Why, hello there

I've been thinking about this space a lot. For a while, I didn't miss it. At all. Now, though, I find I am. When I look back through my archives I am reminded why I started this space in the first place; as a way to track my progress and keep in touch with friends.

My little space has grown so much since the start seven years ago and I can see my craft skills - in knitting, sewing, crochet etc - have too. Heck even my HTML skills have. They have all grown because of this space and the community it exists in. I like that.

I like that I can see old favourite projects, evidence of my extreme attention deficient crafting ways, favourite things baked. I especially like that alongside all of that I can see how my Smurf is  growing.

I also like that this space (and the ever expanding associated spaces) has introduced me to so many friends, many that I now choose to spend time with in "real" life. Well, in my offline life. I now live in the same city as one of my earliest blogging friends and we hang out sometimes. That's pretty cool in my book. She even still has a toy I made her many years ago.

So, with all that in mind and that there are adventures of another wee Smurf, a Smurfette in fact, to keep track of, I'm making my way back here. I'll be treating it as I always have, as my own personal reference. I won't be trying hard to impress anyone.

I'll just be having fun, hanging out and reminding myself of stuff I'm doing with craft (mostly) my reference point. Who knows, maybe I'll find some more friends along the way?

PS My comment system is completely borked. I need to fiddle and get rid of it. Apologies if you feel inclined to comment and it doesn't work.

New Dress

On the craft weekend I made three dresses. Two little baby ones for presents and one-for-me. Yep, a dress for me. It has lining and it's fitted and a little bit of trickiness and I made it and I couldn't be happier.

I think it's a great example of how my sewing skills have come along. Don't get me wrong, I have a long way to go. But I look back on my sewing and there was a time I would have been afraid to attack even a simple dress like this, especially with lining.



Simplicity pattern 3803. The fabric is a cheap cotton I bought on sale at scragfight thinking that it wouldn't matter if the dress didn't work because the fabric was cheap. Only problem is, I really like this fabric now and wish I had more.

I will definitely make this again and next time I'll cut one size bigger in the bust and also cut the arm holes a little higher.

Craft Weekend

Turns out whenever I go to write a post about a craft retreat I always go to use the word indulgence. Full weekend of sewing, good friends, great food, a bit of booze and an inspiring ocean view. What's not indulgent about that?

We headed to our usual spot, only this time coming from the nation's fair capital I had to go over the mountains. On a goat-track type tourist road. In the dark. With foxes and trees that hang down over the road. At least it gave me a good story to tell when I finally arrived with clenched teeth and white knuckles.

I went with my usual basket full of priority projects, back up projects and I-should-have-a-million-spare-hours-to-finish-this projects. I surprised myself and finished 2 baby dresses, a pink tutu for the Smurf, Jammies for the Smurf and a semi lined summer dress for me (I may have stayed up until 2am on Saturday night to finish all that). Oh and a bit of knitting. Yippee.



The Smurf was totally taken with his new stuff. Put it on straight away.


And then did some gardening in it.



I'll do a separate post re the dress - need to take photos.

Thanks Bel, Cass, Jade, Sheridan and Soph, for another fab weekend.

Happy 5th Birthday

I've never done a blog birthday post - well not that I can recall. But, this year this little blog turned 5. Yep, five. I celebrated by heading off on a craft weekend with some amazing, inspiring, clever and down right hilarious crafty women.

I'm pretty amazed that I've been blogging for five years. It's great to look back and see the new skills I've learned - and the craft I've attempted that I never thought I would 'get' (hello crochet). And that's all my blog was ever supposed to be - a way to keep track.

Anyway I won't go on and on but during the five years the best and most surprising thing I've got from my blog is a connection with you. I think my thoughts posted here at Whip Up sum it up pretty well.

Book Pimp

I'm a book pimp. Seriously. Mostly it's this book. I know I've told you about it before, but I can't help myself. I'm gaining quite a reputation among my friends. I make bread for them when they come over for dinner. Then I blab on and on about it's virtues and thrust the book into their hands as they leave, to take home and try out for themselves.

But they all love it.

So, yeah, book pimp -but the good kind OK.

Oh, there you are...

Whoops, dropped off a bit there what with the moving interstate (again), lack of internet access, work travel, guests and well....no craft to report in about. I also got my twitter on - much to my own surprise - and so have been hanging out over there instead of here (www.twitter.com/sadieandlance - come say hi?).

