BARBIE!

burp.

It was that kind of day. Last year's invasion day bbq was sunny, hot and full of the sound of willow on willow as we enjoyed a massive klopathon in the backyard. This year however dawned grey and cool so it was ALL about the food. And there was a lot to keep us occupied. The menu included: mint and ginger punch, grilled haloumi, olive dip, roasted balsamic mushrooms, grilled asparagus, garlic and rosemary turkish bread, roast cauliflower, rocket, fetta and duhkah salad, apple, walnut and cos salad with a delicious yoghurt dressing, tomato, bocconcini and basil salad, green pea and haloumi fritters, butterflied lamb roast, spicy italian pork sausages, and chicken skewers cooked on the architects japanese import fold up hibachi.  And then there was cake.

I got so excited about tucking into my platefull of food that I couldn't even wait to get the camera into focus.

And apparently the sausages were so delicious that the womble even managed to pull James into the station in order to squeeze one in.

the Hagrid handed in-house primary teacher DJ even brought along an amazing selection of beers from around the world, which to quote him were "good and strong... burp".

Max of course held out for dessert... Miss P's famous Ginger Fluff Sponge and Shula's pomegranate topped version of Maggie B's now infamous chocolate pavlova. DELICIOUS. we all realised that by the time we'd managed to empty the groaning table full of food into our now groaning bellies it was well after 5 and there was no time for Klop.

Which was just as well because as it turns out, within minutes of getting home all of us were pretty much in the same position as Master Maxwell... completely unconcious on the couch. Top afternoon. BECK

BAKE OFF OF THE WEEK

jam session

This year hasn't been a great one for stone fruit... too much water and not enough sun has left the trees shooting out branches and leaves rather than fruit and the fruit on offer hasn't had enough sun to get it ripe quickly or uniformly enough to beat the feasting beaks of birds and bats (well bats don't have beaks I know but you get the drift) Nonetheless I have been determined to make something of the harvest before it all fell of the tree bug riddled and bird pecked.

Thankfully, I found a gap on Monday between holiday sickness abating and work starting with the added benefit of grandparent babysitting of Master Maxwell to get to work and get some jam made.

With the house blissfully empty save for the sounds of bubbling apricots and my dodgy collection of 60's soul, 70's disco, 80's metal, 90's grunge and noughties folk and nuevo new wave I enjoyed myself  thoroughly, and hopefully managed to recapture some of the magic of last season's jam session.

I say hopefully because it would appear that last year I set the bar rather high and had myself some jam addicts jonesing for another jar after the first one had been consumed in record time... Oh and Pen, I hope you won't mind my recycling your jam jars as long as you get at least one jar of mine back in return :)

Given that there was going to be some waiting around time while the jam bubbled into the correct consistency I decided to finally use the Gingerbread and Shortbread dough that had been sitting in the fridge since Christmas eve and bake myself (and my loved ones) some cookies.

While the gingerbread did crack a little on top it was deliciously chewy and spicy. Max has subsequently developed a perhaps unhealthy crush on them as apparently "mummy's biscuits are quite tasty" and "very nice for my breakfast"  hmmmm.

I love making the cranberry and pistachio shortbread, not just because the end result is so damn tasty, but because the mix is really, really pretty, surely incentive enough to make and extra batch?

Yum. BECK

SHOW OF THE WEEK

who listens to the radio!

Well it's that time of year - the last time I'll be on 3RRR to talk up all things in the craftiverse. I will be without my compadre Beck - who manages to squeeze in a 'real' job between doing everything else and is tied to her desk at Craft Victoria. I'll be talking up the wonderful Harvest Textiles and their special Christmas market. If you listen in at 10 am there is an amazing give away for RRR subscribers. You'll note I'm on the poster too - but I've piked due to market making exhaustion post hatch! I'm still going to visit tho as it looks awesome!

I will also be talking a bit about the Fresh exhibition at CV -  the best of the best graduates as hand picked by a committee of craft and design professionals -it's a great show this year and is open right up until Christmas eve.

