Planning ahead...

Do you plan for the week ahead? Perhaps the next month or year? My personality is such that planning ahead helps me stay focused, calm and practical - especially around the home and also with my home-based business, Elefantz. 

As a homemaker, planning mostly entails a weekly cleaning routine and menu, with extra plans for any baking or the making of condiments. 

Most Fridays I like to do big chores, such as vacuuming and mopping all the rooms, cleaning the bathroom and washing bathmats, popping out for a quick 'fruit and veg' grocery shop, washing and changing the bedsheets, and cooking meal basics such as brown rice, roasted vegetables, cookies, bread, poached fruit, boiled eggs, and chicken breasts for the following week. 

I find that by spending one day each week focused on creating a clean and welcoming home (the other days I do smaller tasks and maintain things) and having pre-prepared ingredients for various meals stored in the fridge or freezer, that the other six days are enjoyed at a much simpler and slower pace. If for some reason I have to be away from home on Friday I will still do the sheets and a grocery shop, but leave everything else to the following Monday. This too, adds peace and calm to my day to day living, because as wonderful as steady routines and rhythms are, we must always be flexible and ready for a change of plan. 

This week I am blog planning for 2023, as well as preparing notes and ideas for a brand new series of The Homemakers Heart digital magazine. 

This, along with regular blog posts, a newsletter, and the next free block for The Virtuous Wife project along with the accompanying Bible study this coming Thursday, takes time, so having some meals prepped and my house relatively organised, clean and tidy in advance, means I can think clearly and give myself a few good days this week to properly plan and prepare for the coming year. 

Those roasted vegetables become my lunch each day...

I simply cut up a tray full of carrots, sweet potato, potato, cabbage and cauliflower, then drizzle them in olive oil, scatter some garlic over the top and roast until they just begin to caramelise. This is a great way to use up vegetables from the fridge before I stock up on more. 

Usually I place a portion of the roasted veg, straight from the fridge, in a frying pan on a very low heat and cover it as it warms. We no longer use a microwave so I'm becoming well educated in warming food without over-cooking it. :-) Some days I'll add a few slices of the previously cooked chicken breast, other days (like this day) I'll cook an egg in the centre of the veg just before serving. 

Some fresh rocket (arugula) with a drizzle of balsamic glaze, and a sprinkle of cashew parmesan completes this healthy and delicious lunch. 

The cashew parmesan is so much nicer than real parmesan, and very easy to make. In a food processor simply add 2 cups of roasted cashews (you can use unroasted if you like), 3/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, and 2 teaspoons of salt - whizz it all up until it's the texture of fine breadcrumbs. We use it most days, so I'm usually making a new batch every month. 

Can you see that little jar above the salt? About four or five months ago we stopped using black pepper (oh, that was hard for me)and began sprinkling cayenne pepper over our savoury meals instead. It has an abundance of great health properties, and hubby really wanted us to try this so we did. Now, let me tell you that I used to be able to grind black pepper over my meals until they looked as though the food was overrun by black ants! That's how much I have always loved black pepper. But once we switched to cayenne instead, something unexpected happened. The irritation in my oesophagus, which I'd had after every meal and would often cause a lot of pain, has practically disappeared. 

We bought that little bottle of cayenne pepper, and were so impressed with my health results (and some of hubby's) that I bought a huge jar and now re-fill the little bottle from it. 

Last Friday I also baked a sweet loaf of pumpkin bread, made four jars of strawberry jam, and a batch of our favourite almond and cherry biscuits (cookies). I had to laugh when I'd printed the labels from our Dymo label-maker...just where did that missing "R" go?? Not one to like waste anymore, I accepted that it was no big deal to use those labels instead of printing new ones, as they are for our own pantry supplies. However, when I make more jam for gift giving next Friday I shall hand write pretty labels with no spelling mistakes. 

These biscuits are really scrumptious and rarely last a week, but I did bake a pineapple fruit cake two weeks ago which we have plenty of so our tea time treats will make it through until next baking day. 

I want to make some ginger syrup next Friday because it's a real favourite in our home as a refreshing cordial mixed with lemon juice, soda water and fresh mint from the garden. Fortunately I got large knobs of ginger at the supermarket for almost half the price of a few months back. Many things have increased in price, but I get such a surprise when I discover something we use regularly has gotten cheaper.

My planning ahead has also included some extra crafting. Lucy of Attic 24 is hosting her regular yearly crochet-a-long in January and as my dearly beloved was quite insistent that I tell him what he could get me for Christmas, it seemed quite providential to suggest her Spring Frost yarn kit...which he promptly, and quite cheerfully, ordered. The fact that I crocheted two of Lucy's blankets this past Australian winter convinced him that I would most definitely enjoy making another. 

You can have a look at Lucy's Spring Frost blanket HERE.

