The little birds...

If you watch little birds you will see they are busy and happy! Using whatever they can find they create the most gorgeous little nest.
I would be the little bird with some glittery thread in her nest!
We can be like this. Happily working away with the things that are available to us to create a beautiful and happy home.
All the while with a little song in our heart.

Banner by Free Pretty Things for You.

Thursday 4 August 2016

Feather your Nest Friday, 5th August, 2016.

This week I was working on one big project more than lots of little ones. My gaol for the week was to make over the room that is too many things... it's the craft room, nursery and junk room.  Whenever I don't know where to put something it goes in this room.
Also it is the smallest room and can't afford to be cluttered! I will have the whole house tidy and nice EXCEPT for this room and I shut the door.
I want a room where Harper can come to stay over and not have her packed in there like a sardine.
So this was the week.
I started with emptying the craft cupboard out completely. Boy did I find some relics in there!
I am not finished the room. I think I am about three quarters the way there.
Today I will keep going and hopefully over the weekend it will be finished!

There are a lot of up sides to all of this. I know what crafts I can do next. There are a lot of baby things put away and I gave Lucy little dresses that might be the right size for this summer that she and Chloe wore! Little smocked dresses etc.
I have lots of ribbons, wraps, gift bags, tags...
Endless supplies of glue, string, glitter and so on.

I have donated a car load of things I know I will never use. Either they were colours I don't like or not suitable in some way but I kept them because they were "good".  I hope they go to someone like the quilt squares Rachel found... someone who will love them and use these supplies and make the most of them.
Also it is a relief. When there are things to use I feel they are on my "to do" list. Now my "to do" list is shorter! It's a weight off my shoulders.

So most of my week was the usual stuff and this never ending room!

I will call it building my nest as having a lovely little room set up that is useful and not a mess is much nicer.

Otherwise I feathered my nest in a few ways:

Mum gave me over ripe Bananas. I made them up into banana muffins. I got two dozen.


I made three meatloaves for dinner and lunches. Plus some went into the freezer.


Mum gave me a leg of lamb to roast.

Andy came home with a big TV from the side of the road. He used the screen as a giant Computer screen for when he does design drawings.  It looks amazing and he loves it. For detailed designs he can see it all much better. Cost nothing. 

I made "use it up" toasted sandwiches one night for dinner.  

I filled up the car for 94c a litre. 

Also I pruned potted fruit trees. They needed a good trim.

Chloe and I went past a beautiful florist I had not been in before. Florist shops are one of my best places for ideas!  So in we went. This was a good idea!  We came away with projects and inspiration.
First of all macrame is in. In a big way.  Chloe loved this:


This was sold as one... the plant, container and hanger for almost $300.  I said "are you kidding me?" and told her how we used to do macrame when it was the in thing years ago! We noted it was made of thick rope that you would get at the hardware store. So now she is following macrame tutorials to her hearts content!

They had bowls of handmade soaps. As I made soap earlier this year,  have heaps for gifts and I know many of you have too I am showing you the prices....


They had some with labels, some tied with string, some with wrap around labels... all $8 each.  
That is more than I valued mine at. Ok, that is double what I valued mine at!  So your homemade soap is worth more than you think!

I love to see this. It builds up confidence about giving home made gifts. This is just home made soap!
Good information for the Vicky Challenge also!

And next...  in the flowers for sale they had heaps of foliage, gum nuts and wattle. These are all things I can pick for free at the farm and road side in mass quantities. It is so common we tend to over look these things.


They had various gum nuts for $15 to $25 a bunch.


Bunches of gum leaves for $15.



So this little visit was very inspiring! They also had bunches of wattle, banksias, proteas etc.
 I am always picking flowers from the farm but seeing this inspired me to pick more!
I love making the most of our free resources!  

