cottage gardening

Hello there! How was your weekend? Hopefully you had some pleasant mild weather, as we did. Perhaps you also had a chance to get out in the garden. I had an enjoyable kind of slowish day pottering around the garden yesterday (also thanks to the finish of daylight saving). Thankfully most of the weeding has been done, so we watered and planted a few new shrubs and groundcovers.

My little cottage style garden out the front is slowly coming to fruition. I love the slightly messy, mingling, romantic feel of a cottage garden. If you remember this, then this, is what we started with a few years ago now. Progress has been slow, with other parts of the garden often needing more attention and money spent. There is still many gaps to fill in and plants to mature. But I think it is more fun to add bits and pieces as you go along. I try to divide bought potted plants where possible to make them stretch a little further, as well as dividing the ones doing well along the way. Or from plants in friends or families yards. It helps fill up the garden for a little less.

Daniel's pergola turned out beautifully, and the next step is to add some beds to the side (I've been promised nice wide ones) , a grapevine, some paving and perhaps some side seats. Hopefully one day it will be a pleasant little space to curl up with a book.

My little front garden may not be practical like my vegie garden, but I think that it brings me (and hopefully others) just as much joy. Flowers, cut for vases or intermingling together in the garden, with their constant colour and change, tend to make me a happier person.


Do you enjoy a non-practical garden too?

on motivation

I had an interesting conversation yesterday with a landscape painter. On discussing his projects, he said that he often needed a deadline to pick up that paintbrush and get painting. Often we like to think of anything involving creativity being a kind of organic process, not something relying on deadlines or something that we need to force ourselves to do. Our creations may not have the scope of an oil painting. It might be a dishcloth we are knitting, a dress we are sewing or a garden bed we are creating. But is there really a "right" moment to start a creative project?

I've often thought of this blog as a little creative outlet. It may not be a fancy one, with its homemade header and sometimes blurry photos. My computer skills may be limited, but it is like having my own little corner of the internet. Surprisingly, many of you do come back often to visit. Your comments are a little ray of sunshine in my day for which I am very grateful. I don't doubt that at many times your comments have given me the motivation to try new projects, and also to finish them.

To be honest, some days I don't really feel like writing. Or knitting. Or sewing. Or even reading. There are times when all I feel like doing is a little mindless Pinterest searching. But I do know that tomorrow I probably will feel like it. The mind can be a fickle thing. So sometimes I push myself to start that new knitting project. Or write that blog post. Because I know the enthusiasm will return, sometimes within minutes of starting. At times it may seem like we are doing it for others, but I know the sense of satisfaction that comes from within when I've made something myself. I believe it is something we owe to ourselves. To do something creatively every day. Even if it's only ten minutes.


So thank you, readers, for sometimes being that kick in the pants I need to motivate myself.

the summer wardrobe wrap-up

There were a few summer sewing projects that I didn't quite get around to blogging about. But before we are plunged into the depths of winter and any summer clothing talk seems quite silly, I thought I would show you them today.

First up is a Wiksten tank, which is available in paper or pdf format. I'd made this way back in December, and it has already made a little appearance (you can just see it here) on the blog. Using another cotton voile from Darn Cheap fabrics, this has to be one of the quickest and easiest tops I have made to date. The inner bias binding left a little to be desired, but I think I know where I went wrong for next time. I made the medium and it has a comfortable loose fit without being too big. I have worn this to death over the summer, and it is definitely a pattern I will be making multiples of later in the year. It is one of those simple patterns where they got the cut just right.

Made just before our camping trip is this Built by Wendy pattern 3692, now out of print, but these patterns seem to still be quite popular (particularly the elusive 3835 ). I picked my pattern up fairly cheaply on Etsy, but they also come up on ebay. This came together all too easily, perhaps helped by the fact that this knit fabric had a slight thickness and stability to it. A very good thing for someone with next to no experience with knit fabric. I cut a good couple of inches off the hem length. This little dress, made especially for the wash and wear of the  camping trip proved to be very handy with no ironing required and so comfortable for travelling.

