Monday, July 10, 2017

Boots, boots and more boots.

Here is my gorgeous line up of boot slippers. Made from woolen blankets, Dyed during a day at Stash Palace (an amazing place run by Jane Van Kuelen). 
Left to right: Aaron's boots - the first pair I made on a sewing day with my sister, Eli's boots - the last pair made as he has slippers already, My boots - well this is the second I made for myself (Aaron's pair were made for me but were just too big), Jakob's boots - I love that they still have the edge of the blanket and the blanket label. 

Here we are all modelling our boots (cant get that teenager to model his). Eli as usual tries his magazine model look, Aaron hard at work, Me relaxing by the fire. I have to say it is a productive fire - warming my toes, sprouting the mung bean and lentils as well as rising the bread.
I love that I managed to leave the blanket label on and the edging of the blanket. All these boots have leather soles as I got a bag of leather from the dump shop for $2 - stoked! The inside of Jakob and my boots have scraps from our dressing gowns, Eli wanted his (now too small) Star Wars PJ's on the inside of his and Aaron has a material that my mother had in her stash and gave to me years ago.
This is the scene of our lounge yesterday. We all hung around the fire in the early evening. Eli folding washing, Jakob was cooking dinner, Aaron reading / snoozing, Morris photo bombing as usual and I was sandwiching a quilt together for Hope Homes International.
Linking to these places and Crazy Mum Quilts.

Wednesday, July 5, 2017

Garden refresh.. Another area finished

Last year my son decided he wanted a vege garden. So one weekend we put in edging and compost and planted. He got to about week six and gave up interest. But once the broccoli finished I planted beans and tomatoes. A great crop as it is very sunny. However it is right by the basketball hoop and things just got squashed all the time.  
So time to start again with something hardy. Completely cleared it out.
Now it has a two different types of flaxes that will take the basketball hammering coming their way. Then there are two smaller trees, which when grown will be lovely flowering NZ Native - Kanuka. I also chose the Kanuka and flax as Aaron created a native garden further down this fence using the some of these plants. Hopefully it will all tie in together. Not that you will see it much as the woodpile in in between. The only plant I left in was the clump on the left as it is a gorgeous summer bulb from South Africa. I broke some off and planted it on the very far right of the bed, just to create a cohesive look.

Sunday, July 2, 2017

Finished - Lace weight merino scarf

Third time lucky. Having already unpicked it twice I finally finished this. I love love the colour. But am considering unpicking it again!! The pattern works the knitting is great but it curls at each side. If I did re knit it I would do five stitches of garter stitch each end. I have worn it since the day I finished it. I will press it again and give it some time. But ....








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Friday, June 30, 2017

Conquering the garden - another section completed.









This section of the garden goes down the East side of the house. So it gets morning sun but quite a bit of shade. As it is under the eaves it was really dry and the only thing growing were dahlias.

The great thing about conquering the garden for me is that it is free!! I knew when we moved that I would be wanting to do things so every time I cut something, I just stick it in the ground to see if it will grow. The photo on the left is one of 4 gooseberry plants just grown from pegging the branch to the ground. The plant on the right has a gorgeous root structure (you can see if you look hard) and is one of many many many rosemary plants.

The photos left to right show gooseberry's planted at the back and rosemary to hedge at the front. The middle photo is Ugni berry (in New Zealand people call it NZ cranberry) as a hedge to be. I have left the dahlias in the back to deal with the dry conditions and have moved a struggling miniature rose in at the left. It should do better there. I have been careful not to put prickly plants around the hose access.
Then further up are two white currant bushes, again from cuttings that I just stuck in the ground when trimming and some very large rosemary plants as I want to have it hedge at least half way up this brushwood fence. What I do need to do yet is to move a beautiful red climbing rose into the rosemary hedge area. It is in the shade and not doing well where it currently grows. Then it will cover the top of the fence. I am going to purchase one thing though. A pear tree. As I have decided to make an Arch into the back garden from two pear trees.
The lovely gooseberries grown from cuttings.


Tuesday, June 27, 2017

Crafting day with my sister.

My finished boots
Cutting and planning

My sister and I spent a day making Boots / Slippers from the woolen blankets that I dyed and the leather I got from the dump shop. The pattern is amazing and is from Twig and Tale. They are New Zealand designers and makers and their products and patterns are amazing. Very clear and easy to follow and these slippers stitch up so fast.

My sister 


My sisters finished boots. She finished first!
My finished boots
In progress





Sunday, June 25, 2017

Baking up a storm

Lately I have been trying out a lot of new recipes. Some of this is driven by the fact that I am bored with making the same thing all the time. I am also trying to use what is in the cupboard and fridge etc. Plus we are having a Midwinter Christmas Fair at school and I am on the baking stall.

This first slice is Chelsea Winter's peppermint and chocolate slice. Wow it is yummy. One lot I topped with blocks of peppermint chocolate and one lot I topped with Creme de Menthe sticks that were in the cupboard. For the recipe - Chocolate Peppermint Slice - click on the name. It has fresh mint in it too. Some process photos are below.
When I was visiting my parents I also popped in to see my cousin. We had a walk and talk and then came home and she gave me some muesli slice with a cup of tea. It was yum. So I made some of that.
The NZ House and Garden magazine had a lemon and custard slice in it. I lost the recipe but adapted one that I already had. It uses 1 cup of lemon honey (lemon curd) and I found an old jar of lemon curd in the fridge, so decided to make it. Gorgeous!! I doubled the biscuit base and made half with the lemon (on the left) and half with condensed milk into caramel, to make a recipe we call Tan Square.
The peppermint filling

Fresh mint chopped for the mint filling

The chocolate base.

Friday, June 23, 2017

Strip patchwork quilt top finished

I finally added a few more strips to make this new patchwork big enough for a single bed. I have the batting purchased and now just need to sandwich it together. This will be another quilt for the orphanage - Hope Homes International.
charity quilt
This quilt has now emptied one of my scrap bags, finally!! The bag was for strips of material only and now, with three quilts for the orphans, it is finished. I love being able to say that!
When I was out and about recently I found these gorgeous leather pieces at the dump shop. Exciting things to make with these. Am already channeling the thought of leather and wool! 
Linking to these places and Crazy Mum Quilts.

A gorgeous break in Rarotonga

Woo hoo, A holiday with no kids for 11 days. Bliss, relaxing and warm! BTW it was an early 20th wedding anniversary present to ourselves....