A Return to Simplicity.

  Not only is the weather outside changing but my life after work is changing! Not a slave to the clock anymore for early morning shifts at the hospital, but still dictated to by time for other things in life, such as, picking up the grandchildren 3 times a week, means us needing to keep an eye on the time so we're not late.  It's easy to get lost in the garden these days. We're also doing a few renovation jobs in the house and this means booking in tradespeople, picking colors, heading off to town and purchasing products.......only just started but I'm over it already! Oh for a few quiet days! And no....I'm not painting anything in those colors! A good bit of work has gone into the veggie patch with turning over the soil and getting the beds ready for new plants. We've just planted Bok Choy, Mignonette lettuce, tomatoes and cucumber.      While out in the garden yesterday I noticed an unusual flower! It's the Aristolochia acuminata vine or Dutchman's Pi...

Is it any wonder that I have lots of projects on the go at the moment.....I don't think I am so different to many of the crafters out there,  so it's not hard to pick a project for this Friday night sew-in and  I'm doing some hand quilting on my new table runner.   I wanted something bright and cheerful for the dining table and lots of houses seemed just about right. These sweet homes come from A Scrapbook of Quilts by Joanna Figueroa & Carrie Nelson. As soon as I saw those Quilts, Cushions, Runners and Pin Cushions I knew that book was for me.  I have already made a cushion and I love the bright colours using some of the fabrics used in the book. The quilting is a mixture of machine and hand as I wanted to do inside the windows by hand to make them stand out. I think I'll also do some swirls in the trees.......not sure yet! It's still warm on most days here is the tropics so having this much bulk on your lap can become uncomfortable and sometimes I take it out...

 Although I am not quite retired (just doing a few casual shifts now in the wind down) I am finding it difficult to settle into a new routine at home.  I like having structure to my days and although I don't mind spur of the moment things I do LOVE routine! I think this comes from being a nurse when routine and time management are crucial to providing the best patient care you can. I am busy making my to do list that stretches off into the years, some I will definitely get done and some maybe never! There are plenty of things to do, some are bigger such as the re-organizing the craft room and some are just simple things that will be ongoing like cleaning out various cupboards.  A type of Death Cleaning!! WHAT!  You say.......  The practice arises from Swedish author Margareta Magnusson in her book The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning : How to Free Yourself and Your Family From a Lifetime of Clutter . She explains the notion of döstädning, which translates t...