Gentler living...

 The idea of living a gentler life may seem quite a romantic fancy, because it almost sounds too good to be true...and in some ways it is, if you equate gentler with easier. But in fact, living gentler is rarely easy.

I've always had a full life, some seasons busier, other seasons quieter, but always full in the context of having no reason ever to be bored because when living a gentle homemaker life there is a perpetual list of things I can do. Choosing the gentler way though, means I no longer push myself to achieve more in a day than is necessary, needful, or beyond my physical and mental abilities. Choosing to live gently allows me to potter about, slowing my pace, and actually being attentive to whatever tasks are at hand unhurriedly - rather than thinking of the next task, the next thing, the next accomplishment. Letting the knowledge sink in that there will always be a tomorrow, next week or month or year, as long as the Lord keeps me here, has helped me shake off many unnecessary self-adhered burdens, freeing me to embrace what is before me on this day, attending to it first with prayer, and effort to follow, but not adding what is not required. 

This time of year the winter garden takes much of my time, and as we seem to have missed our hoped-for cool winter due to temperatures most days around 30C, and even up to 35C one Saturday, more time than usual has been needed to water everything and keep the vegetables and fruits growing. It was such a blessing last week as we had three inches of unexpected rain over two days and my goodness, the plants simply shot up overnight - something I notice always happens with good rain, rather than water from the tap. It was also delightful not to have to water the gardens for the following two days as well! 

I've spent time preparing food, baking biscuits (cookies) and breads, and enjoying 'new-to-us' produce, like these small cucamelons, which after a slow start have spread like crazy and are now bringing forth an abundance of citrusy/cucumbery treats.

They've taken over the wire rack which holds the rockmelons, grown over the top of the brown privacy fence, and are making their way along the branches of the tabebuia tree outside our bedroom window. But they are delicious little morsels for salads and snacks, and we're thrilled for such an abundant harvest our first year planting them.

Picking from the garden each morning helps me plan that night's evening meal, or a luncheon outside with hubby on Sundays. Today this was what I picked, putting aside the snow peas, cucamelons, lettuce, spring onions, chives and baby beets for tonight...

We are growing a lot of beetroot in various raised beds around the house because we love them when they're small, but also because I use the beet leaves (and radish leaves) to make pesto.

With today's harvest of leaves, along with last week's leftover basil, I made two more pots of pesto (one goes to Blossom). As I had more than two pots worth I decided hubby and I would share the excess with lunch.

While he was outside working hard to remove a stubborn tree stump, I baked a rosemary and garlic Focaccia bread as it's the perfect base for a 'choosies' lunch. Do you have 'choosies' meals? We've been doing this for more than thirty years, and it's a family favourite. 

You have a lovely fresh bread baked and ready to enjoy, then you spread the table with all the bits and pieces from the fridge which may needing using up. Everyone chooses what they like to fill their plate, adds a big chunk of focaccia, and pours a lovely sparkly drink (or a cup of tea)...then we all relax and enjoy the chatter and the food for as long we like.

Being that today there's only hubby and myself, I filled a platter with his favourite salami, olives, cheese, onions, tomatoes fresh from our vines, boiled eggs, the pesto I just made, and some of the pickled cucumbers and red capsicums I made last week. 

I also like to have a sweet treat for afters, and today it was a freshly baked batch of gingernut biscuits. This was the first time I'd made them since my husband was at University, but we both quickly remembered just how delicious and crisp they are, so they've been added to our menu rotation!

Last week I make Cowboy Cookies for the grandkids, and though we enjoyed some too, my man thought them a bit too heavy for his liking (it was the oats, as he's not the biggest fan of oats)...

I also used up some of my sourdough on these really yummy blueberry and apple muffins. We had them for breakfast on Saturday and agreed they make a hearty change from our usual fruit, cashew milk, cereal (him) and muesli (me) weekday breakfast, so I'm glad I made a double batch because I have portioned them in the freezer for the weekends ahead. 

