And the rains came...

In the tropics we have a wet season and a dry season.

This summer's wet season did not arrive, in fact it was the driest wet season on record.

In winter it is warm and dry, always.

But not this year.

This second week of winter the rains came...

...and all morning I've been taking photos from my front verandah of the birds around our home because there haven't been this many out in the open for months.

They've missed the cool freshness of rain too...

It's so good to see water droplets falling from the parched palm fronds and leaves on struggling trees...

 

Bob-the-dog decided he'd rather not come outside with me while I photograph our unusual winter rains. 

Instead, tucked under his quilt on the couch is where he intends staying for the rest of the day apparently, or for as long as the rain is around...

This is perfect weather for stitching, and a few hot cups of tea with fresh cranberry and orange loaf (grain free)...

...while the slow cooker works it's magic on a shoulder of lamb in red wine, rosemary, lemon, garlic and tomatoes. I think we'll eat well tonight.

 I love rainy days.

Hope your Friday brings an unexpected delight too.

...and two sweet pillows made!

Yesterday I showed you two quilts I'd completed this week, but today you can see two cushion covers I've finished. Productive, right?!

If only life was this productive more often - but then again, I do rather like quieter weeks where life just ambles along so I think I shan't wish more busyness into my life after all. New found wisdom comes to light. ;-)

The Tulip block you saw HERE is now a rectangular bed cushion...

...and the Dresden block also adorns my bed, but as a cushion of the square variety.

Until I make a matching bed runner with my leftover Flower Sugar fabrics my Wishes quilt will do rather nicely as another smattering of cheery colour!

There's a good deal of time being spent in the kitchen this week too. So far I've baked grain free cakes, a superfood breakfast slice, butter chicken in the slow cooker, roasted pumpkin & garlic for soups and salads, and a tasty treat to serve alongside coconut yoghurt was last night's stewed rhubarb & strawberries...

This afternoon I need to make more protein balls for Mr E, and an orange & cranberry grain free loaf - but I also need to clear my desk so I can sit down and write the patterns for this month's Stitchery Club designs.

I've been dragging my feet on that task because it's the least exciting bit about designing, and also because yesterday I started on three new patterns for July and my fingers just want to play with thread and avoid the keyboard.

But one must do what is needed first, so I shall make a long cool cherry & banana smoothie, roll up my sleeves and get to work.

If you'd like to join the Club and receive six really cute embroidery patterns on June 17th you'll need to do so before June 16th. Go HERE and you'll be able to see what's involved (very easy, truly)...

May the tail end of your week be very blessed and overflow with good things!

Enough said...hi ho, hi ho, it's off to work I go....

hugs

Trivets - and my beginning...

I spent much of the weekend finishing up my Club projects for May.

Though only patterns for the stitcheries themselves appear in the Club sets each month I thought it might be nice to show you how I'm displaying some of them. 

Inspiration for two came from a little tea pot trivet I made in August 2005 when I was teaching myself to stitch and quilt. At the time I didn't have a sewing machine so all the patchwork piecing was hand sewn (which I found to be a very relaxing afternoon pastime once the day's homeschool lessons were over)...

This little trivet also displays my very first attempts at backstitch and lazy daisy embroidery, two stitches I quickly grew to love...

Funnily enough the reason I made this little trivet was to showcase an orphan button I'd found in an op-shop. The fabrics were simple brown homespun and a paisley fat quarter discovered at the Spotlight store 100 kilometres from where we were living at the time.

This tiny trivet holds a sentimental place in my heart and is still in service almost a decade later under my Utensils tin by the stove top. Makes me smile, a lot.

As you can see it has begun to show signs of age and much-loved-use, so I've now  stored it away for dear Blossom who knows it's sentimental value and will treasure it herself when the time comes.

After packing away my old friend it was only sensible that I should make one or two new trivets to replace it.

I chose the "Honey Apple" and the "Pear Tree" stitcheries for the trivet centres...

But, whilst I was taking these photos it occurred to me that they are just too darn pretty to be hidden under a Utensils tin, a tea pot, or a kettle!

So what else could I use them for?

HAPPY kitchen decor, of course!

As they are small they're perfect for hanging in the kitchen, bringing colour and delight to my small cooking space.

We're not permitted to hang things on the walls in this rental home but I have found these door hooks to be brilliant for sitting over window pelmets, allowing bits of me to be displayed...

It's rather important to have 'bits of self' displayed in our homes, isn't it?

When I walk into someone's abode for the first time it immediately tells me something about that person - their style, interests, favoured colours, hobbies.

