tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15486373397937219022024-03-17T05:53:05.986+11:00JellywaresJodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04817235224054753521noreply@blogger.comBlogger540125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1548637339793721902.post-38408669854455311032018-08-06T14:02:00.001+10:002018-12-11T15:57:39.074+11:00Spring Seed Swap?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigKd12aeNjaBQaeeZyuvRnOctd7hJk6Vq_AaqHRM7ycuDR_tLoqMfynSYFeFKKfmtkiiCQ8Kq9LQkcTJkrZ_FU0twe4p7TTy4lwRUZxWkjzWgiM-iT8kBUtxIOdUDCFtJZkfAo2d0gII4/s1600/peas.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigKd12aeNjaBQaeeZyuvRnOctd7hJk6Vq_AaqHRM7ycuDR_tLoqMfynSYFeFKKfmtkiiCQ8Kq9LQkcTJkrZ_FU0twe4p7TTy4lwRUZxWkjzWgiM-iT8kBUtxIOdUDCFtJZkfAo2d0gII4/s640/peas.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
I had big plans of sharing a late Winter garden update with you all this post, full of beautiful pictures of Wintry produce such as peas<i>(as pictured above)</i>, garlic, onions, kale, lettuce, beets, winter herbs, brassica, spinach, and oh so much more.... But, unfortunately, while away with my farmer on a recent week long trip to the city for specialist appointments my entire vegetable garden was wiped out by local wildlife, namely kangaroos! The only plant that is left <i>(from some hundred odd)</i> is a wee rosemary bush - note to self; grow rosemary hedge around garden, asap!<br />
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So, after a week of grieving <i>(and tidying up)</i> I've decided to look to the future and start with the planning of my Spring/Summer plantings. Every year I wish that I had started my tomatoes earlier, so this year I am, tomorrow, in a makeshift hothouse like <a href="http://balconygardenweb.com/diy-hothouse/" target="_blank">this one</a>.<br />
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Do you have a favourite tomato variety that you like to grow? Mine is the <a href="https://www.diggers.com.au/shop/edibles/tomato-mortgage-lifter/s292/" target="_blank">Mortgage Lifter</a>, hands down! I have been saving these seeds for as long as I can remember, and it has me wondering - would you be interested in a little Spring Seed Swap? If you are, simply leave a comment letting me know what Spring seeds you have available to swap and we'll make it happen.<br />
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Happy Gardening xJodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04817235224054753521noreply@blogger.com105tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1548637339793721902.post-10723706853515004912018-07-22T17:50:00.001+10:002018-12-11T17:11:32.597+11:00simple gifts<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I'm such a sucker for a simple, handmade, heartfelt gift. I'm not too sure exactly why that is, maybe it's the time and effort that goes in to each and every aspect of them. Like with this super sweet bag with little cross stitch embellishment - made by my biggest girl<i> (almost 12)</i> as a gift for her Mumma before her latest trip away <i>(see my last post for the details)</i>. </div>
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You see, the fabric is one from my stash that I've been hording for quite some time <i>(waiting for the perfect project)</i>, the cross stitch is her first ever attempt at that craft, the simple timber beads and natural leather strap were carefully chosen for their 'earthy rawness' and to tone the whole project down, the size and shape of the bag were designed to fit perfectly into my favourite handbag <i>(and to house just the right amount of yarn for a decent sized project)</i>, and the whole thing was made with the most important ingredient - love! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuzd1HW8xyUHw93SJAD9Tu9X4YjKU8d_QXOssilrLFvs1nB2hjk146KKS2zjfsfMmArXulhGpLguCSCowbRlHE0OEO8gKv7tsJEcd58mbtCZAa1Q_4mXffxhWZ4EBLc8RCZI7Nx1gXomg/s1600/Connie.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuzd1HW8xyUHw93SJAD9Tu9X4YjKU8d_QXOssilrLFvs1nB2hjk146KKS2zjfsfMmArXulhGpLguCSCowbRlHE0OEO8gKv7tsJEcd58mbtCZAa1Q_4mXffxhWZ4EBLc8RCZI7Nx1gXomg/s640/Connie.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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So, are you like me?</div>
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Do you value simple, heartfelt things in your life?</div>
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Do you take the time to make gifts like these for those who you hold near and dear too?</div>
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If you're not a craft-y type to you give heartfelt gifts of another kind? </div>
Jodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04817235224054753521noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1548637339793721902.post-19734864800462636442018-07-15T11:19:00.000+10:002018-12-11T17:12:16.369+11:00lost my voice<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I know that I don't frequent this space as much as I'd hoped to this year, for many reasons, but the main one is that I feel my blog writing voice has somehow been lost.</div>
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On a recent <a href="https://www.soulcraftfestival.com/" target="_blank">trip down south</a> I had the pleasure of sitting and chatting all manner of things with the gorgeous <a href="http://foxslane.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Kate</a> over knitting. We touched on the topic of expressing ourselves in a way that escaped the instant realm of other social media types and I mentioned how I missed actually 'writing', and that the Instant-ness of Instagram has somehow lost its shine. Typing meaningful words, as in a journal entry, and publishing them without instant recognition can be daunting, but to me it's therapeutic, somewhat releasing, and a wonderful way to clear and free the mind. </div>
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Her words of advice to me to find my blog writing voice were simple, just 'write', don't think about it, the words will just come.</div>
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So, here I am, just simply writing, not about too much, just life as it is today on this chilly Winters morning. </div>
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Today I'm .....</div>
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Plating : : the first of my Spring plantings with my littlest two, early I know, but each year I seem to be wishing I had started earlier so this year I am!</div>
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Missing : : my biggest girl very much!!! She has embarked on a 10 day father daughter trip, the first of many I'm sure. Where they are there's no mobile coverage or television. Their days will be filled with adventures and their nights will be mostly spent around campfires with other friends, chatting and playing cards. She's been gone for 2 days now and I'm sure that they're both having a wonderful time.</div>
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Reading : : <a href="https://books.google.com.au/books/about/Slow.html?id=_M8lDwAAQBAJ&source=kp_cover&redir_esc=y" target="_blank">this incredible book</a> that's making so much sense to me and where my life is at the moment.</div>
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Baking : : so many things from<a href="https://books.google.com.au/books/about/A_Table_in_the_Orchard.html?id=sEMZBgAAQBAJ&source=kp_cover&redir_esc=y" target="_blank"> this divine book</a>, and wondering why it has sat unused for so many months on my shelf!</div>
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Creating : : my first ever<a href="https://www.ravelry.com/designers/jelly-wares" target="_blank"> 'for sale' crochet patterns</a> and marveling at how wonderful it has made me feel on the inside.</div>
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Dreaming : : about how wonderful a<a href="https://www.marthastewart.com/337398/small-space-garden-ideas" target="_blank"> window planter box</a> would be, hanging outside the window at my kitchen sink, the one that frames my favourite part of my garden.</div>
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Loving : : that a simple, restrained, purchase of a sweet leather bracelet on a recent trip away is bringing me joy daily.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHZZDQxEyj_PbZ4vvvmVla0l-zmvXb6WONXMqLEsQ8DhxSDtO4yVaunSa4C7umK0DUhnVr3XicpmGZSm01aHkbMhivu3KBKpWnPCN_frpPylW-krKn7UsT05afwIffJ_v7YhPVXkC2sqI/s1600/012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="427" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHZZDQxEyj_PbZ4vvvmVla0l-zmvXb6WONXMqLEsQ8DhxSDtO4yVaunSa4C7umK0DUhnVr3XicpmGZSm01aHkbMhivu3KBKpWnPCN_frpPylW-krKn7UsT05afwIffJ_v7YhPVXkC2sqI/s640/012.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
So, how about you?<br />
Have you lost your writing voice before?<br />
If so, how did you get it back?<br />
Or, maybe you haven't yet? xxJodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04817235224054753521noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1548637339793721902.post-39900871908131628602018-01-31T08:55:00.000+11:002019-04-30T09:41:28.335+10:00January<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="color: #242424; font-size: 14px;">Today, I'm pulling inspiration from <a href="http://meetmeatmikes.com/" target="_blank">Pip</a>, and TAKING STOCK!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><i style="color: #242424; font-size: 14px;"><u>Making</u></i><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 14px;"> : : </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 14px;">A cardigan, </span><a href="https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/miette" style="font-size: 14px;" target="_blank">this one</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 14px;">, for myself.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 14px;"><i><u>Cooking</u></i> : : </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 14px;">From this </span><a href="http://dishingupthedirt.com/" style="font-size: 14px;" target="_blank">cookbook</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 14px;">, for most meals.</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglzCncTl7ha2z2XWRAMI_Eea5pqrNMHeVn-Md_6H6StgUg4vRbeNN7IjerSiOZ4ZS6iabegpWaYQA-UH0i5ylMaORU47megDbZCaAfbfj2egWer54nghBv52qCK0rRi4nnNWrukSs-tcs/s1600/IMG_20180122_104952_343.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1281" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglzCncTl7ha2z2XWRAMI_Eea5pqrNMHeVn-Md_6H6StgUg4vRbeNN7IjerSiOZ4ZS6iabegpWaYQA-UH0i5ylMaORU47megDbZCaAfbfj2egWer54nghBv52qCK0rRi4nnNWrukSs-tcs/s640/IMG_20180122_104952_343.jpg" width="512" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="color: #242424; font-size: 14px;"><u style="font-style: italic;">Drinking</u> : : </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 14px;">Icy cold white wine in the evenings, which is totally not like me - I'm a red wine girl all the way. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="color: #242424; font-size: 14px;"><u style="font-style: italic;">Reading</u> : : </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 14px;">Cookbooks, and loving </span><a href="http://www.arthurstreetkitchen.com/cookbooks/" style="font-size: 14px;" target="_blank">this one</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 14px;"> full of beautiful interesting recipes and stories. I especially love how Hetty gives you loads of substitutes for ingredients that might be tricky to find.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="color: #242424; font-size: 14px;"><u style="font-style: italic;">Next read</u> : : </span><a href="https://www.floretflowers.com/book/" style="font-size: 14px;" target="_blank">Cut Flower Garden</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="color: #242424; font-size: 14px;"><u style="font-style: italic;">Wanting</u> : : </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 14px;">A new worm farm.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="color: #242424; font-size: 14px;"><u style="font-style: italic;">Looking</u> : : </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 14px;">At the Soul Craft Festival </span><a href="https://www.soulcraftfestival.com/2018program-detail/" style="font-size: 14px;" target="_blank">Schedule</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 14px;"> and planning a trip down south for June so I can attend.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="color: #242424; font-size: 14px;"><u style="font-style: italic;">Playing</u> : : </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 14px;">The Podcast</span><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/a-plate-to-call-home/id1280342698?mt=2" style="font-size: 14px;" target="_blank"> 'A Plate to Call Home'</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 14px;"> and loving the latest episode with </span><a href="http://tamsinstable.com.au/" style="font-size: 14px;" target="_blank">Tamsin Carvin</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 14px;">.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="color: #242424; font-size: 14px;"><u style="font-style: italic;">Deciding</u> : : </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 14px;">Which Masterclass to attend while at </span><a href="https://www.soulcraftfestival.com/" style="font-size: 14px;" target="_blank">Soul Craft Festival</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 14px;"> (if any at all) and thinking </span><a href="https://www.soulcraftfestival.com/dyeing-natural-dyeing-on-yarn" style="font-size: 14px;" target="_blank">this one</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 14px;"> or </span><a href="https://www.soulcraftfestival.com/knitting-toe-up-socks" style="font-size: 14px;" target="_blank">this one</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 14px;"> would be fun!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="color: #242424; font-size: 14px;"><u style="font-style: italic;">Wishing</u> : : </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 14px;">The school holidays weren't over. My littlest guy started school and I'm missing him like crazy!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="color: #242424; font-size: 14px;"><u style="font-style: italic;">Enjoying</u> : : </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 14px;">The heat of Summer now that we have a pool to cool down in.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="color: #242424; font-size: 14px;"><u style="font-style: italic;">Waiting</u> : : </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 14px;">For my next batch of cucumber plantings to get their legs and grow, grow, grow.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="color: #242424; font-size: 14px;"><u style="font-style: italic;">Liking</u> : : </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 14px;">That water at our new farm is so much easier to come by and our vegetable garden is producing amazing produce as a result.