How was your week? How did you build up your home or get ahead this week?
I hope you have a lovely weekend. xxx



40 comments:

  1. Dear Annabel,

    Thanks for sharing those prices-wow! We have wattle in abundance around here. Florists are always a great source of ideas. Once I saw nappy cakes and they were tiny ones for $50, I thought that I could make that! an set about making one for a friend. It cost me about $30 in materials and was massive. My friend loved it and didn't have to buy nappies for months. Another thing I saw once was succulents and cactus sold in upcycled mugs or containers with a bit of gravel on the top. These were around $30 each and would be so easy to make. This week I collected some rosemary from near my sons work. This has been chopped and dried out. I also have saved alot of money this week by buying a bed for my daughter on Gumtree. I'll share how much I saved in The Vicky Challenge. xx

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    1. Dear Mel,
      We were talking about using things available to us for free. Well a big bunch of wattle wrapped in yellow tissue paper could be a birthday bunch of flowers. And the soap prices were much more than I thought.
      I love nappy cakes! I have seen them for huge prices also!
      A bunch of rosemary smells amazing. I love it. I like it sprinkled over baked potatoes and with lamb. Beautiful.
      Well done on the bed!
      Have a lovely lovely weekend Mel! With love Annabel.xxx

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  2. You've done well, Annabel! This year I have been trying to declutter my craft room and get it back to being a bedroom. I so know that wonderful feeling when I gave heaps of stuff away to a local crafting community in my suburb and a lot of quilt fabrics to Sunshine Linus to make quilts for sick children. I still have a way to go in giving things away that I know I'll never use...just have to be ruthless! 😉

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    1. Dear Maria,
      Thank you! It is beautiful that you could donate fabric to a charity like that. Yesterday I got Andy to help me and we put out on the roadside a small childs wardrobe. It was too big for this room. It had to go. Im being ruthless! Within ten minutes a lady was out there looking at it. It turned out she needed a cupboard for her little boys clothes and had nothing. She couldn't fit it in her car. So we brought it back in the yard so it would be safe until her husband could come in ht evening with his ute. She was so thrilled with it! So I was very happy with this!
      I believe if we pass on things that will bless others we will be blessed too. Well done Maria! Have a lovely weekend! Love Annabel.xxx

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  3. Great work on the spare room Annabel. The banana muffins look very nice too. I am amazed by the prices of the things in the florist. Fancy over $300 for the macrame holder with what is essentially a $20 plant in it and a bit of glass and dirt. Good to hear Chloe is learning how to do it. Have a great weekend. Fi xx

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    1. Dear Fiona,
      Thanks! Florists are really amazing since besides flowers they seem to have some giftware etc. I find most of the ideas so easy to do! Im seeing Chloe tomorrow and will se if she has the rope etc organised. I have the plants for her that I have grown.
      Have a good weekend Fiona, I hope you get some relaxation. With love Annabel.xxx

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  4. I honestly enjoyed this post, smile!
    My nephew has promised free veggies from his farm this weekend.
    I'm looking forward to that.
    I did use up some getting past their prime fruit today out of the fridge.
    Enough for today and maybe a couple of more servings left over.
    I tried my first frozen pizza fried in a skillet, after first cooking in the microwave today.
    The crust came out great, it took less than 10 minutes start to finish, and I did not have to heat up the kitchen with the oven. So saved energy costs and time.

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    1. Thanks Annie! I haven't thought of doing pizza in a skillet! It would save on power too.
      Well done on your savings and using up leftovers. Free veggies from the farm would be just beautiful! With love Annabel.xxx

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  5. Hi Annabel!

    I love, love, love, love, love those clusters of green foliage with masses of white blooms. (Those 'Silver Dollar' leaves and gum nuts are favourites of mine. It would be nice to have them growing.) I will really know that spring is here when I see fire flies among the lantana, along with the beautiful Traveller's Joy climbing vine in the paddock. It has soft, white spangled flowers!

    My husband would be interested to know what diesel is priced at where you are at the moment, and Andy sure is a clever fella!!

    Did you ever mention having a Plan B week?!! I had another one of those! It was momentous, really. Yes, I did cut swathes of nettles, before they seed, and hours' worth of stubborn old lantana tangled along a fence line, and up over trellis wires. While in this jungle, we heard an explosion, followed by dark smoke. We toddled to the neighbour's place just in time to watch an excavator push the house down - although most of our view of the house was blocked by smoke from several clean-up fires, with the top of the excavator's arm dangling overhead! The new owner is opening up the view. Then, yesterday, a long lost relative turned up! We spent time with that person again today. They didn't need a phone to find us!! We're out in the bush, and still there's action!

