Kitchen Devices and Blue and White Baubles

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kitchen devices

I needed to use up some mince in the fridge. I looked up Nagi’s  Recipe Tin Eats site to see how she makes rissoles as a change from the usual way I make them. Her recipe included grated zucchini, grated carrot and grated onion. Bit off putting as I typically hand grate using either an old fashioned box grater or a grater resting over a bowl. and it takes ages. Our son, who is a keen cook and was staying with us, said, ‘Use the grating device on the processor.’

The processor is older than him and regularly makes superb shortbread dough, mixes great pastry, purees and other things requiring the normal mixing blade. He rummaged around in the appliance cupboard and  found a grating disk, the frame it sat on, the lid with a chute and a thing to poke the vegetables down the chute.  Within seconds I had a mound of finely grated carrot, zucchini and onion.

One kilo of mince and a mound of grated vegetables made a lot of rissoles. I used an icecream scoop to scoop out the mixture from the bowl to make the round shape.

Still had more zucchini so once I’d mixed the rissoles I put the whole thing  together again and grated the zucchini to make a zucchini slice. It’s fair to say this grating plate is my new interest. We will be eating lots of things with grated vegetables and cheese. The zucchini slice, a blast from the past, will also make three dinners with added vegetables.

The rissoles were cooked on the barbecue. The best part? Two more dinners of rissoles now labeled and in the freezer.

CHRISTMAS BAUBLES

English, Japanese, Korean, German and Chinese blue and white plates on a bathroom wall.

Are you a fan of blue and white Chinoiserie decorated china? I’ve always loved the various blue and white patterns and have some of my Grandmother’s very old pieces, some from my Mother and a lot I have bought for myself. When we lived in China I bought pieces made in Japan and Korea and a lot made in China. Some pieces were bought from shops, some from roadside stalls and a few pieces came from antique markets.

Many of these blue and white pieces are now around our home. Earlier this year I bought some plain white Christmas baubles intending to decorate them with blue and white patterned paper, in this case, deconstructed three ply paper napkins. We don’t put up a massive amount of Christmas decorations anymore, so I decided on a simple theme, featuring blue and white pieces.

I carefully peeled the printed sheet from the two other layers of these paper napkins. I’ve seen both three ply and two for sale locally. I cut small images from the decorated sheet and glued them to the bauble until the entire surface was covered in blue and white paper. I’ve seen other people posting about decorating Christmas baubles and they simply cut or tear the printed sheet into small pieces and glue them on. Each way seems to work well.

I think blue and white baubles will feature a lot this Christmas.

When the entire surface of the bauble was covered I hung it to dry and began another one. I bought the baubles well after Christmas and was limited to plain ones and a few with a textured surface. I was going to leave the textured ones but decided to try gluing the paper on, anyway, and it worked perfectly.

When they were dry I sealed them with a craft sealant. When I make more I will spray a glossy enamel finish on them as the first batch look a bit dull. And I will make more because it was fun and they look very pretty.

So. if you’re inspired to try this, you need some white Christmas baubles, paper napkins with colours and images you like, scissors and a glue stick or Mod  Podge and sealing spray if you’re not finishing off with Mod Podge. (I used some of the removed white paper layers to rest the drying baubles and to wipe my hands. Later I used the leftovers to clean up.)

To decorate a bauble remove the hanging attachment (the silver or gold coloured clip at the top). I couldn’t remove them from the baubles I used so I just made sure the paper sat cleanly around the base. Most commonly, people use Mod Podge to glue then seal the papers. I just used a glue stick and it worked really well. (My Mod Podge is very old and has gone thick and attempts to dilute it weren’t successful)

I cut out images from the patterned paper. It isn’t necessary but I like the  clean cut edge. You can tear the paper, too. I just glued the images onto the bauble until the entire surface was covered. I washed my gluing hand when it got sticky and kept going. Left the baubles to dry. So satisfying. When they were all dry I sealed them with craft sealer but will spray them later with gloss enamel.

Can’t stop making baubles! Off to hunt down more plain white baubles to decorate. The collection has doubled and I’ve seen more white baubles in the shops now that Christmas decorations are for sale.

Please let me know if you try this project. I’d love to see your finished product!

 

 

 

 

 

Eating, Reading and Stealth Wealth

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EATING

Made a Spanish Tortilla to share at a neighbourhood  breakfast. It takes quite a while to ‘construct’ but tastes very good, hot or cold and has no meat or dairy products so good if you don’t know your guests’ dietary regimes. A Spanish Tortilla is not related to a Mexican tortilla; they are flour based flatbreads intended to hold meat or vegetables.

A kilo (2.2lbs) of thinly sliced potatoes, two onions, six eggs, some salt and olive oil becomes a delicious tortilla, wonderful hot or cold.

The Spanish Tortilla, also known as Tortilla de Patatas or Tortilla de Papas is a mix of potatoes, onions, salt and eggs, cooked in olive oil. It is most like an omelette or a quiche filling without the pastry.

Still eating salads and enjoying local prawns (shrimp). Actually, the weather is finally cooling down. Now the rain has come. This usually means soups or stews and casseroles bubbling away in the slow cooker. I only buy seasonal fruit and vegetables so that dictates the soup flavours I make.

