Make it...

I found this fantastic idea late last night online...

I think it would be amazing for a party and

would look great in a single colour of umbrellas too!


Materials Needed:

Cocktail Umbrellas in all designs and colors
Hard, hollow plastic ball-any shape and size as long as it can fit a bulb inside
Light bulb

Instructions:

Start by taking the plastic ball and cut a 5cm radius. This will be where you place the light bulb when you are finished.
Next you will take the cocktail umbrellas and one by one poke them into the sides of the ball. If you have problems poking the toothpicks through the ball you can use something sharp like a safety pin to make the holes. Continue to poke them through the ball until the ball is filled.
This can then be placed over the bulb and used to decorate any room.

13 sleeps to go!

Not long to go now...only 13 sleeps left until the next Boutique Market!!!



Sunday September 12th 8am - 1pm



Portside Wharf, Hamilton





Sweet dreams....

Seasonal Friday....

This week I decided to visit our 'home' and see what goes on when the markets aren't there...I was pleased to discover that a cruise ship was in and was fascinated to get up close and see just how big these boats are!
I have no idea as to why so many different shapes of windows though!
Enjoy the coming weekend - the last weekend of winter.

inside out - Peg and Kate

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

Sewing, sewing and more sewing. I have found that If I make sure I sew a roll a day between markets then I'm sure to have enough stock to take to market. It's nicer to sew something from start to finish and admire each completed item. I feel happier sewing that way. When Im inundated with orders I have to approach it in a more productive manner. Doing all my cutting in one hit, and sewing the same steps over and over. It feels like a never ending mountain of sewing but eventually you have a stack of completed rolls and thats a great feeling. I must say I much prefer, sewing one at a time though. It feels more personal and less mass produced.

Where do you draw your inspiration from to be creative?

Im inspired by my daughter, I love to make things for her. I think that handmade gifts are something you will hang onto, they become more of a keepsake. So if there is something I know my daughter would like for her bedroom, or for school, I often try to make something that reflects her taste and personality. It is when her friends like these items that they form part of the Peg & Kate range.

What do you like to do to relax?

I love to watch movies. Nothing relaxes me more than watching a classic film, or a chic flick. Couple the movie with a nice glass of wine and a cheese platter and Im in heaven.

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

I feel passionate about my new home town "Ipswich". Originally from Sydney, my family moved to Ipswich, QLD about 5 years ago, I can see such potential in our lovely little town. Great buildings, with such history. The people make the town. So many creative people. I can't remember the last time I felt this connected to a town. I can't help feeling like Ipswich could be the next Balmain. Sure there's no harbour bridge as a back drop but it has that same village feel. I love being a part of the town at the grass roots.

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

My full time job is taking care of my beautiful family, having a job that I can work at my own pace, that fits in around my family and my own needs is a blessing. It has taken a lot of patience, but I can see it is growing slowly. As my family grows I can invest more of myself into my business. As parents and business people it can be tricky finding the right balance. I think I'm onto a good thing. But it is only with the support of my loving husband that I have been able to grow my business in this fashion. I can see that if I didn't have that kind of support, it would be a lot more hectic. I take my hat off to those working businesses full time and raising a family. Its hard work.

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

Im supposed to have a 5 year plan aren't I..... well, I don't think I have thought that far along. I would love for the Peg & Kate brand to be a recognised Australian Label. I would like it to provide me with a full time income......ha that would be nice! I think most importantly, I would like to find a way to continue to grow my business and keep my products made here in Australia. The challenge is keeping my prices competitive against cheaper imports. Whilst ever there is a market for handcrafted items made here in Australia, I will keep on making my Peg & Kate products.

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

I love a good sing star challenge. When I get together with my Mum and my sister we all have a go singing our favourite songs. I can't say we are very good at it, but there's nothing better than singing loud and proud for everyone to hear. It's great for your soul. We laugh our selves silly. This may sound a bit daggy but I'm partial to a bit of Tom Jones, and if we can choreograph a few dance moves to go with the song then even better.

You can visit the gorgeous Peg and Kate blog here or

visit her page on the Boutique Markets website here.

Gourmet Wednesday

On the menu tonight at our place is one of our all-time favourites featuring these lovely free-range eggs. I can't even tell you where I got the recipe from as the page has been torn out of a magazine and is now in my savoury folder -

all yellowed and stained from lots of love!

