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, 

Don't miss out on any Elefantz news or free patterns. 

Subscribe to my blog posts HERE and receive them direct to your email inbox.  

Chapter 2 - creativity...

 

Hi everyone! Today I'm sharing bits and pieces from chapter two of Emilie's book, Simple Secrets to a Beautiful Home, and I hope it inspires you to look with fresh eyes at how to use your God-given creativity within your own abode.

As with chapter one I will highlight Emilie's words and thoughts in italics. My own are in standard text.

Emilie begins this chapter by repeating a comment she had heard a million times by women - "Oh, she's so creative!" - and goes on to make an observation that usually this statement is describing what many would call an "artsy" kind of person. 

Fairly quickly Emilie debunks that theory as she reminds us that we are all made in the image of God, and therefore we are all uniquely creative, though we may not describe ourselves as being creative. 

From my own perspective, I too have heard the comment "She's so creative" spoken with awe and sometimes even a touch of envy, and I think that can be a lovely compliment about a person's gifts we admire, but it can also cause us to think less of our own creativity.

For example, I have been told for over a decade how creative I am to be able to design and stitch...and I see this as a manifestation of God's gift to me in this area. But I cannot paint, makeover old furniture, create beautiful table settings for a dinner party...and hundreds of other creative pursuits. But I'm sure that just as I have a small creative niche, you are also very creative in your own way and with your own natural gifts.

As many of us are crafters of one sort or another, it's probable that we consider creativity to be craft related...but that is a small corner of the real picture, and I'll chat more about that near the end.

Emile shares the story of their treasure hunts to auctions, yard sales, antique shops etc, and the odd things her husband would purchase, items which she thought of as incredibly ugly. 

But given time he would make them over into something beautiful, because he'd already imagined in his mind's eye what he could do to transform the item when he bought it.

Referring to the pioneer women of the old days, she writes, "Even in the tiniest frontier cabin, pioneer women found ways to express their creative urges and to add touches of loveliness to their environment." 

Then Emilie draws our attention to the Amish and their beautifully handmade quilts, whilst also noting the friendship shared in their quilting bees, the recipes exchanged, garden problems solved, child rearing issues shared, and all the while their hardworking fingers sewed tiny stitches.

This section reminded me of Ma in the Little House on the Prairie books, and her precious "little china woman" which was so carefully unpacked with every move and placed on the mantle above the fireplace. The children knew that when at last Ma displayed her china woman it meant the house was ready and they would begin the normal routines of life again. 

When I considered the Amish sewing bee, another thought came to mind. How precious these regular bees were for passing on skills and womanly advice to the younger women while they all sat together around the quilting frame stitching quilts. 

The Amish - the spirit of creativity flourishes in their simple, homespun traditions. Quilts are priceless examples of folk art and a beautiful testimony to creativity. 

"People are rediscovering the fulfilled and homey wholesomeness of the days when women gathered to pool their creativity and beautify their homes with warmth and comfort."

Thinking outside the box:

Using repurposed sheets for all kinds of home furnishings, such as curtains, tablecloths, napkins, sofa covers, pillow shams, table runners, shower curtains...Emilie has done this, as have many of her friends. She remarks on one friend who even lined her kitchen cupboards using a pretty sheet, and another who wallpapered a room.

"The world around us can be changed by the smallest of creative touches. The woman who takes time to think creatively can put together a homey environment out of whatever she has. 

Cost, size and possessions really have little to do with a beautiful home. In fact, if we own too much, we can easily let our lives degenerate to the point that we are merely a keeper of things." 

Magazines, books and Pinterest:

The book we are studying was written in 1992, and back then Emilie encouraged borrowing ideas from your friends, magazines, books and shop displays for creating beauty in your own home. This made me reflect on the avenues I roam down looking for homemaking inspiration, so along with all her examples I'll add Pinterest - which I'm sure she would have loved had it been around then.

Now, I only go to Pinterest if I have a reason - for instance, lately I have been looking for kitchen curtain ideas because I'm about to make some, but what a great resource it is for home decorating ideas. Just remember, work within your budget, and never compare your home to that of someone else, okay? I have fallen down that rabbit hole in the past and it was a very muddy climb back up to reality. 

Many ideas caught my eye, but it was actually a compilation of a few that inspired me to sketch up my own and in another couple of weeks I will have duplicated for real. 

