We have a winner.

Just popping my head in to say hello and announce the winner of the give away for the tiny baby.
At the moment it is nestled in the arms of the big baby but next week it will be winging its way to Naomi of Omi Creates.



Naomi is a wonderfully talented seamstress who makes the most beautiful clothes for her two gorgeous daughters and is expecting a new baby in July.


A big thanks to all 96 of you who took the time to be included in the give away.
I wish it was possible for everyone to win but then it wouldn't be special would it.
I will hold another give away at the end of May so stay tuned.



The big baby will be for sale at the Niche Market , this Saturday and Sunday, Academy of Arts Gallery, Inveresk, Launceston.







I have been sewing madly and having a lovely playing with dolls all week.

Most still need some finishing touches, somehow I always leave the face until last.

It is very cold here today, I was so grateful to see my mum and dad arrive around afternoon tea time laden with a basket of goodies to give sustenance to the poor worker ( me ).



Mum also made sure the fire was well and truly stoked , the washing was brought in and the kitchen was tidy.
Bonus Brownie points to mum.



It's certainly stick to your ribs pudding cold weather here so I thought I'd share a couple of super easy recipes for family puddings that are very popular around here







First up is Chocolate Self Saucing Pudding straight from my 1969 Cookery the Australian Way.


Now you will need a greased pie dish and set the oven to 180C ( 375F)


Now collect 1 cup of self raising flour,

1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1/2 cup milk

1 tablespoon cocoa

1 egg, beaten



Sift the flour and cocoa, stir in the sugar.

Stir in the melted butter add the egg and milk and mix to a smooth batter.

Pour into the pie dish or you can mix it in the pie dish to cut down on the washing up.



Now for the sauce, mix together 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1 tablespoon of cocoa.
Sprinkle this over the pudding batter and then gently pour over 1 1/4 cups of boiling water.


The sauce starts out on the top of the pudding and ends up underneath.
You can increase the sauce by half as much again if you are feeling saucy just make sure you have a deeper pudding dish.



Cook for about 45 minutes or until the cake part of the pudding is cooked when tested with a skewer.



It is essential to serve this with whipped cream ( or ice cream if you prefer) and try not to be too disgusted if your children mix it all in together to make chocolate cream pudding ( it does look disgusting but I'm told tastes delicious)







Now this is called Delicious Fruit Pudding, what more do you need to know.
This recipe comes from the West Launceston Primary School Cook Book in the late 1970s I think.


You will need :1 cup of mixed dried fruit , the kind you use for a fruit cake.

1/2 cup of sugar

60g ( 2 oz) butter

1 cup water

1 teaspoon bicarb soda



You put all of this into a large saucepan and stir it over as low heat until the butter melts then simmer it for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
It does froth up because of the bicarb , that's why you need a large saucepan.



Remove it from the heat, let it cool a little then stir in 1 cup of sifted Self Raising flour.

Mix it well.


Now put the mixture into a 1 litre pudding basin.
Cover either with the basin lid or some baking paper or greased brown paper and a layer of foil.


Steam in a large pot for about 2 hours - you know how to do this don't you, you need a pot larger than the pudding basin and you need to fill it with water that comes about 2/3s of the way up the pudding basin.
You will need to replenish the water every 20 minutes or so.
Keep a lid on the big pot.


After two hours you can turn out the oudding and serve it with whatever you like :: whipped cream, ice cream, custard.


Stephen likes to eat the leftovers cold with a spread of butter.


Right, now I need to get tea organised and then continue with my doll finishing.

This last picture is the miniature sunflower that is defiantly flowering at my front door






A last little blast of summer.

It's a clear starry night, it will be cold without a blanket of clouds.
Stephen is still at work, he will get icicles on his chin when he rides home.








Andy is in the kitchen revising for a maths test.
It's warm out there from the oven which has been cooking our roast chicken for tea.







Kate is by the fire in the loungeroom doing maths homework.
She has commandeered the best seat, my seat, beside the fire.