</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6gu-Bs4SdF7iS9U8EhMFq72NjMETN7pvjBBFgpOImzcPlw3dCG4NHvpH-LFhawN5Skljfb3F4BveWiZ7kUVVHM8msWQvJBAFzu-VxGWEy-g_A2djjSkTmahjZA8ZLBXV_nyoNsFplI44/s1600/IMG_20180106_063149_272.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6gu-Bs4SdF7iS9U8EhMFq72NjMETN7pvjBBFgpOImzcPlw3dCG4NHvpH-LFhawN5Skljfb3F4BveWiZ7kUVVHM8msWQvJBAFzu-VxGWEy-g_A2djjSkTmahjZA8ZLBXV_nyoNsFplI44/s640/IMG_20180106_063149_272.jpg" width="512" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="color: #242424; font-size: 14px;"><u style="font-style: italic;">Wondering</u> : : </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 14px;">How long it will be before I can light my wood fired oven again - it's way too hot to light it today!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqlDD4roQMfXcyrjqRyHmCa8h_YKlTpvldKF-CmjKeqUYwLjtZj7emvc5rHt_j6eeaTYwu5ut9fnZIiDXlCNpC8_75e7zdJ0CZwgZpS8ipWMCzGr7zY7BruQga_Pkei8h4YdUF1oMC6JY/s1600/IMG_20180118_154418_514.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqlDD4roQMfXcyrjqRyHmCa8h_YKlTpvldKF-CmjKeqUYwLjtZj7emvc5rHt_j6eeaTYwu5ut9fnZIiDXlCNpC8_75e7zdJ0CZwgZpS8ipWMCzGr7zY7BruQga_Pkei8h4YdUF1oMC6JY/s640/IMG_20180118_154418_514.jpg" width="512" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="color: #242424; font-size: 14px;"><u style="font-style: italic;">Loving</u> : : </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 14px;">That we bought a boat! And that trips to the water to take the kids skiing are now a regular part of our days.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="color: #242424; font-size: 14px;"><u style="font-style: italic;">Pondering</u> : : </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 14px;">Expanding my vegetable patch for the next Spring/Summer planting.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 14px;"><u style="font-style: italic;">Considering</u> : : </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 14px;">Raised garden beds for my leafy greens and small herbs.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="color: #242424; font-size: 14px;"><u style="font-style: italic;">Buying</u> : : </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 14px;">Nothing!!!!! And embracing bartering where I can.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="color: #242424; font-size: 14px;"><u style="font-style: italic;">Watching</u> : : </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 14px;">'The Good Life' on DVD with my family, again.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 14px;"><u style="font-style: italic;">Next watch</u> : : </span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #242424; font-family: "lora" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">Not too sure, any recommendations?</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><u style="font-style: italic;">Hoping</u> : : </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 14px;">The Kombucha Scoby that an Insta-friend sent me in the mail arrives safely today.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 14px;"><u style="font-style: italic;">Marveling</u> : : </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 14px;">At the kindness of complete strangers.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="color: #242424; font-size: 14px;"><u style="font-style: italic;">Cringing</u> : : </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 14px;">At the waste people create without even noticing - that's a topic for a whole other post one day soon.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="color: #242424; font-size: 14px;"><u style="font-style: italic;">Needing</u> : : </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 14px;">A hair cut! It has been almost 18 months since I stepped into a hair salon - gasp!!!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="color: #242424; font-size: 14px;"><u style="font-style: italic;">Questioning</u> : : </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 14px;">Whether I've planted enough tomatoes to make our annual sauce/relish/pasata for the pantry to enjoy over the cooler months.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 14px;"><u style="font-style: italic;">Smelling</u> : : </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 14px;">Salvia flowering in my garden - its sweet smell is absolutely intoxicating!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="color: #242424; font-size: 14px;"><u style="font-style: italic;">Wearing</u> : : </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 14px;">Simple cotton dressed and bare feet, daily.</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGXnKcQZZae6rylrj56J4SHuqqojuRgmBTlZNTeYwJt7qQqGekzQGLDE0HsQ6eMledDP4-V74KTNEJKZ0D2RZHi72xSB3cbitRgciQOBqkUDSNjqKSzkUCIGIxNDRUJqJpSf6_WrgCog8/s1600/IMG_20180120_162317_081.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGXnKcQZZae6rylrj56J4SHuqqojuRgmBTlZNTeYwJt7qQqGekzQGLDE0HsQ6eMledDP4-V74KTNEJKZ0D2RZHi72xSB3cbitRgciQOBqkUDSNjqKSzkUCIGIxNDRUJqJpSf6_WrgCog8/s640/IMG_20180120_162317_081.jpg" width="512" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="color: #242424; font-size: 14px;"><u style="font-style: italic;">Following</u> : : </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 14px;">The </span><a href="https://www.soulcraftfestival.com/" style="font-size: 14px;" target="_blank">Soul Craft Festival</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 14px;"> Instagram feed.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #242424; font-family: "lora" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><u style="font-style: italic;">Worrying</u> : : </span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 14px;">About the influence of full-time school on my littlest guy.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><i style="color: #242424; font-size: 14px;"><u>Noticing</u> </i><span style="color: #242424; font-size: 14px;">: : </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 14px;">That over the holidays my biggest girl grew that much that she's now almost as tall as me!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 14px;"><u style="font-style: italic;">Knowing</u> : : </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 14px;">That I must savor everyday - my little people are growing up way too fast.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="color: #242424; font-size: 14px;"><u style="font-style: italic;">Thinking</u> : : </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 14px;">About taking my family on an extended overseas holiday and tossing up between Africa and Europe.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="color: #242424; font-size: 14px;"><u style="font-style: italic;">Admiring</u> : : </span><a href="http://www.soulemama.com/" style="font-size: 14px;" target="_blank">Amanda Blake Soule</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 14px;">, as always!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="color: #242424; font-size: 14px;"><u style="font-style: italic;">Sorting</u> : : </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 14px;">Through boxes of fibre and planning a blanket project for 2018.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="color: #242424; font-size: 14px;"><u style="font-style: italic;">Getting</u> : : </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 14px;">Excited for the year ahead and what it has in store for my little family.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 14px;"><u style="font-style: italic;">Bookmarking</u> : : </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 14px;">New recipes to try from </span><a href="https://www.lifestylefood.com.au/articles/river-cottage-australia-cookbook-is-here.aspx" style="font-size: 14px;" target="_blank">this book.</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 14px;"><u style="font-style: italic;">Coveting</u> : : </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 14px;">The last of the Xmas chocolates!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 14px;"><u style="font-style: italic;">Disliking</u> : : </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 14px;">Nothing really.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 14px;"><u style="font-style: italic;">Opening</u> : : </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 14px;">A special present from my dear friend </span><a href="http://indigoandquince.com/" style="font-size: 14px;" target="_blank">Kylie</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 14px;">.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="color: #242424; font-size: 14px;"><u style="font-style: italic;">Snacking</u> : : </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 14px;">On Zucchini Walnut Cake from </span><a href="http://dishingupthedirt.com/" style="font-size: 14px;" target="_blank">this book</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 14px;">.</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsEc7QIRyD_zbiAlYinIq_NVP-PqJg2QBWAWlYtAXyTlpewaoIpvGZ9jvQLmA1UWoDmpPKMscDK7DUjf1sSIihmi5ZLFq2udDr1eHrslBnOZr57PK1inKsy2XrVVXGs94QvxOFO8S4w0E/s1600/IMG_20180125_181114_165.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1300" data-original-width="1600" height="520" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsEc7QIRyD_zbiAlYinIq_NVP-PqJg2QBWAWlYtAXyTlpewaoIpvGZ9jvQLmA1UWoDmpPKMscDK7DUjf1sSIihmi5ZLFq2udDr1eHrslBnOZr57PK1inKsy2XrVVXGs94QvxOFO8S4w0E/s640/IMG_20180125_181114_165.jpg" width="640" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 14px;"><u style="font-style: italic;">Hearing</u> : : </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: "lora" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">The wind as it whips through the big Iron bark trees outside my</span> <span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">window.</span></span>Jodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04817235224054753521noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1548637339793721902.post-46477209666728182412016-12-18T19:35:00.000+11:002016-12-18T19:35:12.167+11:00Xmas Tree Tutorial<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Can it really only be 6 days to Xmas!?! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">For those of you, like me, who'll be crafting up to the last minute, I thought I'd share a super quick and simple ornament tutorial for you to whip up as last minute gifts or to adorn your tree.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 13px;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Before we begin, here's a little breakdown of the basic stitches. I'm using US crochet terms, because I always do.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>sl st</strong> [slip stitch] :: insert hook, yarn over, pull the loop back through the stitch, then through the loop on your hook.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>sc</strong> [single crochet] :: insert hook, yarn over, pull the loop back through the stitch (two loops on hook), yarn over and pull through both loops on hook (<em>this is the same as UK dc stitch</em>)</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><b>dc</b> </span><span style="font-size: 10pt;">[double crochet] :: yarn over, insert hook, yarn over, pull the loop back through the stitch (three loops on hook), yarn over and pull through</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span><em style="font-size: 10pt;">two</em><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 10pt;">loops on hook (two loops left on hook), yarn over and pull through remaining two loops (</span><em style="font-size: 10pt;">this is the same as UK tre stitch</em><span style="font-size: 10pt;">)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am using 8ply cotton and a 3mm hook for this tree to keep it a nice compact sized star, but you could use and yarn and hook that you like, or have on hand.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Okay, </span><span style="font-size: 13.3333px;">gather</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> your supplies! - you will need 3 contrasting shades of 8ply cotton yarn, 3mm hook, darning needle, scissors, </span><span style="font-size: 13.3333px;">a firm piece of cardboard, </span><span style="font-size: 10pt;">star shaped button, cotton drill tape for tag, embroidery thread, and string for hanging. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">You will be making 2 crochet trees and joining them together.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/31694034155/in/dateposted/" title="tree 1"><img alt="tree 1" height="500" src="https://c4.staticflickr.com/1/346/31694034155_22c8d169ac.jpg" width="380" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script> </span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To start, using shade 1 and leaving a tail of approx 25cm make a magic loop<i> <a href="http://www.craftaholicsanonymous.net/how-to-crochet-a-heart" target="_blank">(great tutorial here)</a>.</i> </span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Row 1 - Chain 3 <i>(this is your turning ch)</i> and work 6dc into the magic loop as pictured below. </span></div>
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/31547779792/in/dateposted/" title="tree 2"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="tree 2" height="500" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/481/31547779792_b8f725f3c3.jpg" width="495" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pull the magic loop up tight before you begin Row 2 like so...</span></div>
