artisans pop up shop

hello,

For Lucy followers I can let you know she has arrived safely at her next destination!

Bye bye sweety.

My spirits were lifted today though by a trip out to Ipswich...Lesa from Red Hot Fibres and I took off for the day and I was delighted to catch up with lovely old friend Rebecca Lewis.

She has worked magic on an empty store in Brisbane street and created another pop up shop!

Working together with Ipswich based artist Kyla their Artisans Pop up shop is filled with beautifully crafted jewellery, clothing, artworks, toys and home wares.

They included some dash robin flower brooches, scarves, hats, hair wraps, bird toys and fingerless gloves. Check it out this week only, details here.

I love having creative friends like this, people who follow their heart and passion really inspire me. I interviewed Rebecca a year ago in my Meet me Mondays interview series so you can find out more here. I have a few folk in mind for some more of these interviews and once my course wraps up this Thursday I will begin working on them. So keep an eye here for some upcoming interviews with some greatly talented locals.

xKate

blog with bunny

Before my special house guest Lucy heads off today I need to whip up a little parting gift for her...a scarf like this...but it won't take long...she's pretty little!

She came with me to lots of places...friends, markets, cafes, gallery openings(!), gardens, classes-I toted her along in my bag and she behaved beautifully!

She had to sample a organic hazlenut and apricot tart from Sol bread

And enjoyed viewing the Brisbane river from Kangaroo point cliffs.

She's setting a good example by travelling safely between destinations!

In Windsor she met the much loved chooks of the Northey street city farm and joined me and Luka wandering around the grounds seeing the lovely kids spaces on Sunday and meeting the Village life stall holders...

And to end on a high note she had a look at the giant kites flown by the Queensland kite club in Clontarf (on Moreton bay) We are going to miss her SOOOOO much, she was utterly adored by everyone who met her...(in fact she even did a side trip to another bloggers place which I will update about soon)...but in the meanwhile big thanks to Jenni from Baa me knits for making her and making this story happen, its been really fun!

She's off to Sunshine? Paradise? blog next so keep tuned!

xoKate

jam, dash robin and bunnies...

hello, it's all about the photos this week for my catch up blog.

Those who follow may have noticed my growing anticipation of rosella jam as my plants matured...so I can happilly reveal half the crops been picked with more to come!

The process of making rosella jam was so cozy, picking the beautiful fruits, pulling off the petals, cooking up the gorgeous scarlet lush red pulp and filling the house with a beautiful aroma...

and of course tasting my very own rosella jam! So delicious!

Making the jam was a change from crocheting- not that I am complaining!!

I have been having a very productive and inspired time creating custom designed pieces.

I don't want to spoil the surprise for the folk who'll be receiving their parcels by showing any of this weeks items...and I also forgot to take photos of them! ;o)

Instead here's my lovely new dash robin printing stamp created especially for me by

Chantal Vincent.

I was really excited to have run out of my last lot of bags so I could use it! Isn't it sweet, who couldn't love a robin??

And if you are follower of Baa-me knits you may have wondered where Lucy is? Well, rest easy, she has arrived safely and is feeling the Brisvegas love!

So far she has stayed close to home but there are plans afoot for her to visit a few cool places once she has got her bearings!

But rest assured she is adorable and being adored!

Cheers for now, Kate

mothers day

I wish all mothers a beautiful day, and if you lost your baby or child I hope you feel acknowledged within and from others that you are always a mother and they will be very much in you, for life.

Your love and memories are authentic and your child or baby was and always will be too.

I appreciated a line in a poem my son gave to me, 'you know me, I love you.'

These are words I hope every mother can take into her heart as surely this is somehow true of us all, no matter the circumstances, and no matter whether our child is profoundly disabled and unable to express this in words or no longer with us or able to easily speak them.

We know these little ones and love them and feel and want for love in return.

This is the best piece of writing I can find to come even close to expressing the profound connection and journey mothering is.

'patience is not learned in safety....it takes time to develop enthusiasm for how remaining open really feels. Through our hopes and fears, our pleasures and pains we are deeply interconnected'

(Pema Chodron)

permaculture day

The weather was glorious for permaculture day on Sunday, just beautiful. I love being in Brisbane this time of year. The above shot taken during lovely Wendys' visitors tour of Northey Street.

She's the education co-ordinator of the community farm and is knowledgeable, personable and warm-a great teacher.

The sun was shining on the Village life market at Northey Street too- how pretty does this

'little original' dress made by Vanessa look? Aww.

Bunyas' Shiatsu tent was perfectly sited to catch some warm rays, I can actually feel some calm radiating through this image to me...

On the home permaculture garden I am thrilled and super excited to update about my rosellas - they have been producing fruit! I found this little guy and several more! And there are still many flowers opening so YAY! I'm going to be making rosella jam and syrup!

The red thick fleshy petal part in the top piccy is the main component of the jam and inside is a green seed pod. To save the seeds firstly choose the best plant of your crop. If you want to make jam you can pull the red leaves off for your jam, just leave the green pod there to fully reach maturity and then die off.

Once the seed pod is brown and dry you can pop them open and put the round dry seeds into a envelope, labelled, of course, and you'll be all ready for next year! If anyone wants some seeds especially suited for growing in Brisbane and surrounding areas leave a comment below with a link or contact and I will be happy to send you some once mine are ready.

This is a good link for all things Rosella, including recipes, growing, etc.

I love my pigeon peas too. They are excellent to use as a green mulch, provide shelter and also have nitrogen fixing roots. By keeping an eye on them and pruning them before they flower you can continually keep yourself supplied with mulch. Simply chop and drop them to the ground or rake them in a little.

But they are also a staple food of India, and this one will be supplying me with some peas as it's job to nourish the rosellas is near its end. And those yellow flowers are cheerful and pretty on a grey old day like today.

Lastly here is a progress shot on a pair of coffee coloured eco yarn fingerless gloves, custom ordered and now finished! I am happy they are all ready to be delivered next weekend to a returning visitor to Village life market...I love custom colour requests, the support we are getting this year and especially being part of such a beautiful permaculture lovin' community.

Thanks! And of course big thanks to you lovely blog readers, so tell me what's happening in your gardens??

xKate