mine.

As you can see from the photos, mine aren’t as tidy as hers, but what I lack in neat I made up for with embellishment. The sprinkles were just the thing to draw your eyes away from the messy edges!

Nigella’s.

They won the taste test. An empty plate dotted with a few sprinkles were all that was left, although after all that sugar I did have to peel my boys off the ceiling to take them home.

I think it’s a widely known fact amongst people who know us that Belsize Square the store is named after Belsize Square the place. As I come to the end of the store, I find myself thinking about the street where we lived.

This is the street I would walk past on a winter’s evening when we lived around the corner. There was one fantastic winter’s evening I walked past the church in the freezy cold and thick mist . It was so still and quiet and suddenly a fox shot out of the church grounds, ran across my path and up a side street. It was one of those  magical moments you think “I’ll remember this forever”.

This is the street I was so happy to move into 6months pregnant and nest.

This is the street we bought our first baby home to. Where we raced outside when he was one year old to photograph him in the snow.

We are fortunate enough to be heading back to London later this year for a whistle stop tour of our favourite haunts with our two sons. My eldest at 6 1/2 is keen to see where he was born. I am a bit more hesitant to go back- afraid that I will feel like an outsider and the place which was at once home and adventure will not remember me. Scared of an rush of emotion that I might not enjoy. Aware that the passage of time will be more tangible and I will feel old. Another sad “so long” and an “I’m not sure when we’ll be back”.

A bit sad to say goodbye to the shop, too.

Recently in need of a little nostalgia I dug out my grandmother’s enamel pie dish and baked a Jamie Oliver Apple pie, which has seriously the best pastry ever. It’s short, buttery and has this wonderful aroma of lemon (from the inclusion of lemon zest- encompassing without being overpowering). A delightful pie, a little sad that the Greek men in my life have no appreciation of my anglo roots. Translation: I ate most of this myself!

Every girl should have some animal print in their closet. When I wear them, I feel a little Mad Men. Martini anyone?

From the book that started it all- for me that is. Crazy bus toy from the “Make fun stuff! by Aranzi Aronzo” craft book I received from my lovely mother in law for Christmas 3 years ago. Now I know she really does listen to me when I rabbit on (off she trotted to the super cool “genki” store in Flinders Lane and chose this out for me all by herself.) Isn’t she awesome?

This is the book that reawakened the textile junkie in me- repressed from years of new motherhood. This is the book which spawned the bus, the blog and the fabric shop.

Super delicious, you really must try this yummy chorizo soup from Jamie Oliver’s “Dinners” cookbook. It’s been such great soup weather lately- read “super freezy”! Now I hesitated before adding this photo, as it’s not the most appetising looking dish- and then I remembered that I had added a photo of Sheperd’s pie not so long ago. Another dish which tastes a whole lot yummier that it photographs. N’est-ce pas?

I love these photos. Now, a vineyard, some cyclists, a week old calf. Guess where. Rural France? Rural anywhere, right?

No, Collingwood Children’s farm. Only about 3km from the city. It’s quite surreal to feel as though you are somewhere quite rural, to turn around and see the city skyline at “reach out and touch” distance. We were lucky enough to see this beautiful doe eyed calf, born in the same week we visited. There’s a lovely outdoor cafe and we had a lovely al fresco breakfast in the chilly, watery winter sunshine. Resplendent in scarves and beanies.

Super sweet, I could just eat them up!

I am actually all class.

If only I had coltish legs (not coltish, sadly)

If only I had an unlimited clothing budget

If only I had somewhere important to wear heels and, like, a whole ensemble.

Then I would dress like this:

I am loving the brightly coloured legs and the rather structured A line skirt (knee length is my thing). I look at this image and long for winter!

…We like our bike. It’s made for three. Our Mike sits up in back you see. We like our Mike and this is why, Mike does all the work when the hills get high!

Read “One fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish” to Bubba J tonight and thought “Hey I need one of those!”

*

Here’s some of my latest crafty goodness:

So proud! As a self taught- anything I make that is functional and pretty like this dress (with most of the mistakes on the inside so you can’t see!) makes me all chest swelling with pride. It uses Bird and Berry Stripe and Grassy Plains. Both by Kokka and available in the shop.