READING

Have you read any of  Elizabeth Strout’s books? Probably the best known are the Olive Kitteridge stories, Olive Kitteridge and Olive Again. Then I read My Name Is Lucy Barton, Oh William and I’ve just finished Lucy By The Sea. The characters in many of the books slightly overlap which adds depth to these stories.

As usual, a library book. The EXPRESS stickers means it is a popular book so you can only borrow it for a week.

Lucy By The Sea is a Covid story which makes it very different from the other books I mentioned. Lucy, now widowed, is persuaded by her  ex-husband William to leave New York and isolate in a house on the coast of Maine with him.  Lucy is still feeling fragile and a bit lost after the death of her next husband. She takes a long time to settle in Maine, in isolation.

This story reminded me of how protected we were from the horrors of Covid. She writes about freezer trucks in the streets storing the deceased, mass graves and friends dying . But the story is also about her relationship with her beloved daughters, who are also experiencing all sorts of problems living in isolation. Their daughters are shocked by her reconciling with her ex-husband, their father,  as they’d be shaken and hurt by his infidelity and had helped her through the trauma.

This is a thoughtful book about childhood experiences,  the power of education, marriage and families and unpredictable circumstances changing everything. Another great book from Elizabeth Strout.

STEALTH WEALTH

Apparently gathering momentum for some time but I have only just become aware of this world wide movement. Stealth Wealth, also known as Quiet Luxury, is about being discreetly wealthy, so no flashy cars, no clothes with logos or distinctive, bright patterns. Some define the movement as protecting yourself from scams when all your information is on line and easy to hack. It is also a reaction to constant consumerism.

It’s all about pared back investment pieces you’ll wear forever and no logos! I  see it as a way to buy fewer things by choosing good quality purchases and taking care of them.

There’s lots of reasons stated for following this lifestyle. The main aim is to function below the radar, to not draw attention to yourself. This is to do with your security. Living below your means so you don’t attract burglars and scammers. I’d like to think you’d also consume less, too.

Tailor taking measurement of coat royalty free stock photos

Image Dreamstime.

There’s suggestions about jewellery, clothing, housing, entertaining and even hairstyles. Comfortable, classic furniture features which makes sense if you’re keeping it for years. Other articles talk about the reduction in stress as you’re not competing. Living below your means apparently is very relaxing.

The other thing about quality clothing in classic styles is less landfill. Australians are amongst the highest consumers of fast fashion, most of which becomes landfill after being worn a few times. Clothing made from wool, cotton, linen and other natural fibres last and last and will eventually disintegrate. No plastic microbeads are released into the water system with each wash, either.

Another interesting sign of Stealth Wealth is buying designer handbags without evident branding. These are made from the best quality materials and designed to last. Carefully chosen, they will last years. I know because 25 years ago my husband gave me a handbag which I still use most days of the week. The only branding is stamped into the leather and only on one side and on the padlock. The zip still works, there’s no scuffing,  the stitching is even and strong and the lining is perfect. I rub R. M. Williams Leather Dressing into it about once a year and it looks great. Per use it has been extraordinarily economical.

The article I read about keeping your cars for years and buying mid-range new cars mentioned how the aristocracy in the UK get around in old Land Rovers. I immediately thought of Vera, the main character in a UK detective series of the same name, who has recently upgraded her inherited Land Rover to a newer model, but probably wouldn’t like to be thought of as a trend setter! Neither would my husband whose very comfortable and reliable car  was made in 2007. He has no intention of trading it for something newer.

So the message seems to be buy less but buy long lasting quality items and live below your means. Easy, relaxing and sustainable!

 

Cut Flowers and International Women’s Day

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cut flowers

Do you always have cut flowers in the house? My mother and both Grandmothers, all three keen gardeners, always had fresh flowers in the house. My mother still does and so do I, so I’m always interested in ways to keep them fresh.

Probably the most important thing is getting flowers into clean, cool water as soon as possible after cutting. Before you put them in the vase, trim the end of each stem. Make sure your vase is clean as the bacteria in a dirty vase will hasten the decay of the flowers. Strip the leaves from the stem so none are submerged in the  the water.

Little sachets of preservative work well. (I buy boxes of them from EBay but am trying to find a way of buying a jar full of the preservative or a big paper sack.)  Apparently, half a teaspoon of citric acid per litre of water works well, too. I will try this soon. Don’t add sugar, it feeds bacteria. Ethylene, a gas produced by ripening fruit, will affect your flowers, too. Keep them apart. Try to keep vases of flowers out of direct sunlight and change the water regularly. Roses last longer than many other flowers.

If you’re buying flowers, ask where they’ve come from as many flowers for sale in Australia are flown here from overseas. They have probably been dipped in glyphosate or been fumigated.  The Australian climate means not enough flowers to can be produced here to meet the market demand. If you’re picking them yourself, go out early in the  morning or late afternoon and place them in a bucket of water until you’re ready to arrange them. I often put them in the sink as there’s plenty of work space.*

Traditionally, stems were cut at angle (still a good idea) then singed on a hot stove. This is not necessary to prolong the longevity of  your blooms.

