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.
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.