Making things

I am pleased that as I get older I work a few things out.  I have learnt to complete all my commissions and commitments (pretty much) by November which gives me some clear air in December when things go all a bit ditzy.

And so this month I have been able to finish odd jobs; test out things I want to test; make a few things; work with the garden's bounty; and sit and stitch and repair.

All of which adds up to nothing much, yet quite a lot!

As we head towards gatherings and celebrations around Christmas here, baking becomes a thing.  I have been making shortbread for gifts and preparing food for guests and visitors.  For reasons completely unknown to us, our tomatoes have gone ballistic this summer (hot and dry perhaps?) and we are collecting about 1-2kg each day of these tiny sweet cherry tomatoes.  Bags are given away but also sauce and relish are made and others roasted to stir through pasta and the like.

They are so cheery!

And then to making more cards.  My grief cards are selling well - I think they speak to folk who want to say something about grief without actually using a with sympathy card.  I had been looking at them and thinking however, that they were a bit bright, and so I went and played with my Graphitint watercolour pencils instead and came up with some slightly more restrained, slight more sombre or gentle colours which I think still work well.

They are available over at decklededgepress shop if you are interested...just select the colours and the numbers of each you would like. They are, priced at $8each including postage anywhere in the world! You will also find some new baby cards and wedding cards there...

And so to stitching and fixing.  I have become one of those people who has an alterations/repair pile! Who knew?  This old dress has been a bit of a favourite - a nice linen which has been modified a few times and then sadly got a blob of oil down the front of it.  It has become a house dress (ie I don't wear it out in public) but  I thought I might be able to make something of the blob, so off we went.

I used a template for different sized circles and drew them onto the front using one of those pens which will iron away.  I gathered some beautiful silk thread I had bought at Fibres West back in July - a variegated one called Hannah from Beautiful Stitches - and started stitching around them  with a bit of variety here and there.

So far so good - plenty more to go but I think it will make me happy when I wear it around the house in the heat of summer!.