I use vases I have inherited, been gifted or, in the case of very long stemmed roses, a vase I found at an op shop (thrift store) It is just the right size! Another favourite is an old, lidless, Willow Pattern teapot. I remember my Grandmother using a metal hedgehog type of fitting, a ‘frog’ to support stems in arrangements but I resort to scrunched up chicken wire, a crisscrossed pattern of rubber bands or sometimes sticky tape arranged to make a grid.

* I was motivated to write about cut flowers after reading Helen Young’s column “GARDENS Cut Above’ in the Weekend Australian magazine, March 4-5th, 2023

international women’s day

In the 70’s as young women in an all girls school we were encouraged to believe we could do anything and go anywhere. Germaine Greer’s The Female Eunuch had been widely read and we though change was in the air! We did have more options when we left school as we were well educated and exposed to an array of possibilities rather than just nursing, teaching or secretarial work. (Male teachers were paid more than females at this time.) Sadly it seems the barriers preventing women worldwide from participating in all levels of society and employment are still in place in every country.

It was very sobering to read the goals and data behind International Women’s Day. The three obstacles preventing women worldwide from participating fully  in the  economy, as defined by the World Bank are:

1. Nearly one in three women globally have experienced violence, with intimate violence impacting women in every country.

2. During the last three decades the gap in opportunities between male and female participants in the economy has not narrowed.

3. More than one in five women around the world have been child brides, limiting their life long participation in paid work.

Women are still frequently paid less than men for the same work, are passed over for promotion and retire with significantly less superannuation in Australia. When will it ever change?

Girl painted by Mary Cassatt on postage stamp

Adobe  Series of USA stamps featuring Mary Cassatt’s images

Woman with a Fan (1878-1879) by Mary Cassatt.

Women With A Fan   Rawpexel

To commemorate International Women’s Day we went to the cinema to see Mary Cassatt:Painting The Modern Woman. American by birth, Cassatt (1844-1926) decided at a young age she was going to be a painter. Unable to join the more important schools of art in America which didn’t accept females student she headed to Paris. Well traveled as a young girl she identified the opportunities to develop as an artist in Europe. She studied at a minor school of art in Paris before joining the Impressionists.

Mother’s Kiss illustration by Mary Cassatt (1844-1926). Original from Library of Congress. Digitally enhanced by…

 Mother’s Kiss

 

Her style of painting was also influenced by her European travels. Financially secure and very determined, she was initially trained in the style of the classics but soon joined the radical group, the Impressionists. She was particularly friendly with Edgar Degas who was also fascinated by women going about their daily business. Cassatt’s artworks, including pastels, prints and paintings, featured light colours and loose brushwork. She painted women involved in everyday occupations. She wanted to present the woman’s perspective.

Free Bath Bathing photo and picture

The Child’s Bath

Leaving France at the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian  war she returned to America. She is best known for her paintings and prints of the social and private lives of women. She never married or seemed to have any romantic attachments but is famous for her paintings of women and children. Her style of painting continued to evolve for the rest of her life.

There was a funny account in our local paper, written by a woman, describing how she was left to ‘mind’ the office while all the men went out to celebrate International Women’s Day. They didn’t return to work that day.

I’m not laughing.

Why My Dog Has A Bank Account and Other Matters

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the dog’s bank account

When our previous, wonderful dog became older, his health began to deteriorate. That meant frequent visits to the vet. And we all know that means lots of bills. When we got Louis, our lovely Groodle, we investigated many pet insurance companies. We compared the cost of our vet bills with the insurance costs, especially as a pet gets older and did our sums.

It made more sense to open a term deposit account specifically to cover any health care costs for the dog than to buy an insurance policy. At the time the interest rate was pretty good, then it was pretty bad and now it is improving again. The point is, at nine years of age, Louis has savings in a term deposit to cover probable costs for healthcare.

why i drink coffee at home

I love coffee, but I drink it black so I really taste it. Many coffee shops, cafes and restaurants make acceptable coffee if you add milk and maybe sugar, but black coffee leaves nowhere to hide. I rarely buy coffee when I’m out because it can vary from just drinkable to stewed, brewed, weak and when did they last clean that machine? I know how I dispose of stuff, but have no idea how commercial providers recycle their packaging and grounds. So, I drink coffee at home and drink herbal tea when I’m out, so long as it is made in a pot and not from a bag (many brands have plastic in them)

sorting christmas wrap and ribbons

It seems the thing now to reuse wrap and ribbons from Christmas time. Good. Just make sure you get wrapping paper with no plastic in it. Try scrunching the edge of the paper; if it says scrunched, it’s paper, if it springs back it has plastic in it. Don’t buy plastic or foil wrapping ! Similarly with ribbon; avoid all ribbons except fabric, woven ribbon which can be sprayed with water, ironed and reused, and reused probably for ever. Years ago I bought a roll of grosgrain ribbon on line and I’m still using the same roll, probably because I collect the ribbons when the gifts are all opened and iron them, ready for next year.

eating

Christmas week

So many families have traditions about the food they eat on special occasions. So, birthday cakes, matzoh ball soup, ham and turkey, pumpkin pie, hot cross buns and plum pudding and many other recipes feature for some families at different times . Christmas time as a child and now, means bowls of sweets around the house. It’s a Christmas thing and we enjoy it! Then a week after Christmas we’re back to most of our coloured food being fruit and vegetables, not confectionery.

crafts

A magazine I was reading had a list of pre-Christmas  markets being held locally and those tantalizing words ‘ handcrafted textiles, original artwoks, fine art prints and ceramics’ really caught my attention. The very words suggest beautifully designed and produced pieces, each individual and special. I love looking around craft and art markets, but it’s the usual dilemma which stops me buying, those harsh words in my head, ‘but do you need it?’ Mostly, no, I don’t, but sometimes I buy because I really want it and usually those things remain while other things are sorted and deemed unnecessary.

