the night owl

keep my skillet good and greasy...

2012-01-24T01:00:00.001Z

For Christmas I was lucky to receive the skillet (and I don't exaggerate as I write this) of my dreams. Over the past few years I've got'n right fed up of wobbly pan bottoms and flaky non-stick coatings (non-stick - yur telling me) and have had my mind set on something solidly indestructible. 'The Victor' was that very vision. It's a solid, cast iron, no shit talkin' bit of ironmongery. I could imagine Ma Ingalls or Loretta Lynn making a very happy co-habitation with it. The label said it was pre-seasoned and I went and daftly washed it in soapy water: "Hell no you don't!" (That was Loretta not Mrs Ingalls talking). Little rust spots soon appeared. Having read the label good and proper and a heap of somewhat contradictory internet advice, I bought myself some Trex and smoked the house out in the process. Next time I'll turn the pan upside down in the oven whilst seasoning and open the windows.

I inaugurated our skillet last weekend with Lorne sausage and fried eggs and boy did they turn out just fine. I can tell we are gonna be good friends. Cleaning is now done with a still warm pan, hot water only and a soft scourer before towel drying. There she is hanging-up with my new oven mitts (£2.95 each, in the Anthropologie sale) and Poachpods. I'm a little wary of new fangled kitchen gadgetry but I'd been eyeing these up these silicone egg-poachers for hmm, a couple of years. They eventually made it onto my Santa list and were gratefully received. We now own four.

chocolate marshmallow rice crispie pizza cake, anyone?

2011-06-13T19:30:00.000+01:00

"So now I'm back, from outerspace! You just walked in to find me here with chocolate-marshmallow-rice-crispie-pizza-cake upon my face!! I should have changed that stupid lock I should have made you leave your key, if I had known for just one second..."

Oh, well hello there! My apologies for the break in transmission, can it really have been nearly two months? Yowzers. Well the excuse is I've been a busy bee, but instead of dancing to the beat of my own buzzy tune, I've have been hanging out in another hive of activity. Ok perhaps I should turn the disco music off, and stop speaking in riddles.

So what the hell's that you say?! Well the above cake-ular monstrosity was made several weeks ago for a just-turned-four-year-old. As her Mum was telling me the menu the nearly-4-year-old had requested for her bday tea ("Lollypops, jelly beans, marshmallows, candy floss..." Eh, nothing savoury Rosie? "Yeh, pizza and pom bears.") I had a little idea...

The Sweetie Pizza, which I admit sounds disgusting but to my own surprise, was really rather nice. I used the favourite crispie treats recipe for the base which I squished into my Le Creuset clafoutis dish (mine's teal and was a Christmas present) to form the pizza base, topped with Nutella (keeping it continental y'know), scattered with Jelly Belly beans (accept no impostors people), yoghurt dipped banana chips (a mozzarella shaped substitute), glacé cherries (could've gone un-sulphured but compositionally, it required something terrifyingly lurid), desiccated coconut (look, I can spell desiccated!) and for an extra bit of protein (although that's not yet been corroborated by medical evidence) Monty Bojangles White Chocolate Mice (if you have never tried them I can vouch for them as both marvellous and minxy).

Of course in order to maintain the illusion it had to come served in a pizza box, generously donated by the Comiston Fry, and was hidden until pudding time, in the oven of the Birthday Girl's brand new toy kitchen. I don't think she ate any pizza cake on the day but her Mum and I put a hefty dent in it and no, we weren't sick on our party frocks.

Grassmarket Festival

2011-04-29T16:56:00.000+01:00

Hey folks don't forget The Grassmarket Festival is here this weekend. Ok, so blogger has trimmed the poster squint but look there are my little egg cups! Saturday and Sunday this little NIGHT OWL shall be in attendance, 12 o'clock to 8pm in the cities Grassmarket. It's my first out door do' with the full shebang - so I really hope no little raindrops come visiting!

It would be lovely to see you there - rain, hail or shine!

on the weekend...

2011-04-29T16:23:00.000+01:00

I had a lovely time last weekend selling my stuff and generally blethering my head off to any passer by. I was at the Out of the Blue Arts Market last Saturday. The night before I grabbed a couple of stems of cherry blossom or 'sakura' to decorate my stall and ended up trailing a stream of blossom confetti all the way there.

I think the rain on the day may have put a few folk off but it certainly didn't deter the punters for the food stalls which started ahead of the arts market. Once the first rush had died down things were quite relaxed which meant that I had lots of time to get chatting and enjoy some interesting, informative and entertaining conversations:

• A lady who works at the Drill Hall Café came by to say that the shower cap she'd bought from me at Christmas went down very well with her friend. "She wears it all the time!" she said. "I mean - not just in the shower!!" Now that's what I like to hear.

• A wee boy came past, asking how much of my merchandise I'd actually made myself:
HIM: "Did you make that? And that?!"
ME: "Yes, yes I made it all!"
HIME: "And those? Did you make them?" (pointing at my jug a pheasant-eye lilies)
ME: "Well no, you've got me there."
HIM: "Hmm. Do you do anything without flowers on?"
ME: "Eh... well, um, not really."
HIM: "Could you make me one of them without flowers on?" (pointing at my Dotty Miss Daisy tablecloth)
ME: "Yeah, I could do that. What would you want on it instead?"
HIM: "H.F.C."
ME: "Is that Hearts?"
HIM: (with steely glare) "No, HIBS!"

• A lady picked up one of my wildwood flower brooches. I told her I thought it was a primrose. "No it's a cowslip which is why I'm going to buy it!". Apparently, (I did not know this) a primrose is a cultivated cowslip so of course I have now re-titled my brooch. She went on to tell me a lovely story about her Grandmother, who used to post a biscuit tin of cowslips to her mother each spring. She said the place where her Grandmother picked them has no cowslip left in it anymore. I loved her story and told her my own similar one as my Aunty used to post a posy of snowdrops to my Mum in an empty Silk Cut packet. The snowdrops wrapped in damp tissue would come out a little bedraggled but would soon perk up after a wee drink and possibly some fresh air.

On Sunday I was at the Collective for the Craft Sunday Market with A Wooden Tree and Annabel Bartle. I've known Kirsty since I've been doing craft fairs and Annabel and I worked together on this project, four years ago. It was great to see them both and have a right good natter. Although I did so much nattering I forgot to take more photos of their lovely wares!

We were asked to give a poster to advertise our stalls in the lead up to the market. That's my effort at the back there. I couldn't get any pegboard so I drilled my own. Yes I'm mad.

You can see I grabbed a couple of stray narcissi from the park on my way by too.

I loved our tables which were assembled from plastic drinks crates on loan from Barrs. They were quite tall and just the perfect height for getting a good eyeball at everything!

Course I also got the chance to try out The Feral Trade Café. Oh yeah! I'm gonna have to tell you abut that later but I'll be ticking off all the items on the menu over the next few weeks let me tell you!

If you are interested in getting involved with the markets over the next few weeks contact:
jennyrichards@collectivegallery.net

The dates are:

Sunday 1 May - Artist's Multiples

Sunday 8 May - Illustration

Sunday 15 May - Publications

Sunday 22 May - Anything goes

How to turn the world by hand runs until 29th May at Collective, 22-28 Cockburn Street, Edinburgh.

marketing mix...

