Beginnings

Last month I found a book in a charity shop called The Gentle Art of Domesticity by Jane Brocket.

I read it from cover to cover in a few days and felt I had come home. 

I have always loved and valued homemaking in all its guises - not that I am keen on the boring bits like cleaning, tidying and the general humdrum, but I love to create whether knitting, sewing, a bit of baking, gardening and, of course, bringing up our boys who have long since flown the nest.

I have worked, usually part time in offices, over the years when funds required, and I did enjoy it to a certain extent, but always had the feeling that when I walked into the office at 9 a.m., I was trapped until it was time to leave.

In 2009 I was made redundant from my last job and since then have done some voluntary work for Oxfam, but my main interest now is making hand knitted, sewn and other items from things I find mostly at car boot sales, and in charity shops, and I sell a few at local craft fairs.

I will never be a millionaire, but the fairs are fun, you meet other like minded people and I enjoy the calm, concentration and even solitariness of the making process.

I am also very keen on old - but what we now call "vintage" pottery and our home - a very old cottage, is filled with finds from here, there and everywhere together with sentimental pieces which have come to me over the years.

Yesterday, the sun was shining and I suddenly had the urge to bake and came up with my Banana Nut Bread, which doesn't look terribly exciting, but believe me it is DELICIOUS.  I will add the recipe - maybe tomorrow.