Friday, December 8, 2017

let the sun shine in


It feels a little superficial and silly to say that a living space has changed my life, but our new sun room really has. When it's wet and windy outside - it's protected and warm inside, when there are dishes in the sink and the laundry waiting to be hung - you can literally close the door and turn your back on them, when it feels dark and gloomy in the house - it's bright and airy in the sun room, when you want to jam with your sisters, clean and sharpen your knife collection, darn in the ends of your socks, drink your morning coffee, make plans for your birthday party, grow plants that are a little fragile, read your book, do your homework, practise your instrument, chat on the phone... the sun room is the place to be.

Bren promises me that he'll never get sick of me gushing about how happy I am with that space, but surely 50 plus times a day must be pushing his limits.

This past week Bren and Jobbo continued paving outside the laundry. Hopefully by next week there will be an undercover clothesline and a big door at the end to close it all off.

The paving also continued to make a landing out the front door to to welcome you from the garden into the house. It's almost time to plant some grass seeds out the front and plan where the new veggie gardens will go.

This week I spent a lot of time weeding the garden, staking some plants that got knocked over in the storm, planting and harvesting.

It looks like the first of the zinnias might burst into bloom any day now which excites me no end. I've actually enrolled in an online flower farming course starting in the new year. It's something I've been thinking about for a while now and when the opportunity arose I took it. At this stage I have no idea what it means for the future of Daylesford Organics but I do love the thought of growing rows and rows of colourful blooms. I also really love the fantasy of dressing my girls in linen aprons and sending them off down the rows to pick armfuls of flowers at dusk for my photo shoots. Watch this space...



In the meantime that wild jungle of a self-seeded corn flower bed that I've been threatening to pull out for weeks now is a vision of green and blue and providing us with the prettiest posies.

The cat is still playing hide and seek and jumping out at me from all the most unexpected places.
 
I've been knitting up a couple of child sized socks for my master class at the Soul Craft festival.

In my class I'll be showing you how to knit a sock just like this. Using a circular needle we'll cast on the toe (pale blue), knit up the foot (red), increase for the gusset (navy), turn the heel (pink/green), knit up the leg (grey), rib for the cuff (yellow), and finish with a stretchy bind off. 

If sock knitting is something you've been thinking about trying for a while, if you've knitted socks cuff down and want to try toe up, if you want to ditch the DPN's for circs and the magic loop, then this class is for you. Imagine the fun we're going to have. I'm so excited.

Please click on this link to check out the amazing program of speakers and demonstrations and masterclasses on offer. (If you book into my class on Saturday the 9th June, your ticket includes entry to the festival, the speakers and demonstrations, a curated market, community projects, craft dating (I'm not actually sure what that is - sounds interesting), lots of spaces to sit and make, delicious food and opportunities to connect with other crafters. Sounds cool, right!

And other than all of that I've been planting cucumbers, eating broad beans, going to all of the end of year performances, reading Morris Gleitzman's After, counting down til the last drive of the school year, wondering if we should pull the rest of the garlic out, hoping for a bit of weekend sunshine it's freezing today, looking for some inserts for some old wire hanging baskets, feeling all of the feels about our girls going into grade 5, year 9 and year 12(!!!!!) next year and listening to my tummy grumbling I think it's time for lunch.


I hope you're doing really well my friends.
Has a space ever changed your life?
Do you ever feel like you're on top of the weeding?
Are you going to come and hang out with me at the Soul Craft festival?
Do you have plans to start something new next year?
Do you have something fun planned for this weekend?

I hope you have a great one!
See you next week.

Love Kate x

13 comments:

  1. I really do love your sun room. I see it and think how we can add something similar to our house. But then I realise it would actually be scorching hot, we live in SE Qld, and we don't have easy access to a plethora of recycled doors and windows. I guess I'll just have to live vicariously through you. Have a wonderful weekend!

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  2. Tell Bren I love that space too. It reminds me a little of Poh's husband-made glasshouse. Adding our front and back verandahs made a huge difference to how we used our home and the level of contentment I feel here. We sit out back in winter and out front in summer, both places being ideal for their own seasons.

    If I lived one inch closer to North Melbourne I'd be there with my circular needles in June. What a great weekend it will be. There is something for everyone in that workshop line up.

    Sending love. xx

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  3. That space you have created is divine.
    Cheers Kate

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  4. Kate, your new space looks like what I’d expect a a home in Tuscany to look like! Simply beautiful!
    I wish I could do your masterclass, the whole event sounds amazing!
    And I’ve apllied to do a diploma at tafe next year. Not sure I’ll get a place but I’m SO excited about going back to school & the possibilities this course open up for my future. Send out acceptance vibes for me won’t you?
    Big love x

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  5. Has a space ever changed your life? Yes, every time I clean out the clutter from any room in the house, then light a candle and bring in some flowers in from the garden.
    Do you ever feel like you're on top of the weeding? Yes. Until a couple of days later and it all starts again. But that's OK, coz I love weeding.
    Are you going to come and hang out with me at the Soul Craft festival? Yes I will come and say hi while I run between a million masterclasses and demonstrations!
    Do you have plans to start something new next year? Yes. A business of my own.
    Do you have something fun planned for this weekend? Yes. A little shopping spree with my girls and time in the garden.

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  6. oh my goodness...this space! my heart! i'm slighty crazily envious! :)
    and so happy to have found your blog-space! I'll be back for sure! :)

    www.arlenegiddings.com

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  7. What lovely photos. Once again such a lovely space and so worth the work as it’s used all the time. We have just had a tiled roof put on our conservatory here in the UK. It’s made such a difference and although the room won’t ever be classed as cosy it’s made a huge difference to all the drafts and is an awful lot warmer. In all a much more useable space. Your garden is looking very healthy and seems to be growing well.

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  8. I’m starting the year - well just after the year starts - doing a WEEK LONG drawing class! A week! Of drawing! The teacher is amazing! Next year I’m going to be working less hopefully. There are some huge celebrations next year so life will revolve around that and I love having something to look forward too. X

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  9. Honestly Kate, that room is utter perfection.
    It's SO great you are checking things off your wish list and falling in love with your home again. Well done to all!
    Jo

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  10. Im so in love with your sun room.

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  11. Not superficial at all!! Speaking as someone who as been owner building for the past 25 years (8 on this last house). I KNOW the difference a change can make, it's incredible really. We tell ourselves we're coping, and we are, but a change like a room, we're thriving :-)

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  12. We used to live in a single room at my husband's parents. When we moved and we suddenly had a room just for sleeping, that was amazing. Suddenly he could watch telly whilst I sleep, we could have friends over until late whilst the other one went to bed early, it did change a lot. It is still nothing compared to your wonderful large and sunny room, but it works perfectly.

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Thanks so much for stopping by...

I do read every single comment you leave and appreciate it very much, but I should let you know that I can be a wee bit on the useless side when replying to comments, that's just me, everyday life sometimes gets in the way....so I'll apologise now, just in case.

Kate XX

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