tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45196325358617825452024-03-14T03:48:29.794+11:00Cumquats & QuincesSimple and sustainable living in south eastern AustraliaAmberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16119307170323441286noreply@blogger.comBlogger69125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4519632535861782545.post-8649398111685353492014-07-20T21:49:00.002+10:002014-07-20T22:00:13.078+10:00Bendigo Sheep & Wool Show<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Oh my... what an excellent day at the <a href="http://www.sheepshow.com/" target="_blank">Australian Sheep & Wool Show</a>! I think I spent about 5 minutes admiring the very pretty sheep and 5 hours ogling the rainbow of yarns, knitwear and haberdashery.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgFqU0VBvr5xm_u7Hibn590c2PtQ1AppUrJ4LDbmmWhBGMml9EkqpXG3Tet9Yf8E6o92IMFfEqSp-ADtmPr2fM5lyhVVgmx0YTKEQGBJj0B6NQXDXB6M4G60FyHb17-FuCfQf-Kv99JWY/s1600/woolshow-mosaic2-Jul18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgFqU0VBvr5xm_u7Hibn590c2PtQ1AppUrJ4LDbmmWhBGMml9EkqpXG3Tet9Yf8E6o92IMFfEqSp-ADtmPr2fM5lyhVVgmx0YTKEQGBJj0B6NQXDXB6M4G60FyHb17-FuCfQf-Kv99JWY/s1600/woolshow-mosaic2-Jul18.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a><br />
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One of the best things about attending any sort of crafty event is all the friendly, super nice people. People who are happy to share their expertise, let me to fondle their knitwear, search Ravelry for the pattern I can't quite remember the name of and even offer to drive 3 hours to north east Victoria to share their skills. Such wonderful people!<br />
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This beautiful little woven basket? I was given it! I think the lovely ladies from the <a href="http://www.basketmakersofvictoria.com.au/" target="_blank">Basketmakers of Victoria</a> could tell I was just a little enthusiastic about the idea of joining up with their local north east group!<br />
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And here's my little stash of woolly goodness from the show... rather restrained wouldn't you agree? ;)<br />
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<br />Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16119307170323441286noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4519632535861782545.post-63059408002677185932014-07-14T11:27:00.000+10:002014-07-15T07:46:54.267+10:00Connections + strings of sausages<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Yesterday was one of my favourite sort of days. A drive in the country, to a stunning property in the hills, to spend the day with inspiring people and learn new skills.<br />
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A day of nurturing connections between people - and between people and the land that provides our food.<br />
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Just the day before heading to Boonderoo Farm, I read <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2014/05/how-john-muir-is-revolutionizing-the-farm-to-table-food-movement/371372/" target="_blank">this article</a> by Dan Barber, who talks about how a bucket of flour led him on a path of realisation that everything on our planet in interconnected and that we really need to give more thought to the foods that we choose to eat.<br />
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In his words, "We think we've done enough by choosing the coveted items if they're local, if they're organic, and if we can shake the hand of the farmers that grew them - but that's not enough".<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Dan points out that the way we eat in rich countries with a relatively short history of agriculture, such as America and Australia, has no connection with ecological reality. Most of the population eat a very small range of foods, often out of season, that does not reflect the variety of agricultural produce that comes from a sustainable farming system.</span><br />
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A farmer cannot simply grow endless crops of the one coveted item of produce. It simply doesn't work that way. To maintain a healthy agricultural system - to avoid soil depletion and outbreaks of pests and pathogens - the farmer must nurture a complex network of relationships. There needs to be an understanding of the ecology of the underlying natural system.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 21.090909957885742px;">"The techniques used in our industrial food system can be characterized by disconnection, a systematic unhitching. Everything is relegated to its own silo: vegetables over here, and animals there, and grain somewhere else. All the component parts are kept apart. And because they’re unhitched from each other, unsurprisingly, they're unhitched from any kind of food culture."</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 21.090909957885742px;">Australians and Americans have <strike>never</strike> not yet been forced to develop a cuisine that supports sustainable food production systems. </span></span><br />
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This is what I'm passionate about. Reversing that disconnection from ecological reality. I want people to <i>really</i> understand that humans are just another species of the earth's biodiversity.<br />
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We need to nurture connections.<br />
To learn from each other.<br />
To appreciate where the food on our plate came from, what was required to grow it and how it ended up in our shopping basket.<br />
To know who made the clothes on our back, how the fibre was grown and the fabric manufactured.<br />
To always, always consider the complex ecology of the natural world that provides us with clean air, water and food.<br />
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And that is why I headed to <a href="http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100004939877751" target="_blank">Boonderoo Farm</a>...<br />
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I met a bunch of great people and together we learned how to make sausages. Beautiful, gourmet, preservative-free sausages with goat meat from an animal raised right here on the farm and venison from a deer shot on the next-door neighbour's property.<br />
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A lot of work and passion went into these sausages. It feels good to eat food like this. It's the same reason I make my own bread, grow my own veggies, am perfectly happy to eat no tomatoes and lots of kale in winter, preserve the summer abundance, don't eat meat every day, and buy whole animal carcasses not just the prime cuts.<br />
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50kg of beautiful sausages.<br />
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Thank-you Thomas, Gabi and Felix for an excellent day. Looking forward to attending the next workshop...<br />
