It's a funny time of year, isn't it? Neither here nor there, but in between somewhere.

We haven't left the farm for days.

We've been doing jobs, reading books, making pom-poms, gardening, creating yummy things to eat and spending hours and hours cooking elaborate tea parties in the cubby-house.

And I've finally started my rag rug.

A few weeks ago I spied a bag full of old colourful tee-shirts in the hall-way at my farmer boy's folks house. I quickly intercepted their path to the shed to become rags, by claiming they were exactly what I needed for my next craft project.

So for the past few weeks we've had a bag full of old tees outside the doorway of our bedroom. Waiting.

I must admit, I do have other bags and piles of future craft project materials stashed around the house. At one stage I had such great intentions for all of them. Mostly I'm still hopeful for some of them. But time marches on and new crafty plans are hatched along the way.

But this bag of tees called out to me each time I passed. And I found myself looking longingly back at it as if to reassure it and myself that I hadn't forgotten. I was just waiting for the perfect chunk of time.

Yesterday was that time.

Yesterday I dragged a big old quilt outside under the shade of the oak tree and started cutting. I knew that if I began looking through books or online tutorials that I'd get distracted and the moment would be lost. So I cut what looked like one inch strips and using a 10mm hook, I started crocheting around and around. Increasing six stitches each round.

To be honest, I'm not certain at this stage that I even like the look of it. I've spent so many hours staring at it that I can't even see it anymore. But I like doing it. I like the rhythm of it. I like the thought of giving something old a new life. I like how Jo Jo the dog keeps me company on my quilt. And I really like how quiet my mind is as my hands are busily  hooking around in circles. It's fun.

And in the end, if I like it I'll bring it inside, and if I don't, the girls can have it for the cubby. Win-win!

So how are you anyway?
What have you been busily creating?

See you next year!

Love Kate xx

Today I decided to start the day with a trip to the community op shop. Let's let the op shop decide what we do with our day I told her. Let's listen for clues to how we should spend our time.

So we went. And we looked around. And we chatted to our friends working there and our friends also looking for treasures. And we found one Fowlers jar, some chalk, a fairy costume, a tapestry cushion and right up the back of the toy section we found a gorgeous, old, beaten up Cadbury tin filled with bits of crayons.

We quickly paid up our one dollar for the lot and scooted home.

We took the labels off the crayons and broke them into small pieces.

And then Miss Pepper carefully divided the crayon bits into a muffin pan.

And then we cooked them for about 10 minutes in a moderate oven (see I'm all old school cooker these days).

We made one batch by cooking them straight in the moulds but we had trouble getting them out, so the next batch we used patty pans. If you are going to make some of your own I recommend the patty pan method, so much easier and so much less mess.

Also, I think I left our first lot in a bit too long and they ended up quite brown on the bottom. The second time we did it I checked on them often and took them out of the oven as soon as they had melted, but before they became too soupy. The second batch were much brighter and better.

And then we drew and drew and drew.

Do you remember those coloured pencils that changed colour as you drew and twisted them? Just like that. So much fun.

It does seem kinda strange to make crayons from crayons, but they were scrappy old crayons and the journey of making our own multi coloured crayons was ace fun.

I'm super excited for the big girls to come home and play.

Have you ever made your own crayons from crayons?
Do you think we could make candles the same way but with a wick in the middle?
Have you found any treasures at the oppy/thrift shop lately?
What did you do today?

Later dudes. x

PS. For all those that asked on my last post; to the left of the Esse wood cooker we have the companion cooker which has a gas cook top and an electric oven. For hot summer days, for when we are lazy or in a rush, for when we get home late, for when we need more than two ovens.