Hi!

I miss blogging! I want to be back here. No promises yet... I'll just see how I go. I never get to my computer these days, so I'm trying to figure out how to do this easily from my phone - so this is kind of a trial post. If it works and it's hassle free then I'll definitely get back into it!

I'm back...

Hello, I'm coming back to this space, yes, that's right, I'm going to do this again.
It has been so so long, my last post was... 'Isla is 7'! Well hellooo, she is fast approaching eight now Hanna! And I think, looking back, I only posted half a dozen times last year, what a measly effort!

But really, I think I have a good excuse, building a house and finding my feet homeschooling two kiddlies has kept me occupied enough. I just haven't had any time to even contemplate sitting down to write a blog post.

You may notice I have had a little spruce up around here, new layout and fonts etc, all freshened up for a fresh new start. While going through this process I have been looking back on some of my old posts, do you know I started this way back in 2008! It really doesn't seem like that long ago. The kids are so cute and little! Looking back on the old posts has reinforced to me that its a great idea to start blogging again. It's a neat record of the little things that we got up to.

Hello

Well here I am, finally! Sorry, I truly didn't mean to be gone for so long. There's probably nobody here to read this anymore. What can I say, life has been busy. Sad things, trips away, happy things, work, play, learning, growing.
And then there's just the fact of getting out of the routine of being here. So to get back into it, I'm thinking I might just post photos for a while, from the last almost two months that I've been away.
I hope you are all well, those of you who are still here to read this :)
xx
Hanna

Surprise! I'm back!

{Welcome home sign for Aaron returning from Italy}

Hi! I just checked, January 25th was the last time I posted, what! I really did not mean to be gone so long. I know you are all SO tired of reading 'Summer Gardening', I mean come on Craftykin, it's not even summer anymore! There has just been so much life going on, I just haven't made it back here, I don't really know where to start, so I think I just won't, lets just say there's been stuff, and lots of it. I think, to get myself slowly back into the routine of this, that for the next week I might just post a few photos that I've taken since I've been gone. And to anyone that's still here, thanks for not giving up on me :) xx

The realities

There are people, lovely friends of mine, who read my blog, and sometimes giggle. Because they come here, and there are sweet pictures of sweet angelic children, who help with baking and play together, and smile. And then I call them in the afternoon, and they hear screaming in the background, and I'm complaining, just a little bit, about how they are driving me BANANAS.
So do please know, because I feel like I need to say, just in case you don't, but of course I'm sure you do, but just as a reminder, that I do have normal children, and we do have a normal children filled house, where we all go, just a little bit BANANAS at times, and mum does get just a little bit yell-ey. And it's just that here, on this blog, I'd rather not dwell on the yell-ey bits, because really, I know you don't want to know about the yell-ey bits, but rather the baking and the crafting, and the lovely things. And when I come here, I take a deep breath and it's refreshing, and while my children are going wild I can think about and notice some of the nice things in our days and we can all smile :) That's what this space is all about.
Ha, as I end this sentence, my children have just come inside, not complaining or crying which has seemed the norm for this afternoon, but instead to show me the stale crackers that they are munching on which we earlier threw out to the birds. Hmmm.

Oh, and thankyou for all the remedy ideas in the last post, some great stuff, and I'm happy to say they are almost back to full health.

{Rainy day adventures}

Saying hi from the kitchen

I've just been pottering around in the kitchen, preparing dinner,
Jamie Oliver's Perfect Roast Chicken, for the first time,
I'm hoping of course that it's going to live up to it's name.
Kids are both sleeping (whoop! - Liam very rarely has day sleeps now).
I'm finally taking down that chamomile that has been strung up in the kitchen window drying. Perhaps I'll brew some up soon.
And I'm thinking about this here blog and that I really should post something one of these days. It seems like it's been such a big break and I've got all these Christmas and holiday kind of blog posts all a jumble in my head and I don't know where to start.
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So hey, here I am, In my kitchen, forgetting about all those holiday and Christmas kind of posts that never got written. And instead just saying "hello and I'm back" and lets get on with it and I might just share some bits and bobs of Christmas etc stuff later, maybe.
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Oh look there's some Christmas stuff creeping into this post after all.
New flour sifter (top one) and blue striped mustard pot from my sisters.
Oh and cute measuring spoons from mum (can you spy them hanging in two of the other photos).

Tiny Happy-ness

I've been meaning to show this little brooch I bought from Melissa of Tiny Happy. I love Melissa's sweet and natural style, the things she makes are pretty and delicate and simple. Isla has two pairs of her gorgeous baby shoes that she has worn so much.
I had the idea of making my mum a simple linen scarf for her birthday and I knew one of Melissa's little brooches would be the perfect partner for it. I had seen and loved her clover flower embroideries, so Melissa was kind enough to make me a little clover flower brooch. Melissa's freehand embroideries are just lovely, look at this one, and this one, and this one. They often inspire me to pick up needle and thread and give it a go myself, though I am yet to really do it, but I will, soon.



I meant to take a picture of mum wearing these while we were visiting, but of course I forgot. So this not so good photo I took in the mirror will have to suffice.

Pay it forward some more

I finally got around to sending out my pay-it-forward gifts just before we went away on our little holiday. I had such fun putting these parcels together. It's such a sweet thing to recieve a parcel in the mail with your name on it, and it's just as fun to send out little parcels of nice things to others, knowing that you might bring a smile to their face and a wee bit of happy to their day.

Writing out recipies while the kids played at the park. (The pinecones and acorn are from Isla).
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Christina and Tammy and Meghan have already started their pay it forward parcel sending. But if you pop over and visit Janelle's blog Heart Felt before Monday you might be able to join in with her. And keep an eye on Garden Mama for another chance to join in the giving and recieving fun.

