Week 7 Gentle Domesticity book study...

This week’s section of the Gentle Art of Domesticity focuses on how we choose and display colour in the things we make.

Ripple Effect

I really enjoyed Jane’s ruminating about the changes in crochet and how it was enjoyed and employed rather differently ‘back in the day’, more of a use it up and wear it out attitude than our consumerist desire for new which is common to the modern era. The same can be said about vintage quilts and fabric stashes but for this section we’ll stick with crochet.

“I like the mish-mash of colours in vintage crocheted blankets; the way the makers seemed to use whatever they pulled from their workbag, the way they revelled in clashes and contrasts…” (page 52)

If you’ve been reading Elefantz for a while you’ll be aware that I’m in the process of completing a Sweet Pea crochet blanket for my almost 1 yo granddaughter, Rafaella. I saw a photo of the original blanket last year and purchased an identical yarn pack. Now this was fine because I don’t normally play with 8 ply yarn so did not have bits and pieces to use up, but Jane makes a very good point here about how in the past crochet was quite often a ‘thrift craft’, a means of using up leftover yarns and colours. I shall indeed have a good supply of leftovers when Rafaella’s blanket is finished and now I’m inspired to use every last remnant in other ways.

“This is free and liberated creativity in which simplicity of form gives huge possibilities for playing with colour.” (page 52)

When I was young and visiting a neighbour my eyes would rarely move from the beautiful and large granny square crocheted blanket she had draped over her couch. Every square was a set of different colours but they were all joined together with a black border which at first bothered me because I did not like black and in my young mind I questioned why Nana’s old friend hadn’t just used more colour. Surely it would have been prettier? The crochet blanket was backed with tartan flannelette and the two pieces joined together around the outside edge with more black crochet.

One cold winter day during our visit I became very drowsy as Nana and her friend chatted away and drank tea so the maker of this odd blanket pulled it from her couch and wrapped me in it. Snug as a bug in a rug I drifted off to sleep and the memory of that comforting softness sits within my memories to this day. That was the day I fell in love with the bright mish-mash of crochet colours hemmed in by bold black borders. It wasn’t just something to be looked at anymore…it had offered me warmth, comfort and rest. 

I never looked at black the same way, not when it's paired with beautiful colours as was found in that blanket.

For Jane it appears her love of colour and contrast can often be triggered by the way certain shades move within a pattern, as she discovered when crocheting a ripple blanket.

“But the wavy stitch is dangerously addictive and it soon became a go-faster stripe as I wanted to see how more and more colours looked. Eventually I ran out, not of steam, but of yarn…” (page 52)

Processing Colour

Jane is quite adventurous in all her creations, allowing the fabric pattern or the colours within to lead her on a journey of discovery, especially in the gentle art of making a quilt. Surprisingly, if one particular print catches her eye she will purchase it and then spend months collecting more pieces before she ever makes a single cut into the fabrics. 

Not so sure most of us would be that patient with our quilt making!

As mentioned earlier in the book, before even a stitch is sewn it’s her son Tom whom Jane turns to for a second opinion when the squares or pieces have been cut and are laid out across the floor. Trusting his eye for colour and design has often proved invaluable for Jane and this made me consider how wonderful it is to have someone else who knows your style and yet sees ‘beyond’ to push you a little out of the comfort zone. 

However, it does take a great deal of trust to receive someone else’s opinion on how you should use colour, and it’s important not to feel pushed too far from what you’re comfortable with. After all, you have to live with the final project and they can toddle off home and never lay eyes on it again.

I’ll leave the final words about processing colour in quilts to Jane…

“…if you allow the quilt to communicate its own colour rules rather than imposing yours, you end up with something quite different from what you had imagined, but something with a life of its own.” (page 54)

Told you she was adventurous!

