in my neighbourhood - The Studio

The Art Gallery is situated on North Terrace in the central city. We've been here a couple of times with the boys. Perhaps, typically?, they don't like spending hours looking at each piece of art, although they definitely have their favourites.

We have however made a wonderful discovery in the art gallery. In the gallery there is a room set aside called The Studio - sponsored by a couple it features some kind of interactive art making that goes with the theme of the latest special exhibition.

The first time we went the room was decorated to go with the Middle Eastern art that was currently featured. There was Plasticine and we made little 'trinkets'. At least that was what we were supposed to make. Bounce made about 40 things and Flip made some kind of obstacle course that used rather a lot of the tools as well. I made a 'tree of life'.

The next time we went we had The Atlas with us. The exhibition was the current 'Dark Heart' one. The large house they are posing on (we read the sign afterwards that said please keep off, oops!) is also part of the exhibit.

This time we were supposed to make talismans - being that I'm not really  into them we just did our normal make your own thing. The Atlas made me an eye patch (so romantic) and I made a couple of brooches - which I forgot to photograph. I really liked that for this one there was no tape or glue so aside from sewing you had to get creative with how to put things together.

Also they decorate the studio to match the theme which is pretty cool too.

... and the cafe features colour in table cloths - what's not to love?

The Studio is open the same days as the gallery and is free. Yay! If you like making and you have no shame you can go by yourself as an adult or you can round up some kids and take them too, for a cultural experience.

** In my neighbourhood, recording our journey and writing the kind of posts about living in Adelaide I wanted to find before we left NZ**

love you more than crafty challenges xxx

Reading and Making

I'm a start messy, finish neatish baker - I get out all the ingredients and everything I need before I start and then put it away/in the sink as I go. (It's important you know these things about me right?)

As I currently have no 'baking' recipe books (and these are the kind I like most of all) I was very happy to receive The Australian Blue Ribbon Cookbook which is a collection of winning recipes from 'show' bakers. The show and its baking is clearly a popular part of the 'country comes to town' shows around Australia. The book also includes tips and tricks from judges and winners as well as a bio of each person (not all women) featured. I love the social history element of this book and the huge collection of historical photos throughout.

In terms of the book as a recipe book I really like that they include measurements in cups as well as weights. Having no scales here and preferring a cup of this and that style for my own baking. Personally I would prefer a layout that was by type (biscuits, cakes, etc) than the way it is laid out  in alphabetical order.

The first recipe I tried was the lemon slice (which is The Atlas favourite type). It was really good but I under cooked it the first time and it was super gooey, as in eat with a spoon. We didn't mind until The Atlas remembered he had to take morning tea the next day and so he took a slice to share that really didn't have the right qualities for sharing in a work environment where you can't wipe your hands on your trousers and you are likely to get coated in lemon goo.

The second try was consumed in record time and cooked for longer was a greater success. (i used brown sugar rather than caster sugar which is why it looks so caramel coloured).

I also made jam drops (I put too many on the tray so they are not the uniform perfection one might be expected to produce).

Finally I made 'plain biscuits' which I added cocoa and peanut butter to, to make a very popular lunchbox biscuit. Although I doctored the recipe I like to think it's in keeping with the tradition of the show, home cooks doing what works, with the ingredients they have.

I am really looking forward to trying some more recipes from this book and I think they'll be achievable and have that wonderful good old fashioned flavour you can't go past in home baking.

Am I cut out to be a 'show cook'? Not a chance, nothing I make is uniform, but it won't stop me enjoying and making the recipes and learning more about the ladies and men behind them.

The Australian Blue Ribbon Cookbook is published by Allen and Unwin and came out at the beginning of this month. RRP $ 39.99, you can also get it by ebook if that's more your flavour (he he pun intended!)

love you more than eating warm baking straight from the tin 

(for quality control purposes only mind!) xxx

14 of 52

Bunny craft with friends

it's so nice to let them make things that are special and chose ideas

love you more than a chocolate and marshmallow combo xxx

Madly Making

So my gorgeous fabric arrived on Thursday for the Offset Warehouse challenge. The fact that we had a flat inspection (flat needed to be tidy) on Friday meant I could only wash the fabric and stroke it, smell it and imagine the exotic locations where it was lovingly hand stamped.

