Hello!
I hope you've had a gorgeous weekend.
Melbourne has turned on another rainy miserable day today. The girls & I have spent the day in the craft room though so I'm not complaining.
I'm wondering if you might be able to help me out? I would really like to know your very favourite foodie blogs.
If you're a reader of cooking blogs please leave your recommendations in the comments.
Thanks muchly in advance.
See you tomorrow.
Kirsty
x
I love my strip shopping centre.
Sure, there's an odd mix of shops & businesses. I confess I've only been into the Aquarium once but it is nice to know that if I decide I do want a goldfish I don't need to go to Shoppo. That place gives me a giant headache. I hate Coles & Safeway too. So many aisles, so many bulging shelves and yet only 2 choices of flour???
Wai & Rita are the Friendly Grocers. Their supermarket has only three aisles but the range is fabulous. Choices for everything. They carry a good range of organic bits and pieces and have plenty to cater for the Gluten Free too. When my babe's were tiny I used to leave the capsule at the counter with Wai & Rita while I buzzed up & down the aisle and now Wai lets the kids scan the shopping.
Clem owns the fruitshop just as his dad did before him & probably just as his sons will after him. There's always a happy mix of organic & non. They are always up for a chat & always offer to carry your shopping to your car.
A few years ago the butcher was taken over by Ralph & Anna. I'm "Kirst" at their place. They sell organic & biodynamic meats & we chat happily about the run and the kids. If Dave is working I can be assured of hearing about how terribly the Hawks are playing & whether or not Clarko should be sacked. I'm not really a follower of the Footy but he knows The Date is. He never forgets to ask about the run, the kids or The Date's handicap.
Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name.
All this loveliness & the added bonus of supporting my own community.
I'm a suburban local & I wouldn't have it any other way.
PS: Yesterday's soup was fabulous! The little guy said that each mouthful was just like a little corn explosion in his mouth. Too much Masterchef?
Last night The Quilt Project quilt was displayed at Abbotsford Convent. Lots of lovely folk came to have a look at our beautiful quilt. It really is something special. Our online community have worked together to make something really amazing.
I feel immensely proud of all of us. To quote the smalls...
"We did a big achievement".
On a personal note...
When the project began I felt confident that the community quilt we were creating was going to be something special and I thought it would be a bit of fun. Certainly, both those things are true but The Quilt Project has meant so much more to me than just a bit of fun.
As each block arrived I traced the designs with my fingers and imagined the maker hard at work. When each row was stitched together I stepped back and nodded and thought yes, yes that looks good. It wasn't until I sewed the last row onto the quilt, draped it over the couch and let it spill onto the floor that I was fully aware of the magic that is this project. It took my breath away. Each of these squares is a moment in time, a piece of each maker's life, a memory anchor.
I will be eternally grateful to all who participated for trusting me with these very precious squares, thank you.
The Quilt Project now has it's own space. I hope that it's a space that the contributors will be proud of and one that everyone interested in making can enjoy.
Two extra special thank you's to Bec for travelling to be there & to Nikki for being a fabulous support.
Blogtober
Lots of lovely girls are joining in.
Not so much a challenge for me but a celebration.
There's much to celebrate this month.
I've always thought of October as a festival.
I think the button is the perfect addition to my sideBAR.
I'm very happily back to Melbourne drizzle. It was lovely & cool on the run this morning.
This is my most recent pair of Asics. I did actually head into Active Feet before I headed out of town & am now sporting a new pair of runners (toe not yet worn through). My shoes were stitched by hand which I thoroughly enjoyed. I used stem stitch, running stitch & chain stitch for the shoe. I chose to french knot the tongue & the ankle cushioning which was very time consuming but very satisfying.
Perhaps not the best time to take off ... I arrived home yesterday morning to a mountain of quilt project blocks. Each of them are wonderful & I am very much looking forward to sharing the completed "quilt" with you. I am horribly behind with the Flickr commenting but you might like to see some of the amazing pieces worked in red that have been sent in here.
If you've been following the project & if you think you might like to see the completed quilt in person ... you might want to mark 23 October in your diary. Details coming soon.
It feels good to be home, I'm looking forward to catching up on all your news & having a chat.
Click image to see more on Flickr.
If it weren't for the quilt project I may never have "met" & fallen in love with...
'lil sonny sky
& if you think her inspiration shot looks good. Wait until you see the finished piece.
Lisa has an etsy store too & sells beautiful, beautiful things.
I use JS Kit comments on kootoyoo.
I know that a few people have problems with JS Kit & have had trouble with their service. Personally, I have had positive dealings with JS Kit support & am keen to continue with this system of commenting. Mainly because I think that the blogger comment system is less than ideal.
Why I like it...
-I like that I have the option/ability to respond to each comment.
-I like that if used to full advantage I can click directly to a commenters site.
-It's made me engage more with the folks that do leave comments on this site & afterall that's what it's all about eh?