Playing With Colour

“I have always envied artists who discover a tangible form of creative expression that can be repeated over and over but with subtle variations.” (page 56)

This section was all about taking one design and then remaking it in a variety of different colours. Choosing one cushion she had knitted, Jane then knitted the exact same pattern nine more times to complete nine more cushions – but each one was a display of very different colour combos

The making of these ten cushions taught Jane to look not just at an original pattern or project as an end in itself but to explore the way colour could transform one thing into a variety of moods or decoration.

And what did Jane do with her 10 cushions?

“We sit on them, put them under heads, feet and bottoms, scatter them on chairs and settees…I prefer to enjoy them all while I can.” (page 59)

Since we moved into our first home last September my own ideas on colour have been quite turned on their head because I discovered my decorating style in a rental home is not quite the same as the one I’m moving towards in a home of my own.

This is why it’s taking so long to decide what to hang, what to paint, what to make, what to display, what to give away. Reading that it can take Jane months of ‘collecting’ fabric she likes before making the very first cut into a quilt project reminds me that progression in big decisions or even big projects are quite normal – especially when you discover a new colour palette catching your eye, a passing of the baton so to speak, away from the old tones you used to love and towards something fresh and exciting. That’s right where I am at the moment, though there does appear to be a merging of both old and new in some areas and I’m pretty happy about that too.

** With craft supplies are you the use-it-up and wear-it-out kind of gal or thoroughly modern and more excited by the new styles and things on offer?

** Is there a project in your home which you made a while ago that’s lost its appeal due to your own ‘moving on’ with regards to colour and style? Would you consider re-making it in the colours you love for this season of life?

** Last week and this week we've read and thought a lot about colour. Are you looking at the way you use colour in your creative pursuits any differently? 

** Jane's quite adventurous and open to trying a variety of colour combos and styles even when they're not what she'd normally go for - would you describe yourself that way or are you 'shy' when it comes to change?

Next week we’re reading pages 60 - 67

Every week in the Tuesday book study post I'm encouraging readers and lovers of the gentle domestic life who have a current blog and have blogged about Living the Gentle Domestic Life this year to link their relevant weekly book study post for others to come by, visit their blogs and be inspired. 

Please do not link to the same post on your blog each week.  Your posts should be new and relevant to the current week's study.

NOTE: If your link is advertising or not a true reflection of the heart for living a gentle domestic life it will be deleted. 

hugs

Phyllis May's Kitchen, pearls and hope...

I'm finally getting back to stitching the blocks for Phyllis May's Kitchen.

I'd hoped to have this ready by March but a Craftsy curve ball right before Christmas and then the monsoon in late January/early February slowed my stitches to barely a few each week. 

Then there was my birthday. Yesterday. A big one. 60.

Truly, I like to drive right on past my birthdays because it's more fun to celebrate someone else's but this week I had a precious daughter and her two precious daughters fill two whole days with love, laughter, prayer, food, song and hair brushing. 

Being climbed over, cuddled, kissed, snuggled into, sung to, chased and talked to non-stop on Wednesday and Thursday wore this Nana out, but it's the kind of wearing out I love more than anything. 

Yesterday morning while Cully May sat behind me and brushed my hair, and Rafaella sat on my lap playing with the long string of bright red beads around my neck, Blossom read John 14 out loud...prompted by God. 

I cried. We both cried actually, because for the five days previous God had been prompting me to read John 14 and every time I went to move on to the next chapter He'd steer me back again. 

When the Lord has something to tell you, something important, He'll put it before you in many ways until you take notice. 

So I'm taking notice.

And then of course there's my beloved, who took me out to our favourite Indian restaurant where we were the only people there and received 'extra' special attention. 

Afterwards we drove along the beach and listened to a few albums from around the time we met, singing the lyrics and laughing at how absurd they were.

Every birthday I spend some quiet time alone to think about my mother who died at just 21.

So young, and yet from what I've been told she adored me and loved being a mummy, so I cherish that thought.

Then Nana took over and became the mummy I needed at age three.

