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Friday, October 29, 2010

Seasonal Friday...

I'm loving the sight of all the Jacaranda's in full bloom at the moment in Brisbane...the whole city has a purple haze in the air and a carpet of petals on the ground.




Thursday, October 28, 2010

Pink Ribbon

We're tickeld pink we managed to raise $919 at our Pink Ribbon market!

Thanks to all of you who donated,
every little bit makes a difference and together
will one day change and save lives.

What a fantastic result!

Did You Know?


1 in 11 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer before the age of 75.


Breast cancer is the most common cause of cancer related death in women in Australia.


The incidence of breast cancer has risen over 20% from 1996 to 2006 and the mortality rate has remained constant in the same period of time.


In Australia in 2006, a total of 12,614 women and 102 men were diagnosed with breast cancer and there were 2,643 deaths.

However, with improvements in detection and treatment, the outlook is positive and we hope the near future brings some great advances.



Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Gourmet Wednesday


We had this for dinner last week and the best bit was,
I enjoyed the leftovers for lunch for the next couple of days.

My camera was playing up so sorry there's no photos -
but do try this - it's easy and delicious!!

I pinched this recipe from my mum of course, so enjoy....

Zucchini Slice

375g zucchini
1 large onion (finely chopped)
1 cup grated cheese
1 cup SR flour
1/2 cup oil
4 large eggs
salt and pepper

Trim ends from zucchini but leave unpeeled, grate.
Combine with all other ingredients and pour into a well greased slice tin. (or individual muffin tins) Bake at 180 degrees for 30 - 40 mins or until golden brown on top.
Cool slightly and then slice into wedges.

I served it with grilled lamb cutlets and roasted red capsicums for dinner but it's also great with sweet chilli sauce, sour cream and a crisp salad for a light lunch!

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Make





The above images would be my absolute fantasy!

Not only to have a room dedicated to me and my interests,
but the time to keep it looking this organised!!

What's your favourite - I just adore the MAKE letters in the first piccie.

Whether it's your hobby or your livelihood, crafting requires space. A well thought-out "play" room of one's own reaps its many rewards. Organize your workroom around decorating solutions that do double duty without doubling the volume, too. Designate stations for supplies. This will help your space run efficiently. And prioritize counter space. Keep frequently used tools and materials in open containers, and relegate sparkles, spangles, and fluff to their dedicated shelves and marked boxes.

Seek balance between the inspiring materials that stay out for full viewing pleasure and those elements that go undercover. Doors and drawers, unlike open shelving and counter space, can be closed to help maintain a sense of order. But make sure that enclosed contents can be accessed immediately during a burst of creativity. A pantry cabinet houses a cornucopia of crafting ingredienets. Shelves are adjustable, and doors stay open.

How to stay organized: It's simple, really. Assign each craft supply to its own container. Never mix items, and you'll always maintain order. Beautiful "makings," grouped by category, are stashed within sight. A revamped vintage wall shelf, dressed up with tiny shells that have been glue-gunned on, is just right for a treasure trove of ribbons, seam binding, and thread.

I wish I wish I wish!!!

Monday, October 25, 2010

Market day wrap up!

WOW!!
What a fabulous sun-shiney day for our Pink Ribbon Market yesterday.
Not only was the weather perfect, the Dawn Princess docked, there was pink everywhere and so many people were out shopping I could hardly squeeze in to take photies!
Thank you to all our helpers, organisers, retailers and customers for being part of this special event and being so generous too xx









Friday, October 22, 2010

Seasonal Friday...

Are you feeling suitably pink yet??

only two more sleeps until...

...Sunday's Pink Ribbon Boutique Market...

...8am - 1pm Portside Wharf...

...let's all hope for better weather this time...

...come and show your support...

...enjoy all things pink...

...and some not so pink...

...buy a pink ribbon sticker and be part of the interactive art work...

...grab the kids a pink balloon...

...and good luck with the fantastic raffle!

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Gourmet Wednesday

Look what I picked up today...glorious pink fresh rhubarb!
So to make a treat for dinner tonight I'm doing a comforting....

Rhubarb Crumble

In some shallow water, stew the rhubarb until soft.
Divide between 2 or 3 oven proof bowls depending on size.
Mix 2 tablespoons of butter with 1 cup self-raising flour and 1/2 cup brown sugar with your fingers until it becomes like breadcrumbs.


Place the crumble mixture over the rhubarb and bake at 180 degrees for about 15 mins or until golden. You just HAVE to have these warm with good quality vanilla icecream!
Enjoy x

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Make



Vintage Tea Cup Candles

I love vintage tea cups...you can find so many mismatched vintage tea cups at markets, second-hand and antique shops for very little money.
They are perfect for this easy candle making craft project.
You can use them to decorate a table for a bridal shower, baby shower, a very unique gift or even all in a row as the centrepiece at a Pink Ribbon Breakfast if you're having one!!
Imagine how sweet lots of different tones of pink would look.
This vintage tea cup candle project is great for first time candle makers and is very simple.
You should expect to complete the whole project in less that hour.
Depending on how much you invest in your vintage tea cups, each candle should cost you about $7 or less. You can also use your vintage tea cup over and over again. If you want to covert it back to a tea cup then once the candle is used up, simply microwave the teacup. Slip in a paper towel to soak up the liquid wax. Make sure you get it all out and then wash as usual.

