for today: Monday, 23rd July 2012

Joining in with: The Simple Woman's Daybook

Outside my window... the sun is shining - a perfect winter's day.

I am thinking... about the challenges that come with an almost 11 year old growing up in the madness of technology and social media.

I am thankful... for my simple childhood.

In the kitchen... there is plenty to do.

I am wearing... my favourite knitted shawl - my Abyssal

I am creating... another knitted Milo vest for my youngest.

I am going... to get it finished by tomorrow, hopefully.

I am wondering... what meals to cook for dinner this week.

I am reading... 'The Bride Stripped Bare' 

I am hoping... for more sunshine this week.

I am looking forward to... a parcel arriving in the post this week.

I am learning... to be more patient. 

Around the house... there is dust from the wood fire, it's on the to-do list.

I am pondering... the best way to handle a tricky situation. 

A favorite quote for today... "Action is the foundational key to all success." ~ Pablo Picasso

One of my favorite things... is to have an early morning walk on the beach with my dog.

A few plans for the rest of the week: some sewing, seed planting, baking, and exercise!!

A peek into my day... a photo from yesterday morning's walk on the beach.

make something saturday

Yesterday morning I was pottering around the house. I stopped and took a look at the two big kids and My Mr, they were all in front of screens of some form, (Miss Evie was busy doing her thing outside) ..... mmmm...... 

I thought for a moment and declared to them all "today I am going to set you all a challenge!". 

The look on their faces was priceless. 

The challenge I told them, was everyone had to make something. 

It could be anything as long as it was appropriate to their skill level and ability, any required materials, ingredients, etc had to be already in the home/shed.

I left them all to think while I continued to potter about with my chores and decide what I was going to choose off my mental "to-make" list.

Finally their decisions were made, I must say that I enjoyed watching the hive of activity as my challenge was taken up and carried out with success.

Here are the results: 

My Mr made delicious pizzas (from scratch) for lunch.

I made a phone pouch with some of my new vintage sheet FQ's.

Miss Abbey made a photo book, chose and placed some photos within.

Mr's son made a planter box using scraps of wood from the back of the shed. 

And Miss Evie made this beautiful mess!

Joy.

:: pizza base recipe::
2 cups plain flour (Mr used wholemeal)
1 heaped teaspoon of dried yeast
1 teaspoon caster sugar
1/2 teaspoon of salt
2 tablespoons of olive oil
3/4 cup of warm water
* place all dry ingredients into a large bowl, mix well.
add oil then water.
mix to form a soft dough.
knead well on a floured surface until smooth and pliable (approx 10 mins).
place dough back into the bowl, cover and leave in a warm spot for approx. 30 mins or until it has doubled in size.
remove the dough from the bowl and gently knead for 1 minute.
roll out to desired thickness and size.
add your favourite toppings.
cook in a hot oven.
*this makes approx 4-5 small pizza bases.

instructions for phone pouch found here.

around here lately

*some snippets of recent happenings around here:

an evening by the bay waiting for that big ship

a date night with my Mr

a crocheted granny vest

a morning spent teaching a friend how to crochet a granny square

knitting another wash cloth

harvesting potatoes

an early morning walk with my big girl

a tv-free night finishing off small projects

enjoying the evening rain and thunderstorms
watching bees at work

breakfast with my smallest

and loving every minute.

What have you been up to?

all in a weekend

1. pickings from the veggie garden

2. discovering purple chillies

3. early morning trampoline stories in p.j's

4. making washing powder

5. sewing on a hot Saturday

6. a new bag made from a thrifted pillowcase, instructions found here

7. a new skirt made from a thrifted table cloth

8. & 9. new bath mats made from thrifted sheets and towels :: SouleMama style 

10. jam drops made with my neighbours' homemade strawberry jam :: Gooseberry Jam style

11. a spot of crochet

12. Sunday afternoon thunderstorm

a most enjoyable weekend here, how was your weekend? what did you get up to?

First Self Portrait

by our little 3 year old....

Miss Evie Shae

Summer so far......

is passing by far too quick for my liking.

We have been both busy and not so busy and I am exhausted!! 

We celebrated Christmas, New Years' and a 40th birthday - all in a big way; 

we had family stay with us for 10 days (5 adults and 7 children!); 

we have taken day trips to local attractions, parks and beaches, bike rides and walks; 

I have managed to sneak in some crafting; 

and also had plenty of time spent relaxing at home in the pool.

 

 

 

 

  

So much fun and so many memories.

Hope you all have had a terrific summer so far!

Lately...

I have had plenty on my mind, too much in fact that I have been totally pre-occupied.

I had a disastrous day in the kitchen last week, 

I burnt a pot of rice on the stove top, filling the house with smoke. 

Yes, I could hear the smoke alarm urgently beeping away but I had immersed myself in the vegie garden in an attempt to clear my cluttered mind and completely forgot the rice was cooking, 

or should I say burning. 

I literally thought that it was a neighbour's smoke alarm beeping away!

the burnt pot after several scrubbing attempts... 

Lately....

I have been knitting and crocheting Christmas presents and decorations, 

Lately....

I have been stressing about flash flooding in the backyard and cleaning up the aftermath mess
(twice in a fortnight).

Lately...

I have also managed to squeeze in a little time to get some more granny squares done on Evie's blanket. 

The stack of granny squares is growing!

Lately...

I am hoping that next week will be a better week! 

And I am planning on doing some more spring cleaning/de-cluttering in preparation for visitors next weekend, and a little bit of Christmas present sewing.

Wishing you a happy weekend!