Hello Autumn!

Once again, my favourite time of year has come around. The searing heat of Summer is dying down, and the light is becoming hazy and golden. Summer seems like almost a second hibernation period here in Australia. Plants don't grow very much due to the lack of water and the heat, and even with regular watering, several of my plants died. Now, the world is starting to come to life again. The grass is starting to grow green and lush, and the plants are daring to put out new shoots. I'm coming out of hibernation too. I've felt sluggish the last few months, hiding inside in the air conditioning, only going out as necessary to water the poor plants. I'm eager now to get back outside for the enjoyment of it. I want to go for walks, dig around in the garden, pick the last of the roses.


Here are some things I'm looking forward to in Autumn:

tea
I've been drinking Yerba Mate tea every day for my health, but as the weather gets cooler, I want to drink a lot more! I've decided to collect teapots, tins and other tea accessories, and I'm in the process of setting up a display and storage area for them. It's time for the yearly re-organisation of my tea cupboard, too.

rain
There's nothing more wonderful than hearing rain on the roof and smelling it soak into the earth. I can almost feel the plants and trees sighing in relief when the first good rainstorm of Autumn comes.

scarves
Scarves, shawls and pashminas are wonderful for adding a bit of extra warmth, and giving outfits more of a layered look without committing to a full garment. There's an almost infinite choice of colours, patterns, textures and styles -- and they're easy to DIY!

See this post for the making of this scarf.
Technically a shawl. Never mind that, though.

baking
I've been itching to start using the oven again! Not only to make baked goods, but for hotpots and stews. Husband and I learned how to make baked potatoes in the slow cooker last year and they're delicious. And of course there's my favourite: sausage rolls!

mystical things
As the seasons turn towards the darker half of the year, my mind takes on a more mystical bent. I've been feeling it more than ever in the past year. Autumn is the best time for reaching through the veil, shadow work and divination. I want to start honouring the environment I live in and celebrate at the appropriate times for me. Therefore, I'll be doing Halloween in April. Northern hemisphere be darned! (Just kidding, I love you NH folks!)

Happy Autumn and/or Spring!

My Tips for KonMari De-Cluttering, Part 2

Here is Part 2 of my Tips for KonMari De-Cluttering series. See here for Part 1!


＊ do I want a better version of this?
I love books. In fact, I'd categorise myself as a book collector. When I was younger, I bought many of the classics in cheap editions just so I could tick them off the 'read' list. I kept most of them out of habit, thinking I would read them again one day. Over time, I began to realise that these books, the stories that were special to me, deserved better. Now, once I've finished reading a cheap edition, I donate it, and if I want to re-read it and keep it forever, then I buy a hardback edition. Perhaps even one with illustrations or gold lettering. As much as I love books and want to have ALL the books, in this age of digital replications and ease of access, sometimes it's about quality, not quantity.

＊ would I buy this?
I've found this question useful in many situations when I was agonising about whether to keep something or not. Ask yourself: if I was standing in a shop right now and I saw this item for sale, would I buy it? I found this especially useful for gifts that people have given me. It gave me a sense of clarity. Instead of thinking about the person who gave it to me and being distracted by guilt, it helps me to think about my own personal tastes and how I feel towards the item itself.

＊ I just don't like it!
Many of the things we own are there for practical reasons -- things we have to live with whether we like it or not. Cleaning products, tools, and financial papers fall under this category. If these things don't spark joy, but we can't discard them, then how can we move forward with the KonMari process? Marie Kondo addressed this question in a talk a couple of years ago. She said that if something doesn't spark joy initially, think about what it does for you or what it will lead to for you. For example, cleaning products make your house cleaner and more pleasant to live in. The student who asked this question during the talk hated her textbooks, but Marie reminded her to think about what her studies will lead to in the future.

＊ alternatives to keeping it
In some cases, you can discard things if there's an alternative way of accessing it. This is especially relevant to books, papers and information. I asked myself: "Can I access my archived electricity bills online?" "If I ever want to re-read this book, is it on Open Library?" "Do I just want the pictures from this magazine?" "Will I ever have time to read this newspaper or can I access the same articles on their website?"