I think that JS Kit is most beneficial if you actually sign up to it. It doesn't cost anything to register with JS Kit. They have a strict privacy policy & the site owner (me) doesn't actually have access to your email address...
-Then you have the option to receive my responses (or those of other commenters via email).
-You can add a number of sites where people can visit you. It actually lists the name of the site so that people know where they are heading.
There are other options for logging in to leave a comment which are all fine but you may not see the benefits that I describe above.
Anyway, I just thought that I would include a how to as it seems a few people are stumped &/or confused when it comes to commenting using JS Kit.
...
I've said something or shown something that you'd like to make a comment about...
Click "comment"
This box will pop up. If you want to comment as a guest (& you don't have a blog) that's fine...just try to remember to type your name in the guest box so I know your name.
<
OR
you can sign in using one of the following in the drop down under the "From"
Here's where you would choose "Blogger" or "my other site" or "JS Kit" . If you choose "Blogger" or "my other site", you still need to type your name where it currently says "Guest". You can also choose to upload an avatar but you won't receive email responses.
To get the most out of your comment...
sign up to JS Kit (you only need to do this once)
If you do that your comment will look like this. I know it's Tania from Myrtle & Eunice before I even click. I recognise her icon (& I'm pretty glad she's stopped by). I can hover my mouse over Tania's name & I've got the option to visit her on her site if I like. You know I'm gunna because I'm loving what she's got to say & she's made it super easy for me. You should probably go & visit her too. She's good!
If you sign up to JS Kit you also have the option to change your avatar from your "comment box".
I hope this was helpful & I hope it might make commenting on kootoyoo a more valuable/fun experience.
Thanks for stopping by.
is something special.
I have co-ordinated 3 community based friendship quilts and loved so much the sense of belonging & the unity & the thought of many hands working together to make one "something".
I've been stewing on The Quilt Project for a good long time now. Everytime I look at my Great Grandmother's Redwork quilt I've thought about it more & more. I feel a connection with those women. Women who made time to stitch these intricate designs in only red just to share a piece of themselves with someone else. It gives me goosebumps. I'm the only person who really gets to enjoy my piece of redwork history & so I thought I'd like to have a go at organising a contemporary redwork piece that once complete will be published online so that everyone can enjoy it.
About 18 months ago I purchsed a huge stack of calico squares all overlocked in red. I've got 50 squares to post out & I'd love you to be a part of it.
I thought about sending personal invites, but you know...you never know where the gold might lie. I want participants to be as passionate & as excited about this project as I am. You don't have to restrict yourself to embroidery. There are some more ideas & information included with the PDF info sheet.
If you think that this is something you'd like to have a crack at then visit The Quilt Project page & download the PDF. See edit in red below.
To secure your place you need to return the 2nd page of the PDF to the email address provided on that page.
Places will be allocated in order of email receipt of completed sign up sheet.
Edit: We're over 50 - thank you to everyone who's signed up.
Thanks.
The Quilt Project is now complete & has it's own site here...
The Quilt Project
are inspiring.
The Story Blanket is just the most wonderful book. It's a children's book (obviously) but I think it's something that belongs on the bookshelf of every crafty spirit. Babba Zarrah & her community will touch your heart.
I bought the book at Readings when I was ordering my copy of this wonderful & exciting project. Meet Me at Mike's includes projects from some of my favourite Australian Crafty Spirits & I'm very much looking forward to the end of March.
Just as Babba Zarrah used the wool provided by her community, Pip has pulled together these projects from the online craft community. She has poured lots of love into the book to make something really beautiful.
I'm sure of one thing...if you're as dedicated & passionate about something as Babba Zarrah & Pip - it's going to be really, really good.
PS: If the opportunity to purchase these books from Readings isn't enough...Did you know that Readings supports the HIPPY programme run by the Brotherhood of St Lawrence?
I've ever eaten!
Just perfect. Surprisingly light & fresh & completely lovely.
If you're in Melbourne & looking for a good breakfast & a good coffee ... go to Porgie & Mr Jones
& make sure you order the banana bread!
Friday is the long run day which means I think a lot - probably too much.
Today I was thinking about craft & dating. This seems like a bit of a weird connection (stay with me).
One of my really good friends used to say that she was addicted to the beginnings of relationships. At the time it was true ... she had lots of love em & leave em boyfriends. Many of them had a fair bit of bastard about them too (which of course only made them more appealing). Brief affairs really, flirtations, experiments but satisfying nonetheless.
She's now happily married to a fine upstanding guy. Marriage, of course requires a deep commitment, compromise & the making of promises you really mean. You need to be patient & dedicated & determined. The rewards are plentiful both along the way & at the end. Something to be really, really proud of.
Then I started to think about me & the craft thing. I too love a new beginning. I like to think long & hard about the how. I flirt with ideas, experiment with techniques & then have a one night stand with the actual crafting. It's quick & it's usually dirty (with varied results) but satisfying nonetheless.