I sent out:

Breadbags made out of teatowels and tablecloths. I'd been wanting to make some of these since I had seen Amanda's ones. I made a few for myself too.

Along with my favourite bread recipe.
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Yoyo brooches made with one of my favourite vintage fabrics and old buttons from my collection.

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Notebooks with covers made from the pages of old children's story books. They are stitched together with the sewing machine.

I made a couple of these for myself too. One has become my day-to-day lists, ideas and things to remember book. And the other has become my grocery book with shopping lists, price comparisons, recipies to try and monthly spending. They are proving very useful indeed.

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Now I'm thinking after writing this, that it would be rather nice to send parcels in the mail more often, just for the simple joy of parcel sending. Because it really is such fun.

Handmade Home

I've been meaning to share some of my favourite projects from Handmade Home.

If you're thinking of buying it, I think you should. There are lots of great projects, and inspiration, and some good reading too. And I just love what the book is all about - handmade, thrifting, repurposing, family and home, using what you have, creating.

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The beach blanket just below is the first thing I'm making. I'm choosing and cutting my pieces of fabric at the moment.

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Lovely swapsie

Look at the lovely parcel I received last week from Shelley of Lovely Sweet William, lovely indeed.

I was lucky enough to participate in a little swapsie with her. The theme was something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue. I just love everything that I received. See the close up of the neat old french knitting spool and the jewelery below. And if you're wondering what the paper circles are, it's paper garland, I'll have to find somewhere fun to hang this.

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You can see the parcel Shelley received from me on her blog here. (There are some photos I took before I sent it here.)

It was such fun putting a little package together. And such fun receiving a lovely package in the mail! Don't you just love mail like this!

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A photo a day :: 10

Crafty Kin turned one

And I didn't even make a cake, or sing happy birthday. In fact I didn't even remember! It was last friday a year ago that I started out on this little blog adventure. And what fun it has been. It really has helped me to slow down in my days and notice and appreciate some of the little things - which was kind of my intention.
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And the best thing about this blog is all you people who stop in and say hi. Those that I know well, and the new friends I have made out in the big wide blog world.
And you know a neat thing, I even met one of my readers about a month ago. She lives just down the road! We take our littlies to the same music group. It was so funny, she figured out who I was by the skirt I was wearing! It felt so strange to meet a stranger that's not really a stranger at all. I kind of feel like I've known her for ages even though I've only just met her. And how nice to connect with such a sweet lovely lady (look at the sweet things she gave me).
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So anyway, it's been fun. And it's nice now looking back on the last year and remembering some of the things we did and some of the things we made, and seeing how much the children have grown. I'm looking forward to seeing what this year might bring. I do hope you will pop in and say hi from time to time.
xx
Hanna

Making yoghurt

I used to make this yoghurt every week, but it's been a while since I've made some.
Now I remember how yummy it is it may become a regular thing again.
You don't need any special equipment to make this, just a big jar, a blanket to wrap it in and a warm spot to rest it in.


I like mine sprinkled with a little mascovado sugar.
Or with some homemade jam stirred through.

:: Homemade yoghurt ::

- 3 Tbsp greek yoghurt
- 400 ml cold water
- 300 ml boiling water
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 2 cups milk powder

Put all ingredients in a warmed 1 litre glass jar and mix thoroughly. I usually don't add all the water at once so that I can put the lid on and give it a good shake making sure it's all thoroughly mixed, then add the remaining water.
Put the lid back on and wrap the jar up really well in a big woollen blanket.
Leave it in the hot water cupboard for 5 hours.
Then into the fridge to chill before eating.


Here's mine almost all eaten already.

You can use a bit of the leftover to start the next batch. I only tend to do this once though for food safety reasons, just in case bad things start growing or something. Whereas the store bought yoghurt is pasterised. But I'm no expert, do what you feel comfortable with.
** Edit ** You can freeze tablespoons of the yogurt in ice cube trays and then use these to start your next batch, just make sure they are defrosted first as the frozen cubes will affect the temperature of your mix.

** Edit ** If the yoghurt comes out runny it means it hasn't worked. It should be really thick, almost jelly-like. The problem is probably that your cupboard is not warm enough. I have had this happen sometimes in winter on a cold day. Your jar should still feel quite warm after the 5 hours is up.

Take your time...

Another 'cheating' post linking to someone elses blog!

But it just had to be done.

You really should read this post.

I won't say anything more because I think she says it so well.

I will be back tomorrow with some finished crafting to show - finally.

eta - make that Monday. It's Friday already! Wishing you a happy weekend.

My favourite little girl on our favourite little beach

Fun for nothin'

Just a quick post to say look what I found...



Click on it.
Just what I've been thinking and talking about.

Hello

Ok, well here we are, hello
(What do I write for my first post?!)

I have this picture framed and hanging on the wall in the entrance of our little home. This is us - though none of us really look like this, but anyway - I think this picture sums us up - though Aaron doesn't smoke a pipe. If you check in on this blog you will probably see a lot about the crafty things I am making plus a fair bit of the kids - which the out of town (and country) grandparents will appreciate I'm sure.

I'm hoping for it to be a journal of sorts of this time in our life, the simple day to day things we get up to and the goings on in our home, the sort of things that will be long forgotten about in a few years if we don't write them down.

The picture by the way is from the inside cover of a childrens book I found at the opp shop. Farmer Barnes Buys a Pig by John A Cunliffe, the illustrations are by Carol Barker.