PYO - Pick Your Own (fruit) in Auckland

Hey - we picked our own! (Massey Orchard, Auckland.) I must admit it wasn't just for the children. I had just read about making your own jam, and I wanted practice. But it was a really really great family activity. (And zero plastic container waste was involved!)

They should call it "Find your own" though, not pick your own. Most of the fun comes from trying to find the ripe strawberries amidst the plants. It's a challenge!

We picked two moderately full boxes, as you can see above. They weren't cheap - it came to $80 (NZ).

But it was worth it.

Knitting

While camping I actually finally had time to knit (all the time). It was so fun! Making a baby blanket for my best friend's new baby in Canada gave me a reason to learn enough basic skills.

The beanie at the top is my first ribbing (2 knit, 2 pearl) and addition of colour. I had found a bag of wool at an op shop. There was very fine natural coloured wool - which I thought would work with bright colours as highlights.

I ended up making a stingray for Troy after making a filler piece for the back of that beanie that resembled a stingray. (The construction of the beanie was guessed at as I didn't follow a pattern - now I know how I would do it next time - more like the hourglass shape, one piece, sewn together afterwards at the sides. This beanie needed a filler piece.) Stingrays are very 2D anyways. But when I made Luke a snapper, sewing on knitted triangles at the side made the fish more 3D shaped.

Pilgrim Threads from the Gypsy Fair

We got these beautiful dresses from the Gypsy Fair that came to Orewa in November. (If you are looking for them, look for "Gypsy Fair Original" on http://www.eventfinder.co.nz/ - as they are still travelling all over the North Island of NZ for a few more months. The dresses were made by "Pilgrim Threads". Like the other gypsy fair craftspeople, their products are not sold online. You have to find them in real life at the fairs. I love how I actually feel beautiful and comfortable in them - unlike clothes from the mall, that have the "I feel too ugly and fat for these clothes" effect.

Fun Sewing Project for kids

This is an idea I had from how children learn to draw by giving them a piece of paper and pencil. They learn by drawing anything they wanted. What if you gave kids a big needle and yarn or thick cotton thread, and they had a little circle stretcher (embroidery hoop) to hold the cloth, and they could "doodle" with the needle?

When I tried it though, it was fantastic, but free sewing wasn't the natural outcome. I drew something simple with pencil, and they sewed around it with the big needle and thread. They loved it.

The end result looks good, it's simple, and they learn how to sew. You just need the little hoop - mine was at a local craft store called Ike's Emporium - any craft shop should have these in plastic or wood for embroidery. Mine was $3 NZ. Almost any cloth will do, especially cotton. (I used an old Canadian flour sack.)

By the way - I suggest large needles and thick thread of whatever fibre (e.g. cotton, wool) you wish in general for mending and hand sewing projects. It's simpler, far more desirable - not fiddly. It's satisfying. Better a readily available solid string and big needle than no mending and sewing at all.

Camping at Great Barrier Island

Ah, the simplicity of camping.


We just went camping on beautiful Great Barrier Island. Camping reconnects me with nature, and the way we used to live in it.

Such as the real energy required to clean dirty clothing!

After the rushed city life, disconnected from energy to do things, from the natural environment itself, from having time...it was bliss to have that time.

Baking Soda Fun

Did you know that baking soda actually does a better job than alot of bottled chemical cleaners?

For ceramic stove tops (bench tops), you are supposed to use a certain, exact product - and none other - that they sell just for use on ceramic stoves. But baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) actually works better.

Sprinkle a small pile on and grab a wet cloth (rag). The wet cloth will turn the baking soda into a paste - which will wear away any burnt on material on the stove's surface without damaging it. Try it!

Baking soda also gets permanent marker off smooth surfaces...just get alot of baking soda, eh.

How to completely avoid disposable meat packaging at the grocery store.

I finally did it! I secretly needed to get the videocamera fixed so I could share some of the things I have been doing - start doing some Youtube videos.

I really like the Dale Projects signature clip at the end.