Tuisted

Veggie num num : Classic Lasagne

2010-05-28T14:04:00.000+10:00

My Garden

2009-12-07T12:34:00.002+10:00

I am finally finished the move. Believe me that took a lot out of me. We are still cleaning the huge manatee of the other house. It was filthy when we moved in but of course they want it spotless when we move out. There is a bit of work to do before we get our bond back.

But here we are in our new house. It's gorgeous and I am settling in for a long stay.The neighbourhood is the most beautiful I can remember living in.

But that's another post. Today I am here to talk about my garden.
The gardens here are rock hard, and as I have not yet started a) buying straw bales to puts stuff in or b) amending the soil, I have come up with a way to start my planting anyway.I bought buckets! A lot of buckets, right now I have 28, and at 50 cents each they are a relief on the pocket. Caine drilled 4 holes in the bottom of each bucket and 6 holes in the sides and I have been planting into these.

Let me take you on a tour. first I will show you pics of the backyard that I took before I put had any plants.

You enter the back yard from the laundry door and come across this rock walkway and a small garden that I plant on eventually using for hardening off seedlings, as it has dappled shade.
Notice the sick looking pineapple? that was a resident when I got here. I gave it a tug but it doesn't want to move.

this area int he photo below is rife with bees, swarming around the multitude of pink clover flowers we have growing in our yard (Hooray!! pollinators!!!) There are both honey bees plus a smaller kind that I had to research before I discovered their name. They are a fly sized glossy dark blue bee and are called Blue Mason Bees. These fascinating little buzzers do not sting and do not make honey. I wonder what they do with their day

This is the shot down the slope.
I am dying to amend the soil and plant some passion-fruit (both red panama and yellow gold panama) down along the fence-line. I would also love to chuck up some trellis all along the fence-line and grow fruiting vines.

The back of the house, and that's the kitchen window. If I took this photo today you would notice the herb pot on the window sill. This has recently been placed and has some parsley and chives in it. I would love to install a little window in our window screen so I can reach out and grab some herbs when I needed them for cooking.

A small veranda, I am going to put deck chairs here.

The sloping garden. This has some potential. I am imagining pumpkins, cukes and melons and zucchini's.

the strip beside the house, I love this area. Sunny and flat!!

And the compost bin!! this is in the corner of the sloping garden. what a bonus! I was going to buy one and now I do not have to. I am getting rather religious about kitchen scraps. Yesterday I emptied the stinkiest kitchen scrap bin I have ever smelled. I immediately felt sorry for the neighbours and decided it was time for a layer of dried grass clippings. So that is going well.

and that my friends is my backyard the day I moved in.

Now for the best part.. the Plants!!!

On November 18th I planted a Purple Capsicum. The fruits are not so much purple as black, and should have a bit of a bite to them I am told. It's zooming along now, with some big juicy baby capsicums on it and plenty of flowers to open. This photo is already outdated.

On the 20th I planted some tomatoes deep in their pots so they will create extensive roots. Green Zebra, a green tomato withdarker green stripes which is going to look like this when it fruits.

But now looks like this. It's gotten a lot bigger since I planted it.

Mortgage Lifter, this is a pinkish tomato that gets huge. (up to a kilo!) This tomato was developed by M.C. Byles (went by Charlie) of Logan, West Virgina in the 1930s. He was a good marketer and sold his seedlings for $1 each. After 6 years he was able to pay off the $6,000 mortgage on his house. This tomato’s story has helped keep the strain alive.

It looks like this now

Tigerella, this is a smaller tomato that is red with yellow striping.
It's going to look like this

but looks like this now.

And black Russian.

I tried growing this before but but it was wrought with problems due to mismanagement. This little sucker was also facing problems early. Jai hit it with a soccer ball, snapping it at the base. WE immediately placed it back together and buried it deeper in the pot, after nearly a week, it seems to be doing OK. I THINK it may survive.

On the 21st I planted two yellow watermelon plants. The smaller "pollinator" promptly withered up and died within hours. But the other has powered on and is after hand pollination on the 5th of December, it is now sporting a robust (and rapidly growing) melon. After pollination, it did exactly what my books said it would, the stem thickening and turning downwards. The melon is getting visably bigger every day, it's amazing.

