Millymaker bags off to Sydney next weekend

Busy times. Melbourne last weekend, home this weekend (managed the one bag on right) and off to Sydney next weekend. Taking some millymaker bags with me to sell at Anna Pryor's open home Sunday 1 November.

Anna will be selling her Silk Diva range of exotic clothes plus my sister Shauna's beautiful lino cut cards and handmade jewellery. Also other maker's wares too I believe. So if you are in Sydney next week come along 12 noon - 4 pm, 19 King Street Newport. Anna has a lovely home and I've been to one of her open home occasions before. Very relaxed and lots of girly fun.

Sue has been busy making lots of new fabulous millymaker bags. She's overtaking me in production! I've been so seduced by my new sewing machine I've been making some clothes for myself rather than bags.






Last weekend Alan, Claire and I went to the Shirt and Skirt Designer Market at Abbotsford Convent in Melbourne. Really enjoyed it - great atmosphere, jazz playing, groovy cafes and some lovely things on sale. Liked the emphasis on clothes. The designer markets in Hobart have tended to be more about accessories, jewellery and kid's clothes.

My lovely brother Bruce and my nephew Jac came around today. Bruce and Alan constructed a raised vegie garden bed out of sleepers - slogging on in the rain, me fretting about wet electric power tools...all finished now though and looks great.

And here's the oak tree photographed today (during a sunny patch) looking lush in its luminous lime green phase.

Bag lady happiness

Oh what joy, ridiculous joy - saw a woman in the street in Hobart today with a millymaker bag casually slung over her shoulder! Nudged husband and pointed this out to him. Made me not feel so bad spending so much money yet again in Spotlight. Here's some of my bags made in recent weeks - getting stock together for the December 13 Christmas market. I am really pleased with this lot so far. Also Sue's sewing efforts last week. Go Sue!
And as promised - oak tree progresss this week. Photo taken yesterday 10 October. No longer looking so 'newbie' in the leaf department. Now a solid adolescent covering. Yesterday the sun shone nearly all day - a rare thing in Hobart recently.

Some good reads and the 100-day flu

Boring boring - the flu again. Sixth time this year. The doctor tells me that this is not unusual in Hobart this flu season. They are calling it the 100-day flu. The only upside is the amount of reading I have been doing. Finished two good books this week. 'My Driver' by Maggie Gee - set in Uganda, quirky and humorous, very believable characters, lots of twists and turns, bit of adventure and romance. Loved it. Also 'The Pages', Murray Bail's new novel about the life of a modern day philosopher who wrote his findings in the shed of his family's country property outback NSW. Not quite what I was expecting and very obtuse but enjoyed it nonetheless. Off to bed now for more reading and body repairing zzzzzzzzzs. Hope to do some sewing tomorrow.

Not enough time weekend

Ha - I just realised as I typed that heading - that yes this is indeed true - we have lost an hour this weekend from the onset on daylight savings. So yes, the weekend was not long enough. Only managed to make one bag - very frustrating as I have oodles of gorgeous fabrics now. The flowery bag turned out well however so I am pleased with this one.

Late yesterday we drove down through the Huon to the Far South Wilderness Lodge at Dover where we were staying overnight with Sue and her merry mix of international students. Rolling hills bathed in late afternoon sun, orchards in blossom, quaint old farmhouses with daffodils, tulips, and rich red rhodos resplendent... It was a lovely drive and a great night away. The three beautiful Chinese girls are all from one-child families. How precious are they to their parents and so far away from home. Jose from Guatemala told Alan he is not looking forward to going home this Christmas as his family lives are all in danger during the current political turmoil. We reflected driving home this morning how lucky we are to live in Tasmania.

I have decided to document the life of our oak tree, which just this week has its early fuzz of green leaves. A little late this year as usually by Bruce's birthday on 29 September the leaves are more advanced. More pics will follow as the oak tree does its 'thing' over the next few weeks.

Here's my new favourite recipe, a no fail yummy and moist banana and raisin loaf - has no sugar or butter but you wouldn't know it...

3 1/2 cups almond meal
3 eggs beaten
1 tsp baking soda
pinch salt
1 or 2 mashed bananas
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup raisins
1 cup plain yogurt
1 tsp cinnamon

• Mix almond meal, baking salt and salt in food processor
• In separate bowl beat eggs, add yogurt, mashed banana and honey and mix
  
• Add all to food processor and add raisins and cinnamon
• Pour into loaf tin (lined with baking paper)
• Cook in 150 degree oven for about one hour.

I made two of these this weekend!