March 2021 – MakeCookGrow.com

Papier Mâché and Paper Clay Easter Eggs and Easter Decorations

Share this post

Easter! So looking forward to it this year. Last year Western Australia not only had a hard border between us and the other states of Australia but also, at Easter time, regional borders preventing us from seeing our Son or my Mother. This year will be different. Currently there are no internal borders, our son will be staying with us and we will go and visit family.

I have already put out some Easter decorations, many of them remnants from my teaching days when I really enjoyed setting up lots of Easter themed things in the classroom. Loved hiding Easter eggs in the children’s desks the last day of term before the Easter break and hearing about their holiday plans.

This year I wanted to make papier mâche Easter eggs. I’ve seen some in decorator shops but wanted to try them myself. Papier mâche literally means ‘chewed paper’ but really it is layers of paper glued together to create a strong material.

I gathered plastic eggs which pop open (intended to be filled with little gifts), some diluted PVA, some torn newspaper and a protective cover for the work surface.

Clockwise from right hand corner, torn newspaper, diluted PVA glue and dry hand wipe cloth, wet hand wipe cloth and the plastic molds.

Layered strips of paper on each egg until I was happy they were well covered and left them to dry. Spent days trying to decide if I’d cover them with printed text, paint them white and draw images on them or paint them in different colours. Finally decided to paint them with a white undercoat then a pink coat and the speckled with burnt umber, using a toothbrush.

To remove the plastic mold I sliced around each egg using a Stanley trimmer, leaving a little hinge, then eased the egg out before gluing some strips over the cut and sealing the egg.

The papier mâché eggs are strong and light.

Then I was about to empty the shredder. All the strips of paper in the shredder basket reminded me I’d seen paper clay made from shredded paper somewhere. Went hunting and found a recipe which used things I already had on hand. I planned to fill the Easter egg molds I’d used for the papier mâché eggs and create some solid eggs

Soaked about four cups of shredded paper in hot water for a few hours.

Paper pulp, flour and salt before kneading to a smooth clay.

I emptied about four cups of shredded paper into a glass bowl and covered it with hot water. Left it to soak for a few hours. Used a Bamix to reduce it to pulp which took a while. Scraped the pulp into a sieve and squeezed out most of the water but not all of it. Added a cup of plain flour and a scoop of salt and kneaded it. Too sticky, so added, gradually, another cup of flour. Felt right. Kept kneading it until it was smooth and clay like in consistency.

Kneaded to a smooth clay.

Using a teaspoon I filled each end of the egg mold, then tried to snap the mold shut. Scraped away the oozing clay but they still didn’t stay shut. This turned out to be a good thing as the extra, oozy clay was useful to smooth over the join later.

Left them to dry on paper towel on a tray. It was 38° C the day I made these and when we were home we had the air conditioning on. So I felt they were drying very quickly. I popped each egg halfway out of the molds, shaped them a little as they were still pliable and left them to dry until the morning. Then I used a teaspoon to remove the other half, shaped them a little and smoothed the rim around the join mark and left them to dry.

The problem with the paper clay, which I didn’t anticipate, was it shrunk as it dried and it didn’t shrink evenly. I ended up with lumpy eggs which no self respecting chook (chicken) would lay claim to (pun intended)

Covered the lumpy eggs using beautiful paper napkins from Michel Design Works, made in Germany in Christmas Time pattern. I cut a rectangle slightly greater than the circumference of the egg and about the length of the egg. Folded the rectangle in half longways. Cut V shaped notches about a third of the way in on both long edges, then applied diluted PVA glue to one side and the middle strip. Rolled the egg onto the paper, pressing smoothly as I rotated it, smoothed down the end and then glued and smoothed down the other, notched edge. Left them to dry. Later I sealed them with gel medium .

These were easy and enjoyable activities, but also time consuming. I have a ziplock bag of left over paper clay in the fridge and will make something with that, too, maybe a bowl. It will probably dry quickly as the walls will be of an even thickness. After Easter I’ll store the eggs along with the other Easter decorations for use next year.

EASTER DECORATIONS

I have a little canvas easel as part of a tableau on a tray on the table. Originally I painted some leaves on it, then during summer I glued an image of a pink peony on it, to compliment the pink alstromerias and pink lilies I often have on the table.

