Hearth & Health
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Designing a Mass Bag?
My friend Anne has given me this beautiful piece of material. I’ve been pondering what to use it for? It has finally occurred to me that it would make lovely Mass bags. I’m planning on having special items to help my little ones focus on the Mystery. Any ideas/ suggestions of designs or patterns?
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Rock Pouches
Our children constantly amaze me with their inventiveness. Recently we were given some jeans with the knees out, I immediately turned them into denim shorts for Michelangelo;) and threw away the offcuts. The children promptly ‘rescued’ the jean bottoms. Then they turned them inside out and ran a seam along the cut opening and instantly had a pocket. Slits were cut into one side and a belt was run through. The boys now have durable, attractive pouches for rock fossicking. A pastime that is popular here on our property.
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Princess Cloaks
For Christmas I made Princess Cloaks for our girls. These would have to be one of the most used gifts ever. All three girls wear their cloaks daily; they do duty as various imaginative play costumes, Princesses being the most popular; they also do duty as dressing gowns. They make it possible to be ‘invisible’ during ‘murder in the dark’ and I have been requested to make some more in green so they can camouflage with the bush during Ranger reconnaissances. They are very simple to make.
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I Knitted a Nappy Cover!
A couple of months back I was visiting my friend’s newborn and espied her babe’s nappy cover. Pure wool, handknitted by a friend I just fell in love with the design and colour. Sounds crazy I know, I wanted one, the major problem though was I had never learnt to knit. Undaunted I called upon some advice from the ladies at Oz Cloth Nappies regards materials and patterns. PC was recruited to teach me how to knit, the poor man I strained his patience;) but eventually I was off and knitting. We used No. 6 needles; 8ply, 100% pure wool. I know these colours may look a little feminine but…
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Our Playground Edition – ‘The Wall’
10 months ago we started building ‘The Wall’ for Carpenter’s 13th birthday. The idea being that the children could practice their soccer skills. This weekend PC and the children decided to complete the project. As one child remarked, although it took 10 months it was really only 3 days work. This involved dragging logs up from the bush with the tractor, digging the holes, packing the logs in, and stacking and securing the logs to the posts. They strapped a gate to the top of the wall to stop the high balls, although some are still being kicked over. Already hours have been spent out there kicking the soccer ball.…
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Little Girls and Twirly Skirts
Princess is really keen to learn to sew. We decided to start with a circle skirt. They are very quick to make and require no pattern, Princess’ speed on the sewing machine ‘accelerator’ is ‘flat out’. Carpenter kept remarking that he won’t be in the car when Princess starts to drive. Within a couple of hours the skirt was complete. Princess’ first creation with only a little bit of help. She is radiantly happy and is planning on making more. More than enough twirl to keep a little girl happy.
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Ruling out Skippies
Since the beginning of the year I have struggled with staying committed to my weight loss plan. Don’t mistake me, I want to lose weight, I just am not very disciplined. One plan I have implemented and stayed faithful to however is the elimination of processed cereal. I can’t believe what a difference that has made to my energy level, I accomplish so much more and I feel far happier. At first it was hard, I love my cornflakes, but I have stuck with muesli (granola for my USA readers) or juicing. I have also reduced the children’s cereal intake and they also have more energy. We have slipped in…
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Shopping Monthly
Occasionally we are asked logistical questions about life with a large family, I thought I’d share one of our tips. For the last four years we have been shopping monthly. Let me hasten to assure you that we still visit the green grocer weekly where we purchase, fruit, vegetables, bread and milk; but the supermarkets are visited monthly. Why do we do it? Mainly we save time, to me that is the biggest factor. We also find it more economical. I am not a shopper by nature and love the fact that I only have to go monthly. At first it was like planning a major expedition. But after four…
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Even More Cupboards
I promised to come back and show the pantry with the doors on. Well not only did PC hang the doors he built an extra pantry section. This cupboard I am using to house our good dinner set amongst other items. It is so nice to have the crockery accessible to the children for table laying. I now have so much cupboard space I haven’t managed to fill it. Like the split door? Don’t the doors look so professional?:) I particularly like the timber strip PC has lined the doors with. I was so happy with my pantry I asked PC to build another cupboard. This one houses all school…
