A new cardi

A new cardi
Originally uploaded by redmag

....my children are growing like weeds!!....as I type this they run around in ill-fitting rags....shivering (actually the shivering is artistic license they don't seem to feel the cold except to use it as a reason to get out of the bath before they've even gotten wet because they prefer the feel of filth on their skin to warm soapy water)

.....but we are experiencing a bit of a clothing crisis here on all fronts, mine included..so I've started to make a few things for them and me.....this is a quick baby jumper....(took me three evenings and I'm a pretty slow knitter) ....I used 1 ball of 8 ply Rustica in graphite from Bendigo Woolen Mills ...the buttons were from my stash I think they came off a vintage jacket....and the pattern is a Debbie Bliss one from here (it's free!)....it was originally intended to be for a little girl....i just added buttoms in place of the suggested flower snap closing to butch it up....it works well...my only compaint is that without ribbing along the bottom it curls up making it look a little like a crop top/bolero number and dosen't quite cover the precious kidney region (why do we angst about covering the kidneys?).....I think I'm going to try it again but with either more length or perhaps a little ribbing along the bottom....in another colour....something brighter....i like bright clothes in Winter....but the folks at Bendigo don't seem to have many bright colurs which is a shame....I'll have to find a new online source for yarn....if you have a good suggestion please do leave a comment...

...anyway I have a huge problem finishing things - there are three jumpers slothing about my loungroom that are 80% finished right now....so to give myself a deadline I've signed up for the one-week kids clothing challenge over at elsie marley....wish me luck...

While on white

While on white
Originally uploaded by redmag

...I signed up for Sooz's teatowel swap....and while I'm a bit late I've finally finished......on the off chance one of my swap partners read this blog....I'm only going to post a sneak peak......

......apart from the obvious joy that has come from the lovely tea towels that have floodedmy mail box ( thank you Claire, Meagan, Justine and Gina...I will post pictures of their lovely work once I receive a couple more) it's also be ACE to re-visit screenprinting...I did find that I need alot more practice at both desigining something good and in the technique department....but I loved it....for those of you in Melbourne I did find a great place to get my image put on a screen - Screenplay, $40 to get your screen cleaned and your imageadded and if you don't have a screen he'll sell you a decent secondhand one for reasonable price. For those you you in Canberra - just join Megalo - it's brilliant!

Kindness of others....or making the most of others gluts

{59/365} Kindness of others
Originally uploaded by redmag

When we realised we were going to move right at the beginning of summer we mourned the potential of a summer crop in our veggie patch. We compensated by giving away the tender seedlings and seed potatoes we had ready for planting to family members, so that we could live vicariously through the gardens of others and we eagerly accepted any excess produce on offer... all was well
It's only just occurred to me that one unforseen bonus of not having a patch this summer has been not having to endure the inevitable glut - no racking the brains for yet more things to do with zucchinis or growing tired of your favourite dish. The gluts of others - tomatoes and eggplants in this case - have suddenly becoming exciting intellectual problems to solve. So for those of you with too many eggplants and tomatoes, i recommend this lovely dish, adapted from a Gourmet Traveller “Menus” book from 2001.

Eggplant and Tomato Curry
You need:
500g eggplants
500g tomatoes, chopped
A few spring onions
1 tablespoon of grated ginger
1 ½ tablespoons of brown mustard seeds
A handful of curry leaves
1 teaspoon of ground turmeric
½ a teaspoon of ground chillies
1 teaspoon of ground coriander
1 ½ tablespoons of tomato paste
Oil
What to do:
Preheat the oven to 180C and roast the eggplants until tender then chop into small pieces. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil into a frypan, when hot add the spring onions, ginger, mustard seeds and curry leaves, and cook over a medium heat for a few minutes. Add spices, tomato and tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes. Add the eggplant and season with salt to taste, simmer over a medium heat for 5 minutes or until the tomato is pulpy.

Blanks

{57/365} Blanks
Originally uploaded by redmag

....a roll of twenty blank linen teatowels patiently waiting for ink for the "wash the dishes"swap....actually only 10 of them are for the swap....and 10 are for the gift stash (well a number less than ten that takes into account those that fell in the name of craft)

......I love the potential of blanks.....the seductive pleasure of a crisp white blank linen canvas.......can't wait to mess them up.....I also can't wait to show you my idea.

The organic pant pattern

{50/365} The organic pant pattern
Originally uploaded by redmag

Loads of you have them....a simple pattern traced of a pair of pants both you and your child love.....that just keep getting remade over and over slightly bigger each time as your child grows.....these were PJs for a two-year old that lived hard and died young ( seen here when they were fresh)

My tip is...well.....i use old cotton sheets....they are nice and comfortable..... designed for sleeping really......and cheap....and its nice to reuse things.....and i like the flowers.

.....a new design for a first birthday next week

{48/365} .....a new design for a first birthday next week
Originally uploaded by redmag

...OK new design is a bit of an exaggeration....it is a re-work of the trusty pattern that has been a koala, rabbit and a gnome in the past.......this time it's meant to be an eskimo.....what do you think? It's a bit wonky but not bad for my first attempt at using the dreaded fur and while i think i may now have fluff-lung.....it does feel lovely. The only thing I can't decide is whether to make him happy or cheeky...any thoughts?

