Fall Is Coming

Photo via Studded Hearts

Are you ready for fall? My heart is warming to the idea of fall soups and sweaters. My summer garden is blanketed with fall leaves right now - it makes me hard to believe it's still August.

Have a wonderful day!

A Simple Day.

Simple days are often my most favorite.


I spent some time this morning checking on my garden. We had heavy rainfall yesterday and I was a bit worried about some of my more tender plants. Thank goodness everything was alright.



This is my first ever squash plant to survive long enough to get this big. Our climate here in Vancouver seems to disagree with these plants. I'm certain this little guy is a fighter.

I don't have any ripe tomatoes yet, but tons of glorious blooms and about a dozen little tomatoes starting to grow.

A fresh batch of iced tea is accompanying me on this simple day. After I juice the lemons for the iced tea my hands are scented sweetly of lemon for hours later.

I started on a new knitting project. This is my first time using a stockinette stitch.

And lastly, to end this sweet simple day how about a bowl of homemade soup? I made some delicious minestrone yesterday and enjoyed a bowl for lunch.

I tossed all of my ingredients into my crock pot and put on low for the day.

I used,

1 can drained and rinsed kidney beans
3 carrots roughly chopped
1/2 red pepper diced
1 tomato diced
1 can of tomato sauce
several cups of homemade chicken stock
1 cup dry wild rice (I cooked this first until soft then added to the soup)

seasoning
dash or so of seasoning salt
thyme 1-2 tsp
sage 1-2 tsp
handful of fresh basil tossed in the last few minutes of cooking

Top finished soup with yummy cheese of choice. I chose some lovely double cream Gouda.

Have a lovely day!

Rainy Monday

I awoke this morning at about 6:50 am to the sweetest sound. There was a faint pitter patter of rain. We haven't had rain in a few weeks here - and I have to admit I've missed it oh so much. There is something so romantic about a heavy rain downpour. I've spent this morning snuggled with the pug on the couch enjoying the sounds of rain and knitting.

I ran outside to snap a picture of the beautiful water beading on my broccoli plant leaves. I am completely drenched from a mere 60 seconds in the rain. It feels delightfully refreshing.


I think I'm having a bit of an affair on my camera with Instagram. I love the convenience of taking photographs from my iphone and editing them right away.

I hope your day is relaxing and lovely.

Loves!

A Quilt For My Nest.

The quilt is done. If you are curious about the process I've had making the quilt and the cost/material breakdown click here (a side note, I did end up adding 12 more quilt blocks to the original design, thus increasing the cost a bit).

Here are two different views. I love how the quilt always looks a bit different depending on which pattern block you focus on.



I used a few different tutorials but the most useful I found was on the blog Diary of a Quilter. In particular I used this tutorial for piecing all of my layers of the quilt together. There are thorough directions on this lovely blog to help you complete a quilt from start to finish.

I used a lovely vintage sheet for the inside lining of the quilt. The price was right and I adore the print.


The vintage sheet came with matching pillow cases so I have matching pillowcases for the quilt. I think it's a unique addition to the set.


There is something so satisfying about making something for yourself start to finish. I also adore indulging in activities that were done over a hundred years ago. I think I did underestimate how much work this project would be - but I would do it again in a heartbeat.

Have a wonderful Sunday.

Loves!

Home, I love my home.

I made it home last night after several days away. While away I visited some gorgeous Vancouver Island Beaches and got to spend time with family that I rarely see. It was a completely different routine for me. I was so glad to come home to the foods I cook and eat and my soft sweet bed. Vacations are fun, but I truly am a homebody. It's hard for me to think that late next week we are going camping for several days and I will be uprooted once more. I am excited though to see even more luscious sunsets without the hinder of city lights.

Lots of love,



P.S. I promise these lazy Instagram posts wont go on forever. Hopefully I'll have some real photographs up soon of the summer quilt and other projects!

Have a Wonderful Week

I'll be away most of this week on lovely Vancouver Island visiting some relatives and doing a bit of sight seeing. I cannot believe summer is almost over, my heart has been heavy lately at the thought of September. Fall is such a beautiful season with lots of lovely festitivites and food - I'm certain I will perk up soon awaiting the coming months.

P.S. Do you see the quilt folded on the bed? Yes! It is finally finished, I'll have some new pics up soon!

I hope you have a lovely week!

Loves!

Bloom

Source Pinterest via Wishful Thinking Photography

Have a wonderful weekend. We are having a birthday party at our home for a loved one. Sunday rain is expected, I can't help but feel a little excited for a cool summer rain.

Loves!

Little Bit Of Laundry Love

I snapped this picture on my phone earlier today. I had just hung up this load of laundry and the air was filled with the scent of freshness. I make my own laundry soap and it is unscented, but somehow it always produces the sweetest simple scent. My heart sinks at the thought of fall coming as I will be once again forced to use my dryer. This whole summer I've used my dryer twice, and instead dried dozens of loads of laundry outside. I find during the fall months laundry is much more of a chore.

