Ministry of Food

Most of the cookbooks that grace our kitchen shelf usually serve the purpose of gastroporn and then spend the rest of their time gathering dust.

Then we were given a copy of Jamie's Ministry of Food from a family friend who had 'too many Jamie books already', and it's honestly the first time I've really made good use of a cook book! It's full of heaps of basic, staple recipes, and they're written in such a way that makes experimentation/substitution a lot less scary to a 'recipe cook' like me.


The book sans dust jacket. (I love the oldschool designs you can find beneath many a dusty jacket).


What we cooked the other night. 20 minutes. So good.

And somewhat unrelated by whilst on the subject of breakfast, this is what I eat every morning...


Fruit salad, Carman's muesli and natural yoghurt. I make the fruit salad at the start of each week and it lasts the whole week. And Carman's muesli is just awesome. They have such an inspiring business history too.

Okay off to cook yet another recipe from that book ;)

A new look for Ink & Spindle

Yay - I just finished designing and building the new Ink & Spindle website, blog and shop!



With help from Pete, we came up with a design that was simple, clean, friendly & modern, and a lot more Ink & Spindle-ish than the last version.

Glad to have it finished :)

Heatwave

I'm sure everyone has blogged about this already, but us Victorians are currently experiencing the hottest 3 day period on record. The temperature this week has been hovering around 43/44 degrees (that's around 111 F for you US folk), making next weeks run of 35 degree days seem like a cool breeze.

Our living room currently resembles a cosy bedsitter apartment with our queen bed mattress occupying the space beneath the air-con (much as I hate to use it). At the studio we've given up trying to work (no chance at all printing in this heat) and I'm feeling lucky I can do admin stuff on my laptop at home.

I feel bad for neglecting my blog of late. I feel like I can't post without pictures, and I haven't had the head space to take any.

However I can take the opportunity to blog about Pip's lovely book (pre-order here), which I'm excited to be a part of:



The Blurb: From Melbourne’s best loved crafty store comes Meet Me at Mike’s, a cornucopia of crafty fun and inspiration. Queen of Crafters Pip Lincolne has gathered 25 of the best projects from the country’s most creative cleverbods -everything from baby yoga pants and clutch purses to hankies and softies. You can sew, knit, crochet, collage and screenprint yourself into a frenzy! Each cute and quirky project comes with easy-to-follow instructions and full-size fold out patterns. With such a fabulous range of ideas, you’ll find something to make for all your favourite pals. If you’re looking for fun and creative things to brighten up everyone’s day, have a peek inside and get crafty!

Okay I'm off to check the status of the ice tea cooling in my freezer...

Teatowel swap

I am one very, lucky teatowel-swap recipient (organised by the lovely Leah). Look at this amazing piece of work sent to me by Leslie (I stole the photos from her blog):


Photo courtesy of Leslie from Onegirl

Isn't it amazing. It's made with linen scraps, some hand-dyed and some hand-gocco-printed. And to think that Leslie has a new bub on her hands and everything...


Photo courtesy of Leslie from Onegirl


Photo courtesy of Leslie from Onegirl

I feel extra guilty now that a craft blogger out there is still waiting for me to send them their teatowel from the swap (if you're reading this - sorry!!). I think I'm trying too hard, and should just go for something simple and nice...

New textiles in the shop!

Fortunately I can't blame Twilight completely for my lack of blogging of late - we've also been doing a lot of printing down at Ink & Spindle, which has resulted in a decent sized shop update!

You might remember that a little while ago I did a little poll as to which of my old designs you'd like to see on screen again. A lot of people seemed keen on the idea of birch at it's original craft-friendly scale, and as I'd been toying with the idea that was enough to tip me over. So now a fresh new batch of birch is available in the shop - yay!


Small Birch in Chocolate on Natural

Another favourite (that came as a real surprise to me) was Wild Geese. Everyone wanted to see the return of my Geese print! But ... I used to print Geese and Bonsai side by side, and every time Bonsai would sell out way before Geese. And I love the Bonsai most anyway. So I've decided to go against advice and bring back my old fav...


Bonsai in Deep Red

I've also uploaded a few more mix packs, and more will come with time when I get some more fabric back from being heat set...


Mix Pack #4


Mix Pack #3


Small Birch in Robins Egg


Small Birch in Deep Red

Yay, hope you like them :)

something non-work related (finally)

It's a long time since I've been lost in a book. And even longer since I've been lost in a series of books. But last week (or was it earlier?) Teegs pointedly left a book on my desk. I remember thinking "a vampire book - pah, that's soo not my thing... but Teegs is so enthused about it... okay I'll give it a go".



