Spicy bacon and tomato soup

Wow! It's been a long time since my last post. I've discovered Steig Larsson books and am hooked! So instead of sewing or trying new recipes I've been reading. Anyway, here's a new recipe for you.

Spicy bacon and tomato soup

1 leek, finely sliced
1 carrot, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced or finely diced
1 long red chilli, finely diced
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 large ham hock
1 1/2 cups soup pasta
750ml passata (tomato puree)
4 cups beef or chicken stock

Choose a large heavy based pot with a lid.
Add a dash of olive oil and fry the leek, carrot, chilli, garlic and ginger until lightly brown. Add the dry pasta, passata and stock until simmering. Add the ham hock and slow cook on a very low heat for 2-3 hours, or until the ham hock is falling apart.
When ready to serve, break up the ham hock as much as possible and stir through the pieces of meat.
Serve with crusty bread.

A little French inspired whimsy

I've had this fabric for about 6 months now - it's one of those fabrics I fell in love with but had no idea what I was going to do with it. Well, now I have.

I adore the carousel, french street lights and shop fronts together with the lace filigree on the bottom and it ties in surprisingly well with denim. This one is for Mia and is a size two, designed to sit just above/on the knee. Add a simple white T and this is one cute outfit.

Girly in blue?

Whilst I've had many friends and family ask when I'm going to start selling clothes online or at markets I seem to be content (for the moment) just making one off pieces for special people in my life. Of course, Mia and Tom are at the top of the list but I've had quite a few orders lately and they've taken a backseat.

I was recently asked to make a couple of winter dresses for my beautiful god daughter in Melbourne and here is one of them.

I've said many times before that girls CAN wear colours other than pink (and still look like girls) and I love making that happen as often as possible. I think this dress is a perfect example.

Taking on projects I shouldn't.......

Recently, Tom's kindy heard I can sew and asked me to make some new fabric pigeon holes for the kids. They offered to pay me (yay) and let me choose fabric and the design. So off I went only to find out it was NOT as easy as I thought. It wasn't technically difficult, just very very fiddly and there was a lot of measuring to make sure all pockets were evenly spaced, both width and lengthwise and making sure it was strong enough to deal with destructive kids. Anyway.......after a bit of procrastination (read=me cursing WHY I had agreed to take on this project) I got stuck in to it. It took about 6-7hrs from start to finish as it measures 1.5m x 1.2m and if I ever have to do another one I'll be factoring this time in to my quote!

Still, it's a lesson. I now realise that it's clothes I like making the most as I love seeing little people wearing my creations. Although I suppose there's some satisfaction to be had from seeing the wall hanging each time I go to kindy and knowing I made it.

More creativity with t-shirts

After a long break from the blog I'm back! Don't ever get sick for two weeks straight - it's too hard to catch up. I've now got projects literally lined up in my sewing room as friends approach me with ideas of things for me to make. So there will be more pics coming soon. Here's the latest shirt made for a friend's 3yo (love the balloons and so did she!) and a simple shirt for Mia.

The labels have arrived!

It was a very exciting day when my clothing labels finally arrived! I'd spent a lot of time thinking about the design, colour, size etc only to find that most manufacturers want you to order a minimum of 5000 at a time! Then I thought of Ebay and found a seemingly reputable manufacturer in Hong Kong who only required a minimum of 200 labels. Sold!

Here is the end result.

Soon to be seen on my clothing, soft toys and assorted creations.

Cherry and coconut loaf

My dear friend visited today and I desperately wanted to make something new and different for morning tea. It isn't the healthiest option (by far) but it's so delicious!





Cherry and coconut loaf

1 egg
220ml milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
50g butter, melted
1/2 cup caster sugar
3/4 cup desiccated or shredded coconut
1/2 cups self raising flour
200g red glace cherries, halved


Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius. Grease a 12cm x 22cm loaf tin with butter and a dusting of flour.


Combine egg, milk, vanilla and melted butter in a jug. Stir well and set aside.

Combine sugar, coconut and flour in a bowl and stir. Make a well in the middle and pour in wet mixture. When well combined add the chopped cherries and stir again.
Spoon into prepared pan and make sure the top is smooth and level.

Cook in the oven for 50 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean when tested.
Leave for 20 minutes then turn out on to a wire rack to cool.


Enjoy!