    I'd just like to enjoy those flowers and greenery in your photos (& green and white floral bouquets in an advertisement on your page!) and have a good rest. I'll try again next week!!

    Thank you for today's post!!

    Zzzzz!
    Rachel Holt

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    1. Dear Rachel,
      It goes to show that vases with lovely green foliage are beautiful and also would smell lovely in the home!
      Goodness about the house being demolished! At Mum and Dads at the farm you would think its too farm from anywhere to get much action but its always like Grand central station visitor wise! So I understand about that!
      Andy says Diesel is currently $1.07 as he paid that this week.
      Have a good weekend Rachel! With much love Annabel.xxx

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  6. Hi Annabel,

    I love what you say about the craft supplies...that while you have them, they are a "to do" hanging over your head and what a relief it is to donate the things you truly know you won't use! I was nodding my head the whole time I read that...it's so true!

    This has been a good week...made yogurt, painted deck boards, did the baking, weeded, cut off a pair of pants with ratty knees to make myself some shorts...and now today we're off to the beach! Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

    xxJen in NS

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    1. Dear Jen,
      The beach sounds lovely! It is so cold here but today we do have some sun!
      Yes it is a relief and joy to give away some stuff that someone else will enjoy but is just a burden really as I feel I need to use it! If it isn't a colour I like or some other reason it has been put off.... anyway yesterday this included a little cupboard and a lady swooped on it for her little boy. She was so thrilled to get a free cupboard and obviously really needed on. So my room is further decluttered and it felt good!
      Well done on all your painting and baking and yoghurt making!
      Have a lovely weekend Jen! With love Annabel.xxx

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  7. Annabel, I remember doing macrame a long time ago and even made hanging planters similar to the one in your picture. Old things are new again! It's so nice to complete big projects like cleaning out and reorganizing your room isn't it. My big project for the summer was to get my pantry inventoried and reorganized. I'm so happy with the end results as you are with yours. Enjoy your weekend Annabel!

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    1. Dear Patsy,
      I would never have guessed macrame would make a come back. But Im seeing it everywhere! It was easy from memory. They re doing it was very rustic rope which I like.
      Well done on your pantry inventory and organisation. These things are big projects and it is wonderful to have them done! We have several big projects between now and the end of the year. As each is done I am so pleased! Finishing my painting is another, our solar, work on our bathroom and Andy is installing new doors. I think I will just about have a party when all this is done!
      I hope you are having a lovely weekend! With love Annabel.xxx

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  8. Oh my goodness I remember doing macrame. I've forgotten everything though but this makes me want to learn again!

    I love how you are getting with it on the room. I love that you just shut the door. Sometimes it's for the best till you have time. I've been working more inside than usual with the heat here in Michigan. I've been decluttering also -have to keep busy!
    Have a great day!

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    1. Dear Vickie,
      I have almost finished my room and no more door shutting! it is looking so pretty! From other comments I think it must be decluttering season or something as everyone is re organising, cleaning out etc. When it is really hot I stick to indoor projects too.
      Many thanks Vickie, Love Annabel.xxx

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  9. Macrame! How funny you mention it and your daughter is doing it. My son who likes plants was just asking me about it. I did macrame back in the late 70s- early 80s and haven't thought of if since. It is now on my to do list.
    You will like having a room for Harper and your Andy is such a resourceful smart man. You two make a great pair.
    Have a lovely weekend Annabel.

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    1. Dear Rhonda,
      Yes its back! The stores like Anthropologie all have it featured. You skills will be in demand!
      Thank you so much! My room is coming on. One day I hope to have as many Grandchildren as you and look after them as well as you do. I love seeing the pictures of your Grandchildren all having a lovely time at your place! Beautiful! With love Annabel.xxx

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  10. Dear Annabel,
    What a treat to see some of the flowers that come from your side of the world. Thanks for sharing the pictures of your outing.Besides.I guess I'll join the macrame choir too :) How I remember those days. It seems like everything old is new again. The banana muffins look delicious, especially iced. Icing has always been my favorite part with the cake or muffin just a vehicle to hold the icing. (I'm so naughty.)
    My nest feathering has been in the way of building the pantry and writing down new ideas that come into my head for the gift closet so that I don't forget.
    When I've been out in the garden this week there were what we call wooly bear caterpillars there. My Nana always said they were a sign of an early winter and a cold one. If we see the wooly bears here it's usually around mid September. They're really early this year.
    Wishing everyone a beautiful weekend. Cookie