Do you think you'd get an idea about my style and personality by standing in my kitchen?

NOTE: Both the "Honey Apple" and "Pear Tree" patterns will be inside the May 17th Stitchery Club patterns, but if you're not a member and really want these designs do not fret as they will also be available as single patterns from my shop that day.

My dear friend Vicki Tucek must have been eavesdropping on my thoughts from the other side of the country because yesterday in the mail I received a pear trivet/potholder from her! It was a belated birthday gift, and covered in pears from the design itself to the fabrics she used. 

I've added it to my kitchen window display for even more happiness...

(The pattern for Vicki's pear trivet came from Lori Holt's wonderful "Farm Girl Vintage" book. More info here on Lori's blog)

Making a trivet is very simple but I am aware that many of my readers are new to sewing so would you like me to do a tutorial for you next week and you can make a few for yourself or as gifts?

Today I am finishing a mini quilt which houses the smaller stitchery blocks from my Club BOM, "At The Heart Of It All"...

The layout is another simple finish to a design using just two colours in the blocks and in the fabric choice. This year's designs have all been about creating beauty in a simpler way, and hopefully that is allowing you inspiration too.

I found two vintage buttons that blended beautifully with this quilt and that's what I'll be figuring out today - how to use them to best advantage...

Enjoy your day dear readers, and perhaps take some time to ponder how you can craft your home to become a true reflection of who you are...

hugs and blessings,

NOTE: in case you wondered - we can't use those popular adhesive strips and hooks that many renters use to hang artwork and the like on their walls as here in the tropics the glue chemicals can change due to the high heat and humidity, making them permanent fixings - we discovered this when Mr E had to re-plaster a wall from the damage done to it by some of these 'peel off' adhesive hook. Lesson learned the hard way.

 

Simple sewing, and the second pantry cupboard...

One of the things that can hold me back from creating for my home is time.

I too often look at things through a restrictive clock lens.

"Mmm, I'd love to make a runner/cushion for that large bookcase/coffee table/ desk/ couch/ bedroom...but I'll need a week to stitch the blocks, piece the patchwork, quilt and bind, add buttons...oh, well, anther time maybe."

This year of gentle domesticity is changing that.

Why do I need to add a stitchery or some patchwork piecing on everything I make?

The new response is "I don't".

Remember when I cleaned out my small pantry cupboard the other day, and told you I had a larger one still to do? I mentioned that there was an oversupply of plastic kitchen containers to cull, too. 

On Wednesday I decided it was time to muck in and get those chores done, but it also jogged my memory about an idea I'd had last year to make a runner for the top of some small bookshelves we use as storage for canned goods and dry groceries, one that was sized to fit snugly.

So the new gentle domestic me  did not plan a stitchery or search online for a patchwork runner that would take me at least a day or two to complete - no, I chose to simplify and use just three fabrics from my stash for the top, binding, and backing...

The feature print is by Anni Downs from her 'Button Tree" lane fabric range, and it really was perfect for my project.

I also discovered a long forgotten 10" wide length of teal stripe I'd purchased years back, and it matched the teal in the paisley print perfectly!

The backing was cut from a large piece of pink tonal I stocked up on for $5 metre some time ago.

I simply measured the dimensions I needed to cover the top of the shelving, cut the feature print to the same size, and sandwiched it with some cotton wadding/batting and my backing fabric. Within 20 minutes I had quilted with wavy lines and made to the binding stage...

 

A cup of coffee and 30 minutes later it was done!

The colours work beautifully with my mosaic photo frame, as did my bowl of shells, collected on Sunday adventures by the sea with Mr E.

With the sewing complete, it was time to swap the canned goods from the book shelf to the larger pantry cupboard, sort through my plasticware and donate what was excess or no longer needed, and re-stack the plastic and glass containers I wanted to keep over in the book shelf.

Pantry all tidy!

Shelves all neat!

I still need to do two things, but did not have on hand what I needed so these will have to be done in the next week or so. 

I'd like to line all the shelving in the pantry cupboard and bookcase with pretty contact paper, and I want to make a thin muslin curtain to hang across the open bookshelf to hide the plastics.

But for the day, it was a task that brought great satisfaction.

I like to decorate with inspirational door hangers, and this one is an older design of mine, but so relevant for this year.

It's home is on the pantry door now...

Is there a project you've wanted to make but have put off because you believe you'll need to invest a lot of time and effort into it?

Is there a chance you could simplify like I did with my pretty runner?

I'd love to know what you're planning!

hugs