To Make a vintage Tea Cup Candle You Will Need:

Teacup and saucer
Wick
Wax
Bamboo skewer
Saucepan
old tin
Tape measure

The first step is to measure how deep your vintage tea cup is. Use your tape measure. Cut your wick to be about 10cm longer. Use the extra length to tie your wick around a pen, wooden skewer, or anything long and thin that can rest on top of the tea cup. Hang the wick down into your vintage tea cup.
It should rest on the bottom of the cup and be centered in the middle of the cup.
Chop up your block of candle wax. Next, Place 1-1/2 cups of wax chopped coarsely into an empty metal can. You can save some old tins for this so you do not have to ruin a pot on the stove. Now, make a double boiler and set the can in a saucepan with about 5cm of water. You should place the pot on the stove. Gently heat this until the wax melts. Now, place some news paper out on your kitchen bench.
Place the vintage tea cup (minus the saucer) on the news paper. Carefully pour the melted candle wax into the tea cup. Fill it up to about 1cm below the teacup. Set the can of leftover wax down back in the hot water. Quickly make sure the wick is centered in the middle of the tea cup. Let the tea cup candle dry.
Then, all I could wish for is a deep bath, glass of wine, good book and a row of these flickering away...bliss!

Tips: To add scents or colour (PINK of course this month!!!) to your candle,
pour them in the wax while it is liquid.

Monday, October 18, 2010

Around our town...

Following our pink theme still...it's amazing where I notice even the slightest hue now!


I spent the weekend out at Redcliffe....


...soaking in the warm cheery sun...


...finding a glorious pink sunset and pink flowers...



...and sparkling water...



...where have you noticed pink lately?



Friday, October 15, 2010

Seasonal Friday...

What a week we've had here in Queensland!

Enough rain has fallen to leave soggy ground and many muddy puddles.
It was a shame to have to postpone our Pink Ribbon Market till the 24th - but at least we have another week now to raise even more funds!

Let's hope the skies clear for a bit so we can dry out.

Happy weekend.

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Inside Out


Today we're hearing from Rachael Zelensky -
the passionate founder of the Boutique Markets and lover of all things creative!

What are the 3 most important things you do to prepare for market day?

Set the alarms for the 4am wake up, I actually set about 5 different alarms, I have this awful recurring dream of sleeping through the alarm on market day…. Then I wake up every hour, on the hour before the alarm goes off, and when it finally goes off I am so tired I could sleep for a year!

Where do you draw your inspiration from to be creative?

I draw my inspiration from the commitment of my retailers to their own creativity. These guys put their heart and soul into their work, and inspire me every day with their commitment to their business’s. My market journey began as a retailer, just like them, and though now has developed into a business showcasing the talents of others rather than my own designs, I feel a genuine connection to that grass roots level of creativity. Market day for me I am like a kid in a candy store…..

What do you like to do to relax?

Immerse myself in design blogs, read house and garden magazines and spend leisurely weekends with my husband and kids cooking and watching DVD’s.

Tell us something other than your craft/work that you feel passionate about?

Food allergies – my 8 year old has anaphylaxis to Egg and as a toddler was allergic to everything including Dairy, Wheat, Shellfish, Peanut and Tree nuts.

Is this your full time job, if not what else do you do?

This is my full time job during business hours, but I am a happily married mum to 2 children, Ella 8 and Riley 6. Things can get very hectic in our household, but I am so blessed that I have a job which allows me to stay home and enjoy my children too.

Where do you want to be with your business in the next 5 years?

Global baby!

Tell us something interesting about yourself (not related to your business) that we never would have guessed.

I am petrified of dogs – I mean really petrified. Which is a little funny seeing that I organised the recent Kids and Pets Big Day Out where the market place was over taken by the four legged friends....

Thanks Rachael!
You can discover more about this lovely lady and her gorgeous home over here.

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Gourmet Wednesday

Raspberry & coconut slice

INGREDIENTS

90g butter, at room temperature, 1/2 cup (110g) caster sugar, 1 egg, 1/3 cup (50g) self-raising flour, 2/3 cup (100g) plain flour, 1/2 cup (160g) raspberry jam, warmed slightly
Topping: 2 eggs, 1/3 cup (75g) caster sugar, 2 cups (160g) desiccated coconut

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 180C. Line base of a 20cm x 30cm lamington pan with baking paper.
2. In a small bowl cream butter then gradually beat in sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg thoroughly. Fold in sifted flours until combined. Spread mixture into base of prepared pan, smoothing top as much as possible. Spread with warmed raspberry jam.
3. To make Topping, beat egg lightly just with a fork and whisk in sugar and coconut. Spread over jam as evenly as possible. Bake for about 40 minutes.Remove from oven and leave to cool in pan. Cut into fingers when thoroughly cooled.

The magic combination of raspberry jam and coconut is always a winner.
,