So understandably my interest in blogging is a little, well, blocked. So I'll just dump some random thoughts...

• I have been knitting the Smurf some mittens. It was an instant requirement after moving to a cold city during a ridiculous cold snap in the depths of winter. Obviously he requested pink, but with the stash in boxes he is making do with the burnt orange yarn found in the first box at hand.

• Thanks for all your kind words of support in this post. I do tend to be hyper concerned about giving my craft away and I know I should just let up on that a bit. I'm sure the gift was appeciated.

• Homemade bagels are the best ever homemade bread experience. I followed this recipe as recommended by 13 Mimosa, although I did have a different recipe with more ingredients book bookmarked for a while. I can't recommend homemade bagels highly enough. Please, try them soon.

• The Sunday CraftRoom was fabulous. Lots of lovely crafty women, inspiring craft, amazing food, great conversation as always.

• The house we're renting is full of gorgeous original features which we are so in love with.

• The house also comes with 2 enormous well established veggie patches. I've already started weeding and studying Stephanie's Kitchen Garden Companion and I'm ready to do some planting.

• I'm itching to craft but need to unpack the spare room (which includes my craft "room").

Hope to be back sooner next time with some actual craft.

Good times with Sadie

Sadie's been visiting, and when Grandma visits there's usually some kind of special little something pressed into my hand with a glint in her eye and an "I know you'll appreciate this, no one else is interested in a 60 year old knitting needle/old spoon/old book of crochet patterns (insert crafty thing here)".

And she's right, I am always in awe of that little piece of Grandma she shares with me. I treasure my spoon and every other little amazing treasure she has pressed into my hand over the years.

The treasure this time was different. It came in a bag! There was no sweet pressing into my hand, (actually there was one very, very special thing, but I'll tell you about that another time) no this time the bag was ceremoniously tipped on to the bench to reveal all manner of baking related GOODNESS!

Beautiful, faded old bottles of food colouring (maybe 40 years old or so) with amazing labels, artificial flavourings in incredible little bottles that look like old medicine bottles, an entire collection of piping nozzles of every shape and size, boxes of vintage birthday cake candles in the orignal boxes, un-opened - photos all to come.

But the piece de resistance, words-cannot-describe-how-amazing, was the handcarved, hand decorated "Old Time Train Set Candle Holder" - in ORGINAL box, thank you very much (see above photo).





Of course no visit from Sadie is complete without me pestering her for some tutorials on her secret recipes she's famed for in our family. This time round we did Chocolate Eclairs (I'm no longer a choux pastry virgin) and gem scones.



And I love that the Smurf is just as excited about the baking tutorials as I am.

An Autumn Sunday Morning

A perfect Autumn Sunday morning; a tea party picnic on the lounge room floor, reading the cupcake book, while eating delicious handmade marshmallows.



And getting a little excited pouring the little cup of tea.



Followed by coffee with friends and kicking the footy in the park and mushroom soup for lunch and later building ridiculous Mad Max inspired duplo trucks.

Perfect.

Weekend Twirling

It's all about the twirling, and farmers markets and hanging in the park with some of my favourite people.

For me

It's been stinking hot with humidity here lately. It's just the usual February stuff, but I'm not a fan of feeling wet all day, so I complain. And today I made a dress. It's been on my to sew list for months. Two rectangles of fine cotton gingham; lined with a handy combo of white cotton and medium red gingham; lines of shirring at the top; re-enforced; then side seams overlocked together and then re-enforced again.

A couple of those pesky lines of shirring popped out of their re-re-enforced seams, so a bit of make-it-up-as-you-go sewing complete with profanities and feet stomping ensued.

The end product is a dress I can wear on hot days, especially when I get home from work and want to step into as little as possible, but still appear decent just in case the neighbours cop an eyeful while I'm hanging the washing on the line. Works well sans bra too, but that's just for me and the neighbours to see, sorry.

The Smurf took it upon himself to sneak into the photos and copy my pose. He appeared just after this one with his bike too. Little tiger.

Happy New Year

I've enjoyed my blogging break. Have been keen to come back here but there was so much fun, food and festiveness over the break that I wasn't sure where to start. Instead, I'm sharing some highlights in mosaic form.

