Around the World Blog Hop....

I was invited to participate in the Around the World Blog Hop this week by Nicole.  She is an artist, gardener, and mother.  Her photographs of flora and fauna, design, and her life are an inspiration.  She is also a super sweet gal. 


Before I answer the posed questions, I just want to say I am not a self proclaimed artist, writer, or gardener.  I dabble in things that interest me.  I work full time and squeeze in as much of life as I can.   


1.  What am I working on

There are always a ton of things "in the works".  I work best with a deadline, otherwise things may never come to completion.  

I am currently curing our first garlic crop.  If you follow my blog, you know we live in the woods and sunlight is limited.  All of our crops have stunted growth due to this, but we take what we can get.

 I've been trying to manage the direction our squash is growing,  so they don't overtake everything else.

 I love giving homemade gifts.  This is one I just completed for my nephew's upcoming birthday.

 And this is the ever and ongoing quilt which I have been hand sewing for a few years.  I pick it up off and on through out the year.  It's getting really close to completion now.

I make our own laundry soap & cleaners.  I've been learning about foraging foods and making tinctures. We raise chickens and quail, grow a modest garden, and try to live simply.  I try to find ways that we can break away from the reliance of the main-stream world.

2.  How does my work differ from others of its genre?  

I can't say I have a genre.  I like simple, useful items.  Everything I make is imperfect, but created with good intent.  I am not a master of any art.  

3.  Why do I write/create what I do?  

I like to be independent and knowledgeable about things that I feel are meaningful.  The process of doing something and seeing it come to fruition is pleasing beyond words.  Creating something is good for the soul.

I also enjoy taking photos.   There are so many magical moments that happen everyday that I never want to forget.

4.  How does my writing/creating process work?

Normally I read or see something that sparks my interest.  After that, I try to learn more about it and if it seems like I can pull it off, then I give it a try.  There is beauty and inspiration all around us.  

I'm also surrounded by super talented friends  that give me a lot of motivation and inspiration.  In addition to those great gals, I like to surround myself with reference books that keep me focused on my goals.  There is so much yet to learn, so much yet to do.  I have dreams that I want to live out.  I don't want to regret not having tried, even if it ends up in failure.

Saving an organic cotton sheet from becoming trash before its' time.

A large rip in this sheet - perhaps from too many washes? I bought these organic cotton sheets on sale a few years ago.  They get softer (and thinner) with every wash.  They are my son's favorite though, so something had to be done.

First I hand stitched the rip together.

Then just covered the rip with a patch of fabric.  I suppose you could do both sides, but this is the fitted sheet, so the underside won't show.

Make the bed as normal, and no one will be the wiser.  I might not be able to save the world, but I certainly can save a sheet.  *Hopefully my sewing job holds up in the wash*

The 7 Year Quilt

In 2009, Heidi introduced me to paper piecing.  We both started on a quilt.  I made my hexagons a lot larger than hers for faster results.  Well, four years later and the quilt is still a work in progress.  Not that I mind.  It is something that I will work on for a few days, then fold up and put away for months.  It's one of those slow projects that you can keep coming back to without much thought.  We jokingly call them our 7 year quilts because that is the time frame they will most likely be completed.