This one’s a project from Sew Darn Cute by Jenny Ryan- it’s called Snappy Fabric Bracelets. I’ve had terrible trouble applying the snaps though. I got one of those Birch pack from Lincraft with the tool shaped a bit like a set of pliers. Anyway, no matter how careful I was opening and closing the bracelets, the snappers kept separating. Any ideas what I’m doing wrong?

This is one of those rare craft books where I want to make everything in it. The come along once in a while and are just so exciting to own. The pages are full of possibilities. The other one that jumps to mind is Meet me at Mike’s.

Sewing machine cover whipped up one evening. Made it with Cookies by Aunty Cookie (a fabric I could just stare at for hours- these attitude laden bunny girls sit next to me now while I’m sewing. Some tell me I’m doing great, some snigger when I reach for the unpicker.) Hey, my mum was right when she said I’d never be alone again! Only I don’t think she was referring to dolly pictures on fabric. She was referring to the person I had just birthed.

I didn’t realise at the time that she meant it as a threat.

See my pincushion in the foreground? Got it free in Mixtape a while back. Courtesy of Dear Fii. I luv it.

I’ve been promising kinder some new art smocks for over a term now (I was going to get them done last school holidays, oops!) I made the first two fine and they are much loved and paint spattered by now. Well, finally here are the last two.

Plus, I have two quilts on the go (yes, now I know I’m just bragging, or rather confessing as I often start these things and then they don’t really get finished very quickly).

I hope all this creativity inspires you to begin a new project (or finish an old one!)

I wish I was more organised and managed to ever take some before shots. If I had, this would be much more impressive.

These were little home made chairs that were sitting around my grandparents-in-law’s house. They were originally stained (a very pine-y yellow gloss) and had mustard yellow vinyl covers with these strange high backs. The new upholstery is a Moda Home fabric we sell in the shop, very durable heavy weave. I just love how they turned out (the kids are pretty happy too!)

As weak as it is- I do believe this constitutes an Ikea hack. Some Dulux spray paint in Volcano Orange and I’m very impressed with my glossy little kitchen accessory/ extra chair.

This one I did quite a white back, I just don’t think I ever got around to blogging it. I found the lamp base at Mill Markets in Geelong -oh how I love that place! The shade was a plain white one I bought for $2 (super bargain basement price) from Kmart which I recovered in some yummy Amy Butler Wildflowers fabric from the Daisy Chain range. It now graces the sideboard in my dining room.

It appears that I’m not the only one. The little guy has been painting to his heart’s content and is super keen to practise his newly acquired skill of turning one’s painting into a stamp (where you turn your painting face down and rub the back so that you get a mirror image). Only thing is, he doesn’t always have the paper lined up underneath.

Needless to say we did end up with some lovely reverse paintings directly transfered onto the table top.

Super sale stash.

Also recently decided that the new Red Letter Days and David Walker Rockets ranges were far too yum to disappear without hacking into them for my own stash. The result?

A cute kinder nap time binkee for my pumpkin…

Tomorrow my wee one turns three- full of attitude, sleeping in a bed and giving up his dummy all by himself.

No more babies.

Sigh.

Driving to pick up daddy, they were both drawing with their magnadoodles in the back seat (incidentally, they’re a great thing to keep in the car to stop fighting and complaining- generally! Like until one decides to use the pen to poke the other one in the eye or the string to garrote him with!)

I digress…

The wee one was drawing swirls semi-in-time to the music and he said: “Look mama, look. My drawing is dancing.”

I tell you, I’m coming off a fortnight from hell. It’s so important to find at least one gem in every day. Thank you to Poppysmiles flickr project on 365 Days of Grateful, which I first read about in Frankie I believe and then in Notebook mag. I try to keep it in the back of my mind- to remember to be grateful for stuff. I frequently forget.

Also, I love them little tootsies!

Look what I’ve received from the lovely Anjie at http://www.pompomemporium.com , whose blog is incredibly classy and makes me a bit homesick for my time in the UK. To accept this award, I must list 5 things that I am addicted to and pass the award on to blogs I enjoy reading.