Free stock photo of adult, apron, arts and crafts Stock Photo

Image Pexels

I like handmade arts and crafts, the individuality, the uniqueness and the fact each piece is hand designed and hand made. These pieces employ materials available in the local area which adds to their individuality and appeal. I enjoy looking at old artifacts in museums and books showing everyday utensils made by hand and used by several generations. At the moment I’m thinking about printing and am about to do a lino  printing course. I actually have the lino and the necessary tools, but a class adds the input and ideas of others but most importantly, access to a printing press!

Free Photo of Woman Writing on Tablet Computer While Using Laptop Stock Photo

Image Pexels

Post pandemic articles often refer to the explosion of interest in hobbies. Confined at home but with access to tutorials and kits online, it was easy to explore or rekindle a craft. Kits to try every craft imaginable are easy to access. The internet is awash with painting and drawing tutorials. Lots of inspiration, too, encouraging people to make items that can be used in their own homes. The interest in making items for your own decor was so great after the television series ‘Escape to the Chateau’ hit our screens, that Angel, one of the couple restoring the chateau, created a line of her designs for sale and she and her husband Dick have a spinoff program about recycling furniture and making your own decorations. Her workroom looks very enticing!

Free Photo of Fireworks Display Stock Photo

Wishing you a HAPPY NEW YEAR, full of good health, good people                                                                      and good fun!

 

 

The Last Week of 2022

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food

Christmas means a lot of food preparation as we like sitting around with friends and family, eating, drinking, chatting and generally catching up. The days leading up to Christmas Day involved preparing so much food but this means those days afterwards can involve meals made from leftovers. Ham, turkey breast and puddings can all be served for days afterwards with the addition of salads or custard or some other quick and easy variation.

Leftover ham, leftover cheese plus five eggs, a cup of yoghurt and spring onions and a great quiche, served either hot or cold.

Hot weather lunch .

The ham plus remaining cheese appears again in light quiches and sandwiches, same with the turkey breast and the cassata can top fruit mince pies, a wedge of Christmas cake or a crumble of shortbread. For some reason we had lots of chocolate fudge slice remaining, so that became a pudding, too.

Boiled the plum pudding for an hour, doused it in brandy, ignited it and ate with icecream, not brandy butter.

I hope your Christmas break was peaceful and enjoyable, anyway, even if you are tired of party food. We have had our son and my Mother staying so lots of visitors and visiting. Planning for the New Year, too. Last year, inspired by a few bloggers I have followed for a long time, I chose a word to think about when making plans. I wanted to be organised, control the business surrounding us, have some calm times. None of those plans worked out and we experienced a year of constant change, worry and upheaval. So, not even considering a word for 2023, it will just happen!

presents

This time of the year is awash with presents! I seem to have reached an age when I don’t really want things and find it hard to give hints or answer direct questions about what I’d like for Christmas. Luckily, my husband is very aware of the decorating and gardening magazines I really, really like and continues to update my subscriptions and my son is very aware of my passion for paints, pens, papers and art journals. Lovely treats. Do you find it hard choosing gifts for older people who don’t seem to want more things?

Luckily, we are a family of readers and each year anticipate unwrapping new books.

As our tastes and requirements change we often want less and even things which were once precious are now just ‘things’. Although I am not good at decluttering and progress in fits and spurts, we took many boxes of things into the Salvation Army depot before Christmas. We just don’t use the storage containers, the serving dishes or so many other things which were so important to the way we lived. I found things long forgotten when I emptied a cupboard recently. I hope someone else is now enjoying them.

trends

How we decorate our houses directly reflects how we feel. Post pandemic it is no surprise people are abandoning minimalism  for warm, cosy and relaxing interiors. White is being replaced with warm earthy tones which seem more nurturing. So, it’s no surprise that Panatone’s colour of 2023 is Viva Magenta, a bold vibrant pink/red colour, full of warmth and energy and not just for interiors. Already featuring in fashion, makeup and multimedia marketing, Panatone claim Viva Magenta is ‘full of vim and vigour” Florals featuring magenta are very popular for fabrics and this is especially evident in clothing. I think it is rare to totally change all your wall colours and furnishings at once but easy to add a cushion, a new chair or some warm works of art.

Free Close-Up Shot of a Magenta Fabric Stock Photo

Viva Magenta

Of course, how you want to live will influence the furniture and colours you chose and many of those things will stay with you for a long time. The climate, whether you own the house, your budget and the views of other people sharing the house probably influence your choices. Many people discovered during the past three years that their houses didn’t really offer the environment they needed to feel comfortable. Trends come and go but how you live and what you want to feel when you’re in your house will change more slowly.