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<br />Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16119307170323441286noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4519632535861782545.post-65818307774512186482014-05-31T21:54:00.000+10:002015-05-01T21:06:52.485+10:00Lilly Pilly Infinity Scarf<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2852k1nUvBrTMhva9DS1HMiSD73jQ-3-lWsgIy2ZTKWvnoB0td8PrQj_yzj79Fx7d-dAILWA0a6gQK6YIQUdcV1zpjBqPxtu-xnEmKr7xkIXKIsE9FYK1SO3uSfuhtcql1IF275XEiB4/s1600/Lilly-Pilly-scarf-1-sml.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2852k1nUvBrTMhva9DS1HMiSD73jQ-3-lWsgIy2ZTKWvnoB0td8PrQj_yzj79Fx7d-dAILWA0a6gQK6YIQUdcV1zpjBqPxtu-xnEmKr7xkIXKIsE9FYK1SO3uSfuhtcql1IF275XEiB4/s1600/Lilly-Pilly-scarf-1-sml.jpg" height="640" width="460" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; text-align: start;">I've only recently rediscovered crochet and I'm loving how quick and easy it is! </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; text-align: start;">With the arrival of the cooler weather this Autumn, I wanted a scarf that wasn't too chunky and was long enough to be worn looped around my neck either doubled or tripled, depending on how cozy I need to be.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">A few people have asked about my scarf so I thought I'd endeavour to write down the pattern. (Please note though, this is the first time I've actually written down a crochet pattern, so do let me know if my instructions can be improved!)</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">If you're new to crochet, be aware that different names are used for the same stitches in the US and in Australia/UK. Ravelry is an amazing resource for patterns but it can be confusing when you're not sure which terminology a pattern uses - you need to check where the designer is from if the pattern doesn't specify which terminology is used. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Hence, I've included instructions using both terminologies here, with links to tutorials for each stitch. </span>If you're new to crochet, I've found <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLY1bSQcfeo0fMngz_VFu7A" target="_blank">Paula Daniele's video tutorials</a> helpful, with extended demonstrations of both US and UK/Australian stitches.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Lilly Pilly Infinity Scarf</span></b></span></b></div>
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Yarn: 3 x 50g balls of 8 ply / DK yarn (280 m)<br />
I've used the buttery soft Woolganic Organic Merino 8ply DK, which is sadly no longer being manufactured, but any 8 ply yarn is fine (I recommend using a solid colour to highlight the texture of the pattern).<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Hook: 4mm / USG/6 / UK8 (<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 23.999998092651367px;">or size to achieve a relaxed stitch and flexible fabric) </span></span><br />
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Length (circumference): 204cm / 80 inches<br />
Width: 13cm / 5 inches<br />
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The pattern is worked in the round, with each row a complete round (rather than being worked in a sprial fashion).<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Instructions (Australian/UK terminology)</span></b><br />
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TR - <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0egIHLKivI&index=3&list=PL5DB60A0AE5E83EB7" target="_blank">treble crochet</a><br />
DC - <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XwSnpZUy34&list=PL5DB60A0AE5E83EB7" target="_blank">double crochet</a><br />
<i>Note: Throughout this project, insert your hook into the top loop of each stitch only, not both loops.</i><br />
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<b>Row 1:</b> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtmOEzm_OXQ" target="_blank">Chain</a> 300 stitches. Join the round using a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6CY4woCU9E" target="_blank">slip stitch</a>, ensuring your chain is not twisted.<br />
<b>Row 2:</b> Chain 3 stitches. TR into first chain stitch and repeat for each stitch to end of row. Join round using a slip stitch.<br />
<b>Row 3: </b>Chain 4 stitches. *TR into the 2nd stitch. Chain 1 stitch. * Repeat to end of row, inserting hook into every second stitch. Join the round using a slip stitch.<br />
<b>Rows 4-7: </b>Repeat Rows 2 & 3, twice.<br />
<b>Row 8-9: </b>Repeat Row 3 twice more.<br />
<b>Row 10:</b> Chain 1 stitch. DC into first stitch and repeat for each stitch to end of row. Join round using a slip stitch.<br />
<b>Row 11:</b> Repeat Row 2.<br />
<b>Row 12:</b> Repeat Row 3.<br />
<b>Row 13:</b> Repeat Row 10.<br />
Sew in ends.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Instructions (US terminology)</span></b><br />
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DC - <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hro5_guB2hA&index=3&list=PL20BC680FB8405079" target="_blank">double crochet</a><br />
SC - <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyTNW61ch9Q&index=1&list=PL20BC680FB8405079" target="_blank">single crochet</a><br />
<i>Note: Throughout this project, insert your hook into the top loop of each stitch only, not both loops.</i><br />
<br />
<b>Row 1:</b> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtmOEzm_OXQ" target="_blank">Chain</a> 300 stitches. Join the round using a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6CY4woCU9E" target="_blank">slip stitch</a>, ensuring your chain is not twisted.<br />
<b>Row 2:</b> Chain 3 stitches. DC into first chain stitch and repeat for each stitch to end of row. Join round using a slip stitch.<br />
<b>Row 3: </b>Chain 4 stitches. *DC into 2nd stitch. Chain 1 stitch.* Repeat to end of row. Join round using a slip stitch. Note: Throughout this project, insert hook into the top loop of each stitch only, not both loops.<br />
<b>Rows 4-7: </b>Repeat Rows 2 & 3, twice.<br />
<b>Row 8-9: </b>Repeat Row 3 twice more.<br />
<b>Row 10:</b> Chain 1 stitch. SC into first stitch and repeat for each stitch to end of row. Join round using a slip stitch.<br />
<b>Row 11:</b> Repeat Row 2.<br />
<b>Row 12:</b> Repeat Row 3.<br />
<b>Row 13:</b> Repeat Row 10.<br />
Sew in ends.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/lilly-pilly" target="_blank">Ravelry link here</a>.<br />
<br />Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16119307170323441286noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4519632535861782545.post-12174269117127962372014-01-27T21:08:00.001+11:002014-01-27T21:16:11.423+11:00Summer days<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA-Pgmx1V8AHBT5j5PSexHCz5B8vVq3YbthO_glXvjnyTmV7TFStsp6qWztzwT0yQP4N3Fn53mqYeOQG0PmBndGWzN8wrUE46FoTWASHoMzRsFIC55UCqYJ4GF2vuIFCB1GMwIOFMyA-M/s1600/bike-Jan27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA-Pgmx1V8AHBT5j5PSexHCz5B8vVq3YbthO_glXvjnyTmV7TFStsp6qWztzwT0yQP4N3Fn53mqYeOQG0PmBndGWzN8wrUE46FoTWASHoMzRsFIC55UCqYJ4GF2vuIFCB1GMwIOFMyA-M/s1600/bike-Jan27.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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{The joy of being 5 and a half and riding your bike.}</div>
