Contented and unrushed homemaking...

In  Australia we welcome Spring on the first day of September, so this past week I invested my days working through our home to give it a good and thorough Spring clean. 

I have a regular rhythm of daily cleaning, plus there's another regular rhythm which brings me great satisfaction, and that is to deep clean a specific room every month.  But the spring clean is a bit different, for it is when I make a plan for every room, roll up my sleeves, put on my prettiest apron, and prepare to scrub and wash and redecorate with simple loving touches for a solid week. Some lovely music, or a nice audio book in the background adds to the 'romance' of a spring clean! 

Giving my full attention to the home this week has kept me from sharing the next chapter of our Emilie Barnes book study, but we, as homemakers, must always stay close to our priorities and not stray or be distracted by the things which can wait - which assures me you understand. :-)

There were so many little things that were accomplished, things a visitor or my husband would never notice, and I do think they more than anything else brought me the greater sense of delight. 

Things like taking all forty-five indoor plants outside for a good shower and soak to remove the dust of these winter months...

...or descaling the electric kettle with vinegar and water; then there was the cleaning out of kitchen drawers and laying beautiful liners inside, and the windows and screens scrubbed before hanging a handmade curtain across the window (a long-overdue plan which exceeded my hopes).

Having those 'handmaidens' to help every day really made the work easier. We are incredibly blessed in this day and age to have appliances such as vacuum cleaners, steam mops, washing machines...and I have heard people say "back in the old days they worked hard without those things so we should too", but growing up in a home where Nana had to boil the water in a large copper and carry it bucket by bucket to the outdoor bathtub so we could bathe, let me assure you she would have jumped at the chance to have the 'handmaidens' which grace my home today. 

This week I moved all the furniture away from the walls, one side of the room at a time, scrubbed those skirting birds (baseboards) and window sills, washed curtains, re-potted plants, shook rugs, vacuumed and mopped.  This photo was yesterday as the living room was the final room I tackled because until Thursday afternoon we had a queen size mattress still in the middle of everything, waiting to be sold. 

Praise God, when the mattress went to its new home, I couldn't wait to pull apart the office/living/dining room! Next week the old cream air-conditioner will be removed and a brand new one will be installed. Ever since the 2019 floods we've not been able to stop this old air conditioner from growing mould rapidly between the professional cleaning twice a year, so when hubby's tax return arrived in our bank account we chose not to pay it off the mortgage but to purchase a new air conditioner. The one we're getting cleans itself every forty hours, and is way more energy efficient too.

A couple of months ago I bought some non-adhesive wipe-clean rolls of drawer/shelf liner and I think they have been my second best decor investment this year (sewing the kitchen curtains took first place).

The rolls are 10 feet x 12 inches, and I bought four because I had plenty of use for them, beginning in the sewing room. The built in shelving is very old and would take more work than we have time for to sand them down and paint, but just lining each shelf has made a world of difference. 

I also used this to line my kitchen drawers - it's amazing how quickly 40 feet of liner can be used up, but I have another roll with a simple red and white vine design which I'll use for the white bookcase in the kitchen which holds my bulk food containers. 

The walk in pantry is incredible now, so beautifully displayed, full and labelled in such a way that my husband can easily read the jars and tubs. His eyesight has declined quickly over the past few years, so the hand painted italic writing previously on all my jars was difficult for him to read easily in such a small space as a walk in pantry, but once removed and then replaced by printed labels, he's having no trouble at all. I bought a Dymo LetraTag from Amazon and it's brilliant for this job.

There's still a number of cosmetic jobs to be done, a bag of unnecessary items to be dropped at the op-shop, and an inevitable mess to clean after the air conditioner installation next week, but right now I'm very content with the fruit of my labours this past week - both inside and out (I gave the back porch a jolly good clean too).