2011-04-19T13:48:00.000+01:00

It's good to get oot 'n' aboot in the springtime and a busy bunny I shall be!

This Saturday I'll be taking my NIGHT OWL wares to The Out of The Blue Arts Market. I'll have new egg cups, shower caps, tablecloths and Easter bows to show off!

On Sunday, I'll be at the Collective's Sunday Market, from 11am - 4pm on Cockburn Street. Looking forward to catching up with Annabel and Kirsty 'Wooden Tree' and trying out the Feral Trade Café.

But if you are busy this week end coming fear not! I'm also taking a stall at on Saturday 30th and Sunday 1st May at The Grassmarket Festival. This is a bit of an experiment - I've never taken my wares out of doors - eek! Let's hope the drip-drip-drop of April showers have left us by then tho' a few dew-drops might be nice!

stay blue, blue sky

2011-04-18T08:00:00.002+01:00

I've learned another Japanese word: 'sakura' meaning cherry blossom.

"I heart sakura in the springtime."

how to turn the world by hand...

2011-04-15T11:52:00.000+01:00

There's an exciting opportunity coming up for you arty-crafty-maker-shaker's out there so keep reading...

'New shop and café take over Collective - this hiatus is out of our control and will be in place for 6 weeks from April 16 - May 29. Apologies for the inconvenience.'

Collective's next exhibition, an off-site DIY Fountain by Rania Ho launches in The Scottish Book Trust Garden tonight.

Meanwhile, the gallery on Cockburn Street is being turned into a café and shop, (but not just any café and shop).

Mobile Bazaar, a travelling Turkish Bazaar selling a range of goods exported from China, will be setting up shop in the gallery spaces. Whilst in the reception area the Feral Trade Café, will be trading food and drink sourced through a range of social networks, with documentation by the artist Kate Rich. (Have a look at feraltrade.org to see the shipments en route to Collective now...)

On Sundays there will be a series of themed markets at Cockburn Street, which Collective are looking for makers to get involved with. The markets are FREE to take part in, all that you are asked to do is supply an A1 poster advertising your wares a week in advance. The dates are...

Sunday 17 April - Bake off

Sunday 24 April - Craft

Sunday 1 May - Artist's Multiples

Sunday 8 May - Illustration

Sunday 15 May - Publications

Sunday 22 May - Anything goes

If you are interested in taking part contact:
jennyrichards@collectivegallery.net

And maybe I'll see you on the 24th?

fly little tsuru-san...

2011-04-14T08:00:00.000+01:00

I was wondering how the Cakes for Japan Edinburgh fundraiser went the other week. When I'd got there with my bakes I was in such a hot-and-bothered rush I hadn't anytime to snoop around or even say a proper hello before I legged it down the hill to work.

Well I got a quite a shock when I checked back on the event page. The Edinburgh event raised £2330 for Japanese Red Cross - in just a few hours!

These were a couple of leftovers from my baked offerings which I managed to snap on the day. At no loss to the fundraising I might add as this cupcake was distinctly smaller than the rest and the 'crispy flag' needed to be manhandled into a flag shape.

I made fatless fairy cakes, or rather 'gnome cakes' from my newest baking book River Cottage Handbook No.8: Cakes by Pam Corbin. The mix uses a hefty grating of pumpkin, carrot or courgette with a little zest, which I suppose cuts down on the sugar as well as adding moisture. I chose carrot and orange for mine and used the Philly cheese topping which Mrs Corbin makes with butter. As I mixed up the topping the night before, my too-tired eyes failed to spot that the topping was dotted with flecks of butter - but you couldn't taste it! The gnome cakes were good, a little chewy but hey, that's fat-less for you.

To decorate I topped them off with origami tsuru (crane) which I still have to check out instructions for, even though I once folded a thousand to make a sembazuru. That's another story but you would think I could remember - no? I chopped a cocktail stick in half and wiggled the pointy end into the little gap underneath the cranes - BINGO instant cake topper!

For the flags I used this recipe for Crispy Treats, substituting the marshmallows for a jar of Marshmallow Fluff (which I do believe is végétarien), scattered desiccated coconut over the top (to make them a little more white) and added halved glacé cherries. Whilst we are on the subject the Fluff website has this very cute jingle from The Flufferettes - ooh! I didn't get round to popping in cocktail sticks in them all (I forgot the darned box!) but the Fluff worked a treat.

Here's a little photo of my cakes at the sale, taken by Donna McGory of I Cook Vegan Food - have a looksee at her blog to check out some more beautiful photos of the sale.

you shall have a little fishy...

2011-04-13T16:45:00.000+01:00

This little dishy, from the free Waitrose Weekend newspaper, was quick simple and so tasty. We had it with fresh whiting fillets. I even think I could whip up the whole thing in an advert break! Well, maybe don't hold me to that. But I did feel like a domestic diva for all of fifteen minutes.

lazy monday afternoon...

2011-04-11T23:29:00.000+01:00

As I'm always working weekends, I try to give myself Mondays off. Sometimes it happens, sometimes it doesn't but somehow, no Monday-off is ever quite like a Sunday-off; a lazy-day to do just as I please.

Today I was supposed to be catching up with the paperwork. We didn't. I'd forgotten to set my alarm and slept for a whole twelve hours. I assume I must have needed it. When I did wake up I had tea in bed and a read of: Answered Prayers. It's rather rude (about everything and everyone) and makes me cackle. The only part I'm not looking forward to is finding out why it's 'unfinished'.

Eventually I made lunch. A bargain-basement composition from last night's swag-bag of Waitrose reductions (I got tender-stem broccoli, french beans, helda beans and British asparagus: all for 10p a pack. ha.) I lightly burned my reduced muffin, slathered it with butter and topped it with a slice of leftover Milano salami. Steamed some reduced asparagus over my perfectly poached eggs. Slathered the asparagus with more butter (I'm not that fussed by asparagus but being 10p improves it). Took a bite. Took a photo. Le nom.

Then we watched the next instalment of Battlestar Galactica which is becoming a nightly obsession. Although last night I conked out before the opening credits were done. Then I got round to packing up a couple of orders and made a dash to the Post Office where I was greeted at the door with a smile and a hello. (They must have missed me).

When I got back to the ranch the sun was splitting the sky and I had to stop and take a few photos. The camera on my new-ish phone is no great shakes but the Vignette app has transformed it. I love the toy camera setting, particularly as I miss my old toy camera.

And I love the pheasant-eye lilies which are nodding demurely at the end of our street.

And I love lazy days off.

drip-drip-drop little april showers

2011-04-04T22:04:00.002+01:00

Ah - spring is here and how it has tickled my fancy and generally got me all staring-out-the-windae, smiling at the flowers and saying a cheery "hello" to every chirping birdie. How I love it so, almost as much as a 39p bunch of Waitrose tulips - bliss indeed!!