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<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/31578635631/in/dateposted/" title="tree 3"><img alt="tree 3" height="429" src="https://c8.staticflickr.com/1/278/31578635631_69f3b5c122.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script> </span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Row 2 - Ch3 <i>(turning ch)</i> and turn your work. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">dc into top of the last dc from the previous Row and into each of the next 2 dc. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now, 5dc into the next dc and 1dc into each of the next 2 dc.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2dc into the 3rd chain of the ch3 <i>(turning ch)</i> from the first Row. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It should be looking like the picture below, right?</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/31578628781/in/dateposted/" title="tree 4"><img alt="tree 4" height="476" src="https://c6.staticflickr.com/1/772/31578628781_813b6e0dec.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script> </span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Row 3 - Ch3 and turn your work. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">dc into top of the last dc from the previous Row and into each of the next 5 dc. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now, 5dc into the next dc and 1dc into each of the next 5 dc.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2dc into the 3rd chain of the turning ch from the previous Row. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/30883838113/in/dateposted/" title="tree 5"><img alt="tree 5" height="416" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/1/517/30883838113_17538e78a4.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script> </span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Row 4 - Ch3 and turn your work. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">dc into top of the last dc from the previous Row and into each of the next 8 dc. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now, 5dc into the next dc and 1dc into each of the next 8 dc.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2dc into the 3rd chain of the turning ch from the previous Row. Fasten off.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is the first colour section of your tree complete, we now need to add the trunk.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/31657239206/in/dateposted/" title="tree 6"><img alt="tree 6" height="481" src="https://c7.staticflickr.com/1/375/31657239206_39aac681d9.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script> </span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Using the 25cm tail that you left at the start slip stitch across 2 stitches at the base of your tree and ch3 like so.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/30883817723/in/dateposted/" title="tree 7"><img alt="tree 7" height="500" src="https://c4.staticflickr.com/1/574/30883817723_1ee6279bb1.jpg" width="442" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script> </span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Turn your work and work 3 dc evenly along the bottom of your tree to create a trunk and fasted off, as pictured.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/30883810073/in/dateposted/" title="tree 8"><img alt="tree 8" height="500" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/1/364/30883810073_f420500c8c.jpg" width="449" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script> </span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now make another tree exactly the same. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/30883799243/in/dateposted/" title="tree 9"><img alt="tree 9" height="500" src="https://c4.staticflickr.com/1/302/30883799243_e61d3456af.jpg" width="408" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">Row 5 - Using another shade of yarn and working into the back of your work, slip stitch into the 7th dc from the egde and ch3. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1dc into the same dc and into each of the next 5 dc.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now, 5dc into the next dc and 1dc into each of the next 5 dc.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2dc into the next dc and fasten off. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/31693949715/in/dateposted/" title="tree 10"><img alt="tree 10" height="500" src="https://c4.staticflickr.com/6/5591/31693949715_91da673c9c.jpg" width="495" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script> </span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Row 5 - changing shades and working into the back of your work again, slip stitch into the 5th dc from the egde and ch3. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1dc into the same dc and into each of the next 4 dc.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now, 5dc into the next dc and 1dc into each of the next dc.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2dc into the next dc and fasten off. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Repeat row 4 and 5 for both trees but DO NOT fasten off on the 2nd trees final shade like so - you will be using this yarn to join and edge your tree to finish it off.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/31693943985/in/dateposted/" title="tree 11"><img alt="tree 11" height="500" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/1/70/31693943985_14b6626ac5.jpg" width="374" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Using your cardboard, cut out an insert to wedge between your 2 trees, this is to keep your ornament flat and stiff for hanging.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/30852353094/in/dateposted/" title="tree 12"><img alt="tree 12" height="500" src="https://c7.staticflickr.com/1/695/30852353094_6628f8ed50.jpg" width="481" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now, time to join your trees together.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With the right sides of both trees facing, and the tree with the yarn still attached at the back, work 1sc into each stitch along the top of both trees to join them together as pictured below.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/31657158116/in/dateposted/" title="tree 13"><img alt="tree 13" height="500" src="https://c5.staticflickr.com/1/68/31657158116_4f9aaceb68.jpg" width="425" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now work 2sc into the 1 corner stitch and 2 sc down the edge of the trees.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When you get to your loose ends simply tuck them to the inside of your tree and continue to crochet around your tree - this saves having to sew all of those ends in later on.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/30852317934/in/dateposted/" title="tree 14"><img alt="tree 14" height="500" src="https://c7.staticflickr.com/1/369/30852317934_1c8bd1a800.jpg" width="411" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Continue working sc around the outside of your trees as pictured,</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/31578514841/in/dateposted/" title="tree 15"><img alt="tree 15" height="500" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/1/282/31578514841_d267fe044a.jpg" width="403" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">tucking in all of your ends as you go and working 2sc into each corner.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/31547633322/in/dateposted/" title="tree 16"><img alt="tree 16" height="500" src="https://c3.staticflickr.com/1/537/31547633322_f47e351579.jpg" width="363" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/30852262034/in/dateposted/" title="tree 17"><img alt="tree 17" height="500" src="https://c3.staticflickr.com/1/63/30852262034_61a3a79ba9.jpg" width="393" /></a>
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/31578459181/in/dateposted/" title="tree 18"><img alt="tree 18" height="500" src="https://c6.staticflickr.com/1/615/31578459181_0125151d6e.jpg" width="371" /></a> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/31578428721/in/dateposted/" title="tree 19"><img alt="tree 19" height="500" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/1/637/31578428721_e9481f2e76.jpg" width="386" /></a> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When you get to the base of the trunk you will need to insert your cardboard cut out.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/31547466322/in/dateposted/" title="tree 20"><img alt="tree 20" height="461" src="https://c3.staticflickr.com/1/290/31547466322_ba62de94ea.jpg" width="500" /></a> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then continue working sc around the remainder of your trees.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/31547454002/in/dateposted/" title="tree 21"><img alt="tree 21" height="500" src="https://c3.staticflickr.com/1/646/31547454002_756d6e88c4.jpg" width="481" /></a> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Finishing with a slip stitch into the base of the 1st sc. Fasten off.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/31693630295/in/dateposted/" title="tree 22"><img alt="tree 22" height="500" src="https://c8.staticflickr.com/1/628/31693630295_e2c4408a91.jpg" width="370" /></a> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thread in your 1 end, sew on a button and attach a loop for hanging. I like to personalize my tree's with a little stitching of the year but you could stitch anything you like, a name, picture, date, etc - or skip this tag altogether, it's totally up to you.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/31693490605/in/dateposted/" title="tree 23"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="tree 23" height="500" src="https://c6.staticflickr.com/1/409/31693490605_308d96846e.jpg" width="426" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These trees would be great made on mass and hung in a garland. They'd also make great gift tags or why not try making just 1 tree in a chunky cotton for a cute Xmas washer or coaster.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Merry Xmas - Enjoy!</span></div>
Jodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04817235224054753521noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1548637339793721902.post-89144616085118923012016-09-01T17:06:00.000+10:002016-09-01T17:06:14.655+10:00right now I'm....<div style="text-align: center;">
...pulling up baby turnips with the sun on my back....<br />
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/28750807244/in/photostream/" title="TURNIPS"><img alt="TURNIPS" height="640" src="https://c5.staticflickr.com/9/8461/28750807244_1c85c59269_z.jpg" width="480" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
....noticing a mammoth beetroot hiding amongst my beet patch, pulling it up also and planning to slow roast it, <a href="http://www.juliegoodwin.com.au/roast-balsamic-beetroot-recipe" target="_blank">like this</a>, to enjoy with red meat and a salad for dinner tonight....<br />
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/29340614756/in/photostream/" title="BEETROOT"><img alt="BEETROOT" height="640" src="https://c5.staticflickr.com/9/8813/29340614756_83b4586b44_z.jpg" width="460" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
<br />
....trialling new Sourdough recipes, in search of the perfect loaf. For the loaf below I used the <a href="http://www.hellolunchlady.com.au/" target="_blank">LunchLady</a> recipe from her 3rd magazine, it's pretty good and super easy to make - which is a bonus.<br />
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/29266166512/in/photostream/" title="SOURDOUGH 1"><img alt="SOURDOUGH 1" height="625" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8101/29266166512_097e7bf592_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
<br />
....but I think I'm almost there with this loaf here - I've increased the hydration of my normal (original) loaf from 70% to 85% and its worked a treat!<br />
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/29295610571/in/photostream/" title="SOURDOUGH 3"><img alt="SOURDOUGH 3" height="543" src="https://c4.staticflickr.com/9/8539/29295610571_572aa7fbf6_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
<br />
....eating a different cake <strong>E.V.E.R.Y</strong> day. Today we're enjoying Donna Hay's Lemon Pound cake from <a href="https://www.donnahay.com.au/online-store/books/the-new-classics" target="_blank">this book</a>, and it's simply divine...<br />
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/29340613126/in/photostream/" title="LEMON CAKE"><img alt="LEMON CAKE" height="640" src="https://c7.staticflickr.com/9/8487/29340613126_d938db7c15_z.jpg" width="486" /></a><br />
...how about you? what are you doing <em>right now?</em><br />
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
</div>
Jodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04817235224054753521noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1548637339793721902.post-29132261126441154872016-08-29T19:24:00.004+10:002016-08-29T19:24:59.048+10:00At the End of August<div style="text-align: center;">
Unfortunately the recent month has seen my family travelling more than we would normally prefer to. Our farmer has fallen ill, very ill, and there's been many tests, specialist visits and stays in motels over the past month, as we try to nut out just exactly what is wrong with the {rock} of our family unit. There's still a long road ahead, with many more tests still to come, but at the moment we are home, enjoying the simple pleasures and thanking our lucky stars to have a beautiful home of our own and to live the life that we do.<br />
<br />
So today, I'm reflecting on my garden and how amazing it is producing this year despite the neglect of the past 4 weeks. I currently have Baby Turnips slowly plumping up, and <a href="http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/roasted-baby-turnips-parsley-mustard-vinaigrette" target="_blank">this recipe</a> will definitely be what I make with my first harvest - baked turnips, YUM! </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/29224066731/in/photostream/" title="turnips 1"><img alt="turnips 1" height="500" src="https://c4.staticflickr.com/9/8422/29224066731_ac1dddbe32.jpg" width="375" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
There are Peas growing in abundance almost everywhere, with lettuce and kale planted amongst the vines in spare patches of dirt. We're enjoying all parts of the plant this year, before it sets fruit - flowers, young shoots, and baby pods before the peas form. They're all simply divine and deliciously crunchy in a salad, especially with this <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/cilantro-lime-vinaigrette-103849" target="_blank">Lime Cilantro dressing</a> drizzled over the top!<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/28682035493/in/photostream/" title="peas 3"><img alt="peas 3" height="500" src="https://c6.staticflickr.com/9/8371/28682035493_561c824523.jpg" width="281" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/29268881166/in/photostream/" title="peas 2"><img alt="peas 2" height="500" src="https://c7.staticflickr.com/9/8526/29268881166_46d2eb2e72.jpg" width="281" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
We have hundreds of onions, in neat uniformed rows down the centre of most beds. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/29194650542/in/photostream/" title="peas 1"><img alt="peas 1" height="500" src="https://c7.staticflickr.com/9/8378/29194650542_ed87d80f03.jpg" width="281" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
And at least 50 Broccolini plants which are all flowering. We're harvesting this delicious crisp veg daily at the moment, and adding it to most meals. This simple <a href="http://www.delicious.com.au/recipes/silverbeet-broccolini-mozzarella-pizza/6aacc8dc-dbc0-4397-9ca7-6d0b7c377c9d" target="_blank">Broccolini Pizza</a> with a sourdough base is a big hit with all members of my family.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/28680304294/in/photostream/" title="broccolini 1"><img alt="broccolini 1" height="281" src="https://c7.staticflickr.com/9/8568/28680304294_d0a15de252.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Then there's the Lettuce and Asian greens, OH.SO.MANY! With the weather slowly warming, in anticipation of Spring, I love that Salads and stir-fry's are in full swing here! </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/28682056983/in/photostream/" title="lettuce 1"><img alt="lettuce 1" height="500" src="https://c8.staticflickr.com/9/8173/28682056983_597ebf90a5.jpg" width="281" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Then there's the Broadbeans, flowering and setting their pods.
