stay blue, blue sky

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


"I heart sakura in the springtime."

how to turn the world by hand...

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...

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...

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...

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

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!

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...