umbrella girl dresses

I'm working on a new baby dress. It will be a reversible wrap dress, lavender, with a cute spotty lining material. A screen printed umbrella girl is appliqued on the front. I can't wait to see them finished, they are going to be so cute. I think I will have to make one for Hannah. They will be in my Etsy shop soon!

pocket mouse

A few months back I found this little mouse, and fell in love with him. He arrived in the post and now lives on my cupboard. It is so beautifully made from felted wool and recycled tweed. Have a look at Marjji on etsy... beautiful folk art and vintage items.

www.Marjji.etsy.com

kleintje

I opened my Etsy shop this month. Kleintje. It has been a long time coming, but I finally got there. I've had so many ideas but so little time to realise them.

All the products so far are screen printed children's clothing, handmade dresses and crocheted slippers. There is lots more to come...

www.kleintjehandmade.etsy.com

party

It is nearly our little girl's first birthday... and we are going to celebrate!

bye bye sandra

One of my lovely friends has moved over east. We are sad to see her leave, but so excited for her and all the amazing things she has ahead. I made this moleskin note book cover as a little good bye gift. The image I drew and printed during my screen printing course.

Anthurus archerii

Beautiful but grotesque. I'd never seen anything like this fungi before, the Octopus Stinkhorn. It is growing in a damp shady corner in Mum's garden. The fungi starts growing as a grey/brown ball or egg before splitting open and unfolding into a red star. The olive green centre is the spore. The revolting part of this fungi is, as it matures it stinks of rotting flesh, oozing slime and attracting blowflies. Not the best thing to have growing right near your front door. The blowflies are swarming and have spread the spores, so now little brown fungi balls are popping up everywhere.

screen printing

This week was my final class of the screen printing course I've been doing at TAFE for the past couple of months. I loved every part of the printing process. It is a bit sad it is finished, but I've come away with lots of ideas and bought some materials so I can start producing from home. Very exciting!

vintage patterns

I was recently given this pile of vintage children's clothing patterns from Rae, a gorgeous lady in Nanna's craft group. One of her first jobs as a teenager was to develop the sizing charts for Simplicity Patterns. The patterns are from the early 70's. I love the classic posed illustrations of the perfect happy children. So gorgeous. I can't wait to start making

happy birthday alli

Crocheted, felted wool slippers for my cousin. I'm starting to get the hang of the felting now. It can be a bit hit and miss. Throwing a pair of wool slippers in the washing machine always seems a bit risky, and often they shrink more than I intend them to. Like Cinderella and the glass slipper, who ever the slipper fits best... Luckily these ones I crocheted for Alli fitted her perfectly. Happy Birthday.

dutch pickled red cabbage

This is one of Mum's favourite recipes and something I remember eating lots of as a kid. Spiced sweet and sour. Traditionally is is served warm with fish, but also venison or other red meat.

Ingredients:
1 red cabbage
3 green apples
3 small onions
1 tspn cinnamon
3 bay leaves
3 tspn sugar
1/3 cup vinegar or to taste
pinch cloves
1 or 2 tspn salt
pinch pepper
2 tbsn corn flour
1 litre water

Slice red cabbage thinly. Chop onion. Peel, chop and core apples. Layer the cabbage, onion, apple and spices into a pot. Pour over water and steam for 1/2 hour to 3/4 hour. Stir after 20 minutes to check. Cabbage should be soft when cooked. Add more sugar/salt/vinegar to taste depending if you prefer it more sweet or more sour. Dissolve cornflour in half a cup of water and quickly stir though cabbage. Cook on stove for a couple of minutes to cook the cornflour and thicken the liquid, stiring constantly.