I also planted some basil, three different varieties.

One called limelight. it's a chartreuse curly leaved basil that is hiding under the purple basil rather selfishly taking up all the room.

A few purple opals which have shot up and are thriving. as you can see.

And a sweet basil which is also doing very well.

On the 26th of November
I was off to bunnings to buy more buckets and I planted two Black Jack zucchini plants, which I joked have already entered the think they know everything stage. They are barely twenty centimeters tall with their third leaves and have male flowers buds a plenty. I showed Jai and told him that the zucchini plants thought they were grown up too.. He wasn't impressed. I thought it was funny!

I planted some Asian greens which consist of

Red mustard: Now I just saved this plant yesterday, it had a serious case of the baby green caterpillars.
you can see the damage

Mizuna: this was also affected although not badly.

Mibuna: (right)I just picked not only a caterpillar off this one (this caterpillar was a different green and had darker stripes on it) but a grasshopper. I understand why, I love the taste of this stuff too.

Tah tsai: (left) this stuff is also delicious. No problems yet.

I planted some (4) iceberg lettuce. I have to plant more halfway through the growing season, cause I want a continued supply of these It's strange to think that these loose plants will form tight heads like the label states. It will be interesting to watch these develop.

I planted some mini rockmelon (2 or was it 3) These have male flowers but no females yet.

I planted some celery (4) I am keeping up with the planting schedule on these ones too cause I love celery and would love a continued supply.

I also planted Eggplant listada di gandia. it's a beautiful white and purple striped eggplant.
It has flowered and the flower has died but is hanging on. I think I have a baby eggplant developing.

On the 27th I planted some Sparkler radishes from seed. The emerged 5 days early and I was optimistic... 6 days later one of the cats started digging and depositing in the planter. I lost more and more radishes. I have now made the planter cat proof with some bamboo skewers and and have planted a whole heap more. Wish me luck!!

On Saturday the 5th of December I Planted:

Comfrey. This stuff is a great natural fertiliser. Just much up some leaves, chuck in some water and leave it to steep like a tea for a few weeks.. The plants love it.

amended information PLEASE TAKE NOTE:
Comfrey liquid fertilizer - can be produced by either rotting leaves down in rainwater for 4–5 weeks to produce a ready to use 'comfrey tea', or by stacking dry leaves under a weight in a container with a hole in the base. When the leaves decompose a thick black comfrey concentrate is collected. This must be diluted at 15:1 before use.

A Cucumber vine- Crystal Apple. I have wanted to grow these for a while now. They have their second leaves and are looking healthy.

Bought a mini red watermelon. I was originally looking for another pollinator and extra vine of the yellow watermelon but they were all still the same shipment and were looking a little shitty. I have to find out when bunnings gets their seedlings in. So I bought the Red ones. No flowers yet, it has to get a bit bigger.

Bought another lot of tomatoes, all repotted deep to their first leaves.

A roma, I'm using lots of tinned tomatoes so a few meals with fresh romas would be lovely

This is what it looks like now, very small.

A grosse Lisse, these get big, I'm looking forward to it.

And this is what they look like now, also very small

An apollo 3, Don't know much about this tomato, except it is a early to mid variety and can also be grown in colder areas

It's tiny

A mighty red. This is another big tomato. All eventually these will need staking.

And yes it's tiny too.

Some Rainbow silver beet. This stuff is so pretty.

A curry plant, I couldn't resist.

And some snow peas which I have no photos of becuase they still need to go out.
SO that makes 33 different vegetables so far. All growing well. I have delevoped a bit of a tomato fetish and I think I will be buying more even though I allready have 9 varieties.

What do YOU think.

2009-11-18T13:46:00.000+10:00

Just found out Im going to be without the net and home phone for 10 whole days. This makes me paniced. I want to blog and chat and research!!
The story goes, optus doesn't own the exchange, and Telstra has demanded that optus gives them ten days notice to any changes to the exchange. So I have to wait to be able to comunicate with anyone.
Right now im taking a last hurried slice of internet while everyone is packing around me.
Im almost crying..
Not cool, not cool at all.

