Bethy, Bethy, Quite contrary, How does your garden grow?

It has been a while since I've tended to my little garden outside our window. Partially, I guess, due to the horrible weather - a whole lot of rain and not a lot of sun! That makes it difficult to muster the enthusiasm to check on their progress, give them fertiliser, and goodness knows they haven't needed any extra watering!

Lettuce and Rocket

The not-so-little pea plant

Anyhow, despite my neglect, I stumbled across a little surprise today...

Just a little peek!

Much happier pansies

I had totally forgotten that I planted these bulbs underneath a few pansy plants. The pansies weren't doing as well lately, and I think this might have been why! These little guys were forcing their way through and messing up their root systems! (I've done the pansies a favour and given them their own bedrooms). Can't wait for the bulbs to bloom! I think they were daffodils and bluebells...

More pinnies

                           

 

This afternoon I finally reached a point in the week where all of the jobs on my list were completed (ok, let's face it - most of the jobs), and so I treated myself with a few hours of cutting, sewing, and listening to sermons. Bliss.
Here are another two pinnies I put together this. I'm pretty happy with these two, and I'm getting quicker at making them, so it might be a viable product to sell and make a decent enough profit at the markets in September. Time will tell. In the meantime, I'm having fun!

Sweet little pinny

I got to go to the quilt and craft show on Saturday with some friends (hi, Manda) - which, for our age group is pretty daggy, but we don't care! I think the most valuable things to get out of events like this is not necessarily the things available to be bought, but simply the inspiration which in turn prompts refreshed motivation. So here's the first thing I've made since the show. It's the cutest, easiest reversible, crossover pinny for little girls. Nice to have a new design to add to my stall merchandise.

Pattern

Front, inside and out

Back, inside and out
(sorry about the blurry mobile photos!)

Now I just need to work out a reasonable price for them. The pattern also has matching pilchers (nappy cover), so this might add a bit of extra value if sold as a set...

Quality time with Jesus

Wow... it has been a while since I've posted anything on here - life just gets pretty busy sometimes, I guess. And I've never wanted to post anything on here just for the sake of putting up a post.

Lately, however, I've been thinking and reading about God's affection for us individually, and for us as the church; the body of Christ. It is good to focus on the theology of the gospel, as it is through the gospel that our minds are renewed and we are transformed into the likeness of Jesus. But in focusing on the theology, it can be easy to forget the significance and nature of our relationship with God. Because that's just what it is: a relationship! Whilst sorting through a box of old papers and mementos I've kept through my walk with God - notebooks, scribblings of great bible verses and quotes, notes taken from sermons, and prayers written from the heart - I came across a quote I pulled out of a book I read years ago by Joanna Weaver, 'Having a Mary heart in a Martha world':

"What an amazing thought that Christ wants to spend quality time with me. 

That he looks forward to our time together, and misses when I don't show up... 

A relationship doesn't just happen. It has to be nurtured, protected, and loved."

How true this is! When I compare this to my marriage with Marty (which I'm comfortable doing, because it is biblically a reflection of the church's relationship with Jesus), I suddenly understand the importance of time spent with God. I know that Marty and I struggle and we feel distant when we haven't had enough quality time together in a while. We will make it a priority, and even turn down invitations to hang out with other friends, or attend parties, if it means we can have that time to build our relationship.

Time spent with God is important - we know that - but to think about how much God wants to spend time with us transforms it from a duty ("I should do it...") to a delight ("I get to do it...").  It is no longer another item on the to-do list, but instead becomes something I get to do each day. We get to sit in the presence of the God of the universe, relating to him as our heavenly Father! We can pour out our anxieties, our pain, our joys, our grief, our hopes and our dreams to him, knowing not only that he cares, but also that He has the power to do something about it and He knows - with infinite wisdom - what is best for us, even when we don't. We know that when we open God's Word, it is living and active, and God can speak to our hearts directly through the words on those pages, if only we will stop and listen for a little while. And we know that when we delight ourselves in Him, he will give us the desires of our hearts, meaning he will transform our desires so that they align more perfectly with His.