I get a lot of requests via email for my recipes, and am 'gently' working on a file of the most popular to share soon, but one thing I must say about my muffins - I never use a recipe. For things that I make often, and have made for many years, it's all intuition and a decision to use what's on hand. 

The school holidays finish today so Cully May and Rafaella go back to school tomorrow. Spending time with Blossom and the children these past two weeks (in between various bouts of a tummy bug which travelled through our family circle) has been extra special. We all love the library and try to meet up there one afternoon a week during the school term, so I made the kids a library bag each. The girls have pretty sparkly unicorn fabric (I used different lining fabrics so the girls can tell their bags apart) and Charlie has a gorgeous print of dogs and cats from old Disney movies...we all love Lady and the Tramp in our family, don't you?

Back in the garden I'm making use of unusual things for planting or trellising. Around the yard are three strainers, two which were found for pennies at a garage sale and one which was my own kitchen strainer for years but was replaced recently with a bigger one. I like to plant a lot of flowers and herbs among the vegetables every winter, but this year I have tripled the amount so I look for extra ways to get them in and around the place. The wire fencing hubby put up for the blackberry bush and the tomato vines was perfect for displaying pansies and seaside daisies. I also have another right up the back near the pool with zinnias and geraniums.

Blossom and her family have to move from their rental home after five years there (the owner is selling the house) so she's busy decluttering for the charity shop, and throwing away what's broken. In her broken pile was the frame of a laundry basket which had broken along the bottom. I quickly snapped it up and brought it home, had hubby remove what remained at the bottom, then placed it over some newly planted beans. 

You never know what you can recycle. My eyes are always looking for things to make use of in the garden! 

How are you this time of year? Though I'm close to the middle of our Australian winter, the tropical climate in the top end where I live seems to mirror many of you who are enjoying summer in the northern hemisphere. My friends in southern Australia are freezing, as my eldest daughter Kezzie attests to. She lives in Tasmania and laments winter as she's a true gardener and loves nothing more than growing her own produce to feed herself and her children, but alas the ground is frozen and she must wait for mid-spring to begin planning and planting. She did decide, however, that an indoor hobby for winter would be wise, and just bought herself a sewing machine. I got quite teary over her declaration that learning to sew would help her feel closer to myself and Blossom, and that we'd all have something else in common to chat about. Isn't that precious? 

( an old favourite rose)

(a new favourite rose)

(dianthus are everywhere, along with salvia)

Well, I shall say farewell for today, and offer you these heartfelt words...dear ones, give thanks for what you have today, and take time to be aware of the people God has placed in your life. Listen more than you speak, taking the time to consider what others are sharing with you before you answer. Conversation is a gift some of us don't get to enjoy very often, but when we do, the most important thing is to listen to the one who is talking. The Bible tells us to be slow to speak and quick to listen (James 1:19) - something which I find is becoming rare in this social media, self-obsessed world. How very sad. I admit to being like that myself at times, wanting to get 'my' thoughts out before the other person finishes, but God is working on me in that area, which is probably why I feel led to write about it today. Interrupting is something my husband never does. He never interrupts when someone is speaking, and though he will admit that he's not the best listener, he does try to. I really admire that about him. 

Hugs and blessings for the week ahead,

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Chapter 2 - creativity...

 

Hi everyone! Today I'm sharing bits and pieces from chapter two of Emilie's book, Simple Secrets to a Beautiful Home, and I hope it inspires you to look with fresh eyes at how to use your God-given creativity within your own abode.

As with chapter one I will highlight Emilie's words and thoughts in italics. My own are in standard text.

Emilie begins this chapter by repeating a comment she had heard a million times by women - "Oh, she's so creative!" - and goes on to make an observation that usually this statement is describing what many would call an "artsy" kind of person. 

Fairly quickly Emilie debunks that theory as she reminds us that we are all made in the image of God, and therefore we are all uniquely creative, though we may not describe ourselves as being creative. 

