiting in a few weekends time, one who's belly is growing like mine ::
:: the ripening of fruits on our trees, apricots & cherries & pears & nectarines... oh my ::
:: our twenty week scan tomorrow afternoon, it's so wonderful to see it wriggling about ::
:: a trip up to melbourne next week to see an old friend visiting from NZ ::
:: my folks making the trip down to visit us over new year ::
:: sewing some quilts for the little one, choosing fabrics is the hardest part ::
:: my latest fishpond order to arrive, uncommon crochet & vintage knits for babies ::
What are you looking forward to at the moment?

cherries

apricots

pears

too cute...

I've finally captured the second little cow in our paddock. I was quite delighted to find him so close to the fence. Such a sweet face. & yes, in case you were wondering... I often walk around the property with my camera just incase.
Have a lovely Monday.

weather forecast...

More rain is predicted this week at the farm, colourful rainbow rain that is.
I've been working on this mobile for a while now, coming back to it when inspiration struck. I'm still umming & ahhing over how I shall hang it, so it's not quite finished yet. Should I use fishing line or ribbon do you think? The edges of the cloud & droplets have been finished with a blanket stitch & the droplets are attached with a crocheted chain stitch using a itty bitty hook. It was a bit labour intensive, I must say.
I'm quite pleased with how it has turned out, perhaps it will be a good gift to make for friends babies too.

On the topic of real rain, we have had an awful lot this weekend. We've spent all weekend indoors; watching Clint Eastwood movies, crocheting (me) & making music (Sam). When the rain eases up, I'll be back under the willow tree sipping lemon cordial & crafting away. I can't wait.

lunch for one...

The boy has gone uptown & I have the whole farm to myself. I'm up to the same ol' tricks, just pottering about doin stuff around the house.

I did whip myself up a thai salad for lunch though. Super simple & a tasty dressing. I don't have alot of asian ingredients in my pantry, so I substituted a few things.
Here's the ingredients I used:
2 tsp fish sauce
1 tbsp lime juice
1 tsp soy sauce
1/4 tsp sambal oelek
1 tsp brown sugar
1 tiny clove of garlic, crushed

Followed up with a crunchy pink lady. Now I'm off to do something crafty.

more...

I've finished a few more stars, I now have enough for my little garland. Tomorrow I shall search for some ribbon or such to hang them from, as my stash is not offering up any inspiration. I quite like these little stars, perhaps I need to make some more... to adorn presents & perhaps a gum tree branch over christmas.

We've also had another delivery in the paddock. The second cow gave birth late last night & it is also super cute. I just can't get close enough to capture it on camera, she's evasive this one.
I've spent lots of hours under our big willow tree lately. It keeps quite cool under there & the breeze is lovely through the branches.
Here's a little belly shot, 19 weeks today! I felt the first strong kicks this morning too. I was lying in bed with a little weight on my tummy, when I felt 4 kicks in a row. I took the hint pretty quickly & rolled over. I could imagine it saying "Mum... you're squashing me!".
For some reason, the dogs always get in the photo too. We didn't make them sit there, they do it on their own accord. Funny boys.

a little steer...

Born this morning in our top paddock, starting to find his feet. Doesn't he just make you smile.

time for making...

Oh wow, it feels so wonderful to sit & make. I call it soul therapy... cheapest therapy I've ever had.
After a terribly emotional nights sleep, which didn't consist of much sleep at all (pregnancy is really starting to kick in, hormones & all), I woke feeling like my eyeballs had exploded in my head. So many tears over stuff that is happening, or might happen, or probably won't ever happen even in a hundred years. I got so worked up, I felt sick. It's amazing the rubbish your mind can drum up in the dark of the night with no rational. This morning the boy comforted me, rationalising my irrational thoughts & calming my mind. He's been wonderful all day too, making me cups of tea, sharing bikkies & sitting with me in the sun whilst we ate our lunch. I feel very lucky to have him & I know he's going to make the best dad.
This afternoon I decided that I'm going to make up for my crafting dry spell. I've promised myself to do something crafty every day. Perhaps it may be just small & I haven't set myself a timeline either, but I figured it was a start.
Today's crafting is some crochet stars made with scraps of wool from the leftover stash. I had decided I wanted to make a star & after a few attempts I decided it would be easier to just google it. I found this great tutorial & picked it up straight away. I think after a few more, I'll string them up into a garland to hang above the mantle. You should have a go too, they're super easy.

lots to do...

