Refreshing...

Can you believe we're in our sixth month at this new home?

A lot has happened in that time and many plans we had made early on needed to be re-thought, postponed or cancelled. It's not been the best start to a year that's for sure but really, that's okay - because each new day offers opportunity for refreshed focus and a clearer view of what can be done. 

This week I decided to take a good look at our living/dining room area and assess how well the placement of furniture has worked for us since we moved in late last September. 

Now that I no longer have a big office space and corner desk, it's been difficult to spread things out when writing patterns at the small desk near the front entrance. 

The dining table was over by the kitchen where it's handy for meals but I never take my work over there because I need to go back and forth between the laptop and what's spread on the table. 

Refreshing.

So in a moment of inspiration whilst vacuuming and mopping the floors on Wednesday I moved the dining table behind my desk and put the couch over by the kitchen. My husband never thought this would work (which is why we didn't try it when we moved here) but it has. 

There's beautiful natural light at the table and now I can sit there to write patterns, do a bible study, plan my week, or just enjoy a cuppa with a magazine or book. 

I love where the turquoise couch is now - just right for cosy prayer time, quiet reflection, or having an arvo rest.

My new Autumn mini quilt is hanging close by...

Bob-the-dog is getting older, turning 12, and likes to sleep under the coffee table so I put his comfy green bed there with an orange mat for when he wants to spread out and rub his back. 

I did a bit of refreshing last week too, in the pantry. 

Again, I was assessing how the placement of things when we moved in was working after five months of daily use. Some sections definitely needed to be swapped about and besides, a good scrub of the shelves and checking for expiration dates was due...

I'm going to sew little tags for the large green storage tubs so my husband knows what's inside them!

As there is no door on our walk in pantry I like it to be more than functional, it needs to be pleasing to the eye when you walk past. It's right across from me as I prepare meals at the kitchen bench and I admit to being joyful when I see the order and simple layout. 

I've hung Allie's Lemon Tree quilt just inside the pantry entrance and this weekend will buy a white board to hang there as well to keep track of my grocery needs each week. 

I'm a list maker and there's too many shopping lists around the house on scraps of paper (and in my handbag) so a white board will be a most worthwhile purchase.

I've been refreshing in other ways too.

Like "My Vintage Kitchen" wall hanging from 2015 

Originally it was designed as a set of small redwork blocks and I shared them over the course of nine months on the blog, but I'm not much into redwork anymore.

With all our discussion of late in the book study about using colour around the home and in our lives, a second version of My Vintage Kitchen has been developing because I find beautiful pops of colour make me very happy...

These are the same three blocks from the original redwork version...

Once I've completed all the blocks and designed a new mini-quilt layout to display them I'll have the pattern ready for you.

I'm still working away on my "Phyllis May's Kitchen BOM" but there's a few more blocks to complete before I can bring them all together in one project...and I'll tell you a secret. 

It's not a quilt. 

I wonder how you feel about that?

I'm quite excited.

I'll sign off today with the birthday card my sweet Blossom gave me last month.

We both marvel at the gift God has given us through each other, the bonds we share, the trials we have faced and the ongoing desire we have to grow into better mothers, wives and women.

She's become my closest and dearest female friend, my prayer partner, Bible study buddy and in her own fresh way - a mentor. 

I admire her gentle humility; her honesty about where her life is each day and what she struggles with; her constancy and faithfulness in the roles of wife, mother and daughter; her offering of weakness before our strong God when it all gets too much; and her resilience, faith, hope and laughter which showers sunshine on a cloudy day.

I'm so incredibly blessed...

May the Lord shower your life this weekend with sunshine through the clouds, joy to wipe away tears, hope to fulfill long-held dreams and a heart that chooses kindness and compassion when emotions are frayed.

Bless you always,

PS: Visit my Etsy Shop here if you need something to stitch this weekend.

End of a week...

It's Friday night and I'm wondering where the week has gone.

Monday begins full of purposeful plans for the home, the yard, designs, the sewing room, the blog, meals...and our family. And though a number of things were crossed off my list this week there's quite a few that weren't.

The way of life, yes? 

Always be ready to let go of your plans because tomorrow arrives with ideas of its own.

Slowly I'm finishing the blocks for Phyllis May's Kitchen and when the final two are complete I can begin setting all the blocks together...quite probably in a way you might not expect.