I may not start it until late Autumn (May) but having it there to make means my winter nights are planned ahead.

Being very mindful about not wasting anything (if we can help it), my husband's employer recently offered him an extremely good office chair to bring home because the business replaces all their chairs every year or so. It is of very high quality, and you would never know it had even been used, but hubby likes the chair he already has in his home study so he asked if I'd like it. Due to all the ongoing issues with my knee these past five months, this was a real blessing because when I sit at our dining table I've needed to prop up my chair with pillows and put things under my feet, just to keep my knee in a comfortable position. This 'new to us' office chair makes sitting at the table far more comfortable for me, but I really don't like black - so the blessing continued when I was in Spotlight last week and found a pink cover for it, reduced to $10. 

It's lovely to be able to sit and plan ahead comfortably. But it's lovelier still to know God has been in the details - and I thank those of you who have been praying for my knee, because it is slowly healing, and this gifted chair really makes a difference as I can't even sit comfortably on our couch right now. I am blessed and grateful. 

I'll sign off today with a picture of Harry-dog, who is 3½ months old now, growing larger than we thought he would (he's already bigger than his mother was) and showing definite dachshund stubbornness, loyalty and appetite. His cavalier side is easy to please, and he's a wonderful night sleeper now as I can finally sleep in until 5am - and believe me that extra hour makes a world of difference. 

When I clean up after him of a night, my mind goes back to when I would gather the children's toys and place them back in the toy box at bedtime - for Harry loves his toys, especially an old doll Rafaella used to cuddle as a baby. 

Love to know about your planning. Would you tell me about it? Any good planning-ahead ideas or tips you can share? 

May the Lord bless you and keep you in all His ways, protect and guide you each day, and bring you rest and refreshment as you sleep in His care. Hugs, 

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The quiet world inside...

I read something the other day which made me think about these times we're living in...these past three years actually. The writer was contemplating her own life and that of her family, and came to the decision that while the outside world is getting busier and seeming to promote (or instigate) a state of almost constant mental anxiety, that she would make their own lives slower...simpler...inside. 

She chose to stop and turn away from the almost endless flow of media alarm, to make her home a place of beauty, calm, warmth and safety. Some of her motivation was spurred on by having small children around and choosing to create a slow, simple, secure environment for them, but I thought this is really how we all need to live, no matter our age or family situation. 

Inside our homes we can choose to be separate from the madness of a hustle and bustle world gone mad, especially at this time of the year when Christmas fever (and Thanksgiving for those in the USA) have taken over. 

Within the confines of our own home borders, we can tend to what matters, pottering around and doing little tasks here and there, tackling bigger tasks on set days, gently keeping house as we follow daily or weekly rhythms and routines, and crafting ways to create a beautiful and welcoming environment for all who dwell within or cross our doorways to visit. 

I find myself drawn to 'real' books of lives lived with careful consideration and godly intent, usually having two or three titles on the go at once. One book is read at night before lights go out, usually just a single entry, and another is read after the morning chores are done and I settle down for a quarter hour or so of rest with a cup of tea or cool drink and a small sweet treat. 

Reading only short passages at a time (imagine the length of my own blog posts entries for example) and highlighting some sections, or turning over the corner of a page, allows me to ponder the ideas or experiences shared by the author as I go about my day or drift off to sleep. Often I'll pray over them, seeking the Lord's guidance on how to apply a certain task or idea to my life - for I am always looking for help in cultivating a life of gentle domesticity. 

Still managing the ongoing issues with my knee, and having almost come through a bout of nasty head cold, I am resting far more than usual. This enforced rest has allowed my mind to be active in a fresh way (for my body has been restricted somewhat) and given me far more time than usual to read, pray, ponder and write. Considering what really matters at this time of life - with regards to our dwelling, finances, health, abilities, and family - has helped to narrow my vision and path going forward, removing many needless distractions. 

I think for us in our 60's this is wise, as walking that wider path simply meant too many obligations, too much energy required, and the added pressure to keep up. Accepting that we're getting older and most tasks take longer than they used to, requiring more of our physical reserves that even five years ago, is helping my husband and I to slow down, though to be honest he does find physical limitations quite frustrating, and I believe that's probably normal for men who were once very active.

I would love to 'be there' every day for Blossom and the children, but what I have come to appreciate during this past year when we've sometimes gone two to three weeks with only phone contact (whether due to injuries or illness in their household or ours) is how well she manages her home and family, despite the numerous challenges and sicknesses she faces on a day to day basis. Just the other day she said to me, "Mum, I will be so glad when this year is over. I am praying that we don't have another year with so much sickness, that God will be gracious and keep us well." I am praying this for her as well, for indeed their whole family have struggled all year with one illness after another.

But this year has opened my eyes to see the competency, faith, and love with which my 28yo youngest daughter, a mother of three little ones, lives her life day by day. I'm so very proud of Blossom.