There's so much to do on our little farmlet. Now that we've slowed down from our recent galavanting, we're making time for some simple chores. The glorious weather we've been having makes the tasks more enjoyable too. Today we were in the garden.

For the husband there was alot of mowing to be done, as there was at least an acre of grass that was almost two feet high. He also chainsawed a heap of dead branches for firewood & made a neat pile by the back door.

For me it was all about washing clothes & cleaning & a spot of gardening. I weeded a patch of our garden that was getting a little out of control. I still have half the patch to go, but I feel after putting down wet newspaper & mulch I am gaining the upper hand.

Two of the chickens kindly assisted me. After clearing out the base of the camelia, Lacey & Ruby felt it was the perfect opportunity to score some grubs. It was all going swimmingly until they decided to scratch up my freshly laid straw. I wasn't having a bar of that, so they were swiftly shooed away.
Was your sunday peaceful & rewarding too? I hope so.

pottering...

Just enjoying the afternoon with some roses picked from the garden, a chat to mum & a bit of drawing. I should probably stop daydreaming now & think about cooking some tea. Perhaps we'll have risotto, that's always a winner.
Saturday afternoon wishes to you all.

it's all a blur...

Well the past month has been extremely hectic, So here's the parts I can remember...

For three weeks in a row, we we're in melbourne everyday packing up the husband's workshop. Two weeks in, we thought we were finished... then they decided we had to demolish the rooms. Aaaargh! What a stress. Driving an hour & a half each way doesn't make it much fun either. We did manage to catch up with friends & family along the way, that made the journeys more bearable.
The boys taking down the sign
Straight after that, we drove to winton for the boy to compete in the last round of the race season. He races an old datsun in the under 2 litre sports sedans. He came first in his class for the weekend & championship & second overall for the weekend. I really am so proud of him. He raced his little heart out & he really is very good. When he made his little speech at the trophy presentation, he thanked me for all my support & hard work in the pit. I couldn't help but cry. That turned the last three weeks into nothing & made the weekend trek well worthwhile.
After arriving home, the real estate told us we had to paint the walls aswell. So on monday, we traipsed back into town to get that done & boy do I hope that is the end of it.
Tuesday saw us jetting up to port macquarie... what for? I hear you ask... Well, we were to pick up a 1954 Austin truck & drive it home. Yes, you did hear correctly. We drove an ancient truck 1400 kms, all the way home! With only one minor hiccup within the first 20 minutes on the road, the rest of the trip was a breeze. I do love the south coast of n.s.w, it was lovely to see it again.
The truck has been named Lady Jane Austin (I know she spelt her name with an 'e', but for the sake of the truck... let's use an 'i') & she shall be fitted out like a 50's caravan/winnebago. It's a little project for the husband & wife to work on together. I'll do the interior stuff & he can do the engine & exterior stuff. I can't wait to go on a road trip when she's all done up.

our cute little (big) truck

But now I am home & home I shall stay for a while. I'm worn out & tired & in need of recuperation. As you can tell, the recurring theme of the past month has been all about helping the husband. I don't mind this, as he is quite wonderful & very appreciative. However, I have realised that to keep me sane... I must invest in me too.
So the next month is about me. Not in a selfish way, just in a way that means I can have time to do the things I love. Time to sew & knit & crochet & bake & garden & read & learn & just potter about. For it is all of these things that contribute to my general well-being.
Oh, it's lovely to be back.

