Here & Now

I have actually been doing other things apart from coat sewing lately, so here's a little rundown of what is happening behind the scenes.

Loving // All the good reads I have had lately from my library.

Eating // Winter comfort food - soups, casseroles, risottos

Drinking // Hot chocolates

Feeling // Very virtuous - I went to my weekly yoga class, then spent a couple of hours in the garden, cutting things back for spring.  I can see where I've been, however there is still  quite a bit more to do, but that's a job for another day now.

Making //  A new felt and embroidery project - this one won't take long, then it's back to my Solstice Dream. Check out that glitter felt !!

Thinking //My tamarillos can't have too much longer to wait  until I can eat them

Dreaming // Of making some summer clothes, I must finish a couple of WIPs before I get distracted again though.

Wishing everyone a wonderful weekend.  Linking to Here & Now at Say Little Hen

Here & Now

Loving //  Cooler nights, sleeping is so much easier.  Not so keen on the cooler mornings, although seeing a full moon at dawn is a rather lovely occurrence.  The smell of autumn in the air and  late summer flowers.

Eating // Crisp, juicy, flavoursome new season apples and pears

Drinking // Lots of water, hot chocolates and tea.

Feeling // Sore - my knees, hips and middle finger joints are aching.  Must time to hit the glucosimine again.

Making // Wax fabric wraps, I'm trying to cut down the plastic wrap usage.  Another Solstice Dream block, love the bullion knot caterpillar on this one, though I'm awfully glad I don't have caterpillars this size in my garden.

Thinking // My summer vegetable garden was a bit of a write off this year, I've just planted Rainbow chard, perpetual spinach, beetroot and late season lettuce, so I'm hoping my winter one is a lot more productive.  

Dreaming // Of some new made by me clothes.

Linking to Here & Now at Say Little Hen

Here & Now

Loving // My new arrivals from the library - both fiction and non fiction, entertainment, inspiration, and information,

Eating // Fresh cherry tomatoes from my garden - and all from the one plant

Drinking // lots of water

Feeling //Hot and bothered, I love summer but am not really a fan of the humidity, and the library I work in, doesn't have aircon in every room.

Making // Another block for my Solstice Dream Quilt, I've changed the stitch required on the yellow petal from crested chain stitch (sometimes my head does not like complicated stitches) to oyster stitch, still lots more to do on this.

Thinking //About what to make for dinner tonight, it's a neverending chore some weeks.

Dreaming // Of cooler nights which would let me sleep well.

Linking up with Here & Now at Say Little Hen

Here & Now

Loving // All the Dietes Grandiflora that are bursting into bloom , and other small signs of change in the garden- buds, berries, bright green growth.  

Eating // Fresh asparagus, fat juicy strawberries (not from my garden unfortunately)

Drinking // Bubbles - cos I celebrated a birthday recently.

Feeling // Proud, nervous and excited for Miss B, she acheived some fabulous results at school, and is about to start her NCEA exams next week. My little girl is growing up.

Making // Plans and progress -  new pillows for my bedroom - pretty Liberty, Essex linen and Kaffe Fassett shot cottons

Thinking // That Christmas is pretty close now and I really need to do some shopping

Dreaming //Of a few days lying on a sunny beach, I'm so over cold windy days.  Not feeling like spring here.

Linking to Here & Now at Say Little Hen

Here & Now

There are not a lot of flowers blooming in my garden at present, one old spring faithful though, is my Corydalis Blackberry Wine - I love  the fresh green leaves and mauve flowers, although I have never been able to smell the fragrant scent it is supposed to have.

Other things making me happy this weekend are:

Loving // This blog post

Eating // Home made chocolate chip cookies, chocolate cake, the joy of having Miss B and Mr J do the baking in the school holidays.

Drinking // Water, earl grey tea and hot chocolate.

Feeling // 

• Pampered, I spoiled myself and bought a beautiful new hand cream and shower cream.  
• Excited, cos my Bird Dance is being quilted at present - see here for a sneak peak.
• Pleased, I have mulched all the gardens now, it has been a big job, but they look great and hopefully will retain a lot of the moisture from all the winter rain we have had, as well as keep the weeds down
• Surprised, when I received some lovely mail from a friend in America

Making // The last few blocks for my AMH quilt, - the design sheet is up again and providing it doesn't become a toy for Meeka, this can stay up until next weekend for sewing.  Another ice cream soda block (lunchtime sewing only)

Thinking // It is all very well, when all the books you have been wanting to read arrive at once, it's just hard to find the time to do it.  Maybe I'll ignore the house work for a while ....

Dreaming // of what I'm going to plant in the flower and vegetable gardens this coming weekend.


Linking to Here & Now at Say Little Hen.

Here & Now

Loving // this beautiful pink Rhododendron flowering in a neighbour's garden (I wasn't the only one either)

Eating // Warm and nourishing home made soups - this one is Lentil, Cumin and Silverbeet - recipe here

Drinking // Tea - Earl Grey, Dilmah's Rose and French Vanilla, Peppermint

Feeling // inspired by this blog post a friend sent me to read, and thinking I might try it for some of my EPP blocks.

Making // a longer arrow block for Miss B's quilt (a little wonky I know, and goodness knows how since it was paper pieced, but I'm going to try and embrace the imperfections, and I really can't be bothered unpicking it all).  Another Ice cream soda block, this time with a repurposed vintage embroidered tray cloth and Liberty, check out those tiny bullion knots that make the flowers.

Thinking // about making 'meat free Mondays'  a regular occurrence in my home

Dreaming // of summer fruits (my sister is gloating about how cheap strawberries are in Brisbane at present).


Linking to Here & Now at Say Little Hen

Here & Now

Loving //Meeka, my sewing companion. Usually she's always trying to catch my threads, sleep on the pattern book, or sit on my work.  She may be a pain with her furniture scratching, but she has made us laugh at her antics more than we growl at her.

Eating // Lemon Snowflake Cookies - recipe from here

Drinking // Hot chocolate

Feeling // So lucky that I get to enjoy this coastal view on my walk around the neighbourhood.  I love how it changes depending on the weather and tides

Making // Birds and another ice cream soda block

Thinking //I really need lots of fine weather to get out and weed my gardens and mow the lawns

Dreaming // Of summer


Linking to Here & Now at Say Little Hen

Here & Now

Loving // Cool nights, which give us beautiful sunny days, blue sky,  birds singing, pretty autumn leaves, and a vireya that keeps on giving me flowers

Eating //  Homemade Muesli  Biscuits - recipe here

Drinking //Glasses of warm water, I'm trying to cut back on tea

Feeling // Relieved, I have regained employment as a permanent part time library assistant.

Making // Another Ice Cream Soda block, birds and birds eyes

Thinking // I really should get my packing done for my trip

Dreaming // Of fabric colours and combinations


Linking up to Here & Now at Say Little Hen

I will be having a little break from my blog while I'm away, look forward to catching up on everything when I return.  Have a fabulous weekend.