More reading has come from Grandma Donna's blog (here) where the wealth of godly wisdom overflows. She has a Youtube channel now, short thoughtful videos, and in one of them she made the point that she and her husband Charles, both in their 70's, are conscious that their lives are drawing closer to the end, so they have decided to make memories. 

Donna said "We know time is getting shorter for us so we keep making memories. We choose to make life interesting because that makes memories." They are adventurous in their endeavours, but also know when to stop, wait, slow down. If you'd like to watch that video I'll link it below. 

Learning from the real lives of others helps us to fashion our own lives, whether they be still early on, in the middling season, or moving into the autumn and winter years. Each of us have a story which is being written out by the living of it, and some chapters we may be grateful to never live through again. I have many such chapters, but rather than beating myself up about them, or being bitter or weepy or inconsolable, I choose to let them go and draw now from those chapters which brought life, wonderful lessons, wisdom, hope and goodness. 

I am learning that no matter the troubles which come our way, in my own strength I am rarely able to do anything, but giving it over to the Father my heart knows the situation is in the care of One who is able, always able.  And knowing this has taught me that it is fine to feel okay. It is good to turn my attention from worldly anxieties and darkness, to the beauty and gentleness within my own domestic orders. 

We cannot close the door on all the anxieties in this world, but we can filter most of it out whilst still praying for those in need, and then moving on with our day, in the simple, quiet world inside. 

Give yourself time to breathe, my friends. Take a rest when things are too much, or when your reserves are low. Don't compare your life to someone else's, and never allow the expectations of another to push you off the path God has laid before you. In can be overwhelming to read of the amount others can achieve in a given day, because you and I cannot possibly do the same. Your life circumstances, health, finances, family dynamics, home, employment, faith and responsibilities are unique to YOU. 

Be who God made you to be; trust Him to walk with you along this unique path; take your eyes off the world and close your ears to those who speak nothing but fear and anxiety. 

Set your mind on things above, and create your sanctuary right within your own borders. 

Love and blessings,

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The story of an apron, and a swap!

 Aprons. 

You either wear them or you don't. You either love them or you don't. Or perhaps I should say you do love the look of them, but wearing them isn't your thing? Regardless of personal preferences, I shall raise my hand high to affirm my delight in making and wearing the humble apron.

Yesterday I dashed out for a quick trip to Spotlight for some embroidery threads, and whilst there decided to choose fabric for a new summer apron. As we're only three weeks away from yet another hot Australian summer (although it began a couple of months ago here in the tropics) I thought it would be nice to sew up a couple of new ones as my regular daily aprons are very well used indeed. I don't think a homemaker can have too many aprons (or tea towels) in her possession, for they have many practical uses alongside the obvious one of saving your clothes from spatter and stain. My most-used aprons have pockets for gathering up the small items left around the house each day, and I used to gather hen's eggs in those pockets when we had the chooks. 

I wipe my wet or floury hands on an apron, use the billowing hem to wipe away grandchildren's tears when they fall or hurt themselves, fold up the ends as a make-do basket for collecting salad greens and herbs from the garden...and so many other little things which seem inconsequential and yet become easier when wearing an apron. 

This is the pretty rose adorned fabric I chose yesterday. Fortunately it was marked at 40% off, so I purchased an extra metre for another apron, which I'll tell you about later. 

The pattern I shall use is the Magic Slip-Over Apron, my favourite one, and also the most difficult to figure out the first time you make it as the only instructions are how many inches to cut from where and this line drawing showing where you need to start, finish, and draw freehand curves. 

If you've been reading my blog for a long time, you will remember my first attempt at making this style of apron early in 2015. It was in January, right at the start of my first "Year of Gentle Domesticity" theme. The pattern was inside Amy Barickman's 2010 book "Vintage Notions" (which is very pricey these days, but still available).

It was my favourite apron that year, but I passed it along to Blossom mid-2016 when she was very pregnant with Cully May and needed some tummy cover in the kitchen. 

In that 2015 post I wrote about the making of this apron - 

*** It's not actually a pattern in the sense that you trace it and sew it, but as a diagram with written notes suitable for a 1929 geometry freak...I'm a clear thinker first thing in the morning, so ask me why I decided at 8pm last night to make the magic apron? No idea. I probably had too much coffee yesterday because after dinner my beans were still jumping and my mind declared it could master the instructions...

Mr E graciously excused himself from the area and during the following two hours his replies to my repeated self-monologue (honest, I had to read and re-read the instructions out loud over and over...how can I forget 'g meets k at 8 inches on a right angle parallel to h' between the desk and the cutting table???)  were answered with, "Not talking to you, darling. Talking to this pattern!" Did I mention you need to freehand draw all those curves??***

I can laugh now, but at the time it was a crash refresher course in basic geometry. My darling husband took a photo of me modelling the new apron (pic above) next morning, when I was in a deliriously relieved and accomplished state of mind. Ha ha!! Since then I've made a few more, but never as nice as the original. Hopefully this new rosey-fabric apron will be just as loved. 

