Black beauty

Joining in with Sister sun  this week with the colour black.  My husband loves the colour black.  Only one photo today.  This blog is for my husband.  His pride and joy.  Months and Months of hard work.  Rebuilding this amazing motorcycle.  By the way for those avid bike riders this is a Honda VTX 1800.

Don't forget to check out all the other links on Sister Suns blog.

Have a great week everyone.

Sue x

My favourite low cost recipes (Washing Detergent)

I have not purchased any commercial washing liquid in ages.  I prefer to make my own and at least then I know what  is actually cleaning my clothes.  There are so many on the market today and it is so confusing and honestly I just wanted something that cleaned my clothes and was gentle, not highly fragrant and something that was safe for septic and grey water.  I wanted a product that was safe enough to use on my garden.  Below is my recipe.  There are many different recipes on the internet.  I make mine without Borax.  Borax to me is still a chemical and cannot be used on the garden. 

1-2 cups of grated pure soap.  (Start saving soap scraps like our grandmothers did or sunlight is fine)

1.5 litres of water

1/2 cup washing soda (this is found in the washing powder isle.  It is about $3.50 a bag)


In a large saucepan on the stove melt the grated soap in the water.  I normally have it on a low setting until all the soap is dissolved.  Once it is dissolved turn the stove off.  Let cool.  When lukewarm add the washing soda and stir.  You will notice the liquid will start to thicken.  As it cools down keep stirring occassionally.  This will stop the lumps from forming.  Now if you like if you have any essential oils at home you can add some to the liquid.  Only a small amount is required.  This is not necessary but I normally have either lavender, eucalyptus or tea tree at home.  Now you need to add about 7 litres of cold water to the pot.  Once you have done this it is now ready to store.  I use old juice bottles for this.  Funnel into the bottles but don't fill to the top.  You will need to shake the bottle when you use as it will seperate.  You only need to use about a 1/4 of a cup for a full load of washing.  I wash only in cold water.  .   Now your washing liquid is ready to use.  You now have over 8 litres of washing powder which has cost you under $2.

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