Le cat!

I remember the first time I met Amelie. I've just nervously walked into the clinic for my job interview and sat in reception. I looked to my right and there sat an adorable cat. I raised my hand and placed it 10cm from her face to see how she'd respond. She jumped up and rubbed her face against my hand. And there we began.

A former nurse at the clinic who first took on Amelie at the clinic named her after the French movie of the same name because at the time, she was so cute and dainty. Five cushy years of clinic life has left her far from dainty but she grows more adorable every day. I thought I'd make a tribute to her French roots.

Work/life balance

It's hard for me to fit time to sew around work. I work 8 hours a day at a Vet clinic then get home and all I want to do is sew. I sew for around 5 hours a day when I'm not eating, working or sleeping. I truly love it and time goes by so quickly when I'm in that creative zone. Don't get me wrong, I love being a Vet and going to a place where I can cuddle animals all day and make a positive impact on an animal's life. So how do I find the balance between the two?

At the moment I'm trying to balance being a Vet and doing my feline medicine course and squeezing in a lot of sewing around it. But I'm neglecting my studies a bit because when I get home from work, I REALLY don't feel like doing more Vet work. As a clear sign of defiance I've made the following two tops in the past  two weeks when I really should be doing my assignment. 

Last night I dreamt I was in the middle of a maths exam and all my nails were rotting off. I think the stress of trying to fit everything is getting to me and I have to cut back on something and sadly I'm thinking its the sewing. It's upsetting to think about it but until the assignment is done...I'm going to have to unplug the sewing machine.

How to make a peplum top/dress

As I've mentioned in previous posts dear reader, my mum is a bit of a hoarder. The other day I was over visiting and was just curious to see if she had any leftover material I could use to make some things for my market stall (not like I need anymore since I've got my own hoarding fabric habit). 

Lo and behold, she's got about 20 full rolls of this coloured stretch fabric that she bought for $3 per roll at a closing down fabric store. Apparently she went back 3 times and bought $100 worth which filled up the ENTIRE CAR! So naturally, I took a bit home, perfect for the peplum top and skirt I've been planning to make.

There are some tutorials online but they're not as 'peplumy' as I'd like. I wanted a lot of ruffles! So I made my own peplum pattern using some disposable medical drape material. 

I did make a prototype (see above) but found that the seam at the top was unsightly so I fixed this by adding an inner panel that folded over so the seam was on the inside.The skirt is just a basic pencil skirt which I made a separate pattern for.

Going to the markets

My friend Nancy and I are going to start a market stall. It all came about over brunch the other week at Three Blue Ducks in Bronte. I had the fish, it was delicious. All this yummy energy put our creative brains into over drive and we thought - hey - we have something to offer the world. We can create goods that people may exchange some money for. Let's do it!

That night I was so excited about it I couldn't sleep til 2am, ideas zinging through my head like a neutron in those neutron accelerating machines - just gaining speeding and momentum. Well first I needed to do some research, what things could I sew that people will want to buy, with a personal touch of course. From hours of research on  the net, looking around what's in shops and browsing on the net I've decided I'm going to make a series of Spring collared blouses, peplum tops, pleated skirts and some bow dresses.

Coincidentally, I've recently discovered my mum can knit and crochet. Really well. One compliment one of her crocheted beanies and the following week she's made me three beanies a scarf when I really just wanted one. That's just how mums are - overflowing with love. So I put two and two together and asked her to maybe make a range of something I've always loved - wool cactus. The juxtaposition of something that's supposed to be prickly to something that's so soft to touch is awesome. Here's the first one, you've gotta admit - it's 100% awesomeness.

I've also started the first of my peplum tops. This is just a prototype with some spare material I had around. Hopefully I'll be able to perfect it on the next go. I made the pattern out of spare surgical drape material we couldn't use from the clinic. The plan is to get a market stall sometime in October. 

And lastly I'm re-doing some of my terrariums with some new moss and plants and I'm making some stonehenge figures for it too from polymer clay. Busy busy busy.I'll keep you updated on my progress.

Rose Cupcake with White Chocolate Frosting Recipe

This year I've decided to pay for a long distance feline medicine education course which involves a lot of reading and a monthly assignment to finish by the end of the month.

For the past 15 years I've been a last minute kind of assignment person. I work best in a pressure cooker (yes, I've been watching a lot of masterchef) and July 31st 2012 I was at it again, hurrying to submit my assignment before the stroke of midnight. In order to be this rushed usually involves a lot of procrastinating. I dream of going for a jog, or baking and even at one desperate moment - doing my taxes.