I also love to browse through books for ideas. These are a few I picked up for a couple of dollars each at garage sales. They are displayed in the bookshelf in our bedroom and some afternoons I take a rest in there with a nice herbal tea and look through one or two of them for twenty minutes or so ...

I also love to go through my collection of Country Living UK magazines, especially the older ones from around 2009-15 as they were really home focused back then.

Inside are gardens, decor, arts and crafts, baking...so much that sparks my creativity!

Here's my latest book purchase, A Woman's Garden, by Tanya Anderson who lives on the Isle of Mann. If you've never been to her blog (HERE) let me encourage you, especially if your interest lies in preserving your garden plants and even using them in crafts.

Creative Sharing:

"Creativity is not just for self-fulfillment...experience the joy of creating and sharing when you stitch a Scripture for a friend, write up a recipe for a new acquaintance, or hand letter a special card..."

A Legacy of Joy:

"One of the most valuable ways we can share the secret of creativity is by modelling it for our children....teach them to use their own God-given creativity to instil beauty into their own lives and homes."

"As images of the Creator, we have the opportunity to fashion our lives and our homes into works of art."

Some creative ideas from Emilie:

* Make time in your life for things that stimulate your creative juices - even if you have to schedule into your calendar.

* Make the table special. Tie ribbons around the napkins and add a fresh flower. 

* Create centrepieces for the table in season...such as pumpkins of all sizes in Autumn.

* Before throwing something away that is worn or cracked, think of some way to reuse it. A cracked mug or teapot can hold flowers, or worn out jeans can be torn into strips to make a rag rug.

* Try using a quilt as a tablecloth, or to drape over a worn out sofa. 

* Cover boxes in pretty paper (or fabric) and use them for storage. Stacked together they would look lovely.

* You can do so much with a Mason jar - above all, think beauty in the ordinary.

I am not the most creative person, but I am very aware that God has gifted us all with some of His creativity, so, room by room I've been looking with fresh eyes, taking ideas gratefully from many sources, and have begun to 'subdue' my home and mould it into a prettier and more peaceful place to be. 

Here's a few very simple things I have done, some in the past few years, others in the past few months, some this week. 

Adding more hanging plants, using a doily to cover a hole in the curtain, using empty vases, water jugs, teapots and coffee mugs as vessels for propagating Pothos cuttings, painting an ugly old wooden tray white...

Using a lace scarf as a curtain sash...

Displaying small rose cuttings on my desk in a tiny cut glass milk jug...

Painting a black $5 garage sale towel rack a lovely deep cream and using it to display quilts...

Painting an ugly green votive candle holder with the same cream as the quilt stand and using it to display plants on my kitchen windowsill...

Painting an old shelf a vibrant turquoise and attaching to the wall in our entrance where it holds plants and special displays...

Hanging aprons on my small pantry cupboard...

And making the new freezer, which lives in our lounge/dining room for lack of space elsewhere in our small home, look not so ugly and out of place.

And you know what, we have a queen size mattress in the middle of that room too, because it's only a year old and we need to sell it and there's nowhere else it can fit...so I thought creatively. Ha ha!!

The mattress was a very expensive Tempur memory foam which turned out to be not right for me...I could barely walk each morning and would climb out of bed during the night from the pain in my hips to sleep on the couch. Hubby was horrified that it was causing me so much pain, so bless him, we went and bought an ordinary soft mattress, and I am no longer in pain and sleep well. 

But now we are left with an expensive mistake, so while it's here in the middle of our home it can look pretty. :-)

I hope you enjoyed the overview of chapter two, and that you have thought differently about what it means to be creative. 

I have a few friends who are quite creative in their homes, so I'll leave links to them below...

JES who blogs at Strangers & Pilgrims on Earth

ROSIE who blogs at Home with Rosie

ANNABEL who blogs at The Bluebirds are Nesting on the Farm

JULIE at My Threadbare Life

Hope you have a blessed weekend and get to enjoy the garden and your homes. I also pray that in all things you tap into the God-gifted creativity within yourself and look for ways to beautify your surroundings.

Start with a smile...I find it makes all the difference!

hugs

A nice wintry day...

 Finally, and I say this with a heart full of joy, winter has arrived. Some years it only lasts a week or two, other years a month. But today it is nice and cool, and I needed to put a cardigan on over my nightgown when I got up, as well as slippers to cover my feet as I walk around on our tiled floors - though in the sun outside it's lovely and warm (perfect for gardening).

