A morning of sewing...

I had a morning to myself, so I thought I would try out another free pattern I found online.  This one's the Itty Bitty Baby Dress.  The first time I use a pattern, I often find something that needs adjusting, so this time I used an old tablecloth that I liked.

Well Nahlia liked it, but it's just a little bit too small for her.  Also, the dress isn't suitable for crawling - it gets in the way.  It will have to wait until she's walking... then I can make her a bigger size.

I have been wanting to make her a bonnet with a tie so that she can't pull it off as soon as it goes on her head!  That's what she does with her hats....  I didn't have a pattern for this, just used a knitted one as a guide.  My little pixie :)

Wild pumpkins

It happens every year, so why do I forget??  Once the compost goes onto the veggie garden, and gets watered, a plethora of pumpkins start sprouting.

This year I have planted about 10 pumpkin seeds in order to raise seedlings of particular types of pumpkin.  But only two have sprouted.  I was looking down the barrel of an autumn with very few pumpkins.... but then the compost went on the garden and the pumpkin-sprouting-party began!

There's something wonderful about receiving unplanned and unexpected gifts in the garden like these.  It's as though they are little blessings from heaven, each one carrying with it the ability to give greater gifts at harvest time!

And it is their giving which is their message to us... it is the same in all of nature, all of creation.... everything around us gives, gives, and gives some more.  They are happy to give in their living and in their dying.

Currently reading

We're always into some books or other, but at the moment we're into these:

'Organic Guide to Edible Gardens' by Jennifer Stackhouse & Debbie McDonald;

'A New Christianity for a New World' by John Shelby Spong;

'A Farmer's Life for Me' by Jimmy Doherty;

'I Love My 1, 2, 3' by Anna Walker;

'One River, Many Wells' by Matthew Fox;

'Basketry & Weaving with natural materials' by Pat Dale;

'Numbers';

'Practical Self-Sufficiency' by Dick and James Strawbridge.

Re-useable gift bags for Christmas

Love, love, love her little grinning face!  I decided to try some re-useable fabric bags instead of wrapping paper this year....  they're drawstring bags, but rather large to allow for all shaped and sized presents.  With a small present, I don't need to use the drawstring, instead I fold the excess fabric neatly underneath and finish with the customary ribbon. I'm rather pleased with the results so far.