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{The joy of being 11 weeks old and lapping up the love.}</div>
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{The final harvest of our rosy red nectarines.}</div>
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{Shiny new blue sandals.}</div>
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{Lunch with wonderful long-time friends who I don't see often enough.}</div>
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Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16119307170323441286noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4519632535861782545.post-58750292165345401032014-01-16T00:11:00.003+11:002014-01-16T00:42:36.973+11:00Cumquat marmalade<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirvb-ctvYzY1s6g3YTNrAqX-qKfccF6VS89-dExZrecFWOK4CwPnCTK4bvYXfp87s7jfOLfdKSUhMA0z3_RJ8440FmmYKV2brBtpIpypI4IWFOfPrnZdiUmQYDVQiiiBHvEe_SpQFJh98/s1600/cumquat-marmalade-Jan15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirvb-ctvYzY1s6g3YTNrAqX-qKfccF6VS89-dExZrecFWOK4CwPnCTK4bvYXfp87s7jfOLfdKSUhMA0z3_RJ8440FmmYKV2brBtpIpypI4IWFOfPrnZdiUmQYDVQiiiBHvEe_SpQFJh98/s1600/cumquat-marmalade-Jan15.jpg" height="640" width="562" /></a></div>
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Cumquat marmalade is my favourite, so I usually try to make a few jars each year. Can you even buy cumquat marmalade from the supermarket? I've certainly never seen a cumquat in the produce section of the supermarket - you have grow them yourself or know someone who grows them - so it somehow makes this marmalade all the more special I think.<br />
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As usual, making the marmalade involved consulting numerous cookbooks for a recipe. So, based on the combined wisdom of Cookery the Australian Way, The PWMU (Presbyterian Women's Missionary Union) Cookbook, Stephanie Alexander's The Cook's Companion and In The Kitchen by Allan Campion & Michele Curtis (if I could only have one cookbook, this would be the one), this is the method I used. (Which has resulted in near perfect marmalade in my personal opinion.)<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><b>Cumquat Marmalade</b></span></div>
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Start with a large bowl of cumquats.<br />
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Slice the skin off 4 sides and the top and bottom of each cumquat leaving the centre pith and pips behind (I decided this was easier than halving or quartering them and then cutting out the pith and pips as most of the recipes seem to suggest).<br />
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Weigh the skins and note this down (I had 800g). Place in a large saucepan and add cold water until just covered. Leave to soak overnight.<br />
Place the cubes of leftover flesh & pips in a separate bowl and also cover with water (this is to extract the pectin from the pips so the marmalade will set). Leave to soak overnight.<br />
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The next day, strain the liquid from the flesh & pips and add this liquid to the skins. For good measure (to really make sure I had maximum pectin!), I then put the flesh & pips in a sieve and placed it in the saucepan so it was just sitting in the liquid but not spilling out.<br />
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Simmer the skins for 30 mins until soft and translucent (then remove the sieve). Add an amount of sugar <u>equal</u> to the weight of the skins (in my case, 800g). Simmer for approx 20-30 mins until the marmalade reaches setting point (testing a small blob on a cold saucer).<br />
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Pour into sterilised jars. (Makes about 4 jars.)<br />
<br />Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16119307170323441286noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4519632535861782545.post-32982170290918022062014-01-13T21:53:00.001+11:002014-01-13T21:53:44.703+11:00Tomatoes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisIojwTUagE0uGrug7PdPJZc-9afWQ8r_lsHlGTjR4tsxFltq8h4dWntLiWNnqHCmpmsYLzTFmSO5fhXTK3S56nXOtTCMCUkhfXmOpeGjQ0bXnl5DAIpevWt6Ul2Yn8ihSS6jFW0wBlO4/s1600/tomatoes-Jan13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisIojwTUagE0uGrug7PdPJZc-9afWQ8r_lsHlGTjR4tsxFltq8h4dWntLiWNnqHCmpmsYLzTFmSO5fhXTK3S56nXOtTCMCUkhfXmOpeGjQ0bXnl5DAIpevWt6Ul2Yn8ihSS6jFW0wBlO4/s1600/tomatoes-Jan13.jpg" height="496" width="640" /></a></div>
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Firstly, no I didn't grow these. They're from our local farmers market - $20 for an 18kg of big beautiful romas grown in nearby Shepparton. At that price, I'm completely happy to give over my garden beds to other veg that are easier to grow in our cooler climate. I do have a few cherry tomatoes and other salad varieties growing but they're not even close to being ready to pick yet.</div>
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This is the first time I've managed to deal with the whole box of tomatoes in one day. Because this year I kept things simple. No blanching, peeling, onions, herbs. Just chopped tomatoes, cooked until soft, put through the mouli, bottled and sterilised.<br />
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So I now have 15 litres of beautiful tomato passata, from local tomatoes bought direct from the grower (courtesy of my wonderful neighbour Jenny), in recycled jars, with no additives. And that's a whole lot better than cans of tomatoes from the supermarket that have travelled halfway around the world from Italy (and who knows from where or how far the steel for the cans, or the trees or ink for the labels, has come).<br />
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Happy days!<br />
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Next up... these little guys, which have travelled all of 300 metres from Jenny's garden to our house. I do love living here!<br />
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Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16119307170323441286noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4519632535861782545.post-25377539051332420462014-01-11T13:51:00.000+11:002014-01-11T13:51:03.728+11:00Christmas Ornament Exchange :: Part 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I've received 2 more lovely ornaments as part of the <a href="http://cumquatsandquinces.blogspot.com.au/2013/12/christmas-ornament-exchange-part-1.html" target="_blank">Christmas Ornament Exchange</a>.<br />
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I adore this gorgeous stitched Christmas tree in a mini embroidery hoop, which came all the way from Rhonda in New Zealand.<br />
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And not only did I receive this sweet little Chistmas stocking from Gabielle but a bar of chocolate too!<br />