Well today I went for that run and made these yummy rose flavoured cupcakes with white chocolate and cream cheese frosting. I love the first of every month. It's the time of the month that is furthest from having to submit another assignment. Those taxes however suddenly don't look as appealing. Maybe tomorrow.

Cupcakes Recipe

• 120 g Plain flour
• 140 g Caster Sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Baking powder
• Pinch Salt
• 40 g Unsalted butter, room temp
• 120 ml Whole milk
• 1 Egg
• 1/4 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 1 teaspoon Rosewater 

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 170c. Fill a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases.

2. Put the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and butter in a medium size bowl and beat with an electric mixer on slow speed until you get a sandy consistency, and everything is combined. 

3. Gradually pour in half the milk and beat until the milk is just incorportated.

4. Whisk the egg, vanilla extract, remaining milk and rosewater together in a separate bowl for a few seconds, then pour into the flour mixture and continue beating until just incorporated. Continue mixing for a couple more minutes until the mixture is smooth. Do not overmix.

5. Spoon the mixture into the paper cases until two-thirds full and bake for 20-25 minutes or until light golden and the sponge bounces back when touched. A skewer inserted in the centre should come out clean. Leave the cupcakes to cool slightly in the tray before turning out onto a wire cooling rack.

White chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

• 200g white chocolate (I used Cadbury Dream block)
• 100ml Thickened cream
• 250g Cream Cheese
• heat cream in a small pan (do not boil!)

Method

1. Beat cream cheese until smooth and fluffy

2. Add hot cream to white chocolate and allow to sit for a couple of minutes before stirring to achieve a smooth and homogenous consistency

3. Mix chocolate and cream cheese and continue to beat. If mixture is too soft at this stage, refrigerate for an hour and beat to achieve a fluffy consistency.

4. Top completely each cooled cupcake with an elegant swirl of white chocolate frosting. See here for a good video for a rose frosting decorating demonstration.

Banh Xeo Recipe (Vietnamese pancake)

As a child, we would have a bowl of rice with two or three Vietnamese dishes every night. Without fail. And if you didn't feel like rice, well TOO BAD, that's what you'd get no if, buts or maybes. After I moved out, it was both a source of freedom and sadness.

If I wanted to eat a nasty ass $5 pizza from Dominos then I could. But then again, I had to actually eat the nasty ass pizza from Dominos and not some delicious, healthy home cooked mum meal. Well we started off pretty pitifully as no one taught Kevin nor I to cook and we survived on pre-packaged bottled pasta sauce and overcooked soggy 59c spaghetti for our first year living together.

We're now onto our fourth year living together and I've taken on the role as primary cook and Kevin as head washer. It's a natural division and most couples will naturally migrate to the role that they are better at. Plus I really hate washing up. This is my first attempt at making Banh Xeo and I gotta say, it's pretty good for a rookie and a far cry from bottled pasta sauce. 

Banh Xeo Recipe

Pancakes

1 cup rice flour (Thai versions are fairly easy to find)

1 cup water

1/2 cup of coconut milk (canned)

1 tablespoon turmeric2 tablespoons banana/prawn fritter flour (optional - gives extra crunch)

pinch of salt

4 shallots (thinly sliced)

vegetable oil for frying

Filling

250g small prawns

1 pork rasher, thinly sliced

1 small onion, thinly sliced

6 medium mushrooms, thinly sliced

2 cups bean sprouts

dipping sauce (see below)

In a bowl mix the flours, water, shallots, turmeric and salt. 

Heat a little oil in a hot non-stick pan and cook the onions, mushrooms, pork and shrimp. 

When cooked through pour in 1 ladle of batter on top of the fillings and tilt the pan to spread the batter like a pancake. You should try spread the batter thinly and add small amounts of batter to fill in any gaps. 

Top with bean sprouts and cook for 2-3 minutes until the bottom of the pancake is browning and very crunchy and the edges are super crisp.

The pancake should be able to hold its shape without tearing. Using a spatula, carefully fold the pancake in half slide out onto a plate (this may take several attempts to perfect). Serve with lettuce and dipping sauce.

Nuoc mam dipping sauce

2 teaspoons sugar

2-3 Tablespoons fish sauce

1-2 T lemon juice or white vinegar

1/4 cup boiling water

Put sugar in a small bowl and add hot water.

Mix until sugar is dissolved and add lemon juice (or vinegar) and fish sauce and taste. 

There should be an even balance between sweet, salty and sour elements. Don't be afraid to adjust it!

Kevin said once he could smell it climbing up the stairs of our three floor apartment block he started running up the steps. He's too cute for words. And nothing tops a good ol' Asian meal like a fresh young coconut. Nom nom nom.

