Journal de finition !

Finished and filled! Seriously how do people put together huge quilts with these mini paper piecing!

Priorities

Are you one of those...

iron-clothes-only-if-you-have-fabric-to-iron type of person?

I am.

This is for another journal cover in the making... time consuming I know but I {love} the finished look. Okay Andrea you can stop rolling your eyes...

One of those projects...

This is one of those projects...

You know... where you really want to finish it but for some unknown reason it just does not call out to be done.

I started this project... oh say... over three years ago. I pull it out in between projects. My to do list has been followed pretty well and I am sticking to it. However this project just sits on the bottom of the pile and gets pulled out a couple of times a year... It is a four season stitchery that has intense stitching and needle turning... for me anyhow.

Do you have a one-of-those-project like this?

The making of butter

I was so excited at Playgroup last week.

We.made.butter.

The old fashioned way. Kathy brought in a glass bottle with a wooden peg and poured cream in. We then shook the damn thing for a long time. 45 minutes she said. I do not recommend this process of making butter. Your arms will tell you why the next morning. You wont even be able to take your bra of that evening... But it meant Kathy and I justified this glorious butter on our scones (evil grin).

It was so easy. My previous research of making butter was suppressed quickly with complicated explanations and processes. This.was.easy.

Pour cream into a bowl. I put about 250 mls here... and start beating...

It starts to look like thick cream... keep beating

It starts to look like it is curdling... Keep beating... it even starts to change colour... a bit of yellow... keep beating...

Then suddenly wa la! Butter and Butter Milk. Drain Butter milk to use and clean the butter of residual buttermilk in water.

Butter - pure butter. If you are used to salt in your butter (like me) just add a pinch of salt before you start beating... A pinch is all you need!

I mean seriously how easy is that? AND I know exactly what is in this butter.

Had a wonderful, fabulous and lovely weekend away. Was not long enough. They never are. Achieved what I hoped and more. Have another one planned for September - this time two states away. More on that later.

So good

So good when I finish something. I get a real kick out of it. Will take it to the framer very soon...



My favourite part? The snowflakes with beads...



I am off and away with some good friends for the weekend. I plan to scrap, stitch and read... Or I might just sit in front of the fire or wonder on the beach... Just some time out and a change of pace. My first time away from the little man...

Look what...

Look what I found peeping in my garden!



Spring is really coming...

“Synchronised Travel” with Punky and Me

1. First stage is your starting point (Take a photo).

the street

2.Walk in any direction for 50 or 100 paces, then turn 180 degrees (photo).

3. Continue walking in that direction until you see something blue (photo).

4. Make a left turn & walk 50 to 70 paces (photo).

a church which has been converted to a home... I was interested in their choice of fence...

5. Walk in any direction until you see something that either is or looks like the number 7 or 11 (photo).

6. Take the first left & continue walking until you find somewhere to sit (photo).

Do you see the Tasman Bridge?

7. Choose any direction & walk for 25 or 50 paces (photo).

Boys cannot help themselves...

8. Continue walking until you see an unusual colour, shape or texture (photo). Turn 180 degrees.

9. Keep walking in any direction until you see an archway or an unusual architectural feature (photo).

10. Head for home but continue looking for something that catches your eye. When you find something, take your photo with it.

Join along in the travels at Punky and Me

We have a winner! We have a winner!! We have a WINNER!!!

I have used a very fair process of choosing the winner... Thanks to Jan who used the same stringent method... the pet.

Abby...

She choose me first... then...

She shuffled and smelt

and choose Claire!!!

L'oreiller de Tour Eiffel

Vous aimez ?



This is the second Anette Eriksson project I have done. Y for yumo! They are so easy because you just half cross stitch on hessian. Great for when sitting in front of the tv. It reminds me of our trip to Paris a few years back...



Abby was very helpful...

Dust Collectors

It is VERY rare for me to buy anything that will sit on a shelf. I am avoiding dust collectors. Just more stuff to find a place for.

HA but these - no sireeee these are a league above dust collectors... These are antique cast fonts in wood. special. They can be used. Yes they can but readers they are also o.l.d. LOOK at them! What serious look of yum ha? Girl friend and I went for a little antique shop drive yesterday and I slyly directed us to a particular shop - having known these existed ages ago... We struggled - well we meaning I actually - struggled to decide what letters I was going to buy. A 'M & S' or this or that... Just the '&' at one inch was $45. Flippity heck!!! SO I had to change the idea and eventually came to this (thank you Karen for the idea - take the credit girl!).



I had to share some of the yum of these and bought one for you my dear readers. Yes YOU. The first issue was what letter do I buy! Really people. So we decided on a number. Then what number - of course number 1. Leave a note and I will draw the lucky winner this time next week.

Homemade Laundry Powder and etc.

My never ending quest to live with a sustainable attitude explains my post about Laundry powder...



I got this recipe from Consumption Rebellion. We have been using this for now... umm ... say at least four years. I got ta say I am very happy with this mix. If I have a stubborn stain or very dirty wash I may add a table spoon of preen. Here it is...

4 cups grated laundry soap or soap flakes (I use Lux)
2 cups Borax (shame I cannot get this in a plastic free container. I did write a letter to the company but no reply... If you know where I can get this in large non plastic version - let me know)
2 cups Washing Soda

Mix thoroughly. Use two table spoons per wash. It does not make suds according to Consumption Rebellion. But mine does... Just for interest sake I worked out the cost to make this powder using my very stringent scientifc measurements and calculations and it is .45 cents (AUS) per wash. EDIT: My stringent calculations were rechecked as it seemed so much and it is in fact .06 c per wash... Much better!


Oh and it is VERY time to spray your stone-fruit for leaf curl and brownrot disease in Tasmania. Just did it today... will do it again every week (or sooner if it rains) till the blossoms swell and turn pink. SO mainlanders if this has not happened yet - do.it.today. Mix 50 g of washing soda in 5 L of water. Dissolve. Then add 50 g of copper sulphate to the water and mix till dissolved. Put in spray bottle and spray well - your trees look pale blue! Keep agitating the mixture while spraying - it can block easily. Thank you Peter Cundall for you informative article in Sundays Mercury.

OH and I am going to take the wash your face with honey challenge. I use an organic face washer which is pricey. I am hoping this is a better alternative... again back to basic pure form.


Here is Abby. After ten days with us. She is beautiful and everything about her makes us all melt... except when she does a wee in the house! Humph.