Wouldn't it be funny if Louis was down in Hobart doing some maths work as well.
There is snow on the mountain behind his house.

I hope he is warm enough.









I'm going to make a camp on the couch and do some dolly work and drink some tea and be soooo grateful for a warm house.


Night night.

1. friends for tea, 2. josephine and teddy, 3. butterfly I like the way you wear your wings, 4. Postcard by Pauli Ebner, 5. Bonecas que fiz!, 6. Black Eyed Susan and friends, 7. African American Ballerina Doll, 8. Schmusekatzen, 9. Ostereierfärbungen, 10. sweaters, 11. A Child's Garden of Verses, 12. A Child's Garden of Verses, 13. a happy easter, 14. putting on airs, 15. bringing home the eggs, 16. here is Jane, 17. tea in the garden, 18. The Toyshop~ for puppilottchen whose beautiful handwork inspired me to join flickr., 19. e.colombo postcard, 20. Ellie, 21. little riding red hood, 22. little riding red hood, 23. little riding red hood, 24. special order quilts 5, 25. nest, 26. easter bonnet, 27. dolls and fairies, 28. Florela May listened very quietly, 29. following, 30. out walking with dolly, 31. the swing, 32. come and play, 33. April Showers, 34. Favorite Paint Book, 35. Familia, 36. Püppilottchen´s flowergarden

Andy needs the computer so I have made some mosaics of some of my Flickr favourites to share with you.
If you click on the name of the picture you like it will take you to the original picture.

Enjoy.

ps. it's going to be 0 C overnight and there is snow on the mountains.
Thank goodness our load of wood arrived last week.
It's snuggling time.

Oh and don't forget the give away if you haven't already left a message.
( Look at last Thursday's post)
I'll draw a winner this Thursday.

1. tamara totebag, 2. Bundle Bunny Delia, 3. Cath Kidston, 4. Cath Kidston shop, 5. Wimpelkette - Bunting, 6. Puppen, 7. good night, 8. pocket, 9. in progress, 10. Tiny doll and magic sack, 11. Waldorf Puppe, 12. Waldorf Doll, 13. Waldorf Doll, 14. Waldorf Doll Heads, 15. Ray 22 Mo, 16. Waldorf Doll, 17. Ready for the off, 18. She adores this beautiful doll!, 19. Our new family member (and her little friend), 20. sitting on my work table, 21. Heart Felt up-cycled dress, 22. Knitted dress, 23. Cachemere Baby Cap #2, 24. cloths in progress, 25. my favorites, 26. Sarah's quilt, 27. Mini fra www.designclub.dk - March 2008, 28. Untitled, 29. handknitted doll underwear, 30. Untitled, 31. Girasol Earthy Rainbow Longies, 32. kate003, 33. Pinwheel002, 34. puffpaff001, 35. flying, 36. bethshawla

I opened the door of my wildly untidy cupboard and my little tin of lace crashed to the floor spilling its divine contents and reminding me what a pretty little tin it is.


Don't forget the give away on the previous post, I'd love to hear from you.

Oh, joy.


The computer is back, limping a little but safely home and ready to work.

I was up a little late this morning after having trouble getting to sleep last night.

Late night thinking - brings some great ideas but makes for a messy morning.
I managed to get the cheese and bacon rolls baked in time for school lunches with the extras being scoffed for breakfast.
Stephen has headed off on his bike and the house is mine .







I'm heading into the Ruby Pear today to deliver a few dolls.
Rachael has made a blog for the shop if you want to take a look.
Very pretty and plenty to explore.
Fancy just deciding it would be lovely to have a shop and then opening a shop.








Niche market sewing continues night and day but the walk into town today will be a lovely change of pace and a chance to use a different set of muscles, give my hands and fingers a rest.


We are enjoying superb weather here at the moment and the trees have finally started to put on their autumn finery.
Our winter wood was delivered a couple of days ago and is waiting patiently for someone with the inspiration to stack it into the wood shed.