From my own perspective, I too have heard the comment "She's so creative" spoken with awe and sometimes even a touch of envy, and I think that can be a lovely compliment about a person's gifts we admire, but it can also cause us to think less of our own creativity.

For example, I have been told for over a decade how creative I am to be able to design and stitch...and I see this as a manifestation of God's gift to me in this area. But I cannot paint, makeover old furniture, create beautiful table settings for a dinner party...and hundreds of other creative pursuits. But I'm sure that just as I have a small creative niche, you are also very creative in your own way and with your own natural gifts.

As many of us are crafters of one sort or another, it's probable that we consider creativity to be craft related...but that is a small corner of the real picture, and I'll chat more about that near the end.

Emile shares the story of their treasure hunts to auctions, yard sales, antique shops etc, and the odd things her husband would purchase, items which she thought of as incredibly ugly. 

But given time he would make them over into something beautiful, because he'd already imagined in his mind's eye what he could do to transform the item when he bought it.

Referring to the pioneer women of the old days, she writes, "Even in the tiniest frontier cabin, pioneer women found ways to express their creative urges and to add touches of loveliness to their environment." 

Then Emilie draws our attention to the Amish and their beautifully handmade quilts, whilst also noting the friendship shared in their quilting bees, the recipes exchanged, garden problems solved, child rearing issues shared, and all the while their hardworking fingers sewed tiny stitches.

This section reminded me of Ma in the Little House on the Prairie books, and her precious "little china woman" which was so carefully unpacked with every move and placed on the mantle above the fireplace. The children knew that when at last Ma displayed her china woman it meant the house was ready and they would begin the normal routines of life again. 

When I considered the Amish sewing bee, another thought came to mind. How precious these regular bees were for passing on skills and womanly advice to the younger women while they all sat together around the quilting frame stitching quilts. 

The Amish - the spirit of creativity flourishes in their simple, homespun traditions. Quilts are priceless examples of folk art and a beautiful testimony to creativity. 

"People are rediscovering the fulfilled and homey wholesomeness of the days when women gathered to pool their creativity and beautify their homes with warmth and comfort."

Thinking outside the box:

Using repurposed sheets for all kinds of home furnishings, such as curtains, tablecloths, napkins, sofa covers, pillow shams, table runners, shower curtains...Emilie has done this, as have many of her friends. She remarks on one friend who even lined her kitchen cupboards using a pretty sheet, and another who wallpapered a room.

"The world around us can be changed by the smallest of creative touches. The woman who takes time to think creatively can put together a homey environment out of whatever she has. 

Cost, size and possessions really have little to do with a beautiful home. In fact, if we own too much, we can easily let our lives degenerate to the point that we are merely a keeper of things." 

Magazines, books and Pinterest:

The book we are studying was written in 1992, and back then Emilie encouraged borrowing ideas from your friends, magazines, books and shop displays for creating beauty in your own home. This made me reflect on the avenues I roam down looking for homemaking inspiration, so along with all her examples I'll add Pinterest - which I'm sure she would have loved had it been around then.

Now, I only go to Pinterest if I have a reason - for instance, lately I have been looking for kitchen curtain ideas because I'm about to make some, but what a great resource it is for home decorating ideas. Just remember, work within your budget, and never compare your home to that of someone else, okay? I have fallen down that rabbit hole in the past and it was a very muddy climb back up to reality. 

Many ideas caught my eye, but it was actually a compilation of a few that inspired me to sketch up my own and in another couple of weeks I will have duplicated for real. 

I also love to browse through books for ideas. These are a few I picked up for a couple of dollars each at garage sales. They are displayed in the bookshelf in our bedroom and some afternoons I take a rest in there with a nice herbal tea and look through one or two of them for twenty minutes or so ...

I also love to go through my collection of Country Living UK magazines, especially the older ones from around 2009-15 as they were really home focused back then.