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    1. Dear Cookie,
      If you have macrame skills then seriously it is a big trend and anyone young will think you are so clever! Yes everything old is new again!
      Lol about the icing. My nan made all cakes as large slabs rather than deep cakes. Basically as then you get 3 x the surface area and icing. We loved this. I didn't wake up to this until I grew up but all her cakes we 1" thick and in trays. Genius.
      We have caterpillars like that. They eat everything. I also can see the change of seasons coming in with blossoms and shoots on everything as spring is close!
      Have a great weekend to you too Cookie. Love Annabel.xxx

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    2. Hi Cookie,

      I just saw your comment from Wednesday's post about the perfume...I hadn't heard that one! Anything new is always worth a try!! Thanks for the nice comment on my socks, too.

      xx Jen in NS

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  11. Hi Annabel!
    I love macramé! Hmm I wonder if I could put baskets instead of flower pots and include some macramé in the new pantry when it's done and store things in the baskets? I have never done macramé, but I used to crochet porch rugs from macramé cord. It is durable enough for outside on a porch. Getting rid of things we don't use is such a good thing and I'm sure your going to make someone else very happy with your donations. No feathering for me this week per se, but lots has gotten done! I hope everyone has a wonderfully prudent and diligent weekend!
    XOXO
    Vicky

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    1. Dear Vicky,
      Hanging baskets for onions etc would be great. I love the look of the rustic rope. Ill send you some pics. Start saving rope!
      Building up your pantry and your new improved cellar are big things towards nest feathering. It has been a big week! Well done on everything. I know its been busy but it has been such good stuff. I hope your weekend is going well! With love Annabel.xxx

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  12. Dear Annabel,
    I love the pictures you always post. They are inspirations for projects that cost so much less than buying them already made.
    The macramé took me back to the 70's (LOL). That was such a big rage at the time. I remember my MIL doing a lot of that. I preferred fabric to rope, but a lot of people certainly really enjoyed it and it looked quite nice.
    I did cleaning, baking, freezing, and planning this week. Most of our days are taken up with appointments right now, so my productivity is at a low level. There is a season for everything, as the Bible tells us.
    You have inspired me to get down to my sewing room and do some purging. Some of the craft items I've had for way too long and they need to go. I, too, feel like "I have to," do something with them when they are there.
    Have a blessed and wonderful weekend.
    With love and a big hug,
    Glenda

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    1. Dear Glenda,
      Well done on your freezing, baking and cleaning as I know you have had a busy time with appointments and other things.
      It is a process to separate my supplies and useful things from projects that I don't really think I will do. Letting them go to someone else is a relief. I still want to have good supplies of cottons, needles and basics. Also it helps having someone who really needs donations to give things too. A win win.
      I hope you have a good weekend! We have some sunshine which is lovely. With lots of love Annabel.xxx

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  13. Dear Annabel, thankyou for a lovely post with such gorgeous images. Sneaking around high end florists and homewares stores is always an eye opener, isn't it? I've had a bit of a busy week, so feel I didn't achieve much. But I did clean all the things you only clean quarterly, made meals from scratch using a Michelle Bridges meal plan, but substituting expensive ingredients for less expensive ones, which saved a lot, and meant we still ate well and even better, lost weight! I found some craft bargains at Spotlight, including the very same sheets that you used for your hankies, which I'm not sure I can bring myself to cut up, and which I might actually keep for my Granddaughter to sleep on when she visits! And I fertilised the roses and babied them along. We've had wild winds here, and the gum trees had showered them with so many leaves, that they were almost under siege! So, raking and hand watering was the order of the day. On the subject of macramé`, I 'almost' cannot bring myself to love it. It's lodged in my memory as such a twee 70's thing. I'll be keen to see what modern day gorgeousness Chloe comes up with...lol! Lots of love, Mimi xxx

