for 2015

Here's a little list of my goals for 2015. I'm joining in with Sophie over at Her Library Adventures.
I hope to check back throughout the year and be able to tick at least some of these goals off the list. let me know if you share your thirty goals too.

1. sew, sew and sew some more. I want to sew more clothes for myself and also get my little shop open and stocked again
2. gardening. this will be a bit of a challenge but I at least want to have a few herbs going and also get a compost pile/worm farm happening for all the kitchen scraps
3. get cutting and pasting in my inspiration scrapbook
4. continue with the ethical clothing pledge of 2014, I shopped my wardrobe, found some beautiful pieces while op-shopping and made a few purchases from ethical businesses
5. not buy bread, instead making our own. I'd like to get my own sour dough starter happening too
6. take pottery classes, I'm pretty sure there's a group in town
7. make more cleaning and beauty products including washing liquid, facial exfoliator, shampoo and conditioner
8. say 'no' to disposable coffee cups. I invested in a 'keep cup' each so now just the challenge of remembering to bring them with us while out and about
9. learn the art of macramé
10. get to know and understand the functions of my camera better
11. Try weaving. I op-shopped a little loom a while back so now just have to find some yarn to weave
12. Try screen printing
13. Make a strap for my camera
14. upcycle some of the silver cutlery collection.. I'm thinking jewellery
15. upcycle some broken plates.. yes the move did unfortunately result in a few Johnson casualties
16. use the cookbook collection and try new recipes
17. make a timber Christmas tree for December 2015
18. make soap
19. make a terrarium
20. buy groceries from locally owned small businesses rather then the big chains
21. keep the house tidier by doing a little cleaning everyday
22. blog at least once a week, maybe twice
23. send more happy mail
24. discover the perfect museli bar recipe
25. drink more water everyday
26. make more handmade gifts
27. cull more stuff.. kitchenware and craft room
28. buy based on quality rather than price
29. print and frame some of my photos
30. organise a wedding

blog hop time.

there's a little blog hop going around at the moment and I was kindly nominated to join in by the lovely Kylie and Mezz. so here I go...

what am i working on.
I'm actually between projects at the moment. I've recently finished my first tea towel quilt and am hoping to make another shortly. I'm also after the perfect poncho/cape pattern, with Spring nearly upon us now I'm thinking this project may have to wait 'til next year though.
this week I found out a lovely friend of mine is expecting her first bub and she asked me if I could make a dress that would see her through the coming months so I shall be cutting and stitching up a floral sheet soon.

how does my work differ from others in the genre
I guess in my sewing it's that I use nearly all op-shopped materials- vintage sheets, tea towels, doilies, zippers, buttons, thread and lace. I love that upcycling these materials gives them a new lease of life.

why do i create what i do
I've always loved being creative, art and textiles were my favourite subjects through school.
I love creating useful and pretty pieces to both decorate my home and clothing to wear.
it's a nice feeling being able to reply to someones compliment of 'I love this, where did you get it from?' with 'I made it myself.'
I like the fact that by making things myself and using upcycled materials I know that the pieces are one of a kind and are ethically produced with love and much thought.
seeing that I have inspired others to get creative whether that be in trying a new recipe or getting out the sewing machine and making a piece of clothing is lovely too.

how does my creative process work
I'm constantly on the look out for inspiration. it may be a cushion or scarf I see in a shop or a handmade piece I see on someones blog. pinterest is also a big favourite for me.
i also look through my stash of linens for inspiration.
usually the idea stays in my head for a while, and if a week or so later I'm still thinking about the new idea i get to it and start selecting the fabrics and get cutting.
of course days and sometimes weeks go by and I don't feel like creating, but when the creativity strikes I get to it.

creativity is contagious. pass it on. Albert Einstein

 

if you'd like to join in the blog hop I'd love to hear about your creative process.

I'd also like to nominate these lovely bloggers. no pressure though.

Karen of Gooseberry Jam
Lea of Life Love and Making Stuff
Monique of Monique's Mess
Catherine of A Time to Create

fashion pledge for 2014.

last year (sounds odd doesn't it) i really enjoyed sharing a few wearing posts. most of my outfits were of the handmade variety.. dresses from vintage sheets and my very favourite tea towel dress from Pearl & Elspeth.
this year i hope to share more outfit posts all while (trying my best) to stick to an ethical fashion approach. so I've signed up with Pip of Meet Me at Mikes and the Year of Ethical Fashion 2014. you too can join in and make the commitment...