With each year that passes I am more and more in awe of my Nana - Phyllis May - because small children are a handful and can sap all available energy, sometimes quite considerably. 

Cully May (named after Nana) has no on/off button - she just goes and goes and goes all day long until bedtime. At two and half she leaves us all (including Blossom) behind in the energy stakes!

So the older I get, the more I appreciate Nana and the many sacrifices she made to raise me. 

The more I consider what her and Pop went without.

One of those things was pearls. Nana loved pearls but never owned any. 

Because of this I've always loved them too, but more interesting is how much Blossom loves pearls - in fact that's all she wanted for her 13th birthday (though I made her a quilt as well).

On Wednesday when Bloss was here all day with Cully May and Rafaella the little ones wore pearl necklaces and truly it was the most beautiful thing to see! Little Raf broke one of her double strings late in the afternoon but as they were a $1 op-shop purchase we did not mind, just gathered them together and popped them in a bowl to restring another time. We might wait another year before we repeat our 'pearling' but next time we'll serve a tea party on the floor with the littlies too. Doesn't that sound like the most wonderful birthday to look forward to?!

I used pearls in these photos.

Phyllis May's Kitchen tea towel and the pearls I wish I could have given her.

I drew the winner of my February giveaway yesterday and am happy to tell you that 

FRANKIE ANN 

in Colorado, USA is the blessed winner of a bundle of vintage loveliness.

There'll be another giveaway in March (which is all too soon approaching) so perhaps you'll be the blessed winner then. You never know!

If you weren't a part of my original Stitchery Club during 2015-16 you might like to join the Rewind Club.

It runs for 12 months, with 12 issues containing at least five stitchery patterns.

No matter when you join you will receive all twelve issues by the time your membership ends.

The March issue has now been put together and on the 5th I'll email it off to all Rewind members...

For a closer look at all the patterns you will receive pop over here to the Rewind Stitchery Club page.

Once you become a member I'll send you my "You've Got Mail" gift pattern so you have something sweet to stitch while you wait for March 5th to arrive!

Included with the stitchery instructions is a tutorial for making this into a cover for a large writing pad but you could turn the design into anything you fancy!

One of my Rewind Club members, Joanne, made hers into a gorgeous wall hanging...

She's inspired me to stitch my pastel version again in bright spring colours!

You can visit Joanne's blog to see more pics. 

Before I sign off today I must show you the bundle of hand made pretties my friend Fee sent for my birthday because if you head over here to to her blog she has tutorials for making some of them.

This little pear was especially dear because inside the card Blossom gave me (actually, she gave me two!) were two passages of Scripture and one was Jeremiah 29:11 - the very first verse the Lord gave me when I became a Christian in 1991.

"For I know the thoughts I think towards you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope." 

Back then He wanted to assure me that I must never lose HOPE because life was quite heartbreaking at the time and ever since that day, when things are causing me distress of any kind, it is that verse which draws my eyes heavenward and my heart forward in hope. 

So when I opened Fee's gift and saw the HOPE pear I was assured once again that God is on the throne and He's got my life covered. I can hold on to hope and trust Him always.

I'm reminded that having blogged here for over a decade much of my life has become an open book, and yet there's always another side of me, another side of life, which stays very personal and not open to others...it's where God meets me in the valley and where He comforts me with HOPE.

Maybe you need comfort, maybe you have lost your hope?

Reach out to God for He promises that if you draw near to Him, He will draw near to you.

Just call on Him - quietly, loudly, without words, or through your tears...let Him fill your precious heart with HOPE too.

Much love

Gentle Domesticity week 6 book study...

This week in our study of The Gentle Art of Domesticity we’re reading pages 44-51 and the topics revolve around colour and the way we can use it in our lives to reflect the essence of who we are.

Colouring in the World

Jane Brocket loves colour and as you read through her book and allow your eyes to rest on the hundreds of wonderful photographs scattered throughout, the more obvious her love for bright colours will become.