I did not rush, I went at my own pace and took regular breaks to have a snack and drink, and also to rest my knee (which is still giving me trouble). Apart from a short visit to Blossom's on Monday morning, and a quick grocery shop after lunch yesterday, I've not gone anywhere in the past week...and that's the key to achieving tasks at home and being totally at peace with them, working at a slower pace and appreciating the joy of caring for your sanctuary. When you remove the 'going here and there' from your life, you don't fall behind or feel rushed (usually)...your day is remarkably lovely, quite satisfying, and a real source of contentment. 

Naturally there are days when we must venture out, or attend to unplanned urgencies, but generally, the choice to be pottering at home and tending your nest, blesses you and your loved ones. I also find it gives me so much time to talk with God, pray for those in need, sing as I tend the garden, and listen to books on audio while I bake, cook, pickle and ferment.

I also find there's more time to consider what meals to prepare for myself when hubby is at work. I make sure he always has a healthy and tasty lunch, but its also important to take the time to nourish my own body each day. Whether it's a brown rice and vegetable nourish bowl, a whole-wheat egg and greens sandwich with a smoothie, or pesto and salad on toast...taking the time for self care is vitally important. 

I hope you're taking time to tend your nest and delight in the work of your hands; tending to your health by making time to create simple nourishing meals; and most importantly tending to your heart by spending time in the Word and in prayer with our God.

Next week I have some recipes for you, plus a new pattern release. Here's a peek...

Bless your precious hearts, and may the new month which will soon be upon us, inspire you to wipe the slate clean, forgive past hurts, refresh your thoughts, and bring you JOY. 

hugs

Seasons of change and a free gift...

 Just as in nature there is a progression of seasonal changes, so in life we also journey through various seasons. 

This year has been a wonderful season of slowing for me, something I had long desired but not quite achieved, though not through want of trying. I used to strive for slow...and isn't that a strange thing to do?

Interpreting slow as having less, I set my mind on a path to decluttering our home, removing everything which seemed superfluous to the life I longed to lead. But decluttering is not slowing. It is simply the absence of things to store, display or maintain. 

Don't misunderstand me, I am and will always be one who declutters regularly, but this rhythm in my life did not slow me...it just gave my visual need for order a desired sense of calm. 

As the months of 2022 have steadily come and gone, the real lesson of slower living has grown in my understanding, becoming increasingly evident in the day to day rituals and practicalities of homemaking, conversation, planning and mindset.

Preparing breakfast as the sun rises each morning; changing the linen sheets and freshening the bedroom every Thursday; milling flour to bake a new loaf of bread; moving smaller garden beds of greens into the dappled shade of our Poinciana tree when the burn from the afternoon sun begins to singe their delicate leaves; hanging washing on the line and inhaling the freshness of sunshine when I take it off later in the day to fold and put away; walking around the yard mid-morning to check on our fruits and vegetables as I gather cucumbers, tomatoes and greens for lunch; tending to the daily gardening tasks and admiring God's creation as I go...all of this is done slowly now. The rush has left me. The striving has fallen away like autumn leaves on a tree. 

With slowing comes contentment and peace of mind. With slowing, I am giving myself more time to ponder God's Word and not be distracted by the noise and voices of this modern fast-paced world.

I'm intentional about using time at the computer wisely (writing blog posts and answering emails) because I don't enjoy sitting in front of a screen anymore, unless there's a purpose to it. 

One purpose during our tropical winter has been to learn things I did not know, but which add benefit to our lives here on our quarter acre...things like fermenting and preserving food. I've also uncovered old books which teach these skills, and acquired more knowledge from those locally who know about preserving in the hot tropics so that I do not waste produce.

Some friends have noticed that I've been quieter, as have my daughters, and I think that's a good thing, in fact I believe it's confirmed to my heart that at last, this desire for a slower yet more productive life is indeed happening. 

I've never been a social butterfly, it's not appealing. Being home each day and tending to life here, working at my stitchery design business, and helping the family - those satisfied me. Yet, within that home-centred life I still set my mind to achieve as much as possible in the day...until one day I just wanted everything to slow down because I couldn't see any room to spread myself and learn new things. That's when decluttering, something I'd regularly done, became even more of a habit...because I thought having less around would slow my life. 

