Wednesday 2 December 2015

A couple of updates

I just thought I would do a couple of updates on some projects that I mentioned in recent posts. At our last Simple Living Toowoomba workshop I was discussing the reusable bow with a friend and I was wondering if a thicker ribbon could be used instead of the fine ribbon that is normally used.


I was buying some ribbon last week and asked if it was 'fine' ribbon and was told it was but when I got home and undid the roll I noticed that it was quite a thick ribbon so I thought I would experiment with making a bow which was featured in this post How to Make a Reusable Bow and here is the result. 


You start by sewing a few stitches on both edges of the larger outer ribbon...


 

...then you hold the satin ribbon and gently start to pull...




...keep pulling...




...nearly finished...



...now turn it over and pull tight and...VOILA...you have made yourself a lovely bow for a gift that can be used time and time again. These are so easy to make and work just as well with the thicker ribbon which I think I actually prefer. You could even make a few and use them as a Christmas gift for a friend. The instructions are here.

The other update is about the Nifty Ned's Propagation Thingamabob which featured in the post Some Great Simple Gardening Ideas. 




This is what it looked like before I went to Mt. Isa in October. There was quite a bit of rain when I was away and when I came home I found that the pepino cutting I had put in the pot (on the left in the photo) was huge and it was quite difficult to get it out without disturbing the roots of the other plants which were growing from cuttings so my advice would be to use a larger outer pot so the plants have more room.




 This is what it looks like now after the recent rain and underneath the purple oxalis there are rosemary, sage, lavender and elderberry plants which have grown from cuttings.



I can hear some of you wondering why I am propagating purple oxalis. Well, I was wondering that too so I did some research on the internet and came up with conflicting results which is often the case. One plant nursery website said that some types make good ornamental plants while others seem to consider all types to be weeds.



I just happened to find a little pot with something strange and forlorn looking growing in it so I watered it and this is the result! I asked the CEO about it and he said that he had had it growing in a pot for about ten years and it hadn't spread at all. He wouldn't have watered it and it would have relied on rainfall to keep going. He does have the tendency to pot plants up that he has been given and then forget where he put them. Anyway, I thought I would put some in the propagation pot and see what happened. Does anyone have the purple type growing and do you find that it is a pest? I'd love to know. 


It has been drizzling all day and I think the rain will clear away tomorrow. The plants are all growing in leaps and bounds and so are the weeds so now that it has cooled down once again the next few days will be spent trying to get rid of the latter and I also need to plant out the seedlings we bought at the Farmers' Market last Saturday which were strawberries + strawberries with pink flowers and zucchini. I just have to find a spot to put them which isn't overgrown with weeds. 

Enjoy the rest of the week everyone and stay safe!





18 comments:

  1. I love that bow Chel, what a great idea! My gift wrapping leaves a bit to be desired that's for sure so am always looking for ideas. I hope to catch up on all my blog reading while on holidays, as I've been very slack lately. It will help when I get homesick. Good luck with the weeds!

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    1. Hutchy, you should be in the air now. Enjoy your trip and relax.

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  2. Oh, the propagation thingamabob looks great. I did see the tail end of this on TV and now I can see what it was all about....a nifty idea. 1 payday till Xmas Nanna Chel!

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    1. Phil, you can watch that episode on Gardening Australia. Enjoy your weekend away.

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  3. Lovely bow Chel. I really enjoyed the cool rainy day yesterday, did a heap of baking. I had not seen purple Oxalis before.

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    1. Barb, if I find it is not a pest I can pot some up for you.

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  4. Im gonna go get me some more terracotta pots! This is an excellent idea. Not sure my hubby is going to agree.

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    1. It works really well, Lynda. I just need to find a larger outer pot now. I am sure there will be one hiding away somewhere on this 1/2 acre :-)

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  5. interesting... I have always been told that oxalis was a weed, as it contains oxcalic acid and is toxic to animals, I know my guinea pigs never ate when I was a child! That variety is pretty, and I guess if you don't have guinea pigs to worry about and don't mind weeding it if it gets out of control, it doesn't really matter. I'm no expert on ornamental gardens though, I only grow things I can eat!

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    1. Liz, I don't feed it to our guinea pigs and ours are in a cage anyway so only give what we give them plus the grass we put them on.

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  6. Love the bow you made.
    Your plants are beautiful as usual. Not sure if that is a weed or not. I figure if it is pretty and grows well I'd keep it.

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    1. The bow is really pretty and so easy to make. Give it a try sometime.

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  7. Chel, that bow is sheer genius! Thankyou! Your hydrangea and the oxalis are gorgeous. Love, Mimi xxx

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    1. I thought you might like that bow idea, Mimi.

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  8. Dear Nanna Chel, The bows look amazing. I have hydrangeas now. Today it is really hot and they need so much water! But they are worth it.
    You had a year of so many crafts and new things! I have enjoyed seeing them all very much. With love, Annabel.xxx

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    1. Annabel, the hydrangeas do wilt in the heat but we find that overnight they spring back although we don't get days as hot as you do down there. I would love a pink hydrangea as well as the blue. They are so pretty.

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