Well, I'm no Heather-the-Weather (nor Seán Batty for that matter) but I do predict a little April shower or two to be heading your way. So why not have your heid stylishly prepared for the inevitable with a fetchingly fresh shower cap soon to be drip-drip-dropping into a little tuwhittuwhoo near you! Yes indeedy, the much anticipated Japanese-y fabrics are getting stitched-up and be-photographed and into the shop toot suite. And I have heard it said, they are too cute to keep to your salle de bains!!

In honour of the seasons scattered-showers, I thought I should leave you with one of my favourite little springtime ditties (after that is, the effusive Mr Blackbird and the knock-knock-knocking of my local woodpecker). But not for you just the run-o'-the-mill version of this dear chanson: no, no. I took it upon myself to conduct a gruelling research project and compile a best-version-of-Little-April-Shower-in-a-Foreign-Language chart. (That's more than what the Oscars would give you... but less than Eurovision, perhaps) So without further a-do:

in at number THREE: They won't let me embed-it but it's ICELANDIC:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMbNvB_Jtt0&feature=related

running-away towards number TWO: say "yay" for GERMAN:

pipped-to-the post by NUMBER ONE: it's SWEEDISH!

made to orders!

2011-03-31T10:46:00.001+01:00

Oh yes we do!!

I was so pleased, to be parcelling-up my first custom tablecloth order the other week, for London Town! I'd been asked if I could make a tablecloth like my blue skies and grey petals picnic tablecloth that would fit a drop-leaf table when used either with one side up or when fully extended. "Sure thing!" I said and got scribbling out a plan...

The gingham fabric I use comes in the narrow, 112 cm measurement so I figured out a nifty way to make it fit the table by neatly machining two deep borders (in a double thickness of fabric) to each long side and hand finishing the hem on the underside. I suggested placing the applique in groups of three on either side with a slightly larger flower in the middle. I didn't expect it but the result was you got to see how this big repeating pattern works with motifs appearing across the three patches. Oh, how I wish I'd bought more of this fabric!

My customer was delighted with her tablecloth and I was so pleased that my long-held idea worked. Phew! Now another thing to add to my ever lengthening list of personal sewing projects is running up one of these babies for me. Perhaps with luck, I'll make it in time for Christmas?!

Another random discovery I made is the availability in some parts of my holy grail: 150 cm wide cotton gingham! Yipee!! The range of colours is somewhat limited but I'm looking forward to experimenting with a much larger square tablecloth in the range sometime soon. Well, almost as soon as the shop comes back from it's holidays...

cakes for japan

2011-03-23T00:34:00.000Z

Cakes for Japan, Edinburgh - Tsunami Appeal Fundraiser Saturday 26th March 11:00am - 3:00pm

Quaker Meeting House,

7 Victoria Terrace, Edinburgh, EH1 2JL

It shan't come as a surprise, that I require little persuading to don my pinny, go forth and bake, most especially when I've had such an important cause to get rattling my baking tins for. I have a few different Japan-inspired baking ideas I'm working on - just hope I've enough time to bake them all!

Find Cakes for Japan, Edinburgh on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=186263724750194

For more information, or to get involved with the Edinburgh fundraiser, email:

dee@itsy.org.uk

Read about the other Cakes for Japan events at cakesforjapan.wordpress.com and see the sell-out Cakes for Japan, London sale on flikr which raised over £2000 in three hours!

Hope you can make it on Saturday!!

Baking Circle No.1: Aunty Jean's Shortbread

2011-03-18T13:37:00.002Z

We had a good ole natter at the inaugural Auntie M's Baking Circle meet-up last week. The idea behind the evening is that you bring along your baked wares with a fist-full of recipes for it, we taste discuss and swap recipes and then take a little bit of everything home. I am calling this RESEARCH, not an excuse to eat cake, absolutely not. This for me is a serious study of the Art of Bake.

The theme Michelle chose for our baked wares was 'bars' which I understood as 'tray-bakes' then further interpreted as shortbread, 'cause I bakes it in a tray see. The above photo shows the bakes that made it back to mine, having shared some of the others along the way. There was a Rosemary and Salt Caramel Millionaire's which Emily was into (she got the rest) and having had Stacey's Banana Nut Brownie for breakfast the following day (after the incredible discovery of rhubarb and custard on your porridge) I felt that 43 miles should be put between me and the rest.

So, on the plate is Auntie M's Buttertart Bar which was deee-lish crisp biscuit base with sticky and ever-so-slightly chewy buttery topping, studded with raisins. The Butter Tart hails from Michelle's Canadian homeland and apparently there is quite a debate over there as to whether you walnut or raisin the filling. I may have to base a research project on this. Auntie M's young protege took along Crispy Treats, a no-bake blend of marshmallows, puffed rice and butter, the simplicity of which belied it's complex moreishness.

Aunty Jean's recipe is very special recipe to me. Passed on from her, it's one my Mum made a lot. I think it might be unusual in that you melt, rather than cream the fat but it's the cornflour that keeps it wonderfully crisp and light. Oh and did I mention it's a doddle to make? Here's the recipe, scanned out of my notebook. At the bottom I've added the reminders Ma left - just in case. The shortbread trimmings by the way, are one of the very best bits, especially if they are a little over done. Save them for ice cream or maybe even a bowl of rhubarb and custard?!

Dearest Japan...

2011-03-14T18:49:00.000Z

I am thinking of you and send you all my love.

marmalady

2011-03-02T03:04:00.000Z

There seems to be a fad for writing about your breakfast round these parts. Well, as one Julias' Daughter hopefully re-considers her own self-imposed ban, I feel the mantle falls to me to talk about that oh-so-most-important meal of the day.

So - what does a night owl eat for breakfast? Well, that all kinda depends what day of the week we're talking about and whether I'm having to rise and shine and get my ass out the house to meet some type of rotational requirement. I hate to admit it but sometimes, just sometimes I have to leave the house without (duh, duh, DUH!). Like this Sunday morning, when I heated up the oats and milk I'd left soaking in the microwave overnight (how very organised of me) and then had no time to eat my too-hot porridge. For shame. Well, the only thing I can say is at least with porridge you can reheat it the next day (which I did) that is so long as you don't make it to the consistency of wet concrete (which I didn't). My top porridge toppers at the moment (incase you are not yet asleep) are raisins and a wee bit of sugar (golden granulated) or my Winter Fruit Compote - mmm PRUNES! I am, as yet, managing to resist double cream. No, don't mention it (double cream) - I said DON'T MENTION IT!

Any hows - what I was really wanting to tell y'all about were the exciting results of my first venture into the land of marmalade. I come from a long line of Marmaladies (actually, that may be a short line) but anyways, I had never been schooled in the technical side. My Ma's preference was for the pre-sliced MAMADE tins (medium cut) whereas my Granny's speciality has a rather different consistency: very soft-set and rather lemony, I do believe she told me that my Granda used to pass all the fruit peel through a table-mounted hand-cranked mincer!

Well, I just followed Mrs Corbin's instruction to the letter: steeping my finely hand sliced peel in water overnight and boiling and reducing the next day. I had to take a break in my preservings (to hop of to a lecture, fancy!) and returned to my pan the next day, to no ill effect. The secret of Mrs Corbin's success, I reckon, is her use of demerara sugar. It adds a wonderful, golden syrupy richness which is quite extraordinarily unlike any other marmalade I have known.