Crochet (I'm trying - really I am), knitting & quilting require a deep commitment, compromise & the making of promises you really mean. You need to be patient & dedicated & determined. The rewards are plentiful both along the way & at the end. Something to be really, really proud of.
I'm married to my bags & the music boxes but I'm one night standing with plenty of other stuff to get my new beginnings fix.
I'd be interested to know if you're married to your craft, married & cheating (like me) or all about the thrill of a one night stand.
Today it's one year since I pulled the blogging runners on & took my first step out onto the track.
Actually, the first step was taken sometime in 2005. That step was one taken my many others and it landed me fair & square in the middle of lovely Loobylu. I walked silently alongside Claire for a good long time & was hugely impressed when she began cross training.
Occasionally I took a stroll with Nichola and her lovely sidebar mates and Justine’s iPod seemed to be loaded with all the right tunes.
Late in 2006 when I was out for my stroll I tripped over this. Pip was setting a cracking pace & I loved running beside her.
In the middle of last year Pip stopped running to grab a Gatorade & issued an invitation. “Crochet yourself some laces for those Asics Kirst. You’ll need them if you’re going to run with me”.
I'm a huge fan of the run but I was a complete novice at running a journal of any kind. I knew I was going to need a training program if I was going to have any chance at all.
The program went something like this…
1. Post everyday for 21 days. Make the habit.
Effortless, just like running on the flat.
2. If that goes well…make sure you return comments.
A bit more tricky, running on sand
(made more difficult by my cranky coach who only woke periodically from napping in the arm chair to deliver the message!)
3. Speak up…if you like something, say so.
Nice & easy, running down hill with the wind behind me.
I think once I’d found my stride & was comfortably running in the zone I got a bit cocky & made this rule…
4. Post everyday for 1 year!
This is probably the hill that’s been the toughest to climb.
Some days have felt like a sprint to the finish, a few have felt like a monotonous treadmill run, others have felt like a hill climb of epic proportions & I’m pretty sure on at least a couple I’ve limped into the first aid tent!
But I’ve done it. I’ve crossed the finish line & I think I’ve run a pretty good race.
I’m knackered though…I’ve tried really hard & given it my all.
So, if you've been spurring me on, cheering & supporting...
OR thinking I’m crazy as you watched from the comfort of your sofa...
OR if you've run a few kilometres with me...
OR kept the sugar levels high with beautiful eye candy...
OR most importantly, if you were there with me when the starter’s gun went off & been running hard with me the whole way,
THANK YOU!
Recovery is important. You’ve got to rest after a big race. I’m giving myself a few days off.
21 days to make it – 3 days to break it?
.
Yesterday I went to Mixtogether organised by the blogger formerly currently known as 62cherry & Nichola.
It was a lovely afternoon held at Amitie - Yikes that place is exquisite! If you're anywhere even remotely close to Amitie (or even 1/2 a days drive) get your butt over there - you won't regret it.
I was totally spoilt - I got the bag full of handmade loveliness made by the gorgeous KittyB. It was full to overflowing with beautiful, magnificently crafted goodness. My absolute favourite is the neck warmer - it's stunning Kitty I love it.
We worked on our signature blocks for the Mixtogether quilt & drank & ate. It was a gorgeous afternoon. Thanks girls.
Image source - used with permission.
affects me in a way I cannot describe.
Two years ago I was lucky enough to have my hands painted with Henna by Somali women. I found the experience quite emotional - yet another powerful experience of women & community. I've been reading up a bit on Henna lately & then I came across Esti's blog (via girl ferment).
The images from Esti's hand project took my breath away. You can read the story of Esti's cousin whose hands these are here.
The universe served up another breathtaking Henna inspired project here (via design for mankind).
last night has given me another chance to blabber on about community.
Brown Owl's crafty clubhouse was a lovely relaxed but busy space last night.
Everyone brought their own projects to work on & we had a bit of show & tell too. It was wonderful - all those women with different skills & interests happily sharing their knowledge & resources. That's what I'm talking about!
Samantha Mathis said it best...
I have a dream of my own
And it's mine all mine alone
Its been my friend since I was just a girl
It has a life it has a heart
It has a soul and it's a part
Of everything this woman gives the world
And it's a big dream
Big enough to share
Like a rainbow, hanging in the air
And I thank God, for making it come true
Makes me think maybe God's a woman too
Makes me think maybe God's a woman too
There's a full moon tonight
And I'm bathing in its light
Naked as the day that I was born
There is no shame beneath this sky
I have kissed the past good bye
And mended up my broken heart so torn
With a sweet sound only I can make
And it gets stronger
With every breath I take
And it's all apart of making me feel new
Makes me think maybe God's a woman too
Makes me think maybe God's a woman too.
Thank you fabulous Brown Owls near & far for contributing & sharing.