Easter was coming and I wanted a new image. Really like the little rescued nest which is part of the display so added faux speckled eggs. That motivated me to paint a nest with speckled eggs on the small canvas. It will probably only last a few weeks before I decide to do something else on it! Eggs and other Easter themed decorations are all about Spring. In the Southern Hemisphere we are in Autumn, but 35° C at the moment, so still waiting.

The lilies, rabbits and painted nest with eggs dictated a pink theme. Added a pink tablecloth I am enjoying it for a change and really liking the pink lilies, too.

Did you know March is nutrition month? There’s so much information available about what we should eat that this is an easy month to celebrate. Eat well!

Share this post

What Is Biophilia and Why Do We Care?

Share this post

So what is biophilia? Sounds like something needing urgent medical attention but actually it’s a verified human tendency to interact with or be associated with other forms of nature. The assumption is that we are born with an innate affinity for other forms of life.

By extension, we have always relied on nature and so responding positively to nature is part of our genetic makeup. This concept is apparently supported by a decade of research revealing how positively and strongly people respond to natural elements.

The hypotheses argues that a love of nature is instinctive. The focus is about reconnecting with nature, something lost in many modern houses and offices. The benefits, supported by massive amounts of research, are behavioural, mental and physical well being.

The term biophilia ( love of nature) was initially coined by social psychologist Eric Fromm in 1964 and later popularised by American biologist Edward O Wilson in his book “Biophilia”, published in 1984.

easy biophilia indoors

Your home should support your well being. Here are some easy ways to include biophiliac elements.

Aim for natural light and fresh air. If possible, open the windows and enjoy the sounds of nature. If the view outside is brick or a plain fence grow a creeper over it or add a fountain and plants. Your visual connection with nature can be plants, animals, water and moving water, scents and light.

Incorporate indoor plants and vases of fresh flowers or leaves. Research clearly shows incorporating plants into your environment lowers stress levels.

Add colour and texture with curtains, rugs and cushions plus wood grain or stone finishes. Look out for old weathered or new textural pieces. Contrast brick, timber and metal with cosy wool, linen and velvet.

Create outdoor sitting areas and enjoy your morning coffee, a meal or just sitting outside.

Pets in the house or going for a walk and seeing animals grazing in paddocks is good, too, as is bird life and birdsong. Interacting with animals is soothing.

Fresh air, sunlight, natural bed linen using fibres such as silk, linen , cotton or bamboo plus texture and colour in the mat. Growing evidence from psychologists and neuroscientists demonstrates that incorporating nature and natural elements into the built environment has been proven to reduce stress, enhance cognitive function and also speed up healing.

Goals to feel good…..

Enhance your connection with the real sensory forms of nature by wandering amongst plants.
Seek sunlight, a natural elixir for well being. Just not too much direst sunlight in Australia!
Ensure you have a range of places in your home where you can relax, work uninterrupted, or feel energised and like being with the family.

WELL DESIGNED WORK PLACES

Considering the amount of time people traditionally spent in their place of work, much of the research on biophiliac design had focused on this area. Since CV-19 some people have continued to work from home and are keen to make this an ongoing arrangement. Some people have reduced the amount of time spent in the office, away from home, going in for important meetings or set days a week, but many people have also returned to their work place.

Good office buildings incorporate natural lighting and ventilation. Thoughtful designs include views of nature from windows and lots of greenery inside. Not just a potted plant on the reception desk, but large, multi -planted pots and green walls, created with vertical pots. Greenery in nature is recognised for stimulating the vagas nerve, the longest and most complex of the cranial nerves, which is responsible for calmness and regeneration. This stimulation, telling your body to relax and de-stress, results in long term improvements in mood, well being and resilience.

A water view and the sound of running water, such as a fountain or crashing waves, promotes calmness.

This revival of nature appreciation, affected by urbanisation, the growth of cities and increased population, can be achieved by thoughtful decorations in the home and daily walks in parks, or along rivers or beaches. Biophiliac design concepts are harder to achieve in many existing office blocks but will probably influence architectural design in the future.

DID YOU KNOW?

Scientific modelling suggests it takes more than 200 years for a plastic bag to break down. Some experiments suggest 700 years is more likely. As it decomposes it becomes minute microbeads which easily enter the environment.

Share this post

Visiting the New W.A. Museum, A New Mattress and Ironing

Share this post

The new west australian museum/boola bardip*

*This Aboriginal name for the new Museum was researched and translated by the Nyoongar Language Centre and approved by senior Whadjuk Nyoongar Elders. It means “many stories.”