It took me a lot less time to find the setting point than it did for my plum jam (did I tell you about my plum jam?) and for once I actually had MORE preserve than I expected! Lucky old me. So much in fact that I had to grab my marmalade pot out of the cupboard to fill. It's a lovely T.G. Green number which was part of a 'breakfast set' given as a wedding gift to my Ma and Pa. I love the colour. The plate is T.G. Green too, from a charity shop and probably a second - but you can't see the wee blip in the glaze once you've got a wholemeal seeded muffin on there!

Than reminds me, somewhere I have a recipe for marmalade cake...

gimme your wurst!

2011-02-24T01:52:00.001Z

Don't that look a treat?!

This was taken a few weeks back when we got some genuine German sausages from the German market and took the opportunity to relive one of the culinary highlights of our Düsseldorf - Berlin trip a few years ago.

The chef insisted that we had to have proper currywurst ketchup to accompany our smoky sausages of goodness-knows-what and cooked up the first recipe in this post - sch-lup! I love the silly spelling of 'catchup' on the second recipe (heheh!) but really - honey? A BAY LEAF? Don't tinker with the trashy food.

If you are unfamiliar with the joy of a good currywurst it's basically cheap ketchup with curry powder slathered over a chopped up sausage. The German equivalent of chippy sauce. If you are unfamiliar with chippy sauce it's basically cheap brown sauce watered down with malt vinegar and peculiar to Edinburgh.

Anyway, back to the photo-story. I dished up the carbs in one of my favourite formats: I call them frenchy-style potatoes but they are officially known as Fried Potatoes with Garlic and Salt from Real Fast Food. It's super easy: couple of big tatties cubed (I don't bother peeling) and a couple of flattened garlic cloves, fried in a fingers depth of oil for 25 mins or so til golden. DON'T TAKE YOU EYES OFF THEM! Drain on paper and salt liberally. Voila. Mr Slater says to throw away the garlic afterwards, which I don't really understand. Fried garlic = le yum.

Course the whole meal was simply an excuse to air my sehr schön "I like beer" napkins, a gift from Munich and the current pride of my serviette collection. Danke Stacio!

shonky-tonk band

2011-02-23T02:17:00.002Z

Heart Like a Wheel by Julias' Daughters

We're barely competent, forget the words, fluff the chords and suffer from the stage frights but never-the-less, me and Emily are a band. We called ourselves Julias' Daughters as both our Ma's were named so.

We did a little demo recording round my house with the vital assistance of the resident musician. One mic was perched a-top the ironing board (which rather pleased me), Emily brought round lovely Falko (Konditormeister) bread for the rider, and I got told to "stand back" and "face the microphone, Ellen" many-a-time.

This song, Heart Like A Wheel by Anna McGarrigle, first appeared on the self-titled debut album, Kate and Anna McGarrigle, (1975).

time for a timex...

2011-02-22T01:37:00.000Z

I'm so pleased. I finally got my new/old watch back! Well, it's really a replacement for my original first-ever-watch which I was still wearing until four years ago when I accidentally got into a swimming pool, on a hotel roof with it still on, shortly before walking into a plate glass door and bursting my nose. The excitement of the whole experience had clearly gone to my head.

Any way, my old watch ceased up and was ir-repairable as, apparently they were never made so's that they could be repaired. Which miffed me cause I'd just been and bought a lovely new red lizard strap for it and all.

Eventually, I found a replacement on Ebay which arrived the other week with the remains of it's original blue strap still attached. (In my imagination it was probably snipped off the wrist of a poor screaming child after some kind of arm-breaking Raleigh Blue Bird ride... but s'ok they got a digital watch that changed the telly channel after that.) And hey - it works! Plus the fella in Timpson's most obligingly swapped my old/new strap onto my new/old watch after I "put something in the charity-box, eh pal?". Thanks very much!

I can remember my Dad buying me the watch I was about five or six and if my memory serves me right, it was in Marks & Spencer's, Stirling (really? this would seem to predate them selling Mars bars by about 25 years). I was allergic to the plastic strap and didn't wear it much at first but my Mum got me a new one (white leather from Henderson's the Jewellers) after we moved to Dundee - Timex Town. And that's why I think I love my watch so much. Cause it reminds me little bit of home.*

*(albeit, aherm, assembled in the Philippines)

this week on ellen bakes cakes...

2011-02-21T01:04:00.000Z

My first excuse to rummage in my nightmare of a baking cupboard this week was for Valentine's Day afters. I'd had several ideas for what I'd like to make for pudding all involving calories, chocolate and copious leftovers but settled on dear Nigel's Chocolate Almond cake from The Kitchen Diaries which just happened to be the most 'substantial' of all. Oops. And oh my, down such a wickedly decadent path to ruination it led! It's one of those high-chocolate / low-flour cakes made with five eggs, whisked whites and more butter than is polite to mention. Still a little wobbly in the middle (aren't all the most interesting folks?) and slightly warm from the oven, with a dollop of creme fraiche and a more-slushy-than-expected-western on the side: I was made up baby. Made up!

Even better, I got to off-load some of the calories on my co-workers and took the rest round to Emily's house for band practice (that's where I took the above photo). You can see more of Emily's lovely Japanese-style quilted place-mat on her beautiful new daily-Blipfoto-blog: Floating Weeds.

My next visit to the cupboard of doom was to knock-up something to take round to another friends house for tea. I'd planned on making Nigella's Cranberry & White Chocolate Cookies in the festive season. I'd thought they maybe sounded a bit too Christmassy in January but as I had fruit, the pecans and just enough porridge oats (which were just fine but then I dunno what 'instant' looks like...) I went ahead. And they were good; sweet but on the right side of sickly. I think the dark sugar dissipated some of the sugar hit and also did something kinda funny with the pecans to convince me there was some maple syrup in there! See Nigella Chistmas is not just for eh, Christmas!!

I just hope they gulped-down as satisfactorily for Cookie Monster...

pinny pin pals!

2011-02-14T02:47:00.003Z

It has taken me an enormous age to get around to this but on Friday, I finally got about listing my new selection of Paddington Bear pinny pins in the shop! The pattern on the fabric was made to celebrate Paddington's 50th and I fell in love with it on first sight. It's based upon packets of ingredients in the FILMFAIR Paddington animation where wiggly nosed bear attempts to bake Mr Curry a birthday cake…

I'm considering staging a reconstruction / re-enactment of Paddington's above cake-baking on the Baby Belling in my studio. Not so sure about shovelling the mix in with a garden fork (!) but I would of course ensure I have donned my duffel coat and black beret for some kind of continuity!

I keep a little selection of badge-wear upon my work-a-day "flamenco" pinny; some baking related and a couple o' one-liners...

