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The flip side of cake (is a green smoothie)

by kath_red on May 18, 2012

in Books, Food, Newsletter

What with the celebratory week I have just had: birthday parties and mother’s day, I have been baking just a little.

But on the flip side we have been quite overdoing the green smoothie (frozen peas, pineapple, ginger and spinach – trust me — it’s good!) and the homemade muesli thing too – just to add some balance to all that cake.

For my 12 year old’s (second) birthday party this year, I was commissioned to make a double layer marble cake filled with vanilla cream. It was actually incredibly delicious and light (I adapted a sponge cake recipe instead of making a butter cake). And for a different kind of treat bag I made giant chocolate chip cookies. I don’t know about you but I am so sick of the treat bags full of junk – so I decided to take a stand and the giant cookies were much loved and admired by all.

Recipes: For the cake and cookies I adapted recipes from two of my fave cook books: Milk & Cookies and Gran’s Kitchen. But I did a little online search and found a few recipes that might fit the bill if you don’t have these two fantastic I-don’t-know-how-I-would-cope-without-them books. Giant chewy choc chip cookies :: Marble butter cake :: Victoria sponge cake :: Kale and pear smoothie :: Monster smoothie :: Homemade muesli

Quilt market: for those non-quilters and others who live in a different universe – Quilt market is on and reports have started to filter in: Spoonflower :: Uhandbag. If you can’t make it – you can join the Blogger’s quilt festival.

At whipup this week the creativity series continues: A failed attempt to control the chaos :: Healing through craft :: The stream of inspiration runs both ways :: Crafting brings the joy :: I’m mostly a self taught creative type. Please share your stories by commenting at these posts.

Fun online tutes: dino hoodie :: Fun sandals :: Fly with me quilt block :: Project run and play.

On my book pile:

Sunday Morning Quilts by Amanda Jean Nyberg and Cheryl Arkison. Published by Stash April 2012. Favourite quilt bloggers + favourite quilt book publisher = great quilt book! Super ideas for using up your scraps and some really fun quilt designs too. Beginner quilters will love the sections on sorting your scraps and quilting techniques, while others will want to just get stuck into the quilts themselves. The quilts are mostly simple in design and constructions and take advantage of the ad-hoc nature of scraps to create quilts that are a little bit improv and a little bit structured. And of course the best thing about scraps is that they don’t rely on any particular fabric line — they are about playing with colour, which I love.

Making Mini Books with various contributors and published by Lark Crafts April 2012. Oh the wonderfulness. The variety. The inventiveness. This book contains a whole bunch of diy mini book book projects from the sweet and simple to the complex and artistic. Using different materials, paper, leather, recycled junk, wire and twine — to teach you how to make traditionally bound books, or more unusual books. You’ll be inspired.

The Book of Gardening Projects for Kids By Whitney Cohen and John Fisher (from life lab). Published by Timber Press May 2012. A bunch of gardeners, educators and parents got together to create Life Lab, a nonprofit organisation in Santa Cruz, California in 1979. Life Lab’s mission is to teach people to care for the world and them selves and each other through garden based programs. They have camps and internships and classes where they not only teach kids but also parents and teachers. So now Life Lab has written a book about their philosophy along with practical stuff from years of experience and classes – such a fantastic resource. With projects from designing play friendly gardens to getting creative with your planting pots, learning about what to plant where and when and how to test your soil. These activities are all aimed at families working with their kids and would make for some great homeschooling projects too. There is too much in here for this short review – so I urge you to go and grab a copy for yourself.

[Thanks to publishers and distributors for sending me books to review, I don't get paid to post reviews but I am an amazon affiliate] (Australians can purchase craft books online through can do books or booktopia or else browse booko for the best prices.)

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Deadlines, sewing and cooking

by kath_red on April 26, 2012

in Books, Newsletter

It has been a couple of weeks since the last newsy letter and so I thought I better catch you up on what I have been up to.

We have been busy with birthday celebrations, and cooking and school break. The kids and I are working on a recipe book for families (more about that later – it is very exciting – sneak peak below) and I have also been spending a bit of time in the sewing room too.

Because of silly too-tight self-imposed deadlines and lots of sewing as well as the recipe book, I have asked some lovely fellow bloggers to join me here at Whipup over the next couple of months to post about their creative process and already I have been blown away by the essays and and images that have been flowing in to my inbox. I know that these creative essays will encourage and inspire you too. I’ll introduce these more fully next week – but just for starters – we have essays on the topics of creativity and … blogging, business, parenting, health and process – it is going to be a fabulous series.

This past couple of weeks at whipup have been about online communities – instagram and Flickr and Pinterest – go and check them out and join in too. I also posted a few fun links and did you see the guest post by Megan Reilly on music and motherhood?

Books on my review pile: Some treasures…

Make Hey While the Sun Shines: 25 Crafty Projects and Recipes by Pip Lincolne is published by Hardie Grant Books (Australia) and will be out in the USA later in the year. Another eclectic jumble of fabulousness from one of Australia’s much loved crafty gals. This collection of projects comes on the heels of Sew La Tea Do, which is packed with cute sewing projects perfect for beginners. Make Hey has a bunch of different summer crafts that are a little bit retro, a little bit eclectic, and a lot of fun. There seems to be a triangle theme running through the book (which I enjoyed very much), and a definite homage to nana crafts too. Once again the photography is sweet and artistic and Hardie Grant have done a great job with the styling too. The projects themselves range from papery crafts like the paper wall quilt, sewing crafts like the wall organiser and crochet crafts like the tortoise – as well as stamping, embroidery and beading too – a bunch of stuff perfect for dabbling.

