Removing old layers to see what matters now...

Life is meant to be lived, and as you edge closer to the winter years that truth becomes far more valuable than in younger seasons. You know, it can be quite confronting to ponder the long time passed, and the much shorter time ahead. I'm definitely not thinking negatively (or morbidly) about this truth, but rather taking notice of it in order to wisely choose how I use the days God continues to gift me from now on. 

And that's why I've been absent from blogging for a couple of weeks. I found other things to do, things that were not only productive, but joyous and fun. Even the regular domestic tasks of my simple life took on new delight, and I woke up excited to go about my chores and put things in order around home. There's also been fresh creativity in my days, and truly, this quite surprised me. 

I took my own advice about 'walking the room' again in April, and discovered what I had suspected for a while. 

My style has changed from the overabundance of pretty things around the home (most of which I made and designed) to being considerate of what my husband and I genuinely like. I think simplifying can do that, perhaps? The past few years my personal decluttering of things that have no value, or take up time or space unnecessarily, has helped me look at all aspects of the life I have chosen to value and pursue...and when those layers are lifted away, its much easier to see what is left in a new light. 

Taking away from the 'scenery' within our walls meant that I am able to consider and plan what I can make or build or re-purpose, to create a home atmosphere that really reflects who we are in our little home on a quarter acre, not just me.

It's also easier when some things are stripped away to recognise what offers satisfaction, enthusiasm, and purpose, for both my husband and myself. Much of what is displayed around home is there because I designed and made it over the past fifteen years of creating my business, Elefantz Designs, but it's quite a mismatch now if I'm honest because there's a variety of style changes which follow my growth as a designer, and it simply never was a reflection of my husband's rustic Australian country style. So...I'm removing items I'd not considered previously, and giving prominence to the artwork and colours which hubby and I both like. Naturally, some areas are more me than him - the kitchen and laundry for example! But that's okay, a homemaker makes a home for herself and her husband, so it is natural to bring some of him and some of her into the home, right alongside the 'we'. 

Over the past few weeks I've really enjoyed using up smaller fabric pieces and making reversible jar covers for my homemade jam...but over time this spread into many jars in my pantry. 

Not every jar has a cover because I like them scattered around, bringing a very homely look to the kitchen. I also made some for Blossom but 3yo Charlie absconded with them, insisting they were hats for his dinosaurs and the girl's dolls. Ha ha!! 

After about fourteen fabric covers, I made one with a crochet edge...

...and then progressed to an embroidered cover, which I absolutely love and shall be making more of. I'm thinking of cows, ducks, birds, and little garden scenes. I  may even use some of the stitcheries from HERE or those I've included in this year's free Joy in the Ordinary BOM. 

But this little bee pattern was a purchase I made on Etsy last week. I was looking for different jar cover patterns and bought this one - however, I did not realise it was only a pattern for the bee. Still, I do love how the designer has displayed it on linen with a lace edge in the photo. 

The jar cover pattern I have been using came from Olesya on Youtube, who shares THIS wonderful tutorial! If you fast forward to around 16 minutes you can watch it (be sure to turn on the subtitles)...but I never fast forward as I am inspired by her homemaking and enjoy every minute of her videos from Belarus. 

I completed the first crochet rug of the year and look forward to using it if winter arrives, as that is always a surprise in the tropics, and have begun a second rug in much earthier colours. 

After months of contemplating how to use some kookaburra fabric Annabel sent me for Christmas, I decided it would be perfect for the French Press we use for de-caff coffees on the weekend. 

I love kookaburras, have done so all my life. Our front door has a stained glass kookaburra, and there's a hand painted canvas of a kookaburra just inside our front entrance. When they visit in the garden I am enthralled! Last week I had three 'laughing' in the Poinciana tree, and then another sitting on the edge of a potted rose. 

They seem to frequent our home mostly in autumn and winter so I expect to see them often over the next few months. Never heard a kookaburra? Well, have a listen and you'll understand why we say they laugh...

I have definitely been keeping my hands busy. Here's a few more occupations I have applied myself to this month...

(first cross-stitch project in more than a decade!)