The 'bicarb' button came from the Barnardo's Vintage Shop in the Grassmarket, Edinburgh. I've had a few good badges from there (I take it they are made in-house?!) my favourite being a leopard face badge which I wore on my leopard-print shopper until alas, it went to the big badge-maker in the sky. My Country Grammar pin comes straight outta' the fabulous 50p Badges, a very excellent Glasgow-based on-line proprietor of proper pin-wears. They even let you send a cheque if ya fancy (now there's not a lotta folks'd do that!). I've been eyeing up a few new beauts in their new range...

I feel a little sneaky order coming on! Well, I'm always needing to replace my Dolly Parton badge which I've had and lost several of before. This time I may buy in bulk!

Another couple of making and baking related items:

✿ I made my first ever batch of marmalade the other week, according to the instructions of Good Ole' Mrs Corbin of course (lordy how I love that book!). For once I got WAY MORE jam than I'd expected (WOO HOO) so I'll be digging into a fresh pot at the breakfast table the 'morra!

✿ If you are cakely-minded and in the Glasgow-area (or like me are DEAD KEEN and willing to commute) then Auntie M's Cake Lounge is starting up a BAKING CIRCLE once a month on Monday nights beginning on the 7th March! EEEEEEk! The idea is that everyone brings along a cake to sample and a copy of their recipe for everyone and well - you get to try lots of CAKE and TALK CAKE for TWO HOURS!! Get in touch with: auntiemscakelounge@yahoo.co.uk for more cake-formation!

POST SCRIPT: I should of course mention my partial title borrowings inspired by the fantastique Pin Pals, of Etsy fame. If you dunno them then, for many reasons - YOU SHOULD!

library lover

2011-02-11T11:45:00.000Z

There's been a lot of talk about libraries of late. People are angry and I'm glad: I need my library too. Philip Pullman says it all: Leave the libraries alone. You don't understand their value. A brilliant, passionate and rousing speech.

I had a fancy for reading several children's books during the December snows, after recalling various bits of TV dramas of yore.

The Midnight Folk is the preceding book to The Box of Delights, which I remember being very snowy and a bit scary on the telly. The plot is full of witches and wizards, mutineering pirates, highway men and of course The Midnight Folk: a troupe of talking animals. I found it a little hard to keep up with the twisting, turning plot and the lengthy cast of characters but it was worth it to meet Tom Otter (and his hilarious Bat side-kick) and see Kay put on an otter "skin" (complete with paws) to become otter-like too (I'm otterly obsessed). It's beautifully illustrated by Rowland Hilder - I love the trees in the highwayman chase below, which remind me of my great-granny's Dulton washbasin.

I had a magical few days re-reading Lucy M. Boston's The Children of Green Knowe, which I think is one of my most favourite books ever. The fabulous decriptions of Tolly's room in the roof of his Great-Granny's house with all it's strangely comforting shadows and flitting visitors is so atmospheric it makes perfect winter bedtime reading.

There's a plentiful cast of animal friends here too with Truepenny (a mole) and Hedge-prickles (the hedgehog, of course). There's also a netsuke mouse which Tolly takes to bed with him and sometimes catches squeaking in his pyjama pocket. But of course the central characters are the three children Toby, Alexander and Linnet who haunt the house, play games around the garden and become Tolly's friends.

Time to hitch my wagon up, I'm setting off for the banks of Plum Creek...

the pigeon and the pontack

2011-01-18T01:11:00.001Z

There is one bottle in this house which I have been keeping tightly sealed...

Pontack was the first thing I made from the River Cottage Handbook No.2: Preserves by Pam Corbin. I'd never tasted or even heard of it before but the concoction of elderberries, mace, allspice, cloves, shallots, ginger and vinegar appealed to me. I picked my berries long-ago in Perthshire in September 2009. I do recall the berries took an age to fork-off the stems and I bust a gut rubbing the soused berries through a sieve for every last drop of precious liquor which made only two bottles instead of four. But it was worth it to see the intensely purple liquor even if I'd have to hold off for a 'proper' tasting as Pam says "according to tradition" the sauce is best matured for seven years. Well I am a patient gal but I only managed 16 months. The sauce is ideal with game so when I spied a special offer on Wood Pigeon, I saw that the Pontack's time had come.

I'd never cooked such little birdies before but even the raw meat smelt wonderfully rich and sweet (which is not something I could say often). I went a little free-style on my cooking technique, something I've been getting braver about of late, and popped a slice of orange, a wee spring of rosemary and a few squashed juniper berries inside each bird with a sprinkle of pepper and salt. Then I slathered them in butter (there was very little fat on these guys but I soon corrected that) and popped them, breast side down, in a baking dish and in the oven, turning half way through.

We had them with roasted roots: parsnip, carrot, and beetroot rolled in oil, seasoned and drizzled with honey (for the parsnips) and rosemary (on the rest). The roots were given a head start on the birds which I kept basting regularly but did over-do as there wasn't much tenderley-pink about them in the end. But boy-oh-boy did they not taste lip-smackingly good: sweet, rich and very livery. When it came to picking the bones, let's just say I had to be left to it (after being compared Wes Anderson's Fantastic Mr. Fox). The Pontack made a delicious debut, it had definitely deepened in flavour since bottling but still had a fair kick to it. Hopefully, given time it shall mellow and I can work on my table-manners.

three good kings (and a little princess)

2011-01-12T23:14:00.000Z

We had a lovely trip to Glasgow last week to see our dear friends for a long-postponed Christmasy get together. It turned out that we were visiting on Three Kings Day (which Le Petit Pot was getting very excited about here), another tradition I may adopt to make Nöel last a little longer and give me even longer to finish-off my handmade gifts...!

I picked up this super-smart Mini Pen Tote by Cuppa Tea & Cake at The Spider and The Fly and thought it just right for a budding artist to carry her work to-and-fro. It was a perfect fit for this sketchbook which I monogrammed with cut-out fabric and a prit-stick (which worked but really, I need to get some Copydex for these Blue Petery situations). The paper inside is thick brown kraft which I thought might y'know, be a slightly differnet 'ground' for working on with wax crayons, y'huh?!

I've been intending to make these Simple Bibs from Bend the Rules Sewing for many a month now but eventually got round to whipping them up in my typically last-minute stylee. I didn't get off to a great start by not reading the instructions before cutting (tsk!) and generally forgetting that the whole mission of Amy Karol's brilliant book is to make your sewing life easier not more difficult. If you don't know the book, it's full of brilliant tips and cunning methods to save yourself time and effort. Oh, how I need her advice. Hence, even the not-so-eagle-eyed may spot the last-minute emergency welding job required after I mistakenly thought I could hammer popper studs in place and cook porridge at the same time. Still, I think it got the 9 month olds drool of approval!

To carry our Three Kings gifts I made these Kingly carriers which de-stashed (some of) my brown paper bag collection and made use of the Xmas cracker hats which were still hiding under our cushions and down the back of the setee. Course I asked the resident artist for a little help to decorate each bag which she did a superb job on. (Bear in mind the bags were full at the time) She asked me to draw some of the features on her Mummy's bag. I wonder if her additional details in black marker pen are a suggestion of eyeliner?

Stacey's gift was a replacement for the first shower cap I ever made which unfortunately was fire damaged last year. That's some of the fabric I took back from the famous Tomato in Nippori Fabric Town (the link takes you to Asking for Troubles in-depth write-up). I have a few more of these to whip up for the shop as soon as I get some more elastic. (I buy that fresh - don't harvest it from my knicker drawer or anything horrible!)

