Friday, August 28, 2009

Only a week until my next market stall

Have quite a bit of stock now - bags and purses. Looking forward to showing Shauna and hearing her suggestions for new sewing ventures when she arrives in Hobart tomorrow. What fun we are going to have this weekend. Hope the weather improves. Our roof leaked yesterday, late afternoon, with drips coming in all over the place...husband up on roof in dark in pouring rain clearing gutters as I gaily drove off for bookclub (not really good wifey move!)

Here's a pic of Rhubarb looking his usual non-plussed self, despite being cosied up to my luverly new cushion cover.

And here's some pics of recent tote bags and purses:




Sunday, August 16, 2009

Screen printing Sunday

Sniffle sniffle - a boring head cold this weekend - just when I wanted to be busy busy sewing and screenprinting. Still did both, but struggling. The adult ed screenprinting course today was good and met some nice people, also making things for markets like me.

My screen printing efforts were a bit 'hasty' but hopefully I will get more into it and refine techniques. Very pleased with the linen pineapple tea towel and pine tree t-shirt looks okay from a distance.

Have also been churning out the vintage linen tablecloth purses...


Sunday, August 9, 2009

Sewing again...

Yes I have the bug again.... purse after purse churned out this weekend. Couldn't stop myself - I'd finish one and then immediately start another and then another. I am happy - not sure A is though as the housework was neglected and his load added to with all my sewing chaos. Made 16 purses, in two styles - a butterfly series and also wonderful vintage linen tablecloth series. Very kitsch. Also made a bag. Not sure about the bag - didn't work out quite as I'd hoped.



Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Hopeful signs of creative recovery...

After emerging from the other side of swine flu and thinking I just wanted to spend the rest of my spare time playing online scrabble - there were promising signs this morning when I dashed to the sewing machine and made a purse before work. Hope this means I am about to get right into the swing of sewing again...

During my week off with the flu I read two excellent books (Evening is the Whole Day by Preeta Samarasan (set in Malaysia) and The White Girl on the Green Bicycle by Monique Roffey (set in Trinidad)), saw 5 great movies (Frost|Nixon; The Changeling; Brothers (Danish film); Before the Devil Knows Your Dead; and Rachel's Wedding) and played 17 games of scrabble. Not bad going!

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Gathering bits and pieces

It's been a while since I used my sewing machine - it's sitting there in the sewing room looking very forlorn and neglected. As I'm booked into the September craft market I need to get creating!!! I have been gathering bits and pieces though and I have a hankering to make scarves. Have lots of interesting bits of Japanese fabric, lace bits, and yo-yo's I've been making with my new yo-yo contraption but still need more. It's all very well to have an idea in mind but if you can't find the right fabrics and bric-a-brac the idea can sort of fall short, which reinforces my old theory that it's far better to get your inspiration from your materials - rather than have an idea and then try to find the materials to make your idea work - well especially in Hobart.

Sha-sha asked me yesterday for my favourite vegetarian meals and I looked in my cooking diary last night for some of the vego meals we make. Rediscovered some we haven't made for a while, like Bill's White Bean Soup. I like it because you can be serving it up within half an hour of being home from work. Here's the recipe:

Bill Granger’s white bean soup with bay leaves and pancetta
Serves 4

2 tbs olive oil
1 tbs butter
2 onions chipped
1 tsp salt
2 bay leaves
3 x 400 g tins cannellini beans, drained
1 litre chicken stock

To serve: Extra virgin olive oil

50 gm pancetta in thin strips, pan-fired until crisp

Melt olive oil and butter in large saucepan. Add onion, salt and bay leaves and cook until onion is soft. Add beans and stock and simmer 10 minutes.

Remove bay leaves and puree the soup. Ladle into bowls, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and top with crispy pancetta.

It's also good with left over rice thrown in – provides extra bulk for that winter comfort food feeling. PS The photo above has nothing to do with anything. It's one I took in Vietnam last year and I thought it looked pretty.

Friday, July 10, 2009

Happy birthday little miss Izzie

Eliza is one year old today! Gosh how the year has flown and what a gorgeous little girl she is.

Here's a pic of some festive lanterns to celebrate.

Party party party tomorrow!!!!