Bit by Bit

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   Inspired by a recent trip to visit my mother, I decided to make a crate to house all of our jar and container lids rather than purchasing something similar. Using scrap wood and some lath, I pieced together this little number.

It's a good reminder that not everything has to be complicated or requires a lot of planning. Sometimes things just fall into place.

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A Grand Day In

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Last week we celebrated my birthday and I cannot remember a better birthday. Much of it was spent gardening with my mum. We then went to see my pieces in the student show, and had a lovely lunch before she headed home.

After a little bit of knitting, my dearest husband arrived with flowers from some dear friends and a feast! He shucked raw clams and oysters, made bacon wrapped scallops with garlic broccolini on the side and even brought a piece of my favorite cheese-free veggie-loaded pizza for me to eat right away.

Thank you everyone for all the wonderful birthday wishes and love from near and far. Thank you for helping to make it such a lovely day. I'm still enjoying the beautiful flowers, made-for-me cards, inspiring book, big-girl trike, and even the sheets to use when I'm Away!

I feel so loved!

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Raised Beds: making my own

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When we started our gardens here a couple of years ago, I was fortunate enough to trade some work for some beautiful cedar raised beds. Our dear friends over at The Farmstead, in Leverett, Massachusetts make gorgeous raised bed kits based upon a 17th century design and also make other garden gems like trellises and benches for local sale.

I have enjoyed my raised beds so much that I couldn't help but want to expand our garden space. This has been my dream for the remaining sun patch left vacant by the bushes we removed a year and a half ago.

The only thing better than supporting the businesses of friends is making things ourselves. We found a local lumber yard that carries untreated cedar (naturally rot resistant and free of any chemicals such as those used to treat plywood and other lumber) and got myself some boards.



Using the existing beds as inspiration, I cut out the pieces for mortise and tenon style joints. One of the great benefits of this classic joint is that it requires no hardware - nothing to rust or corrode. Even after years of use these corners will hold fast.

I am so happy to have the extra gardening space and so excited to get plants in the ground!



















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Geeking out with my new capsule machine!

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I've been eying a capsule machine ever since reading a post by Progressive Pioneer, last fall. Yesterday, while waiting for my car to have its emissions tested, I wandered over to our little local health food store. Lo and behold they had them in stock!

I picked up a few more ingredients to supplement what I already had at home and impatiently waited for my car to be ready.









Once home, I mixed up a wellness blend to ward off colds, a health blend for myself, as well as encapsulating some of the psyllium husk powder we have in the cupboard.

It is such a delight to mix my own remedies and have this extra way of caring for our family.

(sorry for the blurry pictures was having camera troubles)

Some day soon I will even get to use my own dried herbs in our own remedies and blend my love for herb gardening and natural home remedies.

My work is in the show! Again! (part deux)

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As many of you know, I've been taking  ceramics courses at a local community college.

I am pleased to announce (again) that several of my pieces will be in the student art show.

The opening is this Friday at 6pm and the show will run until June 24th.

Not sure when I'll be going, but let me know if you're interested in meeting up at any point in the duration of the exhibit.


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HappyBunny Pincushion

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Over the past few weeks I've starting doing a bit more sewing again and found myself frustrated with my pincushion. I'd been coveting a wonderful little number I found on etsy but couldn't justify the expense to replace something I already have. Then it dawned on me. I could sew my own! (Gasp!)





Among the plethora of different patterns I quickly found online was a lovely tutorial for the exact same kind of pincushion I had been eying!  A few quick minutes later and I was all set!







I used fabric from my stash, stuffed it with wool from my stepfather's flock, and held together with two vintage buttons that were a present from my brother and his lovely lady.







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