I hope everyone is well & happy. Have a terrific weekend!

spiderweb on my back porch, captured on a quick dash out the door

busy...

Hello there! Yep, I'm still here... just really busy.

We've been packing down the husband's old workshop & boy is it time consuming. So much stuff!
I haven't had any time to do anything else. So there is no crafty goodness to show, no delicious baked treats & nothing happening in the garden either. Luckily, the end is near & normal programming shall resume shortly.
I should also say that it hasn't been all hard work. Last weekend we went to a 30th, a 60th, lunch with a friend & a wedding! I've never been so social in my life.
Part of shutting down the workshop is selling our beloved truck. If you know anyone who would be interested in our 1948 M series bedford... it's listed here. Here it is ripping around our top paddock.

on a roll...

I know it still doesn't look like much, but there has been great progress on the baby cardigan front. I've managed to increase several times & even the casting on extra stitches didn't phase me. I sat infront of the fire last night (yes, it's still cold), I slowed my breathing & with the hum of the fire in the background, I found my knitting zen. Everything was calm & purposeful & had a lovely rhythm. I do hope I can find this place again, it was very nice & relaxing.

my place & yours :: on the shelf...

I've had a very overwhelming & hectic weekend, involving a horribly cantankerous pig, a few grumpy customers at work, a sore back & very little sleep. I'm trying not to think about it too much, so this is all I shall say about it. I do hope your weekend was lovely & smooth sailing.

I've joined in with pip & various others in my place & yours. These shelves sit above my sewing table, providing storage & inspiration. Here's a little run through of what's up there...
:: every issue of mixtape
:: various craft books for inspiration
:: old tins full of supplies, embroidery thread, cotton reels, quilting pins, buttons, wooden pegs and much more
:: old filing drawers full of zips & doilies,
:: canisters full of fabric scraps
:: watercolour pencils for doodling
That's pretty much it, give or take a little.

a verdict from the tin...

Oops, I just realised I had put monday the 17th & today is actually the 19th. Goodness me. I should definately find those screws that have gone missing from my head since pregnancy.
Anyway, without further adieu... the two lovely winners of my pincushion giveaway are::
Beck from Dandelion
&
Tracey from Bountifully
Congratulations! I'll be in contact with you to get your addresses.

daydreaming...

I've been a daydreamer lately. As alot of my time is spent feeling pregnant & tired, I feel this is quite a suitable way to pass the time.
Here's a few of my dreamings:
:: all the delicious ways of using our egg surplus once all of the girls are laying
:: if mum will make her awesome berry marscapone pavlova for christmas this year... it uses eggs
:: my christmas present list... can I achieve all of the pressies I wish to make
:: the list of items I wish to start making, perhaps to sell in a little online shop
:: thinking of possible names for our little one
:: if I'll score some more flannel sheets at the oppy this week... for my nappy making
:: of all the preserving I hope to be doing this summer... I recently scored 20 fowler jars at the oppy for just $10
:: of the sun coming out & the weather being warmer & wearing less than 4 layers at a time
That is most of it. There's so many daydreams floating around in my little head, it's awfully hard to catch them all to write down.
Have a Superb weekend everybody!

This is a shot of mum's pavlova. Isn't it just divine! I just want to frame it.

my creative space...

I'm still working on the little project I started last week. These pretties are the second installment, waiting to be sewn up & attached. I can't wait til it's finished. Then I'll do the big reveal.
See more creative spaces over at Kootoyoo.

Have you entered my giveaway?

score...