(protein balls for hubby's lunch box)

(the garden out back, focusing on herbs, flowers and greens)

(garlic rolls using Olesya's recipe here)

I have also completed the final Dresden block for Blossom's 30th birthday quilt and will be sewing them all together with white borders this week. 

I wrote an April to-do list at the beginning of the month, and as I wrote about back then, I included some self-care to-dos as well...hence the sewing! I have been so happy making time to sew things for home, try new recipes, and grow new things in the garden. 

But there are other to-dos that pertain to home-maintenance, correspondence, sorting our cupboards and drawers, deep cleaning under large appliances such as the washing machine and fridges, and emptying the pantry so I can go over all the shelves with pine oil to deter bugs (it really works). Then I will begin some new things like making salve from the calendula flowers I grew last year, making candles for the first time, and painting a very old bookcase. 

I have finished two books so far this month - one of Mrs White's homemaking volumes, and the first of the Rose series by Roger Lea MacBride (these are stories from the life of Laura Ingalls Wilder's daughter, Rose) which I enjoyed immensely. In fact I am taking it over to Blossom's today as she'd like to read it herself, and later to her girls. 

Now here's a good tip if you have old musty books. I bought this first book of the Rose series very cheaply off eBay and it really smelled bad, the kind of musty dusty smell that causes you to sneeze a lot with every page. I remembered something from our homeschool days and decided to give it a try. Put a small saucer of bi-carb soda with a few drops of essential oil (I used eucalyptus) in a plastic container with the book. Place the lid on and leave the book for 3-4 days. After that time the smell should be gone - and for this book, it was. :-)

I read recently - "If I do not take care of myself now, I won't be able to in the future' - and it has given me much to consider. Once again, with the winter season of my years coming quickly, I need to nourish the body, mind and spirit in ways that will help me in the journey ahead. Just yesterday I learned that I have hearing loss, and in one specific aspect it's quite substantial in both ears, so this just increased my awareness of looking after myself better than I have in the past. 

However, God is Sovereign over all my life, and the most important thing I can do for my future years (God willing I have them) is to draw even closer to Him, to study His word deeper than I already do, and to pay attention to that still small voice which no hearing loss can silence. If I do this, then the rest will fall into place because He is my Father who loves me, and Who daily refines my thoughts, desires, character and beliefs. If you are wanting to take better care of yourself, seek the Lord first, and He will show you how. 

Till next time,

hugs

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Making a simple envelope style pouch....

 

I've previously shown the slow stitched fabric pouches which have brought me joy to make over the past month, and as you have requested, today I'll show you how to make your own. 

These pouches can be made any size you want, you just need two squares of fabric the same size, some thin fusible wadding 1/2" smaller than your squares, and a long length of 1" wide fabric for the tie. 

For three of my pouches I used two different fabrics, but for the green linen check pouch I used the same fabric. Use what you like, experiment a little, and just have some fun. 

What I loved most about the process of making my pouches was not having to hurry, being able to pick it up and put it down at leisure, usually slow stitching quilted lines in the evenings for little while at a time. 

I have previously made two pouches from 10" squares, one from a 12 inch square, and for this tutorial I made one from an 8" square. 

So as I said, choose your square size and cut yourself two pieces of fabric, and one piece of thin fusible wadding, 1/2" smaller than your squares. You'll also need a 1" wide length of fabric, twice as long as your square - so if you have a 12" square, cut a 24" long length of fabric for the tie.

(the photos aren't as good as I'd hoped, due to using my phone and not my camera)

Use a bias maker to turn the 1" wide fabric into bias. You don't need to cut your fabric diagonally because we're not going to use it as bias, but as a the wrapping tie. 

Once made, fold the bias in half and sew the halves together. Tie a tight knot at each end of the tie. 

Fuse the thin wadding to the wrong side of one of your squares (best to choose the fabric which will feature as the outside of your pouch)...

With right sides facing, pin the fabrics together. Sew around the four sides of the square with a 1/4" seam, leaving a 3" opening along one side. 

Turn right side out through the opening. Press the opening down before ladder stitching it closed. 

I took the next lot of photos before I quilted the square, as it was easier to get as many 'step' photos as I could at the time. 

Press in three corners of the square, envelope style.

NOTE: another lovely thing about these pouches is that they are reversible, so choose your lining fabric carefully too.