Since then, I've been totally absorbed in the Twilight series of books. Every. Single. Spare. Moment I have been reading them. Yes it's all teen-angsty and other worldly but OMG that woman can write. You get SO absorbed in the story and characters. The movie was done equally well, however I would highly recommend NOT SEEING THE MOVIE BEFORE READING THE BOOK. I can imagine the movie would be ridiculously corny without all the subtle details of the written version.

Anyway, I guess I'm writing this mainly because I just finished reading the series and am waiting for that to sink in. You should have seen the look of anguish that appeared on my face from time to time when I considered how I would feel once the books were all over. But I couldn't stop myself from reading them! It was like torture. But a good kind of course. Dramatic, I know.

Well, enough raving. We've passed the books onto Bee and now she's hooked too. Maybe you should read them if you haven't already, and let me know what you think ;)

a picture speaks 1000 words

I've been thinking a lot lately about photography. About how - when you blog is the center of your business - the emotional power of images plays such a huge role. Good photographs, good sets, good styling are so important.

They say a picture speaks 1000 words. I reckon 900 of those words are ones we make up in our own minds to form a story around the image. Look at any interiors photograph on Design*Sponge or The Design Files or Olivelse or Bloesem and think of all the assumptions you make about how the owners live, and how fantastic that life might be (even if it's not!). Sometimes the photos create a yearning to have a piece of that life, which we can do by buying or making something for ourselves. It can actually be quite manipulative, don't you think?

Anyway good photography is an area I really need to work on. Not to be manipulative as such, but so I can better convey the images & dreams I have in my head for my textiles. I'm slowly takings steps to work on this:

1) I bought myself a new camera! A Canon G10 (huge thanks to Marcel for getting it cheap for me!)

2) I've been thinking about & researching props etc for textile & product shoots

3) And... I made my blog template wider, so that I can link in my images from flickr which are larger and look MUCH better. Blogger compresses the bejeesus out of photos.

Anyway here's some random studio shots I took yesterday with the new camera. Nothing fancy, just playing around:


... & spindle


My Nana's old mixmaster... put to good use :)


Chromatically arranged inks


Wall of ink sample swatches


Apron prototype, also put to good use. Thinking of making apron kits actually - what do u reckon?

Yay new camera :)

Hello 2009

It has been a much needed break. Granted, I've been sick with a cold for most of it, but OMG it's been so good to just stop! Spend time with my family. Clean out the apartment and take things to the tip (I hate how much useless crap we tend to accumulate in life). Make chocolates. Cook. Exercise. Generally be more happy and relaxed.

Why can't we maintain that sort of balance in every day life?

I'm so not ready to go back. The latter half of last year was totally overwhelming and all consuming, and I know that this coming year is going to be pretty similar whilst Ink & Spindle is still in its early days. But I know that I'm fortunate to be able to do something that I love every day.

Now for a bit of eye candy, these gorgeous hand bound books by Nicole of Freshly Blended, covered in my textiles:



Nicole sent me a little stack and I'll pop some in the shop soon :)

Hope you had a great break and are looking forward to what 2009 holds :)

Merry Christmas :)

As Teegs has said over at the Ink & Spindle blog, this time of year is definitely one for reflection. It's so good to stop & take stock of everything that's happened in the past year - a lot.

It's been a combination of hard work, good luck, and great support - and I thank every one of my blog readers for that. Even though I seem to skip from one topic to the next on this blog I do read and appreciate every single comment and think over everything you write.

I hope you all have a fantastic Christmas (or however you choose to celebrate) and I'll see you all again in 2009!! Thank you!!

Open Studio at Ink & Spindle

Oh my goooawd. I am so glad to be finally winding down before Christmas!! We're off to Ballarat tonight, I had my hair cut for the first time in 4 months, and I just bought 2.5kg of Lindt Couverture to make chocolates as Christmas gifts. When your crafty pursuits become your work the logical thing is to seek out some other crafty pursuit which you can do for 'fun'. Making Chocolates is that for me, I think. And oh my gosh have you ever visited Cake Deco in the city? AWESOMENESS.

Anyway, one last thing we're going to do before closing up shop is an Open Studio evening at Ink & Spindle next Tuesday! It's a bit last minute, and it's not our official 'opening night' or anything like that (although we do plan to have one of those in the new year) but it's mainly an excuse to crack open some bubbly and some snacks and have some wares on display just in case you need to do some last minute Christmas shopping.

So please, if you're free Tuesday night please come along and say hello! It's from 6pm - 8:30pm at our studio:

Ink & Spindle Studio
Younghusband Wool store
Suite 206
10 Elizabeth Street
Kensington VIC 3031

Hope to see you there :)

Mix packs ... finally

Fiiinally I've managed to get some mix packs up in the shop! Still in time for Christmas if you're an Australian customer... and maybe for international customers too if Auspost is feeling super nice.