And my own Christmas mania continues...I know you are all sick of it.2 weeks to go and then we are done people! RAMONA

SHOW OF (Last) WEEK

from little things big things grow

As promised I braved the appalling weather on Saturday to check out the 1 and 2nd year gold and silver smithing students show at RMIT. The show is on until Saturday so I thought I'd mention a couple of the highlights. I've been noticing  a lot of organic elements introduced into all sorts of design and craft things lately - furniture, interior design, fine art,  ceramics. Something green is always a clever way to introduce both warmth and freshness to a space or object. I loved this neck piece titled Breathe by Sarah Wallace. The fragrant thyme was beautiful.

I also really loved Rachel Fare's Watering Can for a Bonsai The way the copper and gold plated vessel related to the little plant was poetic without being twee.

Those of you following my Halloween saga will perhaps be pleased to know that I didn't spend two days carving a pumpkin, choosing to nap instead followed by a quick glittering. I did get 9 trick or treaters - Minnie Mouse, A Fairy, Darth Vader, three witches, a skeleton, Death and someone dressed as Green's party uber-dude Adam Bandt. Quite a good turn out! RAMONA

FESTIVAL OF THE WEEK

hoot hoot

have you noticed it? This year Halloween seems to have taken full force in the stores - as if they've just realised this is a brilliant marketing opportunity. All Hallows Eve - as it's been known since the 16th  century - is not a bad holiday to co opt - especially from a crafting point of view. Lets face it, there are costumes, pumpkin carving, and trick or treat bags to make. I picked up my Kent pumpkin to carve this morning at the market and bought too darling little birdies from Cottage Industry to spook up the front door (more on that project tomorrow!)

Of course I've been on board the Halloween spook train for years thanks to my much derided Martha obsession - you want proof - here's a link to a post this time a couple of years ago - lets hope I have better luck this time!

RAMONA

GRAND SALE! GRAND SALE!

fete-alistic

'I know I know the weather is disasterous... but that might mean that you can actually snap up a great bargain without having to elbow peeps out the way like its the myer stocktake sale. Beci Orpin is having her annual tiny mammoth sale TODAY at the wimble st childcare co-op fete. She'll be clearing out winter stock and samples/seconds from previous collections, and a few bits of old princess tina stock and some beci orpin samples/seconds too. we have been guaranteed that everything will be cheap and that a percentage of the profits get donated back to wimble st childcare co-op. So you can feel good about spending up big! There will also be the full quota of magnificent fete-y goodness on hand – cake stall, plant stall, trash and treasure stall, bbq etc. Get your umbrella and get on down.

Oh and Sunday there's also the Westgarth primary school fete - this one's easy for me as it's literally just across the road. Last year it featured amongst other things, a rock climbing wall, pony rides and a bedoin tent. It may be missing the pull of a tiny mammoth sale, but i'm sure it will make up for it with the great dodgy bands, second hand book fair, plant, cake and preserve stalls, kids swap meet trash'n'treasure and being a Stephanie Alexander school gardens school EXCELLENT FOOD. Oh and if you needed any further incentives it's not supposed to be raining either.
BECK

MARKET OF THE WEEK

finders keepers jeepers creepers

Ok so what can we say? Finders Keepers, the big indie fair from Sydney has made its way to Melbourne and will be taking over docklands this weekend. It's kind of like if Etsy was Australian and existed in the real world this is what it would look like. The ladies of HML have crazy lives at the moment and  may be hard pressed this weekend to make it but we urge as many of you as possible to go and support and enjoy what is essentially a craftier version of the Design Market.

Some of our faves will be there - Georgie Love, Harvest Textiles, Ink and Spindle, Maru and Lark all have stands. There is the added bonus of live music and good food on site so make a day of it.

And for those of our readers who live in Melbourne, even if you don't make it to Finders Keepers - how lucky are we to live in such an amazingly creative town? As we went through the list of who was going to be there we we mighty impressed with just how many creative people live here. Must be the weather. RAMONA x

PS: What do you think of our new header? Beck did an amazing job!

