Slowly............

I can't beleive this is the fourth week I have finished up work!!!!!!! It has been so good to slow down and get things done. With the hot weather it is good to have lots of kombucha in the fridge, I like mine just plain so I just bottle it and pop it in the fridge. I have had the same mother for about 20 years now and honestly it just keeps going no matter how much it gets neglected....

I have also been making cheese again,just a basic cheese but I will start making chedder again soon as I can not stand the taste of bought cheese any more.I have always made bread but I need to make a starter and make sour dough again.

The kitchen isn't the only place I have been,I have been having fun in the garden as well.

My side kick Mac is never far away from me which is good as we have seen a couple of brown snakes already this season....

I have edged all the gardens as they look so neat and tidy when done. If their is a tool I love it is my edger. I have had it over 10 years now and use it so much as it makes light work of the edges for me.

In my front garden this happy sunflower has come up....What joy it brings me looking at it...

I have also been busy cleaning out cupboards in the 2 spare bedrooms....So much STUFF sheets, blankets, cards, clothes and shoes not mine but of the kids and grandchildren..I am slowly going through the house one room at a time...All bedrooms and bathrooms have been done.....

Yesterday I sorted out a room in our shed that has become a junk/drop it all room. This room will become my studio for my soap and candle making, this then will free up the kitchen...Hopefully I took before photos! Still a long way to go as I filled both wheelie bins.....magazines my goodnes so many magazines I think I was boarder line hoarding hahahahaha I can not wait to get this room done, it will be a slow project and I will show you when I have finished it.... Today is the pantry well more the bottles again boarder line hoarding haha. I am going to tidy and sort all the bottles and take most of them down to the larder and then bring them up as I need...Thats the plan anyway. Enjoy your day...... Mandy

CHRISTMAS SOAP MAKING

Hello and welcome.... The last week has found me elbow deep in Christmas, yes I know it early but I have had lots to for the markets and soap orders as well....

For last Sundays market in Toowoomba I made Christmas hand towels and dishclothes which were a real hit. Also Christmas candles and soaps.

With the soap I have made the grandchildren {all 14 of them} there names, I am sure they will enjoy those....So many A and Es to make though,all done now.

As I only had 4 moulds it took a little while to get all the letters but all part of the fun. I have made a few Christmas orders for soap as well..

The above one is activated charcoal to get the black colour with peppermint and eucalyptus it smells amazing...I decorated it with gum nuts and leaves from the garden....

This was a order to use egg yolks in the soap with no colour or scent, I must say I wasn't to sure but it turned out OK...It came totrace very quickly so was hard to work with...It also took longer to cure. But the customer is happy so that is good...

This order was for Christmas soap and the customer has children so I had some fun....The block soap I tried to makelook like candy canes but it looks more like peppermint fudge hahahaha....Also made soap with christmas trees..

All orders are done now and we have 3 more markets befor Christmas then we will have a break untill February..... As I write this it has been raining all night and day which is such a blessing, the garden is loving it.... Untill next time.... Mandy

WELL HELLO

It has been a long time since I visited this old blog of mine! So much has happened in the last year but I am not going to bore you with it all, so lets start here and today. The most exciting thing is I have decided to give up work.For the last 6 years I have worked at our little local Post Office and truly enjoyed it.Things change and now it's time to move on.

I will spend more time with my children and grandchildren and a lot more time with my Mum and Dad...Bruce and I have lots of ideas and things we want to do and see. We have been busy doing the markets this year selling candles and soap, Bruce has been making wooden items as well, we both enjoy doing the markets and getting out and meeting new people and saying hello to our regular customers.

My days are filled with the rhythm of slowing down while working in the garden growing our food to eat, making soaps and candles for our marketstand and just taking the time to stop and enjoy the beautiful place we have created and live. Life has many seasons in it and I amgoing to enjoy this season in my life. I am going to make the time to blog again even though on this old computer its so hard. I can't even connect my phone to it to download photosbut I have found a way to get around that by sending them to myself and then downloading them.... For now I am going to make a cuppa and finnish making the candles for next weeks market.... Mandy.....