Home Economics.

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.

Obamarama.

Can you dig it?

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.

We should sell these.

I came across these Keep Calm rugs last night while surfing about and how much do I want one???

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.

Mostly plants.

Here are some things that make me smile… 

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.

One wedding cake.

Lovely Ruthie was married yesterday in Ocean Grove. She looked just lovely in her red dress.

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)…

It’s my Birthday.

Today was my birthday, and a pretty good one too, even though I didn’t get to see husband!

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.

The original Stitch’n'bitchers.

I’ve decided I want a sewing group. And a flapper bob. Like this…

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.

Sewing baskets and baby cinos.

Here’s some pics of my ace new sewing box… much prettier in dutch blue and white with pink spots than spew yellow and mission brown…

… 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.

My first skirt.

I am so so proud. I made my first garment today. I didn’t have to unpick anything and it looks like it’s supposed to. Made with love by me with all good things from my shop.

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

Empty Head.

Oh man, help me I’m drowing. I ain’t got nothing for tonight!

Check out my friend’s etsy shop. How pretty are her floating candles?

Small World.

Thanks to Ethel and Fred for the post about Camberwell market. Was so inspired by the button photo that I went on the weekend without the wee bairns and had a proper roam around for two hours with coffee, and muffin. YUM!

Look at my snazzy finds:

Vintage fabric and a too cute tin with crinoline lady on it.

Also can vouch for her coffee haunt as it is my local! Strange but true and even better because it gives me blog fodder (yuck, I don’t think that phrase will take off, it conjours up all sorts of gross images, like the inside of an intestine- or is that just me?)

This is… My favourite films.

Thanks to Hokey for tonight’s topic: “This is…”

Favourite Films… let me see, where do I begin. In no particular order:

1.Alice in Wonderland (the cartoon version from the 80′s)

2. Arsenic and old Lace.

3. Splash. (Love it, love it- lived in New York near the sea port for a bit and walked around singing “Mr Mango on my shoulder”)

4. Ferris Bueller’s day off. (Could recite the whole movie as a teenager. Sad but true.)

5. Ghostbusters. (Still love it. It is Pumpkin’s fav movie. We had a Ghostbuster’s party for his 4th birthday).

6. The Closet, with Daniel Auteil and Gerard Depardieu.

7. Lost in Translation. (Saw it just after a trip to Japan- preggers and emotional. Fell in love with the movie and Tokyo.)

8. Some like it Hot.

9. Stranger than Fiction (a newey, but a goodie)

10. The Blues Brothers.

11. Uncle Buck.

12. Tootsie.

13. Amelie. (Which is probably my favourite) This is the poster I have hanging in my room. I adore it.

And these are just the ones I can think of!