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Thank-you to all the lovely ladies who sent me beautiful hand-crafted goodies. I'm looking forward to doing it again next year!Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16119307170323441286noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4519632535861782545.post-14420277985460550032014-01-06T20:23:00.002+11:002014-01-06T20:46:44.373+11:00We grew peaches!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Can you tell how excited I am?<br />
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I've never really grown fruit before (not counting tomatoes and other things masquerading as vegetables). Fruit takes rather serious commitment and patience. A bit different to poking a handful of beans in the ground.<br />
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When we planted our small bare-rooted trees a few years ago, the prospect of harvesting fruit from them felt like something that might possibly happen in the far distant future. We diligently weeded, mulched and watered. We studied the branches of the peaches and nectarines almost daily in Spring to check for the new buds and endeavoured to apply the spray for leaf curl 'within one week prior to bud-burst'. And apparently we've succeeded in sufficiently nurturing them, oh yes! <br />
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Our trees are still just a couple of years old, not even as tall as me. So was pretty excited when I realised that we actually had a decent crop of peaches and nectarines coming along nicely.<br />
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So we're all busily devouring lovely big, juicy peaches at the moment. There are 38 yellow ones and 27 white ones to be exact. There's also 50 or so bright red nectarines that should be ready to pick in the next couple of weeks. Happy days!</div>
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We're also enjoying all things green from the veggie patch. Tomatoes look to be at least a month away yet though. <i>Summer, where have you gone?</i><br />
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I just need to keep the girls from wreaking too much havoc...<br />
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<br />Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16119307170323441286noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4519632535861782545.post-6010388636883267862014-01-02T17:25:00.000+11:002014-01-02T18:13:19.749+11:00Our new arrival<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Meet Lucy, our newest family member! She's an 8 week old mini dachshund pup. ('Dachs' = badger; 'hund' = dog. They were orginally bred to hunt badgers apparently, although the miniature one's were bred for smaller game such as rabbits.)<br />
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She is <i>seriously</i> cute. The kids are besotted and Kipp, our 2 year old dog (of unknown heritage - he came from the RSPCA), seems to have taken to her too. He's even willing to share his bed, which is a good sign. Hopefully they'll become best buddies!<br />
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<br />Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16119307170323441286noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4519632535861782545.post-63211462851287208972013-12-29T15:56:00.000+11:002013-12-30T17:56:12.039+11:00Christmas Ornament Exchange :: Part 1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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One of the things I really love about the blog world are all the opportunities to participate in swaps, sew-a-longs and other community events. I love the fun of joining in something crafty with other lovely peeps, the sense of community that develops from these events, and the excitement of receiving surprises in the mail!<br />
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Recently I signed up to join in the Ornament Exchange organised by Kelly over at <a href="http://www.truebias.com/2013/11/join-in-2013-ornament-exchange.html" target="_blank">True Bias</a>.<br />
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I wish I was one of those organised people who jump straight into a task as soon as possible, however in my usual style I did lots of research on Pinterest, dithered over what to create and got temporarily distracted by going on holidays for a week. So by the time I'd finished stitching my ornaments, I hurriedly popped them in the mail and didn't even take the time to photograph them. (But hopefully one of the recipients will do so and I'll show you then!)<br />
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The sweet Christmas tree above was first to arrive from Renee of <a href="http://nearestthepinblog.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Nearest the Pin</a>.<br />
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This sparkly star arrived from Alison.<br />
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And this spunky little reindeer (or, I suspect, dachshund in Christmas attire!) came from Nicole of <a href="http://dreamingdashie.blogspot.com.au/" target="_blank">The Solmnolent Dachshund</a>.<br />
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Thanks everyone! (Plus there's another couple that will be waiting for me when I return from holidays in a couple of days.) So much fun! It's so nice to have special decorations with a personal story don't you think?<br />
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<i>Update:</i><br />
Thank-you so much Renee for sending through a photo of my bird ornament! I used a vintage cotton print, gifted to me by my lovely neighbour Jenny, machine-stitched to an unbleached cotton linen fabric. Then added two layers of cotton quilt batting and hand-stitched together with red perle cotton.<br />
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Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16119307170323441286noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4519632535861782545.post-36881533909419033092013-12-06T20:07:00.002+11:002013-12-06T20:31:39.875+11:00The Craft Sessions<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Although it's over a month ago now, I have to post some photos of the wonderful weekend I spent at <a href="http://thecraftsessions.com/blog/2013/10/28/the-craft-sessions-part-1" target="_blank">The Craft Sessions</a>. It was SO good. </div>
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It's the first time I've been surrounded by so many awesome people who are just as interested in discussing knitting patterns, fabrics, yarn, pattern designers, blogging, quilting techniques, Ravelry...</div>
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There were so many different workshops on offer from so many<a href="http://thecraftsessions.com/teachers/" target="_blank"> cool people</a> that it was really hard to decide which ones to do. In the end I decided to try 3 crafts that were new to me: <a href="http://www.lesliekeating.com/2013/10/the-craft-sessions.html" target="_blank">freeform patchwork and block printing</a>, both run by Lesley Keating from Maze & Vale, and whole fabric quilting with Anna O'Brien.<br />
