Slow days

The weather has been hot, hot, hot. It's slow days here, pottering around in the cool of the house. I go out in the early morning in the cooler temps to see to my container plants. They need a good drink of water in this weather and I've been cutting back a lot of the plants. The heat loving plants are doing well: Basil is growing madly in the heat.

Some of the cuttings I've used for potpourri and I've dried a lot more of the kitchen herbs: Sage, Rosemary, and I have chamomile flowering now too. It took a long time to come into flower.

As usual I've also been stitching, painting and such. The tea towel in the first image was done using crayon tinting and I used a fine tip laundry marker for the out line instead of stitching. I have the finished tea towel up for sale in my easy shop: HildaandLillian.etsy.com

For those of us in the Southern Hemisphere I hope you are staying cool.

Spider web embroidery on a crazy quilt round robin 

I hope everyone is having a good day or evening where ever you are.

Bright Spring

Spring is almost here. We've had a few foggy, cloudy days, but no real rain to speak of. The flu has been hanging around, but I seemed to have shook it off. Since my hysterectomy last year I've been having issues with bad dry skin and itching, so I was prescribed Promethanzine. The last couple of days have been awful with the itching so I took, a bit of one tablet ( I can't take a full one as it knocks me out) and the funny thing is not only did it stop the terrible itching but it seemed to have killed off the flu. Maybe I am kidding myself, either way it's nice to be flu free.

The monthly jumble sale was on, which is just around the corner from us. I came home with a new sewing basket. For $2, I don't think I could have said no. I like this one as it is deep. The lady serving me told me she was happy someone brought it as it used to belong to her and was her first sewing basket. 

The teapot embroidery is for a Luncheon cloth, there's one pot in each corner. This is to go with the other finished items for the 'one day home'. I hope to get this finished, it's just one of the items from the UFO basket. I brought two vintage books with crochet edgings so I can finish it up nice. I'll include instructions for the edging when I'm done.  Those french knot flowers take ages to do.

I've also had some incoming mail. This was for a swap, send three things, receive three things. The gal who sent these is from Australia, she said the bookmark came from an orphanage in Thailand. Isn't it cute?

I've been sending out mail. This one is for a Pet themed letter swap. So I am writing about Mister Simba, who technically is a Pom-Pom Chow, but still in the Pomeranian family. I made a little Zine up explaining all the things you should know about Poms.

I hope every one is having a good day or evening where ever you are

Heart n Soul

The weather changed and we had a bit of a cold snap. I did the mistake of walking in the cold wind and ended up finally getting the lurgy that's been lurking around our place. I'm all sniffles and snuffles consuming hot lemon water and honey. Meanwhile I'm playing with paper. For these book marks I used an old Thomas Kincade calendar my aunt gave me.

This are part of a e-swap. Which means you send something electronic to your swap partner. For this we had to choose a scripture from the book of Joshua. I chose:

"Make sure you obey the law that Moses commanded you: Love the Lord your God, do his will, obey his commandments, be faithful to him, and serve him with all your heart and soul."

- Joshua 22 : 5

Of course, I'm always the odd duck in the pond who does everything different.

 So instead of just sending a link with an image made by someone else.

I used the images to create book marks of the things my swap partners like. I'm in the mood to make more book marks so stay tuned for that.

Now, it's time for more hot lemon water with honey and I think I need a nanny nap.

Hope everyone is having a good day or evening where ever you are.

Quiet Hours

Today is June. My, hasn't it been a while since I posted. June brings in winter here in Australia and it's a good time for bringing out the slow cooker or the pot boiler and making up some hearty stews. Autumn has now finished and it left behind a mix bag of nice weather, rainy weather, and all sorts in between. Winter weather should be interesting.

The change of weather means it's a good time for quilts. I've discovered hand piecing and am enjoying making up patchwork blocks, sewing by hand. It's nice to take the craft along any where and I like the accuracy hand piecing gives. If you haven't tried hand piecing patchwork blocks give it a go, it's very rewarding. The pattern above is called Kansas Dugout and I'm using all kinds of scraps from my scrap box which have all been thrifted. Lots of pillow cases here and sheets too, as I do like frugal crafting.

I've also been tackling, very slowly, the UFO basket pile. The rag rug I learnt to do at the Simple Living work shop is slowly growing bigger. The UFO basket pile alas isn't growing smaller. If you like to try your hand at making a rag rug Nanna Chel over at Going Grey and Slightly green has a Toothbrush/rag rug tutorial

Nifty Thrifty Bits also has a rag rug tutorial.

I also took a visit to the local jumble sale just around the corner from me. I came home with some books. Two on Companion Planting. One of the books says you can't go wrong with: "Marigolds with everything." 