WORKSHOP OF THE WEEK

draw, cut, print, repeat...

Now I do have a BA in Textile Design, but its been a looooooooooooooong time since I was in a print room. A long time. And despite my many varied career deviations (street press maker, cafe owner, craft adviser and retailer) I have never really lost that hankering to make fabric. The fact that I moronically became a weave major during my degree instead of following my heart into printing has also needled like the proverbial side thorn for years. So. Last weekend I headed out to Harvest Textiles in Kensington to partake in a refresher course in silk screenery.

Presented with a jaw droppingly good view of the city through huge light filled windows and a print studio to die for I sighed to myself and realised I had come home to my happy place. The fact that I wassurrounded by equally happy people and being guided through the process by the lovely Lara Davies no doubt added to the positive vibes filling the room. I'd gone in with very set ideas about what I wanted to print, but we began the day drawing pictures of dried plants and seed pods, so my city landscape plans soon turned into some decidedly abstracted mid century botanicals. This actually turned out to be a great thing becuase to be honest I think it freed me up to play rather than commit to a pre-concieved design. Six hand cut stencils and a selection of pre mixed colours later, I set about printing, my body slowly remembering the motions of plonk, pull, lift, repeat.

Not all of the results were 'successful' but really, it was totally awesome to get a whole day to spend mucking about without interuptions from the architect and the maxmonster. And I think a couple of the things I finished up with were ok. Which was nice, because if it had been a complete disaster I may have had to curl up in the corner in shame after having outed my textile beginnings earlier on in the day. And to be honest I have to say that the competition was fierce - everyone's work was completely different and all of it was pretty amazing!

Here's me ignoring all advice (surprise, surprise) and pulling my own screen while looking ancient and haggered ... it had been a long long night with a sick boy the night before. Oh and  Emma I hope you don't mind my stealing your photo.

And here is everyone else hard at work at the long table... (again thanks Emma)

This Saturday we're back in the studio working on repeat patterns and printing a length of fabric. Of course today I ran out of time to go get some nice linen to print on, so I'll have to take a look through the fabric stash and see what I can come up with in the meantime. This may be the one occasion I am thankful that i've gotten around to bugger all sewing so far this year! Woo Hoo Bring on the weekend!!!

BECK

THINGS OF THE WEEK

a project, a parcel and a present...

The project addicted architect spotted a large cardboard box as part of the Craft Victoria pod display at Design Made Trade as we were lugging out and of course immediately thought "cubby house". So said box was quickly dismantled and packed into the back of the car and he's been working through his design ideas ever since. Last night he could resist no longer and managed to re-assemble, devise structurely sound door design, cut out door and engage in a little playtime with the boy inside. I'm off to print fabric with the lovely ladies of Harvest Textiles tomorrow, so the boys will be on their own all day, working on the cubby. Let's just say I won't be surprised if I come home to find a multi level cardboard duplex with underground parking when I return.

A while ago while perusing Gracia Haby's all too beautiful blog I happened to notice that she was asking advice on a new print project and giving away prizes to people willing to make suggestions... always happy to put my two bobs worth in I entered and to my absolute suprise and delight won the most amazing of moonlit tiger prints. This week said print arrived, impeccably wrapped, in a little post pak parcel on my desk at work. I am too too happy for words, not just because of the appropriateness of the print for an indiaphile like myself  (I love, love love it!) but because I have never, ever , despite years of trying, ever won anything before. Those of you green with envy may still be able to pick up one in Gracia and Louise's online shop. But be quick they'll no doubt be snapped up quick!

I love a belated birthday present, not just becuase it stretches out the birthday beyond the actual day, but because usually the late presents are the best. At the opening of Irene's Outre show I spotted a ceramic fez wearing tiki monkey cookie jar and went a little bananas, really could you tick more of my boxes in one object? Everyone else thought it was the ugliest thing in the joint but me, well I was in love.

Ramona cannily sneaked back without my knowing and snaffled out the monkey for my birthday present and here he is in living colour and all of his glossy hideousness. Thank-you, thank-you, thank-you Rambo, i'm beyond happy with your work, possible the best birthday present EVER. What a way to end the week!