 

i did my first op-shopping for the year yesterday and i managed to find a denim shirt and retro shorts for myself, so far so good.

 

what do you think? will you join in?

x

an old year. a new year.

 

well that's 2013 done and dusted. the year really did fly by. i cant believe this time 12 months ago we'd decided to move on from Orange and the madness of packing up the house was about to begin. thank goodness this year there are no moves on the cards and I'm happy about that. our house here feels like home. it's cosy, the neighbours are no trouble, we have space for the chooks and its a nice walk into town to our favourite cafes.

2013 saw me move from hospital nursing to practice nursing and I think I've found my calling. hospital nursing did have me doubting if I'd wasted three years at uni for a career I really wasn't enjoying much. thankfully a job ad caught my attention a few weeks after moving here and I decided to give it a go.

2013 was the year that we added chooks to our family once again. they bring much entertainment and happiness to our days and of course those beautiful fresh eggs.

a change of op-shops too this past year. I've since added a bit of milk glass to the collection as well as Johnson of Australia crockery (I shared my collection too- part 1 & 2) and a fair few vintage sheets were added to the stash too.

on the sewing front 2013 saw me make more clothes for myself, including a bark cloth dress. I also managed to finish the vintage sheet quilt I started a couple of years back.

as for 2014 I've got a couple of things that i hope to achieve. one being to organise my little shop and maybe try a couple of different avenues for selling my wares. i also plan to get involved in more blog swaps and send more mail.. a little handwritten note to accompany something I've made or found that made me think of a particular person as soon as i saw it. another little goal is to actually put some of that time spent browsing pinterest to good use and make some of my pins a reality.

a big thank you to all those lovely ones who have dropped by my blog this past year. your comments and encouragement brings a smile to my face. may 2014 bring you happiness and a chance to fulfil some of those hopes and dreams. x

lately.

my days of late..

working extra shifts. administrative rather than nursing. i'm enjoying the change.
completing my final assignment for the immunisation course. struggling a little bit to get motivated and get it finished though.
getting back into making yoghurt again after a couple of months of break. you can't beat homemade yoghurt drizzled with honey.
receiving some lovely parcels in the mail. pretty vintage linens from Meg and Johnson crockery from Kylie.
sunny yellow wattle blooms and milk glass, the perfect combination of winter sunshine. stems c/o a bit of friendly neighbourhood pruning.. inspired by Kylie.

how are you spending your days of late?

any friendly neighbourhood pruning?

10 little things

now i love getting to know more about my favourite bloggers through reading their posts.. so i thought i'd share 10 little things about me.

1. i dream of one day living on a little farm and opening a bed and breakfast/café/cooking school/homemade crafts business/local produce shop. all while raising a few kids and living as self-sufficiently as possible. i shall be busy.

2. after studying for three years to achieve a Bachelor of Nursing, my first year out was a bit of a shock to the system and had me questioning if i'd wasted my time at Uni - full-time shift work and some less than supportive colleagues and patients relatives. a change this year to working in a medical centre and i'm really enjoying this area of nursing and am glad I stuck it out for that first year.

3. i'm intrigued by permaculture. it all started back in 2008 when I completed certificate 4 in agriculture and was introduced to the topic. the whole concept is just amazing.

4. my first job was at a dairy farm milking cows. i loved it- being outdoors, getting to now each cows personality (yes they do have funny personalities and certain cows are first in the bails and some last every single milking), and having the middle part of each day between morning and evening milking to do whatever.

5. i love cooking and baking- pizzas, date loaf, banana cake, fried rice, pies, soup, roast dinners, Anzac biscuits, melting moments, choc self saucing pudding & brownies.

6. my favourite season is winter and my birthday falls right near the middle of this season. living in the Southern Tablelands I get to experience real winters too (compared to the mild coastal ones that i grew up with). i love the baking, the rugging up in layers, wearing boots and the frosty mornings.

7. my other half and i have been together since 2007. Darron was my first boyfriend and i was his first girlfriend. he proposed in 2010. there's no wedding date set as yet.