Coriander and Corn Fritters

Combine 2 1/2 cups cooked spaghetti with 3 lightly beaten eggs, 1 cup corn kernels, 2 tbsp oyster sauce, 1 cup chopped coriander, 4 chopped green onions and 1/2 a cubed red capsicum.

Heat 2 tbsp oil in a non-stick frying pan, place 1/4 cup of the mixture in greased egg rings and cook in batches for 2-3 mins on each side or until golden.

Sprinkle with sea salt and serve.

Post-script....

I have to show you what else I ended up making yesterday with more of those flowers I had...

I filled 2 white pencil boxes with ugly old rocks from the driveway and then pushed in some of the flowers with longer stems still attached...and presto!....bookends.

Make it...

If you're anything like me you have a craft cupboard somewhere in the house full to the brim with things yet to be made...here is an idea of what can be done with some pretty fake flowers!

Flower Hat Rack

Buy an unfinished hat rack from a craft store and either stain it like I have, or paint it to match in a pastel colour....once dry, all that you have to do is glue on your flowers - whole flowers would work equally as well as pulling apart the petals like I've done.

Dry overnight and then hang.

So pretty!

Monday inspiration...

'Do everything with so much love in your heart

that you would never want to do it any other way.'

Yogi Desai

Seasonal Friday....

'Now the very blustery night turned into a very rainy night. And Pooh kept his lonely vigil, hour after hour, after hour - until at last, Pooh fell fast asleep - and began to dream.....

and the rain rain rain came down down down....'

If you're in Brisbane today, it's a very rainy sort of day...

the sort of day you want to stay home and listen to the raindrops falling...

Reminds me of Winnie the Pooh - my favourite of all children's stories...

and the whole innocence of it all.

'The wonderful thing about tiggers / Is tiggers are wonderful things / Their tops are made out of rubber / Their bottoms are made out of springs / They're bouncy, trouncy, flouncy, pouncy fun, fun, fun, fun, fun / But the most wonderful thing about tiggers is I'm the only one /

I'm the only one. '

Wishing you a very happy rainy day in your neck of the hundred acre wood!

Make it...

Today I'm sharing an idea I blatantly stole from those clever clever girls from Mondo Cherry!

Simply buy some white or in my case coloured paper doilies....available from supermarkets, craft shops etc...then cut them in half and sew onto lengths of ribbon. If you don't sew you could even just staple them on - they are great for birthday parties - I used mine for a baby shower and I can just imagine how cute all white ones would look at Christmas time....or lemon at Easter....or all pink....or......or........

for more inspiration from the Mondo Cherry girls have a look here.

Gourmet Wednesday

What a perfect time of year to enjoy my favourite favourite cake....

spicey layers with rich hazelnut cream....

nice to warm up with a hot drink.

Hazelnut Spice Cake

Ingredients

6 oz butter, 8 oz castor sugar, 3 eggs separated, pinch salt, 1 tsp grated lemon rind,

1 tbsp lemon juice, 2 1/2 cups SR flour, 3 tbsp milk, 3 tbsp boiling water.

Spice Layers

1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp mixed spice, 1 tbsp cocoa, 2 tbsp sugar.

Method

Cream butter and sugar, beat in egg yolks. Add salt, lemon rind and juice.

Gradually add flour alternately with milk, blend well. Lightly stir in boiling water then fold in stiffly beaten egg whites. Mix spice layer ingredients together. Spread 1/3 of the cake batter in a greased 8-9" tin, then sprinkle over 1/2 spice mix, add another 1/3 batter then sprinkle over the other 1/2 spice mix. Cover with remaining batter. Bake in very moderate oven for approx 90 mins. Stand 5 mins before turning out. Cool. Spread top and sides with Hazelnut Cream.

Hazelnut Cream

4 oz butter, 2 tsp cinnamon, 2 cups sifted icing sugar, 1 tbsp lemon juice,

1/4 cup chopped or ground hazelnuts. Whole hazelnuts to decorate.

Cream butter and cinnamon, add lemon juice alternately with

icing sugar then fold in chopped hazelnuts.

All that's left is to slice and enjoy!!

The next generation!

Every year our school has an auction of canvas's each class has made...

and every year the talent and ideas seem to get better and better.

Can you believe that these art works are done by primary school children!!

I love the way each child has some input in some way to make one art work and the way the students, teachers and parents must have worked together to create such wonders....

imagine where these creative children will end up years from now.....