Friends

Belated thanks, very belated in some cases given the first couple of these are from last years birthday bounty.  Lucky for me friends are allowed to be late with things like this :)

Emily, thank you for the mug and the tea selection.  You may notice that not all the tea is pictured, but I have already mentioned how long ago my birthday was so this is not surprising!

Mandy.  I cannot tell you how much I love this Zero Japan tea pot!  LOVE it.

Emma, I am still trying to find the perfect project for this beautiful 4ply.  It is just the sort of thing I would have bought for myself, I love the blues and greys together.  I love the project bag too :) 

And Kylie, who just sent this lot of goodies, not for my birthday, but because I sent her 5 balls of cotton so she could knit Baden a vest.  I think I ended up with the better end of the deal.  There is a blanket Possum has given to Dolly, a pair of shorts that I have to add elastic to for Blue and some Merino and Silk blend for me to play with on the spinning wheel.

Spoilt?  Perhaps I am...

Flea Market Finds #5

My fifth week of Flea Market finding.

We don't have a garbage service here so once a week I have to take our rubbish to the tip.

Our tip is small and does not have a tip shop, so when I spotted this wheelbarrow I asked the tip man (bet he loves that tag) if I could take it.

It just needed a spot of weld on one handle, an easy task for the handy Mr.

One recycled, and free, wheelbarrow!

It has already been busy in the garden helping me get ready for Autumn planting.

My Creative Space ~ Soap

I have been fiddling with the soap recipe I found on the Jelly Wares blog awhile ago. I tried less oil, more oil, less oats and more oats.  I have decided I like no oats as it is a nicer, softer soap with just the bran.

Even the Mr likes this batch best so this is the version I shall stick to from now on.

3 cups lux flakes (or grated soap flakes)

2/3 cup milk

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/3 cup milk powder

1/4 cup bran

zest of 1 lemon

1 tsp lemon essential oil

Add lux, milk and olive oil to a pan, heat SLOWLY.

When the soap has melted add the milk powder and stir.

Add bran, essential oil and zest and mix well.

Put in a greased tray/mould.

Allow to set and cut into squares, allow to dry before use.

EASY!!  For more creative spaces visit here.



Fig jam

2kg of ripe figs

3/4 cup orange juice

1/4 cup lemon juice

2 tbsp sweet sherry

1 kg of sugar

50g Jamsetta

Wash and dry figs, remove stems and chop finely.  Place in pan with juices and cook until soft.  Stir in sugar and stir until disolved.  Add jamsetta stirring constantly, bring to the boil for one minute and then stir in sherry.  Bring back to boil and boil rapidly for 5 minutes.  Test for set.  Remove from heat and stand for 5 minutes before filling jars.

A Fowlers recipe.

Fig collection is not made easier when your cow gets in the orchard and eats most of the figs before you head out with your bucket.  I managed to make up numbers by stopping at the fig tree on the road down near the bridge on our lower boundary.  I also had to climb our tree to gather the figs the cow couldn't reach and the cockatoos hadn't yet eaten. It was worth the extra effort.

Flea Market Finds #4

More flea market finds for this week :)

$33 worth of clothes which included a skirt and 2 shirts for me!  There were also 8 shirts,  4 pairs of shorts and a rashie for the children.  Such a great haul of clothing for next to nothing!

I also found an old flour bag. 10 cents! 

I love it and have plans to frame it one day so I can hang it up somewhere and smile whenever I see it :)

Happy shopping :)

First Haircut

This morning:

This afternoon: 

There was something about his first haircut that I was putting off.  I think I knew I would be taking my baby into the hair dressers and coming out with a small boy.  He looks perfect, but part of me misses the baby curls.

Colour inspiration needed!

Green

White and Yellow

Blue

Red

I am surounded by colour, but I can't decide what colour paint I want!