1. Chow Down, One piece of meat at a time.
2. Hey You, The New Police
3. Pudding Time, Sadie's recipe this year, Yummo. Success and made with Grandma's pudding cloth this year.
4. Smurfs!, for the Smurf
5. Beach, it's where the sun, surf and sand are
6. A pub with a view, Best view from a pub on the East Coast. Apart from that bin. And it's like stepping back in time. Shame it's falling apart and destined for "development".
7. Sydney Sky January 8 2010, Hello sky from our backyard.
8. Keyboard Playing Cowboy, The title speaks for itself. The Smurf requested a Cowboy Hat, a Cowboy Shirt and a pink car from Santa. Santa's workshop struggled with the pink car, but eventually managed to make all toys according to order.
9. New Bikes,
10. New Bike,
11. For Santa, Salt and Vinegar Chips, Beer and a carrot (teeny homegrown) and water for Rudolph. Just like it was when I was a girl.
12. Gingerbread House - First ever, So happy with this, despite the wonk. I've been wanting to make one of these for years but always worried about the humid weather. Don't know why I waited so long!
13. Gingerbread House - First ever,
14. Gingerbread House - it's where the biccie boys live,
15. Wrapped, We downloaded wraps and gift tags this year. It was the best. Thank you Auntie Cookie and freebie gift tags (can't remember your link).
16. Summer Salad 3 ways Before, After being vego for almost a decade there are always multiple salads on our table at a BBQ.
17. Summer Salad 3 ways After,
18. Time to Celebrate, A special celebration for a special friend with a craft day spent under the frangipani tree sipping champagne.
19. So funny Time to down needles and cut the cake birthday girl.
20. The Toy Society my Toy Society Christmas Drop; 10 toys on a tree!
21. The Toy Society
22. The Toy Society - someone finding!
23. The Toy Society - Back 2 hours later and they were all gone.
24. The Toy Society - a finder with her new toy on a trip to the zoo.
25. A Picnic Quilt Built for Two.

And on resolutions, like most I don't do them - as such - but you know, be more .... fill in your blank here.

Hots and Not

Look. Up there. It's Rudolph! That's what I was greeted with when I picked the Smurf up from childcare. Had to sweep that pudding bowl fringe away to get to the antlers. Love it. That's Hot.


More Christmas baking, more royal icing. SO hot. I'm all about royal icing now - after fearing it for ever.




Outings to see Christmas things. Hot.


Christmas windows! Hooray. That's hot.

More Hots (and nots) over at Loobylu's.

Merry Christmas! Hope Santa finds you, and for the record he likes Murphy's Stout and salt and vinegar chips. You heard it here first.

Hots and Not

I'm playing Loobylu's game again.

What's Hot?

Christmas is hot! This year is the first year The Smurf really gets Christmas and we've been having great fun around here teaching him all about Christmas.


Christmas Tree Ice cream Sandwiches for dessert and my first go at royal icing! Success.



Wonky homemade Christmas Advent




The Smurf getting up every morning to check the advent calendar. Every morning he squeals with delight "Christmas time Christmas time!" "I have a lolly?". Then he gets his advent card out for the day and when asked what it says, he tells us "Christmas Card".


First ever homemade mince tarts. First time ever baking, first time ever eating. I leaned on some locals for their input. Approved, apparently!


Christmas Parties in the backyard (and see first photo, which was some time after the photo above!). Good friends, good food, fun times. The most amazing Christmas Ham, 3 kinds of salad, mango salsa (which I forgot to put on the table!), prawns wrapped with pesto and proscuitto. Double chocolate tart and icecream for dessert with fruit mince tart chasers! And a jar of homemade chilli tomato jam for everyone to take home.


Decorating the Christmas Tree.


Enjoying the aroma of the fresh Christmas Tree and lights and decorations.

Backyard cricket in your undies (The Smurf) with the main blokes in your life.


That's all, no nots this week.

Hots and Nots

I'm playing Loobylu's What's Hot and Not meme....

Hot:

• Using up fabric scraps sent by a blog friend to make a new medication pouch (photo above).

• Friends for impromptu beers on a Sunday arvo.

• Real Leb Lamb Kebabs. Yum! I thought I'd found the secret to recreating kebabs at home, but this seems to be a step closer again, and with added authenticity. I'm loving this blog and hoping to snag a ticket to one of his secret dinners...if he keeps doing them?

• Swimming! The Smurf is LOVING swimming at the moment, especially lessons. He would, if allowed, swim around under water the entire time. And what's even hotter? He can swim (with a back bubble) without anyone holding on to him. Yep. Bursting with pride you ask? Why yes, I am!