Now, before we stitch the folds together, it's time to quilt the square. I just do small stitches in straight lines, fairly close together - this effect makes me very happy. No idea why, but it does!

Now sew the tie to the top (open) flap...but sew it 1/3 of the way along the length. You need one end of the tie to be twice as long as the other (for wrapping around at the end).

Then sew the two folded sides together with a ladder stitch to complete your pouch. :-)

I hope you make one (or more)...they have come in very handy in my house. Two are cases for my reading glasses (one at home and one in my handbag); one holds my crochet hooks; and this smaller one which I made for the tutorial holds nail clippers, small scissors, a nail file and a hanky, for my handbag.

As well as little pouches, this past week I've also been working on more Dresden blocks for Blossom's 30th birthday quilt (due in May)...

...completing the repair and extension of Rafaella's damaged crochet blanket...

...a return to working on my own crochet blanket (first one I have made for myself)...

...baking a new sourdough banana bread recipe, which is now the family's favourite...

...and back to baking sour dough bread again, thanks to Elly who did a video on baking with sour dough in the hot and humid areas of the country.

Tomorrow I'm choosing to have a nice slow day at home, pottering around in the sewing room, listening to an audio book, and enjoying fresh herbal teas with greens from the garden. I've had a very busy few days deep cleaning the kitchen appliances, sorting the linen cupboard, organising my home apothecary supplies, weeding, and planting herbs...as well as the usual homemaking rhythms that bring me joy.

I'll have the pie photos and steps on Thursday for you, and hopefully the recipe book (part 1) on Friday or Saturday. 

God bless you dear ones, and may the remainder of your week be blessed in every way. 

hugs

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MARCH...simplicity...

 

March has made itself welcome in the tropics of Northern Australia, bringing with it loads more rain, lengthening autumn nights, and early morning kitchen tasks that begin in the dark before the heat of the sun spreads over the mountain in front of me. 

I love March, not because it's the start of autumn as it is always very hot here in March, but because it signals the end of another uncomfortable summer and the promise of winter just three months away. It thrills me to know that in another six to eight weeks, around the end of April or beginning of May, the heat will finally subside and we can open wide all the windows and doors until October. What lies ahead is a favourite season of life in our tropics with tepid days and nights, months of enjoying every moment in the outdoors, drinking in the embrace of temperate days, the hope of cool nights and pots of steaming soup or hearty casseroles if the temperatures drop below 24 C (75 F). Some years our winter is too warm for anything more than t-shirts and jeans, or a long flowing dress...but other years we will have a month tucked somewhere into winter where we can pull on socks and wrap a cardigan around our shoulders - those are the winters I adore! 

(rainbow lorikeets are daily visitors to the feeder, often sitting in the shady branches of the Poinciana for hours)

Just as natural seasons bring change with them, so do personal seasons. Rosie came to visit yesterday and as is our custom, we spend a lot of time chatting about life over a cup of tea and something sweet and delicious. I am often surprised by how parallel our thoughts are, the ones we have individually pondered between our last catch-up and this one...for we both long for simpler times, simple joys, and more time for physical and mental refreshment.

When I was praying through February about what the blog's theme should be for March, the word 'simplicity' resonated within my heart over and over. It seemed that wherever I looked, a verse or quote about the need for simplicity in our day to day lives would pass before my eyes, or I'd hear of such things through what I had watched or listened to that day. It was clear that the Lord was focussing my attention on simplifying every area of my life...and girls, that made me joyous. 

In our conversation Rosie and I talked about childhood memories, and those who raised us - Rosie had parents, and I had grandparents. We reminisced about the simpler times and lives lived without hustle, amongst people who helped each other, where kindness, laughter, humility, and a good night's rest were normal. Meals were ordinary, the kind women had been cooking for years, made from simple fresh ingredients - meals that children and grandchildren remembered all their lives as 'comfort food' because it brought back memories of love, security, familiarity and happiness.

But Simplicity isn't just about food.