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    1. Dear Mimi,
      Thank you! Oh I wondered who was the health guru you were following as you mentioned this earlier... now I know! I will have to have a nosey at her meal plans.
      Those sheets were extremely soft even more so once washed. Miles of fabric... they were on sale here too.
      Re the macrame.... check out the anthropology catalogue and you will succumb!
      Due to wild weather and wind our yard, gutters etc are all covered in gum leaves and bark. Its been a mess. But the rain has been the good part. And spring is starting to show up in blossoms and shoots so I am hoping it will all look good soon as we clean it up... I did masses of pruning and Andy cut trees back making it lighter.
      I hope you have a lovely Sunday! With love Annabel.xxx

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  14. This has been a good decluttering week for me as well in my sewing studio! A friend is in charge of a church event for about 50 girls between 8 and 11 years old and wanted to divide them into 4 groups for their activities. She wanted to make 50 neckerchiefs out of four colors to signify which group each girl was in. She wondered if I could donate any fabric for them. 2/3 yard would make 2 scarves. I was able to cut and donate 42 of the 50 she needed- that was almost 14 yards of fabric! I was grateful to be able to give her so much!

    I bought 2 half price raspberry bushes and 1 discounted aprium (apricot-plum mix) tree to add to our orchard and berry bushes. Also bought some 70% off salmon colored butterfly bush perennials to plant in a new raised bed garden by our front porch! I bought five of them for just $15 instead of the almost $50 they would have been! That bed is finished and looks beautiful with the new flowers!

    Before we left for up north, I realized that I had a basket full of Roma tomatoes that would have spoiled in the week we would be gone so I chopped up the tomatoes, added bell pepper and onions, spices and a little olive oil and turned on my crockpot for a few hours overnight. In the morning I poured the mixture into my blender and after blending it, I poured it into a gallon ziploc bag and put the completed spaghetti sauce into the freezer! There wasn't enough for a full canner so I used the freezer recipe instead! That way, the tomatoes didn't get wasted and we will enjoy it later!

    Our side yard is taking shape as we use recycled materials from our yard and workshop. I will be building a wonderful wooden bench that is a replica of one @ Wiiliams-Sonoma (a high end store) for $1200 and the cost of my materials was about $21!!! I am excited to get that done and into our yard this week when I get back! We will be mortaring the limestones around our new fire pit that we built using limestone from our yard. Then the fire pit project will be complete!
    I have 2 more lawn chairs to build from recycled pallet wood for our daughter's birthday in a week. That will use up more of our pallets and make a gift that she really wanted for her house without any cost but our time!

    We are continually grateful for the abundance of materials that we have been blessed with and with the skills that we have been able to learn from people like you, Annabel, and others like you! What a blessed time to be alive!! Thank you!!

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    1. Dear Gardenpat,
      Well done on helping with all that material! That was wonderful.
      After the mess of the are you have got back to lots of things straight away! The flowers on your front porch sound lovely!
      Good thinking on the tomatoes. They will be very useful and better than being wasted thats for sure.
      I have heard of Williams-Sonoma. I associate the name with stylish and expensive. So I would love to see your bench when it is all done. It sounds like it will be beautiful!
      That was a very good week! You are always so productive and it is wonderful to hear! With love Annabel.xxx

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  15. Hi Annabel,
    I wish I could say life was a bed of roses but it's been a week if extremes, both wonderful and simply awful. The awful is our son and DIL have had a very sick baby, she spent 3 days in hospital, followed by being told they were no longer welcome in the home they were sharing with the DIL's Grandmother. This happened last night. We had been invited to stay for a week and were unceremonially uninvited. The kids are with The DIL's mother and we are now in a caravan park overlooking farms and fields. Peace and tranquility are starting to come over us.
    Now the wonderful. Once bubby was out of hospital we had a happy little bubby. Little Miss Cheeky and I had lots of Granny hugs. Bluey and I are so very much in love. Our time with bubby her Daddy and Mummy has been cut short but it was a wonderful time. Love, love, love my Bubby!!!!!!
    We free camped for most of our trip so saved quite a bit of money. We are now re thinking our travels. Might have to hang around a bit till our son and his little family are re homed.
    Life is returning to good.