＊ it's joyful but not useful!
I found that I had many items I loved, but I didn't have any use for them. I didn't want to part with them just because of that, so I tried to find ways to re-purpose, re-use or re-make them. I used a vase for growing sweet potatoes. I glued ephemera such as ticket stubs and brochures into my art diary. I used a leaky mug as a pencil cup. A biscuit tin I was given for Christmas now holds knitting supplies. I'm sure there are endless ways of re-purposing items.

＊ it's not actually minimalism
This is more clearing up a misconception than an actual tip. The KonMari method is not minimalist! I think many people have this idea because the 'after' photos of homes tend to have a lot less stuff in them than the 'before' photos. (Well, a lot less visible stuff, anyway!) But nowhere does the method say you should throw away X amount of items or keep X amount. Marie merely says that you should keep all of the items that spark joy -- no matter how many or how few. This differs from person to person, and she acknowledges that. So if you were worried that the method involves throwing away things you really want to keep, it doesn't! It's all about what makes you happy, not how many/few things you have.

I'll leave you with a couple of photos of my shed. We're slowly re-organising it to become the storage hub of our dreams. Perhaps I'll write a shed makeover post one day!

My Tips for KonMari De-Cluttering, Part 1

Now that the world has gone crazy again for Marie Kondo's KonMari tidying method, thanks to her recent Netflix TV series, I thought I'd share some insights from my own KonMari 'journey'. To be fair, I'm only about three-quarters of the way through my KonMari process, but I've done all the major categories and have discovered some things that have definitely helped me along the way. Perhaps they'll help you, too. I actually had so many tips that I've decided to split this post into two parts. You might also like to have a look at my other posts: 8 Reasons Why I like the KonMari Method and more tips in Re-Starting My KonMari Quest.


＊ allow plenty of time
Laying out everything you own and sorting it takes a lot of time. I consistently found that sorting and discarding took a lot longer than I thought it would. Sorting my beauty and bath products alone took me a whole afternoon! With the more emotionally-charged items, I find I have to stop and take a break during the discarding process to avoid feeling overwhelmed. I found that I really hated leaving a category undone at the end of a day. Not only is it messy, but there was a huge sense of something unfinished looming over my head.

Don't forget, you will also need to store the items that you've decided to keep. Finding the best way to store your items (finding a place in the house, obtaining boxes or baskets to keep them in) takes time as well. The next point should help with this!

＊ divide into smaller categories
The categories that Marie specifies are extremely broad. In fact, there are only five: clothes, books, papers, komono (miscellaneous) and sentimental items. Break them down into subcategories. And then break them down again if you need to! At first I divided my clothes into tops, pants, skirts, etc. Then I found that I had over 100 tops alone and nearly had a mental breakdown! So I divided the tops into long sleeve, short sleeve and tank tops. I find that I tend to wear them in different circumstances, e.g. long sleeve tops only in Winter, tank tops only under overshirts, etc. Thinking about each of these types of tops separately was a huge help in deciding which ones I liked the most. Remember, you don't have to work on or finish all of these sub-categories in one day.

* customise your categories
Depending on what you have, you may need to create your own categories, too. As an artist and crafter, I had a whole set of categories devoted to those supplies: paint, brushes, yarns, knitting needles, crochet hooks, etc. Some other categories I have that other people might not need are: bonsai pots, fridge magnets, washi tapes and tea tins.


＊ don't double-handle
When I first began tidying, I created a 'donation' pile and a 'keep' pile (and sometimes a 'bin' pile depending on the category). After I finished sorting, I would then put the items into bags. However, I found that touching the items again made me second-guess my decisions and hesitate. To avoid this, I started setting up bags for each pile before I began. I put any discarded items in the bag straight away. I didn't have to see or touch the items again before taking them to the donation bin, and it make the whole process faster and less emotionally taxing.

＊ do-overs!
Don't be afraid to go through a category more than once. In fact, you may find that you'll have to, as more of that item will keep cropping up. The very first thing that I KonMari'ed was my socks. As I kept going through the rest of my stuff though, I kept finding more socks! Husband and I had used clothes and socks as packing material when we moved house. So as I unpacked boxes, more and more socks kept turning up. I ended up KonMari'ing my socks three times, and re-doing their storage twice. It's worth the effort to make sure your home is exactly the way you want it.