2009-11-18T09:12:00.000+10:00

Just found this beautiful flowchart thanks to my wonderful creative mother @ hashiworks
Please visit this wonderful blog.

Moving day.

2009-11-18T08:19:00.000+10:00

So today is the big move. I'm feeling quite unorganized but we are taking the first big load over today. Yesterday most of my library came over in piles and boxes, and are now heaped unceremoniously in the new garage. The house, my friends is beautiful. Light and airy with room to stretch out and really live. Air conditioning, a dishwasher and a laundry shoot are just some of the thrills of my week this week.
But the outside space?? The outside space is wonderful. Just wait, This is only my first post for the day, I'm going to take some photos and blog a little more later, so you can see for yourself.

On that note I was checking the mail when I left the new house and I discovered to my delight that I had already received my catalogue from select organic/Eden seeds yesterday. What a fast turnaround, only 24 hours from my order time! Then again they are only in lower beechmont, which is a 40 minute drive from my house.
I have decided I love seed catalogues! I have two now. One from tesselaar bulbs, which I didn't find that interesting because it was the Pre summer range. I prefer the bulb catalogue with Daffodils etc in them. This one has mostly orchids bromeliads and succulents in it. But this Eden seeds/select organic catalogue was quite decent. I've been carrying it around in my purse since I grabbed it out of the letterbox at Christina Ryan yesterday. I will make my selection from Eden seeds, as the organic seeds are a little more expensive at 3.20 a packet.
Ive got my eye on all sorts of strange and unusual vegetables.
Update with pics later. Believe me it is beautiful.

2009-11-17T00:51:00.004+10:00

I can see now
I've never really committed to the world
I've always had one foot out the door
and that prevented me from doing a lot of things...
When I think about my future
I guess it just made sense
Just to keep my options open
And thats just suicide
in tiny tiny increments..........

2009-11-15T22:16:00.004+10:00

So as I mentioned in an earlier post, Im am uprooting myself and moving over to Christina Ryan way Arundel.

Im loving how close the river is, and the pond just metres away how lovely!
I know that I am going to enjoy living here.
So on that note I was wandering around our current backyard with a spade and looking for any small seedlings I could nab before I went. I came across a cluster of 15 bulbs (some TINY one quite large) That I just identified as Drimiopsis maculata bulbs.
THis is what they look like.

Notice the lovely patterned leaves. When it eventually flowers the flowers stalks host lovely little white blossoms

funnily enough I did some reading up on the plant and more than one website insists that that "The bulbs are intensely irritant and should be handled with caution."
The evergreen Drimiopsis (previously known as Drimiopsis maculata, but now included in the genus Ledebouria as L. petiolata) is a very popular house-plant, producing attractive arrow-shaped leaves marked with dark green spots.
Species of Orntihogalum are among the most poisonous plants in South Africa and may lead to stock losses if contaminated fodder is eaten. Species of Drimia and Bowiea are also highly toxic but are used in small doses in traditional medicine to treat various illnesses. Overdosage can be fatal.

So no problems when I repotted them...But I didn't get any sap on my hands. I have poison bulbs...
They like sandy soil so I am gonna repot them again tomorrow in a mix of peat moss and succulant potting mix. Wish me luck! (these are definatly not be going in the vege garden that's for sure!)

Carl Sagan Forever

2009-11-13T23:25:00.000+10:00

Please watch these videos featuring Carl Sagan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHx997W_jDE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGK84Poeynk&feature=related

2009-11-11T17:03:00.000+10:00

SO Im finally moving!! My new house is in Arundel and I am SOO very excited about the room that I have to sew and GARDEN!!! I am planning a 6 bed garden using the strawbale method. I also want some fruit trees and some passionfruit vines. Im excited to think about the masses of beans peas tomatos pumkins watermelons ect...It's gonna be wonderful!!