It's been nine days since my last blog post and back then I wrote of my plans to get back to the hand-quilting of Simple Days, expecting to complete the remaining eight blocks by the end of August (only one block had been quilted, and that was last September). Well, can you believe that in those nine days I have completed another six blocks already! Only two more to go and I'll be able to sew the label in place and add the binding. And with the weather bureau predicting a a week of cool temperatures ahead there's a distinct possibility I'll have the quilt all finished by the time our short cold snap is over. 

I settle down each afternoon with the quilt, my needle and thread, and a murder mystery - rotating through Poirot, Marple, Midsomer Murders, or Rosemary & Thyme. 

Today as the morning was so nippy I decided to quilt until lunch and then do all my chores in the afternoon. 

My pretty purple slippers added an air of elegance and royalty (Blossom has a red pair) because I'm celebrating with the Queen this week. 

I've also brought out my favourite Royal Albert mug and enjoyed it full of hot tea, with a side of toast, for morning tea each day. I am an unashamed monarchist and love the faith and enduring constancy of our Queen.

I've been milling spelt grain lately and baking bread, muffins and biscuits (cookies) with it - my, so delicious and hearty! Hubby loves it, and it loves his digestive system, which is an added bonus.

Lunches for me, when he is at work, are pretty much the same each day - nourish bowls. With a base of brown rice, I top that with black beans, salad vegetables, grated carrot, macadamias (or cashews), greens, homemade Korean chilli sauce and a sesame drizzle. Delicious and very filling! 

Every day I swim my laps in the pool, even now that it's winter and the water is icy, because I love how refreshing it is to swim in cold water, plus its good for circulation. I normally have my swim after a bit of gardening, which at the moment consists of pruning, weeding, fertilizing vegetables, and extending the areas where I cover the ground with cardboard and sugar cane mulch. 

I have pumpkins growing out front and also out back. The plant out in the sunny front yard already has some little pumpkins appearing, but I think the one out back is not far behind. Today I extended the cardboard/mulch area under it as it's grown a lot in the past week.

We dismantled the worm farm in early autumn as we'd not had the success with it that we'd hoped, but it gave us three large trays complete with many holes across the bottom, and today I filled one with soil and planted out coriander (cilantro) seeds. We eat a lot of fresh coriander, but it's too hot for it to grow in the tropics most of the year so winter and early spring are the only time to sow. 

Hubby bought me this Gorilla Cart about six weeks ago and it's my gardening buddy. I don't have to carry heavy things very far now, just put what I'm using in the cart and off I go. This has certainly been a blessing for my back! ;-)

I'm reading a few different books, especially at night, but am considering hosting a book study on this one, as it's brimming with home wisdom and ideas, and so much is based on a home that honours the Lord. If this interests you let me know in the comments below. :-)

I like to change the living/dining/office area around every season, and that's usually just moving my desk or swapping the blue couch with the dining table...but this time I did something new. 

As I still run a business from home, it occurred to me that perhaps I could separate my desk from the living room by moving the blue couch further in, away from under the window, and using it as a sort of divider...thus giving me a slightly separate computer area.

It's actually made the 'living' area a lot cosier.

One of the other things I've been working on is a new issue of The Homemakers Heart magazine, and here's a peek at one of the projects I'll be including.

All previous issues of The Homemakers Heart from 2021 are still available and free to download HERE just in case you missed them. 

I wondered if you may like to sew a Union Jack cushion? I have made three or four in the past decade, and intend to make another over the weekend, in pastels, like my Royal Albert mug.

HERE IS A LINK to the free pattern/tutorial I shared back in 2017. I used some Tilda 'Circus' fabric in this version...

And this is another Union Jack cushion I made using pretty Robyn Pandolph florals. This one had hemmed edges to the stripes, whereas the other one (above) has blanket stitch applique over raw edges.

Now, I'd best announce the winner of my hand-stitched Books & Roses block!

Thanks for all your entries, and the comments about how you would use this little block. I really enjoyed reading them!

The winner is....

JANNI HARLICK

Congratulations to you, Janni. I have sent you an email and once I have your address this little block will be popped in the mail and winging it's way to you. 

That's it for this week, which I hope has been a good one for you?

May the Lord stoke the flames of your homemaker heart, give you peace and delight in your gentle domestic responsibilities, and fill your thoughts with fresh ideas for creating beautiful spaces around your home where those who dwell within or come to visit may find sanctuary from the weariness of toil and trial in the outside world.

Biggest hugs,

your friend...