Raising Dust Ball!

Just a couple of photo's from the Raising Dust ball in Tatyoon.

Screen Printed Fabrics

I have decided to use mainly screen printed fabrics in my work from now on... I know its not the best photo but what do you think, pretty cool hey?

Purchased from these lovely ladies;

Aunty Cookie

Ink & Spindle

Pippijoe

I have a couple of new bags to figure out and I'll try and do it quick smart so I can add to my blog for you all to see.

I'm about to add more to my ETSY shop too, so please have a look, or if you prefer an australian site, try MADEIT.COM

Just a few things and Look what arrived today!!

Some more scarves.. All screen printed and looking snazzy!

Bit of this, bit of that!

Finally some screen printed clutches.. not many left, check them out at in.cube8r.. Smith Street Fitzroy.

ITS HERE..

Look what arrived on my doorstep today...ok, so it didn't actually arrive on my doorstep, I did have to go and get it from the post office, but you get the idea.

But its cool hey!! Check me out on page 185..

Not too bad if I do say so myself!!

The Handmade in Melbourne book can be found at in.cube8r on Smith Street in Fitzroy and selected bookshops. It hosts 200 creative artists from around Melbourne.

And this is my page... What do you think?? COOL HEY!

I know, I do appologise... I have been very slack on the blogging department. I can't even use the excuss of lots of massages... I think its the weather!! Anyway, I'm back and will be giving you lots of goodness in the next little bit!!

Check out this blog I found.. SkunkBoyCreations. How gorgeous are these dear little owls, I think I may need to purchase one... I found them here.

I love the postman!!

Look what turned up Thursday!! I received a big bundle from the fabulous Shannon Lamden aka Aunty Cookie.

I can't wait to start cutting and sewing.  Will only be cutting for a little while as I took my sewing machine in for a service... What am I going to do without my sewing machine?? I really didn't want to part with it, but thought 'its now or never' and I do want it to last a while.  I do have the overlocker, so I can still accomplish quit a lot without it.

At the moment, the material is just staring at me, but it looks so good in a bunch, that I don't want to separate it.

Oh well, I better stop procrastinating and start doing something if I'm ever going to be ready for these markets.  Did I tell you I got into 2 markets.  

 

Pay it forward giveaway!

Pay It Forward Giveaway

I will make a handmade gift for the first 3 interested people who comment on this post. I have 365 days to do it in…What it will be and when it will arrive is a total surprise!The catch is that you must participate as well: you must have a blog and before you leave your comment here, write up a pay it forward post on your blog to keep the fun going. (Just cut and paste this one if you like, which I did). Cheers!

Trip to the big smoke!

I don't usually take weekends off, being a massage therapist in a tourist town you can't really afford to.  but it has been quite a while since I have had a whole weekend.  So I headed down to the BIG smoke Melbourne with some friends. 

On Saturday we did some shopping at DFO at Southern Cross Station I usually shop at Chadstone however this place rocked!! We ended up spending quit some time there, and saved some dosh, can you believe it $15 jeans and they're quit dressy. 

We went out to dinner at The Keilor Hotel I think thats what it was called.  And it was pretty damn good too.. I had the Lamb Curry, the lamb was just falling apart which was awesome.  One of the girls had Pumpkin Gnocchi, now I've always liked gnocchi, but this was amazing... I am definitely going to have to master this one, they were oh so fluffy and tasty.. Its making me hungry just thinking about it and I have already had dinner, thats how good it was!

On Sunday Morning we went to The Werribee Zoo.

Rhino

Me posing with the statues

How cool is this water fountain... isn't it just the greatest

Ok, so they're not real, but how cool are they anyway !!

I'm not really a huge fan, but check out these little guys, they are pretty cool aren't they.

Wow, how many times did I say 'how cool' sorry bout that will try not to do it again!!

BIRTHDAY!! Presents and all

I have decided this year instead of having a birthday, I'm going to have a birthweek!! 

and to kick it off, I had a birthday dinner last night with some friends and family, I received this lovely clutch from from special friends.  Its made by FelixandJayne, check out all there fantastic creations.

Don't you just love how its sewn together.. I think it must be screen printed and then sewn.  Its the greatest!

I also received this necklace that was purchased from incube8r.  Every time I head in there I can't help myself and end up buying something.

Its not the greatest photo, but you get the idea.  It has a pearl in the centre.

I also was given this awesome mannequin I have been eyeing for sometime.  Which I can't wait to hang scarves and things on.

My New Brochures!!

These are my new brochures as promised draft copy, yes there are a few spelling mistakes I have to change and then they're ready to print!!.  I'm not sure if your able to read them, but you get the idea.  I just have to finish my business cards and I'll be happy.  

So what do you think?? do you like them?  One of my good mates Stacey Hewitt (Rees) helped me out with design. She is the best artist, you can check out her work on Etsy. 

Check out my new toy!!

I've finally bought an overlocker.. yeah I know it has taken me a while, some might say I'm a bit behind the times.

They are the greatest.  Ok, Ok, so I've only made one thing so far and it was only a scarf.  I've still got to play around, it is a bit scary, and its so fast, and cuts aswell I have used one before, but this one is actually mine... woohoo!! Think of all the things I can make and how neat everything will be.  and it'll take half the time so I've heard. I'll add some more picks soon, am hoping to spend some time on it tomorrow, and get quite a bit accomplished!!

And this is the first scarf I made with my new toy... This is the second of the smaller width.. what'da'ya think??  I'm keeping this one, but don't worry, there will be more in the shop soon..

Ok, so I was going to show you all my new massage brochures, but am having trouble loading them...  I will try and format them tomorrow, so I can load them on here..  

THE PIZZA!!

