I could do anything.....

...if I only knew what it was. (the german version is pictured on the left, above the tulips from a friend´s garden- here´s the english version) That´s the book I reached for after I read Jamie´s tarot reading. I have had issues with my job/carrier choice in the past but recently there´s been so much going on in other areas of my life and I have pushed those issues aside and gone with the flow. Let´s just say that Jamie´s reading woke me from hibernation and I immediately knew something had to be done. I can recommend Barbara Sher´s books if you feel unsatisfied or need help finding a direction.
I had a lot of issues that I was unsatisfied with when I started this blog back in December 2005- family life, organisation, household, body issues, love-life, job. I have worked on these areas one by one and I feel like I´ve come such a long way towards living the life I really want. My children are happy, healthy, growing and learning, I recently married a wonderful man, I have managed to reduce our possesions and time thieves, I take care of my body and feel good in my skin.
I have a job teaching business english and although it´s rewarding to see people learning and the job is quite flexible and well paid - it doesn´t satisfy me. I need to make things and be admired for it. That is satisfying for me...not just to teach but also to awaken a positive feeling in others that wasn´t there before. I have worked with the above book for a week now and I know a lot more than before. And last Friday(hey presto!) the owner of my favourite book store asked me to make some book bags for her shop. I feel like I´m on my way!!!

Dreamboard

I am well on my way, but not quite there yet, so this is my dreamboard.
More dreamboards here.

Love...

...is a wonderful thing!

Getting ready...

1. Our wedding invitation. 2.Little treat baskets. 3. Love heart name cards.

SWAP!

Amazing but true, I have recieved 2 copies of this lovely spring edition of Marie Claire Idées. I´d love to swap one for an art/craft or home decorating magazine from a different country...anyone interested?

A Wedding!

Friends and family have been told and invitations sent so it´s time to fill you all in. Erich and I are getting married on the 5th of April here in a simple evening ceremony followed by dinner and dancing. I´ll be decorating the entrance, courtyard and dining room at the castle myself with lots of flowers, candles, fabric hearts and my glass bottle collection- all pictured above. I have also made a lot of these paper balls to hang from lights and ceilings and I´ll be making signs similar to these and these little paper baskets filled with chocolates with name tags attatched for the 20 guests. I´ll be wearing a green crushed silk skirt and jacket with a fine knit vintage top underneath (in the middle above). I can´t wait!!!

It´s Here!

In my mail box this week...the wonderful book Vintage Crochet. I bought this book mainly for the Chevron Blanket pattern ( better known as ripple afghan) but after looking through the book I see so many things that I´d like to make. I´m so grateful that I learned to crochet from my mother and in home economics at school. Although I lost touch with this hobby for many years because it seemed too fancy and frilly, I´ve come to love it again and I can´t wait to get started on the projects in the book. A while ago I made a small rug with all my left-over wools and garns and I look forward to buying some new cotton yarns in interesting colours. What will I make first...maybe the "Ava Wrap, or the "Joni Flower Tunic", or the "Picot Star Tablecloth"???...well, I still have some time to think about it while I finish hand stitching my quilt.

Quilting...

I really want to crochet a ripple afghan like this one BUT I have promised myself to finish the patchwork quilt I started sometime in 2007 first. So I took the quilt top out from it´s hiding place, pieced together some batting (wool fleece I had in my fabric cupboard) and cut up some old bed-linen to use as backing. I read Amy Karol´s instructions again from the book The Crafter´s Companion , which is still one of my all time favourite books. I sandwiched together the finished top, batting and back, pinned it all together starting from the center - this took ages as the quilt is 150cm x 210cm (that´s 60inches x 85inches). There is no way I could get all this fabric under my sewing machine so I am hand quilting it. This article Amanda linked to came at just the right time - hand sewing makes you slow down and take time to think while stitching. I am sure that slowing down is essential when trying to live by my motto for 2008.

Giveaway!

One World, One Heart is a blog-wide giveaway event. The original idea behind this was to bring bloggers together from around the world who may never ordinarily meet. It closes the gap of the blog community and enables us to interact, discover new and wonderful people, and in the process possibly win a prize or many prizes along the way. You can find more information here plus a list of giveaway participants. To be in the draw to win the above book tote, money purse or mini-quilt just leave a comment on this post between now and the 14th of Feb. GOOD LUCK!!!

It´s the 14th of Febuary...Happy Valentines Day!!! Comments are closed on this post now and I´m off to draw the winners so check back later today.

I used the random number generator to choose the winners and

here they are..... book tote : Diana from Adventuring Through Life

mini quilt : Ninnie from Ninnie´s Place

money purse : Farm Chick from Fresh From The Farm

Congratulations to all three! I´ll be in touch tommorrow for your postal details.

Day 7: Saturday

Horse radish spread, ham and capsicum on toasted white bread, lárge latté.
8.30am.
Thanks for sharing my breakfasts, it´s been fun.

Day 6: Friday

Gorgonzola cheese and butter on wholewheat bread-roll, large coffee with milk and honey.
8.30am.