The new Museum, incorporating several old buildings, is part of the cultural precinct just over the railway line in Northbridge. It is an amalgamation of several existing buildings all incorporated with a new one.

Internally you move from area to area seamlessly with the occasional glimpse of the previous buildings, such as looking down onto the old museum to see the replica of the Elgin marbled cornice* ( now referred to as the Parthenon Frieze), a sweeping wooden staircase or a glimpse of a previous ornate roof line. It is very, very well done.

*The Elgin marbles/ Parthenon Frieze was in the old Art Gallery now incorporated in the new building. It can be viewed from a Juliet balcony within the museum. Approximately 80 metres long, it is a copy of the Ionic Frieze from the Parthenon in Athens. The other copy of the frieze along with the original sculpture were taken to London by Lord Elgin from Athens. They are housed in the British Museum. Other casts of the frieze are in the University of Melbourne and the University of Sydney.

The Museum is arranged over the ground floor, the mezzanine, and three more floors. There were Museum staff available to assist. I think it would take two hours for an initial visit and then a return visit to study different exhibitions in detail.

Walked down to James Street from the Museum and found a really good dim sum restaurant before heading back to the cultural precinct and visiting the Art Gallery.

the new mattress

Last year our old mattress became too lumpy and uncomfortable to ignore any more. We went mattress hunting, a very awkward activity. WA had been in lock down due to CV-19 for some time and although finally we could go shopping, we were still being extremely cautious.

We tried a few mattresses but rather half halfheartedly because lying on a bed in public is a bit weird anyway, and lying on one somebody else might have tried during this time of caution was really uncomfortable.

Came home to do more research. The consumer comparison site recommended Mattresses in a Box. More reading and lots of reviews later we ordered one. The whole delivery thing was ghastly and took 21 days and so many phone calls.

Finally it arrived, and after it had sighed and wheezed its way to full thickness overnight, we started using it. Very firm. Reminded each other about reviews that said it takes a few days or a month to get used to it. Added a latex topper, then a fat fluffy one, too, then admitted it was just too firm for comfort. We both had sore shoulders and hips and remembered the old lumpy mattress fondly, compared to the new one.

Finally we spent last week trying mattresses. We ended up with two preferred brands and had to go from one shop immediately to the other to compare the two. Finally chose one. It cost a great deal more than the Mattress in a Box. It arrived a week after we bought it and it is very, very comfortable. We are happy!

The new very comfortable mattress.

ironing tea towels

Kristie Allsopp, an English interior designer and co-host of the long running ‘Location, Location, Location’ home finding program, recently announced on Twitter that she irons her tea towels. Hardly world changing information, but there was a flurry of shocked and outraged responses. Ironing tea towels, how could she?

This resulted in a quick poll: Do you iron your tea towels? Well, 67% of respondents said they do, and I was quite pleased because I, too, like an ironed tea towel! And pillow cases.

I have really reduced the amount of ironing I do since I retired but still like cottons and linens ironed. My husband wears cotton shirts every day and they must be ironed, too, but he wont iron his handkerchiefs!

This weeks ironed tea towels and hand towels.

So, ironing hasn’t exactly divided the masses, but I’d love to know if you iron your tea towels!

international womens day

I’ve just finished reading Stella Rimington’s autobiography ‘Open Secret, The Autobiography of the Former Director-General of MI5’. Rather timely as we celebrate International Womens Day. Rimington was the first woman in the service to progress from Junior Assistant Officer in 1969 to Officer rank, previously a status held exclusively by males. Up to that point women could only be clerical workers. Not only was she married but she has a child, too, and a second daughter later.

She continued to move up through the ranks and was appointed Director-General in 1996 after 27 years of service. Her story is one of many about women working harder, being called ‘dear’ and being overlooked for promotions, but also a story of tenacity, hard work and determination.

As we celebrated International Womens Day on the 8th of March, I thought of Stella Rimington, who juggled full time work, two daughters and husband plus running a household. I think she would be surprised and disappointed that, in 2021, so often women are still paid less than men for the same work, are less likely to be promoted to managerial positions and are generally more responsible for childcare and running their homes.