Friday night and I am pinning and cutting pattern pieces and making piping.

Marvelling at pretty good lining up of the line that runs through the pattern.

Inserting boning (not actually difficult to do if you haven't done it before).

And ironing! Yes I hear you gasping in surprise too - but I want to impress Zoe, who picked me for her representative.

Hoping I make good progress tonight, we have visitors arriving tomorrow to stay and this dress must be finished and photographed and submitted before Wednesday next week.

Sending me all your accurate and fast sewing vibes please.

Love you more than a mad sewing rush xxxx

 

Make My Week - One Chair to Rule Them All

The dining chairs at our place are about as ugly as dining chairs can be. Nothing retro or redeemable about them and there are only four so we kind of need a couple more. (Remember we might like to have visitors some time!).

I have been searching for a good little wooden chair to make over and not having a lot of luck until my lovely neighbour dropped this unloved beauty outside our door one day.

The fact that I had to buy everything - right down to a sanding block and brushes this wasn't the cheapest makeover but I am so thrilled with the final result.

This is the chair to rule them all - to make the ugly chairs realise how ugly they really are and quake at its beauty.

I used a Kaffe Fasset fabric for the body of the chair and an Amy Butler cotton laminate for the seat. I bought the cotton at a local quilting shop and the cotton laminate from an Australian supplier on etsy.

Totally stoked with this chair, the colours make me really happy and I think the centre and chair work really well together. I'd like to do a couple more decoupoaged chairs so that we can have a few more and the house looks a bit more me.

Joining in with a chorus of crafty diversity over here.

love you more than a make that goes entirely your way xxx

What I'm Reading - The Dark and The Darklings

The Duck and The Darklings is a recently published children's picture book and I love it.

This is a picture book for word lovers. The author Glenda Millard is a master of words. The book feels like poetry without being laboured or poetic for the sake of it. The language is accessible for children but not in children's language.

I have so many favourite lines from the book but here are a couple:

He put his ear to the downy heart of her and heard hope beating there,

So Grandpapa turned the rusty latchkey of his magnificent remembery and set free a symphony of stories.

... there is line after line of loveliness in this book. It's like a word therapy.

The book itself is about a time when humankind is forced to retreat underground because of the damage they have done to earth, all of this is suggested rather than stated, and it has no overt preachy environmental tone or fear mongering. Instead the book is about Grandpapa and Peterboy who share an existence 'built with care, lit with love' and how the arrival of Idaduck changes the story for them and ultimately shows them the hope of new beginnings.

Stephen Michael King, the illustrator, is a great choice for the text. He allows the words to speak and elevates the telling of the words in the way he integrates them with the text. The detail allows you to explore the page, which is important to me when a picture book is text rich - the illustrations hold their own and the listener won't be rushing to turn the page (which sometimes happens with us if the picture is 'finished' but not the text).

This is a book to read aloud to yourself and to others. I will be reading it again and again and savouring the words and pictures. A treat for little and big people that celebrates love, relationship, care and little things.

Details:
Published: Allen and Unwin Children, 26 March 2014
Hardback, RRP $24.99 Aus

You'll be seeing more lovely Allen and Unwin books from me this year - which I am very excited about. Good books, good people. :o)

love you more than a sentence that makes you sigh with happiness xxx

Really In Autumn?

It's 8.30am here and it's 30 degrees outside already.

Heading to 36 degrees today. Really? It's supposed to be Autumn.....

This is what I am wearing and I'm already too hot. I am about to cycle to a dance class and then cycle home and then cycle to do pilates after that. (I know, this is not normal for me either - this is my one day of the week exercise day!)

Anyway - how's tricks?

this is the skirt I picked up last week at an op shop.

love you more than a perfect autumnal day - cool, clear and colourful xxx