Why! The simple relaxed life.

Let me fill you in on a bit of history of who I am.  I grew up with 3 sisters living in a inner suburb of Brisbane.  We were the typical family.  Dad went to work.  Mum stayed at home.  We had no car or phone.  We used public transport and public phone.  Mum baked, gardened and sewed.  Typical suburbian family.  I grew up in the 1970's and still to this day I love the era.  Anyway I married when I was 21 and Bill and I are still happily married.  It will be 26 years in a couple of months.

We have 3 amazing children, Sarah, William and Emma and now we have our Grandchildren Callum and Rhiannon (twins), Noah and Eli and another one due in the new year.

  In our early years of marriage we were very focussed on having everything. The new house, new furniture, new cars, latest trends you name we had to have it.  The loans were piling up and so were the credit cards.  Towards the end of 1999 we were living in Beaudesert struggling to put 3 teenagers through education.  The cracks were starting to show and by the middle of 2000 it crumbled around us.  We were bankrupted and with very little money.  Luckily for us we sold the house in time and walked away with $1000 which was enough money to move the family to Redcliffe.  From that day on I realised having everything was not necessary.  I don't blame anyone except ourselves.

Since living at Redcliffe my whole outlook on life has changed.  Recently, well 4 years ago I started my own business focusing on Natural Candles and Soaps.  Opened up my own shop.  Did long hours, early mornings.  Basically started work at 5am and crawled into bed around 11 or 12 at night most nights a week.  Trying to make my fortune.  You know I know it works for some people and I have met over the years some wonderful talented people who had an idea and ran with it and have become very successful from it.  My turn over was starting to grow and my products were available around the country in various boutique outlets but I realised then that I was working so hard I wasn't enjoying life.  Rock bottom hit when I lost my sister (Not getting into that full story but previous blogs I have spoken of her) I realised for me to enjoy my life and enjoy my family I needed to make some obvious major changes again.

Refocussing on the things I love to do I looked at the way my Grandmother, mother and my sisters and I lived growing up.  I slowed down my business, returned to paid employment in an industry that I love and a job that I enjoy.  My business changed, values changed, my prospects in life changed and Green Me Up Granny was created.  I have followed many other blogs,with the same values as me.  A more simple way of living, good green living, back to basic living.  I now garden, cook, sew, create, experiment, preserve, recycle, upcycle, re-use and try to teach others around me who wish to do the same.  I share ideas, recipes, jams, natural products and remedies with others.  I make my own bread, washing detergent, soaps, shampoos, balms, jams etc to save.

I have a 5 year plan. Do you?  I want to live a simple relaxed life.  Eventually moving to Tasmania.  That will be achieved within the next 5 years.  Money I use to spend on useless up to date trends has now gone into savings for that piece of paradise in Tassie.

Do you live a simple relax life?  What major changes have you made in your life to achieve the things you have.

Please feel free to leave a comment.

Sue x

Whats in my garden

A new weekly blog of whats in my garden.  My garden is my santuary.  This is where I go to relax after work or on the weekend.  My garden is slowly being turned into an amazing edible and sensory  garden.  In the short time I have lived here in less then a year we have harvest some lettuce, Sugar Peas and lemons.  At the moment I have a mixed lot of vegies in plus all my beautiful herbs.  I hope you enjoy the photo's as much as I enjoy my garden.  We have had so much rain this month everything looks lush and green and has doubled in size.

Sue X

Purple Passion

Another great colour this week is Purple.  Even before I start going through the photo's on my computer a few pop into my head and my favourite purple photo would be the Lavender Fields in Tassie.  This photo is also on my wall at work.  Enjoy the photo's below.  Don't forget to check out Sister Sun blog for Evi purple picture and all the other links on her page.

Handmade Soap

Amazing Art

Love the Hydrangeas

Lavender fields

My special little granddaughter

One of my handmade scarves

Being a BrisStyler I definitely have to add this button.




Have a great week everyone.  I love the colour purple.


Sue x

What does Indigo look like

Yes again I am joining Sister Sun with the colour Indigo.  So what does Indigo look like?    This time only a few photos.  The peacock we spotted when we were up on the Sunshine Coast at the Maze.  The next photo I happen to use in some of my labels for my candles made from Moonlight Musk.  Third photo is Thomas the Tank bunting which my daughter makes.

Have a great week everyone.


Sue X 

Blue Today

A Blue Monday.  But its all good.  Joining in with Sister Sun with a Blue Theme. 

Loads of photo's of blue.  From artwork my son has created to handmade goodies.  Then the amazing photo's from my trip to Tasmania.

Enjoy the photo's.

Sue X

Some Green Fun

You know I follow quite a few blogs but recently came across sister sun which this week is featuring the colour green.  I thought I would join in the fun and go through my photo's for inspiration.

Happy plant in my garden

Rain forest in Tassie

Fresh Apples  off the tree

Permaculture Garden in Brisbane

Lime cupcake anyone!

Handmade Goatsmilk soap with spearmint

Lettuce I am growing

Have a great week everyone!

Sue x

Abundance of Pears

I really love Winter in Queensland.  I love that crisp cool air in the morning.  I love the warmth of the sun during the day.  I love cuddling up on the lounge under the blanket with my grandchildren.  Of course I love cuddling up with hubby.  I love homemade soup.  (Had this last weekend).  I love all those warm winter foods. 

I was really happy while shopping last night to notice Pears were a plenty and on special at my local supermarket for $1.70 a kilo.  Plus they were Bosc Pears which are great for preserving. 

A couple of years ago when I joined the Handmade Revolution which is silently growing bigger and bigger around the world I met this wonderful lady who made Preserved Pears with Honey and Vanilla and Prunes in Port.  Love my winter foods so knew I needed to purchase these.  This winter I decided to make my own with a twist. 

At the beginning of May at work we hosted a Mothers Day High Tea.  A great success.  I was introduced to an amazing leaf tea by one of my work colleagues.  French Earl Grey Tea.  None of this tea bag stuff.  Real tea.  Now I am hooked.  Anyway I decided last night while shopping I needed to buy Pears, Pears and more Pears to make some Pears in French Earl Grey Tea with Honey and Vanilla as well as Pears in Honey and Vanilla.

Preserved Pears

This is what you need to make your Preserved Pears.

Pears ( Peel your pears and cut out the seed and stem bit.) 

You will also need a bowl of water with some lemon juice squeezed into it.  This is to place the peeled pears in as you go so your pears don't go brown.

I haven't put an amount of pears but I had just over 2 kgs and I did one batch with the tea and the other batch with water.

Anyway.......................

2 cups of water or Tea

1 cup of sugar

1 teaspoon of Vanilla

1 heaped tablespoon of honey

Place all these in a saucepan and on low heat disolve the sugar then bring to the boil.  By the time it is boiling take some pears out of the lemon water and add to your sugar syrup.  Let it boil for about 5 minutes.

Add the pears to your sterilised jars then add the syrup. 

Once they have cooled place in your fridge and then serve with homemade Rice Pudding or what ever you desire.



Enjoy