Course we received some loverly gifts in return but I'll be saving those for another posting. Now where's my lady hammer...

Hapi.i.ii.e New Year!

2011-01-04T02:37:00.001Z

Last year I resolved to make pastry, try my hand at bread and learn to knit properly. Let's just say I didn't. This year I've ditched resolutions in preference for 'intentions'...

Partly because my last-minute Hogmanay shopping found the pastry shelf all puffed-out and as I recall, the last and only time I bought shortcrust, I may as well have blind-baked the cardboard box; my neglected resolution looked destined to become a reality at some point before dinner-time next year.

Later that night, having explained my predicament to my fellow revellers, I left the party with a copy of The Cordon Bleu Cookery Book in my arm and the hope that plain flour, cold hands and enlightenment may greet me with the new dawn.

And as the sun set on 1.1.11, I have to admit to being more than a little puffed-up with the result (despite the possible pastry shrinkage and an ill fitting pie dish, as featured) for there was nothing too shabby about my rough puff. S'long Just-Rol...

Turkey and bacon pi.i.ii.e

leftover cooked turkey, enough for two but roughly 200g

70g bacon lardons

fennel, approx. half a small bulb

125g mushrooms

2 rounded tbsp plain flour

4 or 5 ladels of turkey stock (a Kallo chicken cube’ll do)

a teaspoon of rosemary needles, chopped

a small bunch of parsley, chopped

1 tbsp mushroom ketchup (a tasty option)

Fry the bacon, fennel and mushrooms in a little butter until bacon has lightly coloured and vegetables are softened.

Add the flour to pan with a little stock (if necessary) and cook for a couple of minutes, stirring all the time. Add the rosemary and cooked turkey to the pan, heat for a minute more before adding the rest of the stock. Bring to a simmer and leave to bubble for ten minutes. Add the parsley, season with salt, pepper and mushroom ketchup and pour into a pie dish.

Ideally the pie filling should be level the rim of your pie dish, but if it is pilled slightly higher, then all the better. If your dish is a little too small, use a pie funnel or an upturned egg cup to prevent your pastry from collapsing in the middle.

Dampen the rim of the pie dish with a little water and lay on strips of pastry, pressing the joins together. Dab a little water on the pastry rim and lay on the pastry lid. Fork the edges to seal, cut a hole to allow steam to escape and brush with milk before baking.

Place in a hot oven (200˚C) for 30 minutes.

and for the crowning glory... [with interjections from moi]

Rough Puff Pastry (I)

½ lb plain flour

6oz butter

about ¼ pint ice-cold water to mix

Sift the flour with a pinch of salt into a mixing bowl. Cut the butter into even-sized pieces about the size of walnuts and drop into the flour; mix quickly with the water and turn onto a lightly floured board. [I used a knife for the mixing] *Roll to an oblong, fold in three, and give a half-turn to bring the open edges in front of you.* Repeat from * to * twice to give the pastry three turns in all. [this bit was such fun, I lost count] Chill for 10 minutes and give an extra roll and fold if it looks all streaky [it didn't but I did], then use as required.

The Cordon Bleu Cookery Book by Rosemary Hume and Muriel Downes, Book Club Associates, London, 1975.

january the third

2011-01-03T20:35:00.003Z

Black hemp and vintage lac...
Octavi
£35.56 GBP
Mountains - A3 Print
JamieMilk
£15.00 GBP
Suki, womens hat, choice ...
TRAMPmill...
£46.75 GBP
Leather Bookmark - Red Lio...
LesleyToa...
£3.79 GBP
Retro Cabinet
UtopiaUF
£246.91 GBP
Letters from the North - S...
JacobCoun...
£5.93 GBP
Wooden log cabin brooch
LittlePec...
£17.12 GBP
Lambswool English Rose Fin...
vKnit
£33.00 GBP
Long Black Norwegian Socks
Legyviel
£33.58 GBP
Aggie... decorative croche...
EmmaLamb
£300.00 GBP
January Bear print
hellojenu...
£11.85 GBP
Ship in Bottle Earrings
laylaamber
£4.00 GBP
Geometry Set Jotter - RULE...
presentan...
£5.86 GBP
Cup Of Tea Brooch
lucie0ell...
£6.26 GBP
Hand Knitted Owl Tea Cosy
jacksknit...
£13.17 GBP
Sequin Heart Shoe Clips
whatkatyd...
£12.51 GBP

popping-up tomorrow! (with a super special offer...)

2010-12-13T12:32:00.000Z

I had a lovely day at the Out of the Blue Arts Market on Saturday. Again I forgot to take a proper photo of my stall (hot dang!) but I thought it looked a festive treat with a new/old/gnarly/lichen covered branch, jingle bells, robins and the long-awaited THE NIGHT OWL paper banner. Can you imagine it yet?!?!

Well I'll be back down in Leith tomorrow night for a wee pop-up shop appearing at the lovely Word of Mouth Cafe.

I'm really looking forward swallying some (more) mulled wine and nibbling upon a few (more) Christmassy baked treats with Wooden Tree, Curly Custard and Victoria Berg and hopefully you guys too?!

So as it's my last show on-the-road in 2010, I'll be a running THE NIGHT OWL cafe-culture special offer for one-night-only of my gingham picnic tablecloths for just £20!

Come to think of it I'll be down Leith tonight too as the afore mentioned lovely Victoria will be appearing in her nightie around the Sweedish bars for St. Lucia Night! Not on her own I might add!! Read up on the wiki-link there if you're not familiar with this beautiful Sweedish tradition which I've very happily adopted as my own. For me, tonight's the night that Christmas really begins - I've just been practicing til' now. The tour starts in Sofi's at 8pm and then goes to Boda, Victoria and finishes up at Joseph Pearce about 9pm. This time I'll be taking my camera...

barry barras barrow buskers!

2010-12-09T12:36:00.001Z

I did have fun down the Barras at Supermercado the other week. The bonnie brown and beige striped barrow I borrowed lived up to all my expectations. There's copious storage under the old gal y'know!

It was my first market of the festive season and I took the chance to get out the lovely vintage-style tablecloth I'd snaffled in the Scotstoun Emporium months ago. I lined my old suitcase with the tablecloth and plucked some wind-fallen branches from the cemetery to hang my brand-new decorations upon. I was glad I had the brain-wave to tie my bell-bows from last years at-home decor onto the branch tips which fairly added some pazzaz - if do say so myself!

They're so simple to do - just thread a ribbon under the wee loop on the back of your standard jingle bell (cutting the ribbon at a jaunty angle helps) and tie a bow either on itself or around whatever needs jingling and you're done - possibly the quickest project ever! My wee battery powered berry lights were reluctant to perform on such a bitterly cold day, but I cajoled them eventually.

Raring to but experiencing some chilly-weather technical difficulties nonetheless were Julias' Daughters (or Emily and me) as cold weather and metal strings don't mix with frozen fingers and my stinking cold made the high notes a little well, higher. But we had fun and even received a compliment on our cover of Teenager In Love - out first review woohoo!