Inside are gardens, decor, arts and crafts, baking...so much that sparks my creativity!

Here's my latest book purchase, A Woman's Garden, by Tanya Anderson who lives on the Isle of Mann. If you've never been to her blog (HERE) let me encourage you, especially if your interest lies in preserving your garden plants and even using them in crafts.

Creative Sharing:

"Creativity is not just for self-fulfillment...experience the joy of creating and sharing when you stitch a Scripture for a friend, write up a recipe for a new acquaintance, or hand letter a special card..."

A Legacy of Joy:

"One of the most valuable ways we can share the secret of creativity is by modelling it for our children....teach them to use their own God-given creativity to instil beauty into their own lives and homes."

"As images of the Creator, we have the opportunity to fashion our lives and our homes into works of art."

Some creative ideas from Emilie:

* Make time in your life for things that stimulate your creative juices - even if you have to schedule into your calendar.

* Make the table special. Tie ribbons around the napkins and add a fresh flower. 

* Create centrepieces for the table in season...such as pumpkins of all sizes in Autumn.

* Before throwing something away that is worn or cracked, think of some way to reuse it. A cracked mug or teapot can hold flowers, or worn out jeans can be torn into strips to make a rag rug.

* Try using a quilt as a tablecloth, or to drape over a worn out sofa. 

* Cover boxes in pretty paper (or fabric) and use them for storage. Stacked together they would look lovely.

* You can do so much with a Mason jar - above all, think beauty in the ordinary.

I am not the most creative person, but I am very aware that God has gifted us all with some of His creativity, so, room by room I've been looking with fresh eyes, taking ideas gratefully from many sources, and have begun to 'subdue' my home and mould it into a prettier and more peaceful place to be. 

Here's a few very simple things I have done, some in the past few years, others in the past few months, some this week. 

Adding more hanging plants, using a doily to cover a hole in the curtain, using empty vases, water jugs, teapots and coffee mugs as vessels for propagating Pothos cuttings, painting an ugly old wooden tray white...

Using a lace scarf as a curtain sash...

Displaying small rose cuttings on my desk in a tiny cut glass milk jug...

Painting a black $5 garage sale towel rack a lovely deep cream and using it to display quilts...

Painting an ugly green votive candle holder with the same cream as the quilt stand and using it to display plants on my kitchen windowsill...

Painting an old shelf a vibrant turquoise and attaching to the wall in our entrance where it holds plants and special displays...

Hanging aprons on my small pantry cupboard...

And making the new freezer, which lives in our lounge/dining room for lack of space elsewhere in our small home, look not so ugly and out of place.

And you know what, we have a queen size mattress in the middle of that room too, because it's only a year old and we need to sell it and there's nowhere else it can fit...so I thought creatively. Ha ha!!

The mattress was a very expensive Tempur memory foam which turned out to be not right for me...I could barely walk each morning and would climb out of bed during the night from the pain in my hips to sleep on the couch. Hubby was horrified that it was causing me so much pain, so bless him, we went and bought an ordinary soft mattress, and I am no longer in pain and sleep well. 

But now we are left with an expensive mistake, so while it's here in the middle of our home it can look pretty. :-)

I hope you enjoyed the overview of chapter two, and that you have thought differently about what it means to be creative. 

I have a few friends who are quite creative in their homes, so I'll leave links to them below...

JES who blogs at Strangers & Pilgrims on Earth

ROSIE who blogs at Home with Rosie

ANNABEL who blogs at The Bluebirds are Nesting on the Farm

JULIE at My Threadbare Life

Hope you have a blessed weekend and get to enjoy the garden and your homes. I also pray that in all things you tap into the God-gifted creativity within yourself and look for ways to beautify your surroundings.

Start with a smile...I find it makes all the difference!

hugs

Sewing chatter, a new dress, Rosie and bread...

