雷雲 | RAIUN : Japanese (Romanji) for (n) thunder cloud.
(Pronounced: ray-UHN).

The yarn provides cloud-like loft in thundery colours,
the design reminiscent of post-storm water rivulets
streaming down the body.

An elegant short sleeve top-down cardigan;
ribbing frames the décolletage,
wrapping around the body
to drape and flatter the waist.

A gorgeous trans-seasonal garment.

If you’d like to win a copy of the new pattern
[or reimbursement if you cannot wait!]
please leave me a comment
with a valid email address or ravelry username
by Wednesday, 23rd May.

PS: A HUGE shoutout to thank Tamara Erbacher for the fabulous photographs. Tam, you are the best. xx

Another contender in my search for a favourite muesli, this has proven most more-ish!

CRANBERRY TOASTED MUESLI

Ingredients

4 cups rolled oats

1/2 cup dried coconut flakes

Method

1. Preheat oven to 160 degrees C.

2. Line a large baking tray with non-stick baking paper.

3. Place oats, almonds and cinnamon onto tray.

4. Drizzle maple syrup over the mixture, mix and bake for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

5. Add cocunut flakes, mix and bake for a further 5-10 minutes, until golden and toasted.
Note: coconut will burn if cooked for too long!

6. Toss with the cranberries and cool.

7. Store in an airtight container. Serve as preferred with chilled milk, thick natural yoghurt, freshly sliced fruit.

I couldn’t resist purchasing a Bookhou pouch recently.
I adore Arounna’s printmaking and recently foray into ceramics.
Beautiful!

“Borrowing” the pouch idea and
while sewing with the Linear Mustard fabric
I delved into my Japanese fabric stash.

I triumphantly came up for air grasping
this antique kimono lining fabric with antique stains
and an ancient handsewn repair patch to a small hole.

I love that this fabric has a history.

And I love how the pairing of
Japanese | Australian
Antique | Modern
works so beautifully together.

A new story in the making!

[Currently storing our friendship bracelet supplies
so hardly groundbreaking but you never know.]

Beautiful new fabrics and colourways
from those clever I&S girls.
Gorgeous linens!
[I believe I was their first sale so keen was I!]

Using both fabrics in a new A-line skirt:
linear mustard as the feature side panel with cutout hem edge;
invisible side zip to left hip; and
fully lined* with matching bemsilk at the higher hem line.

*Think I will always line skirts from now on.
It has been a hit and miss approach to date.
But So Over the skirt hoicking (technical term, I’m sure)
up whenever I wear stockings/tights.

We moved into our 1970′s Merchant Builder style home just over 2 years ago.
A brick veneer, concrete slab-on-ground house with flat roof
open plan layout with large inground pool, and a ridiculously overgrown garden.

And we loved it. And immediately set about the overhaul.
Ripping out the garden with huge trees too close to the house
and exotic plants with watering systems.

For a new drought tolerant garden
planted with indigenous species and
30 tonnes of rock landscaping.

We added a home office and extra bedroom
with raked roof for photovoltaic solar panels
and environmentally considered finishes + fixtures.

I entered both the household and my business
in the City of Whitehorse’s Sustainable Living Week Awards.
And much to my surprise, I won both categories!

Very, very pleased with both of the awards
and the recognition for our efforts
to live more sustainably day to day.

I also appreciate that sustainability is a kind of never-ending story:
I need to consider it in all my decisions;
not just a one off hit and be done with it.

And therein lies the true challenge:
To sustain my sustainable efforts!

Over summer, a few friends joined in a
Greyness Print Swap.

Easy:
design and print 7 pieces of
50 x 50cm fabric in grey tones
over the summer holidays.

Hard:
the reality of
suppliers on holidays,
my family on holidays,
my finances on holidays,
my brain on holidays.

I settled on print making
with foam and roller-applied ink.
And white cotton from my stash.

I worked up two designs
the backup plan
and

Linework.

White.

Grey.

Simple.

How to use Quinoa?
I’m struggling to say the word, let alone cook with it.
[Pronounced keen-wah, as I understand it.]
My husband was making beer battered fish on the weekend
so a perfect time to test out a fresh side salad.

ORGANIC QUINOA SALAD

Serves 6 as a side salad.

Ingredients

1 cup organic (white) quinoa, rinsed

100 grams snow peas, blanched in boiling water, rinsed in cold water, diced

Dressing

2 tbsps lemon juice, strained

handful of chopped fresh Continental parsley leaves

Method

1. Preheat oven to 110 degrees C.

2. Place biscuit rack over large baking tray. Place Roma tomatoes cut side
up on rack, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Cook for 3 hours. Add garlic to rack and cook all for a further 1 hour.
Remove from oven, chop cooked tomatoes in half.
Set garlic aside for dressing.

3. Place quinoa in saucepan wih 2 cups water and cover with lid.
Bring to boil then turn to low and simmer for appoximately 10-12
minutes or until all water absorbed. Rinse in colander and allow to cool.

4. Place all prepared ingredients into a large mixing bowl and toss together.

5. Squeeze roast garlic cloves into a bowl. Add dressing ingredients and
mix well with a fork. Add to salad and toss until incorporated.

6. Serve as a side dish to deep fried beer battered fish or seared salmon
steaks with reduced balsamic vinegar drizzled over.

Alternate Serving Suggestions

1. Can’t be bothered with the slow-roasted Roma tomatoes?
Replace with a punnet or two of halved cherry or mini-Roma tomatoes
and use 1 clove freshly crushed garlic in the dressing.

2. Omit dressing and mix with 2 tins of store bought Salmon in
Sweet Chilli Sauce for a Thai inspired version.

3. Add a handful of chopped pitted Kalamata Olives and serve with
slow-cooked Greek Lamb, Tzatziki Dip and Pita Bread.

Thank you for your lovely comments and feedback on my new knit design.
Great to hear you like it and keen to knit it.
I am wearing it as much as I can with the last of our warm weather.
[I know I am on borrowed time!]

I have randomly selected 3 winners to receive a free copy of the KAGE Knit Pattern:

Maryjo

Jules O, and

Lucette.

1.5m length of Liberty cotton
+ handmade binding
+ invisible zip to the waist
= Liberty Kage Blouse!

1 more day of knit pattern giveaway
so drop me a line or two.

影 | KAGE : Japanese (Romanji) for (n) shadow; silhouette
(pronounced: KAH-geh).

The silhouette of the body is glimpsed
within the soft shadow of the folded form.

An elegant short sleeve top
displaying the beautiful sheen of
100% Linen yarn;
with origami style construction,
extra deep V neck,
slim waist detailing and
dolman sleeve shaping to above the elbow.

The pattern provides 5 sizes:
each size is deliberately generous,
intended to layer and drape.

If you’d like to win a copy of the new pattern,
[or reimbursement if you cannot wait!]
please leave me a comment
with a valid email address or ravelry username
by Wednesday, 14th March.