Jane acknowledges that what works for her may not work for others, but her core belief is this –

“My basic colour rule is that there are no rules, just what works for you.” (page 46)

She describes her home and the way she furnishes it –

“I make sure that I see wonderful colours every day by painting the walls of our rooms in emerald greens, sunflower yellows, brilliant turquoises and fiery reds, and by throwing the quilts and blankets I have made over furniture and on beds where they can be used and enjoyed all the time.” (page 46)

Our personal domestic space overflows with opportunity to decorate and embellish the home in ways which authentically express the people within. As much as Jane and some of you love the vibrancy of a bright interior, others may prefer the subtle pastels of a shabby chic décor, the earthy tones of nature or the washed out colours in a cloudy seaside day. And even though we may not all have the financial freedom to completely re-do our homes in a particular style or colour scheme, the touches we add through our own handcrafts speaks volumes about what we love and who we are.

Jane writes…

“The wonderful thing about playing with colour in the gentle arts is that it can be done on any scale you wish. Knitting, stitching and baking offer unlimited opportunities to experiment with colour and combination...”

What’s Your Favourite Colour?

All my children at one time or another, repeatedly for some of them, have asked “Mum, what’s your favourite colour?”  - just as Jane’s children inquired of her.

What I love about this section is Jane’s declaration that this question stumps her every time because who can choose just one colour?

“It’s difficult for me to answer this question because I find that colours are at their most lovely when they are in combination with others.” (page 48)

As you read on she gives many examples of colour combinations which inspire and excite her creativity, and I must admit to having quite the ‘aha’ moment here because in the past it has taken me forever to answer that simple ‘favourite colour’ question because on any given day the colour could change. 

For example, if I’ve just been given a bunch of brilliant orange gerberas in early spring my heart is suddenly in love with orange, but if I purchase a lime green t-shirt in mid-summer because it brightens my skin tones and makes me smile when I wear it then I want to choose lime as my favourite. 

Another season may have me storing all the brightness away and scattering calming tones of cream and pink and aqua throughout the home.

So after reflecting on this section of the book I came to the conclusion that I quite simply love colours, quite a few of them in fact, and the question more easily answered would be “what colours don’t you like?”

(Answer - black, brown, navy blue, maroon, dark green and many shades of yellow)

 I think the whole colour thing is what excites me as a designer of hand embroideries. When I'm standing in front of the thread stand at a craft store I quite literally want to grab every single skein and overflow my basket with them - regardless of the fact I already own a great deal of them! 

There's this thrill which rises up inside my heart when a hundred or more luxurious threads in varying shades of every colour imaginable fill my line of sight and hold it unwaveringly so that my creative cells run into overdrive.

I also find choosing threads for a new design often takes a l-o-n-g time because there's a distraction as I work, laying skeins side by side to find colours which marry beautifully, and though not what I need at the moment, could be used in future projects. In fact, if I have a gathering of thread colours which I love and they simply do not blend with any fabrics in my stash I dismiss thoughts of a finished project and frame the completed stitchery instead.

Other inspirations for colour choice are found in nature, a jar of lollies, the yarn shop, the fruit and vegetable stand at a local market, and in books like the very one we are studying this year.

When you truly ponder colour it's obvious there's an effect to be felt on our mood, furnishings and even our personal style. In fact over the next few days I shall be spending time considering my wardrobe because when I stood with the wardrobe door open this morning and really looked at my small rack of clothes (I'm not much of a shopper) there wasn't much joy. 

Perhaps it's time to finally start sewing my own outfits? 

Must dig out those 'make your own clothes' books I bought a few years back...

*  If I were to be welcomed into your home what colour scheme would I find to be most prevalent?

*  Is this colour scheme true to your personal taste today or does it reflect a season past?

*  Have you been inspired by this week's study to make any changes to your current decor, wardrobe or personal style?

