Wednesday 24 October 2012

Laundry clean up

I love this
It's a free project at Ana White.com, she has so many wonderful projects over there.

I've decided that this is perfect for my laundry, but I am going to cheat and not build anything - yet anyway.  My laundry is one of those "oh you need a laundry in a house, lets add a tiny room with a door at each end and call it one", there's room for the washing machine, a couple of cupboards that the dryer sits on and the sink along one wall.  Our clothes hampers take up valuable floor space opposite.  Doesn't leave much room to get the washing out of the machine, if I had a top loader it would be different but I like my front loader.

What I am going to do is to simply remove the cupboard doors and slide baskets onto the shelves.  Won't look as pretty as the above photo but will do the same job, one day I might get around to building my own.

Mine will hold 4 baskets, already had 2 that fit in the cupboard, bought 2 more today for $16.  They look similar to the ones in the picture, mine have coloured handles. 

Friday 19 October 2012

Junk Drawer Challenge

Rhonda Jean over at Down to Earth issued a junk drawer challenge recently, I decided to take up her challenge.

Starting with my cutlery drawer, which has 2 layers to it but I forgot to take a pic of the bottom layer.  
Then the second drawer down
Oh and my sharps drawer. 

I bought a new cutlery tray to replace the 3 loose trays in cutlery drawer,  No longer do I have to fossick through the spoon tray for the right spoon, I have my favourites.  I have 2 different sets of cutlery, which fit in the tray nicely, all of the odd designs are out now.  Except for the teaspoons, I counted around 40 of those, how on earth did I get 40?   Again I've neglected to take a pic of the second layer - maybe later.  The reason there are 2 layers is that the drawer is quite deep and the original cutlery tray was not, I just thought it was a waste of space.  To get to the lower level I just need to lift the top tray out.
*Update, The teaspoon mystery has been solved.  I mentioned it to my husband when he got home from soccer tonight.  Apparently his brother takes his own cup and teaspoon to soccer and always leaves the teaspoon behind which ends up being brought home with the dirty BBQ utensils.  We probably acquired another one tonight. 

The trays are now being put to use the next drawer down.


Last but not least, why yes it does look exactly the same because I didn't do it. 

I had planned to sort my drawers before seeing the challenge, my daughter and I took a trip to Ikea on Wednesday to find trays for the drawers, they didn't have the one I wanted for the sharps drawer and I didn't see any I liked for the cutlery drawer.  I picked up one today from Potts Avenue and am still looking for the right one for the sharps.

Still have 2 other drawers in the kitchen to sort, they are the next on my list.  As well as all the drawers in the kitchen dresser, all 12 of them.  Oh and the 4 in the dining room dresser.  I had no idea I had so many drawers. 

Saturday 13 October 2012

Alpine Strawberries.

I got around to cutting down the weeds today, and here is my reward. 

The Alpine Strawberries are much smaller than commercial varieties, they are closer to the wild varieties, small but full of flavour.  I only trialled 2 plants so probably won't be flush with masses of Strawberries, every few days I pick 2 or 3 ripe berries.  They don't last long.  The count so far is about 9, but the plants are flowering very well.  I read somewhere that you really need around 50 plants if you plan on making jams.

We went to Bunnings today, I needed to get the fixings for my new no dig garden beds.  I got Pea straw mulch, cow manure and compost.  Looking forward to working on the beds tomorrow today  -   it's almost 2 am here.  

They had a new range of Incredible Edibles in stock,  alot I had never seen before.  Decided to choose one out of the 3 that I wanted most.  It was a choice of Guava, Stevia and Pepino.  I chose the Pepino mainly for curiousity. 


Thursday 11 October 2012

Tablecloth and a garden glimpse

Woke to the sound of pouring rain today, very glad not to have to get up and drive to work in it. Had been hoping to spend time outside in the garden weeding round the vege gardens, instead I wasted time on the computer and then made a new tablecloth.   

The sun finally came out and I ventured to the garden, which has been growing really well, ignore the weeds.  Will get to those tomorrow, I promise.  It's not only been wet but cold too, have seen reports of snow in parts of the state, we don't get snow in this district.