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/29194736062/in/photostream/" title="broadbeans 1"><img alt="broadbeans 1" height="500" src="https://c7.staticflickr.com/9/8321/29194736062_79974318df.jpg" width="281" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/28680345544/in/photostream/" title="broadbeans 2"><img alt="broadbeans 2" height="500" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/8/7476/28680345544_394cea7511.jpg" width="281" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/29302670245/in/photostream/" title="broadbeans 3"><img alt="broadbeans 3" height="281" src="https://c6.staticflickr.com/9/8372/29302670245_01ae8f4fb5.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/29302655945/in/photostream/" title="broadbeans 4"><img alt="broadbeans 4" height="500" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7719/29302655945_c51ac2bb8c.jpg" width="375" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
With lettuce, kale, and baby turnips planted in their understory. I can't wait to try out this recipe for <a href="http://www.annabel-langbein.com/recipes/broad-bean-pesto/50" target="_blank">Broadbean pesto</a> very soon!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/28680324074/in/photostream/" title="broadbeans 5"><img alt="broadbeans 5" height="500" src="https://c3.staticflickr.com/9/8071/28680324074_aa331640db.jpg" width="281" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/29194680682/in/photostream/" title="broadbeans 6"><img alt="broadbeans 6" height="500" src="https://c3.staticflickr.com/9/8596/29194680682_fa8f7b5ccf.jpg" width="281" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
And of coarse there's the beetroot, hundreds and hundreds of delicious blood red beetroot.<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/29014677670/in/photostream/" title="beets 4"><img alt="beets 4" height="500" src="https://c7.staticflickr.com/9/8516/29014677670_3d75c3501f.jpg" width="375" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/28682123943/in/photostream/" title="beets 3"><img alt="beets 3" height="500" src="https://c8.staticflickr.com/9/8181/28682123943_16170bbc27.jpg" width="281" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/29194752422/in/photostream/" title="beets 2"><img alt="beets 2" height="500" src="https://c7.staticflickr.com/9/8472/29194752422_bc6ba38267.jpg" width="281" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I simply love beetroots and every year I grow an abundance of this delicious root to preserve for the months ahead.<br />
<br />
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>Are you growing an abundance of produce to feed your family where you are?</div>
Jodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04817235224054753521noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1548637339793721902.post-4346261011259026242016-06-03T09:31:00.001+10:002016-06-03T09:34:11.641+10:00Maltese Fisherman's HatEach year, as the weather cools, I knit hats for my family. This year I'm visiting a favourite knitting book, the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Elizabeth-Zimmermanns-Knitters-Almanac-Knitting/dp/0486241785" target="_blank">Knitter's Almanac</a> by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Zimmermann" target="_blank">Elizabeth Zimmerman</a>, and making the 'Maltese Fisherman's Hat' for all three of my little people - and my big farmer boy too!<br />
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/26818068433/in/dateposted/" title="088"><img alt="088" height="640" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7072/26818068433_bf6c99423d_z.jpg" width="480" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
Elizabeth is an amazing woman who truly did change the face (and shape) of knitting and I simply love her book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Elizabeth-Zimmermanns-Knitters-Almanac-Knitting/dp/0486241785" target="_blank">'Knitter's Almanac'</a> and visit it often!! It's set out in months, with patterns to match the seasons and has loads of ramblings from Elizabeth about how she came about creating her patterns and ways to which you can alter them, if need be.<br />
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/27390818946/in/photostream/" title="078"><img alt="078" height="480" src="https://c3.staticflickr.com/8/7362/27390818946_2d5076fb66_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
<br />
I'm knitting a pattern from the month of June. This month is filled with hats, simple yet gorgeous hats, and I want to knit all of them, one day!<br />
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/26818066143/in/photostream/" title="081"><img alt="081" height="480" src="https://c8.staticflickr.com/8/7435/26818066143_9d2fb49594_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
<br />
I've knit the smallest hat first and am loving the built in earflaps and neck warmer! This hat has a seamless construction and short row shaping to create the flaps. It's knit from the bottom up and I made this hat using 6mm needles and a 12ply and 8ply alpaca held together to create a chunky yarn.<br />
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/27390817566/in/photostream/" title="073"><img alt="073" height="480" src="https://c7.staticflickr.com/8/7233/27390817566_15995d38c7_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
<br />
I followed the pattern exactly until the last 2 decreases at the top of the hat - I totally skipped these as it made the hat form a point at the top, like a pixie type style.<br />
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/26818058143/in/photostream/" title="097"><img alt="097" height="480" src="https://c8.staticflickr.com/8/7581/26818058143_1170fe8cea_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
So, are you knitting for your family at the moment in an effort to keep them warm through the cooler months too?
Or maybe you're visiting a favourite book - if so, I'd love to hear about that too!! <br />
<br />
Happy Friday Friends! xJodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04817235224054753521noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1548637339793721902.post-58209419211590545292016-05-27T10:53:00.000+10:002016-05-27T10:53:01.763+10:00wood chopping, photo taking, sheep, and bonfires.<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
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I've been thinking a lot lately, I always do I guess, about many things, but after reading<a href="http://shadybaker.blogspot.com.au/2016/05/sheep-bread-and-little-fires.html" target="_blank"> Jane's</a> latest <a href="http://shadybaker.blogspot.com.au/2016/05/sheep-bread-and-little-fires.html" target="_blank">post</a> it got me thinking even more! Sometimes we can get a little lost in the 'everyday' and it's nice to stop and take a moment to reflect on the things and times that make us smile - the simple, unconscious, everyday happenings that just seem to wrap us up like a big hug and warm the heart. </div>
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Here are some of mine.....</div>
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Chopping wood with my little people, </div>
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/26668769733/in/photostream/" title="028"><img alt="028" height="480" src="https://c6.staticflickr.com/8/7406/26668769733_393b3b1380_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
</div>
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and marvelling at how helpful and independent they are becoming.</div>
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/26667611424/in/photostream/" title="031"><img alt="031" height="480" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/8/7295/26667611424_486eecd969_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
</div>
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Taking pictures with my biggest girl - she's creative and inspiring and is diving into the world of photography with such passion, it's contagious! </div>
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/26668767093/in/photostream/" title="20160510_163724"><img alt="20160510_163724" height="640" src="https://c6.staticflickr.com/8/7223/26668767093_934f5eb0ae_z.jpg" width="360" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
</div>
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Sheep - newly purchased, waiting in our yards. Its been so long since we bought new stock but thanks to some much needed rain at the start of the month we now have green pasture again and can increase our stocking capacity!</div>
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/27274776485/in/photostream/" title="20160514_152227"><img alt="20160514_152227" height="559" src="https://c6.staticflickr.com/8/7386/27274776485_e93b888b51_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
</div>
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Bonfires - with new and old friends, sharing food and stories at the end of the day.</div>
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/27274727045/in/photostream/" title="20160525_185532"><img alt="20160525_185532" height="480" src="https://c6.staticflickr.com/8/7038/27274727045_82fa4c4f08_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I hope that you're taking some time to reflect on the things that make you smile too?</div>
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Happy Friday Friends! x</div>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>Jodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04817235224054753521noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1548637339793721902.post-33360805959937360522016-05-06T11:51:00.001+10:002016-05-06T11:51:45.304+10:00Sourdough.... my beginnings<span style="font-family: Calibri;">If you've been following me for a while than
you'll know that I'm pretty new to the whole Sourdough thing. Back in September
last year, I finally bit the bullet, so to speak, and started trying to create
my very first Sourdough Starter.</span><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">For those of you who have never made Sourdough before, but have always
wanted to, you'll totally understand when I say that the simple process of
starting this ancient art of bread baking is <strong>SO DARN DAUNTING!!!</strong> After many,
and I mean <strong>MANY,</strong> an hour surfing the net and browsing through numerous
cookbooks I just couldn't find an exact, easy way to start a 'starter'. It was
all so complicated to this newbie and I didn't seem to have the exact
components/ingredients that most recipes needed.</span><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So, I just threw caution to the wind and grabbed an old plastic <em>(yes
<strong>plastic!)</strong></em> yoghurt container and mixed<em> (with a metal spoon too, mind you - a big
no, no in the Sourdough world)</em> 1/4 cup of good old plain/white baking flour
with 1/4 cup of rain water straight from my kitchen tap!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">My mixture at first resembled a really thick pancake mixture, and smelt
a little sweet. I popped the lid on sat it on my kitchen window sill and hoped
for the best.</span><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Everyday I fed my starter in the morning with a heaped dessert spoon of
plain/white flour and approx. the same amount of tap water, all the while
giving it a good mix with a metal spoon. After about 4 days I could start to
smell something quite funky, almost beer like, and I saw lots of bubbles
forming in my pancake looking mixture - something was happening!</span></div>
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/24301515064/in/dateposted/" title="This bubbling mess is my Sourdough starter... It amazes me how 2 simple ingredients, flour and water, can create a natural levain for my bread, AMAZING!!!"><img alt="This bubbling mess is my Sourdough starter... It amazes me how 2 simple ingredients, flour and water, can create a natural levain for my bread, AMAZING!!!" height="640" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1602/24301515064_b8f1a7842d_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">A couple more days passed, and I kept on feeding my starter. It was
about the 10th day and my container was getting a little on the full side, you
see most starter recipes will ask for you to 'purge' half of your starter
before every feed but to me that was just too wasteful so I just kept feeding my
starter and after 10 days it got quite big!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So, I decided it was time to test it, purge some of it in the
process, and bake something sweet. I poured 1 cup of my starter into <a href="http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/sourdough-chocolate-cake-recipe" target="_blank">this</a> recipe<em> (not fed like the recipe asked for, just simply purged)</em> and
what do you know - it made the most amazing chocolate cake that my family and I
have ever tasted! </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I was hooked after my first baking success and couldn't wait to bake again! As I waited for my starter to build up her strength to bake actual bread I started purging my excess and baking all sorts of delicious treats - herby crackers, </span></div>
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/21589724968/in/dateposted/" title="Sourdough Crackers with Sea Salt, Rosemary and Thyme.... First time I've ever made a savoury cracker and they're absolutely delicious!!!!!!"><img alt="Sourdough Crackers with Sea Salt, Rosemary and Thyme.... First time I've ever made a savoury cracker and they're absolutely delicious!!!!!!" height="640" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5724/21589724968_bb52130a68_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
<br />
fluffy pancakes, simple cookies, cakes, and even raspberry muffins. My sourdough starter was my new toy and I had to play with it every day! I loved how it turned a humble recipe into something amazing and all the while breaking down the stuff in regular white flour so that our bodies could digest it just that little bit easier - Sourdough truly is amazing!<br />
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/21171356024/in/dateposted/" title="Sourdough pancakes for breaky - I sure do love school holidays!!!! ♥"><img alt="Sourdough pancakes for breaky - I sure do love school holidays!!!! ♥" height="640" src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/638/21171356024_8fc5f35b95_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
<br />
Now, 8 months later and as a family we haven't look back! Everyday <em>(well almost)</em> we bake Sourdough. The process of slowing down and creating such a beautiful, rustic loaf that's carved and shared as a family with a meal or as a snack is something that I truly do love. <br />
<br />
I've baked bread for as long as I can remember and have always added oils, and processed yeasts, and sugars, and bread improvers but with Sourdough all it takes is 3 simple ingredients, flour water and a little salt - flour which I buy in bulk from a local mill, and water which I harvest in tanks when it rains. I love that while things are tight,<em> financially</em>, for our family as we wait for decent rains and feed to grow again in our paddocks to feed livestock, I can create a large loaf of bread like this for as little as 50c. <br />
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/26339365792/in/dateposted/" title="This loaf was pushed to its limits when I bulk fermented it for 5 DAYS! It still baked up beautifully this morning - Sourdough always amazes me, and I love that!"><img alt="This loaf was pushed to its limits when I bulk fermented it for 5 DAYS! It still baked up beautifully this morning - Sourdough always amazes me, and I love that!" height="640" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1463/26339365792_7e14249544_z.jpg" width="615" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
So, are you a bread baker too? Have you ventured into the world of Sourdough baking yet or like I did, do you find it all to daunting and don't know where to start?Jodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04817235224054753521noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1548637339793721902.post-79614158292111756392016-04-22T15:21:00.002+10:002016-05-06T11:53:11.385+10:00April....<div style="text-align: left;">
it's Knitting in the paddock,</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/26504057211/in/dateposted/" title="IMG_20160413_080026"><img alt="IMG_20160413_080026" height="640" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1616/26504057211_faa74e153d_z.jpg" width="480" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
</div>
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and reading books by the campfire,</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/26477678062/in/dateposted/" title="20160410_071824"><img alt="20160410_071824" height="360" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1469/26477678062_b50da1cf63_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
and enjoying {most} meals outdoors, cooked on a fire,</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/26297293690/in/dateposted/" title="IMG_20160410_073246"><img alt="IMG_20160410_073246" height="640" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1708/26297293690_22a8792ec5_z.jpg" width="480" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