 

2023 is nearly here

The New Year always feels like a new start. The papers, social media and TV are awash with planning resolutions for the New Year, how to stick to them and the rather disheartening fact that 80% of New Year goals are abandoned by the end of January. Do you set New Year resolutions? Do you stick to them? I’d really like to know!

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Cleaning The Silver and Other Jobs

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cleaning the silver

Christmas preparations are much the same each year in this house. Apart from cooking and decorating I like the silver to be polished! I know, who cares? Well, I do! So I filled the sink with sheets of aluminum foil, a good shake of baking soda and hot water then dipped the tarnished pieces, leaving each piece for a minute then taking it out. Rinsed, then polished. Some of these pieces were so tarnished we had to clean and polish them  with silver cleaner.

This was a good opportunity to wash all the bits and pieces I keep in the silver bowl. Time to refine the contents! The pebbles I’ve collected all over the world went back in and also my collection of miniature birdcages remained. Other bits and pieces went out! Also cleaned and sorted a long neglected cupboard. Little steps and so much more to do to declutter.

The discarded decorative pieces and lots of other things were all dropped off at the Salvation Army depot in town. Still more ‘treasures’ need to go but I find the process quite hard. Been loaned a very motivating book but I lose momentum rather easily.

dosing the cake

I made two Christmas cakes a few weeks ago. Three days ago my husband used a skewer to poke holes in the top of each cake. Next he poured the remaining port from macerating the fruit onto both cakes. Smelt wonderful. Moist, delicious and very popular.

I make the cakes using an old, photocopied, stained recipe from my Aunt, via my Mother. The ingredient list is very long although once everything is gathered and measured the process is actually quite quick. Every now and then I tear a recipe for Quick and Easy Christmas Cake, or No Fuss Christmas Cake or something similar from the paper and without fail, they have been mere shadows of the cake made from this treasured family recipe. Lesson learnt. Now I just plan a day for cake making as it takes at least four hours to cook! And weeks to macerate the fruits in port.

adding a pocket to a shirt

Had this light summer shirt for a while but I’ve only worn it once. The sleeves are very full and flappy so it felt too big. The other problem was it doesn’t have a pocket, so I’m always having to carry my phone or keys when I go out for a walk. Solution became obvious when I looked at it this morning.

I cut the sleeves to elbow length and folded and pinned a hem on the remaining, trimmed sleeves.

Trimmed one of the cut off sleeves to create a pocket. I left the existing cuff on the piece then turned and pinned the raw edges before pinning the now ironed pocket to the shirt.

Left the existing cuff from the sleeve as an edge on the pocket. The fabric is lawn and is quite thin so the cuff creates extra strength  for the pocket.

I put the shirt on and pinned the pocket exactly where  it was easy to access. Also ensured my phone fitted comfortably.

Ironed the pinned edges, then sewed them on place. Checked the sleeve length was right. Ironed the shirt, been wearing it all day. Considered making two pockets but I don’t really need two and I have a long TO DO list, anyway.

making biscuits

This time of the year is party time and many invitations ask you to ‘bring a plate’. This is an Australian tradition and involves taking a plate of food to share. I have a few invitations this week where I need to take a plate. This can be tricky when there’s no fridges available as the gatherings are outdoors. My solution is shortbread biscuits!

They don’t need refrigeration, cutting up or extra sauces or topping. You don’t need napkins and you don’t need to wash your hands afterwards.  Easy!

saving seeds

The heat of summer has begun so it’s time to reduce the number of pots needing hand watering. I’ve also saved the ranunculus corms and red poppy seeds for next year. I intended saving the tulip bulbs, too, but only found their skins. The wild life had enjoyed a feast of tulip bulbs!

I store the collected seeds in brown paper bags pegged up high  in the cool garage until it is time to plant again next year.

wrapping gifts

Printed this paper using brown packing paper, acrylic paint and a stamp. I smoothed out the paper and ironed it before printing on it. If you want to try this but want perfectly smooth paper, lightly spray it with a mist of water, then iron.

I hope all your holiday plans involve wonderful food and fun get togethers, plus lots of sleep!

 

 

It Has To Be Red, Giftwrap and Teriyaki Beef Bowls

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in the red

Hugely popular in all things Christmas themed, the colour red is also a major decorator favourite for next year. From primary reds in childrens’ rooms, to AGAs and other stoves but especially fabrics and paints, every shade of red features strongly. Summer has just begun in Australia but temperatures in Perth have already reached the 30°Cs so red painted walls are unlikely to catch on here!

Red is historically associated with wealth and status. It didn’t begin with Louboutin’s red soled shoes! In fact, in the 17th century, aristocratic courtiers to Louis XIV featured flashes of red dye on the soles of their shoes. The concept of a red carpet event isn’t new, either, but goes back to Ancient Greece. Archeologists working at Pompeii found red walls were so common they’ve named the colour Pompeian red. Red signifies energy and warmth.

Louboutin claims he decided to paint the soles of his shoes red after a fairly plain pair were delivered and his assistant, who was painting her nails at the time, offered to paint the soles of the shoes bright red, using her nail polish. Louboutin went on to sell nail polish and lipstick based on the colour he used on the soles of his shoes.