The Pinks (Dianthus) I brought at a Fete sale at the beginning of the year have grown. I collected some to press in the home made flower press dad made for me from left over timber, the only new items were the screws. I also pressed some other flowers still blooming in the garden.

It's been a quiet month and I'm looking forward to coming back to posting around in comments and seeing what interesting things y'all have all been doing.

I hope everyone is having a good day or evening where ever you are

A snippet of this and that

The weekend was nice and fine, on Saturday I attended the Simple Living workshop on how to make home made beauty products. It was a really interesting lesson on how cheaply it is to make your own products and how healthy they are when you are just adding a few natural ingredients. Nanna Chel of Going Grey and Slightly Green gives a good run down of what happened at the workshop.  There was also a swap table and I came home with some pumpkin, beans, rocket, and we were given some home made beauty products to take home after I swapped my Pot holder ladies which seemed to be approved of as I didn't bring any home. I did seven and have two left for presents at a later date. A very good day I think.

Mum preparing dinner

Sunday came around. Palm Sunday for religious folk and Sunday dinner for us. Mum prepared the meal and Dad set up the BBQ that's just been sitting for ages not being used to be finally be put in use.

The meal turned out very nice. All the family who came over seemed to enjoy it too.

I hope everyone is having a good day or evening wherever you are.

Artful Soap

 

On Saturday I attended the Simple Living soapmaking workshop and swap. I took along my swap, Solar candle light boxes (The boxes open up and inside is a small flicker solar candle light which shows through the front 'window'. For the 'window' I embossed baking paper--one of them does use vellum but I didn't have enough for five so I thought why not baking paper? I inked it up, and placed it behind clear acetate so the flickering glow would show through) for the swap table. They're not perfect by any means but I liked the idea of them. 

 

After a cuppa and the swap it was time to start the workshop.

 

Our teachers Helen and Mandy of the Old Dairy were excellent with explaining the process and even took away a lot of the 'scary' aspects of cold process of soap making using Caustic Soda/Lye. The first demonstration explained how to use goats milk in soap making and the second was a basic soap recipe.

 

The overall process was easy and it did help show how simple soap making is if you are careful!

 

 After the workshop we were all given a lovely sample to take home and cure. I have mine in the cupboard curing. It was a great workshop and swap.

 

 

Meanwhile, at home I am cleaning out my stash stuff and general 'nest' fluffing my room. The weather is colder now and we've had some rain too; so this is a good time to get in and clean out the craft stash. I've also been a-doodling in my sketch book working out some ideas for a different approach to what I usually have in my sketch books. I'm thinking embroidery and cross stitch patterns.

I hope everyone is having a good day or evening where ever they are.

Workshop - Simple Living

 

On Saturday I attended the Simple Living workshop for haloumi, paneer and ricotta cheese. Ron and Jennylyn were our teachers and they gave a very good workshop on the three cheese types.

The recipes were easy to follow and something to follow up with at home. There was also a swap table before the workshop and I brought in five of the bonnet gals tea towels for swapping.

 

I came home with Gluten free banana muffins, which I didn't have any after my niece declared they were hers. I also scored one of Nanna Chels bird nest necklaces. Had to have those as I do like birdy things.

My bonnet gals must have been well liked because I didn’t bring any home.

The workshop was a great lesson and I look forward to the next one. You can read more about the workshop on the Simple Living Blog and at Nanna Chels blog .

I hope everyone is having a good day or evening where ever they are.

Yesteryears Spring Mini Album

I've been working on this Mini Album for some time. After some issues with the spine which resulted in much ripping and tearing out of pages to redo I think I managed to salavage it pretty good. The theme was a vintage-y sort of Spring easter theme. Odd for this time of year I know, but we are in late Spring so that is what inspired this mini. I call it a mini album but it isn't really it's bigger than 6 inches and chunky! I used a lot of vintage doileys and lace from my stash and I should not admit I never brought anything for this mini as I already had everything. Some of the dressforms in the album were from a swap I joined in a while ago.

Now I have a painting I want to do.

Stash Enhancing

I always find ways to build up my fabric stash. These pieces are no exception, from the thrift store bundled up in a bag with some lace and zippers. The little cross stitch apple is my stitchery, I have a project in mind for this.

With some beads and lace, my day was spent making fabric flowers for other items from the bundle of thrift store goodness. The chic bead centres are very simple to make and if you pop over to: Jennings644 youtube channel she’ll show you how to make the shabby chic pearl sweetness for your flower centres. Mine are a little less fancy, but that’s how I roll.

This week too, from my letterbox came some swap loveliness from the craftingpassionz Australia and New Zealand scrapbook group. I recieved yummy easter themed flower and pin swaps to cheer up a dull autumn day, and unashamedly girly charm from the dress form swap group. I can’t wait to use these. Then again, I might hoard them too.