New Toy

I was in a local store looking for a gadget for chopping onions and chillis when I found this instead.......

Years ago I had my Mother's preserving kit but had to let it go due to space constraints as well as work and a young family at the time. From time to time I've made jams and pickles and frozen summer fruits for the dull time of year when choice is limited but now with more time on my hands and surplus produce from the garden (and a new kitchen in planning) it seems like time to get back to it in earnest.......

The kit is for the 'waterbath' method of preserving. It's not suitable for all kinds of produce - it apparently depends on acidity....(more research required here)......

With cucumbers popping out everywhere, 'Bread and Butter pickles' seemed a logical starting point - and here are the results. (They look like they are supposed to look - the proof will be in the eating in a few weeks time....)

(Actually I thought I would fill 3 jars but they squished down a little more than I expected.)

I have also discovered a link to a website that sells new lids for your existing jars which is a win/win for preserving seasonal bounty, reusing perfectly good jars and ensuring the produce is safe to keep longer term as well as a number of environmental considerations. (There is also a wealth of information there on making cheese and yoghurt, preserving all kinds of food and recipes.)

I have the jars so I'm off to order some lids......

Sue xxxx

Season's Greetings

For those who celebrate Christmas I hope your day was everything you wanted it to be. Ours was full of family and good food (and not one, but three dogs).......

For now, the guests have all gone - bar one large dog - most of the washing is done, there isn't too much leftover food and the sun has come out.

All of this AND the flannel quilt is FINISHED!!! and ready to hand over.......

So what's next? So many plans.......

Sue xxxx

Howzat???

....to use a cricketing term.....

The machines are packed away......

I can see the furniture and breathe without choking on dust  .......

I can even see out of the window.......

But don't worry - it will only last til the Christmas guests go home because quietly waiting in the wings is this box the postie brought yesterday.......I do love parcels in the mail...........

So, we are ready for more dyeing, with an 'e' when we begin our online class in January with Elizabeth Barton.........

Just add water.......(plus a few other bits)

Let the fun begin.....................

Sue xxxx

The Perils of 5 Minute Shopping

On my way to an appointment I had to go past my local art shop so I thought I would squeeze in 5 minutes of shopping. I knew what I wanted - some grey Inktense pencils to tone down some of the other colours and make the kinds of eucalyptus greens I need for a current project.

I know where the pencils are kept (you might say it's a well worn track) so I went straight there, spotted some beautiful greys, grabbed half a dozen and paid up. When I got home and began to take the price tags off I discovered I had picked up Graphitint pencils by mistake. (These are tinted graphite pencils which can be used as a drawing pencil or wet to create a watercolour like wash - for use on paper, not fabric - also made by Derwent.)

I could have taken them back and exchanged them but I figured I might as well try them since I had heard of them and now I had some to hand......the colours are more subdued than Inktense and perfect for my little project.

It's probably just as well I only had 5 minutes because there's a big sale on for Christmas and it could have been a much more expensive exercise than coming home with six pencils.

I just hope this isn't the beginning of a new, must-have collection - though I suspect it may be.......

Sue xxxx

Not Much Sewing But........

Two Christmas cakes and a pudding - and - wait for it - dusting and polishing. (Yes, we're having guests over Christmas......)

Also, settling in the newest houseguest.....

Meet the grand-dog......

Who was also sprung..........

The top border......

The top border has gone on but the other end will be more problematic. There will be quite a bit of fudging to come but the overall impact is pleasing.....

Sue xxxx

Dogsitting

Lucky me - as a thank you for dogsitting my friend gave me these......

Proper binding clips in 2 sizes and pins I have never seen before.....

The chicken stand-off......

TV with Dan

She really didn't like that lion.........

When we got home from an evening out - at least she was in her own bed.........

Sprung - while I was in the shower....

We collect the next customer tomorrow - I think you'll notice the difference.

Sue xxxx

Fifth Column Update

Five columns and side borders quilted. Top and bottom borders and facing binding to go (and counting...)

And the quilting muse - clearly stressed - not.....

And when we got home from dinner last night my houseworking clothes appeared to be in her bed.....she had the grace to look guilty - at least slightly....

Hoping to show completed quilt very soon,

Sue xxxx

The Fifth Column

I believe this term has some kind of political / subversive meaning but to me it means progress......About to attach the fifth and final column to the flannel quilt, then it's borders and binding. It's beginning to feel closer to the finish line....

In other news Miss Maxie is visiting again - this time for a week. A perfect quilting companion......

Such a cutie - and so soft.

Sue xxxx

A Colourful Interlude

Some say that you shouldn't let the grass grow under your feet but it seems that a lot of (generally senior) Australians are doing just that - but not at home, rather somewhere along the vast highways, roads and dirt tracks that traverse our country. Many head north to escape the southern winter, following the sun until they find their preferred spot to be as active or as sedentary as they choose.

The rigs range from the super-duper-all mod cons to more basic setups but all have their own comforts and all say 'this is my home and I'm proud of it'. The occupants are generally well tanned from hours in the sun fishing, walking or simply sitting in quiet contemplation.

We joined the 'grey nomads' for two weeks in September in Western Australia and came home with hundreds more photos to sort and heads spinning with the beauty of the unique wildflowers which were coming into bloom and the glorious colours of the landscape where the desert meets the ocean at Ningaloo Reef.

The colours were at times softened by the light conditions or so intense they almost hurt your eyes. I thought maybe the tourist brochures were highly edited but the colours were true to the colours we saw and photographed for ourselves.

Enough said - it was a delight........

Dawn over the first camp.

Yardie Creek

Complete with Rock Wallabies...

Same sun - different ocean

And once again, no apologies for the number of photos......but I hope you'll find something to enjoy. Truly was spectacularly beautiful.

Sue xxxx