My February

February was a month of contrasts for me. I got a job halfway through the month, so I left behind much of the time I had for doing arts and crafts. Weather-wise, it's been much hotter than normal for this time of year. Usually there are only a few days above 35oC (95oF) by the time we get to February, but this year there have been many. I'm looking forward to Autumn more than ever this year!


What I've been working on ...
Work has been continuing apace on my art project, a crocheted blanket. I put off measuring it for a long time because I was worried it wasn't as big as I'd like it to be at this stage. I finally did measure it though: it's 180cm wide and 130cm long. At the moment it's a bit of an odd shape. Ideally I'd like it to be at least 180-200cm long, but that depends on how much time and energy I have to work on it before the due date. I was in too much of a hurry to get proper photos of the whole blanket, sorry about that. It's hard to take photos of something so big without a ladder!

What I've been sorting ...
Like nearly everyone else (it seems!), I've been influenced by Marie Kondo's Netflix TV series and have renewed my KonMari de-cluttering journey. I decided to KonMari my fridge magnets. Husband and I have quite a large collection, most of which were stuffed into a bag when we moved house and never unpacked. We always buy at least one magnet when we travel and sometimes to art exhibitions, and a few friends have given some to us, too. It brought back some lovely memories. I'd forgotten I had so many pretty magnets.

What I've been blending ...
I made my first spiritual oil this month. I'm leaving it to blend for a month, so I won't know how it went for another few weeks. See this post on my other blog for more about it.

What I've been cooking ...
I made a stir fry earlier in the month and realised that it was perfect for Lunar New Year. Pork for the Year of the Pig, long noodles for longevity, plus the noodles are golden for prosperity. The photo wasn't pretty enough for Instagram, so I've put it here. Though now I come to think of it, I was the one who first started the #allfoodisinstaworthyfood hashtag, so perhaps that's a little hypocritical of me!

What my cat has been doing ...
For some reason Sharick has decided to make the towels shelf in the bathroom his new hidey hole. It's very cute, but all the towels will need to be re-washed at some point.

Selections from Instagram

Actually I never posted this flower to my Instagram, so enjoy the blog-exclusive, hehe

EarthFriendly #3 : How I Re-Use Glass Jars

As part of my endeavours in the last few years to be more eco-aware, I've started re-using glass jars much more, and more mindfully. Here are some of the ways I use them.

1. Holding Food and Tea
All sizes of jar are perfect for holding dry foodstuffs and tea. The glass allows you to see what's inside. I especially love the giant jars that pickled cucumbers come in. If I can't remember how the food is cooked (or even what it is with some of the more exotic ones!), then I cut the instructions out of the packaging and stick them to the lid of the jar with some blutac or doubled-over sticky tape. Just a word of warning -- if the jar originally contained strong-smelling contents such as chilli or garlic, it might be difficult to get rid of the original smell. Do not use these jars for storing food or the smell may contaminate it.

2. Growing Cuttings
My favourite way of using glass jars! I've found I need to change the water once every couple of days for the cuttings to thrive. Maybe I'll do a full blog post on it soon.

3. Storing Craft Supplies
Any kind of jar that still has its lid is great for storing craft supplies. They can also serve an aesthetic purpose by allowing you to see your pretty beads, buttons, etc as well.

4. Making Spiritual Oils
I've recently become interested in making oil blends, and small jars are perfect for this. I can experiment with making small batches, and the glass is a good conductor for warming the oils.

5. Candle Holders
Certain shapes of jars are great for candle holders. You can even wedge a taper candle into the top of a wine bottle if you want to go full 1970s. If you want a holder with some wind protection, use a tall jar with a votive candle in it. Just make sure you have matches long enough to reach down into the jar to light the candle.

6. BONUS! Vases
Vases are just one of those things that I've never felt a need for in my home. Both Husband and I are allergic to fresh flowers, and we don't like artificial ones. Occasionally though, I might want to display some flowers, herbs etc that I've dried for a while before I use them. Here are some rose canes that I collected last time I was pruning and dried out in the sun. I've popped them in a pasta sauce jar that's lost its lid until I decide what to do with them.

