Progress and practice

​I laid out all the squares this morning to see if I had made enough 

Turns out I had made too many 

So now I need to make a few more to finish the extra row

I should be able to do that in one evening. 

And part one of this project will be done. 

Meanwhile I’m trying to straighten up the sides of the DPP Quilt top 

As you can see I’m trying to increase the shorter side to match it up. 

I still have a long way to go. But progress is happening even if it’s slowly 

I’ve been wanting to learn how to knit with two colours at the same time 

I’ve got a few patterns for jumpers, sweaters, that I want to make for hubby to 

Wear. 

I do need to practice a bit before starting a big project like a jumper. 

I got the big idea to knit a football player wearing my teams jumper. 

My team have black and white “ prison bars” and perfect to practice 

Knitting with two colours at the same time.

It was tricky just making sure I didn’t tangle myself into knots, but not too 

Much that I wanted to give up. 

I do need to work on my tent

 

This is why I started with something simple.  This is very messy 

I did use thicker needles than i probably should have.

But just for what I was making and for practice it was perfect 

The finished doll. 

I think I made his arms a tad thin. But I’m sure Ana won’t care 

She is definitely a one eye Maggie now and will love it. 

She’s just like her grandmother lol 

 It’s been very wet here the last few days. 

I’ve currently got an audiobook going, while I’m working on the EPP. 

I’ll head off into the kitchen to do same baking. 

I’ve got my friend from Queensland coming to visit tomorrow.  She will spend the 

Night and be picked up the next day. 

I need to have easy meals ready so we can spend the day going shopping. 

She’s a crafter and we actually meet at a knitting group many moons ago. 

She was the one who helped me with learning crochet 

We will visit the panda mart, she doesn’t have one near where she lives. 

And spotlight. They’re having a sale and we always need more pretty yarn. 

It’s going to be a fun couple of days. 

A little late

​I’m late updating you all on my Friday fun days. 

So here are some photos for you to enjoy. 

Ana with this weeks stitching.  It’s a baby chick. 

She wanted to do it in blue. Not sure why, I didn’t ask, I just threaded 

The needle with blue and let her go. 

She remembered, mostly, how to do it. 

She was so confident that she was laying down and humming a little tune while 

She worked. 

Meanwhile 

This cheeky monkey has started to pull herself up. 

These Fridays are going to only happen during school holidays next year. 

With Ana going to the same school her daddy went too 

I’ll miss her, although she will be here before and after school, it won’t be 

The same. 

On the flip side. It will be nice to have some quality one on one with Georgie 

Time keeps marching on, whether we want it too or not. 

On other news the weather has turned wet again. And we have been warned 

That we will be getting very cold winds from Antarctic 

So hubby spent today making sure we have enough wood all split and ready to use 

What ever the weather is currently happening at your place, 

Stay inside and stay safe. 

Wordless Wednesday

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Not so ancient wisdom

​

I remember my grandmother having a mending basket that usually contained socks more than anything else. 

I too had one when first married. But clothes became so cheap, and nasty , that it just wasn’t worth mending. 

The kids usually outgrew them before they needed mending. 

But, as I now make socks myself, out of pure wool, they’re definitely worth mending 

I was inspired by Boud and her visible darning. I saw this little contraption somewhere on the interweb and decided to purchase it. 

Today I used it for the first time. 

As usual I watched a few YouTube tutorials and dove right in. 

Just setting it up was a challenge. 

The warp took me three try’s and it still wasn’t perfect. I just left them on after the third try and started weaving 

Again a challenge. I had to not pull to hard as the yarn gave way too easily 

But I persisted 

The photo is the final result. 

Definitely room for improvement. 

I’m sure, hope, that I will get better with practice. 

I added the little cow needle holder. 

I think he looks adorable 

Imbolic/ candlemas

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What AI has to say about the southern hemispheres festival 

Well today and yesterday were beautiful sunny days. 

If we had a groundhog it definitely would see his shadow. 

I’m thinking we are heading for more cold wintery days 

For our brothers and sisters in the north 

Have a blessed Lammas, I wish you bountiful harvests. 

I’m grandma

​yesterday Ana asked me a question. I can’t remember what it was, but she always starts buy saying 

Grandma. Well little Miss Georgie said grandma too. 

Grandpa was there and I asked. Did she just say grandma, he said yes. And to prove it 

She said grandma again and gave me a big smile and a hug. 

Well. Let’s just say I was very chuffed. 

Until later on she called out Trixie. 

Still I was first and I’m never first. It’s usually grandpa 

She’s playing with grandpa but she kept her eye on me. 

When she was tired. She crawled over, I picked her up and she cuddled in,

Put her thumb in her mouth and went to sleep 

See this is why grandma’s are padded and squishy.  We make comfortable beds lol 

While grandpa was keeping Georgia busy Ana and I did some crafting.

