Stickiness.....

There has been a 'stickiness' in the air this past week, teasing us really...... We so desperately need rain and on Thursday afternoon as we sat on the front porch, under a grey cloud, I couldn't help but prey for just a little rain.... My smallest girl stitched.....

 

And while she did, I rolled lace, hand dyed lace, onto little pegs to place on a little shelf that my biggest girl Connie made me....

 My biggest girl who is 7 is obsessed with all things timber at the moment and had been sawing and hammering and making me all kinds of things but my most favourite by far would be 2 little shelves (like the ones pictured below) - I can't wait to see what she makes next!

And then just like that, last night, it finally rained for us here on 'Darling Downs'.... And now for a couple of months, at least, we will no longer have to cart water to wash our clothes or clean our family and our pastures just might start to turn the slightest shade of green after God only knows how long of being a deep shade of red....

 So, this morning when I woke to puddles in the paddocks I sat, for a very long while, with my little-ones by my side and I hooked and it felt sooooo good!

And then I unpacked a huge box of 'happy-mail' that was delivered to the farm yesterday afternoon and updated my Website because after a very long wait it is finally back on-line!!!!! YAY!!!!

Slowing Down....

As the pace of 'life' round my home starts to slow in the lead up to Autumn I'm glad to be finding little snippets of time in my day for blogging again...

 

This week in the home schoolroom we have been embracing the joy that Autumn brings to our family - a crispness in the air that lightens our daily load and entices us to dig the earth again in preparation for our cool season vegetable growing. 

Autumn would have to be my most favourite Season of all!! I have trees that surround my farm house and come the end of March (start of April) their leaves turn a heavenly shade of gold that over the weeks progresses through the shades of reds and purples, til finally turning brown, symbolising the start of Spring - I love this process and long for it to begin as soon as the days become that little bit shorter, towards the end of February, a true sign of the changing of the Season!

above : : some secret Autumn 'leaf-y' knitting 

above : : collection of Autumn-y shades

 

And although it's still WAY too hot to be wearing layers of hand-knits, just yet, I'm finding that I'm still able to sneak little snippets of hand-knitted goodness into my everyday!!! 

With the slight change in weather the hours we are able to spend in the morning light, busying about our daily chores, is slowly extending and the littlest members of our family couldn't be happier - Summer, you have been hot and dry and cruel this year and we are well and truly ready to embrace Autumn!!!  

And what better way to celebrate than with an evening revisiting a favourite book (Amanda Soule you are a constant inspiration to me as a mother - thank you!), sipping sweet tea and planning some new Autumn/Easter outfits for a freshly washed and very well loved dolly, right?!

And tonight I'm doing some essential March garden-bed planning and seed ordering! - I'm thinking out side the square this year and am planting a few varieties of vegetables that would normally be grown in other Seasons (I'm such a rebel)!

And lastly - I couldn't help but share a picture of this super sweet little Valentine of mine...

Isn't it just the most perfect little necklace, ever?!

Seasonal Yarn Club.....

This morning while the kids played at the back step I set about my usual 'week ending' activities.... Mowing the lawn is one of them and as I laboured at this task I couldn't help but feel just a little saddened --- you see, I have a beautiful garden which I work very (VERY) hard at. But, a beautiful garden needs water, right!!? Well, we haven't had any substantial rain here on the farm for well over 12 months and the water supply that I use for my garden is all but exhausted - DH estimates approx 2 weeks left of watering and that's it!  

 

My house water situation isn't much better - probably 3 weeks left if I'm really careful!

So, to escape my reality, just a little, I pack up my kids and put on some nice clothes and we all head to town for the day on Fridays. I walk through the shops and go to the library and eat 'out' somewhere nice and visit 'whoever' and do the running around that needs to be done for the farm and it's just lovely! 

 

And I forget that we've been pushing scrub for hungry stock for way too long, and that my vegetable garden is almost non-existent because the constant run of 40'C+ days has all but fried everything, and that the damns are drying up, and that my rainwater tanks are near empty, and that the dust storm that came through last night has left a haze on almost every flat surface in my home, and I just breathe!!! And when I get home I'm better!!!

And I love that I live where I live, drought and all!!! I love that I have a husband who is strong and loving and when all looks grey and overcast but there's still no rain in sight, he pulls on his boots and takes us for a fly....

We've had this plane for well over 10 years now and she's definitely something we couldn't live without. She might not get up in the sky every day and sometimes even months pass without us looking at her. But, when we do go up in her, kids and all, it's just perfect!!

 

In the still of the morning, usually before the Suns had a chance to rise, I've been busily working away at 3 special projects --- a pink scarf for my Millie, a mystery KAL for me and some notes for a new 'idea' I've been playing around with....

 

A couple of days ago I launched a 'Seasonal Yarn Club' over on my Facebook page... The response has been amazing and with a few spots left I thought I'd share it with my blogging friends as well.

If you're on Facebook you can check it out here. Otherwise these are the details, copied for Facebook...

I'm launching something NEW and EXCITING here at Jellywares --- A Seasonal YARN CLUB!!!!!