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    1. Dear Jane,
      I got such a shock to hear the baby had been unwell. This is very scary with a new baby. To top it off I can't believe they have lost their home at this time. Good thing you have the van. That was a big help. I do feel sorry for your son and DIL. It is such a big time and these things going wrong just now is the worst timing ever! So I hope things all sort out. The baby sounds well now so that is the main thing. I am glad you have all had time together. It is so beautiful meeting a new member of the family and the love you feel.
      If you can stay on and help them move and get set up again that would be very good and re assuring. I hope they find something suitable asap.
      Thinking of you! With love, Annabel.xxx

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    2. Dear Jane
      I am sorry to hear about the dramas you and your family have been experiencing - a sick baby would be enough for anyone to cope with but to be thrown out of your home at the same time is beyond the pale. The grandmother has obviously shown her true colours and I am sure that it has not sat well with other members of her family.

      Hope that your son and DIL get sorted soon so that you can spend more time being grandparents before you set off again.

      Lynette
      XXXXX

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    3. Dear Jane,
      I pray that all goes well for your sons new family. I pray that this new living arrangement is a set up instead of a set back. Sometimes The things that are meant for evil God uses for good. I speak peace, health and prosperity to this situation. Enjoy the new baby I am so glad you are there for support.
      With love Patti

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  16. Dear Annabel,
    I, too, need to chime in on the macramé. The '70's seem so long ago but we had several. They were a gift, I never learned to do the macramé. LOL Chloe, I'm glad you want to learn this skill!! It's amazing how expensive those things are in the florist and yet so easy to access.
    As I've been sewing my "towel" dish rags and burp clothes, I have also been in the organizing mode. I'm donating several bags of items I know I will never use, but like you, hope someone will find a "treasure" at the thrift store. It must be the week to declutter crafting items. :)

    This week I made French bread, bottled 12 half pints of mixed berry jam (berries from the freezer), made 9 "cans" of my cream of chicken soup for the freezer (I was totally out and my son had given me some of his homemade frozen broth to free up room in his freezer), will be making quick mix over the weekend and made a peach cobbler from the last of the yummy peaches we got a while ago. It was delicious. I also made stuffed zucchini for dinner tonight along with fresh beans.
    The soap prices are amazing! I'm still looking for soap flakes. And, Annabel, I love your story about the cupboard you and Andy gave to someone who needed it!! It's such a good feeling to help others! And you are a wonderful example of this!! :)
    I may be bottling tomatoes this weekend also. The lady who shares her leftovers with us has extras. So, another busy weekend! You had a great week! Love, Teri

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    1. Dear Teri,
      I am so happy hearing about all of the berry jam, the chicken soup, tomatoes coming on and beautiful french bread. It paints a lovely picture of you being happily busy working on such good things.
      I felt really happy seeing those soaps! I liked how they had them in rustic wooden boxes. I have so much soap made ready to give!
      I would love to see your sewing Teri. We all seem to be on the decluttering and organising bug! Its good though. I am making progress this weekend. The room is now presentable and I know what I have and have let go of quite a lot. I need finishing touches to make the room look like a little girls room as that is the main purpose of it.
      I have some little drawers for things like cottons, needles and odds and ends and some boxes for cards, tags etc. It is shaping up!
      Thanks so much Teri, I hope you have a good weekend! With love Annabel.xxx

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  17. Dear Annabel, thank you for another great post, your cooking always looks beautiful , the banana muffins and meatloaf look delicious . You have had a great week.
    My week included:
    Receiving 2 serves of minestrone soup from my parents
    Also received 3 meals from my parents.
    Saved $10 off my groceries online using a coupon code
    Saved $120 into my holiday savings money
    Received a gift from a friend of a hot and cool pack , in a beautiful cover.
    Bought some clothes and received a $5 voucher which I used to get a free wash bag.
    Had my subsidised cleaning as usual.
    Decluttered a small area of my lounge room
    Redid my budget/ spending plan
    I think that is it for this week Annabel , a pretty quiet one.
    I can't believe what some of these gift shops charge Annabel, it's amazing.
    Thanks again Annabel love BarbW

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    1. Dear Barb,
      It is wonderful you could add to your holiday savings! You must be excited and looking forward to that.
      You are another one working on decluttering. So many of us are working on that!
      It was lovely you got nice meals from your family. What a big help.
      Also lovely to have a gift from a friend.
      That was a good week Barb with lots of happy things! With lots of love Annabel.xxx

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  18. Annabel I love the photos of the florist - miss seeing florists like this. We have nothing here, the closest I would get to one would be when I head over to the island and on past experience there would be nothing like this in the shop.