If you're shopping in Glasgow over the next couple of weekends be sure to go along for some Christmas cheer(s): mulled cider and HOT GIN COCKTAILS await! And I can't wait to get my gin-soaked paws on the recipe, soon to be appearing on The Made In the Shade blog. Maybe it will be divulged in time for their On-line Chirstmas party?

(Thanks to the Shade and their lovely lady photographer for the borrowed photos below!)

P.S. Photographer identified as Gillian from Dapple Photography - thanks Kirtsy!

はい喜ばしなさい、ありがとう!

2010-12-01T13:58:00.001Z

All be it within monetary and luggage-allowance restrictions, I think it's reasonable to say that Japan brought out the raging-blood-thirsty-foaming-at-the-mouth-consumerist in me. Oh dear, sounds nasty huh? And for the unfortunate by-standers: believe me, it was.

Most of this rampage was conducted in a couple of Ұ100 shops (not to be compared with Poundstreatcher's) and the fabulous five-storey fabric shop Tomato but I found many opportunities in which to open my purse and shell-out the yen and some other occasions in which, I regret to inform my dithering indecision had me walk away from a most opportune moment. Shame on me!

So I thought it only appropriate to show off the spoils of my shopping-spree now that the gifts have (mostly) been given...

1. Tapes, tapes and more tapes mostly collected in Ұ100 shops and some from a brilliant wee stationery shop somewhere near the Carrot Tower. The sweetie bags up the back by Aiueo came from Tokyu Hands. In case you can't tell from where you're sitting, it's a cartoon lady face with purple / yellow hair and when you fill the bag and tie the top you give her a wee pig tail - eeek!

2. I got some very special stickers for adding to my 'part-made-in-Japan' items soon to be coming to the shop, with 'hand made' written in both hiragana (?) and English. A commendable example of one purchase justifying another! The lovely floral fabric is soon to be a shower cap. And the pink squared speech bubble tags - oohlala need I say more?!

3. Kitty watering can: I found this on the way to the temple of kitty you can get a slightly larger one here too! The plastico maple leaves were decorating shops everywhere, I suppose the way plastic cherry blossoms do in spring. They were Ұ100 of course. Also spottable: a ceramic Miffy salt cellar (not a knock-off I'll have you know!), a second-hand Miffy book (temple yard-sale) for practising my Japanesees, and lovely cherry and mushroom patterned fabrics (Tomato) and a plastic potato. Don't ask.

4. The only snag about Tomato for me, was that apart from the pre-cut pieces on the quilting floor, like this stack of fat-quarters, all fabrics were cut at a minimum of 1 metre. Dang. But compared to FQ prices in Scotland (or say in John Lewis) they were mighty reasonable at between Ұ130/270 or £1/£2 and of course Japanese! The green Mitsubishi pencil in the foreground I admired for it's slogan: 'Made by elaborate process'.

5. I got a lovely selection of stationery items like these cute froggy envelopes (when you fold the top down his eyes pop out!) an exercise book with a dormouse on some spotty red envelopes and more spotty fabric.

6. The deliciously dainty little chocolate box hanky came from RAAK a beautiful knicker-twistingly exciting shop that I stumbled upon in Kyoto. Very Japanese orange and red fabric with a lovely square pattern woven in, was yet again from Tomato and purchased in three colour ways! Can't wait to get working with it.

wagons west!

2010-11-19T13:45:00.000Z

I know, I know it's all been a little too quiet on this blogging-front of late but I'm a-workin my lil' fingers to the bone to get my new things ready to take to my first SUPERMERCADO experience next weekend!

Supermercado is the latest indie shopping venture from Made In The Shade, as it's happening every week in the Barras Centre.

I've heard a lot about the market, well more particularly about the (hopefully) available cakes (please be there, please be there), and the stovies and the HOT DOUGHNUTS! I may need those as I've heard it can be a little chilly in the courtyard which gives me an excuse to wear my sheepskin jacket (Delboy style) but to quote The Made In The Shade blog "the atmosphere is warm ".

Fingers crossed I'll be parked up in one of these bonnie barrows (yeeeeee!) and even be singing a little song for you with Daughter Emily as Julias' Daughters are the Barras Buskers for the day!!!

Can it get any better? Well maybe yes, if I can get around some technical hitches, I might just have some flash new Crimbo decorations to show off!!

Edinburgh - Paris - Tokyo and back again...

2010-10-28T13:13:00.006+01:00

Vintage SPICE TEA Trench C...
MariesVintage
Sold
LIMITED SUPPLY Navy and Wh...
twostringjane
Sold
Bright Mix - Fabric Flower...
theastarr
$9.99 USD
Maneki Neko - Hand Embroid...
DenkiAi
$18.00 USD
Small Stash DSLR camera ba...
mariforssell
Sold
DRESS DAYLIE JERSEY, Navy ...
berlinerkind...
$70.00 USD
Recycled Vinyl Banner - Lu...
seen1
$10.00 USD
1970's Wooden and Red ...
dreamingofvi...
$22.00 USD
Lot(2) ZORKI 4 Export Leic...
GoodsTrade
$59.99 USD
Vintage Molyneux Paris Sil...
denisebrain
$18.00 USD
Vintage Venetian Mosaic Pi...
MaviBoutique
$23.00 USD
in/decision shopper tote b...
MrPS
$19.00 USD
rain or shine - a set of 1...
maoiliosa
$9.00 USD
Hand Embroidered Vintage H...
MutantAngel
Sold

Just two weeks away but it feels like a month and a day...

Thought I'd share with you the Etsy treasury I put together pre-departure as a sort of scrapbook of ideas whilst planning my holiday wardrobe. Please note: the sold sign doesn't actually mean I bought it, alas, but my capsule collection of old favourites, some new socks (a Japanese

essential!) and a very lovely new scarf (a present) served me very well. And my compact collection would have served me even better if we had managed to find a laundrette in Tokyo (funny such places don't have English language websites... aherm). I was very glad to have my quick drying, no-ironing and easily hand washable green dress. Phew!

I didn't really need my raincoat as the weather was perfectly pleasantly warm for us but wish I had purchased the lovely konnichiwa tee as I kept getting "good morning" (ohayoo gozaimasu) confused with "ta very much" (argatoo gozaimasu) - oh what a funny inter-continental traveller I am!

Two essentials were my notebook and pencil (and an eraser, being me) for collecting rubber stamps in and keeping my travel log book. And also a hankie for spontaneous bursts of tears at the sight of my boarding pass, an Edo-period silver incense burner (seriously), chanting monks and the thought of going home.

One handy item now missing from the above list was Asking for Trouble's Tokyo Shopping Guide, as the proprietress is currently off to Japan herself. I did do a lot of shopping and have brought home a hefty weight of fabric and a large collection of silly stuff. A little too much silly perhaps as I very much regret not buying a beautiful bowl in a Kyoto garage sale. It's a world away from me now, just wish I wasn't...

dahlias of york

2010-10-07T02:30:00.000+01:00

The other week and at very short notice I paid a visit to the beautiful City of York. I had a wee while to wander before my train home and what wonderful wanderings there were to be had! I came home bearing some much needed buttons, a bargain bag of chutney, a poke of runner beans and sweet perfumed quince and, to cap it all a delightful bunch of dahlias, for the princely sum of one pound!!