• Re-usable swimming nappies. Those little disposable buggers are bloody expensive. The re-usable one lasts until the Smurf grows out of it and costs about the same price as 2 packs of disposable swimming nappies. Although I have heard that you can hang the disposable ones on the line to dry and get 1 re-use out of them.

NOT:

• Little shits Naughty kids (apparently someone thinks I'm "anti family" for using the term little shits) at the shopping centre. One in particular - I'm generally OK with the vast majority of little shits naughty kids. This particular one, 3-ish years old, stood in front of me while I waited for my coffee, looked up at me, then looked down at my shoe and promptly stomped on it. WTF? I just kinda gasped in horror and looked around but no one else saw it happen. Weird!
  

What's Hot and What's Not

This is supposed to be a Wednesday thing, but I was doing a whole lot of hot stuff yesterday so here I am now, Thursday night.

Hot:
Driving up the Blue Mountains (to pick Sadie* up) with the windows down listening to the Bell Birds singing


Sadie coming to stay and hang out with the Smurf for a couple of days. The Smurf has a Great Grandma who can (for at least a short time) sit on the floor and play trains with him. Now, THAT is hot.

Sadie bringing a new, simple knitting pattern for me (and her) to try. Approved! On the to-knit list. See photo above.


Making Sadie's Christmas pudding - with Sadie - and using her original pudding cloth. And this year the Smurf is old enough to have a turn stirring the pud. That's hot too.


Shopping for special treats with Sadie.


The best cold icecream on a warm day.


The first strawberry getting ripe. You can follow the progress on my Flickr!

Craft get togethers.


What's Not
Idiots on the road
That's all I've got for the nots right now.

I started this post this afternoon when we first started creaming the butter and sugar for the pudding. The puddings are hung now. Hope they worked.

* Sadie is my Grandma and, obviously, namesake of this blog

Random Red

My thoughts are a red and a little random at the moment

• Can't get enough of the United States of Tara. I'd like to request hour long episodes please.
  
  
• The Smurf has a wonderful Monday with his Ma (my Mum) every Monday and every Monday I come home to a bunch of flowers from him. This week he chose a pink pot of colour.
  
  
• The extra four pairs of pants I decided to cut out two weeks ago are weighing me down. I thought an extra couple wouldn't make much difference and I'd get an assembly line going. I'm prone to gross under estimations...if I ever tell you I'll be there in 5 minutes, you'd best assume I mean 10.
  
  
• Impromptu Sunday arvos with friends, a BBQ, beers and a bottle of sparklin ribena are the best.
  
  
• I have a finished knitted cardy to share, but I can't until my new nephew/niece shows their face. Not long now I hope. My money's on boy, I'll let you know how I go.
  

Tweak Tweak

I accidentally left my (new) camera in the back of a hire car on Thursday as I made record time getting to the airport and checking in after a marathon work trip (new personal record negative 5 minutes to check in close and I still made it including oversize baggage) .

Bugger. Someone car cleaner got an ace tip that day.

I'd show you photos from the Sunday Craft Room, but I have no camera. I'd show you photos of my amazing score from Lulu Carter (she with the new chooks) but I have no camera. I'd show you photos of the scrumptious bake-orama results displayed ala Royal Easter Show style at today's Craft Room, but I have no camera. Sick of this yet?

Instead I did a little blog tweaking over there in the side bar. Nothing special, but you can find my recipes a bit easier now. And if you're ever trying to find me and I'm not about? I'm probably lunching with one of those ladies in that list over there.

Dining out

...is over for us*. Hopefully for the time being only. Last night we went to an old favourite (a nice reason to be back in Sydney). We went at kiddie hour and everything but it was no help. The Smurf ate a scarce few mouthfuls of lentil rice (yum!) and none of the endless delicious yum yums on offer (although before they all arrived at the table he was of the opinion that he simply must try the pickled chilli).

He preferred touching up every table in the joint and playing peekaboo/chasing/hide and seek with the very sweet and awfully obliging waiter. I've never eaten dinner so fast in my life (and yet I still enjoyed it).

Don't cry for us, turns out daytime trips, to the likes of the Museum of Australia, will take the place of dining out.

Falafel? NO. Dinosaurs? YES!


Hummus and tabbouleh? Gawd no. Skeleton room? Shit yeah!


Lady Fingers? Blag. Train rides? Woo yeah!


I found the camera, obviously. In my work bag. I swear I already looked there many times before I actually found it.

* We'll be back at Abduls, we love it too much to stay away. Everything else we'll be ordering in though.