and early morning starts with woollen jumpers, feeding stock and checking waters,</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/25965079504/in/dateposted/" title="IMG_20160413_072656"><img alt="IMG_20160413_072656" height="571" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1548/25965079504_7bc737fc53_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
</div>
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and extra long cuddles with a very special dog, Sally! </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/26477677062/in/photostream/" title="IMG_20160413_075336"><img alt="IMG_20160413_075336" height="640" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1699/26477677062_793b9bb3c3_z.jpg" width="566" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
You see, a couple of months back Sally fell off the back of a motorbike while out mustering. Her back leg got caught up in the spokes of the rear wheel and it was horrific! Sally's very lucky to be alive, with all of her legs! So, this gorgeous dog is now my Millie's pet. They're the best of friends and Sally never has to work another day, ever.</div>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />Jodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04817235224054753521noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1548637339793721902.post-77512158954072801722016-04-01T11:00:00.001+11:002016-05-06T11:53:25.954+10:00A Shift in the Air...<div style="text-align: left;">
As my Summer vegetables slowly start dying down, making way for our Winter crops to be planted, I can feel a shift in the air, it's been a long hard Summer and this shift could not come sooner... </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/25886842290/in/dateposted/" title="064"><img alt="064" height="480" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1526/25886842290_c15a8aea8a_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
</div>
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There's been long, hot days in the schoolroom, </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/25886840580/in/dateposted/" title="herb 4"><img alt="herb 4" height="480" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1462/25886840580_b8bf63d7dc_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
a swimming carnival with our bush school friends,</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/26067267112/in/dateposted/" title="20160212_142255"><img alt="20160212_142255" height="360" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1706/26067267112_c1d3623435_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
and dry, dusty days in the sheep yards while our farmer has been away.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/26067261522/in/dateposted/" title="20160305_191100"><img alt="20160305_191100" height="360" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1670/26067261522_a488166ffa_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I've had some trying times with my eldest girl of late as her mind (and body) slowly transforms from a small girl to a young woman. As much as I'd like to hide from the obvious and keep my girl a wee little baby forever, the time for growth is important and I'm really trying to embrace this special time in my gorgeous girls life! Can she really be 'double digits' this year, already? </div>
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</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
When I look back to when I was this age, my parents were newly divorced and conversations with my mother were almost non-existent. I understand now, as a mother and a wife, that this must have been a difficult time for her, but for me, I just remember feeling alone and embarrassed of my body and I'm going to try my hardest to make this time in my girls life one that she remembers fondly! </div>
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/25887010950/in/dateposted/" title="068"><img alt="068" height="480" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1573/25887010950_bb9cb99887_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
</div>
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With all of this said, we've had a pretty hard slog this past 3-4 months. We've had 4 really dry years here at 'Darling Downs', and are coming into our 5th as there's no good rain forecast on the horizon. So, for about 6 months now my husband has taken up work mustering on other stations to help bring in some extra money to pay our farm mortgage. This means that he's away for as long as 10 days at a time and I'm left to run the farm, school the kids, keep the home, and tend to the garden.</div>
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/26159737095/in/dateposted/" title="014"><img alt="014" height="480" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1450/26159737095_1174fa0c95_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
All jobs that I truly do love but when it's hot and you're tired and your husband is away and your kids are pushing all the wrong buttons you kinda get a little burnt out! So, a glass of red at the end of the day, just before the sun goes down, seems to be just what I need to put things into perspective!</div>
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/25555132144/in/dateposted/" title="155"><img alt="155" height="638" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1720/25555132144_e1eff8be2c_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
And here's my perspective....I'm so lucky to live where I live and do what I do. I have a beautiful family and a loving husband. We're lucky that there is extra work available at the moment and that my husband is capable and able to do it. Although it hasn't rained I'm blessed to still have water to keep my kitchen garden alive and producing for my family. I'm lucky to have a home which is lovely and cool on the hottest of Summer days and toasty and warm on the coldest of Winter nights. And most importantly, I'm lucky that my husband comes home safely!!! He is such a hard working man who often pushes himself more than I sometimes think is even possible. I'm lucky to have 3 children who are kind, loving and caring in their own unique ways and a husband who truly does love us, </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/25555133284/in/dateposted/" title="20160213_185033"><img alt="20160213_185033" height="361" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1649/25555133284_920557009e_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
and who would give almost anything to be with us, yep just us, we're enough and he's enough, and we like it just like that!!! </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/26159731785/in/dateposted/" title="009"><img alt="009" height="480" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1481/26159731785_68f118e9b4_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>So.... Are you feeling a little burnt out after a long dry, hot Summer, too??? Can you feel a shift in the air?</div>
Jodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04817235224054753521noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1548637339793721902.post-20743569692031172002016-01-29T15:57:00.001+11:002016-01-29T15:57:21.748+11:00Little Things.... <div style="text-align: center;">
As the school holidays wind up and a new schooling year begins I'm taking a moment to enjoy the little things, and filling my days with simple pleasures like these.... </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Kniting - a new little top, that's just for my girl... (pattern from <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/the-two-summer-sundress" target="_blank">here</a>)</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/24655087786/in/dateposted/" title="blog 1"><img alt="blog 1" height="480" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1548/24655087786_ae4b5851ba_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Sisters - bickering, as they do! </div>
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/24563517672/in/dateposted/" title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA"><img alt="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA" height="440" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1475/24563517672_73a10b972e_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Rockmelons - growing on my vine, finally!</div>
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Zucchini's - I restrained myself and only planted 2 bushes this year. They've been thriving in a neglected part of my garden where not much else grows during the hot Summer months. </div>
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And.... <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_yabby" target="_blank">Yabbies</a> - my most favourite crayfish of all to eat!</div>
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Are you taking the time to enjoy the little things in your day too? xx</div>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>Jodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04817235224054753521noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1548637339793721902.post-81768849233962710242016-01-15T16:11:00.002+11:002016-01-15T16:11:54.126+11:00My 2016<div style="text-align: center;">
As I slowly settle into 2016 I'm excited by the promise of a wonderful new year, filled with adventure. By adventure, I'm not talking about the kind that takes you vast distances exploring new places, I'm talking about an adventure of a different kind, an adventure inside my home, around my farm and through familiar places.<br />
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<strong>This Year... </strong>I'll be focusing on my surroundings, trying to really appreciate how lucky I am to be able to live the quiet, simple life that I do. I'll be taking a break from my small {yarn} business and allocating that time back to the things that have slowly slipped away from my everyday due to 'Shop' commitments over the past 6-7 years... <br />
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My 2016 will be more about afternoon walks with my little people, expanding my vegetable garden, picnicking in the paddocks, late night star gazing, sharing food, revisiting slow(er) crafts, learning something from someone new, listening (often), writing letters, and mastering Sourdough....</div>
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<strong>This Year...</strong> I want to learn as much as I can about the gorgeous art of Sourdough. It truly has stolen my heart this past couple of months, and as a family we're enjoying the lessons it is teaching us about 'slowing' down - good things really do take time (and patience) and can't be rushed... </div>
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<strong>This Year....</strong> I'm looking forward to walking in the mud barefoot when my kids ask me too, even if it does dry my feet out and make my heals crack when I'm done.<br />
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<strong>This Year.....</strong>I'm excited for my aviation loving husband as he dreams about something new for himself on the horizon.</div>
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<strong>This Year....</strong> I'm going to explore the possibilities of companion planting more in my vegetable garden - marigolds have worked amazingly for us this year in ALL beds!</div>
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<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><em>So... Are you letting go of something this year? Or maybe your going on an Adventure to find yourself again like me?</em> </div>
Jodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04817235224054753521noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1548637339793721902.post-25767466907275818952015-12-15T21:14:00.001+11:002018-08-02T07:42:59.791+10:00A Handmade Xmas....<div align="center">
I love the process of making something special for people that I love for Xmas, be it baked goods, preserves, freshly picked flowers arranged in a pretty bouquet, hand-knit garments, crochet keepsakes, sewn treasures, I love them all...<br />
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This year as well as the usual home-grown preserves and baked shortbread, I've been creating a few special things with fabric, fibre, and thread to gift to those that are nearest and dearest to my family and I.<br />
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There's this sweet cotton table cloth in the loveliest shade of green.</div>
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I followed <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/doily-21st-century" target="_blank">this great pattern</a> by the fabulous crochet designer <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/designers/sonea-delvon" target="_blank">Sonea Delvon</a> - only difference being that I used 8ply yarn and a 3.5mm hook instead of the 5ply and 2.5mm hook that Sonea suggested. </div>
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My finished table cloth measures approx. 75cm in diameter <em>(before blocking - but to be honest, I won't be blocking this tablecloth as I have designed it to be machine washed and line dried, hence my choice of yarn). </em>I followed this pattern EXACTLY (not like me at all) and it turned out simply beautifully!!!!</div>
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/23384546299/in/dateposted-public/" title="My crochet Xmas tablecloth is finished, just in time for gifting.... ♥ (I'll post the pattern, and yarn, details soon for those interested) xx"><img alt="My crochet Xmas tablecloth is finished, just in time for gifting.... ♥ (I'll post the pattern, and yarn, details soon for those interested) xx" height="640" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5753/23384546299_17b0020e9e_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
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For the yarn, I used my all time favourite 8ply cotton blend<em> (the same yarn that I used for my rainbow granny blanket back <a href="http://jellywares.blogspot.com.au/2015/10/almost-2-years.html" target="_blank">here</a>).</em> This yarn is <strong>AMAZING!!</strong> It washes so well and wears even better. I love that the more it ages and is washed the softer it gets.</div>
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/22686102682/in/dateposted-public/" title="A bit of 'colour-therapy' for your Monday arvo..... {I'm planning my next BIG project} ♥"><img alt="A bit of 'colour-therapy' for your Monday arvo..... {I'm planning my next BIG project} ♥" height="493" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5682/22686102682_235f644098_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
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I'm also weaving a special little something for an equally special person. This is my very first weaving project and I must admit, I'm absolutely hooked!!! The pattern I'm following was part of a kit made by the very clever team at <a href="http://www.molliemakes.com/" target="_blank">Mollie Makes</a> and I simply love it. If you've never heard of Millie Makes before then please go check them out, they seriously are amazing and a huge source of inspiration for me and my crafting.</div>
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/23510512821/in/dateposted-public/" title="Another special Xmas project in the making - this {weaving} thing is SO.MUCH.FUN!"><img alt="Another special Xmas project in the making - this {weaving} thing is SO.MUCH.FUN!" height="562" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5828/23510512821_097a434e5d_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
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I'm also working on a wee little quilt which I'm backing with old fabric bread flour bags. This quilt is to be used as a tablecloth also. The fabrics are from my stash and there's not really a pattern, I'm just sewing 5' squares together in strips in a colour combo that I like. I'm making this quilt light weight and durable - hence the muslin/calico bread bags that I'll be using for the backing fabric.</div>
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And on the right of the quilt is the makings a flower pillow. I'm only half way through this pillow but am hoping that over the next week it will double in size and be well on its way to being finished in time for Xmas gifting. </div>
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I'm using the<a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/blooming-flower-cushion" target="_blank"> Blooming Flower Cushion</a> pattern by<a href="http://www.ravelry.com/designers/lucy-of-attic24" target="_blank"> Lucy of Attic 24</a>, a 3.5mm hook and that same gorgeous cotton that I used for the green tablecloth above <em>(just in a different shade, of coarse).</em></div>
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/23058992036/in/dateposted-public/" title="The start of a sweet little quilt... ♡"><img alt="The start of a sweet little quilt... ♡" height="640" src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/661/23058992036_5675a11dc8_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
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That's my Xmas crafting so far... There's still so much that I'd love to create but with the days clicking by much faster than I anticipated <em>(as they do every year)</em> I doubt that I'll get to them... But, I'm okay with that, I really am! A sweetly baked cake or some pickles pulled from the back of my pantry will make just as lovely a gift if my time does run out... </div>
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<strong>So, how about you, do you love a 'handmade' Xmas?</strong></div>