Years ago I collected a bunch of homilies from some old people who had lived in Launceston their whole lives and so had their parents.
One of them was that the first fire for the autumn/winter was always lit on Anzac day.
Not because of any cultural significance but that was when the weather was too cool to do without that delicious woody warmth.
Well, Anzac Day is this Saturday and we had out first fire last night although I have had a couple of fires in the kitchen woodstove to warm and cheer the mornings when it has been a little gloomy.
Lots of people have been saying that the weather has been unseasonably fine and I admit that we often have fires as early as March but obviously there were many mild autumns in the past.






Any way to celebrate the return of the computer and the return to normal communications and the return of snuggly warm fires I have decided it is time for a give away.






Not these two little sweet hearts who are going to the Ruby Pear today

But a smaller version of this woolly baby, above, made from a felted cashmere jumper, soooo soft.
I will be making a whole bunch of them for Niche but I'll keep one aside to give to the lucky winner.


The story behind them is that while most of my knitwear has been residing in the garage the moths attacked many of my collection of lightweight jumpers ( sweaters) those that couldn't be salvaged were put into the washing machine on the hot meanest cycle meant for household cottons and felted down to produce the most beautiful array of softly coloured fabrics for me to play with to my heart's content.









The plan is to make some little babies, like the one above but only about 3 or 4 inches tall, perfect for hiding in a pocket or handbag.
You could hold one in your hand and people would barely know it was there, but you would and you would know that no matter what that little doll would be sending beams of peace and gentleness into your life.


Juts leave a note on this post and next Thursday, as I am desperately, no calmly, finishing off all my bits and pieces for Niche I will announce the winner of a little woolly baby pocket friend.

I've had a days repreive with the computer so I thought I would talk a little about my tea cosies since a few people have been asking lately.

These are all old pictures because I can't actually upload any new photos at the moment.

Most of my tea cosies are inherited and were knitted by my aunties.

There are eight children in my Mum's family, four boys and four girls.

The girls; Connie, Maisie, Jessie and Nancy are all great knitters and the older two Jessie and Nancy knitted the tea cosies that I have.

I can't find a pattern for this one.

It is crocheted and I think Nancy made it for Gran.

It fits my middle size tea pot beautifully.

I found the pattern for this one here .
I found this one at the op shop, in perfect condition and beautifully worked.

This little one was made by Jessie and fits my smallest tea pot.

This pattern is called daffodil stitch and I found the pattern here .

This was made by Nancy and is perfect for my largest, everyone wants a cuppa and maybe a refill teapot.

And this is another cosy that I found at the op shop, dirty and scrappy looking tucked down behind some old kitchen bits and pieces.

It is crocheted and very pretty and I'm glad I could give it a good home.

If anyone knows where I can find the patterns for the first and last cosy I would love to know.

I have looked on Ravelry but had no luck.

My tea cosies are used everyday, though the middle sized pot has the most outfits and gets to change her dress about once a week.

A little colour treat while I am ( maybe) away for a while.

Go visit Lucy at Attic24 for eye blistering colour and craftiness.

It's gorgeous.

See you soon.

Sunday began with a cup of coffee and a handful of knitting grabbed from where it was abandoned the night before.

The front door was quietly opened and I made my camp in the front garden in the cool autumn sun sitting in the paint flaked wicker chair.

An hour or so of quiet knitting, a sweater for a doll headed to Alaska, just how cold is it there? Lucie is only dressed in a sleeveless top so something warm to go underneath is needed.

Discovered by cats who covet my chair, investigate my drink and sleep culed up on the old table made by Dad eons ago.

Joined by Kate still working on May Gibbs.

Joined by Andy working on "Snow Falling on Cedars" analysis

Ahead will be a late morning baking session to make cup cakes, decadent Nigella cupcakes to take to a Tupperware party.

A Tupperware party!

My last such party was when I was about 19 and very little Tupperware was considered but there was plenty of good food and wine and laughing.

Much the same scenario this time.

Home to do some dolly work, make Stroganoff for tea, watch a show about the history of India and say good night as everyone headed off to bed early.

