two little dickie birds

It was our little girls second birthday this month. We can't believe she is two already!

With lots of little kids around for her birthday party we had a sugar free party. I made a sugar free lemon and almond cake using Xylitol, a natural sweetener found in corn husks. I drizzled the cake with lemon juice and dissolved honey to keep it sticky and hold it's shape. Then cut it into bricks to make the wall. The mortar for the wall is Philadelphia cream cheese, honey and berry juice for the pink colouring.

I made the birds from scraps of felt, fabric and pieces of wire found in the shed. Peter and Paul ended up being quite feminine!

heather jansch

Our day at the Eden Project started with seeing one of the most amazing sculptures. It was created by Heather Jansch an artist who creates life size sculptures pieced together out of drift wood on her property in Devon. The driftwood almost appears to make the animals reveal their internal structure, the texture of their muscles and complexity of their bones. They are so realistic and full of life.

lace memento

Hidden along a trail in the middle of Somerset woods, we placed these webs as we farewell England.

poppy blanket

My sister had her baby this week. A perfect, beautiful little girl... Poppy Annamarie. Born on Mum's birthday she was the best 60th birthday present Mum could ever want.

I had been working on this crochet baby blanket for Poppy for months and finished it the morning she was born. Talk about good timing!

a nice surprise

I was checking my emails this afternoon and saw my tandem bicycle jumpsuit was featured in today's daily Etsy shopping guide. A nice surprise!

sewing box

It was my birthday recently, and once again my very handy man has given me the most beautiful and useful birthday gift. We have a lack of storage space and the organisation of all my sewing things comprises of boxes and bags stacked up beside our bed. He found this old tool box in an antique store down the road, he cleaned it up, added some compartments, trays, drawers and a vintage box for bobbins. It still has all of its rustic charm and I love it. And it is the first step in having my own organised sewing space!

birthday bows

I had made this little top for Hannah, my birthday picnic was the perfect occasion for her to wear it for the first time. Mind you, white is probably not the best colour to wear while playing in the park, chasing ducks and eating party food.

I created the pattern for the top by taking the pattern of a gorgeous tiny baby top my sister found in an op-shop, modifying and up-sizing it.

out on a limb

Out on a Limb is a new eco design store which opened in Maylands this month. I had been peering in the shop window watching it gradually develop and fill with the most beautiful clothing, home decor, art and children's products. It has become my new happy place. A place to escape to and look at beautiful things. And it is just down the road! Their stock is all from local Australian and New Zealand designers, eco friendly and the majority handmade. And now they stock Kleintje as well. It is the perfect outlet for my creations. A shop that follows all of my beliefs in the handmade, unique and being friendly to our planet.

rainbows, bicycles and pencils

I finished the first of the pencil rolls this week. I'm working on a red one now.

under the deep blue sea

My first Etsy treasury I created with beautiful things I've come across, inspired by the ocean.

AQWA

We went to the aquarium on the weekend. I could spend hours in this place. So much inspiration and beautiful detail, beautiful light.

back to school

School goes back this week. I always felt a sad loss at the end of the summer holidays with the thought of having to go back to school. Buying new stationary was my little bit of happiness and brought some excitement back to the thought of returning to school. Hopefully these pencils will bring some happiness to some children somewhere too.

a happy christmas and new years

1. The Christmas angel originally made my Mum that has been in our Christmas tree as long as I can remember... revamped and made over by my sister as a teenager with new feather wings and real make up.
2. Perfect sleeping babies.
3. Dusk over Honeymoon Island.
4. New Years Eve barbecue on the inlet with family and friends.
5. High tide = narrow beach = wet feet.
6. Christmas cheese cake made with milk, eggs, quark, and fruit from the farm.

christmas apricots and cucumbers

I love being back home at the farm. This Christmas we were busy harvesting and processing mountains of food from the orchard and vegie garden. It is the most satisfying feeling seeing the pantry selves stacked with bottles of home grown food.

One late night was spent bottling apricots picked that day... something very familiar to me from my childhood. Baskets of ripening fruit, licking sticky fingers with sugary syrup, vacola bottles and the old hand made copper boiling pot.

Mum has perfected her pickled cucumber recipe...

Salt cucumber slices and allow to drain in a colander for 12 hours. Sterilise the glass jars with boiling water. Loosely fill jars with the cucumber. Make a combined mixture of:
apple cider vinegar, white vinegar, tumeric, sugar, pepper corns, mustard seeds, dried dill.
Bring the liquid mixture to the boil and pour into each jar of cucumbers. Immediately close the jars tightly and turn upside down to allow the boiling liquid to sterilize the lids. Allow to pickle for a couple of weeks.