Although Western Australia is no place for red painted walls, I really, really like furniture painted in Chinese red. This can range from orangey-red through to dark vermilion. The red I particularly like features throughout Asia. No longer made from ground cinnabar, for many Asian countries, red symbolizes good fortune, luck, vitality, celebration and prosperity. Splashes of vivid red are thought to ward off evil spirits and bad luck. We bought some old pieces finished in Chinese red and had some pieces made.

These two carved, ornate panels are originally from a door at the entrance to a hutong, a family housing complex. I was always on the lookout for more, but no luck!

I had these three wedding boxes restored by inmates at a juvenile detention centre. The boys were taught to restore old pieces of furniture using semi traditional methods so they would have a skill when they were released. The boxes now store memorabilia from our years in China.

I collected quite a lot of blue and white china, too, to add to what I already had.

The altar table used to be in the entrance to our apartment. The lower shelf was convenient for storing shoes as visitors removed their shoes when they arrived.

We bought the rice box after we returned to Australia.

Our bedhead and bedside tables are finished in traditionally made Chinese red using pigments, shellac and lacquer. I took the pieces to an artisan to be painted and he said he was too busy and wrote down his recipe! I eventually sourced the materials and mixed the paint myself.

wrapping paper

Continuing in a red vein, I’ve printed some Christmas wrapping paper. This brown paper began as packing around something bought online and delivered in a big box. I unscrunched the brown paper and smoothed it out and then ironed it. Some months ago I tidied the armoire I keep my art supplies in and couldn’t find the paisley Indian wood block I intended to use to print on the paper. Looked and looked, unsuccessfully, so settled on this slightly star shaped block. I knew where it was when the cupboard was a jumbled mess!

Gathered the paper, a dish for the paint, red acrylic paint and some paper towel. Smoothed the brown paper out on the table and dipped the block in the paint in the dish, tapped it on the paper towel and then printed.

I was pretty relaxed about the placement of the design as the paper will be folded around gifts so irregularities wont really show. It was a hot day and the paint dried quickly.

dinner

I keep writing about Nagi Maehashi’s  new cookbook, DINNER because I really like the recipes. As I’ve said before, the ingredients are usually in the pantry, the process is easy to understand and the resulting dinner is very good. Nothing too fiddly but great flavours. All the recipes are on her online site and the book has a Q Code you can scan and watch her make the dish.

I decided on Teriyaki Beef Bowls because I had 500gm of beef mince and all the other ingredients, too. We loved it!  I added beans and peas to the rice, not at all authentic, but I’m always looking for ways to add more F&V to our diet. This recipe made dinner for us for two nights.

The recipe called for 145ml of soy sauce. It was very salty.  I will be shopping for salt reduced soy sauce which I’ve seen in the supermarket. Light soy sauce, common in Cantonese cooking is thinner than dark soy sauce, common in Northern Chinese cooking but both have very similar sodium/salt levels.

did you know?

Australia is the only continent in the world without an active volcano? It is also the only continent covered by a single country.

 

 

 


 

 

Two Garden Renovations

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coalport stool

Did you have garden furniture made by Coalport? Generally two or four ornate chairs with a table, these settings were Brunswick green or white. I’ve had this stool for a long time, so long I don’t remember anything about its origins. I’ve kept it because it is the perfect height for weeding! I sit with a bucket for the weeds and reach all around me, pulling them out and dropping in the bucket, then moving on and repeating. I frequently make weed tea out of the weeds as it is ready to pour back on plants in about ten days and gives them a boost.

Gathered my supplies and set to work.

This stool has lived a long and hard life and looked it, too. So I decided to renovate it. I especially wanted to treat the rust before it affected the integrity of the metal. The first job was giving it a good scrub and hosing it down. That got rid of dust, dirt and a spider.

Next was a coating of paint remover. Originally Brunswick green I intended to paint it black. The paint stripper was a gel which make the old paint loosen but also gel-like and the only way I could remove it was with a wire brush. This was hard work and took longer than I’d anticipated. Then I used a liquid rust retardant and converter all over the stool. About five days later it got rained on which cleared off the residual evidence of treated rust. Time to tighten the leg screws and let it dry out properly.

As this stool is sometimes left out in the garden I used another rust retarding product to paint it. This was a Rust Guard Epoxy Enamel. It resulted in good coverage but it had a matte finish and I wanted a gloss finish, so I completed the job with a spray paint. These pieces were built to last. Referred to as retro or vintage online, there’s a surprising number of chairs, tables and stools by Coalport for sale. This one is light enough to move fairly easily from place to place despite being manufactured from cast iron.

decorative fence panel

This panel will be attached to the fence. It started life as a screen but my son cut the legs off for me.

The second renovation was a panel for the garden fence. Originally a screen, I knew where I wanted to attach it to the garden wall as soon as I found it. The first job was getting my son to cut off the rusty old legs.  Then I gave it a good scrub before checking the strength of the welded joins. It’s old but in reasonable shape.

I coated the screen in paint remover and left it to work before using a scraper to remove the gel like dissolved paint. Messy. After I’d done one side, which took almost five hours, I flipped it over only to discover the old, cracked paint came off quite easily scraping at it. Still took ages but the gel was very messy and sticky, scraped off paint is easy to sweep up.

