Tuesday, January 22, 2013

coffee, quilting, food



We've been taking things easy here this week. While the kids have been occupied with the things kids do around the house to fight off boredom, I've managed to have some sort of return to normal. Though it is the normal of the school holidays, which means sleeping in a little and just being a little more relaxed about everything.




So I have been drinking a little too much coffee (thanks to the little coffee machine Daniel bought me for christmas, which took quite some time to master), I have been obsessively fighting off ants in the kitchen (vinegar washing today, if anyone has any other ideas feel free to suggest away!) and I am delving into the world of quilting. Something I've been meaning to try for awhile now. Yes, it's true I have done patchwork in the past, with my doona cover and a few other little projects, but I would really like to learn the art of making a proper quilt. It is my first time using a rotary cutter, and it's really not that hard afterall.




I received some mail the other day, of the very best kind. Sarah of Gladys in the Garden blog, so very kindly sent me a vintage tracing wheel, and a beautiful tablecloth. All so prettily wrapped. I love things that are both practical and beautiful. Thank you Sarah!




I have also been catching time here and there to do some reading. Last week I mentioned that I was missing certain foods and felt we needed to get back on track with our eating habits. I find the very best incentive for me is to read about food. About the way it nourishes, the healing and preventative foods, as well as the ones to stay away from. So I've been re-reading the gentle Nourishing Traditions, as well as beginning Big Fat Lies, which picks up where Sweet Poison left off, and is written in an entertaining way, though there is no hiding from the truth here.




I've been motivated to make more soup, more salads, a loaf of bread (defrosted dough from the freezer) and a batch of slow-cooker yoghurt. It's not that easy in the warmer weather, as my big oven turns this place into a hothouse, but I know we all feel healthier as a family when I make that extra effort.


And how have you been? I feel I have missed so much in the blogging world while spending most of the past month away from this space. It is nice to be back!


Hoping your week has been treating you well.


22 comments:

  1. Sarah's gift wrapping is lovely.
    I too get inspired about food by reading about it and admiring the beautiful photos.
    x

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  2. I've missed your posts, it's great to have you back.

    cheers Kate

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  3. what wonderful activities you have all been getting up to. Just this morning I said to my husband ... we need to get back into the whole foods and I need to bake bread every day this week (I'll see how I go!) I love your fabrics for your quilt! Enjoy the rest of the holidays xx

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  4. Sounds like beautiful, gentle days you've been having. Nothing like reading about food to whet your appetite for cooking it...and eating it! Your quilt will be gorgeous too. Yay for the yoghurt link...I remember seeing this ages ago and forgot which lovely soul posted it. Gorgeous Tammi of course! Will hop to that tonight. Thanks for sharing and wishing you happy times with your babies ) x

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  5. We've had way too much sugar around over the last month here. I am more than ready to go back to a very low sugar existence. It's lovely to have a big raw salad in this heat though. Nice to have you back!

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  6. Funny that you call that tracing wheel vintage. I used one of those exact ones at school, i suppose that means I'm vintage!

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  7. We've got Nourishing Traditions, it's a really good book.

    For the ants try mixing a teaspoon of pure borax powder with honey, put it in an old lid or shallow dish on the bench and the ants should go and eat it all up... :-)

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  8. I do love the slowness of the holidays, those sleep ins are mighty nice but I also like to get back to a bit of normality and routine. It sounds like you've found a lovely balance between the getting back to normal and doing in it in a relaxed holiday way. I've been thinking about quilting too. I was going to make one for my youngest for her birthday coming up but have run out of time now sadly so a quicker gift needs to be made instead, will have to make a start and maybe I will have it made in time for Christmas lol:)

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  9. I've just started quilting too. It was my special project to begin when my youngest started school. That was back in October though and I'm still struggling to bring myself to cut into the gorgeous fabric I bought for it! Seems crazy to cut up fabric only to sew it up again but the outcome is worth it. I must find the courage when the kids go back to school

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  10. I got rid of my ants using talcum powder. It doesn't kill them but they won't cross it so if you know where they're coming in from you can stop them. I left the powder there for a few weeks to make sure they wouldn't come back and so far (months later) they haven't.

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  11. Lovely to see you back and I love your choice of fabrics for the quilt! I love quilting and find it immensely rewarding, relaxing and challenging all at once. Our school holidays have had the same themes as yours, and we too have gone back to better eating (and exercising for me - my Christmas belly is no longer feeling that comfortable!). As for the ants, they seem to love my cats' food... Could try that? ;)

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  12. The kids and I were just reflecting on our holidays this morning and talking about how they have been our laziest to date in a sense but how well rested we all feel and how much more connected to each other we are all. There's something to be said about gentle days and taking things easy.

    Tegan has requested a vintage sheet quilt this year so along with the one I have been planning for myself I think I'll be quilt busy :)

    I've been doing quite a bit of reading these holidays..the latest is a book called The Dirty Life which I think you'd enjoy.

    x

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  13. Ooooo, that quilt in the first image looks sooooo cosy! So fluffy!
    So plumped up! It would be like sleeping on a cloud!
    I need to 'learn' how to sew and quilt! And maybe finally get that brand new sewing machine out of the box (that I purchased over a year ago!!)

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  14. Hi Tania,

    Lovely photos. I can't believe you made a doona! Your quilt will be beautiful and I can't wait to see how it progresses - it looks tricky to me. Christmas was very unkind to my waistline (as was the pregnancy) - I'm waiting till the kids go back to school when I will hopefully have more time to think and organise healthier food and have time to exercise. Mel x PS Your daughter and my daughter are doing exactly the same things at the moment :-)

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  15. Your quit beginnings are inspiring! For the ants, I've used liquid dish soap to wipe away all their scent trails. And sprinkled cinnamon all over pantry shelves as they apparently don't like the strong scent. Made my pantry smell great! Good luck. I hate ants.

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  16. I am sure your quilt will turn out beautifully ! Loe the fabrics and what a fantastic table cloth! The food cooking is in the husband's domain from tomorrow as I get tonsils out - my food will be limited to icecream, frozen yoghurt and custard .... We really need to get away from the holiday eating ( has been lots of good stuff but far too much junk for the kids who got masses of it as Christmas gifts....!)

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  17. I have been using the slow cooker in the laundry or on the veranda so it doesn't heat the house up

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  18. Hi Tania
    Your doona cover is amazing and made so beautifully.
    I also find Nourishing Traditions inspiring. I haven't managed to read it all the way through yet.
    Thank you so much for mentioning my little blog. I am just so glad you like your the table cloth and tracing wheel.
    xx

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  19. oh gosh, Tania, i could just crawl up inside your little space here and hang out all day.
    you are so inspiring.
    wishing you a lovely Thursday Xo

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  20. Ooh, I love your beautiful photos, they are calming and lovely. I LOVE your tapestry cushion on the bed; I would like to make one. Don't worry about the ants, I try to appreciate that they are working hard to clean up all the mess and crumbs my children - and I - leave!

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  21. Hi Tania, have just sat and read your blog for about two hours & I could read it even longer alas the kitchen is calling. You have a wonderful blog, love your calming peaceful photos, craft,family & recipes.
    I must tell you I'm a wannabe sewer, when I was younger I always wanted to be out on the Station working with the men or riding horses. I am regretting I didn't pay more attention to learning some skills but am attempting to now!! Although I love playing around in the kitchen & like you Nourishing Traditions is a fav in our house ATM.
    Cheers Caroline

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  22. Just having a catch up browse throught your blog (must subscribe to email) and am having table envy! LOVE IT! Love your blog too :)

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