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I have to say that patchwork and quilting have never really appealed to me (too precise, too slow-going, too <i>bitsy</i>). But this was different! <i>Freeform</i> patchwork was a revelation. Just grab a bunch of coordinating fabric scraps and start sewing them together. No measuring, precise cutting or matching corners. I love this! (Ohh and the gorgeous Maze & Vale fabric scraps that Lesley brought along for us to use!) I can't wait to do some more. And <i>whole fabric</i> quilting - just beautiful fabric and simple stitching (no patchwork required). From Anna I've discovered how much I love hand-stitching. Such a relaxing, mindful process.<br />
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I met so many lovely and inspiring women but a special mention to Jo my room-mate (who is making the most amazing English patchwork quilt - something I will never ever attempt) and <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/people/aussiegirl" target="_blank">Kylie</a> who has revolutionised my knitting by teaching me her continental style method.<br />
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A big thank-you to <a href="http://thecraftsessions.com/about-1/" target="_blank">Felicia and her crew</a> who organised this event. Can't wait for next year!<br />
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<br />Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16119307170323441286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4519632535861782545.post-709340954746445672013-09-19T11:06:00.005+10:002013-12-18T23:37:09.122+11:00Off my needles<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm sooo excited! Last night I sewed in the ends on<a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/amberdee/il-grande-favorito" target="_blank"> the first jumper</a> I've ever completed for myself (note the term <i>completed</i>... there are a couple of WIPs languishing around). I LOVE this jumper!<br />
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This jumper is <strike>copied</strike> inspired by <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/FlickaFish/il-grande-favorito" target="_blank">Felicia's version of Il Grande Favorito</a>, with a garter stitch front. As soon as I saw hers I knew it was exactly what I wanted to knit with the Berocco Ultra Alpaca that I had in my stash.<br />
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Happy days!Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16119307170323441286noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4519632535861782545.post-67077796110427034942013-09-11T21:50:00.003+10:002013-09-11T22:34:25.451+10:00Veggie heaven :: Stage 1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm taking a new approach to my seed-raising this year. I've realised little bit more TLC is needed if I'm to improve my success rate.<br />
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Thank-you <a href="http://shadybaker.blogspot.com.au/" target="_blank">Jane</a> for your suggestion to try biodegradable jiffy pots. I ended up ordering them via eBay and they arrived in just 2 days (Jane mentioned that they are also available at BigW and I would imagine the large hardware stores - if you live a bit closer to town than us!). Less root disturbance will surely help with my transplanting issues!<br />
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Secondly, no more straight-from-the-bag seed-raising mix. Using the combined wisdom from a few expert sources, I made a mix of composted cow manure, mushroom compost, potting mix and soil, and then sieved it through a colander to result in a nice fine mixture.<br />
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My trusty helper assisted with filling all the little jiffy pots. Then we planted:</div>
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4 varieties of tomatoes</div>
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butternut pumpkins</div>
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cucumbers</div>
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chilli's</div>
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basil</div>
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and giant russian sunflowers.</div>
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(As you may suspect, I raided the kids' craft drawers for the icypole sticks.)<br />
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I've also been advised to use a weak solution of seaweed extract in a spray bottle for watering the seedlings as they emerge and grow.<br />
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Early September and I'm feeling pretty organised for once! And I just love the next bit where we wait for the first shoots to appear, yay!Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16119307170323441286noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4519632535861782545.post-91716742316688541172013-09-04T12:18:00.001+10:002013-09-05T00:45:03.928+10:00Geranium Dress<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My first <a href="http://www.made-by-rae.com/2012/12/geranium-dress-sewing-pattern-is-here/" target="_blank">Geranium</a>!<br />
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Hehe! Now I know why people say that. Now that I've made one, I can't wait to make another. Such a great pattern... it all comes together so quickly and looks super sweet!<br />
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The fabric I've used is Raindrops from Carolyn Gavin's Spring Street collection. I <i>love</i> this fabric! When I purchased it a couple of months ago, I wasn't sure if it would be for Little Miss or myself. So before cutting into it, I actually ended up jumping online and ordering a couple for metres more for me.<br />
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Do you have a pattern that you've made again and again?Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16119307170323441286noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4519632535861782545.post-40419906821683038222013-09-01T20:15:00.002+10:002013-09-01T21:39:08.576+10:00Spring :: Day 1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hooray! Spring is <i>finally</i> here! </div>
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Time to pop on our spring frocks and get ready to create veggie heaven!</div>
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Does anyone else get super excited about how great their veggie patch is going to be <i>this</i> season? I love planning what will go where, topping up the beds with compost and sorting through my packets of seeds.<br />
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<i>This </i>year I will give my seedlings enough compost, manure and worm juice. I will keep the slugs at bay with generous sprinklings of coffee grounds and we will build a fence to keep the chooks out. This summer and autumn we <i>will</i> be self-sufficient for veggies... I hope!<br />