You are the result of yourself

2009-11-06T09:49:00.000+10:00

You Are The Result Of Yourself

Don’t blame anyone, never complain of anyone or anything
Because basically you have made of your life what you wanted.
Accept the difficulties of edifying yourself
And the worth of starting to correct your character.
The triumph of the true man arises from the ashes of his mistakes.
Never complain of your loneliness or your luck.
Face it with courage and accept it.
Somehow, they are the result of your acts and
It shows that you’ll always win.
Don’t feel frustrated of your own failures, neither unload them to someone else.
Accept yourself now or you’ll go on justifying yourself like a child.
Remember that any time is good to start
And that no time is so good to give up.
Don’t forget that the cause of your present is your past,
As the cause of your future will be your present.
Learn from the brave, from the strong,
From who doesn’t accept situations
From who will live in spite of everything.
Think less of your problems and more of your work.
Learn to arise from your pain,
And to be greater than the greatest of your obstacles.
Look at the mirror of yourself and you’ll be free and strong
And you’ll stop being a puppet of circumstances.
For you yourself are your destiny.
Wake up and stare at the sun in the mornings and breathe the sun of dawn.
You’re part of the strength of your life now,
Rise up, fight, walk, be sure and you’ll win in life.
Don’t ever think of ‘fate’
For fate is the excuse of failures.
— Attributed to Pablo Neruda (Chilean Writer)

The Day You Were Sad by Jennifer Levi

2009-11-04T09:13:00.001+10:00

You find out someone loved you once. You find out that a long time ago someone loved you so much he might have died for you.
You run into an old college friend on an airplane. You get to drinking and talking, and he says, That guy once drank an entire bottle of tequila because he was sure you’d never love him. He had to go to the hospital to get his stomach pumped.
You remember he was awfully cute and that you were good friends for awhile—when was it? Sophomore year? He left and you forgot him for a long time. Looking back, you recognize all the signs, but because you’d never imagined you loved him, you never noticed.
You feel foolish because you miss him.
You remember the day you were sad and he invited you on a drive up the mountain, and you invited your friends to come along. You remember how sometimes he kissed you at parties and you just thought he was drunk and kissing people. How he woke you up early on Sundays by throwing rocks at your dorm-room window, even when he knew you weren’t alone. The way he came by with tea that whole week you had the flu. The way he sat in your desk chair for hours, making you laugh until your stomach hurt. How he never wanted you to sleep.
He was always dating some girl or another, so how were you supposed to know? He broke up with a girl once because she accused him of cheating on her with you. And once, when he was drunk at a party, he kissed you right in front of her. You remember that, at the time, you thought it was funny.
You remember the night he told you that you were beautiful—you were beautiful and you were good—but find you have no idea what else he said that night. It takes weeks to piece it together, to finally remember that you were in the dorms, in someone else’s room. He tackled you on the bed, kissed you all over your face, proclaiming over and over, I love this girl!
You are good, he said. You were very stoned, and he held you and talked in your ear; the music was loud and people were singing along. You forgot he was talking and hummed a little with the song. And I like you, he said.
And you said, What? I wasn’t listening.
And he looked crushed and refused to say anything else.
You attempt to look him up on the Internet, but he has a common name and you’re not sure where he lives. You don’t want to do anything creepy, such as hire a private detective, because that might cause your husband to wonder if there is something wrong with your marriage. But you wonder: If you saw him now? The one who loved you then? You wonder what you would do.
A partial moral inventory leads you to believe you wouldn’t do anything. Seeing him now isn’t the point. The point is what might have happened if you’d known then what you know now. Nevertheless, you imagine running into him. You imagine what he looks like with gray hair. He isn’t actually old enough to be silver-haired, but in your mind this meeting is in the future. You wonder if he’s fat now. You think you’d probably still find him attractive if he is.
You wonder again, out loud, why he never asked you out.
You get mad at him.
You remember he did the kinds of drugs that made you uncomfortable and that he kept this from you, that you found it all out later after he dropped out or transferred or disappeared. Every single one of these thoughts occurs to you while you are driving alone. You sing songs to him from the car radio. You wish there were a word for what he means to you.
You decide he must be married by now. You wonder if he got over his drug problem. You wonder, if he loved you so much, whether he would’ve gotten clean for you, if you’d known to ask. But you already know the answer.
You hope he changed for his wife. You hope he has a wife and that he’s been sober for years. You hope he has kids and a big house and that he takes his family on drives up the mountain. You wonder what he said to you, that night in someone else’s room, when you forgot to listen.
_______________
Jennifer Levin is a writer and editor living in Santa Fe, NM. Her work has appeared in The Iowa Review and THE magazine and is forthcoming in Freight Stories. She holds a BA in creative writing from the College of Santa Fe.

yeah yeah yeah.. whatever.