My 1st 'YARN CLUB' will be for the Autumn Season and here's what's involved: for each of the 3 months of Autumn I'll be putting together a package unique to its month. Each package will contain a pattern/yarn combo specifically selected to represent what Autumn means to me.

By joining this CLUB you are signing-up to receive 3 individual packages; 1 in March, 1 in April, and 1 in May. Each package will contain yarn of the highest quality, a pattern to match, and a special "treat" (exclusive to CLUB members ONLY!). All packages will be posted via registered postage on the 1st Tuesday of each month.

THE COST TO JOIN MY AUTUMN YARN CLUB IS $74.95 (this price includes registered postage for all 3 packages).
To join simply email me ([email protected]) and I'll put you on the 'list'. Sign-ups close on the 21st of February and places are limited!!

note : : packages will be tailor-made for both KNITTING and CROCHET, please state your preferred technique when emailing.

a great start to the New Year....

That crochet cushion that I was working on in my last post is now finished....

 

With all those squares it only meant 1 thing --- loads of ends!!! (pattern pictured - from the book Molly Makes Crochet)

 

Now that it's finished I love it and so does my Connie - so just like that it's hers!!

 

There have been loads of button orders making their way to new homes over the past couple of weeks - my girl is loving it!!! There's nothing quite like packaging something up and popping it in the post for someone special...

 

I've been pulling these old and worn boots on almost every night since the 'New Year' --- taking time to breath a little at the end of my days, enjoying some much needed down-time/exercise!

I 

In the early morning I sneak in some knitting time and the New Year has seen me start a project which I'm extremely excited about... Ysolda's first ever KAL --- 'follow your arrow', it's addictive and interesting and everything that I was looking for (and needing) in a knitting project. Clue #4 is released tonight and I just can't wait to see where the mystery takes me next!

 

In between KAL clues I've managed to finally join some squares that have been in my WIP basket for way too long...

 

After a quick 'hot' wash in the machine they are now felted and ready for sewing together when the urge hits again.

 

I love that my biggest girl loves to craft and this week was super excited to see her starting a very special project for a birthday later in the year - granny squares are kinda her thing at the moment!! 

 

And lastly, a 'night snap' of my girl and her new pillow just before she snuggles in to bed for the night --- good night... xx

in this hot weather.....

we've been waking up early, just as the sun comes up, so we can spend as much time as possible outside. 

 

We love sitting on my old couch out on the front verandah just simply 'watching'... I've enjoyed working my way through a super special gift over the past couple of weeks 

 

And am super excited that it is finished and now gifted to its new home... YAY!!!

 

Nothing is quite as refreshing as fresh fruit for smoko on a hot Summers day and we've been enjoying plenty of it - especially these little passion fruit-y treasures..

 

Juiced and popped in to the freezer we're also enjoying fresh fruit ice blocks almost everyday as a way to escape the heat....

 

When the temps drop, late in the afternoon, but it's still too hot to eat dinner I've been baking this - 'Cheese Dip'... OMG, it's amazing!!!! It's goo-y and cheese-y and herb-y and perfect with a crisp cracker and a glass of red, how could I resist - right??! Not exactly what you'd expect to be eating on a Summers day but I just can't help myself - it's that amazing!!!

 

And while I whip up a cheese-y baked treat my littlest girl has been busily learning how to make cakes ALL BY HERSELF!!!! - it's kinda her thing at the moment, cup cakes and big cakes and icing and all...

 

And while my littlest girl makes cakes my biggest girl is crafting away at something too - her very own craft-y venture that we launched on my Facebook page last night, super exciting!!!!

 

What Summer evening would be complete without a bit of musical fun with the family before the sun goes down,

 

it gives this mumma a chance to hook away on a little something for herself - a new cushion cover in some vintage hues using gorgeous organic cotton...

 

And to finish things off - I popped this little package in to the post for a special lady this week. 

I joined in with Jewel's Australia Day swap and it has been loads of fun!!!

....

Today I enjoyed freshly picked tomatoes from the vine for brunch ---- is there really anything better... 

 

And tonight I'm enjoying spending time with yarn and a hook...

How was your day??

I finally did it --- I joined Instagram today and you can check me out here!

Are you on it yet?

feeling V E R Y spoilt

I just love getting surprises in the mail ---- don't you? 

 

This week saw the arrival of my long awaited Swap parcel from Kimberley. Kim lives in New Zealand and unfortunately they're currently experiencing some MAJOR ISSUES with their postal service (this parcel took a whopping 4 weeks to reach me so you can imagine I was pretty thrilled to see it arrive out here at the farm, safely, at the start of the week)... 

 

How adorable is this wrapping paper - reminds me of the gorgeous papercut work that Rob Ryan does, don't you think?

And look at what was inside, a perfect square of pink-y goodness - a washer made for me for the 'Xmas Washer Swap'...

And how sweet is this little card which was also attached?!!

Here's the washer laid out flat - I just love how this variegated pink cotton has worked up Kim - it's beautiful...

And here's the little ornament that she stitched for me as well...

Thanks Kim!!! All of my Swap goodies are just PERFECT!!!

 

Have you received anything special in the Post over the past couple of weeks too???