But first I need to make sure the picture in my mind can be transferred to real life. 

Hopefully God will expand on the 'how' because I'm becoming increasingly committed to stepping outside the box with this new pattern, just a little cautious about how to make it work so that you love it as much as me.

We've had a few rain showers at night and then today they fell more often. Chatting with a neighbour and some other people whilst out and about there's a genuine fear of too much rain after the floods, but these short spells have been just enough to dampen the gardens and cool the late summer air. 

Our 'almost pet' cockatoo Betty has finally learned to stand her ground at the bird feeder when Double Trouble arrive each morning and I have to admit it's nice to see the three of them breakfasting together while hubby and I sit nearby with our coffee and fruit.

The garden is alive, lush and green with new growth abounding.

The red/orange ixora is in full bloom again, a splash of brilliant colour in an otherwise green yard...

Before my birthday, when my eyes were crusty and hazed from the mould allergy and spacial awareness was not at it's best, I knocked my gorgeous Cath Kidston mug off the counter and it shattered across the kitchen floor. 

This mug was very special to me as it had been a gift from Fee quite a few years back. I told her immediately because only she really understood how much this upset me at the time, but the following day my family got it too. Mr E and Blossom, bless their hearts, trawled the internet for days trying to find the exact same mug but none could be found. Hubby showed me all kinds of Cath Kidston mugs but I could only shake my head because the broken gift was the prettiest of all.

Not wanting to part with the pieces I placed them in a container for a possible mosaic project (when I learn how) but was able to salvage the top two inches and part of the handle as a little garden display with one of the seedlings we recently bought. I simply pushed the ragged edges into the soil around the coleus.

A perfect colour match and a way to still enjoy my favourite mug...

Years ago another friend, Vikki, sent me this little rabbit and I thought it might be sweet outside too, sitting under the shade of some elephant ears (jade plant)...

I'm going to look for more trinkets for my outdoor pots over the weekend as I love small pops of interest scattered through the garden, the kind that make you stop and look closer. 

One of my potted basil plants has thrown seeds and here and there new plants have grown in the garden bed. This one came up between the guava tree and the mock orange.

Remember when I wrote how God had very clearly told me that this year I was to "use what you already have"?

Well I'm following through in many ways. 

In fact those words resound in my heart every day so I'm applying them to many things around the home. But I'm also using this advice in my sewing.

Do you remember my 2015 block of the month, My Vintage Kitchen?

All redwork. 

Simple little backstitch blocks with a spattering of lazy daisy and running stitch here and there.

Well, I'm giving it a fresh makeover!

These little stitcheries are actually the inspiration behind Phyllis May's Kitchen, but the new BOM is much larger and includes a lot more detail and many more blocks.

Anyhow, back to the fresh makeover...

I'm using Elea Lutz's new fabric range Bluebirds on Roses for the borders and also as my palette for choosing the stitchery thread colours. 

This time there's more variety in the stitches with the addition of chain stitch, stem stitch and satin stitch for example. 

And I'm loving it, can't wait to have it hanging in my home. The mini quilt layout will be different too...might even add some small pieced blocks. And the colours - happy colours. Just what I love in this home.

But I can only dabble with this project as light relief on quiet evenings because Phyllis May's Kitchen is the main project and must be properly finished soon.

I do have a finish to show you, though!

My 36" square sweet pea blanket is complete.

This is Rafaella's 1st birthday gift (March 4th), her very own soft and cuddly blankie. The border is a very simple pink chain as dear Blossom loves it that way. 

We're really quite a simple family you know...

A birthday parcel arrived this week from my friend Ondrea and amidst all the pretties she sent were these two beautiful handmade gifts.

Aren't I blessed?

Do you plans for the weekend?

Mr E has grass to mow and a shelf to paint, whilst I have some plants that need attending to and a linen cupboard to refresh. We'll also see little Rafaella to give our gifts as hubby will be working on her birthday. I can't believe it's been a year since this precious bundle arrived! 

Blossom has made Rafaella a special birthday outfit featuring the hand stitched bodice I made a while ago - can't wait to show you the birthday photos. 

May your days be sewn together with grace, kindness, hope and laughter.

May your trials be short and your sleep sweet.

Be assured God finds the greatest delight in the time you choose to spend with Him so stop often to linger in His presence. It will be life to your soul.

hugs