There is something so lovely about gently hanging laundry on the line. Usually the pug and kitty suntan watching me hang it up.

I started with a recipe making my own laundry soap a long time ago, so long I can't remember the source. I've adapted the recipe over the years and the result is this,

1 cup borax
1 cup washing soda
1/4 c oxy clean (totally optional, but I do love the addition)
1 cup grated bar soap

I use the oxy clean scoop to measure it out. Just one scoop per load is all you need. I think it works out to roughly 1/8 c or 2 rounded tablespoons.

Mix everything together well. I store this in a container by my washing machine. The borax and washing soda is in the laundry soap isle and you can buy specialty soap bars used for laundry soap. I use my own handmade cold process soap. Buying a box of borax, washing soda and tub of oxy clean will last you months and months. I think I buy a box of each twice a year. It works out to be a very inexpensive way to do laundry, and works out wonderful for sensitive skin.

Happy Thursday!

Watermelon Love

Watermelon. One of my favorite fruits of summer.

Watermelon Gin and Tonic via a Cozy Kitchen

Watermelon Salad with Pine Nuts, Feta and Basil via The Traveler's Lunchbox



Watermelon Dippers

Watermelon Cookie Cutter Stars via foodopia

Watermelon Jam via Blondie's Cakes and Things


source

My absolute favorite way to eat watermelon is cubed and chilled in the fridge. Mmmm!

Happy August!

Loves!

Happy Monday!

Okay, so most people don't celebrate Monday morning with that much zest. I am still on vacation though and relishing every Monday morning that I am not at work. Life has been quite busy lately, but not incredibly interesting. Whenever I watch a great fulfilling movie and it ends I always imagine every day in those characters lives as being continually interesting and rich. It's a pity to think of great characters doing laundry and cleaning the bathroom.

We have been blessed with lots of sunshine lately which has triggered something within my garden - my once weak plants are exploding and happily soaking up the rays. While weeding the other day I spotted some tomatoes growing. My tomato plants have become so thick that it was almost hard to spot them.

So lovely. I love gently bending back tomato plants, just touching the plant makes my hands smell of tomatoes. Delicious.

My many cucumber plants are all flowering. I had great success growing cucumbers last year, I'm anticipating a nice crop for this year. Pickles perhaps?

I've also been knitting lately, still working on a scarf for my beau. I took a break yesterday to work on a new pattern I had seen - It's called a seed stitch. I think it turned out quite nice. I'm still working on some tension issues, but I'm sure that will come with experience.


The pattern in front is the seed stitch, the one behind is just a plain garter.

I should mention that the happy apple and pear fabric is from Daiso. I have oodles of fabric to use up and shouldn't have purchased it, but it was too adorable. I keep dreaming up projects to use it up.

That's my little update of what has been going on here. I am still working The Quilt. The Quilt has become a title in itself, no longer is it a sweet fun project that was intended to amuse me in the summer months. Instead it has become this massive endeavor that is now covering my kitchen table. I am in the actual quilting stages which is exciting, but hard on my back. I will probably finish quilting today and just need to do the binding on the edges. I have no idea how people make these regularly for fun, the amount of work is immeasurable. I can't wait to be finished, I know it will feel like a big accomplishment.

How is your week so far?

Loves!

Thursday

Some days I feel like I get everything done I've set out to. And some days, like today - just the laundry gets hung up. The dishes stay dirty, and the bed remains unmade.

And you know what?

I'm okay with that. I spent much of today relaxing in that empty chair in the above photograph, sipping on homemade iced tea (using this recipe still, it's so yummy). The pug curled up on my lap and we just enjoyed the breeze. I feel like the luckiest gal in the world in these moments.

Do you have any fun plans for the weekend? We are planning a small camping trip which will hopefully include more relaxing.

Loves!

Weekending and Sewing

Happy Tuesday! There was a long weekend here in Canada so today feels like Monday. Our long weekend was lovely and busy. We made our first big purchase in forever, some outdoor furniture. It felt like such a grown up purchase, but we did so enjoy having a little bbq last night and eating outside on the new table and chairs. The photograph above is my favorite way to have salmon. Sea salt and a bit of lemon juice. Let the fillet sit for 10-15 minutes to mellow then bbq.

This week work commences on the quilt. I think I underestimated exactly how much work this project will be, but it is enjoyable. I'm certain I will be proud of the finished project. I keep sidetracking and starting on other small sewing projects for fun.

Recently I made this cute pincushion. I used a pattern from paper.string.cloth it was easy to follow and only took a few minutes to complete.


I also started on a Dresden Plate. I read a few quilting blogs and kept seeing these lovely quilt blocks everywhere. I love the history of sewing. For example the Dresden Plate was popular in America in the 1920's and 1930's when making quilts. I love that people are still making quilts that were made almost 100 years ago. If you are curious about Dresden Plates the tutorial I used is here. I need to remember to take some photographs of mine.

I'm planning on a quiet morning here, perhaps working a bit on my knitting and enjoying a cup of tea. Have a wonderful Tuesday.

Loves!