This morning, whilst enjoying a cup of hot tea accompanied by a delicious lemon tart, I went through some of my homemaking and craft books for more apron ideas, because I'd like to sew three or four new aprons this month. 

Back in 2019 I led us through a year long book study of Jane Brocket's "The Gentle Art of Domesticity" (you can read all the study posts HERE) so that was the first book I opened for apron inspiration. Jane wore many different aprons throughout the book, but I especially loved the photos of her daughters in aprons. 

This one, worn by her youngest daughter, always catches my eye and I'm fairly sure it was purchased at a thrift shop (op-shop/ charity shop) because Jane did frequent them and the style looks rather wonderfully vintage.

I'd love a pattern for this style myself...

Here's a few others I came across in my browsing of the book shelf...

The photo above is from Tif Fussell's book "Granny Chic" which I bought back in the day because I loved the quirky style she displayed in her old blog, Dottie Angel. She really veered away from that after a while and started a new  blog which I did not like at all. But her old blog is still HERE if you want to browse for re-cycled apron design inspiration. 

Let's backtrack a bit to yesterday's trip to Spotlight, shall we? On my list of things to look for, apart from replenishing some needed DMC threads, were some baking items to create unicorn cakes or biscuits (cookies) as 4yo Rafaella will be here for the day on Tuesday and she asked if we could make unicorn cupcakes. I said yes, but then needed to consider 'how' we would do that. 

Browsing the baking aisles I found a unicorn cookie cutter shape and quickly decided we could make gingerbread unicorn cookies instead. I already have a little rolling pin she can use, but I bought a small icing spatula as well as a box of professional vanilla icing mix on clearance for $1 (originally $24 - crikey!) and some pastel unicorn-y sprinkles. 

Then, I rummaged through my apron shelf because I remembered a couple of pretty children's chicken scratch aprons purchased years ago for 50c each at an op-shop. The purple penguin apron is the smallest so I shall gift this to her on Tuesday...

I'll give it another wash and then press it ready for our big day in the kitchen! And of course, my own new apron will be made by then as well. I say that with hope in my heart as life really does come with tumbles and turns we rarely expect. 

Our baking day was meant to be last Tuesday but Blossom and the children all came down with nasty head colds again, and Rafaella fared the worst with a fever that refused to budge for days. So all going well, I want to make our day together next week extra special and fun. 

Nana always, always, wore an apron, mostly a half apron...

If I knew back then what I know now, I would have gathered together her beloved aprons after the funeral and treasured them for always...but I was a 23yo mother of three at the time and hadn't fully developed the homemaker heart which would bloom in season at age 33. 

If you'd like to download the free 1929 apron pattern I will be making again this weekend, the link is shared by Amy Barickman HERE

I thought some of you may be interested in doing a few simple swaps over the coming year, one every second month? 

Let's kick it off with an apron swap, shall we? I'll be adding my name to the swap list too (which is why I purchased that extra metre of the rose fabric!).

Go HERE to email me if you'd like to be involved

I'll try and partner you with someone in your own country or continent if possible, and there's only a few rules to follow...

* You must make an apron of the quality you would love to receive yourself. It can be simple, embellished, a full or half-apron - but make it with love and care for your swap partner.

* You must email your swap partner when you receive their details from me, and then again when you have posted the apron to them. Just knowing whether they prefer a certain colour helps a lot when creating for someone you do not know. 

* Only send an apron...nothing else. I know from years past people can get carried away and send all sorts of extras in their swap parcel, but not everyone can afford the time or finances to do the same, so in the spirit of keeping the next Year of Gentle Domesticity stress-free and simple, put your love and time into making just that one special apron for your swap partner. 

* The apron must be handmade and not purchased. 

* Give your swap partner the tracking number when you post the apron so they can follow it's journey - this is a very exciting part for those expecting a parcel! 

* You must post your apron by December 9th.

* You have until Friday 18th November to sign up for the Swap. Go HERE to email me. 

I hang two aprons at a time in my kitchen, alternating them every week or so. They always make me smile! 

Now, you may not want to be part of the swap this time, or any time, but perhaps you want to make yourself a new apron? What style do you like? Is there a pattern you already have or one you're planning on purchasing? Let me know in the comments...for I love to hear about aprons! And I really enjoy getting new ideas for making my own as well. 

Dear friends, I shall leave you today with a prayer for God's blessing on your heart and home, and this quote by Jane Brocket, which I find very inspiring to homemakers of all walks of life...

Bless you heaps, dear creative women,

hugs

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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