What a joy it is (and I hope it will continue to be) to spend time in the presence of our Creator and sustainer.

Welcoming in the colder months

The weather over the past week has started to feel quite wintery, and consequently we've both had colds too. Feeling a bit better today, so to cheer myself up I've started planting some vegetables and pretty flowers that enjoy the change of season. (Only a few more weeks until it's actually winter!) I thought it might help me not to resent it so much, but instead to welcome it with all of it's nice qualities: hot chocolate, ugg boots, lovely knitted scarves, warm soup and crusty bread, and enjoying the warmth under my quilt as I stitch away at it...*sigh*

The little pea that could.
He's grown heaps just in the past two days!

On Saturday I went to a good old fashioned clothes swap - pay $10 entry fee, and fill a bag with whatever goodies you might find. It was a fundraiser for one of my friends at church who is shortly leaving to go on the Logos ship (the new ship to replace the Doulos). It was great! I picked up some great black jumpers and cardigans, 2 dresses, a skirt and a top.

There were quite a few clothes left over afterwards that no-one wanted, so I scoured through these last remnants before they were sent off to the Salvos, to see if there were any that would make good fabric. So far I've only made this little elephant from a short sleeved jacket, but I've also got some knitted jumpers that were a little worn in some spots, so I think they would make great soft toy monkeys (or something similar) I'll post them once I've figured out how to do it!

Yesterday I made these lovely homemade muesli bars... 

They are really easy (the hardest part is going and getting all of the ingredients!), and really good for you. They've got: rolled oats, quinoa flakes, linseed, sesame seeds, sunflower kernels - all lightly toasted - and then some dried apricots, apples and sultanas, along with soem melted honey and butter. It's essentially the same as making honey joys, but healthier :) I worked out that with this combo, they are a source of iron, fibre, omega 3, magnesium and protein! The good thing is, you can control what goes into them, unlike the ones from the supermarket that are packed with sugar and are pretty expensive!

This afternoon I quickly put together a door sausage for our front door - usually a bit of a daggy household item, but I thought this Florence Broadhurst print was rather trendy. 

But I don't think I made it quite long enough. Poop. 

Oh well, it'll have to do - It'll keep most of the cold air out!

That's what I've done thus far to welcome in winter.

How are you coping with the cold snap?

Finding my green thumb

This afternoon I spent some time outside getting my hands dirty. I went to the nursery and bought some peas and rocket to plant in pots - I think it's time I tried my hand at growing veggies, and these two seem safe enough to start with. While I was at it, I also broke down some pieces of bark by hand to make a mulch (why buy the stuff if you can source it from the garden?! If these go well, I might work my way up to growing full lettuces and broccoli. Not a lot else is in season that we use often enough in the kitchen. Fingers crossed, we might have some produce to eat in a few weeks time! There's something lovely about the idea of eating something straight from the garden - benefitting directly from your own hard work and ongoing care, and appreciating how amazing the Lord's creation is.

These are my existing plants, looking a lot happier with a little TLC, 

and a relocation to a slightly sunnier spot.

Parsley, oregano, rosemary,
succulents, and a chrysanthemum.

And my little yellow roses.

A lovely weekend

I've started on making a dress based on the one I found online last week, but it still needs a little bit of work before it's finished. Our dining table is currently covered with piles and piles of fabric, trims, buttons and pattern pieces, all ready to go and waiting on me finding the time *sigh*. Meanwhile, I did get the chance to put together this little number on Saturday afternoon, and I think this is the one I'll give to Lydia. It seems to suit Clare's (my sister-in-law's) taste. 

It's very sweet.

For Mother's day, Marty decided to make scones to take for afternoon tea when we visited his grandma in hospital. There are two things I don't cook in our house - pancakes and scones - and it's because he does them so well!

I forgot to get a photo of them completed with jam and cream because we were looking forward to eating them too much! These will have to do...

Hope you had a lovely weekend!