Back to school and work for everyone tomorrow.

Still no car.

Still no computer and this little borrowed friend goes back tomorrow too.

I'm not sure when I'll have computer access again so expect me when you see me.

Niche - all wrapped up is happening in two weeks time.

Can't wait to be a part of it

Can't wait to check out everyone else's work.

There is a blog if you want to find out more.

Just enjoying a cuppa after giving the house a once over.

I still have washing to hang out and the rugs to vacuum but they can wait until after morning tea.

Kate has been working on a project about May Gibbs this morning

Little Ragged Blossom, the Big Bad Banksia Men - those guys used to scare me to death, Snugglepot and Cuddlepie.

Such lovely little characters.

Anyone who has ever wandered in the bush as a child knows that all those little people are there, watching.

When I was a child the land behind my parents' house was bushland and all the neighbourhood kids spent many hours over there, sometimes playing together and sometimes dividing up into smaller groups. My sister, a couple of our friends and I used to go as far over the back as we dared, through the back paddock to the bush at the top of the gully just before the land sloped away and we were convinced that we would be lost forever if we ventured further.

Here at the top of the gully were large flat rocks with patches of moss and smaller rocks, tussocks of grass and little hidey holes filled with leaves and gumnuts and little ants. There were small low growing plants that clung to the rocks and in the spring were covered with small red tube like flowers that we plucked and sucked the nectar from. In the late summer these same bushes had little berries on , my Mum and aunt Maisie said they were native cranberries and they were delicious. Sweet little fleshy berry wrapped around a largish pip. We also chewed the base of the shivery grass stalks and picked native cherries from the trees that Maisie always used as a Christmas tree.

My mum and her sister, Maisie know so much about bushfood. As children they lived in the northeast of Tasmania in a small mining town and the youngest of eight children they said that their mum was more than happy for them to go off into the bush and scavenge for food. I guess they had older siblings to guide them away from poisonous things but from the stories they used to tell they seemed to have tried pretty much everything including the sap from wattle trees. They encouraged us to do the same.

I guess these days it's called bush tucker and associated with the original Tasmanian inhabitants, the Tasmanian Aboriginal people.

(While trying to find a picture of the native cranberries I happened upon this webpage about Tyenna which sounds like a really interesting place.)

I guess that's what I like best about Snugglepot and Cuddlepie, just as Beatrix Potter helped to give people an understanding and love of the Britsh countryside, May Gibbs, by translating her childhood experiences of playing in the WA bush into these enchanting (though often scarey tales) helps us to appreciate the wonder of the Austraian native landscape.

1950s Housewife

Mad Men starts on SBS tomorrow night.

I have already watched all the episodes on You Tube and I'm really looking forward to seeing it on the TV.

Love the fashions, love the story line, I don't mind Dan Draper either.

I wish it wasn't quite so ADULT because I would love to share the fashions with Kate.

The Betty Draper character is the same age as my Mum, I think the Betty character was born in 1932 and my Mum was born in 1931 so the clothes that Betty wears are similar to those my Mum was wearing when she was a young mother.

I always loved my

Mum's clothes , most of which she made herself as well as sewing most of my sister's and my clothes too.

I have been thinking a lot about the much mythologised 1950s housewife lately especially with my continued reading of Donna's blog .

My Mum was that 1950s housewife, married in 1953 she couldn't be anything else.

She cared for her husband , family and home and by her own account she thoroughly enjoyed it.

Mum stayed at home with her family until the early 7os when she got a part time job at the local primary school.

She used the money she earned mainly to buy clothes for herself and again by her own account she loved that too.

To work was her choice, a bit of fun and the family in no way depended on the money to maintain the budget.

My Mother always cooked dinner every night , we had a cut lunch for school every day and there were always homebaked goodies.

She kept her home clean , tidy and well loved , she cared for the garden and had time to help freinds and family.

Talking with Mum about her life as a wife and mother she is very content.

She had a full and interesting life as a mother of school age children, involved in the Mother's Club and volunteering at the library as well as having a nice circle of friends to share her experiences with.

