Yearly Archives: 2011
31 posts in 2011
A Handmade Christmas
Did you have a good Christmas? My aim was to have a relaxing, stress-free time, but it never quite happens that way does it? The last few days before Christmas were a flurry of baking & making. We decided to make each other presents this year… Read the full story…
Done vs. Perfect
You’ve heard that quote, “Done is better than perfect”… Is it really? Must they be mutually exclusive? Must they compete with one another? If “Done” was in a wrestling match with “Perfect”, who would win? I am a perfectionist from way back… Read the full story…
Magic (Vegan!) Cheese
There are a number of vegan cheeses on the market, but they’re rather expensive, & some of them contain ingredients I don’t particularly like (such as palm oil, hydrogenated oils & soy protein isolate). Then there are the tantalising sounding brands… Read the full story…
BOO!
Did I scare you? Heehee! I decided to write a big bumper blog post in honour of Halloween this year, packed full of spooky, spine-tingling fun. I’m actually a wee bit scared as I sit here writing this, because my sister Cass just Skyped me this Jezebel article… Read the full story…
Memory Lane: Kitty Cats
It’s so interesting to compare the different ways these vintage cats have been rendered – each one quite easy to attribute to the decade it was made. They come in all shapes, sizes & styles, but these 20th century cats are all unmistakeably kitty-esque… Read the full story…
Some of My Favourite Script Fonts
Some of you might already know about my sister Josella’s wonderful site Tack-O-Rama, but for those who don’t, it’s a treasure trove of retro fonts, design & clipart, & you must visit it at once! She not only has free samples of her clipart for y’all… Read the full story…
A Little Something New
It might seem like I haven’t made anything new for a long time because I really haven’t been blogging much about new work, but I’ve been busy in the background & will have some new things to offer for the holidays. A few nice people have contacted me… Read the full story…
How to Make Giant Christmas Balls
Is it too early to make Christmas Balls? That’s the question on everyone’s lips, isn’t it? Look at this glorious creation – a Giant Christmas Ball from a book I picked up from a secondhand book fair a few months ago, Fun With Wool by Michael Joseph… Read the full story…
Messy Desk
I’ve just popped by to say hi! Things might be a little quiet ’round these parts for the next couple of weeks as I’m busy preparing for my shop opening, but I shall be back soon, blogging like there’s no tomorrow. What are you doing this week? Read the full story…
Foxy Haiku Contest: We Have a Winner!
Whoops. I’m the worst blogger ever, I was supposed to announce the winner of my Haiku competition a week ago – sorry about that! I’ve had a hard time picking my favourite Haiku, that’s for sure – what a torture – they are all so great! Read the full story…
From the Archives: Mirror Writing
I thought you might like to see this fabulous example of mirror writing on a postcard I have from 1908. People used to find ingenious ways to make their correspondence difficult for the postman to take a peek at, including writing backwards… Read the full story…
Haiku Contest – Come and Join In!
Back in the days of my old blog (three & a half years ago!) I held a little contest where I asked people to write a Haiku about a rabbit. It was so much fun – I couldn’t believe how beautiful & inspiring everyone’s poems were! I thought it was high time… Read the full story…
Hooray! It’s Spring!
One of the rituals of early spring…the Royal Show! Read the full story…
From the Archives: September 1956
From the comic strip Romeo Brown, Overseas Daily Mirror & Sunday Pictorial, September 26, 1956 Read the full story…
Memory Lane: Stationery & Office Supplies
Who doesn’t love office supplies & stationery? Tell me – who??!! Read the full story…
Recent Kitchen Adventures
For the last couple of months I’ve been having a lot of fun trying out vegan recipes & experimenting with my own creations (some of which are best not talked about). I’ve bought a few new vegan cookbooks too (my favourites so far are Vegan Diner &… Read the full story…
Making for Money
Last night, I watched with great interest, the documentary Making it Handmade, by Australian indie film maker Anna Brownfield that screened on ABC2 (if you’re in Aus, it’s available to watch on iView for the next couple of weeks). It was great to see… Read the full story…
Memory Lane: Fireworks Typography
Here’s some more fireworks fun – this time, a little something for lovers of vintage typography… Read the full story…
Vegan Breakfast Scramble
I’ve been a vegetarian since the 80s, but have recently started to focus more on vegan food, pretty much all the time at home now, whilst still indulging in a little cheese, etc, when I go out. I am really enjoying the challenge of cooking vegan meals… Read the full story…
Memory Lane: Make Do and Mend
We’ve all seen the Keep Calm and Carry On British wartime propaganda poster (& the countless modern variations) – 70 years later, that’s still a great message to live by, isn’t it? No wonder that poster is so popular! I have a big collection… Read the full story…