Back to Basics Challenge 1

I've joined in Belinda's Back to basics to challenge. I was inspired by Belinda's post, so I thought this is how I'm trying to have us live so why not join a challenge. so here goes -

Sowing seed or Planting - This week we planted another 10 tomato plants, this added to the 23 we have planted at Steve's parents house totals 33 tomato plants all together, we eat a lot of tomatoes here all year round so hopefully fruit fly and possums won't get to them first. In the green house at the moment Steve has Bok Choy (this grows like a weed), carrots, cape gooseberries, celery. In the garden we have Zucchini, Beans, beetroot, radishes, tomatoes, corn, pop corn, watermelon, rockmelon, apple cucumbers, leb cucumbers, capsicuim, onions, potatoes, lettuce, strawberries, asparagus, garlic, pumpkin, squash.

Planning for The Future - As far into the future I'm planning for at the moment is Christmas, as I have written in past posts that my goal is to make as many of my pressies as possible, to date I have made 4 aprons, 2 drink bottle holders, 4 wash cloths, oh dear, I had better get a move on Christmas is only 5 minutes away, I still have some baking to do but that will be closer to the date.

Working for the Future - In the last year I have bought a Fowlers preserving unit so I can preserve fruits and vegetables when they are in season so that I have them for when they are out of season and outlandishly expensive. I'm hoping to have a good crop of Tomatoes to do this with so I don't have to buy another tinned tomato. I have always had a good stock of basic provisions in the pantry, lentils, flour, rice, beans etc. I buy these things when they are on special.

Building Community -


Learn a new Skill - In the past year I have been re learning skill that I once had, sewing, knitting, crocheting, cooking from scratch. I could already do all these things but over the years i had let them slide always saying I didn't have time. The one new skill I have taught myself is how to make soap, I have made 2 batches to date and we love it. Steve's eczema is a little better for the effort. I also make our washing powder which has helped with the eczema also.

Thanks for visiting.

Garden Update

The garden is looking fantastic, we have tomatoes already on our plants, we also have 2 Jurassic zucchini plants that are taking over the garden. My lemon tree has grown a least 6 inches since the weather has warmed up. Our apple trees have leaves slowly coming on hopfully, we will get some flowers soon. I cannot get the Rosella seeds to germinate, I don't know what I'm doing wrong. If there is someone out there that can offer some advice please help.

The Chrissy pressies are well on the way, I don't know if I have set myself a task that is too hard to complete, I will continue and see how I go.

I haven't had a lot of time for cooking lately, just the basic meals, some type of meat(beef, chicken or pork) and salad, there has been nothing too adventurous. We mainly eat salad in this warmer weather.

I will try and take some photos this weekend, so there is a record of the spring process.

Thank you for dropping by.

My Trusty Elna sewing machine.

I've had the trusty elna sewing machine out in the past few weeks giving it a work out. I got inspired to sew again with the swap I joined and now the bug has bitten. It has been years since I have sewn anything but I'm back and loving it more than I did before. It has to be at least 15 years since the last time I sewed up a storm. I am finding I've got heaps more patients than before. I had to give my wonderful FIL a call twice to be my sewing machine repair man. The first time because the machine was making a CLUNK CLUNK noise that just didn't sound right, the second time because the foot pedal would only go full speed, and this was just too fast. But all is now fixed, and I'm sewing up a storm.

Here is a bit of history about this old baby, I got it as a 21st birthday present in 1984, and it was already at least 10 years old then. But with a little oil it is still working like a dream at 34 years old. It does all that I need it too.

I have been busy working on my Chrissy presents, I have decided to make all my presents this year. We'll see how this goes, I'm up to my 5th Apron, Here is a photo of the first one I made for Imogen. Imogen is 10 in December and she loves to bake. (thankyou to my model Nicky who proudly modelled my creation).

I have made 4 others but they aren't completely finished so I will show them off when they are. I still have to do the hand sewing on the front of them all.

I also want to make a couple of special little girls in my life a cloth doll each, below is my failed attempt. The head just wouldn't work for me so it is in the too hard basket for now until I work out what and how to do it. I downloaded the pattern from I cannot recall where, and it was a easy to follow pattern but the head was deformed, so it is a "Wednesday Adams" doll at he moment.

I went to Spotlight and picked up a vogue pattern, hopefully this will work better.

Bye for now