5 November 2008

'Lemon tree, very pretty...


...and the lemon flower is sweet.
But the fruit of the poor lemon is
impossible to eat!'
Or so the song goes.
We have a flourishing lemon tree in our yard,

bursting at the seams with lemons,
I've thought of how I could put them to some use
as it seems such a waste to see them falling to the ground.




I usually have the juice of a lemon every morning
diluted in a glass of water. So cleansing and high in vit. C.
Unfortunately it seems whenever a recipe calls for the use of lemons,
it requires sugar to compensate for the sourness of the lemons...
and I don't like to use a lot of sugar in my cooking. So,
the next best thing is a preserve. Simple to make,
just fill a large preserving jar with lemons sliced open and
packed with salt. Add a teaspoon of peppercorns and
one bay leaf, and fill to the brim with more lemon juice.
Then set aside in a dark place for 6 weeks, inverting
the jar once a week. Well I made mine (pictured)
about two weeks ago so will wait a little longer for the results.
Then the family and I will sample some of this preserve
as an accompaniment to our meal.
So maybe lemons aren't so impossible to eat after all.


13 October 2008

Blue and White is a delight!


A wee family hand-down.
'The Blue Book' sits on my dresser
happily conversing with others items
of the 'blue and white'
variety










Indulgence.
That's why I blog...primarily.
I like to indulge in the pleasure of taking picturesque
shots from around the home. Especially when one has a beautiful
antique dinner setting such as this one-
offered to me by my mother-in-law when previously turned
down by all other members of her family -
because it's too
'old-fashioned
.'



As you can see, the makers mark as being
'Warwicks of Scotland' established in the 1800's.
A close look at the dinnerware will delight the viewer
with romantic landscapes featuring castles, old ships
and flora running the rim of the plates.
Exquisite artistry all round, and to be admired and revered
for it's artistic merit...
not because it happens to be unfashionable at this point in time.






The above plate has the makers mark 'Old Foley'
on the reverse. Made in England.
I like to serve scones or sweet things on these when
visitors arrive.
And yes, I do use this setting on occasions-
I would be mad not to! Although with two
young children, everyday use would be unpractical.
Special occasions only!

29 July 2008




'An artists residence in the middle of winter.'

Boy it was cold this morning.
On getting out of bed, I proceeded to
the kitchen to make a hot cuppa for hubby and I,
and catching a glimpse of the thermometer attached
to the window, surprised at the reading of
3 degrees celcius.
Outdoors , everything covered in a fine layer
of frost, and inside, just as cold.
Quickly continue on with the task of getting the
hot drinks made....
and then RUSH to the heater in the loungeroom -
the warmest place in the house.
Well I posted these recent pics of our lounge/
dining area because as I said,
it IS the warmest place in this old house.
Various artworks about -
a black and white photocopy of' 'The Home' magazine cover
originally designed by Australian artist Thea Proctor
gets a colorised makeover by 'moi'. (another commission)
Op shop finds-
the candelabra on the dining table
originally covered in tacky gold paint and removed hastily!
A vintage bedspread hanging over
the dining room entrance does a great job of
keeping out draughts.
More op shop finds coming soon.
I feel another hot tea beckoning.....


23 May 2008

Memory Albums....



'Memory Albums'
7" x 5"
$40 AU each.

(Contact me if you would like to order one.)






I've been busy creating these
'Memory Albums', using antique curtain rings,
music scores, and old botanical illustrations.
They're ideal as keepsakes for saving all those
little mementos and ephemera...
bits and pieces that you can't bare to throw away.
I particularly admire the old designs and lettering
styles of the early nineteen hundreds, as seen here
on these papers. Much care and artistry was taken
in the designs of these old scores.
The albums are seen here sitting atop the
window sills in our old house.

 

7 May 2008






When one comes back from a trip to the
dentist, all you want to do is snuggle up with
a warm cup of tea in front of the fire...
especially when it's 10 degrees outside
and you've taken public transport.
I was sitting in my lounge room, with a cup of earl
grey, and had to take some photos of this very
serene moment. The cushion is hand stitched by 'moi'.
The original pattern -
'Crabapples'
featuring in a book of tapestries
adapted from William Morris' designs
by Beth Russell.
As it happens, we have a crabapple tree on our
front lawn...should start cooking with them soon!


3 April 2008

Views from the washroom







Morning photographic still lives of the washroom
in our old house.
Only a simple room,
I often admire the down to earth simplicity
of this much used room in our house.
Doing the laundry needn't be a chore
when you can use beautiful accessories to make
the task more enjoyable.
That's why I like to embellish my linen in
crochet that I make myself....
hand made soap,
and old fashioned peg bags that are easy
to stitch up and look lovely in a well chosen fabric.
The best cotton materials aren't always found
in expensive stores as I found this
pretty quality print in a cheap department store.
Speaking of washing, I'm off to hang some out
before the day gets too late.



18 March 2008

Warmth and good tidings to you and yours over Easter....





Been a long time since....
I last blogged.
Suddenly had an urge to update, after disapearing
from the scene for a couple of months.
I heard somewhere on the grapevine the words-
"Blogging Without Obligation'
Ha Ha!
I'll use those words as an excuse, but no, I have a very
good excuse as to why I haven't been around and that
is due to the fact that my family moved house
late February after a very trying
two months of trying to find a property to lease.
An absolute nightmare to say the least,
but I've learnt a thing or two in the process.
That the most generous and compassionate of people
are those that are not caught
up in their own little comfy worlds and
don't regard possessions and material
wealth as being of prime importance above
PEOPLE!
It is those who have less,
have known hardship and sorrow,
and are not afraid to face it,
who are the most compassionate
and generous....and you know why? Because
their priority in life is not MONEY, POSSESSIONS,
and seeking that elusive pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
Ironically , these are the people who are most resilient and
will cope when difficulties arrive.
Anyway, now that I have that off my chest,
I thought I'd post some 'fluffy'
pictures of our easter tree that we concocted together
as a family...a nice little house warming ritual
to welcome in the new season.