2009-10-27T11:36:00.000+10:00

So I was supposed to get a call, I was supposed to see Prues Baby today, I was supposed to get rent money so I could take Jai some school lunch. I was supposed to have a friend or two.
Instead I get everyones phones ringing out and another bucketload of tears.
This morning im struck with the grim fact that no one really wants to hang out with me.
Thanks.

2009-09-18T17:07:00.000+10:00

Some catnip was collected.
The cats were unaffected.

It was put up on a shelf.

Not protected - but rejected.
Then came the expected.
nature recollected.
potential gone into the the land of
plants that are neglected....

Tui Cook 18. 9.09

Hot Pink and Tomato Berries

2009-09-18T12:42:00.002+10:00

Yesterday , after only a little encouragement from mitch, I went next door. TO THE GARDEN SHOP!! now I live next to the greatest garden shop. http://www.ashmoregardenworld.com/. I mean right next door.

Off I went, meaning only to buy some nefarious potting mix, The only thing on my shopping list.

Of course when I entered the store I meant only to look around.. Well then, my friends I did the enevitable.. I asked a question about my Blossom drop problem... well she recommended sulfate of potash, int he liquid form. Into the basket it went (it WAS only 5 bucks)
Then I went out into the yard (just for a wander!!) and then staggered by hot pink strawberry flowers!!!!! I seriously did not know these existed!Isn't the pic above great! I was blown away.
Into the basket...

Over in the sun were my last temtation.. the Tomato Berry Plants.. I mean these guys were a incredible heart shape, were already dripping with flowers and a strand of tomatoes growing already!

this is what they look like ripe

So I bought some stakes..(do you see a pattern developing here?) and a big pot and now I have the Tomato Berry growing in my backyard.. lets hope it doesn't get the same problems as my other one!!
I'm keeping the miricle grow away from these little guys.

Biggest Tomato (plant) ever.

2009-09-18T11:00:00.002+10:00

I wonder if any of you read a book called "The Biggest Pumpkin Ever" by Steven Kroll.
In this book from my childhood, two field mice fall in love with the same pumpkin.
One imagines winning the harvest festival with glee in his eyes, While the other is thinking about the awesome jack-o'-lantern this pumpkin will make come Halloween.
Unbeknownst to each other they both start to fertilize the hell out of said pumpkin.
The pumpkin gets huge!! They discover each other in a "but I! but you!" moment while out tending to it one night and have a huge laugh.
Of course it wins the autumn harvest and the night before Halloween it is carved into the biggest, best jack-o'-lantern ever to be seen for miles around.

So goes the story.
One day there were some Black Russian Tomato seedlings. They had just moved home and were stretching their legs in a new pot. Two humans fell in love with these plants. So green were the leaves..thought one human. So tangible was the promise of vines laden with tomatos..thought the other. Unbeknownst to each other they both started to fertilize the hell out of said tomatoes.
Now this is where the story diverts from the original.
We have green leaves..Lots and lots of them. But vines laden with ripening tomatoes?
NAY! Instead we have this monstrosity. It has blossom drop and is currently 7.6 foot tall. So right now I have a Shaquile o'neil plant.. if was Shaquile o'neil was a eunuch.

The Twilight of Literature

2009-09-16T18:38:00.005+10:00

I'm was always vaguely amused at the fuss made about the Harry Potter books... There was a madness that swept the land and every nerd and kid under 16 took part in the harry potter (Mexican/English?) wave..
I grew irritated at the constant references in the media, the waves of screaming girls that awashed the leads like a rash. This led to the the fan groups,the harry potter parties, Harry Potter Costumes, Harry Potter craft, then came the harry potter fan fiction and WHAT!! anime porn???

ENOUGH!!!!!!

This halfbreed underdog has been the attention of the world for the last 15 or so years. And I was becoming irritated.... until now.....