Next week we will be studying pages 52-59.

Every week in the Tuesday book study post I'm encouraging readers and lovers of the gentle domestic life who have a current blog and have blogged about Living the Gentle Domestic Life this year to link their relevant weekly book study post for others to come by, visit their blogs and be inspired. 

Please do not link to the same post on your blog each week.  Your posts should be new and relevant to the current week's study.

NOTE: If your link is advertising or not a true reflection of the heart for living a gentle domestic life it will be deleted. 

hugs

PSST - I'm having a birthday this week and to celebrate I'm offering 20% off all my 2017 issues of The Stitchery Club.  Just type BIRTHDAY into the coupon code box before final checkout here in my Etsy Shop. 

Offer closes on February 22nd.

Brightening...

There's no getting away from the fact our house has felt a bit like a war zone of late. Things that had to go, things that needed scrubbing to within an inch of life, holes in the ceiling, and sheer exhaustion because there is always something else to do.

I decided the best way to lift our spirits was to add some bright and cheerful colour to the unaffected areas, and to buy some new indoor plants for that spark of 'life'.

This morning we slept late - first time in so long I can't remember. We gave in to the weariness and allowed ourselves to forget about chores and just drift into deeper sleep. I highly recommend this.

Once awake and able to think clearly we headed out to Bunnings for those plants.

For inside we bought a beautiful glass bowl with three lush greens to display on the 'restored after the mould' coffee table...

...and two single plants in beautiful blue ceramic tile pots...

For outside in the garden I also bought a tray of coleus seedlings and planted some under the shade of our big ixora bush, and planted two more in Mr E's old black boots.

After a simple lunch of crackers, dip and boiled eggs, I chopped up our very ripe peaches and made a couple of pots of jam. We'll savour some on fresh scones tomorrow and I'll use more in a Matrimony Slice for hubby's work morning teas next week...

 My sewing room has been scrubbed, anything remotely affected by the water damage removed, and new curtains hung after Mr E added an extra shelf above the sewing machine. 

Next week I will re-cover all the dining chairs (one is in my sewing room) but for now they have white cloths over the padded seats so having the sewing room up and running again is needed.

Today it was a joy to work in...

On my list of 'brightening' activities was to finish that sweet little row of sparrows I appliqued last week as a cushion for the couch.

I love the large floral print because it's blends beautifully with the gingham and brights of the birds...

Simply machine quilted and with a zippered backing, this was a quick finish...

With the new plants and the cushion we're on the way to bright and cheery again.

Let me show you what came out of just one air conditioner yesterday.

It took the cleaner two hours to remove all the mould and looking at this it's no wonder I've been so sick with a mould allergy. Last night, with clean air flowing through our home again my recovery began.

Back to something nice - some brightening things for home and heart, yes?

I'm crocheting the Sweet Pea blanket for Rafaella's 1st birthday early in March so shall revive my yarn mojo next week and get it finished. This was such a joy to do before I was otherwise occupied and I'm ready to pick up where I left off and enjoy some more crochet bliss before her big day...

At night my downtime before bed is being spent inside the pages of this really lovely book.

Who thought boiling water would be such a special experience? Loving it.

In the kitchen Mr E was spoiled with a lemon meringue pie for Valentines...

...and during my afternoon cuppa I've been really enjoying episodes of  Michael Pollan's "Cooked" on Netflix. In fact, I'm about to watch episode two again because it inspired me to return to slow cooking once more.

Well, that's it from me this early Saturday evening. I have a leg of lamb slowly roasting in the oven and need to peel the potatoes for creamy garlic mash. 

We'll feast on more pie afterwards and watch a movie if we can stay awake that long.

Slow cooking, brightening the home, sewing, reading books that inspire my gentle domestic heart, adding a splash of living green around about and planning for the week ahead...it's been a good day.