The last project, another December one, was simple pencil skirt, using the same pattern as my red one. This time I made it a little shorter and more summery with an inexpensive bright quilting cotton from our local sewing shop. I've worn it many times with sandals and a tucked in t-shirt.

Sadly, I have not dusted off the sewing machine since before our trip, but I hope to have a flick through my patterns soon and find a few Autumn projects to get into. Perhaps the coming school holidays will be the perfect opportunity. I am thinking of a Wiksten Tova or perhaps a heavier schoolhouse tunic.


Do you have sewing plans for the new season?
What patterns do you have your eye on?



Other summer projects :   
Dress H
The Washi Dress
The Alma blouse

new old

I don't know about you but my Easter long weekend went by in a quick blur. A pleasant blur though, dotted with family and good food, and perhaps one too many Easter eggs.  Unfortunately I discovered the camera was flat when I went to use it (always the way, isn't it?), but I think this can be a good thing sometimes.

In the absence of any Easter-ish photos, here are few little op shopped additions to the house recently. How could I resist the "Food Should be cooked with Butter and Love" plate?  It's always nice to rearrange a few things at the start of each season. Add a flower from the garden, swap things around or make room for the odd little treasure. Sometimes the long to do list to list of projects can be a little overwhelming, with curtain rods to hang, a pergola to pave and new garden beds to dig. But little changes keep the home interesting and a little more happy in the meanwhile.

Wishing you all a pleasant rest of the week. Though I have to say it is strange to have the kids back at school so soon. The holidays will not be rolling around for a few weeks yet.

making time

Life can sometimes see you pulled in a million different directions. But this is not always unpleasant if these many different directions are what make us tick and indeed thrive. With the coming long weekend there are lots of things to think about. Food to cook for hungry hordes. Remembering where that hot cross bun recipe has gone to. The wrap up of this school week. Sports carnivals to attend, Easter hats to make (thank you Daniel) and a parade to attend. Yes, it feels as if there is so much to do. But it is all good for the main part. Even if a little exhausting at times. Then there are what you could call the lesser or negotiable essentials. Saurkraut to make, family cow keeping reading (quite fascinating!), kefir making and rows of knitting to squeeze in. Life is certainly busy. The house needs a good thorough clean. The garden needs constant watering during this mini heat wave. Sometimes I struggle with priorities, but priorities can be a subjective thing. It is the tricky balance of not only attending to the needs of the family and those in surrounding circles, but also the needs of yourself.

So I will make that extra batch of saurkraut today. I will sit down for a little while and read about the advantages of night time locking up of calves. I might finish knitting that sleeve. I will try not to feel guilty. Because sometimes we need to do the activities that make us tick. That somehow make us more capable of getting the bigger stuff done. After that extra cup of coffee.


I hope that you too can make a little time for the "lesser" activities today.


Wishing everyone a happy and joyful Easter.

the home haircut

I cut Daniel's hair last night. I'm not sure how many people cut hair at home anymore, but I am increasingly feeling like a bit of an oddity for choosing the home haircut route. Home haircuts can easily conjure up visions of bowl cuts and too short fringes. The occasional mishappen fringes of my past, though, did not put me off learning to cut hair. When I was newly married I always did the hair cuts. But as life got busier we began to pay to get it done. Occasionally we still do, but only for the adults in the family.

Back when I was a kid my mum always cut our hair. Dad's hair also. Though I do remember that she always went to the hairdressers (and would come home with the trendy 80's blow wave). I don't believe money would have stretched enough for us all to get a haircut.

But it's something I've started doing again since living out here. It kind of appeals to that inner diy-er attitude. Rather than outsourcing and paying someone else for haircuts, it's another skill that can be learned and practiced in the home. With practice, nobody will be able to tell. I've had one hairdresser's visit in two years and somehow managed to cut my own hair a few times.