One of the main reasons I've slowed/stopped making things to sell was that i didn't have the time or the drive to make anything for my family.....so 2010 is all about fixing that.....there have been lots of clothes sewn and knnitted already......but nothing big no major events to celebrate until now......the first birthday (both for this year and ever for the birthday boy) is next week and this is for him......
It feels good to shift things back into the right priority order.....

{40/365} An abondoned project discovered

{40/365} An abondoned project discovered
Originally uploaded by redmag

.....goodness....look what I found in a big plastic bag at the oppie....158 lovely little squares.....all for $7! ....as luck would have it ...I did have a granny square project on the list of things to do in 2010.....while this seems like cheating on the craft front....I wasn't going to anger the opshop Gods by leaving this one on the shelf..... ........oh well I'm Catholic....I'm terrific at burying irrational guilt ....especially the kind that comes from breaking silly self imposed rules about crafting.....and will surely get over it the moment the grand plan comes off!

Delicious carrot dip

{38/365} Leftovers
Originally uploaded by redmag

We were on dip duty for last night's celebrations.....we over-catered highlighting that there are some thing that shouldn't be left to google to decide...like how much dip you need for 60 people

....so we had the leftovers for morning tea.....dip (like curry) is better the next day..... the carrot dip ( the mangey one at the top there) was the talk of the night....so here's the recipe...

Delicious Carrot dip
250g carrots - finely grated
Olive oil
1/2 cup Greek-style yoghurt
1 clove of crushed garlic
Salt to taste.

Fry the carrot in a small amount of oil for 5-10 minutes until tender ( they will change into a deeper orange colour when cooked)
Allow the carrots to cool, then add the yogurt and garlic, mix thoroughly. Add salt to taste.

Is better made a day ahead if stored covered in the fridge.

{16/365} A red tangled mess

{16/365} A red tangled mess
Originally uploaded by redmag

......this is my day....maybe even my life right now.....this expresses all the emotions I felt when I found out the job I had lined up had fallen through without any apology.....the fury.....the confusion....the gut wrenching emptiness when I realised I was discarded without much thought....the frenzied mental leaps as I trawled through the vacancies.....all to no avail there is no solution to be found on a Saturday.....

....so I sought solace in crafting.... a new project that has been dancing around my head....restoring order to this tangled red mess in order to make something......a little thing for the littlest person.....someone I will miss dearly when all this job nonsense finally gets sorted and we spend much more time apart than we ever had........

{15/365} The bare bones for a comfy spot

{15/365} The bare bones for a comfy spot to watch the year go by
Originally uploaded by redmag

I've always wanted a comfy couch outside to lounge, read and nap on....but somehow i never managed to find the seat to match the spots I've had....until now......
This much abused three-seater was moved down from Canberra with the intention of listing it on ebay for 99cents after I was quoted $900 to have two new cushions made for it.....
...however I've just worked out that it fits perfectly on our back deck and in the past 24 hours....despite only makeshift cushioning its been the focus of family lazy activities.....stories read, pretend naps had, morning coffee in the early morning light consumed.....the couch has redeemed itself....it stays...new cushions to be found and lots of lounging anticipated.

{14/365} Magical peach leaves

{14/365} Magical peach leaves
Originally uploaded by redmag

....ok this photo...well it's not a great shot....and this little peach tree is one of the few plants in my new backyard that I don't feel any love for...not sure why just don't really get the miniture fruit tree thing...plus I am mourning the loss of my apricot tree when it was looking like it might finally pay off after three years of love.....

...this photo is all about the leaves and the fact that we discovered that when added to homemade custard they add an amazing almody flavour to them.....

My sister and I began a new family tradition this past Christmas - we both made trifles that we ate separately on opposite sides of the world for pudding at our respective Christmas feasts....we're working towards making the ultimate trifle....this year mine was a blend between a Margaret Fulton and a Stephanie Alexander recipe....and the best bit was the custard...because of (as suggested by Stephanie) the addition of peach leaves....I know, I know... the mister and I also muttered what wanky crap when we read it out loud in the throws of our last minute cooking frenzy and had we not had the leave so close at hand they would have been ignored....but if you can add them do you won't regret it!

My slightly modified version of the custar in Stephanie Alexander's Peach trifle recipe from the Cook's Companion

1 cup milk
1 cup cream
6 peach leaves washed and dried
8 egg yolks
1/4 cup castor sugar
1 tablespoon plain flor
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Bring milk, cream and peach leaves to simmering point in a heavy-based saucepan. Remove from the heat and allow to infuse for 15 mins, meanwhile whisk egg yolks with sugar and flour. Remove the peach leans and whisk in the warm milk mixture into the egg yolk mixture. Put mixture back onto the heatand cook over a moderate heat, stirring constanly with a wooden spoon and the mixture thickens. Remove from the het and add the vanilla. Allow to cool before using.

I'm going to use this in strawberry flan this weekend - given i didn't snap a trifle shot I'll showyou how it turns out.

{11/365} 44C in the shade

{11/365} 44C in the shade
Originally uploaded by redmag

.....while this does beg a say no more description....I just checked and at 22:15 it was still 37C....which does entitle me to a whine...I'd guess it's at least that in every room in my stinkin' uninsulated (sans aircon) house - I'm actually a magnet for houses that do bad in the heat.....which a're usually good for the cold.....BUT given it doesn't snow here I don't think that's much of a special gift....
F*CK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

P.S I'm doing the 1 photo a day thing over on flickr.....the ones that bring me to explain/rage/whine will get a run here....

P.P.S Happy New year.....hope to see you round these parts a bit more this year!