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<strong>Are you crafting up a storm, so to speak... Creating lots of lovely things for your loved ones this year too?</strong></div>
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<strong>Do you have a 'back-up' plan if you run out of time and don't quite get that special something finished?</strong></div>
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<strong>Or maybe you're taking it easy, not worrying about the material objects this year, focussing on spending 'quality time' with loved ones instead?</strong></div>
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<strong>I'd love to know! xx</strong></div>
Jodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04817235224054753521noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1548637339793721902.post-70349065430418480972015-11-06T10:57:00.001+11:002015-11-06T10:57:22.746+11:00warm daysThere is so much goodness to be found in my garden this time of year, the warm days of our mottled Spring/Summer have truly settled in and my garden is overflowing with fragrant blossoms and delicious fresh produce....<br />
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<strong>Onions.....</strong> This week has seen me pulling up onions, sweet white onions, hundreds of them! I'm drying them out, hoping that once dry they'll store for <em>(at least)</em> 3 months in my pantry - by then it will be time to plant, and enjoy, my next years crop.... <br />
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I'm excited to have finally planted just the right amount of onions in my garden this year - just enough to have my family and I eating them fresh from the ground months before our 'final' harvest and just enough<em> (I hope)</em> to have us eating them, dried, for months to come.<br />
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<strong>Tomatoes....</strong> I can never plant enough tomatoes!!! Can you??<br />
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This year, so far, I have 24 tomato plants growing - all at different stages and many different varieties. For my bigger, taller growing varieties I'm having a go at 'stringing' and so far it's working a real treat! <br />
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Have you ever tried 'stringing' before? Here's the video I watched to learn how....<br />
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<strong>Cucumbers.... </strong>I love fresh cucumber, sliced thick and smeared with Danish feta, especially on a hot Summer day... This year I'm growing my vines overhead <em>(instead of overflowing onto the ground)</em>, as a way of providing shade in Summer to a bed that will be filled with delicate leafy greens. <br />
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How do you like to grow your vines?<br />
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<strong>Bread....</strong> It's something that I seem to be writing about in every post lately! I truly have fallen in love with the Sourdough baking process and was so excited last week when my Farmer baked a loaf for me in my absence. <br />
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It was perfect, this guy of mine is a natural!<br />
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Having been baking Sourdough <strong>EVERYDAY</strong>, for about 5 weeks now, I'm itching to start trying something new and when I saw this <a href="http://passionfruitgarden.com/2015/10/27/sourdough-baguettes/#comment-37339" target="_blank">post</a> by the gorgeous Glenda I knew that 'Sourdough Baguettes' were the next thing that I <strong>MUST</strong> try!!!!!<br />
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<strong>Crochet....</strong> It's something that I love to do everyday too. It winds me down and lifts my mood after what can sometimes be a 'crazy' day in the schoolroom with my 3 kids.<br />
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Mandala's are my latest favourite thing to create and this sweet one has been made as a special gift for a dear friend. The pattern was from <a href="http://issuu.com/molliemakes/docs/molliemakes54" target="_blank">this issue</a> of Mollie Makes Magazine - so simple and so pretty and so much fun to make. <br />
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Happy Friday Friends!<br />
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Jodie xxx
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Jodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04817235224054753521noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1548637339793721902.post-71906834703472174002015-10-27T20:21:00.000+11:002015-10-27T20:21:01.216+11:00pre-loved chairs<span style="color: black;">I'm not an overly wealthy person and must admit, most of my home has been furnished with 2nd hand and preloved furniture over the years... In the beginning it was pure necessity as I purchased furniture from op-shops and clearing sales to fill my home as my budget couldn't afford new shiny pieces... But now, some 16 years down the tract <em>(since I left home that is),</em> my needs have changed and my family has grown. I am still a very budget conscious person and my love of recycled tressures has grown more than words could purely explain. I love the eclectic collection of furniture that I am able to give a new lease of life to and the warm home-y feel that it gives my rustic county home.... I am proud to know that most of the pieces in my home had another story to tell before they came to tell a story in mine. I celebrate these stories and share them with family and friends as often as I can.</span><br />
<span style="color: black;"> </span><br />
<span style="color: black;">The latest pieces to bring a new chapter to the story in my home are 5 pre-loved chairs. I was lucky enough to purchase these chairs from a clearing sale for $5 just over 2 weeks ago - yes that's right, $5 for the lot!!! 2 older style high-chairs and 3 turned timber stools.</span><br />
<span style="color: black;"> </span><br />
<span style="color: black;">Each chair has been tested by each of my little people...</span><br />
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<span style="color: black;">But, it's my littlest person of all who has claimed this vintage high-chair, and it fits him just right - <em>don't you think?</em></span><br />
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<span style="color: black;">Now, onto the bread - it truly is a wonderful thing, is it not?</span><br />
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<span style="color: black;">My love of its delicious, chewy, home baked, goodness has grown even stronger this past 5 weeks as I dive deeper and deeper into the world of Sourdough Baking.</span><br />
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<span style="color: black;">Thanks to a cast iron pot, a super hot over, and a thriving starter I am producing artisan bread E V E R Y D A Y!</span><br />
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<span style="color: black;">And everyday it's new and different and exciting....</span><br />
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<span style="color: black;">But the most exciting thing of all is the crumb - it's airy and chewy and tangy and simply delicious.</span><br />
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/21857132013/in/dateposted-public/" title="A 'crumb' shot of todays Sourdough.... #sourdoughbread #cantstopbaking"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="A 'crumb' shot of todays Sourdough.... #sourdoughbread #cantstopbaking" height="800" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5629/21857132013_ea15a3bf86_c.jpg" width="800" /></span></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
<span style="color: black;">So, are you buying pre-loved furniture out of necessity for your family or you do it for the passion?</span><br />
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Or, have you started a Sourdough journey, like me? For so many years I was too scared to start and then one day <em>(5 weeks ago to be exact)</em> I simply dove in, gave it all I had, and haven't looked back!!!</span><br />
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<span style="color: black;">Happy Tuesday Friends...... xxx</span>Jodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04817235224054753521noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1548637339793721902.post-36391045717802881952015-10-22T21:38:00.001+11:002015-10-22T21:40:26.851+11:00everyday<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: black;">It feels so great to be back in the 'blogging world' again and all of your gorgeous comments on my last post really concreted that for me, thank you!</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">Since I last posted life has been slow, steady, and simple for us here on the farm - <em>as it always is...</em></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">Spring is in full swing and I love that we are picking wild flowers from our paddocks <strong>EVERYDAY...</strong> These paper daisies are my all-time favourite and always remind me of my gorgeous friend Suzy's birthday.</span></div>
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/22193933149/in/dateposted-public/" title="1"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="1" height="600" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5733/22193933149_0d989cdd4f_c.jpg" width="800" /></span></a><br />
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><span style="color: black;">We were lucky enough to squeeze a trip down south to Melbourne, to visit dear friends, last weekend. The long car trip saw me knitting on a sweet little project for my kids, tube socks. These were such a great knit and I love that they fit my littlest guy just right, even though they were meant to be for my littlest girl.<em> </em></span><em><span style="color: black;">I used Jane Richmond's fantastic <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/tube-socks-for-kids" target="_blank">'Tube Sock' pattern</a>, 2.75mm circular needles, and malabrigo sock yarn - not the best yarn for socks as it wears fairly quickly but gorgeous all the same...</span></em><br />
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</span><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/22193039538/in/dateposted-public/" title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA" height="460" src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/684/22193039538_491f5ed87a_c.jpg" width="800" /></span></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
<span style="color: black;">This past 4 weeks has seen me dive into the art of <em>Sourdough Bread Making</em>. After growing my starter, <em>Stan</em>, for 10 days back on the 20th of September, I haven't looked back, I'm baking Sourdough bread <strong>EVERYDAY</strong> and loving that with every loaf I am learning something new. I'm definitely no expert and have a lot to learn and a long journey ahead of me but, at the moment, it's exciting and invigorating and so <strong>VERY</strong> rewarding....</span><br />
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</span><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/22354773776/in/dateposted-public/" title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA" height="566" src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/570/22354773776_04164b3b9b_c.jpg" width="800" /></span></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
<span style="color: black;">For instance, this mini loaf sat on the top shelf of my fridge 'proving' for 2 days because I simply 'forgot' about baking it - 2 days is <strong>WAY TOO LONG</strong> - normally <em>(or so I've read anyway).</em> And when I did finally bake it - for 15mins longer than I should have, </span><br />
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</span><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/22193031228/in/dateposted-public/" title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA" height="553" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5824/22193031228_0934cfb233_c.jpg" width="800" /></span></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
<span style="color: black;">it still turned out incredibly delicious!!! I love that I am yet to have a flop with Sourdough baking regardless of the mistakes that I make. Although the process of making this type of bread is much longer than with the dried yeast that I used to use I must admit, it is so much more satisfying and <strong>EVERYBODY</strong> loves it, even the kids... It's chewy and crunchy and earthy and<strong> DELICIOUS!</strong></span><br />
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</span><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/21757992794/in/dateposted-public/" title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA" height="652" src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/609/21757992794_b3397a4747_c.jpg" width="800" /></span></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
<span style="color: black;">This time of year brings with it a 'glut' of fresh produce, something that I truly love, and this week I'm picking more fresh radish then my family can eat so I'm trying something new and exciting and preserving them - pickled radishes, who would have thought!</span><br />
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</span><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/21759656583/in/dateposted-public/" title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA" height="571" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5641/21759656583_8807e44b00_c.jpg" width="800" /></span></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
<span style="color: black;">They're crispy and crunchy and spicy and sweet and tangy and salty and simply delicious - all at once!!!</span><br />
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</span><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/21757983674/in/dateposted-public/" title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA" height="530" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5758/21757983674_ab6f4d7e16_c.jpg" width="800" /></span></a><br />
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><span style="color: black;">And to make them, I simply sliced my freshly picked<em>(pulled)</em> radishes and popped them in a sterilised jar with a few cloves of garlic, some peppercorns, a teaspoon of salt, and some chopped parsley. I then boiled 1 cup of white vinegar with 3/4 cups of white sugar, poured it over the top of my radishes, screwed on the lid and left it to cool.</span><br />
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</span><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/21759648253/in/dateposted-public/" title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA" height="586" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5799/21759648253_8cc2427bb4_c.jpg" width="800" /></span></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
<span style="color: black;">The next day for lunch, I cracked the jar and spooned some onto my salad - they are <strong>AMAZING!!!!</strong> My new favourite summer pickle, hands down....</span><br />
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</span><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/21757975364/in/dateposted-public/" title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA" height="563" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5751/21757975364_dbe7349777_c.jpg" width="800" /></span></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
<span style="color: black;">My lettuce is currently in the category of 'out-of-control'. I have about 100 plants at the moment and we are loving eating this delicious leafy green <strong>EVERYDAY</strong>, but... I'm wondering, <em>'what else can I possibly make with it'</em> - any suggestions?</span><br />
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</span><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/22380727935/in/dateposted-public/" title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA" height="565" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5804/22380727935_8110778a51_c.jpg" width="800" /></span></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
<span style="color: black;">In another garden bed, not too far away, I'm eagerly watching as our pumpkins are finally getting some legs. These pumpkins are very special as they are seeds from a dear friends delicious harvest from last year. </span><br />
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</span><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/22193000298/in/dateposted-public/" title="11"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="11" height="600" src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/781/22193000298_aca734f229_c.jpg" width="800" /></span></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
<span style="color: black;">And, after many weeks of watching we finally have zucchini, lots of zucchini in fact, and before we know it there's sure to be a glut of these also. Zucchini relish is a favourite in my home and I'm really looking forward to filling up our stores for another year, very soon... </span><br />
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</span><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/21759626663/in/dateposted-public/" title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA" height="645" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5658/21759626663_12d1487094_c.jpg" width="800" /></span></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