Stephine Myers has topped it.
This piece of drivel..GRRRR
Every time I pass a massive Twilight billboard or walk by a huge pile of new books in the books shop I am reminded that just like the music movie and arts, literature is the latest of the greats to get an axe in it's head. I mean, you might saw I have a passion for language. I have lived in books most of my life, and love to write poetry and short essays. This "story" has highly offended my senses.

This book features among other elements wish fulfillment, a weak “heroine,” the glamorization of abusive, unhealthy relationships and all round terrible writing.
The arguments I hear the most are the most baseless. One of the main arguments the sparkly fan club uses is that Edward is a dangerous vampire and because of that he can be as demanding and controlling as he likes, it's perfectly excusable in their eyes..A 400 year old watching a 15 year old girl sleep is somehow not maniacal and creepy,
The horrific writing is glazed over by thousands... because it’s supposed to be a fantasy story. Hang on!! I read a lot of fantasy books. None of which reek of bad writing and disgusting undertones as much as this one.
It is not a secret that Stephine Myers is a devout mormon. Obviously she feels that a woman IS basically useless without a man into whose arms she can swoon in times of danger.
What is the most scary for today's youth is that S. Meyer is playing on the insecurities of young women. The solution to your insecurities ladies, is to become so obsessed with your overbearing boyfriend that you would DIE without him-as Bella says over and over. I mean she is basically suicidal without him.. How does that encourage strength and power in today's teenage girls?
I worry that all the work that the feminist movements have made over this past 60 years or so, could be seriously hampered by the work of this one supposed author.

I know that every writer has an agenda, a message, or a moral. Fantasy is known for its religious undertones. Tolkien, Lewis, and Rowling all did it. Meyer, however, is incapable of undertones. She shove her twisted gender issues down the throats of a generation of young women who are already faced with so much pressures in today's society.

Hopefully, these young women will hear a better message through the mist. Maybe they’ll have someone hand them an Eddings or Valenti novel, or maybe they will just grow up...
Lets hope so, because these girls are our future.
I ever pass this woman in the street, I may just be tempted to punch her on principle.

I say bring back the Potter. This story was strong. The characters were well defined. He was a well respected and and ethical character.. He had healthy friendships..Healthy thoughts..a unbiased opinion about life in general, regardless of the supernatural settings the story had. I compare Twilight's anemic vampire Edward to a creepy pedophilic/stalker
meanwhile the characters in Harry Potter have a back story and a unique personality in contrast.

All in all
I believe Harry potter is a much better written, healthier, story. A story that is not densely packed with damaging material. Material that has the potential to seriously hurt the phyces of thousands of teenage girls and young women world wide.

Everyone that feels the same should take this opportunity that go to your bookshelf and choose a author that you find inspiring for healthy reasons. Written work of the fantasy genre is supposed to be an inspiring magic.. let's keep it that way.

Choose your mentors wisely.

For tips on how to write fantasy WELL please see Tolkien, Pierce, Lewis, Eddings or Rowling (yes, effin Rowling).

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies -- A Review

2009-09-15T14:29:00.002+10:00

This is what I am reading right now. Or should I say attempting to read. This book did not live up to my expectations. The basic outline remains the same with all the witty retorts ect, but after starting this book, You have to wonder if the author actually read the original text or if he had indeed even seen any zombie movies. The exchanges between the main characters have been shorn, becoming even more contrived than in the Austin novel. Seth Grahame smith's Zombies seem more of a badly fitted distraction. Not only that, the scenes are glazed over while the zombies are characterless and decidely unscary.
And kung fu fighting? Regardless of the total implausibility of training in the oriental arts, the dresses these women were supposed to be wearing throughout this ridiculous story would of made the movements totally impossible.

Sunset Salutations

2009-09-14T21:30:00.005+10:00

As the sun sets on horizon
Introspective thoughts are risin
And Im lovin what's comprisin
Of my family and friends.

A motley crue assorted
Let me tell you - boredoms' thwarted.
They set my vices sorted
And have straightened out my ends.

Tui Cook
13.9.09

A New Day, A New Dress!