Every autumn I plan to treat myself to a bunch but can only ever find them at Morningside prices if you know what I mean - too much to pay for such short lived blooms. The next day they were looking a little weary after their long journey north but I wanted to capture the occasion and got all artsy-fartsy in the process. I love the intensity of their colours and their complex shapes which look to me like folded paper puzzles.

Much more to come about my wanderings ... later. The 'results' have a couple of weeks yet to mature. What shall I get up to in that time? I wonder!

darn good!

2010-09-18T03:10:00.000+01:00

I'm looking forward to running a series of three workshops at The Spider and The Fly starting this coming week entitled: Cardi-hole Surgery and Jean-etic Engineering!

The first two are about fixing up your old hole-y favourites. In week one we'll be concentrating on the knitty-gritty of darning, fashioning fancy patches and making your cardigan wholly-whole (holy hole?!) again.

In week two we'll begin the make-over: trading-in your buttons, adding a little ribbon here or a little embroidery there. As Emily from The Spider and The Fly puts it "make your other cardigans jealous!". I like that!

Then we move onto revitalising your jean-pool by getting your favourite to strides ride again! We'll be looking at a few different patching methods for every wear and tear. My own most tried and tested patching method is for those places that eherm, wear where the sun don't shine...?! Once you've got them bits fixed-up you'll be doing scissor-kicks just to show it off!!

Here's how I've fixed-up my old faithful in my twelve years tenure with this cosy M&S merino number. ..

Workshops are £15 per session or £40 for all three. Booking essential as places are very limited! Please email
thespiderandtheflyedinburgh@gmail.com or visit The Spider and The Fly at 65 Bread Street. EH3 9AH.

Tea and biscuits will be served. I'm thinking Anzacs...

off the wall: part one

2010-09-16T00:10:00.002+01:00

I'm rather lucky to have two studio spaces at the moment. One at WASPS artists studios in Dalry where I paint and varnish, saw and glue and a clean desk at home where I sew.

I like to use the space above my desk as kind of scrapbook of curios, keepsakes, and interesting things. But my wall has begun looking a little sun-damaged and tired of late: it's in need of a rethink.

Before I un-peeled and un-picked the blutac, I took one last look at the wall that was. Which got me thinking why everything was there in the first place...

1. Megan: My dearly departed cat -she took a helluva grumpy photo.
2. Strawberry with a googly-eye: Something I painted for The object is not important as long as there is, 2006.
3. Mexican papel picado banners and spider plants: Glasgow Women's Library
4. Three-eyes on four-legs: A freaky stuffed sheepie photographed at Skógar Folk Museum, Iceland my favourite museum EVER. I love how it looks as tho it's floating down an imaginary river!
5. British Wildlife: postcard by The Caravan Gallery.
6. Bouncy ball machine: photographed in the Berlin Fernsehturm. The sparkly blue machine has a lovely hand-written note (black marker pen on squared paper) saying "Defekt".
7. Deadly Pirhana (sic): something I found on the interwebs. A beautiful hand-painted and badly spelt circus banner: "Predators of the Deep, Real and Truely Blood Curdling".
8. How to Work Better (After Fischli and Weiss) No.2: A note to self.
9. Jean Carlu Aquarium de Monaco: Postcard sent from Musee des Arts Décoratifs, Paris
10. Beadwork Basket: "Coloured glass beads on wire armature with white silk satin, said to have been made by Elizabth Clarke (1665-1699), England c.1675", a beautiful postcard from The Burrell Collection, Glasgow.
11. Cat with grapefruit: another classic from the intertubes.
12. The back of mummy's head: photographed in Ägyptisches Museum, Berlin
13. Leopard print lady and cat: an old birthday card.
14. Jean Cocteau Sommeil hollywoodien, 1953: postcard of one of my favourite paintings, from Centre Pompidou, Paris.
15. Büste der Königin Nofretete: postcard from Ägyptisches Museum, Berlin. I couldn't go round that place quicky.
16. Camouflaged raspberry canes: by Ian Hamilton Findlay photographed in the garden at Little Sparta, Dunsyre, Lanarkshire.
17. Freedom Is Not Something You Are Given It Is Something You Have To Make more Mexican papel picado banners and spider plants: the banner I made with Space 44 in 2007 as part of the Collective's One Mile programme. Photographed at Glasgow Women's Library.
18. West African shell with googly-eyes: also painted as part of The object is not important as long as there is.
19. Stripped jellies on the seashore: a newspaper cutting my best-friend sent to me. I remember it was a runner up in a national photographic competition but can't remember the photographer.
20. Dolly Parton: I selected this photo especially for it's wall-to-wall HAIR!
21. Ivor Cutler: A tiny newspaper cutting of Ivor Cutler in his lovely cluttered sitting room.
22. Inge Morath, Young woman with Steinberg mask and fur coat, NewYork, 1961: I bought this card for 10p at the National Galleries of Scotland Sale in the RSA one year. They now flog their bargains on line - go look-see.

Coming soon part two: Old frames and new flames plus a wee how-to on my new bargain-acious framing method...

The Floating World

2010-09-10T12:49:00.001+01:00

details of Sara MacKillop Jigsaws, 2010

detail of Mary Redmond Handkercheif Club, 2010

detail of Mary Redmond Kano Night Cat, 2010

My Dundee expedition wasn't all pies and pastry. I took in some of the other cultural delights at Dundee Contemporary Arts.

I had no idea what I was going to see, which in retrospect I think may become my new gallery-going strategy as I don't think I've enjoyed taking the time to just wander around an exhibition for quite sometime.
I really enjoyed the use of colour in both artists work. Sara MacKilliop's found objects came just as they were and I loved the variation of shades in her Jigsaws. I've a bit of a penchant for sugar paper and particularly enjoyed the shade of green in the first photo.

The light in Gallery 2 was fantastic that afternoon. I believe the St. Ive's Group favoured their base because of the quality of light on the Cornish coast and I think Dundee benefits from something similar. You really see the detail in objects and colour seems more vibrant all of which I think emphasised the tactile and tonal qualities in Mary Redmond's work. I particularly loved the braided and bound Kano Night Cat, not least because it has cat in the title.

The two exhibitions Sara MacKilliop Similar Variance and Mary Redmond The Floating World are on until 10 October.

meh peh

2010-09-09T12:32:00.002+01:00

I paid a wee visit to my hometown last week and no visit to Dundee would be complete without wrapping my wallies around one of these and partaking of the opportunity to thicken my arteries at the same time. Bingo!

Meh peh, (for those of you requiring translation that's "my pie" in Dundonian) was purchased from Bayne's on Crichton Street - an irregular choice some may say. Although the crust lacked the delicate crispy bite of an A1 specimen the filling sure made up for it. Unctuously meaty and delicious, my pie ranneth-over with greasy-juices which I deftly saved from dribbling down my skirt. I still got the moves y'ken.