This year I have decluttered with a different purpose, and I have allowed myself to let many distractions and self-applied obligations fall away...like autumn leaves. The heavy weights of time, mental anxiety, and future business planning are lifted, and I am walking lighter, thinking clearer, and able to give myself with full attention to the tasks before me.

No longer am I frustrated with a two-day rising of sour dough. Instead, I pick up the bowl and admire the bubbles appearing as the fermenting bread dough works it's magic. Whilst I still bake a regular loaf every few days, the slow loaves of sour dough bring me greater satisfaction and are a reminder that good things come to those who wait.

Though I've not as much time for hand embroidery lately, it's simply because the time I have is given over to things which matter more, time that is no longer rushed. Simplifying Elefantz Designs earlier this year, reducing the workload by about 80%, has made a huge difference to those parcels of rest and free time I enjoy today, and though embroidery is still one of my delights, it's done when I feel like it and thus it has become even more delightful. The business is mostly 'maintained' now through my Etsy Shop (here) and the established 12-month pattern club (here), which only takes one afternoon each week. 

In the afternoons I brew a pot of tea, choose a sweet treat, and spend 15-30 minutes reading. The joy of reading returned this year and I cherish the time given to it.

Not one for modern novels I've always enjoyed older books, those written in slower times, and this year I'm especially enjoying those with a home focus, the books of my youth which I'd almost forgotten - like Little Women. 

Recently I purchased a lovely devotional, drawn from chapters in Little Women, and together they have highlighted areas of Christian character which draw us closer to living our lives in a way that glorifies the Lord. It's not a children's devotional, if you're wondering, but when my grandchildren are a little older it will definitely offer godly lessons I can teach through.

Would you mind sharing about your own journey to slower living? I'd love to glean from your experience. Or perhaps you're still working out what slowing means to you, and how it would enhance your life?

Free book study bookmarks...

I received a lot of feedback about the little quotes included with last week's Emilie Barnes book study and thought you may like to have them in a "Creativity" bookmark format to download and print up.

They'd be lovely to use in your own reading, but would also make useful and pretty gifts for posting or slipping inside a gift book. 

I printed mine on heavy weight 250gsm paper, not regular printing paper (which is usually 80gsm) and after punching a hole in the top I added some pretty ribbon.

If you'd like to download the bookmarks I have two paper formats - A4 size such as we use here in Australia, and Letter size such as may be used overseas.

Click on the link below that suits your country's paper size...

Download the A4 "Creativity" bookmark file

Download the Letter "Creativity" bookmark file

With that I shall sign off for this week, and leave you with some inspiration and a promise. God bless you all!

"Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of His glory with great joy, to the only God, our Saviour, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen."  Jude 1:25

hugs

A day in this blessed life...

FRIDAY JULY 15TH

Baking scones and muffins...

Planting out lettuce, bok choy, snow peas, red zinnias and beetroot...

Gathering cucumbers, spring onions, garlic chives, parsley, rocket (arugula) and coriander for a salad lunch...

Tending the roses and cutting a few to display inside...

Cappuccino break, with raspberry matrimony slice and a wonderful book...

Water vegetables, citrus trees, guava and banana trees...

Water flowers, and prune the elder tree...

Bring in the washing, go for a swim...

Fold the washing, make another cappuccino and settle down with a new book about foraging...

Write a blog post and format photos, before closing up the house as the cool winter air descends.

Gather what is needed for dinner, set up my audio book on the kitchen bench, and begin cooking.

It's been a contented and productive day around our little quarter acre. Thank you Lord. xxx

May your days be filled with the joy of the Lord, and may He give you a plan and purpose for being productive, creative, generous and contented in your homemaker life, for it is a very high calling, and we who answer the call are blessed indeed. 

hugs