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Today we popped in some peas and beans. Potatoes, salad greens, carrots and spring onions will also start going in the ground this week.<br />
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Something I always struggle with though is starting off seedlings (tomatoes, basil, zucchini, etc) in pots and trays, in the warmth of our north windows. The seeds usually germinate okay but they either don't thrive in the potting mix, or they don't survive being transplanted into the garden.<br />
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Any tips for a good potting mix recipe? Or how to help my seedlings thrive?<br />
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Our winter veg supply is pretty much down to kale and the last of the carrots at the moment, though I'm watching with anticipation as the cabbages slowly get bigger. I've never grown cabbages before so it's quite exciting! By the time the kale runs out we should be ready to start munching through cabbages. Eight of them. Hmm...<br />
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Sadly the chooks have discovered how delicious broccoli is and have completely demolished what was left. Grrr.<br />
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Back in the pen for you girls until further chook-proofing has taken place! Job for next weekend - fence the veg patch.<br />
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Woohoo for spring!!<br />
What did you do to celebrate the start of spring today?<br />
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You can pop over to the <a href="http://www.strayedtable.com/grow/garden-share/" target="_blank">Garden Share Collective</a> hosted by Liz at Strayed from the Table for more garden inspiration.Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16119307170323441286noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4519632535861782545.post-1793910524100512482013-08-11T23:14:00.003+10:002013-08-11T23:20:47.870+10:00Winter sunshineHello there! Yes it's been a bit quiet in this space lately... things have been b-u-s-y! There's lots of things I've been <i>meaning</i> to post about but it just hasn't quite happened.<br />
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But ahhh... now I'm on holidays. Yay!!! Loving the West Australian sunshine, the smell of the ocean and happy-chappy kids (mostly... except if more than 6 minutes driving is involved... you know how it is).<br />
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Time to catch up and just breathe. :-)<br />
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<br />Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16119307170323441286noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4519632535861782545.post-63976174996698397232013-06-16T13:36:00.001+10:002014-05-06T22:14:14.369+10:00Grow Vitamins at your Kitchen Door<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjseRmzpRLKAF1j4oL0lO_5Rfvu65bhNKYsTDMxlOhg5SZGYt8hRoI85EeoTIRRteVQKgKyxHnkLDzogpAdtW_3OFb32lo2DTHes41g36mUjOgslURB-ztw0xmliqQG8aaprdLJW792pbc/s1600/grow-vitamins-poster-Jun16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjseRmzpRLKAF1j4oL0lO_5Rfvu65bhNKYsTDMxlOhg5SZGYt8hRoI85EeoTIRRteVQKgKyxHnkLDzogpAdtW_3OFb32lo2DTHes41g36mUjOgslURB-ztw0xmliqQG8aaprdLJW792pbc/s640/grow-vitamins-poster-Jun16.jpg" height="640" width="422" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #ed6638; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: 17px; orphans: 4; text-align: start;">Stecher-Traung Lithograph Corporation, 1939-45 </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzJuFI7H-7w8svH3OjSBLqi6lfBgrY9NsXlcfgZDb3My0wjrHhi_Ve3CRrSfTp2Q8bl4gAOyZbwuqEJgFmGreMJXYEJYcvFIQ33KFtDKO7nQfbk4-PnNmx_JrSvn8CUphzYVh-b498QHw/s1600/Grow-it-Yourself-poster-Jun16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzJuFI7H-7w8svH3OjSBLqi6lfBgrY9NsXlcfgZDb3My0wjrHhi_Ve3CRrSfTp2Q8bl4gAOyZbwuqEJgFmGreMJXYEJYcvFIQ33KFtDKO7nQfbk4-PnNmx_JrSvn8CUphzYVh-b498QHw/s640/Grow-it-Yourself-poster-Jun16.jpg" height="430" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #ed6638; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: 17px; orphans: 4; text-align: start;">Herbert Bayer, 1943, NYC WPA War Services</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ueOkB43KkDNEHrzd9ixw8rq43V64YTlO3rm15vmEnuXQ6nsJEZSFQGR-B02b1soIIDwvF5YWbwIpjHj9MRY1z55Wm3OHUeWAWF_21u4QEnqRwDfl-pT_thAiR3Zvn4MY6-OfhWHnCfg/s1600/sow-the-seeds-poster-Jun16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ueOkB43KkDNEHrzd9ixw8rq43V64YTlO3rm15vmEnuXQ6nsJEZSFQGR-B02b1soIIDwvF5YWbwIpjHj9MRY1z55Wm3OHUeWAWF_21u4QEnqRwDfl-pT_thAiR3Zvn4MY6-OfhWHnCfg/s640/sow-the-seeds-poster-Jun16.jpg" height="640" width="414" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #ed6638; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: 17px; orphans: 4; text-align: start;">James Montgomery Flagg, 1918, National War Garden Commission</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNNGHIOftQMBFPNk7mJIFOJwxk4vNrToAWt6UdLVl_qJrDcBpVBq5ep5JFoqGPwyPdaQ4-RgVbWPlZEONK0YQ3k_FRRc_s7T45lgFR_Tl_H4XQirLfANFuiIoa11P5ckGulALp8MGN-4Y/s1600/food-dont-waste-it-poster-Jun16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNNGHIOftQMBFPNk7mJIFOJwxk4vNrToAWt6UdLVl_qJrDcBpVBq5ep5JFoqGPwyPdaQ4-RgVbWPlZEONK0YQ3k_FRRc_s7T45lgFR_Tl_H4XQirLfANFuiIoa11P5ckGulALp8MGN-4Y/s640/food-dont-waste-it-poster-Jun16.jpg" height="640" width="464" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #ed6638; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: 17px; orphans: 4; text-align: start;">Frederic G. Cooper, 1917, U.S. Food Administration</span></td></tr>
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I love these vintage posters encouraging citizens to contribute to the WWI and WWII war efforts by growing their own backyard produce and not wasting food. At the time, food rationing was in effect, giving the extra incentive to give gardening a go. But the posters also have quite a positive vibe. More posters <a href="http://modernfarmer.com/2013/05/12-fantastic-victory-garden-posters/" target="_blank">HERE</a>.<br />
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And really, the messages in these posters are just as relevant today, just with different motivations... reducing fuel use and carbon emissions, access to ripe freshly-picked produce with the highest nutrient content, supporting your local economy and contributing to future food security.<br />
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'Urban gardens for healthy families - Grow vitamins at your kitchen door'<br />
'Sow the seeds of sustainability - Grow your own or buy local'<br />
'Every garden contributes to a greener world'<br />
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What do you think?!Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16119307170323441286noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4519632535861782545.post-51739032525138105722013-06-13T20:02:00.003+10:002013-06-13T20:18:50.959+10:00Good things<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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You know how exciting it is to get a package in the mail...? (Even when you're the one that paid for that lovely bundle of fabric/books/bed linen/organic moisturiser/ipad/or whatever it is.) Or how nice it is to receive a present on your birthday? But even more exciting are surprise gifts...<br />