<span style="color: black;">After the flowers, knitting, bread baking, pickles, and vegetable growing there's always a little time for kittens, right? We have the cutest new additions this Spring, 'little-one' </span><br />
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</span><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/22192722070/in/dateposted-public/" title="13"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="13" height="600" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5822/22192722070_803ff7b721_c.jpg" width="800" /></span></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
<span style="color: black;">and 'sooty'.....</span><br />
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</span><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/22193873329/in/dateposted-public/" title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA" height="567" src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/739/22193873329_049a05c399_c.jpg" width="800" /></span></a><br />
<span style="color: black;">Are you knitting, baking, preserving, gardening, or simply enjoying the company of new little additions this week where you are?</span><br />
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<span style="color: black;">Jodie </span><span style="color: black;">xoxo</span><br />
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />Jodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04817235224054753521noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1548637339793721902.post-69340923501961121402015-10-11T11:50:00.001+11:002015-10-11T11:50:55.676+11:00Almost 2 Years.....<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">When I look at the date of my last post I almost can't believe that it's been over 18months since I was in this 'space'. An accumulation of things stopped me blogging back then, but mostly a follower who continually knocked me down with private messages full of detrimental content. As much as I tried ignoring and deleting the messages it still hurt, a lot! I had other things going on in my life at the time and after 6 months of being 'knocked down' I lost sight of what was important to me and why I actually 'blogged'. There are so many amazingly inspiring and supportive bloggers out there and I loved being part of this community. That is why after almost 2 years, I'm putting it aside and starting fresh. I'm excited and nervous and overwhelmed all at once. After such a long absence from blogging it's harder to put the words to the pictures like I did before so today I'm keeping it simple and sharing what I'm doing now, right now..... </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">So.......Right now....... </span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>I'm loving</strong> the parsley as it overflows from garden beds around my yard...</span></span></div>
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/22089133131/in/dateposted-public/" title="blog 4"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><img alt="blog 4" height="600" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5671/22089133131_8a54354ed2_c.jpg" width="800" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>I'm searching</strong> for passionfruit flowers, and finding them, dreaming of vine ripened deliciously sweet fruit come Xmas to top a Pavlova....</span></span></div>
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</span><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/21891228958/in/dateposted-public/" title="blog 3"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><img alt="blog 3" height="600" src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/626/21891228958_490e5506aa_c.jpg" width="800" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>I'm feeding</strong> my lettuce - they are EVERYWHERE!!! I'm growing more lettuce than I ever have before! - my young family is slowly growing {up}, enjoying this leafy green as much as I do. <em>(Companion planting radish and onion with my greens this year has kept all bugs and pests at bay, so far...)</em></span></span></div>
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</span><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/22079122465/in/dateposted-public/" title="blog 5"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><img alt="blog 5" height="600" src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/596/22079122465_9f25d47d52_c.jpg" width="800" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>I'm potting</strong> silvery gems as my love of succulents grows stronger and stronger... These hardy plants have been my companions through horribly dry and hot Summers when NOTHING else would grow and for that I am extremely grateful. </span></span></div>
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</span><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/22052912616/in/dateposted-public/" title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><img alt="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA" height="727" src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/736/22052912616_95975c0886_c.jpg" width="800" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><em>And amongst all of the gardening</em><strong> </strong></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>I'm simply enjoying</strong> how beautiful Spring really is, with lots of barefooted bike riding, and running through sprinklers, and late afternoon card games on the front veranda - enjoying the warmth and stillness that October always brings...</span></span></div>
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</span><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/22079108725/in/dateposted-public/" title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><img alt="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA" height="571" src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/738/22079108725_697a97f74c_c.jpg" width="800" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>I'm driving</strong> not too far down the road, to a clearing sale and I'm kicking myself that I never 'put my hand up' and purchased this rustic industrial sewing machine...</span></span></div>
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</span><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/21456265514/in/dateposted-public/" title="blog 6"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><img alt="blog 6" height="600" src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/696/21456265514_5f084637da_c.jpg" width="800" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>I'm loving</strong> that although there are flies and hot sun and way too many scatter-burs about my kids are having fun (with their friends) and simply being kids. </span></span></div>
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</span><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/21890894720/in/dateposted-public/" title="blog 10"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><img alt="blog 10" height="600" src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/782/21890894720_3c451df832_c.jpg" width="800" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>I'm watching</strong> the end of a day surrounded by rusty treasures as people proudly load their newly acquired possessions a top of trailers... I was lucky to buy some old timber chairs, a cupboard, a pile of glass louvers for our cottage, a new garden trailer, and a vintage 'homemade' cot... </span></span></div>
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</span><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/21892202359/in/dateposted-public/" title="blog 7"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><img alt="blog 7" height="600" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5818/21892202359_23a1e13189_c.jpg" width="800" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">And lastly....</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>I'm finishing</strong> a blanket, a special blanket, that deserves its own {detailed} post!!!</span></span></div>
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</span><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/21326643374/in/dateposted-public/" title="I did it!!!! My #rainbowCAL is complete..... {and I'm already dreaming about what I'll make next}"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><img alt="I did it!!!! My #rainbowCAL is complete..... {and I'm already dreaming about what I'll make next}" height="800" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5816/21326643374_7e82f8f10a_c.jpg" width="784" /></span></a></div>
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<em>Bye.... For now, friends.... xxx</em></span></span></div>
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Jodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04817235224054753521noreply@blogger.com58tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1548637339793721902.post-51282046174911904742014-03-01T18:54:00.002+11:002014-03-01T18:54:53.176+11:00Stickiness.....<div style="text-align: center;">
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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.....</div>
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<img alt="Working on some 'hand crafts' with my Millie this eerie Thursday afternoon...." src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7302/12808538864_017af3060a.jpg" height="500" width="500" /> </div>
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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....</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/12623199444/" title="Playing around with dye and lace this morning - so much FUN!!!!!! by Jelly Wares, on Flickr"><img alt="Playing around with dye and lace this morning - so much FUN!!!!!!" height="500" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7455/12623199444_f4345c6e57.jpg" width="500" /></a>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/12628722574/" title="50 metres of white lace is now a gorgeous violet colour - what will I dye next? by Jelly Wares, on Flickr"><img alt="50 metres of white lace is now a gorgeous violet colour - what will I dye next?" height="500" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3723/12628722574_12bb79f1fd.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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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!</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/12730631363/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="My biggest girl Connie(7) has been playing with wood and making me things! ~ this is shelf #2, isn't it just perfect? by Jelly Wares, on Flickr"><img alt="My biggest girl Connie(7) has been playing with wood and making me things! ~ this is shelf #2, isn't it just perfect?" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3736/12730631363_75f343283c.jpg" height="500" width="500" /></a></div>
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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....</div>
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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!</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/12841297183/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Crochet, oh how I love you on cold and wet days!! #crochet by Jelly Wares, on Flickr"><img alt="Crochet, oh how I love you on cold and wet days!! #crochet" height="500" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3694/12841297183_58075f6dc7.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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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!!!!</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/12847492803/" title="I so love me some 'happy mail' - don't you!? by Jelly Wares, on Flickr"><img alt="I so love me some 'happy mail' - don't you!?" height="500" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3679/12847492803_8391d70438.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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Jodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04817235224054753521noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1548637339793721902.post-67859580541377508832014-02-26T21:35:00.001+11:002014-02-26T21:35:45.314+11:00Slowing Down....<div style="text-align: center;">
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...</div>
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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. </div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/12741616705/" title="Can you believe it's only 4 days til Autumn? - this week in our homeschooling we're focusing on the shift in Seasons and it's really nice. Autumn truly is my favorite Season of the year, how about you? by Jelly Wares, on Flickr"><img alt="Can you believe it's only 4 days til Autumn? - this week in our homeschooling we're focusing on the shift in Seasons and it's really nice. Autumn truly is my favorite Season of the year, how about you?" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3703/12741616705_763bd52e26.jpg" height="500" width="500" /></a>
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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 <em>(start of April)</em> 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!</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/12649138963/" title="I'm working on something super secret for my Autumn Yarn Club this arvo - how about you? by Jelly Wares, on Flickr"><em><img alt="I'm working on something super secret for my Autumn Yarn Club this arvo - how about you?" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5505/12649138963_fcd112bd1c.jpg" height="500" width="500" /></em></a>
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<em>above : : some secret Autumn 'leaf-y' knitting</em> </div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/12683404254/" title="The start of something Autumn-y..... by Jelly Wares, on Flickr"><img alt="The start of something Autumn-y....." src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3686/12683404254_79fa0988f0.jpg" height="500" width="500" /></a>
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<em>above : : collection of Autumn-y shades</em></div>
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And although it's still <u><strong>WAY</strong></u> 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!!! </div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/12453207244/" title="Loving this little mini leaf 'cuff' too!! #knitting by Jelly Wares, on Flickr"><img alt="Loving this little mini leaf 'cuff' too!! #knitting" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7309/12453207244_e6152f2aa1.jpg" height="500" width="500" /></a>
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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!!! </div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/12704982415/" title="My littlest guys favorite part of the morning - feeding his girls! by Jelly Wares, on Flickr"><img alt="My littlest guys favorite part of the morning - feeding his girls!" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7295/12704982415_5292fbcc83.jpg" height="500" width="500" /></a>
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And what better way to celebrate than with an evening revisiting a favourite book<em> (<a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1590307771/soul01-20" target="_blank">Amanda Soule</a> you are a constant inspiration to me as a mother - thank you!),</em> sipping sweet tea and planning some new Autumn/Easter outfits for a freshly washed and very well loved dolly, right?!</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/12766420414/" title="Tonight I'm revisiting a favourite book, sipping sweet tea and planning a new outfit for a freshly washed dolly..... How about you? by Jelly Wares, on Flickr"><img alt="Tonight I'm revisiting a favourite book, sipping sweet tea and planning a new outfit for a freshly washed dolly..... How about you?" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5497/12766420414_a4ba8685fe.jpg" height="500" width="500" /></a>
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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<em> (I'm such a rebel)!</em></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/12788752255/" title="Tonight I'm planning my Autumn 'patch' - trying a few things outside my normal growing season for a change, wish me luck! by Jelly Wares, on Flickr"><img alt="Tonight I'm planning my Autumn 'patch' - trying a few things outside my normal growing season for a change, wish me luck!" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3833/12788752255_1da1ece567.jpg" height="500" width="500" /></a>
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And lastly - I couldn't help but share a picture of this super sweet little Valentine of mine...</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/12517975764/" title="A sweet little necklace from the man that I love - Happy Valentines Day Everyone!!!!!! by Jelly Wares, on Flickr"><img alt="A sweet little necklace from the man that I love - Happy Valentines Day Everyone!!!!!!" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5510/12517975764_c45b11e8a7.jpg" height="500" width="500" /></a></div>
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Isn't it just the most perfect little necklace, ever?!