Thank you Lord for carrying us through this month and for being faithful in all things, even when we falter...may your kindness and care overflow into every heart reading this post and bless them abundantly.

hugs

February birthday giveaway!

With all that's been going on these past weeks I'm sure you'll forgive me for not having this month's giveaway post published on time. 

In case you missed the news earlier in the year I am having a giveaway on the first Monday of each month through 2019. February was delayed a week and half by the monsoon and subsequent clean up, but you know what they say, "It's better late than never!" and I do think this little bundle of February goodies are worth the wait...

In keeping with my homemaker heart and  this year's Gentle Domesticity book study and theme, I have for the winner this month -

* a gorgeous 50's style Simplicity tea towel

* the prettiest 1930's style Simplicity tape measure

* a carded length of vintage cream cotton lace 

* one pair of vintage style embroidery scissors

* one vintage style floral fat quarter

Would you like to win this bundle of vintage inspired loveliness?

It's easy to enter the giveaway.

Just leave a comment below and make sure I have a way to contact you because if your name is drawn on February 21st (my birthday!!) and I can't get in touch with you then another winner will be drawn. 

Good luck everyone!

I should also remind you to download the free February project pattern. The freebies this year will be offered in the first Gentle Domesticity book study post each month.

Are you enjoying the study? 

Honestly, I am learning a lot through the comments shared and the blog link ups each week so I encourage you to scroll back through the blog (or check the popular posts in the sidebar) and have a read if you've missed any. 

This month's free project is Small Things, Great Love which includes the pattern to finish the stitchery as a cute sack pillow.

You'll find the download in THIS blog post.

We're slowly getting things back to normal here. Mr E has been shoveling a lot of sand and dirt to fill in all of the ditches and extra pump basins he had dug during the monsoon to divert water away from the house, and we've been scrubbing mould with every ounce of leftover energy.

Still waiting for an electrician and a builder (we need the electrician first) but my beloved has a tarp over the hole in the ceiling for now and we've bought rugs to cover parts of the bare concrete floors in the bedroom and his study. 

The air conditioners are loaded with mould so we're incredibly blessed to have found someone who can come on Friday to clean them all - and believe me, in this extreme heat wave having cool air again will be a gift indeed. 

The supermarkets have fresh food on the shelves again so I'm making healthy meals with plenty of vegetables and herbs to build up our immune systems. 

Unfortunately I have developed an allergy to mould so my eyes are red and painful, nose is running and my throat is dry and sore. Our doctor has given me drops and spray, and has also supported us using natural treatments as well. In his words - "do everything you can and expect this to take a while to settle down"

How did you go with the Alphabet Pincushions Stitch-a-long?

Did you stitch them all?

I was asked by a few people to share a photo of all my pincushions together so yesterday I took one...

...though there are a few missing as they'd already been gifted. In fact even little Cully May has one! I'd made two versions of the C pinnie and she wanted the biggest one. Can't wait till she can sew with Blossom and I.

Over the rest of this year I plan on gifting many more of the pincushions, though I shall be keeping "Sew" and "Quilt" for myself. 

All the alphabet pattern sets (which include the pincushion diagrams) are here in my shop.

There's not been much sewing happening here lately, naturally, but I was able to finish another block in my upcoming BOM, "Phyllis May's Kitchen". 

Here's a wee peek...

I thank the Lord that life is quickly returning to normal at home.

Mr E and I will be heading off to the nursery for a few new plants on the weekend; Blossom is providing a Tiramisu for my birthday next week and bringing Cully May and Rafaella over to play; and I shall finally get to catch up with the girls at sewing group again on Tuesday. 

Life is a gift, never take that for granted. Enjoy each moment, love your family, help others when you can, and be humble enough to accept help when you need it. 

Thanks for hanging in with me during this stressful time but sorry for so many flood posts; thank you for all those heartfelt prayers; and thank you also to a dear friend overseas (C - you know who you are) who sent us a most appreciated love-gift.

hugs