2009-09-05T14:39:00.016+10:00

I was wandering around in the op shop the other day and I picked up a men's button up shirt. It was a dark blue cotton with lighter blue batik designs on the bottom and on the cuff.. Perhaps you have seen shirts like this before. I had a toddlers tutorial in mind like this one at Craftster. (geeze I love that website!!) But it sorta evolved into something else. When I got it home and looked at the beautiful designs on the shirt.. ..I got to thinking.. why not make a "Me" sized dress instead??
I wanted some special sleeves so I looked through all my patterns ( I have a suitcase weighing 25 kilos full of paper patterns) and found this 1970's pattern from Simplicity. those sleeves had the special touch I was looking for!
I unpicked the sleeves and realized that I was going to have to alter the sleeves a little to get them to fit so I made the cap a little lower. I gathered and pleated the sleeves (which I really enjoyed and they turned out great!!) I then adjusted the body of the shirt with a dress form and a few fittings so it fit my shape, and sewed the whole thing together!
Love Love Love it!!

A bag made from ties

2009-08-31T13:55:00.008+10:00

I have been looking at a great tute on craftster for a while now, It was for a messenger bag made almost completly of neckties. I loved the look of it and wanted to give it a go. The other morning I woke up and decided to take on the challenge with the help of my new sewing machine. (It needed a challenge!) So I collected the required 15 ties and some lovely eggplant suede and away I went.
This is the result of my effort. (I actually think it turned out better than the original!)

I confess I have another 20 ties.. I bought them this morning..lol
And while I was in the opshop I had the coolest experince. A older woman laughed when she saw me sitting on the concrete floor with the ties all spread out in groups of five. I told her the project I was creating demanded this behaviour. She immeadiatly wanted to know what I was making, along with techniques. When she found out, she laughed with delight and immeadiatly started helping, pulling ties off the rack and helping me sort colour groups and order. She found some great ties I had missed and gave some very good advice. I asked if she was a quilter, she just said she did some crafts with a warm smile. I wanted to hug her. I left smiling.
Life is Good.

The seasons of my mind

2008-09-13T23:50:00.009+10:00

I've been making photo mosiacs.
It's incredibly soothing and zenlike
I have a few I would love to share.

So here they are

The seasons of my mind
- direct from flickr

New Beginings

Sun Song

Earthen Hearts

Frost and Fire

A Double Pleated Wonder

2008-08-04T13:46:00.016+10:00

A new bag was created last night. The design was one of my own..And I love it. This one makes me happy....I actually squealed and did a little dance when I realised it was finished. Doesn't it look professional? That's freaky.
The pattern was traced from a black and white mag. It is double pleated on both sides and now features a key clip, a mobile phone pocket and a pocket for your purse!! (I'm getting better at pockets!! - why oh why was I scared?)
I love the colours. Japanese fabric is SO luscious.
This bag is made (as you can see) with beautiful black patterned material and is lined with what looks like hand painted yellow fabric. Both materials are so joyous...I call this my Sun Bag. It's for those winter days when you are feeling a bit gloomy and need a bit of cheering up.
Anyway, here are some more pics. There are a few..lol

A wisteria bag.

2008-08-02T14:20:00.016+10:00

I finished an incredible bag early this morning..
It's a self designed bag..but with a difference!!
This one I am REALLY proud of. In fact, I think it's the best one I have made yet by far.
I can't believe this sh*t is coming from me!!
lol
Anyway
It is (as you can see) made with a dark brown heavy cotton that has been beautifully printed with wisteria vines and flowers. I pleated it in the centre to give it a bit more space and matched the pattern in the centre almost exactly (don't ask me how that happened)
The inside is lined with a light blue.........

But wait for it guys...
Nestled inside, Featuring for the very first time.....A mobile phone pocket!!! and a hook for your keys so you don't have to dig!! (insert cheer here!!)
I love this bag and I'm feeling very accomplished.
Here are some photos.

A Batik Bag

2008-06-23T14:06:00.004+10:00

I made this rather brilliant bag from a reference photo on the blog The Fruid's Forest.
from this gorgeous Batik fabric from my stash. I love the way it turned out.
What do you think?

