5 February 2016

Weekend reading

In 2011, the Australian Women's Weekly visited us at home to take photos for a feature article they did on me. In one of the photos, I was standing in the garden holding a chicken, a barred Plymouth rock girl called Lulubelle. She was four or five years old when the photo was taken and she happily sat in my arms for a long time while the photos were taken. She was a gentle girl, a good layer and a real character. Sadly, Lulubelle died last week after living with us for about ten years. RIP Lulu.
I had my eyes tested a couple of weeks ago and decided to treat myself to a pair of new frames. I'm sure they're not everyone's cup of tea but I like them. If you can't make out the pattern, they're tiny flowers. :- )
- - - ♥︎ - - -

This is an amazing video of how you can use bulldog clips to organise yourself.
Don't know how to use the feet on your sewing machine? watch this.
10 foods to make from scratch to save money
Meals for less than £2 a head? Impossible ... isn’t it?
The health benefits of knitting
Baby's peasant dress free pattern

And over on the forum:
Learn to build a stockpile with me, written by one of our wonderful moderators, Kristy.  Join in this discussion on how and what to stockpile. It also includes where to store your stockpile, stock rotation, pantry moths, putting aside money for stockpiling and why you might consider starting to stockpile.

You can stockpile fabric and craft items too and sometimes it can get out of control. Don't ask me how I know that. If you've been trying to get rid of some of your fabric then this is the thread for you: Fabric stash busting: February 2016.  Started by our moderator Nannachel, it's a fun thread with a range of projects you might make to use some of your supplies. And as usual, there is plenty of support and encouragement along the way.

I hope you have a relaxed weekend ahead. Thanks for your visits this week. I'll see you again on Monday. 


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40 comments

  1. I love your new glasses - they look great on you! Sorry about your little Lulu - it's always so sad to lose a furry or feathered friend.

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  2. Hi Rhonda!

    LOVE your new look! [glasses and hairstyle!]

    I really appreciate your list, “The blogs I read”. As I recuperate, I am sitting, visiting some of them that sound interesting, and getting many new ideas to add to the long list I already have from you. What a great way to start to new year! Many thanks!

    Wishing you, your family and all your endeavours all the best in the year ahead.

    csa

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  3. I'm so sorry you've lost Lulu. Ten years is a long time to love an animal.

    I love your glasses! I think the shape and color suit you.

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  4. So sorry about Lulubelle,I've only had my girls for a short time, and Id be so upset if something happened to them. Your glasses look great, really suit your face. Have a great day.x

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  5. Sorry for your loss of Lulubelle, Rhonda.

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  6. I love the glasses! I have not seen anything half so cute here in the USA where most of the choices are heavy and black right now.

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  7. Love your glasses.
    So sorry to hear about Lulubelle. I'm reading other comments and I sound like an echo.
    Thank you for the weekend reading.

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  8. I love your new glasses! They are gorgeous and very cheerful. :) I have just ordered new glasses as my prescription has changed, I now need bi-focals and an increase in strength. I choose pink/grey frame I think? I cant remember! I fell in LOVE with some funky green sunglasses frames, but alas the frame was more $200 more expensive and I went with the plainer, more sensible, budget friendly option....which is very nice....but you know....not green! Good on you for going with the fun option! :) I LOVE them!

    So sorry to hear about dear Lulu, our animals are such an important part of our lives.

    Much love.

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  9. Those are great 'windows'!!!
    Margaret P

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  10. I LOVE the new specs! They are exciting, youthful, and, most of all, fun! I have been wanting purple ones... perhaps I need to do that after seeing how adorable yours are!

    My Maggie Rabbit came and you are right; she is wonderful! I can't wait to start her!

    Have a grand weekend!

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  11. Sorry to hear about your little chook. Sounds like she had a long and happy life. And the glasses really suit :)

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  12. I love, love, love your glasses Rhonda. So cheery looking. That is a shame to lose your lovely Lulubelle.

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  13. Hi Rhonda,
    Love your new glasses. They look good on you! Sorry to hear about Lulubelle, take care xxx
    LH

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  14. Love them! So sorry about your wee chook, what a faithful friend. Have a lovely weekend.

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  15. Love your new glasses, Rhonda..you go girl!!!
    Looking good!

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  16. Sorry to hear about Lulubelle.
    Your glasses suit you well - a bit of colour in our life is lovely.
    You have such a young face!