BECK

SHOW OF THE WEEK

God Bless Design

Most of us in Melbourne town have now got the Abbotsford Convent complex on our list as a place to visit, exhibit at, wander around in. The newly refurbished Mercator building which now houses some fantastic studios full of interesting creatives is hosting a Design Festival Event this Fri, Sat Sun so you you have to be committed otherwise blink and you'll miss it. Participating artists have responded to the history, architecture and spirit of the building they now call home. We are eager to see Katheryn Leopoldseders monumental work made up of plastic communion cups - irreverent maybe, beautiful definitely.

PS the Farmers Market is on there too on Saturday- be warned parking can be tough on those days so PT it if you can! RAMONA

UNMISSABLES OF THE WEEK

happy shopper

Pocket Rocket Kim Brockett of Craft Hatch and Insert Coin Here fame has brought together another enviable collection of arteests to participate in her latest curatorial idea-a-thon SUPER MARKET . Really it's a stroke of genius - the show brings together artists and collectives to ply their superfluous wares in exchange for offerings from the public. "By relying upon barter (the original method of consumption) and excluding currency, SUPER MARKET is an invitation to engage directly with the process of trade and negotiation." Viewers become participants in the exchange, invited to bring along whatever they have to offer, from unwanted object to valuable skill, bad idea to good intention. Smart cookie that Brockett, and a brilliant premis for a show.We're letting you know in advance so you have time to check out some of whats on offer and think/whip up hot trading items for barter as it's a one day only type sale. Some of our favourites so far include:

PROPOSITION #17

Some things I will have will probably be a neon builders twine snake necklace and plant hanger along with some ceramic bits and pieces and maybe a hand drawn pillowcase or two. I hope for something interesting in return - some friendly art or object I guess, though I am also intrigued by other peoples skills, useless or not.

If all else fails you could perhaps negotiate with handmade goods or bake me something.

PROPOSITION #9
I will cut your profile in 2 minutes in exchange for french cheese and beagle parapheranalia.

PROPOSITION #6

Ralph Lauren in exchange for flowers, fabric, wrapping paper, Fanta and not having to talk in return.

Participating artists include: Adam Cruickshank, Agents of Proximity, As You Were Saying, A Constructed World, Damp, Dell Stewart, Geoff Newton, Grant Nimmo, Greatest Hits, Hotham Street Ladies, Kay Abude, Kiah GM, People Collective, Safari Team, Sibling and The Telepathy Project.
 
SUPER MARKET is part of the Always Moving festival currently taking place at Gertrude Contemporary Art Space, Saturday 3 July from 11am to 4pm. Be there.

BECK

CRAFT FINDS OF LAST WEEK

HAUL!

Well I may not have made it to as many op shops as I had originally intended, and I had severe luggage restrictions due to the obscene amount of guff that accompanies toddler travel I DID manage to snap up a haul that i'm pretty happy with... as you can see I went a little crazy on the ancient little golden books for Maxwell (well me).  And you could probably say the same thing for the tapestries I collected, although I won't even pretend that they are for any other purpose than my studio wall collection.

Ok the blue boy does have rather a bung eye and the little leaf one is a little run of the mill but this last one (which I think is either Brittany Spears or Nikki from The Young and the Restless) was just so freaky I couldn't say know - I have handed over into Miss Pen Pen's capable care, I think it will make a nice centrepiece for one of her tapestry pouffes no?

I also snaffled up these three old craft tomes, because why wouldnt you want a mother and daughter crochet beach set.

and I even managed to fit in a twin set of vintage 60's english stoneware and yes you read right they were a ridiculous 25 cents a piece.

this top tin tray was also too good to say no too, and another 25 cent bargain

and I managed to find Ramona something rather special...(those of you who know the story of her name change on the way to hospital will appreciate this) although i'm sure the Truck Driving Historian will drive her crazy with guitar renditions day and night from here on in.

and finally, this little beauty...

all in all not a bad couple of days work!

BECK