    Macrame was something that I never embraced - to me it was a dust collector and would have caused me numerous trips to the doctor. I do however remember seeing a couple of patterns in one of my many craft books.

    I picked up my new glasses last week, now I will be able to finish of a longstanding project. Still have to give them a try though to make sure they are right.

    This past week has not been as productive as usual - my mobile 'phone died last week so before I ordered another one I had a trip (again) into the large shopping center to see if the 'phone could be repaired. No such luck but I had a couple of hours wait which ate into my day by the time you take travelling time into account.
    What I did notice is that you need to adjust your prices with baked goods and lasagna - I spotted a place selling slices of lasagna (no salad as that costs extra) for $9-90 a slice. Caramel and other slices are now closer to $6- and the piece is smaller.

    Our local bakery does date and nut rolls (these are baked in tins similar to a long fruit tin) - $8-50 per roll. I cannot tell you how many of these I have made over the years, they are simple to do and are similar to the fruit 'breads' that you can get at cafes these days.

    I had been out for most of the day before on a Red Hat adventure, lets just say that I am the proud owner of a new car - a red toy car for not only being at the end first but also getting 100% of the clues right. Coming home was interesting because I ended up on a road that left a lot to be desired - it was a made road but there were some really large pot holes in it. We traveled through a pine plantation and hit a housing estate - came out on a road not too far from the shopping center where we started - my 3 passengers were impressed as signs were minimal. Cut off a lot of travelling too.

    I also found an on line button supply place, Spotlight are not carrying as much as they use to. The place is in Murray Bridge South Australia so no need to worry about ordering from ebay only to find that the items have gone via Mongolia and will arrive when I have given up hope.

    We have EKKA week (show week) this week, a week that I usually stay home because of the traffic on the road. Friday I will be doing an ALDI shop because my husband is home and he can carry the shopping up the stairs and into the house for me.

    My friend has to have modifications done to her house so that her partner can get in and also look after himself. They have hit a snag with the ramp needed at the front of the house - not enough room for the fall. My friend's house isn't up as high as ours but they are on a busy road and I am not sure if the council will give a relaxation to allow the ramp to be built so that the entry is wheelchair friendly.

    While this discussion is going on he stays in rehab - he cannot come home until all of the work is done.

    Today is check out the pantry and store cupboard day - my husband has oral surgery coming up and I need to make sure that there is food inside for him to eat.

    After that I am making a batch of scones.

    I also made banana muffins this past week - I had some baby yoghurt in the freezer that I used up in them as well as the 2 tired bananas. It is rare for my husband to leave any bananas to get to cooking stage.

    Have a great week everyone.

    Lynette
    XXXXX

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    1. Dear Lynette, Thanks for telling me about the price of a slice of lasagna! Wow that is more than I imagined!
      Also I love date loaf etc!
      Well done on the lovely cooking. And also thanks for telling there is a button place in Murray Bridge. I pass there to go to the farm. I didn't know which a place existed! Now I will look into it.
      Like seeing the prices of food we cook the florists are lovely to visit as just so pretty and does me good like visiting a nice nursery. Very interesting for the ideas and prices. I will be off to the local nursery soon too as I need some seedlings for spring.
      Have a good new week! If your husbands surgery is this week I hope that he gets on very well... I am not sure if its this week or coming up soon..
      With lots of love Annabel.xxx

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  19. Hi Annabel, I'm slowly getting organised after my move and life is not so hectic. I love looking in florists and upmarket homeware shops to get ideas and inspiration. I too have noticed macramé is making a comeback big time.
    Having a lovely room for Harper will make her stay much more relaxing, I have a room just for my grandkids and they love staying over at Nans.
    I have made a large carrot cake and a magic bean cake (it is made with no flour and replaced with a tin of red kidney beans as Henry is wheat/gluten intolerant), its a lovely chocolate cake. Even though I have been moving house I have had meals in the freezer to have for dinner every night without having to buy takeaway.
    I'm off to read more blog post and catch up, have a great week and get lots done. Lots of love Debbie xx

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