The cherry tomato has masses of green fruit on it, I had to tie it up as it was covering all the other plants.  I've been picking Alpine Strawberries as they ripen,  been meaning to get a photo but they never last as long as it takes to get the camera.  They are tiny but full of flavour.  My dad thought they were a bit soft but they haven't got that apple like crispness bred into them like commercial strawberries. 

 My Elder plant is really taking off too, it's probably quadrupaled it's size in the few weeks since I got it.


Is budding too, looking forward to seeing the first flowers appear. 


Right now I heading out for a walk to get some much needed exercise. 

Thursday 4 October 2012

Hoarding

Recently my son mentioned that my daughter called me a hoarder.  Even my boss asked me if I was a hoarder when I told him that I wanted to take the boxes that this year's spring fasciantors came in.  Yes and No, I am a hoarder in the fact I don't like seeing usuable items going to waste. 

The boxes for example were plain white cardboard with a clear lid, I wasn't the only one who took them, I just had the idea first.  I did take the most, 2 trips the back of my car was was full but I am proud to say that not one of them actually made it into my house.  I took them straight to Mum's asking if her craft ladies would be able to use them, apparently they loved them.  One in particular makes cards to sell and had mentioned to Mum that she needed storage for her cards and wasn't able to afford it.  If it wasn't for me those boxes would be in landfill right now. 

One of the shows I've been watching lately is Hoarders, it's really made me think about what I've got around here and if I could live my life without.  Of course there are many things I could live without, but there are many things that I feel define me.  Recently I took some photos after I cleared out my sewing room to move rooms, the dining room was stacked high with stuff, posted it on facebook and the question was asked "OMG are you a hoarder?" I replied that no I had a lot of hobbies.  Which is true, I do but I hoard craft supplies.  I've stopped going to craft shows to stop buying "must haves" which then sit in there gathering dust, buuilding guilt.   I was looking in the room yesterday and realised it looks like the typical hoarder's delight.   My daughter asked what I was thinking, I didn't know it was all too overwhelming. 

I thought that if I started small it would be a step, so I took a basket to sort, only returning to the basket what I wanted to keep, I did end up with a small pile of give aways, another for throw aways.  After that I felt better and in a creative mood.  So pulled out some beads I bought a couple of years back, my jewwellery making kit and made up some bracelets, necklaces and other items.  The only thing I didn't have were clasps, will get those on Sunday.   Once they are finished will have a small pile of jewellery to sell at a stall next month.

Right now I know I am procrastinating starting on something, so am getting off the computer to go and be more productive.  First thing is to get my quilt on the line so we have something to sleep under tonight. 

Tuesday 2 October 2012

Sick and tired

Is what I am right now.  Sick with some bug that started on Sunday.

We drove out to Bathurst on Sunday, I wanted to go somewhere I had never been, everyone else had been but me.  We were disappointed not to be able to drive around Mt Panorama, it was closed to get it ready for this weekend's race. 

The place was pretty quiet, the weather was lovely even if the breeze was a bit cool. I fell in love with the old houses in the town, pretty was my word of the day. 


Family portrait, even my shadow looks fat. 

Definitely doing something about that.  I found a great hypnosis site, completely free and for the last 3 days have been listening to some of the tracks.  I've tried the hypnosis road before but get stuck on visualising myself slimmer, I found this one so much easier.  So far I've listened to the perfect shape, weight loss, stop boredom eating and exercise motivation tracks. 

Have noticed the boredom eating  one is really working well, between dinner and bed is my hardest time, the last 2 days have not felt the need to eat.  And if it did cross my mind, I pushed it out. 

Got out for a walk this morning, wanted to grab an avocado to have at lunch and was intending on walking to a big supermarket but by the time I got to the local shops only 10 minutes away I knew that walking the extra distance wouldn't be such a good idea today.  The sun out there is quite hot, I had no hat either.  Was able to get the avocado at the local fruit shop, so came home and made myself a lovely lunch of rye toast, avocado and smoked salmon.