Stella Rimington struggled to find good childcare arrangements, initially didn’t have a washing machine and could only have three months maternity leave. As she points out, she had to be focused and able to compartmentalise the many parts of her life to survive. I think she feels her daughters sometimes missed out, a concern many working mothers will express. There seems no easy solution but greater flexibility is required to make fairer work arrangements for all employees.

International Womens’ Day celebrates the achievements of women and acknowledges the challenges of gender bias and inequality around the world.

Share this post

What I Cooked, Ate, Baked and in the Garden

Share this post

cooking

Beef Bourguignon

Certainly not the usual weather for making slow cooker Beef Bourguignon but we bought fillet steak which was tough! We buy whole pieces of meat and my husband butchers and packs them himself. We found we had a lot of tough, expensive fillet steak. Despite the heat, I knew I’d be turning it into one of our favourite slow cooker recipes, Beef Bourguignon (here)

While my husband turned the steaks into cubes, I cut up red and white potatoes and carrots and put them in the slow cooker. Collected the ingredients for the sauce.

Seared the steak in several batches.

Whisked the sauce ingredients, brought them to the boil then simmered for a few minutes before pouring over the ingredients in the slow cooker, putting on the lid and setting it to HIGH for four hours.

This unctuous, richly flavoured Beef Bourguignon was served the first night with steamed beans. The second night I just made toast to dip into the sauce. Just as good!

Tarte Tatin

Also made tarte tatin. I’ve never made this before but I couldn’t resist some new seasons apples at the grocer so had to use up the six apples I already had. These were pink ladies, not the recommended Granny Smiths. The recipe I used is here.

Made the caramel syrup by dissolving sugar in water over heat then adding butter and cooking until it was slightly caramel in colour. While this was happening I peeled, de-cored and quartered the apples. When the caramel was ready I added the apples and stirred them around in the thick liquid for 10 minutes.

I had already thawed a sheet of pastry. Cut it the size of the pie dish I was using, then adding the apple quarters in a concentric pattern. Poured the left over caramel over the apples and put it in the oven for 50 minutes.

Left it an hour to cool before serving. Absolutely delicious! We only had left over cassata to serve with our tarte tatin but it was wonderful.

EATING

The week after Chinese New Year seemed a good time for us to go to our favourite yum cha restaurant. We arrived before it opened and lined up. When the restaurant doors opened we all scanned our Safe WA Q codes ( so we can be quickly notified if we’ve come into contact with anyone diagnosed with CV-19) and were shown to tables. The restaurant was totally full within minutes and there were still people queued and waiting. The yum cha is very good!

We ate all our favourites, including the black egg pie. All washed down with a few pots of tea. Such a good way to start the day.

Baking

I made sourdough bread for some years and then began making rye sourdough. It is a dense, strongly flavoured bread which I really enjoy. Then I began buying some rye breads and enjoyed the lighter texture of loaves combining rye and white flour. The Germans call this blend of rye flour and white flour a mischbrot, a mixed bread and it makes a lovely loaf.

So I went looking for a recipe to try and settled on this recipe here. I already had a rye mother/starter so simply followed the steps to create an active ‘sponge’, which is not as runny as the usual starter but not as firm as bread dough. This took 20 hours to develop.

Kneaded the dough until it was elastic and smooth then left it to rise until it had increased in size. Then kneaded and folded it again, creating a boule or ball. Left it to rise while the oven heated. Added a bowl of water to the oven to make a crunchy crust. Baked the bread for 35 minutes. Smelt very good.

Cut into the loaf when it was cool. The texture was light and even and the flavour was great! This will be my new bread recipe. It makes a smaller loaf than my previous recipe but I will make two loaves next time as I slice and freeze the bread, removing a few slices every day for breakfast toast.

The Garden

Autumn has arrived with heavy rain and high humidity. The limes are already developing and will be very welcome. Lurking amongst the limes is the household gargoyle.

This alien looking plant is a haemanthus or blood lily. This is a plant originally from South Africa. When the orange bloom and spotty stems disappear thick, leathery leaves will appear.

The amaryllis belladonna lily or Easter lily is a tough but pretty bulb. Also originally from South Africa, this lily thrives in our harsh climate. Traveling in the country side you can often see where a house used to be by the clump of belladonna lilies growing in the middle of no where.

Did you know the first Thursday in March is World Book Day? We are a family of serious readers and happy to celebrate this event by settling down for a good, long read! Both sides of our family are committed readers and have been for several generations. How will you celebrate?

Share this post