We haven’t been able to do much since Georgia arrived, so we were really overdue 

I bought a packet of these simple stitch squares. 

We have  decided that we will do one a week.

Is simple and a quick project, so it was easy keeping her on task. 

We had to take photos to send to mummy. 

I may have forgotten to do that. Grandma is getting forgetful in her old age 

So another Friday passed by. 

It is easier when grandpa is here. I don’t feel bad spending most of

My time with Georgia. He can take over and I can then give Annie 

Some one on one. 

I think she really liked that 

Anniversary

​

38 years and they said it wouldn’t last. 

It honestly doesn’t feel that long. It’s all gone in a blink of an eye

It’s been a roller coaster but we got through it all 

Our reward two children who grew up to be decent 

And loving adults 

A son in law and a daughter in law who are the best we could of asked for 

And four granddaughters 

I think we have done a great job. 

Here’s to what ever time we have left 

I hope they’re as blessed as our 38 years have been. 

Wordless Wednesday

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Little house on the prairie

​our little house is coming together 

We have put the beds together and have made them. Ready for someone to sleep in 

There are two blanket boxes that need to be put together. 

We have finished one. That one  goes in the bigger room so that Trixie can use it to jump up and down 

From the bed. 

The second one, was supposed to go in the second bedroom but there is no room 

So it will go in the living area to provide more sitting space 

Our wonderful son in law is here connecting the water from the tanks to the 

Little house.  

We have power, the solar system is working  perfectly. 

I was able to use my hair straightener. 

I got very excited by that lol 

So progress is being made. 

Soon it will be liveable.  

I can’t wait to spend the night in it.  I hope our children will use it 

The dream is manifesting beautifully 

A lovely day

​grandpa was here all day helping with the girls. 

It was great having someone there so I could at least have a coffee in peace 

Here they all are watching pepper pig 

There was discussions on what was happening. Ana told grandpa who all the characters were and what the episode was about. 

I gave Annie her gloves. She loved them telling me that they’re so soft 

Georgia, as usual, wouldn’t sleep unless I was holding her. 

I did get her into the little pull out kids sofa.  But I had to be right there 

She had lots of fun telling grandpa how to use the iPad. 

In fact she got quite vocal when he tried to take over 

They have all gone home now. 

Most of the evidence has been cleaned up

And put away. 

I’ll finish tomorrow morning before we head off to the farm for a few days. It’s been quite a while since I’ve been 

It will be nice to just get away, even for just a couple of days 

A business adventure

​my lovely friend Dianne, sells things at craft markets. Not the big markets but ones organised for retirement villages or at pop up places. She started doing the one at Christmas. She is Mrs Christmas.

She busily makes things to sell. Not really for a huge amount of money, she’s like me and loves the actual craft making. 

Her stall buddy told her about one at her mums retirement home. 

I asked if I could give her a few things to sell for me and she said she would be happy too

I showed her the few hanging towels I had made and she loved them. 

I had given her  Christmas one as a gift a few years ago and used it every year 

I gave her a kitchen one, with a hairy coo on it. And one for her downstairs bathroom 

She has taken those home and will show her stall Buddy. 

Her stall buddy is another of our swim friend group. I’ll make her one with a cute kitten it as she used to breed ragdoll cats. 

This afternoon I’ve been cutting and sewing. I did have a few of the toppers cut out which gave me a head start 

I’ve had enough for today but will continue tomorrow. 

She said make about thirty of them. I’m sticking to about a dozen  but will make a few every week until the craft market 

I’ll then make some up using Christmas themed ones for the end of the year. 

Assuming there is a demand for them. 

Even if they don’t sell, they make nice presents. Guess what all the swim friends will be getting this Christmas 

Tuesday shenanigans

​this morning I set the alarm for six. I needed time before heading off into 

Cranbourne to do all the morning chores and straighten my hair. 

These days that only happens if I leave the house. 

It was hard going as I didn’t actually go to sleep until half past two!

I headed off to meet the girls for our weekly coffee and catchup 

I also got my nails done.  Got to have pretty nails 

Then off to a friends house for a quick visit before we both headed off 

To meet yet another swimming friend for lunch. 

It’s her mother’s birthday today. She lost her mother about six months ago. 

I then headed home to a waiting parcel at my front door 

It contained a few hairy coo’s 

A new phone cover. This one feels much sturdier than the one I was using 

 And some for my car.  I need to vacuum the floors, but I couldn’t resist 

Putting them in 

I think I may have a problem. 

I don’t care. I love them, and they make me happy.  

And that’s all that matters 

Monday doings

​having been ill last week and then riding through the fibromyalgia fog

I actually felt like I could achieve something today 

The squares all laid down. I need a dozen more and then, the sewing begins 

The day was lovely. It kinda felt like spring was on its way. 

Although, living in Melbourne you “know” we can get all four 

Seasons in one day. 

