Monday, December 11, 2017

candle making.

a few months ago now, i was very generously offered to try a candle making kit, from the crafty candle supplies company based in melbourne.

flat lay showing everything in the kit, wicks, tin, soy flakes, thermometer, fragrances and a jug

i was so excited to give it a try when it arrived, and then, of course, didn't get a good run at it for a couple of weeks.

weighing out the soy wax on a st of scales

when i finally had some time up my sleeve (thank you nap time gods!) i had such a great time! who'd have known making candles would be so easy!? and it was a bunch of fun too!
i do love to try my hand at new things, and it was so ace that the kit came with everything you needed!

setting up for pouring candles, wicks stuck to the bottom of the tins, and threaded through an icy pole stick to keep them still

now the question is... do i use my newly made candles at home? or give them away as gifts this christmas??
decisions decisions he he!

the tins after having wax poured into them, now to wait for them to set

have you ever tried your hand at candle-making? what's your favourite candle fragrance?

Monday, December 4, 2017

green love.

well, well, well... not surprisingly, it's been an age since i last took you on a stroll through the greenery round these parts... needless to say, there's a fair bit more going on than last time he he.

anywho, on with the showing and telling!

a picking of broad beans, bundles in the apron of my dress

the broad beans have been doing their thing, and we've gotten quite the pickings from them... lots eaten for dinners and lunches, and quite a few going into the freezer too!
will enjoy those once the very short broad bean season is over.

the garlic is looking rather splendid.

masses of garlic plants in the ground, ready to come up

won't be long before that's up and out of the ground, drying out and ready to keep us stocked up for the year ahead. have missed having it on hand the last month or so!
must remember to preserve some for the couple of months we'll be without.

the carrots haven't taken so well unfortunately...

three lonely carrot plants in a swather of open dirt

a couple of years ago, i had such luck with a fantastic carrot crop, but haven't been able to replicate it since... will keep trying though... love being able to go out and pick carrots as needed!

the snow peas have been quite generous this year...

a perfect snow pea, growing on the plant

they're just THE perfect snack. as well as the sugar snap peas we grew alongside them... delicious!

i managed to grow a single perfect cauliflower.

cauliflower growing, surrounded by green leaves

just one, from the half a dozen plants i put in...
not too worried, as i'm not actually the biggest fan of the cauliflower he he. was fun to try though!

feeling a little disappointed with the fruit trees this year to be honest... so much gorgeous blossom, but not a lot of fruit!

green baby plums on the tree baby pears on the tree

well a little fruit as you can see above, but not the masses that we were lucky enough to have set last year...
it's all in the weather though, and i think we got some truly rotten stuff just as the bees were needed to do their thing...
oh well, better luck next year!

my next garden update mightn't be for a while, but it should be of a quite different space, stay tuned!

what are you growing at your place at the moment?