Day 5: Thursday

Salami, cheese and red capsicum on white bread, latté.
6.30am.

Day 4: Wednesday

Salami and gouda on home made white bread, latté.
5.30am.

Day 3: Tuesday

Poppy seed strudel from our local bakery, with butter and honey and a double latté.
6.15am.

Day 2: Monday

Porridge (oatmeal) with sultanas and honey, fresh orange and carrot juice, latté.
6am.

Day 1: Sunday

So inspired by this lovely and simple site...stay tuned for a week of breakfasts. Sunday: avocado and grilled capsicum on a wholewheat roll and a 3 minute egg. (can you see the camera reflection on my knife?).
9am.

ENJOY!

ENJOY...my motto for 2008. The collage above is symbolic for the things I invite to bring joy into my life in 2008... growth, simplicity, nourishment, beauty and clarity.

200!

Update...
8.Sew a pair of casual pants. DONE!
22.Restore cabinet for the kitchen. DONE!
23. Replace broken glass in kitchen cabinet. DONE!
(that´s me in my self-made yoga pants in front of our 40 year old, freshly painted kitchen cabinet)
This is my 200th post and the beginning of my 3rd year of blogging...
when I read back over old entries I recognise how much I have changed during this time. My life has become more colourful, creative, simple and I am a lot more self-determined and less critical of myself than 2 years ago. My motto for 2008? ENJOY!

101 Things in 1001 Days

(10, 15, 24, 13)

I made this list while I was still living in the house and since we´ve moved to the flat I´m going to have to update some of the points. I am crossing off the ones that I have finished and changing the ones not completed but no longer relevant. Here are the first 25 things.

1.Give away 50 things that I own to people who will appreciate them more than I do.

Done! I gave away atleast 50 things before and during moving house in August/September to friends, family and strangers. It felt good.

2.Learn more about permaculture-gardening and grow enough vegetables to feed my family for a larger part of the year according to permaculture guidelines.

Since we no longer have our family garden, we have our eyes open for a piece of land near our flat where I can again grow my own vegetables. I have learnt a lot about permaculture and can´t wait to have my own garden again. In the meantime, we are buying fruits and veges locally from farmers directly, from the organic shop in the next street and from a Friday morning market in the next city.

3.Take apart the wardrobe in Markus´ room and cut it up for firewood.

Done!

4.Take back overdue library books.

Done!

5.Buy tiles and finish the upstairs toilet.

No longer relevant, changed to - paint a feature wall in the kitchen dark red.

6.Clean the oven.

Done! Double, in our old place and our new place.

7.Finish answering my “Life Aims” questions, print the posts and put them in a journal to remember the journey.

8.Sew a pair of casual pants.

9.Rearrange the furniture in Markus´ room.

Done!

10.Help Erich finish the furniture for Daniel´s room.

Done! But the furniture is now in our living room.

11.Walk 30 minutes a day starting today.

I finally started this one today!

12.Sew a messenger bag to take to work.

13.Sew a new curtain for Daniel´s room.

No longer relevant so I made a large pillow instead, done!

14.New curtain for Stefan and Markus.

Coming soon!

15.Paint a mural on Markus´ wall.

I painted a tree silhouette in the dining room instead.

16.Sew a bean bag for Daniel.

No longer relevant, changed to sew a table runner for the dining table.

17.Rid the drive way of all firewood and leftover building materials.

Done!

18.Paint the woodwork on the 2 balconies and the stair-rail out the front.

No longer relevant, changed to - build a raised bed for Stefan.

19.Paint the walls in the kitchen and sew new curtains and seat cushion covers.

Walls painted, curtains and seat covers coming soon!

20.Buy wood for the steps and finish the staircase.

No longer relevant, changed to - build a rice paper screen for living room window.

21.Finish the upstairs bathroom.

No longer relevant, changed to - buy new cabinet fronts and handles for kitchen.

22.Buy and lay tiles on the steps in front of the house.

No longer relevant, changed to - restore cabinet for the kitchen. Finished soon!

23.Change the central heating from oil to wood burning.

No longer relevant, changed to - replace broken glass in kitchen cabinet.

24.Hang up a mirror over the chest of drawers in the hallway.

Done! Mirror is up in the bathroom.

25.Make a room divider for the bedroom to hide the mirror at night.

No longer relevant, changed to - sew a curtain for bedroom window.

I should be finished with most of these things by the end of the month, watch out for updates!

Gifts!

My favourite reading chair is now covered in a gorgeous red velvet (see the chair before here). It was my Christmas gift from Erich. The children bought me some wonderful books - my favourites are the ones written by Astrid Lindgren. Bottom right you can see the felt garlands I made and used to wrap around gifts, the christmas tree and beams in our flat. I love them and they were so very easy to make following these instructions by Liz. Christmas has passed and the days before New Year have me in a thinking, planning and mellow mood, waiting to jump into action in the New year. I have some plans and will be updating a list that has been neglected lately. I also have some news...my divorce was settled just before Christmas and Erich proposed immediatley afterwards so we are getting married in early 2008! I wish you all a Happy New Year, I´m sure 2008 is going to be fabulous!