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Review: Catwalk: Tales from the Cat Show Circuit

Catwalk: Tales from the Cat Show Circuit is a 2018 documentary produced by Netflix. This feature-length documentary follows a year on the Canadian cat show circuit. Kim and her cat Bobby, a sleek and playful white Turkish Angora, are competitive and used to winning. There's a new contender on the circuit, though: Shirley and her cat Oh La La. A long-haired Red Persian, Oh La La causes a sensation wherever she goes. While it's hard to see any personality under that mountain of fluff, her impeccably groomed coat impresses every judge.

To properly compete in cat shows, owners must travel all over Canada and attend every show, big and small, in order to collect enough points for the end-of-year tally. There are various categories to win in, but the most coveted is Best in Breed. Often, no-one knows until the last show of the year which cat will win. Different owners take different attitudes to the competition, with some like Kim obsessively adding up the points each cat earns to compare them to her own (she has 3 cats in competition that year), while others just want to show off their precious babies and don't care if they win or not.

The principles and procedure of the showing and judging is explained, along with the measures required to care for the cats. There's the regular routine of travel, display and judging, but incidents also happen. Cats will be cats, and there are scratches and furballs at times.

The documentary also takes the time to highlight the stories of several other showers. One competitor is a young woman with autism, who finds the atmosphere of the cat show a helpful way to communicate with others. Another is a dedicated and caring breeder whose kittens are with owners all over the world. Another has a large gaggle of cats and a very spiritual attitude towards them. There is also an interview with two of the judges, a husband and wife couple.

One of the most interesting (and cute!) parts of the documentary was seeing Shirley wash, dry and brush Oh La La with specialised equipment. She must be washed once a week and brushed daily. All of the judges know how hard it is to maintain a long-haired cat, though whether that translates to a higher ranking is questionable, and causes no end of consternation to Kim and her short-haired cats.

The race to the top was quite exciting to watch. Who will win Best in Breed and receive the accolades of the Canadian cat world? After the final ribbons are doled out, all is forgiven, and the competitors reconvene at the annual Cat Fanciers Banquet, where friendships are re-confirmed, and plans made for next year.

Catwalk is a quirky and fun documentary, recommended for any cat lover and anyone who's curious about the inner workings of cat shows and above all, why someone would compete in a cat show.

Would I watch it again? Yes!

My January and 3rd Cativersary

January was very hot, most days -- except for a wonderful -- day/night-long thunderstorm right at the end. I'm "between jobs" right now, so I've had plenty of time for crafting, reading and doing things around the house. I heard the term 'funemployed' for the first time recently -- I'm not quite sure how I feel about it!

What I've been journalling...
I've been very much focussed on my Hobonichi art diary again -- probably because I've finally been able to start using my brand new 2019 edition. To kick things off, I've been doing Rainbowholic's Dare to Dream cute journalling challenge, and started documenting things that I wouldn't have before. As Kaila from Rainbowholic says, daily journalling is all about the little things in life.

What I've been working on ...
Way back in April last year, I posted that I started crocheting a blanket. It's both a craft and art project (I'm doubling up, but it's not cheating, honest!) and I'll do a proper post about what it's all about soon. I've been working hard on it in January, so I thought I'd share a couple of 'preview' photos:

What I've been embroidering...
As a change from constant crocheting, I've been doing a bit on my tapestry project as my TV craft in the evenings. In the artificial light it can be hard to tell the difference between the colours, but it's still enjoyable.

What I've been reading ...
I did the 24in48 Readathon challenge last weekend -- to read for any combination totalling 24 hours in a 48-hour period over the weekend. It was a lot harder than I thought it would be! I ended up with a total just shy of 11 hours. My eyes were sore and dry! I did however finish one book that I'd started a year ago ... and one I'd started over two years ago! Having the challenge there to motivate me helped to keep my short attention span on track and read for longer periods than I would normally.

Here's my to-read stack before the challenge (not all shown):

Here are the books I donated to the Little Library afterwards (only the top one was finished during the challenge! I just had a big stack built up. Also, my mother-in-law gives me a lot of her old romance novels -- don't judge me!):

Here are the books I picked up in exchange from the Little Library:

3rd Cativersary
And now here are some kitty spams to celebrate the 3rd anniversary of Sharick coming to live with us, which was on 6th January. He's such a part of our household now, I can't remember life before he came to live with us.