For those of you who've bought my mix packs before - these new packs are new and improved! Each piece measures 45 x 45cm (and often slightly bigger) which I feel is a much more useable size. Cushion size, even!





Find all the available packs here in the Ink & Spindle shop.

the thinking never stops

Lately I can't stop thinking. Possibly a result of being so busy and not really knowing how to slow down. Also possibly the added pressure of having studio rent to pay now, and my income depending almost solely on Ink & Spindle and my textile label. It is a lot of fun, but it's also scary.

Anyway one thing I've been thinking about is what to print next, and which (if any) of my old designs I should bring back to life at the new studio. Below are a few candidates based on recent requests. I would LOVE to hear what you'd like. Or maybe you have some requests for what I design next. Like 'more small scale prints for craft projects' etc etc.


Wild Geese


Smaller scale birch (I'd still use the new branch shape and texture though)


Riverside Adventures


Bonsai Forest


Bulokku

I'd love to hear your thoughts. Even though I don't always have time to respond to comments, I do really appreciate everyone's feedback and kind words. I still value this blog & everyone's support very much, so thank you :)

Rainy Market Days

Myself and the Ink & Spindle girls are off to another market today - The Yarraville Christmas market. And of course it's raining ... again. Luckily we're indoors again (the Masonic Hall, corner of Canterbury and Willis streets) which is in the Yarraville village centre, so only a quick dash for all those breakfast and coffee goers who flood the village centre on weekends.

As usual, we'd love it if you came to visit us and said hello. But please don't steal our business cards since you already know our website and our huge stack of 500 has been wittled down to 50 already ;)

And, for those who can't make it, I've just updated the shop with some new fabrics, yay! I love how these all turned out:


Birch in chocolate on natural (when we mix this ink in our kitchen mixer it looks sooo much like chocolate and we have to restrain ourselves)


Ginkgo in snow


Birch in soft moss


Birch in Robins Egg

I do also plan to list some mix packs early next week. I keep saying that but I promise it'll happen this time :)

Random studio pic...

I stuck all our sample colour swatches up on the wall - so pretty.

And Bee found those chairs on ebay for $3.25. Eventually we'll reupholster them.

A little bit festive

We went to see Australia last night. I managed to look past all the cheezy lines, cliches, repeated utterings of the word 'crikey' and just enjoyed it for what it was. An epic, with some stunning visual imagery. And then we stepped out of the cinema into the concrete jungle that is Scum Sunshine. Sigh. I need to get out of the city sometime soon.

I was wrapping a Christmas gift today (two cushion covers) and loved the way they looked all rolled up & tied with string:





I'm not sick of that ladder yet -are you? ;)

And I remembered that I am doing something slightly festive at the moment - eating Lebkuchen! Traditional German gingerbread for the festive season. Ever since I was very young my family has received a large decorative tin filled with these goodies from our German relatives. Mum and Dad try and make it last the whole year. But now I've found them at the IGA :)



Yumm.

Aiko Tote kits

I am a little bit disturbed by how quickly Christmas (or should I say "the holiday season") is creeping upon us. I am jealous of other blogs with all their cute domestic christmassy themed posts. Making ornaments & handmade gifts, decorating the house - generally being all well rounded and wholesome. And here I am still blabbing on about work work work.

I'm planning to stock my shop up with some mix packs sooon, but meanwhile, FINALLY, here are some kits for my 'Aiko' tote bag design - maybe for that crafty person in your life?


Aiko Tote kit - plum acacia


Aiko Tote kit - chocolate birch

The kits are packed with heaps of stuff. Large chunks of fabric, interfacing, a magnetic catch, instruction booklet and full scale pattern pieces. Everything you need, basically. And not that hard to follow with all my pretty diagrams in there.



Hope your December is starting to wind down a bit. Happy Summer, too!

post market shop update

As promised, I've updated the shop with some post-market fabric. Mix packs and half metre packs to come shortly!


Acacia in Gold


Birch in Fuchsia


Ginkgo in Aqua


Acacia in Snow


Ginkgo in Plum

No rest for the crafty

Whew! I loved doing the Design Market but man am I glad it's over. We burned the midnight oil getting all the final bits and pieces ready and packing our cars to the rafters, and of course no sooner than my head hit the pillow what happened? Nothing! No sleep! My mind was too abuzz. I only slept 3 hours before getting up at the crack of dawn. I tell you what though - I loved driving through the city at 7am on a Sunday - so quiet and still. Makes you feel like the city is your very own for a short while.

Here's some pics, more on the Ink & Spindle blog.





I feel so privileged that we got to participate in a market that just a year ago seemed like a completely unachievable goal. It was such a great learning experience too. Thanks so much to everyone who popped down to say hello. And to those who looked like they were about to ... but were too shy ;)

Next up - the Yarraville Christmas Market! No rest for us just yet :)