Welcome 2017

2017 is very welcome around here!  I have to say I am pleased to begin another New Year, and by the sounds of things from numerous other places, many other people are also happy to see the end of 2016.  The New Year finds us back at Bundalong where we have our home on the market and hoping it sells over the Summer period.

  For now though the Apricots are ripe and I've been busy making many jars of jam and a pie or two ........ then there are the cherries from the freezer that have been turned into Cherry Chutney and another kilo I'm hoping to turn into some type of cordial or liqueur.   I've been asked where I store all my jars of goodness as well as empty jars ...... well all of those, together with the paraffin wax (which I melt down in an old teapot to seal the jars easily before putting the lids on - this keeps the contents safe for up to 2-3 yrs) .......plus you'll often find jars/packets of seeds ......

These are all kept in that Pie Cupboard that hubby rescued a couple of years back from a demolition job where the farmer wanted to burn it!  You remember Pete brought it home and I cleaned and painted it up.  It's just perfect for housing all of these things ....  and as you can see it also holds extra candles, candle melts and right down the bottom is a plastic tub where I keep supplies of my homemade soaps.  So you can see that this cupboard has become a very important piece of furniture in our home.  It's part of our self sustainability and each year during the right season, I try making enough of these things to last the whole year plus some extras for gifting.  Some years the bounty is small or non existent so making extra when the bounty is good has become a natural part of life around here.  Don't forget jams and chutneys can be made from frozen fruit so if you get given fruit and don't have the time straight away to make it up, then pop it into the freezer for using a later time!



Pie Cupboard with dec from xmas in July swap

The garden is needing lots of attention with all the spring flowers now finished and the heat of Summer upon us.  Pete has also taken down all our big old fashioned wheels from the gardens as they will come with us when we move.  Tomorrow we will likely be gathering items for a tip run (or two even??).

When it comes to items finished for December for OPAM I'm afraid I only managed one ornament, although I did make a start on a number of crocheted squares which will be getting put together to make a cotton lap quilt for the Maryborough Veranda.  I have yet to get some photos of those so guess you'll have to wait to see them .....

Today I managed to finish a Beanie off , which means I've made a start for January OPAM at least lol   Best of all is that I still have another whole, entire week off before I have to go back to work!!! 

I do have quite a list I'd like to get done during that time, but it's nice to know I still have that time to get things done ....... making some much needed soap is on that list!!

As I look forward to 2017 the biggest thing on our minds is selling Bundalong and making the permanent move to Maryborough in Qld.  Apart from that my goals are to get some "me" time back into my life and way, way less stress than the past couple of years.  Blogging has always been something I enjoy, so I hope to be more active around here again, and more active in everything to do with home ...... sewing, knitting and crochet, baking, letter writing ..... taking part in a few blogging swaps ..... oh and yes, I do need to loose about 5kg (I seem to have that goal each year???)
Hugs to all until next time!