Goldrush Day

2008-06-20T16:51:00.006+10:00

Today was Goldrush day at school. A cumulation of this terms work so far on the goldrush. Jai headed off a little sheepishly this morning in his costume..
Hey this costume rocks! I didn't get time to make the hat like I was going to but I borrowed one and he loved it!
And so off he went. It was a heap of fun! I went up to the school at 11:30, Caine met me at 11:45. We Listened to the kids tell some stories about the gold fields then went downstairs for the production. There was songs poems dances and a play. Jai did really well with all, even helping a young girl with her lines. I was a very proud girl as I sat there and watched Jai. He's a natural actor and projects his lines clearly and with expression.

Then it was time for the goldrush game!! It was set up similarly to the olden days. The teachers sold a licence (50 cents) to all the kids, Then let them go...They had hidden A LOT of rocks spraypainted gold in the schoolyard. The kids raced around and trampled the gardens till they had found a nugget then had to yell Eureka!! and run back to the claims office to get their "money" At the end prizes were awarded.
It kept the kids occupied for at least a hour..I was sitting there taking photos and listening to Eureka!!! eureka!!! Eureka!! From all over and kids are sprinting back and forth with a look of such stress and urgency their faces..God it was funny!
He won two certificates. One for a great performance, and one for a great costume.
All in all it was a really good day.

And it all clicks together

2008-06-20T00:45:00.008+10:00

Lifes pretty wonderful when you see it played out right in front of you. Tonight Caine brought home a huge square bucket of Lego pieces that he had from his childhood. Jai's eyes lit up and his mouth dropped open. They sat and played with the Lego for the next two hours, making an airport and playing with all the pieces. It was a real bonding experience for them both. Jai has really opened up and(can I say blossomed, is that too girlie a word?) under the care of both of us and I can see that he is really benefiting from having two parents that love each other and him, so much.
But the boys relationship has been growing very strong over these last months and tonight was a moment I had to step back from.....and just smile.

A Wrap Top

2008-06-14T21:28:00.004+10:00

I made a kimono style wrap top tonight. I love it for it's comfort and ease. This style is nice in the summer and must be worn over another top or bikini. It's a bit gappy at the arms!

The fabric has got these small makings on it.

but I am not sure if the photo shows them up the greatest. lol It was easy to make and I might make one for my sister!
What do you think?

A brilliant find

2008-06-14T11:26:00.003+10:00

I found this at the opshop yesterday!
For twenty cents!!!
I can't believe it really.
It's called "The Golden Dressmaker" and was published by the Australian home and fashion journal in 1960.
I have done a search on it and can only find one reference to it.
I know I have a treasure here and well Look at the designs!! The patterns are all there in this lovely little booklet, I just have to draft them up!
BRILLIANT!

I will be using nearly all of these if I can draft them up!
I like so many I can't choose a favorite
Which are YOUR favorites?

A tiered dress for a little girl.

2008-05-24T00:59:00.007+10:00

For my first project entry, I would like to offer this... My first child's garment! It used to be a adult size ten tiered skirt. I shaped it to the dress form, I then made the shoulder straps and flower. I added the applicae butterfly, sticking two iron on butterflies back to back, and sewing them only down the middle, for a 3d effect. There is also a single hair-clip created with another iron on applicae butterfly. The dress would fit a six year old, and I can imagine it would create quite a swirl when spun. Anyway what do you think?

Dawn

2008-05-18T22:53:00.001+10:00

Have you ever had a moment of clarity?

Have you ever just woke one morning and felt the sun on your head?
I mean really felt the sun?
This year, I did.
You wouldn't believe how incredible it feels.

WELCOME!
I am Tui.
It's a new day, and the sun-this morning-feels great.
I would love to introduce myself. I am a artist, a poet, a seamstress and a dreamer.
I created this space to showcase my self designed wardrobe additions and art projects.
I may backlog older creations at times , but most of this work are up to date pieces.
I love the unusual and special and secret.
I try to reach new levels and create unexpected magic.
I enjoy the details.

I am delightfully individual, but owe much gratitude to some very special people in my life.
Without their help and continued support, I would not be where I am today.
Hashi? Jai? Caine? Thank you.

I also love to get ideas and creative criticism.
Please give me feedback as I thrive off it.
I am striving for at least 3 blog entries a week, so please hassle me if I am falling behind.

So The future is now. Here we go..off into the unknown. Hope you join me. -Tui