She thinks women are expected to do too much these days; expected to work to help fill the family coffers and be responsible for much of what goes into keeping the house and family running well is too much in her opinion.

But she also thinks that people have very high expectations of what is essential for a decent life and seem to forget the basics.

She thinks that women seem to feel they deserve too many treats to compensate for all their hard work.

She feels that more time should be spent making the home a worthwhile place to be, keeping the house clean and pleasant, cared for and well tended and ready for family and friends to visit.

She wonders why there is seems to be a constant striving for and stressing over the latest big thing that will make everyone's life worth living.

She appreciates that women have greater chances to gain a full education, something that was denied her.

She despairs that so often children seem to be a forgotten extra getting in the way of the grown ups plans and pushed from home to home as marriages break up and reform.

She despairs that so many adults refuse to act as adults, not accepting their responsibilities and pushing the blame onto others.

The 1950s housewife also was a housewife of the 60s, 70s, 80s and so it goes.

She maintained her standards but incorporated what she saw as the best of the decades that followed.

She didn't stay forever wearing 1950s housedresses and using 1950s housekeeping equipment but she has never forgotten what makes a house a home and I think she still carries with her the optimism that the young couples of those days felt.

The idea that the hard years of deprivation and war were behind them, that they could make a safe and happy home for their families by giving of themselves not just by buying a lifestyle but by cherishing their families, rolling up their shirtsleeves or cardigan sleeves and being really involved in home and community life.

So when I look at Mum I see the essence of the 1950s Housewife, hardworking, caring, creative, giving and still stylish.

The fashions were wonderful but those ladies, tempered by a childhood and youth of tough times but still manging to face adulthood with optimism and hardwork were/are magnificent.

Sorry for the poor presentation of this post but this little borrowed computer won't let me fix it.

Thursday before Easter the computer died.

Every business that could help fix the computer was unavailable over the Easter break.

Ditto for car parts for our very sick car.

The library was closed until today so no using their computer to check the car manuals or look at emails.

So we slipped back in time to a world of no cars and no computers for the Easter.

This morning there was a big storm, no electricity until about half an hour ago.

No car

No computer

No library access

No electricity

No problem really although the lack of electricity would have been, mainly because the freezer compartment of the fridge would have eventually defrosted.

We have borrowed a laptop, Andy has study that requires a computer.

So I have just popped in to say HELLO.

I'll be back to do a proper post later in the day.

Louis is home from Uni for Easter.


He looks good.







This little doll, Minnie, is heading for Rachael's shop, The Ruby Pear.

She is one of my little house pixies, only 8" tall.

Her dress is base on the picture I saw in the Debbie Bliss magazine.



In a few weeks time The Niche Market takes place.

They have a blog to tell you all about it.

The market raised money to support St Giles, an organisation that supports disabled children and adults.

I worked there as a physiotherapist for a couple of years before Kate was born.



So I am busy making lots of dolls ( I hope) so that I have a bountiful stall.

I'm really looking forward to meeting all the other stall holders, though I do know one or two already.


So what is the best way to get all this done and not sink:


* don't let yourself get behind, housework and extra work

* accept all offers of help.

* make the most of the time you have.

* don't be a martyr, let your family know they need to pull their weight.

* be honest about your abilities and don't over commit.

* enjoy the thrill of it all, you're getting the chance to live out your dream.

* trust that you will succeed.

* remember to really be in the moment, it's a great adventure.


Any other suggestions?

Lucie is a new doll in the shop.







She is larger than my usual dolls, 16" (40cm) and very very cuddly.
She weighs a dash under 500g ( 1 lb).

And her just- long- enough- to- be- pulled- into- pigtails hair is supersoft mohair boucle.
And she has a nose.



In the early evening hours I also experimented with these sweet daffodils, if I can make them half as nice as Eli's they will be a nice Easter present for Mum.