While young girls with standard cuts are fairly easy, male cuts are a little trickier. You could head down the route of the clippers, but I find them unreliable and sometimes a little too harsh. Plus there was one incident many years ago when my brother accidentally shaved a huge chunk out of Daniel's hair. He had to wear a beanie for weeks. So I use scissors and a comb for a boys longer look or a short back and sides (last night's haircut was very similar to this method).

For those wondering you can pick up inexpensive hair cutting scissors from the supermarket. Though of course these are not of a professional standard, they will still do the job.
Dressmaking scissors that are not too heavy are also good. It is what my mum always used. You will also need a plain comb. You can wet the hair with a spray bottle, but I often don't do this.

Take your time. I take quite a bit of time to make sure there is no chunks or unevenness. Of course this does not make one very popular.

My mum always used an old shower curtain draped around the person to catch the hairs. You can occasionally pick these up in new condition from op shops. Fasten with a peg around the neck. Very glamorous! Once the cut hair is swept up it can be added to the compost pile.

There's plenty of you tube videos out there, and I've seen several books on the subject at the library. I learnt by watching hairdressers closely whenever I was waiting at the hairdressers, and through practice (fortunately with no disasters along the way!).




Have you / do you cut hair at home?
Any tips, disasters or successes to share?

the autumn vegie garden

If things in my little corner of blogging land seemed a little quiet last week, it's because I've been out in the garden at every opportunity.  Sewing seeds, lots of watering, a little (rough) drawing and checking for those first emerging little green shoots. I'm happy to report that there are some.

I feel like it is the first year that I've been able to give the vegie garden the time it deserves (though there could always be more). Its very beginnings, put together with old railway sleepers and concrete bricks from an old barn, were put together by Daniel the winter after we moved here. I remember sewing that first lot of seeds in late spring with great difficulty. I was heavily pregnant at the time with Violet, but I was determined that we would have some Summer vegetables. Fortunately that following month was filled with rain, which is just as well because I was occupied with other things. I have to say that first harvest has been our best harvest to date.

Every other season since has been a rushed affair, as the mother of a toddler or baby always seems to be needed elsewhere. But it's been the best I've been able to manage. This year, there was a little more planning going on, there is more opportunity to be outside, and a little more freedom to get out there to do the watering.

 So for those wondering here is a list of the seeds I put in this year. All are heirloom varieties from The Lost Seed, which is our nearest heirloom seed supplier.

Garlic Sicilian
Garlic Southern Glen
Garlic locally produced
Italian parsley
Cauliflower Green Macerata
Onion Belvedere
Onion Red Brunswick
Carrot Little Finger
Carrot Amsterdam Forcing
Broad Beans
Chicory Witlof
Parsnip Hollow Crown
Radish Golden Helois
Baby Bok Choy
Broccoli Romanesco
Kale Lositano
Lettuce Australian Yellow
Tatsoi
Radicchio Palla Rossa
Leek Lungo Della Riviera
Mustard Salad White

There were more seeds, but I sadly ran out of room, so a little garden extension may be in order. Being in a colder climate, things grow slower here in Winter, and many things not at all. It's been an uphill struggle here, but I think I'm learning just a little more with each season.

Already in the garden are a few varieties of cabbage, one year old Tuscan and Russian kale, French sorrel, silverbeet, spinach and chicory. I'm hoping this new selection of cold friendly vegies will be successful.  But this gardening business can be a fickle thing sometimes.

Last night we ate the last mouthfuls of our potato harvest, accompanied by our carrots and squash, all coated well in melted butter. Salad was a mix of shredded beetroot and leaves. Which is what gardening is all about really. Home grown food that tastes like nothing you can get in a supermarket. Those potatoes were something else!

Although this year so far has not been particularly successful, though it has been a case of quality over quantity, there is always hope for bigger and better things in the world of gardening.  Let's hope so.



Have you been in the garden lately?
Do you have gardening plans?
What varieties are you putting in this year?