works in progress

My creative space this week is a total mess.  I am reorganising my work space so I actually have room to work.   I have collected so much stuff over the years for mixed media, sewing, stitchery, knitting plus I have tubs for my vintage sheets and tea towels.   As my space is just a 'nook' my work table is always covered with boxes and baskets of stuff.

The time has come to go through it all and be ruthless.  I am being realistic about what I really will use and what I won't.  It is a great feeling to be purging.   For example I had a HUGE pile of  free stitchery patterns I had printed off the net about 5 years ago.  Going through them all I know I will never stitch them and 95% of them I don't even like anymore!  so out they went. yay

I will end up with just the fabric and stitchery supplies I really want in one cupboard and the other cupboard will be for all my art supplies to actually be put away and I will have room to work and to leave in progress pieces spread out to dry

I have two mixed media projects started at the moment.  I am just showing some snippets today as the first one I am not happy with and the second one is only just started and who knows when that will be finished as I work so slowly only on the days I am well enough, but I love having a project or two on the go.  I need that for sanity.

30 day challenge

On the first of November starts the 30 day vegan challenge.  It's for everyone to see if they can commit to a change just for 30 days and try something new along the way
Animal Liberation of Victoria are running it and they have a Face book page for community, support, recipes and just a good old chin wag and to share photos of your culinary triumphs and failures.

vegan cheesecake yummo

If you are looking to improve your health AND save animals lives and help make the planet a healthier place see if you can give it a go.

I am going to join in to help me along my reasonably new vegan path.  I will post any extra delicious recipes and my progress.   Also I will include things that I come across that are "accidentally vegan".  Mainstream products that just happen to be vegan.  There are quite a few like Oreos for example.   You just need to always check ingredients because apparently USA Oreos are vegan but the ones made in the UK are not.  Skittles are another one.

here we go....

oranges and sunshine

I watched the most wonderful film last night.

This is the true story of the British Govt deporting children around the Commonwealth including Australia.  These were children who were in orphanages for temporary care,  most actually had families they belonged to, but were lied to and taken.

I vaguely remember a documentary of sorts years ago about the boys sent to Western Australia and were forced to build a Monastery for the Christian Brothers in above 40 degree heat.  These were boys as young as 7.  But for the most part, this story has been untold.

The movie follows the story of  Margaret Humphreys, a Social Worker who stumbles onto the story of  the deportation and cannot believe it is not common knowledge such a terrible thing had been happening for so many years.   The British Govt finally made an official apology last year.

It is a heart wrenching story and beautifully told.  Hugo Weaving and David Wenham are wonderful.

I haven't written about a movie for a while, and this one would be up there in my top faves.  Really worth seeing.

harry potter mini

I have been working on a mixed media project for quite a while and finally it's finished.  I have been making a Harry Potter Book for Isobel.  I have mainly been working on it at night when I can't sleep so it has taken quite a while, many, many hours work but I am happy with it and glad it's finished.

It's a bit hard to show all of it in photos but you get the idea...

I wanted it to feel like it was the scrapbook of a Hogwarts student, a girl who has a crush on Harry.  So it has Harry stuff in it but it also has other stuff in it like witch's fashion, spells, cards and witchy ephemera...

I do wish I could work faster when I am doing a lengthy project, but I get tired and achey so easily so it's a bit of a process, but I enjoy it, I love it in fact

There are 3 pages with brown paper bags glued on to them and they are full of all the cards and bits and bobs....

I want Isobel to enjoy it and add any other Harry Potter ephemera she might have or witchy stuff

time to start something new now....

cupcake happy...

A couple of days ago was my first born baby's birthday.  She turned 19 and I feel incredibly old.

I made cupcakes which is the norm for me.  These are different ones though.  They held a little secret...

They were the same Nigella recipe I always use, but the were vegan cupcakes.  I used vegan margarine, Orgran Egg Replacer and soy milk.    They turned out wonderfully and you couldn't even taste the difference.  The extended family didn't have a clue.  I didn't tell them until after they had eaten them because I thought they might not try them.

This is my first success with vegan baking.  I tried muffins but I could taste the egg replacer so this time I used just a tiny bit less than it says to use and it was just right.

My journey into vegetarianism first and now veganism is a learning curve.  But I am enjoying it and haven't missed animal products at all so far in 5 months.  In fact I feel so much better for it.  It really is quite an easy transition to make with so many alternatives on the market now.

I still may have some more playing around with baking though before I feel totally happy with the baking side of things.....

for just a week

From the 1st of October to the 7th is International Vegetarian Week why don't you join Animals Australia Veg Pledge and try and go veg for a week.  You will save the life of at least 2 animals, thousands of litres of water and it will improve your health and lower your carbon footprint.

Try it, just for a week.  Click on the Animals Australia link and it has many easy, delicious recipes.

I would love to hear how you go