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To unexpectedly receive something thoughtful from a kind-hearted person just gives me that wonderfully happy glow of what a good place the world can be and how wonderfully lucky I am! And, of course, it makes me want to do nice things for all the people around me and share all the good karma. :)<br />
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In the past couple of weeks I've been the recipient of several unexpected packages...<br />
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First was the appearance of a brown paper bag on my office desk containing fresh, homegrown lemongrass, limes and kaffir lime leaves, and cubes of palm sugar - not the easiest of things to come by when you live in rural Victoria. A lovely friend, who I don't know well but is a gorgeous person, had put together this little curry pack for me after I'd tasted her deliciously fragrant thai green curry at a recent gathering. What a nice thing to do! (And yes, I made a rather tasty curry myself last week - having fresh ingredients makes all the difference!)<br />
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A day or two later I received an email from <a href="http://cityhippyfarmgirl.com/" target="_blank">cityhippyfarmgirl</a> Brydie to say that I'd won some lovely teas in her blog giveaway. Cool! I never win anything so that was rather exciting!<br />
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And this sweet little teapot... well that was gifted to me by the lovely lady who has the shop full of vintage goods and collectables next door to mine!<br />
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It's nice to know the world is full of such good and generous people! :)Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16119307170323441286noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4519632535861782545.post-67224294068541646582013-06-12T16:47:00.002+10:002013-06-12T16:50:09.951+10:00One year older...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span id="goog_2013324033"></span><span id="goog_2013324034"></span><br />
Yep, yesterday was my birthday. Thirty-nine. Hmm...<br />
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Do you still look forward to your birthday? I do! And this was a good one.<br />
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Three sweet people gave me a foot massage in bed in the morning.<br />
I received some lovely cards and cool pressies!<br />
I sat in the midday winter sunshine at the Beechworth Brewery and had delicious pizza with family and friends.<br />
Hubby made my favourite orange & almond cake that we shared for dessert with some more friends.<br />
Ah, life is good! :)<br />
<br />Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16119307170323441286noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4519632535861782545.post-65656083255845243612013-06-01T19:30:00.000+10:002013-06-02T15:59:52.266+10:00Shifting seasons...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Happy first day of Winter! Do you think this plum tree might be a tad confused about what season it is?Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16119307170323441286noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4519632535861782545.post-71255915499282640562013-05-25T09:38:00.001+10:002013-05-25T09:38:52.146+10:00Exciting news :: The Crafty Fox!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I've been a bit quiet on the blog front this past month as there's been exciting things in progress... I've opened a new little crafty venture - The Crafty Fox shop & studio in Beechworth!<br />
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It's in the beautiful original schoolhouse building in town, built in 1863.<br />
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I've been loving every minute of sourcing lovely handmade clothing & goodies, setting up displays and finally opening my doors this weekend. I also plan to run occasional crafty workshops and a regular Sunday crafternoon session. Yay!!<br />
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Find out more on The Crafty Fox <a href="http://thecraftyfox.com.au/" target="_blank">website</a> and <a href="http://www.facebook.com/TheCraftyFoxBeechworth" target="_blank">Facebook</a> page. And if you're in northeast Victoria do pop in and say hello! :)Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16119307170323441286noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4519632535861782545.post-20933820120098124092013-05-22T21:49:00.000+10:002013-05-22T21:50:03.931+10:00Mini Mobius Cowl<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCBNrQey8YYM3G_YaQPH-wvnR7CfcddOuVnShsEdKz4z4KECRSI69qIDTS6VPlGD7Wqevf7dvyaFbIZCbv70Td1enoomwbatvJad6ioe6uwyTy1BUAGqMQshr28QThrnd-VZz-5ZgrIG4/s1600/mini-moebius-cowl-May22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCBNrQey8YYM3G_YaQPH-wvnR7CfcddOuVnShsEdKz4z4KECRSI69qIDTS6VPlGD7Wqevf7dvyaFbIZCbv70Td1enoomwbatvJad6ioe6uwyTy1BUAGqMQshr28QThrnd-VZz-5ZgrIG4/s640/mini-moebius-cowl-May22.jpg" width="466" /></a></div>
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Brrrr! The chilly weather has well and truly arrived here, so we're all rugged up once again.<br />
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Have you ever tried knitting a mobius cowl? I still can't get my head around quite how the cast-on works... but like magic, it actually worked! Somehow it knits from the middle of the cowl, outwards, with the circular needle forming a spiral. It's really interesting to see it progress.<br />
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After the cast-on and first couple of rows, this was a super quick and easy knit (just a few hours). Ravelled <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/amberdee/easy-mobius-cowl" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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I made this mini cowl for little miss with the leftover yarn from my own mobius cowl (no photos of that one yet sorry!). I think I'm hooked! I'd love to try a mobius shawl next... Let me know if you have any suggestions for patterns!<br />
<br />Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16119307170323441286noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4519632535861782545.post-89266535560596258192013-05-15T22:24:00.002+10:002013-05-15T22:30:01.968+10:00The Roly-Poly Rain Tunic<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRqSdhUih_dcyjrPObpPBNzCMGhILx4stpCPG5I9yEG_g0KMv1cSngQ6-foletEkwWXpatyF99n-a26cRzCIxm821nwHw7_gdmrk1C8wGyDgPl2UDPUwnsfKYtMzQp-mFaMjurA9o4b1c/s1600/Rain-fabric-tunic-thecraftykitty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRqSdhUih_dcyjrPObpPBNzCMGhILx4stpCPG5I9yEG_g0KMv1cSngQ6-foletEkwWXpatyF99n-a26cRzCIxm821nwHw7_gdmrk1C8wGyDgPl2UDPUwnsfKYtMzQp-mFaMjurA9o4b1c/s640/Rain-fabric-tunic-thecraftykitty.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by <a href="http://thecraftykitty.co.uk/" target="_blank">The Crafty Kitty</a></td></tr>