I told myself I wasn't ever going to blog about food... but after making this Pumpkin PIZZA, I couldn't help myself, YUMMO!!

I was making pizza the other night and decided I might use one of the recipes from this great book my mum bought me 'Pizza modo mio' by John Lanzafame.  

Pumpkin Pizza

Makes one 30cm (12inch) pizza

3 tbsp soft brown sugar

120g pumpkin, cut into 1cm pieces

1 small handful rosemary sprigs

1 head of garlic, top sliced off and discarded

1 zucchini, cut lengthways into 2mm thick slices

Olive oil, for brushing

Course semolina, for dusting

1 quantity pizza dough

2 tbsp pine nuts, toasted

2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf (Italian) parsley

2 tbsp balsamic onions

30g gorgonzola dolce latte cheese, crumbled

75g grated mozzarella cheese

Place a pizza stone or heavy-based oven tray in the oven and preheat to 180C

Combine the pumpkin, brown sugar, rosemary and garlic in a heavy-based roasting pan and roast for 15 minutes, or until golden and tender.

Put the zucchini slices on a heavy-based oven tray in a single layer, brush with a little olive oil and season to taste, then bake for 2-3 minutes, or until just tender.

Increase the oven temperature to 250C

Lightly dust your workbench with semolina, then roll out the dough into a 30cm round, place on a pizza tray and prick all over with a fork.  Brush the base with oil, then scatter with the pine nuts, parsley and balsamic onions.  Top with the zucchini slices, roasted pumpkin and cheeses, then place on the preheated stone or tray and bake for 5-6 minutes, or until the base is golden and crisp. 

Balsamic onions

Makes 125ml

1 tbsp olive oil

1 brown onion, thinly sliced

1 1/2 tbsp soft brown sugar

4 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Heat the oil in a heavy-based frying pan over high heat, add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, or until just starting to caramelise.  Add the sugar and stir until dissolved, then add the balsamic vinegar, combine well and simmer over low heat for 6 minutes, or until the mixture is jam-like but not too dry.  Balsamic onions can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 10 days... but if your like me, it won't last that long, this stuff is delicious!

Ok, so I didn't follow the recipe completely, who does... I didn't have any zucchini's, so they were out... and with the cheeses, I used mozzarella and parmesan.  

So I added the Balsamic onion recipe as well, because its so nice.  I thought you can organise the base yourself I mean, you are on the net looking at this blog, so look up a pizza base recipe.  I usually use a bread maker on the dough setting, all you have to do is throw it all in, set it to dough and woola, it rises and everything, then all thats left is to roll it out and you have your base!!

Anyways... this is the outcome and it was great!! 

and now that you have the recipe you can go and make it too!!!

Just a few things I've been working on!!

Just to fill you in, I did walk the Pinnacle again, but this time there was 2 bus loads of people at the top, and I'm not much into crowds when I'm working out, so no photo's this time. SORRY!! maybe next time.

But I will show you some sewing goodness I have finished.  This Cushion cover was number 1 on the list.  I wouldn't normally use cord as the base, but it was all I had at the time, and it looked pretty good if I do say so myself.

What do you think.  I made this little fella for some friends who are expecting!! along with a small little quilt blanket.  
Some of the pleated bags I finished.  Aren't they just so cute.  You can buy them in my etsy shop, what are you waiting for, go on have a look, you know you want to.

Some small coin purses I'm sending down to incube.8r.  I only made 10 of these, so snap them up as I won't be making any more.  

What a Weekend!!

Friday morning my dad and I got up early to walk the Pinnacle before all the tourists started out... We started at 7am, it took us 2 hours... and I couldn't believe we only saw 2 people...  This is the view we had... It was pretty special, Halls Gap was clear as a bell, but surrounding the other side of the mountain there was cloud all the way around!!  I think I'll walk it again in the morning, so stay tuned for some more photos...

I have been doing quite a lot of this lately... Massaging that is, giving not receiving... I much prefer receiving, like anyone does.. but giving a good massage is just as rewarding, especially when you have people walking away, feeling great and boasting about it too.. Its just the greatest!!!  I will be one tired girl after this Easter long weekend... but its all worth it!!

All stacked up and ready to iron!!

I did however sneak in some time to finish these few scarves I had started...  Some are off to incube8r, you can check out their blog here  and the others might just make it to my madeit store... 

Material!

Look at the Screen printed material I have left!! not much you say... I hear you!! I'm seriously going to have to get some more and quick smart... Thats one of the best (and worst) things about ordering material, you have to choose...  but what happens when you want it all...

Don't you hate it when you know exactly what you need to buy and mind you, I much prefer shopping online these days... But anyway, I traveled one and a half hours to go into a shop that should have the material I needed, I did buy some there after all and you know what, they didn't have it... how frustrating is that? so I get on the phone to order some from another store and I won't even go into the conversation I had, all I'll say is it took about 3 phone calls, cut offs, call wait and I finally got some material ended up with 3 different colours as they didn't have what I wanted in the one.

I had to get the wool felted material before I could sew all these scarves up... and now I have it, won't be long until they're up and ready to go...

And these cushions  you say, they are going straight to Aunty Cookie for the 'silent auction hampers' she's putting together to raise money for PANDA.

You gotta start somewhere!!

Well, this is my first ever post and to tell you the truth, its pretty scary... What to write to get people interested?? I'll start with some photos... because I always think it looks a whole lot better and brighter and will keep all of you watching this space, to see all my creations, happenings and what not.

These are some scarves I've just finished and am about to put in my Etsy shop... So if you like them and I know you do, you can buy them here; shop

I have used local screen printed material from the lovely ladies at Ink & Spindle as well as the ever vibrant Aunty Cookie...