Who needs an oppy, when the tip gives just as good!
As we live in an area with no waste collection, so we take our rubbish to the tip ourselves. It has made us super conscious of the waste we produce & how we can cut down for the sake of the earth.
Our green waste is composted, alot of scraps go to the chooks & what they can't eat goes into the compost heap. We recycle as much as possible... whether that means taking it to the recycle centre or finding a new use for the container in the home, garden or shed. Care is taken to not use plastic bags when shopping, make better choices with product packaging & buying in bulk. With all of this put together, we only make one 10 litre bag of waste each week. More often than not, the bag doesn't even get full!
Now please don't get me wrong, I'm not preaching or saying how great we are... I'm just excited that simple steps are all it takes to changing the way we treat the earth.
My next step is to divert the water from the washing machine into a tank for garden watering. Not that we need it right now. Our three water tanks are overflowing & it just keeps raining. Winter has officially packed it's bags & moved to october, strange creature.
Well! wasn't that an outburst! I did get a little sidetracked. Now, where was I? Oh yes, the tip. Look what I found... an old pants hanger. There's a section of the tip where you can purchase unwanted goods for a few dollars here or there. So far in our travels, we've found an old kitchen chair, a vintage motorcycle helmut, a wheel barrow, a whipper snipper & various other items that I cannot recollect right now. And you should meet the old guy that runs it too. He's english & has the best silver twirled handle bar moustache I've ever seen. He spends his spare time curating the garden with various ornaments. Imagine Barbie, walking hand in hand with a dinousar over a bridge & through fields of succullents! Too funny.Have you entered my giveaway?

patiently knitting...

Now, let me be honest here & tell you that I haven't knitted a thing over the last year. I've been all crochet a-go-go while my collection of knitting needles stand in their jug, looking glum. And, I also must warn you... that I've never knitted anything from a pattern or anything that involves increasing & decreasing... aaaargh! I just don't have the patience. But now my friends, I am throwing all fear aside & knitting a cardigan. It's a lovely little ribbed piece that was featured in the winter family circle. It's knitted all in one go, so no scary weird sections that I then have to wrangle together. As the cardigan is destined for my wee baby (when it comes out) two balls of 4 ply is all it requires, which is quite economical I think.
I've decided to make the newborn size, which means I have approximately 185 days to complete it. After starting three times already, I think I'm on a magnificent roll. Wish me luck!
That gorgeous fabric sitting underneath is from the latest amitie mail-out. It's just so pretty, I don't know what to make with it. Any ideas?

a little giveaway...

In the spirit of blogtoberfest, I'm hosting some giveaways throughout the month.
The first I shall start today.
I've been in pin cushion mode & these two lovelies are up for grabs. I will draw two winners, who will each receive a pin cushion & two fat quarters of the below fabrics. I'll also throw in some other, yet to be decided goodies.
All you have to do is leave a comment on this here post & I'll draw two winners next monday the 17th. I am also happy to post anywhere.
Good luck my dears.

layers...

Woohoo! Our girls have started laying, well one of them at least. Here's yesterday & todays efforts, both just under 50gm. The first one must have come as a bit of a shock. She had laid it right beside the driveway & when Samuel arrived home he found the cattle dog guarding it & looking very self important.
We're now going to celebrate with a boiled egg & soldiers each. Ooh I hope they're good.

from scraps...

I'm learning to love leftovers... of fabric that is. It is to be found that they come in quite handy when one wishes to make a patchwork pin cushion. Finished off with a vintage button.

something to show...

Here's the quilt top I was nattering on about the other day. I'm going to bind it in a dark blue to even out the heaviness in the centre. I did use some vintage florals, so I hope they're not too girly for a little boy.
It was an effort to take a photo of, it's quite windy outside & too dark inside. This was take five. I'd like to thank my lovely husband who assisted, as long as he wasn't included in the shot.

tired...

Not much to say today, I'm very tired.
I caught up with some girlfriends for afternoon tea, which was lovely. I got to show off my growing bump & catch up on what's been going on.
On the way home, the boy & I picked up a bassinet & cot that we bought off ebay. Such a good bargain, $85 all up. I'm a frugal lady I am, no point in spending big money I say. And plus, I'd much rather buy second hand & look after the earth.
Well, that was alot more words than I thought I had. Must go to sleep now. Goodnight.
I leave you with some beautiful flowers in my garden.