Regardless, I went out to see what I could harvest for my dinner 

Silver beet and eggs when into a spinach pie. 

I have seven chickens and I collected seven eggs. 

The girls are back in action. 

I kept some of the silver beet to cook with the broccoli. 

I say cook but I literally get the water to boiling and then turn it 

Off.

I will add a vinaigrette dressing and I’ll have this for lunch. 

I finally harvested some of the rhubarb.   I finally got round to 

Making the Apple and rhubarb pie. 

I cooked up the rhubarb with some sugar, before I mixed it with the apple for 

The filling  

I even had enough to freeze for latter use  

This took all day as I was very slow.

 It was ready for dinner so it didn’t Matter   

I’m now in my pjs, working on the last dozen squares  

Hopefully I’ll be able to go to bed at a decent time and sleep all night  

We will see 

Ask and you shall receive

​especially if you ask grandma. 

Ana was watching something on the television while I was feeding Georgia. 

She asked what was that girl wearing on her hands. 

I said gloves. She answered but I can see her fingers 

I told her you can get gloves without fingers and she immediately asked if she could get some. 

Of course. I’ll knit some for her. I got the order that she wanted rainbow ones 

So I traced her hand so I could use it for measuring 

Once they went home I found my correct yarn and began 

I didn’t have a pattern. I did see a few pictures with Russian directions, which I just used to send me into the correct direction 

I then just used the same system that I use to make those top down garments and made the thumb hole. 

The first one took a bit of time as I had to keep measuring, but the second was much easier and faster 

And here they are all sewn up. Ready for their owner. 

Not a bad days work. 

Might make a pair for myself 

I can’t wait to give them to her 

Another week gone

​the way the weeks are flying by it will be Christmas before we know it. 

After a busy week, sick grandchildren having extra days with grandma,

Grandma is totally exhausted. 

I did catch a mild case of whatever Annie had, thankfully not to bad,

But enough to trigger a fibro flare. 

I’ve been just at home pottering all week. 

Now that little miss georgie is mobile I have to child proof the house 

I’ve just folded over the table cloth just for today.  But I think I’ll just remove it 

Again. And wait until georgie is older. 

She is desperately trying to pull herself up. 

And she gets very grumpy and loud when I divert her from a danger area. Like under the television 

She’s got a bit of a temper, honestly her whole family could admit to having passed it on to her 

I got the old building blocks out again  

They’re the big ones so safe for babies and toddlers 

Ana was building tower for georgie to push over.  Georgie wasn’t happy 

To wait.  She definitely told her sister, and me, off loudly 

Once the tower was tall enough we let her go. 

Boy was she happy then. 

I told Georgia to say Ana. And blow me down. Out it came. Clear as a bell. 

Apparently she has started calling out to her. 

Such a clever little poppet 

Well I think so anyway.  But I may be biased 

Another sick day

​this morning I had a surprise. Ana had arrived with her daddy. She has has a bad weekend dealing with gastric issues 

Her mummy did message me but I was in bed trying to avoid a headache. 

It didn’t work. I’ve had it all day today 

But Ana on her own is a breeze. 

As long as you have food, water and television. She will sit quietly and watch. 

Here she is having her lunch. 

She wanted her hair braided. 

I told her I’m going to take a photo to send to mum 

This is what I got lol 

As the day progressed she became more lively. 

We had no incidents at all 

I think she will be back at daycare tomorrow, but if not. Grandma is always here as a back up 

Budget hack

​in days of yore, when I had to feed a family on the smell of an oily rag, minced meat was a constant star on our dinner table 

I would buy mince when it was on sale and as much as I could in bulk 

Last night I pulled out two kilos of mince to defrost for cooking today 

This was meat off the paddock so I knew it was good 

I grabbed a bottle of tomato sauce that I had made earlier this year 

My stash is dwindling. I’ve got less than a dozen jars left. 

And cooked up a big pot of spaghetti sauce. 

I don’t follow a recipe. I just use what I have on hand. 

When the kids were younger I would often hide veggies in the sauce. This was great for upping their vegetables intake. And it makes more sauce. 

I tended to use what I needed, and freezing the rest. Making meal prep easy on a very busy day easier 

I’m didn’t do that today. 

Today I cooked up a storm 

Spaghetti for dinner tonight , I added some feta to it  

And there is even enough for lunch tomorrow 

I also made two trays of pasta bake

The small one will go to the shed for the boys lunches 

I’ll use some for dinner and I’ll probably send some home with wonderson to share with the family 

I’ll probably have enough to freeze as well 

This was how I fed my family when money was really tight. 

I had other hacks for making as many different meals from a small amount of meat as  could  

I may even share some of them with you  

I’m happy I no longer have to worry about money  we are not rich by any means, but I don’t have to worry about where the next meal will come from 

I think when you go through times like that, you appreciate the blessings when they come   

What hacks do you have?