Ruminations of an almost 27 year old

My birthday is in 2 days time and now is that time of year where I start to get a bit philosophical  and reflect on what I've achieved as a 26 year old. 

Every year, your priorities shift, you lose a lot of 'life clutter' and you really begin to focus on who and what things are truly important to you. Slowly but surely, you become an 'adult' yet for me it's not in the usual let's get married, have 2.5 kids and buy a house (though that's not to say that time will not come).

I'd like to think that a year from now I'd be doing something completely different, whether it be travelling or at a new job or city. I think the past year has been really good to me, I've:

- Started regularly exercising and finished a running event.

- Improved my cooking skills and have included a lot of fresh food into my diet.

- Stopped shopping altogether and am in the process of getting rid of all my material goods and saved lots of money so I....

- Made the leap of faith and will be leaving the country for a round the world trip in 2013.

- Improved my sewing skills and will be hopefully having a wardrobe mostly of my own making. 

- Started studying again and feeling more invested and interested as a Vet.

- Started this blog so I can share my experiences and improve my writing skills. 

I'd like to think that you should be a better person than the person you were yesterday, just picking up a new skill or just being nicer or more patient. Today I woke up and just felt really great, I jogged to Bronte beach and running along the cliffs is just so uplifting. I'm looking forward to the rest of today and to turning 27. Who knows what the future holds...can't wait!

View from Clovelly cliffs

Spot shirt with collar tips

It's been two months since I last made something that wasn't edible. Last month I tried to give myself the old pep talk to start a new project. It went something like this 'OK Toni, enough of this wallowing around in a pool of uselessness, get off your butt and do something already!' So I picked up some fabric and started cutting a pattern. I thought a nice long sleeved shirt is just the ticket for layering this freezing Winter we're having. I've made shirts before so putting together the yoke (the top bit of the shirt connecting the front and back) was done in a flash.

Then I got to the long sleeves, this is my first attempt and after a frustrating attempt at the cuffs followed by a hurried mistake leading to the sleeves being sewed on backwards the unfinished shirt sat in a crumpled corner on my sewing table for the next four weeks. I was defeated.

This is what happens when you're heart's not into it. You come to a hurdle and instead of trying to leap you turn tail. I am not a constant creative. Inspiration comes in unexpected pulses and you need a great idea to set yourself in forward momentum. My abilities to sew improve exponentially when I'm 'in the zone' and have a clear idea of what I want to create.  My mind clears, my energy rallies and I acquire a zen-like calm and patience.

So finally, I cut off the old crooked, backwards facing sleeves and start anew. My new sleeves end up great. The collar was a bit of a let down with some difficulty in getting exact corners so to cover this downfall glue on some gold birds from old necklace and attach it's chain across the lapel. I've been loving cowboy inspired collar tips for awhile now and love that I could incorporate this into my shirt AND cover up my poor cornering skills in one blow. See...inspired!

Lacking a proper set of buttons I collected a pile of differing gold buttons and sewed them on. Why not! This is not for a mass market. This is just for me and I happen to like my buttons mismatched. And all this in a matter of 36 hours. I can't remember exactly what brought on this rush of creativity but now that I've got the ball rolling, I hope to start on some new projects soon. 

Where the wild things were

Kevin and I are kind of homebodies. We're both born in July making us both Cancers. Known for being domestic goddesses we like hanging out at home, making a yummy dinner together and just enjoying being in each others general area even if we're doing separate things. However, it is nice to get out and about every now and then and especially when we get invited to a cool dress up party in Surry Hills .

The theme was 'where the wild things are' and I, being the organised person that I am, planned my Carole outfit a few days ahead. I got some old orange and red towels together and made a jumper and got materials together for the head bits. As opposed to Kevin who 4 hours before the party was still struggling to come up with a single iota of a costume. 

Kevin's definitely creative but sadly not in a crafty way so he enlisted my help. After trying on one of my jackets turned inside out so that the furry bit was on the outside I figured it would be easier to give Kevin my costume and wear the jacket myself and come up with a 'Max' outfit quick smart (sigh).

We had an old wig Kevin had from when he went as 'Antoine Dodson' or better known as the 'hide your kids, hide your wife' dude. I sewed on some horns and he painted a face mask.

As for myself, now stuck at square one again, I made some ears from some white fabric and whiskers from some jewellery wire and covered it in black duct tape and sewed them into the hood of my jacket and painted a crown and made a little scepter all in a span of 2 hours. The tail was just some furry fabric I had lying around.

The party was great fun though we found that perhaps we made TOO much effort and were the only ones that were actually in costume. That's alright, we still had a blast making our costumes together and I think we made a lot out of the little materials we had. Go us!