A coat of liquid rust remover, then a few days later I filled the cut off leg edges with builders filler. The screen will be attached to a wall where the lower part of it will be sprayed occasionally by the reticulation. Left the filler to harden for a few more days then sanded it to a smooth finish.

Sanded the builders filler used to seal the ends where we’d cut off the legs. I don’t have a workbench so improvise using the garden table covered by an old plastic tablecloth and sometimes the garden chairs, too.

Next was a coat of Rust Guard Epoxy Enamel, then finally I finished it with gloss spray paint.

Finished but resting in position on two bricks until I get the brackets to attach it to the wall. The timber slat screwed onto the wall to the left will stop the creeping fig from growing near the panel. I trim along another slat and the top of the fence to keep it under control.

These projects were very time consuming and hard work. I would probably investigate ways of having similar pieces sand blasted or stripped professionally if I had another project like these two. Once sand blasted they could be powder coated. Cleaning, stripping, treating the rust, sealing and repainting took many days. Although I am really pleased with the outcome, I wouldn’t want to remove paint from intricately patterned and pierced pieces again. I almost wore out the wire brush and myself!

Unfortunately, I have quite a long list of repairs or renovations to carry out in the garden, including resurfacing a chipped Chinese stool and restoring a small table. Might think about these jobs for a while!

 

Happy Living, A Drawing Class, Painting and Cooking

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happy living

According to the World Happiness Report 2022, Finland has been named the happiest country in the world for the fifth year in a row.  Other northern European countries follow  with Denmark ranking second, followed by Iceland, Switzerland and the Netherlands. New Zealand comes in at number ten and Australia is number 12 on the list. Then Canada was 14th on the list, UK came in at number 17 and USA came in at 19.

Free Blue and White Flag on a Ship Stock Photo

Finland’s Flag Pexels

WHR considers lifestyle and peoples’ sense of well being to rate various countries. The report noted that volunteering, helping others and making donations had all increased in many parts of the world during the past two years. This increase in social benevolence due to COVID 19 has benefits for the givers, receivers and observers. Also evident was that countries with a higher trust in public institutions and more equality recorded much lower rates of death.

Free Green Trees Beside Lake Under Cloudy Sky Stock Photo

The six factors considered were gross domestic product per capita, social support, life expectancy, freedom of choice, generosity of population and perceptions of internal and external corruption.

Information is collected from a number 0f sources for this survey. If you are interested this is the site  https://worldhappiness.report

drawing in nature

I enrolled in a four week “Drawing in Nature” course with a well known local artist, Jane, because I know I get a lot done when I focus for two hours. She introduced our theme for the session, ( last week it was feathers, this week was shells) and showed us examples of her work. Next we chose a feather/shell to examine and then draw. Jane talked about the different depth of line using 2B, 4B and HB pencils. We experimented, working on drawn circles, going from dark to light, exploring blending, pointillism, feathering and cross hatching.

Guinea Fowl feathers

Jane also introduced us to blending stumps used to blend our pencil marks. I had never used one before and I really like the way they allowed us to smudge and blend.

(A blending stump or paper stump is a stick of tightly rolled soft paper with two pointed ends. It can be used to blend, smear or smudge graphite, charcoal or similar mediums. Also known as a smudging stick or a tortillon. There’s online instructions for making your own! )
Inspired by  Annie Herron’s art projects in the book, Around The Kitchen Table, Good things to cook, create and do-the whole year through, a mother and daughter project, I did some quick small paintings. Herron uses seasonal prompts to suggest quick works and talks about capturing simple scenes.

Around the Kitchen Table

Her daughter, Sophie Hansen, adds seasonal recipes and ideas for family fun, making this an interesting and motivating read. I chose one of Hansen’s slice recipes, Triple Ginger Crunch to make and take to my drawing class this week.

If you’re a fan of ginger, you’ll find this slice delicious!

Triple Ginger Crunch with glace ginger chunks.

decorating trends: GRANDMA COASTAL

Companies producing everything from paint, wall paper, furniture, lampshades depend on you  purchasing new pieces regularly to support their businesses. I’m tragically a huge fan of decorator and garden magazines. I don’t follow decorating trends although they are an intriguing window into fashion and how easily we are influenced. I occasionally add or take something away, but not often.  I am endlessly curious about people, how they build or renovate their homes, select colours, styles and finishes and how they allocate their budgets. I’m interested in how frequently they change their living environment and what provokes change. I’m a fully blown sticky beak!

Square Brown Photo Frame Beside Green Leafed Plant and Wall

Image PEXELS

As we all become more concerned about landfill and our use of limited resources so decorating trends change. When the mid century style replaced the white minimalist fashion we saw the focus move to re-using existing pieces. The latest decorating trend is partly based on recycling or upcycling everything from furniture to curtains and decorator items. Let’s look at Coastal Grandma and what it means.

Image Unsplash

Google has reported an increase of 334% searches last week into Coastal Grandma style. The style features nothing obvious like shells and faux life bouys on the wall, but neutral colours, loose linen covers and other natural, sustainable fabrics. White, cream, beige, grey and caramel along with cosy lighting, cushions and always, fresh flowers. The house should look lived in, comfortable and a bit worn and  faded. Recover, restore, reuse. The aim is timeless, pared back but still luxurious.