Hat Shop: 25 Projects to Sew, from Practical to Fascinating Compiled by Susanne Woods and published by C&T Publishing (Stash books May 2012). A compilation of hat designs that range from milliner confections worthy of the races, to everyday basics for the whole family. Patterns and templates are included and the illustrations are clear enough – although many of the designs are better suited to those with sewing experience. There are some glorious hats in here – my faves would have to be the quirkier everyday hats – like the Rain bonnet made from clear vinyl and the Winter flap – aviator style hat – made from woolly tartan. Lots more fun though – fascinators and felt riding hats for stylish ladies, chicken and monster hats for kiddos and retro caps for retro guys and gals. This book is a keeper.

Stitch London: 20 kooky ways to knit the city and more By Lauren O’Farrell of Stitch London and published by David & Charles (August 2011). I was in London once, years ago, a lifetime ago, before kiddos and mortgage and career. I have fond memories of London – it is a beautiful city, full of history, tradition and architecture, but it is also where punk started and still has that exciting underground music and art scene. This book pays a knitted (cheeky) homage to all things London-y. From knitted Bobbies (police) and the Queen’s guard, to those iconic red phone boxes and the Tower bridge. There are some punkish laptop covers and book cosies to keep you snug while riding the tube (the underground), and there are pidgeons and rats to remind you that London is a big old city. My fave might be the knitted plastic bag picnic blanket, perfect for the Londoners who like to lie on the grass, in their lunch break, in the many city parks no matter what the weather.

[Thanks to publishers and distributors for sending me books to review, I don't get paid to post reviews but I am an amazon affiliate] (Australians can purchase craft books online through can do books or booktopia or else browse booko for the best prices.)

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lovely linkidy links

by kath_red on July 31, 2011

in Features, Link Love

I getting emails with interesting links and also love to trawl through my rss feeds for cool things – so here i give to you some of my finds and some things that landed in my inbox this week.

If you would like to send press releases or submit your own project please send to submit[at]whipup.net.

 

Tutorials

Tidbits

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whipup.net newsletter no.15 2011

by kath_red on April 15, 2011

in Features, Newsletter

I have received a couple of letters lately kindly asking what has happened to whipup lately. It’s changed they say, looks different, the focus is different, there is more cooking, more kids stuff. What is going on? At first I bristled slightly but then I had to admit it is all true – it has changed. But then I think it is always changing. This time last year was different to now and different to 3 years ago and to 6 years ago. This blog started off collaboratively its true, then slowly evolved – stagnated for a while perhaps and then continued to evolve over the years. Many people might have the impression that whipup is run by a commercial enterprise with lots of people behind the scenes. But the truth is that is is a solo venture by one crafty Australian mother/designer/artist/maker/author (ie. me!). Others might generously pop in from time to time, friends help out, my brother and my husband and my friend Nicole put in lots of time, from time to time. But in the end it comes down to what I like, what I am into and what I think you are into. Because my focus is often a reflection of the handmade blog scene in general.

This year you might notice more obvious changes. There is a reason for that. I quit my day job late last year to work solely from home. What am I doing you might ask and why/how was I able to make this change? After 5 years as the design manager for a lovely niche Australian (monthly) art magazine, I needed a change, in fact was in desperate need of a change. And after writing 2 books in 2 years while working I was – frankly – exhausted. Family life suffered, whipup suffered, and my health suffered. I couldn’t wait any longer, I put in my notice and hoped for the best. I put a few feelers out there in the world and luckily was offered a project (and I will tell you more about that a little later when I have something material to show). So financially I was ok for a while – which gave me a little freedom to explore a few options. I made some plans. Brightened up whipup a bit. Made a few decisions. Talked a lot with my husband, played a lot with my kids and then launched the Action Pack.

I have more plans for this year, yes more Action Packs are in the works. I have a book being released later in the year (with Chronicle) quite different from my first book - it will have all my own quilt designs, and I plan to publish more quilt designs here at whipup over the year too. I also will be spending more time on whipup, the focus will always be handmade, but might shift into more meaningful posts rather than lots of quickie links. I love having guest contributors occasionally so you might see more there. And want to broaden the focus and look at being creative in different ways – I love to cook, garden and read so you will be seeing more of that here too – along with eco crafting and slow crafting, all the things I am passionate about. I would love to hear your thoughts and enjoy taking this ride with you.

If you don’t have an Action Pack yet – Issue 1 and Issue 2 now available in our shop and issue 3 ‘Sew & Tea’ will be launched soon. Sneak peak soon!

2 weeks ago:

Eco Crafting – some highlights included: Creative mending : Eco Sewing with Ruth Singer : Green Market Baking Book : and I guest posted at Poppytalk with a tutorial how to dye and sew a table runner made from recycled wool and dyed with vegetable dyes.

Last week:

    Crafty news and links

    Next week: More Easter crafts and more book blog tours!

    Love you guys

    xx

    Kathreen

     

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    Find out where to buy my book Whip Up Mini Quilts.
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    merry news

    by kath_red on November 8, 2009

    in News+Letters

    at about.com – a group for the holidays to help showcase all the excellent handmade holiday crafts from bloggers of every holiday tradition – more about how to participate – from November 5th to December 24th. The first has a good taster – how to make a gingerbread house - can be found here.

    Join the Quilting for Peace Campaign at STC crafts more info here.

    Don’t miss: 12 days of cross country Christmas blog hop starting November 9 – where 12 quilt designers will post on a topic of quilting interest.

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