 Yesterday Rosie came over for the morning and between cups of Earl Grey and nibbles of banana bread and matrimony slice we solved all the world's problems. Ha ha! Okay, not exactly, but we did talk each other's ears off about sewing and our favourite fabric show, The Great British Sewing Bee.

We both have a Britbox (Australia) subscription and slowly they are adding the series so we are soaking everything in and being immensely inspired to forgo the cheap clothing imports which have swamped the stores here over the past decade or more, and set our machines to work on more than just patchwork and quilting.

Rosie is ahead of me in having already completed two new summer tops this month, but also in experience with sewing for oneself (I sewed for my children but never for me, apart from my wedding dress which was a miracle in more ways than one) so I was able to glean from that as she helped me along with a few sensible rules to follow which will hopefully curtail any avoidable mistakes.

This morning I cut out the pattern pieces for a sleeveless top with pin-tucks along the front because I own a few pin-tucked tops and dresses and on consideration realised its my favourite style. 

It's a rainy day here in the tropics of North Queensland which makes it 'just right' for brewing cuppas and hiding away in the sewing room with an audio book while my machine hopefully makes magic.

Rosie launched her new blog recently and it's wonderful. Her latest two posts gave us much to chat about as we sipped our tea yesterday - sewing of course, but also a quote her father-in-law would often repeat and which is made relevant in almost every aspect of a homemakers life. Pop over HERE and say hi, read and be inspired. 

I've not rushed my weekly tag challenge of late, but sat with the theme of the week simmering in my thoughts before embarking on the process of bringing scrappy pieces of lace, linen, ribbon, buttons and thread together. The theme this week was 'a bevy of buttons' and after a few alterations to my initial idea it came together beautifully just before dinner yesterday.

Flower gardens are a delight to the senses aren't they? So why not create one on the tag I thought to myself.

Now I'm wondering what the next theme could be, but it won't be shared until Saturday morning my time (Friday evening in the UK) so I must be patient. Besides I have a pin-tucked top to sew and that will keep me busy - especially making my own binding. Glad I have enough of that fabric. 

Blossom has been sewing again and begun to add beautiful new dresses to her Etsy Shop. This time she's made toddler sizes (12-24 months) and will be sewing some 3yo dresses in future as well. You can have a look at her new wares over HERE at Lucy & May.

But there's one very special dress I'd like to show you today. A little while back Bloss and I were chatting about the dress she wanted to make for Rafaella's 3rd birthday in early March and I suggested adding a little something myself, a hand embroidered bodice. She was thrilled with that idea and so I drew up a little circular posey and added R in the centre. Well, you know that was the easy part. 

I handed the embroidered bodice fabric over to her and then the real magic happened. What my daughter can sew impeccably never ceases to swell my heart in pride for her diligence to the God-given craft she loves. 

Our little Rafaella, aka Shirley Temple, had no intention of waiting for her birthday to wear mummy's creation, and let's face it who can deny that smile?

Do you remember two years ago when I made a bodice for Rafaella's 1st birthday dress? You can have a look back at that post HERE.

Hasn't she grown up!

The pattern is still available HERE in my shop if you like to hand embroider bodices, and comes in sizes 1-2 and 3-4.

BREAD...

I was asked recently about my bread recipes because I have quite a few favourites that I make over and over again. Back in 2017 I shared three good recipes I bake often so for those who kindly asked me to share them again feel free to use THIS link to download the file.

There's also a sweet little bread stitchery inside the file so while it bakes you get to stitch. 

I suppose I'd best depart from the computer keyboard now and head back to my sewing room to cut out the fabric for that pin-tucked top. Firstly I'll need to brew a pot of Earl Grey and then sample a bit more of the matrimony slice which I made with blackberry jam this time. And if you've never made this slice let me encourage you to try it - delicious!

You can download the recipe HERE, which just like the bread recipes has a little stitchery you can play around with while it bakes. 

May the Lord bless your days with peace and laughter, healing and hope, grace and truth - and may you always feel His mighty loving hand upon your shoulder.

hugs