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Jodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04817235224054753521noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1548637339793721902.post-10616270620879578372014-02-08T14:06:00.000+11:002014-02-08T14:06:38.464+11:00Seasonal Yarn Club.....<div style="text-align: center;">
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! </div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/12372395055/" title="Playing by the back step.... Kids + Lego = hours of fun!!!! by Jelly Wares, on Flickr"><img alt="Playing by the back step.... Kids + Lego = hours of fun!!!!" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3717/12372395055_54f5f4a3da_z.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a> </div>
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My house water situation isn't much better - probably 3 weeks left if I'm <i>really</i> careful!</div>
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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! </div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/12350164834/" title="Up nice and early, packed and ready to leave --- it's town day today!!! YAY! by Jelly Wares, on Flickr"><img alt="Up nice and early, packed and ready to leave --- it's town day today!!! YAY!" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7304/12350164834_cbd50a76f4_z.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a> </div>
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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!!!</div>
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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....</div>
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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!!</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/12316261605/" title="Takin' the old girl out for a run this arvo.... p.s... sign-ups for my YARN CLUB have started over here; http://www.facebook.com/JellywaresOnMarshall for those who are keen!!! by Jelly Wares, on Flickr"><img alt="Takin' the old girl out for a run this arvo.... p.s... sign-ups for my YARN CLUB have started over here; http://www.facebook.com/JellywaresOnMarshall for those who are keen!!!" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5495/12316261605_860486af2b_z.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a> </div>
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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....</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/12328677253/" title="Working on 3 things at once this morning - a scarf, a shawl, and some 'notes'..... #followyourarrowkal #ysoldakal by Jelly Wares, on Flickr"><img alt="Working on 3 things at once this morning - a scarf, a shawl, and some 'notes'..... #followyourarrowkal #ysoldakal" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3670/12328677253_0732f58e9e_z.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a> </div>
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A couple of days ago I launched a 'Seasonal Yarn Club' over on my <a href="https://www.facebook.com/JellywaresOnMarshall" target="_blank"><b>Facebook</b></a> page... The response has been amazing and with a few spots left I thought I'd share it with my blogging friends as well.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/12375354734/" title="club 4 by Jelly Wares, on Flickr"><img alt="club 4" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7425/12375354734_f6a07c5a29_z.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a>
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If you're on Facebook you can check it out <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=414878945313881&set=a.236959313105846.59532.236049773196800&type=1&theater" target="_blank"><b>here</b></a>. Otherwise these are the details, copied for Facebook...</div>
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<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">I'm launching something NEW and EXCITING here at Jellywares</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"> --- A Seasonal <b>YARN CLUB!!!!!</b></span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">My 1st <b>'YARN CLUB'</b> 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.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">By joining th</span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">is <b>CLUB </b>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" <i>(exclusive to CLUB members ONLY!)</i>. All packages will be posted via registered postage on the 1st Tuesday of each month.<br /><br /><b>THE COST TO JOIN MY AUTUMN YARN CLUB IS $74.95</b> <i>(this price includes registered postage for all 3 packages).</i><br />To join simply email me (jellywares@bigpond.com) and I'll put you on the 'list'. Sign-ups close on the 21st of February and places are limited!!<br /><br /><i>note : : packages will be tailor-made for both KNITTING and CROCHET, please state your preferred technique when emailing.</i></span></span></div>
Jodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04817235224054753521noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1548637339793721902.post-52407590113117520102014-02-03T20:32:00.001+11:002014-02-03T20:32:48.179+11:00a great start to the New Year....<div style="text-align: center;">
That crochet cushion that I was working on in my last post is now finished....</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/12092493273/" title="Front and back of my cushion almost ready to sew together - YAY!!! by Jelly Wares, on Flickr"><img alt="Front and back of my cushion almost ready to sew together - YAY!!!" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3809/12092493273_4d7c0e90a2_z.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a> </div>
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With all those squares it only meant 1 thing --- loads of ends!!! <i>(pattern pictured - from the book Molly Makes Crochet)</i></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/12112844746/" title="Pattern for the cushion I made and all the ends I had to sew in.... by Jelly Wares, on Flickr"><img alt="Pattern for the cushion I made and all the ends I had to sew in...." src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3683/12112844746_378ce01777_z.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a> </div>
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Now that it's finished I love it and so does my Connie - so just like that it's hers!!</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/12107934633/" title="F I N I S H E D ! :) by Jelly Wares, on Flickr"><img alt="F I N I S H E D ! :)" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2841/12107934633_c092f4c337_z.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a> </div>
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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...</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/12202350796/" title="My Connie girl has been working hard on her button packs all week!!! #buttons by Jelly Wares, on Flickr"><img alt="My Connie girl has been working hard on her button packs all week!!! #buttons" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3727/12202350796_57e1b2ab95_z.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a> </div>
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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!</div>
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I<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/12218409473/" title="These boots are old and worn but they're also the most comfy walkin' shoes! - especially out here on the farm..... by Jelly Wares, on Flickr"><img alt="These boots are old and worn but they're also the most comfy walkin' shoes! - especially out here on the farm....." src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7423/12218409473_6f08877d35_z.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a> </div>
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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... <b>Ysolda's first ever KAL</b> --- 'follow your arrow', it's addictive and interesting and everything that I was looking for <i>(and needing)</i> in a knitting project. Clue #4 is released tonight and I just can't wait to see where the mystery takes me next!</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/12178300384/" title="Some early morning knitting outside in my 'nighty' before we start back at school for 2014.... #followyourarrowkal #ysoldakal #knitting by Jelly Wares, on Flickr"><img alt="Some early morning knitting outside in my 'nighty' before we start back at school for 2014.... #followyourarrowkal #ysoldakal #knitting" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2870/12178300384_d910a0785e_z.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a> </div>
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In between KAL clues I've managed to finally join some squares that have been in my WIP basket for way too long...</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/12261686164/" title="Feels good to be putting the finishing touches on this project today - these squares have been in my project basket for way too long.... They're now ready to felt! by Jelly Wares, on Flickr"><img alt="Feels good to be putting the finishing touches on this project today - these squares have been in my project basket for way too long.... They're now ready to felt!" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5536/12261686164_3ccc90b152_z.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a> </div>
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After a quick 'hot' wash in the machine they are now felted and ready for sewing together when the urge hits again.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/12275948035/" title="Felted and ready for sewing..... by Jelly Wares, on Flickr"><img alt="Felted and ready for sewing....." src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7361/12275948035_28177b45e1_z.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a> </div>
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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!! </div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/12248133784/" title="My girl is now making a pillow too.... by Jelly Wares, on Flickr"><img alt="My girl is now making a pillow too...." src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7384/12248133784_1de908b56a_z.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a> </div>
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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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/12265003325/" title="Bedtime ~ my girl loves her new pillows...... #crochet by Jelly Wares, on Flickr"><img alt="Bedtime ~ my girl loves her new pillows...... #crochet" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5478/12265003325_b9b4c7d516_z.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
Jodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04817235224054753521noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1548637339793721902.post-27145838555351567842014-01-18T23:30:00.001+11:002014-01-18T23:34:12.447+11:00in this hot weather.....<div style="text-align: center;">
we've been waking up early, just as the sun comes up, so we can spend as much time as possible outside. </div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/11912820295/" title="Early morning 'snap' with my kids - upside down and all! by Jelly Wares, on Flickr"><img alt="Early morning 'snap' with my kids - upside down and all!" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3750/11912820295_4f240518fb_z.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a> </div>
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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 </div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/11759812914/" title="Getting in some early morning 'hooking' --- cats and all... :) by Jelly Wares, on Flickr"><img alt="Getting in some early morning 'hooking' --- cats and all... :)" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2851/11759812914_f2c57c25e4_z.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/11816141726/" title="Last ball --- YAY!!!!! by Jelly Wares, on Flickr"><img alt="Last ball --- YAY!!!!!" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7377/11816141726_f339665357_z.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a> </div>
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And am super excited that it is finished and now gifted to its new home... YAY!!!</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/11862532853/" title="Wrapped and ready for gifting... :) by Jelly Wares, on Flickr"><img alt="Wrapped and ready for gifting... :)" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3697/11862532853_0c1db5f539_z.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a> </div>
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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..</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/11826927994/" title="We're enjoying fresh picked fruit again for smoko this morning --- passionfruit and some of the tiniest apricots I think I've ever seen! by Jelly Wares, on Flickr"><img alt="We're enjoying fresh picked fruit again for smoko this morning --- passionfruit and some of the tiniest apricots I think I've ever seen!" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5547/11826927994_2b5ec61a24_z.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/11809956266/" title="Passion-fruit fresh from the vine for 'smoko' this morning... Y U M by Jelly Wares, on Flickr"><img alt="Passion-fruit fresh from the vine for 'smoko' this morning... Y U M" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3679/11809956266_72c8f05832_z.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a> </div>
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Juiced and popped in to the freezer we're also enjoying fresh fruit ice blocks almost everyday as a way to escape the heat....</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/11768605153/" title="enjoying some homemade iceblocks on this gorgeous Summer afternoon --- and yes my feet really are that discustingly DIRTY! by Jelly Wares, on Flickr"><img alt="enjoying some homemade iceblocks on this gorgeous Summer afternoon --- and yes my feet really are that discustingly DIRTY!" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2814/11768605153_37d4b0092e_z.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a> </div>
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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!!!</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/11850446226/" title="This is seriously DELICIOUS!!! Baked cheese dip --- want the recipe? by Jelly Wares, on Flickr"><img alt="This is seriously DELICIOUS!!! Baked cheese dip --- want the recipe?" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3716/11850446226_b710f37664_z.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a> </div>
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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...</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/11959242713/" title="Making a cake with my littlest girl - just perfect! by Jelly Wares, on Flickr"><img alt="Making a cake with my littlest girl - just perfect!" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7343/11959242713_fc13bb1e8a_z.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a> </div>
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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 <a href="https://www.facebook.com/JellywaresOnMarshall?ref=hl" target="_blank">Facebook</a> page last night, super exciting!!!!</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/11976604063/" title="Super excited for my girl and her new craty venture --- 'Connie's Creations'...... by Jelly Wares, on Flickr"><img alt="Super excited for my girl and her new craty venture --- 'Connie's Creations'......" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5490/11976604063_fcd8c84777_z.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a> </div>
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What Summer evening would be complete without a bit of musical fun with the family before the sun goes down,</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/11814347535/" title="Bit of musical fun before the sun goes down tonight... by Jelly Wares, on Flickr"><img alt="Bit of musical fun before the sun goes down tonight..." src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5530/11814347535_9603c83e70_z.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a> </div>
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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...</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/12008748016/" title="Last row before I make a start on the back of my cushion --- YAY! by Jelly Wares, on Flickr"><img alt="Last row before I make a start on the back of my cushion --- YAY!" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3789/12008748016_6baaae62f8_z.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a> </div>
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And to finish things off - I popped this little package in to the post for a special lady this week. </div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/11988362453/" title="Little package on its way to someone special --- I love 'swaps'! by Jelly Wares, on Flickr"><img alt="Little package on its way to someone special --- I love 'swaps'!" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3812/11988362453_5db38cc583_z.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a>
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I joined in with <a href="http://jewells58.blogspot.com.au/2014/01/australia-day-swap-posting-day.html" target="_blank"><b><i>Jewel's Australia Day</i></b></a> swap and it has been loads of fun!!!</div>
Jodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04817235224054753521noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1548637339793721902.post-87656494441421329982014-01-04T21:38:00.000+11:002014-01-04T21:38:01.541+11:00....<div style="text-align: center;">
Today I enjoyed freshly picked tomatoes from the vine for brunch ---- is there really anything better... </div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/11741561203/" title="Tomatoes fresh from my vine for 'brunch' today ---- YUM! by Jelly Wares, on Flickr"><img alt="Tomatoes fresh from my vine for 'brunch' today ---- YUM!" height="640" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7372/11741561203_8f3073b204_z.jpg" width="640" /></a> </div>
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And tonight I'm enjoying spending time with yarn and a hook...</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/14119819@N08/11749149763/" title="anya by Jelly Wares, on Flickr"><img alt="anya" height="392" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3802/11749149763_5c81e3f1b6_z.jpg" width="640" /></a>
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How was your day??</div>
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<br /></div>
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<i>I finally did it --- I joined <a href="http://instagram.com/" target="_blank"><b>Instagram</b></a> today and you can check me out <b><a href="http://instagram.com/jellywares" target="_blank">here!</a></b></i></div>
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<i>Are you on it yet?</i></div>
Jodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04817235224054753521noreply@blogger.com10