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  17. Love your new glasses Rhonda Jean. They really suit you.

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  18. Those are awesome frames! They look so fab on you!

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  19. sorry to hear about Lulubelle Rhonda, wow 10yrs is a long time for chooks, i have 2 that are only now just past the 5yr mark, hoping they stay around for a little longer yet.
    your glasses are adorable! so original!
    thanx for sharing
    selina from kilkivan qld

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  20. Your new glasses are great; they suit you very well and I think they reflect your spirit.
    Cheers,

    Jeanneke.

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  21. Sorry about your loss. We bought a lovely new hen today and called her Neville after the shopowner. Once he heard we were replacing a hen that was taken by a fox in broad daylight, he offered to come and quickly dispose of any foxes we caught in our new trap. We will remember his name for sure now! Sadly in Australia they don't belong and are a menace, especially to the native animals
    Your glasses are very nice.

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  22. Rhonda sorry for your loss, its hard losing one of our animals. I cried when my favorite chicken passed away, glad it wasn't me who found her. I love your new hair cut and I adore your new glasses, I have tried in the past with different colors, but my coloring wont allow it, I look dreadful. Have a great weekend. Guida

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  23. I want those glasses Rhonda! I'll bet you will have people stopping you every time you go out, to ask where you bought them. Perhaps you should just tell us all here where you got them. ;) That was a good innings from Lulubelle. I'd love to see that feature that was in the Women's Weekly all those years ago. Is it possible to find it anywhere?

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    1. I'm sure that magazine is lurking in a thousand doctors' surgeries, Sally, but you can also read it and see the photo here: http://www.aww.com.au/latest-news/in-the-mag/why-we-crave-the-simple-life-2028

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    2. Ooooh thank you! By the way, I forgot to ask if this photo of you, with new glasses and hairdo, will be your new profile picture. Such a perfect pic of you in a pensive pose. :) X

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    3. I have a better photo with new hairdo and fabulous glasses that I'll put up later. At the moment I'm trying to book accommodation for our book tour. It's a nightmare. I'm sure the photo will be up soon.

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  24. Love the glasses, my type of style too.
    Poor Lulubelle, I'm sure she had a good life with you.

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  25. Such a nice story about Lulubelle! Love those glasses. I want a pair in blue.

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  26. I love the glasses, too, and have admired your selections through the years. They suit you well!

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  27. It's always sad to lose a chicken that has been with you for a while. They are such characters and as they age they seem to develop those characters even more, making them very special little feathered friends to have, so sorry for you loss.

    Oh and I think your glasses are lovely :-)

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  28. Sorry about Lulu! I had to give up my chickens when we moved into town 15 years ago and I still miss them! - I always enjoy your weekend readings - and just laughed through the bull dog clips! We use dozens and dozens of them both here in the shop as well as at home. They are stronger and much more compact than so called 'chip clips'. There are actually pictures of them on my shop facebook page - holding large quilts in a window display. Have a great weekend!

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  29. Hello! I'd love to join your forum but your Captcha thingy keeps flashing up "Site Owner Error" and I can't get past it.
    All the best,
    Michele

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    1. Sorry about that Michele. Try this: empty your cache, reboot your computer and try to register when you come back online. That has helped a few people.

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  30. Love the new frames, Rhonda. They are a lot of fun! I recently got new glasses, too. They were what I was hoping for and I should be set now for many, many years. I like the picture of you with a bit of lipstick on...really cute and it suits you.

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  31. Those frames really suit you, they are such fun! Your weekend reading hit the spot for me, I have been meaning to find out about all the different sewing machine feet I keep reading out.....your link was perfect!

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  32. *LOVE* those new frames! So cute and fun. :)

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  33. You have just perfectly described how I feel about my home. I'm an introvert at heart. While I love to be surrounded by family, I'm not much into the hustle and bustle that so many others thrive on.

    Tammy and Parker
    www.simplypreparing.com

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  34. RIP Lulu. I remember that photo so well. I was sitting at work flicking through the magazine and that very picture of you and your chook stopped me in my tracks. It started my whole new simple life journey and changed me forever. Living this life has given me such meaning and direction which I'm sure will be passed onto my children. So thankyou Lulu (and you Rhonda) you've made such a change in my family and my life. All from a little picture x

    Rebecca

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    1. Wow, that's amazing. Thanks for telling me your story, Rebecca.

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