Bitten by the gardening bug!

I've always had a quiet love for plants, and for many years have wanted my own garden. I've tried several times to get one going, or even just have a few pot plants around the house... but they have rapidly shown me, time and time again, that my thumb isn't even brown... it's BLACK! Or so I thought. I can't even remember what set things off this time, but first I planted some of the (expired!) tomato, capsicum, and basil seeds that had been sitting around in the cupboard for years, untouched. A month later and I was getting ready to give up and just throw them out when I spotted several little hints of green. Something was growing!! And that was it! Next thing, there's a flurry of buying pots, potting mix, seedlings, root blast, etc, and I've got a small vegetable and herb container garden started... all because some seeds managed to sprout! So I was still thinking that this was probably a lot of money that was just basically getting thrown away, considering my previous attempts at trying to keep any kind of plant alive.
Over the last month I've watched both my little seedlings and my garden grow... and I've become thoroughly addicted! I never ever thought I would get THIS obsessed with gardening! Before, all my spare $$ were going on my craft addiction, but in this last month it's been ALL about the plants! There's barely been any crafting done as I've usually got my nose buried deep in gardening books, or I'm at a gardening shop (it's rather dangerous having one of those right across the road I tell ya!), or I'm out there planting more stuff.
The back deck is slowly being taken over, and the "garden" now contains: Parsley, Rosemary, Mint, Pizza Thyme, Basil, Chives, Tomatoes, Cucumber, Zucchini, Eggplant, Capsicum, Lavender, and Marigolds. The Cucumber and the single "Sweet 100s" cherry tomato plant (that I bought as a seedling) are already "fruiting"... never thought I'd be calling baby veges CUTE! All of the "Grosse Lisse" tomato plants (again, bought as seedlings) are flowering, (except for the one I had to remove as the leaves were going yellow and the whole plant was wilting and refused to recover), along with the capsicums. The Marigolds and lavender are growing extra blooms, the chives and basil are growing madly no matter how often I take bits to use in cooking (DAMN but I LOVE this being able to use my own home-grown herbs for my meals thing!!), and I'm just falling more and more in love with gardening! I'm even wanting to start getting a small fruit and flower garden going, both again being container gardens, as we don't have much in the way of garden space we're actually allowed to plant in here.
With so many types of potting mixes, plant foods, etc out there, it's been hard trying to work out which ones to go with, but I've started with Tui's Vegetable potting mix, and been doing well with that, so thinking I may stick with their products for most things. So many things to learn with gardening... potting mixes, foods/fertilisers, types of plants, diseases, companion planting, etc.. it makes my head swim! So far I've been trying to keep things as "Organic" as possible, which means I've been trying to bring companion planting into it wherever I can. The "marigolds with everything" rule I've come across in a couple of the gardening books is one I've been working with... so there are gorgeous splashes of yellows, reds, and oranges throughout almost all of my vege tubs now. Never knew there were so many different colours of marigolds before! Also hoping to add pansies and sweet peas too for a bit of variety.

Those who follow me on Facebook and on Instagram are probably getting sick of being photo bombed with all my gardening photos, and all my posts raving about something else growing... but I thought I'd start keeping a gardening diary on here, with more photos, gardening tips and recycling tricks I try etc. Maybe that'll even actually get me posting more regularly! New Year's resolution for 2014 is to keep up with this blog on a regular basis!
Now if I can just get the crafting side of things going as well!! ;o)

365 Grateful Project... Attempt number... errrrr... I've lost count.

Have you ever heard of the "365 Grateful Project"? I know many photographers out there have heard of & tried 365 projects... take a photo every day for a year (or more). Sometimes with a theme, sometimes just random photos. It's something I've contemplated many times and even started a few times, thinking it would be a good way to help push my photography. But each time, I've let things get in the way and it's been put aside for several months or more until I get all inspired and try again.
About 2 years ago, I learned of a 365 photography project with a difference... the 365 Grateful Project, started up by Hailey Bartholomew in 2008, in an effort to help deal with her depression. The story behind it was inspiring and, having dealt with depression myself for several years, it's one that really struck a chord with me. So yet again, I attempted a 365 project, but this time with the grateful theme. It worked for a little while, but as with the other attempts, it faded off.
After coming across this video on Facebook today, I was reminded yet again of this awesome, inspiring, yet simple project and realized I still very much wanted to give it a try... and more than that, felt I needed to! The last couple of weeks I've been feeling the "Black Dog" nipping at my heels more and more, to the point where the last 4 days I've barely eaten, and done hardly anything other than sleep. There is no "oomph" available.. I've clear run out of spoons! Seeing that video caused something to stir though... a spark of interest. Then, after mentioning it on Twitter and having a lovely Twitter friend offer to join me in the project, I decided what the hell... couldn't hurt to give it one more try, right? Maybe with someone to help kick my butt.. well, encourage me and support me, and yes, more than likely need to give me a few butt kickings along the way... maybe this time I can actually stick with it and make it work. I'm definitely keen to try!

So, without any further ado, here is my day 1 photo of my 365 Grateful Project:

I am grateful for having a Partner who understands my depression and enjoys cooking for me (I've never been a fan of cooking!), so lovingly prepared a couple of my favourite meals today in an effort to get me to eat after 2 days of eating nothing. I love you Honey!

Losing my "virginity" twice over, all for the sake of "Operation Narnia"!

Well, craft related virginity anyway!

All ready to cast on!

I've been a knitter on and off for several years, but most of what I've actually finished (which is not a lot really, as I'm really good at starting new projects, but absolutely crap at finishing them, as my rather over-stocked WIP baskets will prove) have been toys, hats, and a couple of shawls. So today, I am casting on my first ever pair of SOCKS! It is also the first time I will be knitting with yarn from the wonderful Morag over at Vintage Purls... which I have heard so many people rave about how wonderful it is to work with, and I certainly have a lot of it tucked away in my stash. She does the most amazing colours!!! But it's always looked too pretty all snuggled up in skeins, and I've felt each and every skein has needed the perfect project to use it on. But as this will be a) the first project for "Operation Narnia" (more about that shortly), and b) my first ever pair of socks, I felt this would be the perfect project to try a special yarn I've been wanting to try for ages. I really can NOT wait to get started! Once the boys are tucked up in bed, then I will be settling down for the night to watch a new documentary on Madagascar (oh how I adore LEMURS!), and casting on my socks.

Now.. onto "Operation Narnia"! What the heck is it? Well, after a conversation over on Twitter a couple of weeks back, I've decided to start a year long project where I will be revamping my wardrobe... but with pieces of clothing I have made! There will probably be a few bought items snuck in there as well (gotta love Op Shop browsing!), but between now and the end of August 2014, I will be learning to knit things I have never tried before... like socks, skirts, tops etc, and hopefully conquering my fear of my sewing machine! I've wanted to learn to sew properly for a long time, and have made several attempts... but so far have only managed to make a few hammocks for the rats, and one sweatshirt for Mr5 who was still a baby at the time it was made. Rats and babies don't care about wonky lines! But I do... so time to bite the bullet, borrow every sewing book there is in the library and read every sewing blog I can find, so that I can start creating lovely new clothes for me (and hopefully even a few for the boys too). To be honest... I think I'm actually more excited about the whole sewing thing than the knitting! Lol!
I really can't wait to get working on this big project, and I'm very much looking forward to both learning new skills and recreating my "look". Kinda getting sick of just jeans and t-shirts! That was fine for the depression days, but I need something new and fresh for the new me! Adventures into the unknown... that's what this blog is going to be all about!