Photography of Bedroom

Image PEXELS

Interestingly, the style is discussed widely in clothing sites, too. The same neutral colours reign. Button down collars, trousers, straw hats and straw market baskets plus knotted jumpers around the shoulders are all  mentioned. Styles are classic in cut and design and feature natural fabrics. Again, faded, lived in colours and styles with a preference for vintage and recycled items. Sustainability is a constant theme.

international mens health week

The theme this year of International Mens’ Health Week, 13 -19th June, is Building Healthy Environments for Men and Boys. It’s about focusing on creating physically, mentally and emotionally healthy males. Lots of information online.

Free Man in Black T-Shirts and Shorts Standing in the Middle of the Room and Warming Up Stock Photo

 

 

 

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Goodbye Plastics, Cold Weather and Reading

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Decluttering

I boldly revealed the terrible jumble in the drawer under the hotplate in our kitchen two weeks ago. Now I’m pleased to be able to show the decluttered and sorted drawer! The new silicone utensils have arrived and the plastic ones have gone.

Duplicated utensils are boxed up to donate and everything I’ve kept serves a purpose. Of course, the newly sorted slots are more efficient and attractive. We did seem to accumulate so much stuff over the years!

Sorted and easy to find what I need.

This is the best bread knife we have ever used. We’ve tried several types over the years and they’ve all needed replacing fairly frequently. Then our son introduced us to this knife, intended for cutting watermelons. It is the best bread knife ever!

I’ve sorted several more cupboards, too, and what is immediately obvious is my passion for red! So much red, from Dutch ovens, to storage containers, sieves and utensils. It has been a long love affair; many of these items have been in my various kitchens for nearly forty years. So, yes, I like a bit of red. Interestingly, although I dabbled with red lipstick and nail polish for a few months last year, I don’t wear much red. I only have one red cardigan and one red top. Everything else hanging in the robe is black, navy, olive green, a few mustard coloured things and some white. And leopard print but that’s a neutral, too, isn’t it?

Decluttering continues to feature on the TO DO list. I have an open wicker box on a chair pushed under the table (cleverly hidden so I don’t have to see it) which was in constant use when I was working. There’s pencil cases with felt pens, coloured pens, coloured pencils, stickers plus scissors and glue. I used to sit at the table preparing school work and marking, so these things were in constant use, but not for the past four years. Is it that long? Time to tackle the no longer used work stuff. No idea what I’ll do with all those stickers!

cold weather

Autumn days are so lovely! Clear blue skies and temperatures in the 20°C       ( 68°F ) during the day and chilly at night. Such a contrast to our very hot, long summers. Autumn feels like a time for reflection, being still and noticing things all around. Time for planning the spring garden, for fixing the reticulation and sorting out the verge garden, currently planted with ivy. It needs a lot of water in summer, so time to go.

Autumn has turned to winter  with some showers but we’re still experiencing warm sunny days and crisp cold nights. Each season changes what we eat and what we wear. We put a big rug over our laps in the evenings unless it is very cold, then we turn on heating. We shop at a green grocer who only stocks seasonal produce so everything is fresh and sourced locally. I still walk my 13 000+ steps, sometimes in a puffer jacket, often with a thick scarf when we take the dog to the dog park. What’s flowering in the garden changes (only camellias at the moment) and I’ve planted flowers for spring.

Australians don’t really celebrate autumn/fall or the other seasonal changes  the way some countries do, with wreaths featuring yellow, orange and brown leaves, a different set of cushion covers and other decorating touches. I’ve seen blogs featuring seasonal artwork, which is very attractive but I don’t want to store seasonal decoration. Christmas and Easter decor items take up a lot of room already!

Image Upslash

Colder weather dictates warmer food. In our house this always means roasted vegetables  and lots of soup.

Thick luscious cauliflower soup from our dear neighbour, chives from the garden.

reading

Recovering from post election media exhaustion but still not watching much television. I read a lot, fiction, non fiction, decorator and garden magazines and some blogs, too. This year I planned to make my life more balanced, to have time to enjoy completing the Code Cracker in the paper in one sitting, to enjoy the company of friends over long lunches, to just slow down and consider the things around me. That didn’t happen!

Needing to help other people sort out life changes, poor health and ongoing therapies, the opened border between WA and the other states and the resulting Covid surge, all hindered my carefully considered plans.  One thing I have achieved, by default, is more time to read!

Really enjoyed Lucy Foley’s The Guest List, a gripping story about a wedding on a remote Irish Island. Several guests have a motive for killing the groom but of course, we don’t find out who did it until the very end! Great story. It’s being made into a film, too.

The Thursday Murder Club: (The Thursday Murder Club 1)

The other book I couldn’t put down is Richard Osman’s The Thursday Murder Club. Set in an aged care home which was once  convent, this rollicking yarn is told from the point of view of the main characters. Funny, clever and whip smart, this is a great first book. The author says it’s his first, and  so far, best novel!

I’ve just read that this is being adapted for a film, too. Also found he has published another book, too, so checking to see if it is available at the library.

did you know

Australia has over 60 separate wine regions? Western Australia has nine distinct regions, mostly in the south of the state. The history of wine making in W.A. dates back to 1840 when the Sandalford Winery was established in the Swan Valley.

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