8. i'm a fairly shy person. i tend to stand back and let others do the talking. but once i get to know you i'm fairly chatty, and talk about whatever comes to mind.

9. i've always been into creative stuff. i learnt quilling with my great grandma. & did pottery lessons for a while (which i'd love to get back into one day). now i'm more into sewing cushions and bunting & a spot of watercolour painting.

10. i have a fair few collections- silver cutlery, Johnson plates, tea towels, vintage floral sheets, woollen blankets, suitcases, Pyrex dishes, milk glass & Little Golden Books.

do you have 10 little things that you'd like to share?

 

x

happenings.

three chooks became two this week. the smallest of the three became unwell: sitting on her own, no energy and within two days she died. she's buried under the apple tree. we really have no idea of the cause but we are missing her sweet little personality.

on the work front all is well. plenty of care plans, referrals, employment medicals and immunisations.

in other news it's been pretty quiet around home. i've cut out a third dress from an autumn inspired floral sheet but am yet to stitch it together. i've added some new op-shopped pieces to the decor: another vintage linen filled suitcase to the tower and some lovely woollen blankets. i also purchased a tan leather bag for $5 and it had its first outing today to the markets paired with jeans, thrifted coral hued shirt and my new moose and bird brooch. i'm still on the lookout for the perfect woollen cardigan to carry this outfit into winter.

as for the garden: the first beans are being harvested, they are deliciously crisp and sweet. none have made it into the kitchen yet, instead enjoyed standing next to the trellis enjoying the autumn sunshine on my back.

in the coming weeks i hope to get a bit more sewing done: more cushion covers and bunting, join in with the retro & vintage inspired: corner of my home link-up and share a collection of my collections with you.

what have you been up to this past week?

x

today.

after a few weeks of work worry (or worry of the lack there of). a couple of unsuccessful job applications later. and today it all changed.
a trial at a local doctors surgery with the most lovely staff. and i have myself:
a new job.
new opportunities.
new education possibilities.
new experiences.
in a positive, encouraging environment.
i really couldn't ask for much more.

i am so very much looking forward to starting.

x

for twenty thirteen.

Looking back on my list for 2012 i have been able to tick a fair few off...

 

get in the kitchen more

 

make some of my pinterest pins

 

 

design labels for my handmade pieces

 

 

get a worm farm (or two)

 

try macaroons

 

visit new op-shops

display my thrifted collections

 

 

& take more photos

 

Some remain medium/long term goals...

like building or renovating my own home

opening my own homemade business to sell my wares

holidaying in Tasmania

& keeping bees.

 

others have not been ticked off at all. full time, shift work sure played its part in this this..

attending farmers markets as often as I'd like

go camping

volunteering at an op-shop

& attending a permaculture design course.

 

 

for 2013 i'm aiming to:

slow it down a bit.. especially on the full time work front

eat more wholesome foods and expand my recipe base. the recent acquisitions of two river cottage cook books will be very helpful here

dress in more thrifted, vintage outfits

try my hand at crochet and knitting

&

keep up with this blog. with more give-aways and maybe a couple of tutorials too.

 

 

looking forward to seeing you all here in 2013

 

x

 

from 2012

To those who follow along here, who've stopped by, left kind and encouraging words throughout the year, a big thank you from me to you. This little space here brings such joy to my heart knowing that I am amongst like minded creative, baking, making, gardening, thrifting and photographing people.

2012 has seen...

 

a move to the central west of NSW

full-time work as a Registered Nurse

attending our first farm clearing sale

the first birthday of Zaranne Handmade

my 23rd birthday

plenty of thrifting

a bit of vintage floral sheet bunting and tea towel cushion sewing 

new kitchen toys to play with

beautiful book purchasing

new blog discovering

attempting to live more simply and sustainably 

a new vegie garden

first snow

the expansion of the milk glass, Pyrex, silver ware, floral sheet, LGB and Johnson ware collections

and a bit of relaxing with my favourite one in between

 

 

 

so thank you and may 2013 bring happiness and the realisation of hopes and dreams your way

x

curious

 

your thoughts please

 

 

wondering...

 

what you like seeing and reading about most here at Zaranne Handmade?

anything you'd like to see more of?

less of?

 

x