My best garage sale find in ages. A lovely big crock in perfect condition. My Aunty use to do salted beans in hers, I'm just displaying mine in the entrance so I can enjoy it as I come in and out. $5. For once I bet the dealers to something great.
I've been doing a little bit of everything in the last few weeks. Got loaned this great book written by Paul Moon who spent a good deal of time talking to an old Maori Tohunga (Shaman/medicine/spiritual man). It offers a spiritual or traditional approach to gardening in N.Z. Things which really stuck in my mind were saying a prayer before working in your garden to rid yourself of any negative energy which you might pass onto your seedlings and veges. Also the traditional way of community gardening which I think people are beginning to move back towards. As people garden together they share their knowledge, pass on their traditions and strengthen their community. In Hohepa Kereopa's old community they all planted the crops together, then at harvest time the person who travelled the farthest got first pick of the crop while the plot owner got last, but when it was their turn to travel the farthest they got first pick. The book has information about traditional planting methods, including for Kumara, native medicinal plants and flax weaving traditions. I was inspired by it because I have real hope that we can create communities that care about each other and the land.
From another book I've been making a few Softies. I'm enjoying doing a bit of hand embroidery but was very frustrated at myself and Mum for not knowing how to do a simple French knot despite having a diagram and instructions right in front of me. I'm one who has to be shown. He still looks good even if he hasn't got french knot nostrils.
Other sewing attempts have been disastrous so I've been sowing seeds and making compost instead.
From another book I've been making a few Softies. I'm enjoying doing a bit of hand embroidery but was very frustrated at myself and Mum for not knowing how to do a simple French knot despite having a diagram and instructions right in front of me. I'm one who has to be shown. He still looks good even if he hasn't got french knot nostrils.Other sewing attempts have been disastrous so I've been sowing seeds and making compost instead.
We've had beautiful autumn rain this weekend, I bet there are mushrooms popping up everywhere today. I have been pulling out tomatoes, beans and weeds. I uncovered the blueberries that had got a bit neglected in the last few months. I'm going to mulch them well with bark chips off our firewood. Hopefully this will give them a head start for a good crop in spring. I love autumn, getting the garden tidy again and noting what worked and what didn't over the season. I definitely planted too many tomatoes closely together. I think the lack of air flow made them go brown and mushy too quickly and it was too difficult to harvest them without standing on other plants. They did work well in this spot though and like to be in the same spot each year so that's easy for next year. Also they enjoyed being inter planted with beans, peppers and basil. Never really got on top of the stink bugs but in pulling out beans and weeds I'm destroying alot of their habitat for now. I intend to plant much better catch crops at opposite ends of the vege patch next year to try and keep them away longer. I noticed mustard and brassicas going to seed attracted them well.
I even sewed for the" teen" and the "skatey boy". Teen lost his pencil case last week, he was very cheesed off to have lost his beloved scientific calculator and highlighter pens and I was cheesed off to have to go and buy more. He really surprised me saying yes when I offered to sew him a pencil case. He complimented me by suggesting I make more to sell. Skatey boy nagged until I made him one too.
I have been chopping into that big fabric stash this weekend some beautiful wool fabric that was going to be trousers has become two new bags. It's got me thinking of appliqued cushions too. No time this week though. The teal coloured one with the odd design is supposed to be a paua (abalone) because the lining is the lovely paua print I won from Sally Ann. Here's where I should link to that. Sorry off to sew.
Look at that though, real milk with inches of cream on top. Guess what I bartered for this? Live rats! I know! Brilliant! 
These softies took most of the day to complete giving me new found respect for toy makers and the price of handmade toys. PJ came in from school while I was stuffing them and immediatley claimed the one on the left so the other one will go to the show. The pattern came from a new book in the public library simply titled "softies" and most of the patterns are from bloggers!