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Oh my! How sweet is this little girl's tunic that Stephanie from <a href="http://thecraftykitty.co.uk/2013/05/13/the-roly-poly-along-blog-tour/" target="_blank">The Crafty Kitty </a>has made? I'm pretty excited about it because that's the fat quarter of <a href="http://cumquatsandquinces.blogspot.com.au/2013/03/paper-pencil-ink-and-fabric.html" target="_blank">my hand-printed Rain fabric</a> that I sent her during the recent <a href="http://cumquatsandquinces.blogspot.com.au/2013/02/handprinted-fabric-swap.html" target="_blank">Handmade Fabric Swap</a>!<br />
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Pop over to <a href="http://thecraftykitty.co.uk/2013/05/13/the-roly-poly-along-blog-tour/" target="_blank">The Crafty Kitty</a> for more photos and a chance to win a copy of the pattern (the <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/129859678/the-roly-poly-a-pinafore-tunic-pattern" target="_blank">Roly-Poly Pinafore Tunic</a>).<br />
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...All this reminds me that I've been rather remiss in not yet posting photos of the 4 beautiful fabrics that I received from my swap partners. As soon as the sun comes out again I'll snap some pics, I promise!Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16119307170323441286noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4519632535861782545.post-54014919745662855002013-05-02T22:21:00.000+10:002013-05-02T23:24:32.785+10:00Treasures<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I love a good garage sale! Especially when it's like the one I visited last weekend, where an older couple are moving house and are doing a big clean out. So many treasures!<br />
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This footstool is in perfect condition - it actually looks like it's never been used. How much was it? $3!!! It now has pride of place by our front door, the perfect thing for the kids to use while they put on their shoes.<br />
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And ohh, how I loved Enid Blyton books as a child! Especially her stories about the Faraway Tree and Wishing Chair. I found some that I've not actually read before, so I'm really looking forward to enjoying them with my kids.<br />
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I also snaffled a funky piece of vintage curtain fabric...<br />
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Oh, and look who I had for company under the clothesline while taking the above photo...<br />
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Meanwhile, someone else at our place has been collecting their own treasures in a secret spot under the bushes. This is the 'bower' of a male Satin Bowerbird... beautifully decorated to attract a new female friend! Blue is their colour of choice and here we have blue feathers, twine, plastic tape, labels and other scraps of man-made rubbish, plus interestingly, a few yellow feathers from a cockatoo's crest. I hope all his efforts are worth it!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz_FpyFR6yX7u47syjCeeJnASWRjqJMBmipeF7QeSKcCEdWEgzMUyvkfLXOsukWCZCfYDPmqgcY3lunFQtxksKFMWpJpHrVQikvovbaOeLrYXWCRcA4zi1USdR_Ba1InlTixzrpe5bTT0/s1600/bowerbird-bower-1-Apr30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz_FpyFR6yX7u47syjCeeJnASWRjqJMBmipeF7QeSKcCEdWEgzMUyvkfLXOsukWCZCfYDPmqgcY3lunFQtxksKFMWpJpHrVQikvovbaOeLrYXWCRcA4zi1USdR_Ba1InlTixzrpe5bTT0/s640/bowerbird-bower-1-Apr30.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
The bower really is a work of art...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfAp1qvglhrvUjFeqAn-exD-V35bCYcOOlpGmnSTtxAt2lpxcg26l-Twa7J9GNBK-0ZQrZmUsWTgNxOwYSraj98SnBkkky4_rArJ1CJVGDpiIUZgbS0GbvH-WPZNWbDrFHkepI-QYw9A8/s1600/bowerbird-bower-2-Apr30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfAp1qvglhrvUjFeqAn-exD-V35bCYcOOlpGmnSTtxAt2lpxcg26l-Twa7J9GNBK-0ZQrZmUsWTgNxOwYSraj98SnBkkky4_rArJ1CJVGDpiIUZgbS0GbvH-WPZNWbDrFHkepI-QYw9A8/s640/bowerbird-bower-2-Apr30.jpg" width="440" /></a></div>
Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16119307170323441286noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4519632535861782545.post-45883103846065955312013-04-25T13:03:00.002+10:002013-04-25T21:37:54.129+10:00Making healthy tasty<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_cQm4MfXTq-Ub92fgsFzm50XCmLKyoxUqKmpcoymiVMve0h_a4Dhf3O6ZLEULeeslg7BKxe9nSnJOLfL_JqiZaTGmEb03xZ-KvMbMbUXh4FhQCCx73TthsOyR6tgAqa7AE33jmTN5VFM/s1600/rhubarb-muffins-1-Apr25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_cQm4MfXTq-Ub92fgsFzm50XCmLKyoxUqKmpcoymiVMve0h_a4Dhf3O6ZLEULeeslg7BKxe9nSnJOLfL_JqiZaTGmEb03xZ-KvMbMbUXh4FhQCCx73TthsOyR6tgAqa7AE33jmTN5VFM/s640/rhubarb-muffins-1-Apr25.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />
My good friend Lien mentioned something really important the other day. She told me that she didn't want her girls to grow up thinking that healthy food wasn't delicious. So true!<br />
<br />
We're both keen for our kids to eat mainly fresh, wholesome food. But I think we're also both pretty good cooks and make some rather fine and tasty dishes! So I reckon we're doing okay in promoting good lifetime habits... and no doubt a love of food like ourselves!<br />
<br />
Happily my kids think a plate of raw veggies, a bit of cheese and a gerkin is the perfect lunch. However, I do still get a never-ending stream of requests for icecream, lollies (especially at the supermarket checkout) and other sugary treats.<br />
<br />
So I'm gradually building my repertoire of baked goodies that the kids love but are still up there on my good-for-you scale. Happy kids, happy mum!<br />
<br />
Lien has shared her recipe for these dairy-free, sugar-free rhubarb muffins, which are absolutely delicious! I love the tartness of the rhubarb in these muffins but almost any fruit can be substituted depending on what is in season... try apple and cinnamon, pear and ginger, mashed banana or stonefruit. Lien's tip for light and fluffy muffins is to combine the wet and dry ingredients just before baking and not to over-mix the batter.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><b>Lien's Honey & Rhubarb Muffins</b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">230g wholemeal flour (spelt flour or wheat flour)<br />2 tsp baking powder<br />1/3 cup honey<br />1 tsp vanilla essence<br />1 egg<br />¾ cup light-flavoured oil<br />¾ cup milk<br />200g thinly sliced rhubarb</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />Preheat
oven to 180C.<br />Sift flour and baking powder. In a separate bowl, mix all the remaining ingredients. Combine the wet and dry mixtures just
before baking – do not over mix.<br />Spoon the mixture into greased muffin tins and bake for approximately 20 mins until golden. Cool on a wire rack.</span><br />
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