So while I spent the weekend gathering eggs, baking, cooking, sewing, knitting, visiting the library and wool shop, washing, talking and so on, Stephen spent most of the weekend either on the computer reading car manuals or under the car or draped over the front of the car with his head in the engine.



Yes he decided to have a go at fixing the car, we had quotes between $2000 and $3000 and as the car is worth only a little more than that he will give it his best shot and if it doesn't work we will go from there.



When we had our old car, theTtriumph, Stephen always did any work that was needed, a self taught and determined amateur blessed with a devoutly logical mind and perseverance that astounds.
He isn't as well acquainted with this car and there are more electronic bits and bobs but he is determined to give it his best shot.



This means we are without a car for the duration.

A car free family.

Yesterday Andy set off to get some feed for the chickens.
Stephen had been going to get it on Saturday but of course the car died on Friday.
So Andy carried a 25kg (55lb) bag of wheat back up the hill.
What a guy!



Normally Stephen drives the children to school and then goes on to work.
He takes the car mainly because he has to pick Andy up from school after sports practice or Kate from orchestra, that kind of thing.
During the school holidays he usually rides his bike.
Today Kate and Andy caught the bus and Stephen rode.








The pictures are a bit blurry because he moves like lightening to get on to his bike and get going.
Also I think he was muttering something about " Oh yes please put my picture on your blog I look so handsome in bright yellow.








He has his bag stuffed with his work clothes and his lunch plus he is playing tennis after work so he has his tennis kit as well.








There he goes, Mr Licorice Legs.






And the old car is sitting quietly in the drive way, probably enjoying the rest.


I want to say thank you for all your kind comments about my last post.
It's a funny time isn't it for those of us with aging parents and children turning into adults.


Also I want to welcome all my new readers and my loyal long time readers.
It is lovely that you take the time to share your comments and experiences with me.
This blog has more than 100 blog followers now so that is a nice little community of kindred spirits.
Knowing you expect some kind of regular offering from me often gives the push to keep going with my writing.
So, thank you .

We were supposed to go to Hobart today to watch Andy play in the state cricket final ( they won) and visit Louis but life had different plans and the car seems to have a blown head gasket and this I believe is a big and expensive job so Stephen has spent the day figuring out what to do.

You know;
fix , don't fix,
try to do it himself, pay someone a king's ransom to do the job,
become a car free family and ditch the car
and so it goes.



As luck would have it Mum really needed me to be at home.
My Dad, now 82 is becoming more frail, forgetful and needing more care.
This has been a bad week for him even though every time I have rung he has sounded so chirpy he has been having falls and suffering from dizziness.
This is not a new problem but is ongoing and the doctors can't find a cause.
It's hard work for Mum.
Friday is a gardening day for Mum and she needed me to " babysit" Dad.



It becomes a state of acceptance, the need to deal with my feelings of loss as I see my parents become less able.
Aging happens, parents need the understanding that they gave us, their children, as we matured.
There is no need to be angry with people's decreasing abilities, life is always changing, love is accepting and no matter what he is my dad, the man who loved and protected me, provided for me and supported me.
If I had just met him I would think he was a sweet old man, a bit forgetful and fond of a nap, mad keen on sport and his cat Millie, kind and always gentle.
I accept him as he is now, love him as he is now.
But I'll never forget the dad of my youth.

Some dolly dress inspiration from a Debbie Bliss knitting mag.


Knitting to be accompanied by this op shop bargain DVD.







What could be a better partner for knitting than a cup of tea, some cherry cake,
and a little low key Bennett:
monologues performed by the likes of Patricia Routledge, Maggie Smith, Julie Walters, Thora Hird and the man himself to name just a few.

As resident Jill of All Trades I also am in charge of the barber shop.

I have always cut everyone's hair including my own.

The children are allowed to go to a professional hairdresser once they turn 16, and truly to be the person responsible for a teenagers hair is not a job I relish.



So last night I cut my hair.

It's just a short bob so I chop straight around, check for any stragglers and off I go.
I washed it this morning and did another little snip of bits I couldn't see so well last night.



What do you think?












Passable.