It can be how we dress, the plans we make in our day, what we grow and how we tend our gardens, how we decorate our homes, what we sew, the routines and rhythms of homemaking in all its aspects...even the conversations we have with others. Whilst pondering the various aspects of our life we can highlight the joys we experience, stirring happiness and perhaps contentment in our hearts - but what about the things in our life that overwhelm and weary and leave us at times not knowing where to start or what to do next - our minds are a blur and we feel somewhat frozen in one place. 

Excesses, the burdens or stressors we carry day to day, the unnecessary commitments that take away time and energy, even the overabundance of things we own, or the compulsion to buy more (often to fill an emotional need) - these can cause our lives to be and feel complicated, stressful, and not at all simpler. 

(Rosie and I enjoyed working on our individual crochet blankets this morning - I am repairing Rafaella's old blanket)

There's also a difference between individuals on how they would describe simplicity in their own life. What I may see as simple, another would think too much, and vice versa. For me it is wonderfully and satisfyingly simple to mix and knead and bake a loaf of bread - but for another, simplicity would be to buy a loaf. And that is fine. How we each choose to simplify our lives will depend on our individual circumstances, such as responsibilities, health, finances, lifestyle choices, hobbies  - and if you are married, if will include what both husband and wife agree needs to be simplified. 

(I made another little slow stitched pouch last week from checked linen. It will hold my crochet hooks)

Minimalism is becoming more popular with each passing year, and this too stems from a desire to simplify life. Those who have chosen to embrace minimalism have usually done so in order to rid themselves of excess stuff and excess responsibility (for everything we own comes with responsibility to look after and maintain it), to reduce their financial expenditure, to remove visual clutter, and to eliminate too many choices which then helps with decision making. For example, the ten item wardrobe is another popular choice, especially with women. How much simpler it is to choose your seasonal clothing from such a reduced number of items. No wonder there's a growing movement towards this trend. 

Personally I am not minimalist inclined, but I also do not hoard things, but declutter every season. As the years pass I own less and less, choosing to have only what is or will be used, emergency items, or what I find brings a gentle ambience to my home. 

I prefer my  home to feel warm, welcoming and interesting, so having a relatively bare home would leave me lonely and uninspired...but once again, what is simple to me, will not be to someone else, and the other way around. 

(I made Oleysa's Cottage Cheese biscuits at the weekend and they were yummy)

If you need to simplify your life, perhaps it may be achieved by stepping away from, or reducing, activities, hobbies, committees, and unnecessary commitments. Going here and going there leaves us weary when we return home, and may cause stress when we subsequently fall behind in our daily household tasks, or discover we're neglecting relationships within the family. I'm sad to say that I have seen many women so often 'out and about' that their marriages, finances, home and family suffer over time...even to the point of separation. Keeping the family core solid, the home fires burning, and our hearts in their right place - that's a high priority for all of us to consider. 

(Rosie's crochet blanket in progress, so lovely.)

Our new habit of simplifying...

Apart from reducing the amount of produce we grow (due to health and energy reasons) my husband and I have decided to drop our meals from three per day, to just two. We enjoy a good breakfast, a hearty lunch, and then a small afternoon tea around 2:30pm...after that we don't eat again until breakfast the following day. You may call this intermittent fasting, but we have no dietary rules involved - we're doing this because we have noticed over the past six months or so that we're not really very hungry at the evening meal. I make it out of habit, and we eat it out of habit...but it's become a burden for my husband because he feels obligated to eat that meal I have lovingly prepared. 

When we had the conversation about this last week, we laughed so hard! Each of us wanting to do what we felt was right for the other - and yet neither one of us is hungry at tea time. 

So now I'm preparing even more nutritious breakfasts and lunches (hubby takes his lunch to work) plus a good snack to have around 2:30. It's been a few days now and we are not missing that evening meal at all. We have simplified, and in the process, we're saving money at the grocery store. 

(I am currently repairing the blanket I made Rafaella five years ago, using the leftover yarn I still had. Her dog ripped the centre right out of this blanket.)

How would you like to simplify your life, dear one? I'm ready to hear new ideas, and read of your own experiences...you never know who you will inspire. 

God bless you, and may He give you more and more of His wisdom as you seek to follow a simpler life. I pray His Holy Spirit will steer you and I away from anything unnecessary, and shine a Light on the areas of our life which need the most attention. May His blessing be upon you, dear heart. 

Till next time, love and hugs,

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