• Coffee- I am rarely without one in my hand wherever I go, even if it means I’m juggling steaming takeaway cup, handbag, mobile, small children, shopping and car keys.
• Sleeping. You wouldn’t think the two went together, but I am a gold medal sleeper, no matter how much caffine I have zinging ’round my system.
• Fabric. I am so addicted. I have trouble cutting up fabric in my stash, ’cause I love it so much.
• Chocolate. Sorry to be a cliche, but it’s true. I don’t have an off switch when it comes to chocolate!
• Colour. Love colour, can’t have enough- preferably bright and clashing.

I am passing this award on to:

Dear Fii http://dearfii.blogspot.com/

Aunty Cookie http://www.auntycookie.com/blog/

Curly pops http://curlypops.blogspot.com/

Hey, all Melbourne bloggers, who I find very creative and entertaining. Thanks again Anjie!

We have an abundance of apricots at the moment.

So I baked. It’s something my mum used to make with grated apple, but this version is a little more country.

Easy Apricot Pudding.

Cream 1 dessert spoon of butter with 1/2 cup sugar. Add one egg and mix well. Add wholemeal self raising flour gradually until mixture is stiff.

Spread 3/4 of mixture onto a small, greased lasagne dish. Place apricot halves over mixture. Sprinkle apricots with 2-3 dessert spoons of brown sugar.

Thin down remaining mixture with milk until it resembles pancake batter. Pour over the top of the apricots.

Bake at 180 degrees celsius for 45mins (up to an hour). Check after 25 mins and adjust baking time to suit your oven. Eat warm- it’s yummy with vanilla ice cream.

Something new to believe in.

Clever, clever Denyse Schmidt. With links to the oldest, truest tradition of American quilters, this beautiful, powerful (and dare I say humorous?) Obama campain fundraiser. This is what Denyse herself said on her blog:

Long before women had the vote, they voiced their opinions by creating quilts with political and commemorative themes.

Wonderful.

A LOT. I’d stock them in the shop but for the fact they’re so pricey and kind of tricky to post. You’ll have to make do with a tea towel, poster, tote or apron I’m afraid.

Pumpkin went to a pirate party today and I just have to give my totally nuts friend an honourable mention in the birthday cake department. This is a birthday cake par excellence, as was the fabulously hand painted invitation with singed “treasure map” inside  and the bespoke, totally realistic with flashing lights Ghostbusters outfit she made Pumpkin for his birthday . She is incredibly talented and creative. Yay Annabelle!

One more shout out for creative excellence goes to our lovely customer Kristy, who made this Birdie Sling and then took the time to share it with us.

What a clever girl! Thanks Kirsty, it looks great with the martini and the poppy fabrics. 

It’s just so lovely to see the finished creations our customers make and hear snippets of your lives. We’ve only been around a little while, but you are all so generous with your time,  giving us feedback and keeping in touch that I’m getting to know some of you already.

Fijoa blooms, my spoilt bubbas, peaches ripening on the tree.

my herb garden, thriving on neglect. It gives me a little Jamie Oliver rush every time I make a roast chicken and cut herbs from the garden to stuff it with.

Hydrangeas picked from my garden in a beautiful hand thrown vessel I bought myself as a little self birthday pressie. These hydrangeas grew from a cutting my father-in-law gave me.

They are my favourite, favourite flower. Hope your weekend was a good one.

I made the cake and was quite proud of the way it turned out (although I must say that you can’t go too wrong as far as decoration goes if you use real flowers.

After the wedding we stopped in Geelong and had a look at the waterfront.

Life in a Northern town (I know it’s not, it just feels like Manchester or Liverpool or somewhere, quite cool and industrial)…

Got lots of lovely birthday wishes and some lovely gifties including an ace camera for making blogging, shop, etsy shop and flickr prettier (now I just have to learn how to use it- it is very complicated!)

Also, check out these fab-u-lous Dorothy ruby slippers. Actual slippers too, super comfy from a much loved girlfriend.

I was also spoilt with flowers and a gorgeous soy candle in a teacup from another lovely girlfriend. I’m so lucky! Hope your day was equally good.

I’m thinking freestyle here, but who would be interested in a shopping and craft night (Melbourne bloggsters)?

Tea & coffee and cupcakes. Music and crafting and craft shopping. Leave me a comment if you have any thoughts.

… and the great vintage fabrics I bought…

And I just threw this in for cuteness factor. An early morning baby cino date at my local.

Hope your Monday was similarly chilled.

For little Liv on her 3rd birthday. Hope she likes the mermaids and pink polka dots!