Niwatori hai!

Let me keep this short. I am too tired and grumpy for words.






















I don't actually own any Japanese craft books. But if I did, this is how I imagine they would interpret a log cabin hen.

Lots of yummy linen in subtle, neutral shades. Wooden buttons. Contrasting thread. Recycled kimono silk.

















In this case, scaled up from a pin cushion size, to something large enough to hold the door open.

1.5 kg of wheat in this baby - that's one hungry chicken.

















Enough pretty, cutesy craft here.

New rule. In our house you have to be useful.

As self appointed law maker - new rule does not apply to me. Something to do with absolute sovereignty, as I recall.

Wordless Wednesday - Bird

Bird belt buckle by Fosterweld




















Aksfile Nani Bird by aks















Fill in the Cat from NEL



















Alexander Girard's Bird courtesy of AskArt

















Fig Bandit courtesy of my backyard

A blue bird of happiness

Woot!

This has been a crafty saga of epic proportions.

Not so much in the actual drama, but in the long winded, takes for ever to get to the point, type of epic sagas (James Joyce, I'm looking in your direction).

I'm ashamed to admit this, but this little guy (technically a bower bird) has been kicking around unfinished since (ahem) May 2005.

I'm not proud of it, and I will surrender my craftster's license immediately, if not sooner (wait, no membership - no union or regulatory industry association - we are a bunch of brazen, anarchic mercenaries aren't we?)






















I digress.

Up until 24 hours ago, it was a discarded prototype from a children's mobile I was commissioned to make for Gorman. I sewed over 8 of these not so little buggers and I guess after all that hand sewing, I kinda shoved this one to the back of the cupboard to forget about.

But when I went through my stash of linen for another project, I remembered this guy was kicking around somewhere. The linen side has a beautiful silver foil sheen - too nice to throw away (as I had obviously decided at the time) but there was not enough of it to fashion into something else.

















So when he was resurrected from the scrap box about a week ago - he really was looking quite forlorn. Not only a rejected colour way (brown), he had barely any stuffing, no binding and a had been left half unpicked because he was the wrong shape for the final design.

Well the baby-poo brown pinwale cord had to go (now replaced with a deep midnight blue cord). And at the 11th hour I found a really lovely liberty print in a matching blue. Digging further in the scrap box I found just enough silk bias binding to finish it - and voila!

Elegant and cute at at the same time. Just like me.

Make a little (felt) birdhouse in your soul

They Might Be Giants lyrics aside, I'd firstly like to celebrate the small matter of Jimmy Trickle being the last blogger user on earth to dispense with the template header.

Hence, I humbly present to you my Powerful Owl totem, who will hopefully keep a stern eye on all things at chez Trickle and keep me in check. At least at night anyways. I wouldn't want to interrupt his beauty sleep. He should help with the rodent population too.






















Secondly, I would like to celebrate a return to all things crafty - with a week - yes, a WHOLE week - of daily completed craft projects.

She's serious folks - this is a publicly stated attempt to extractus digitus and finish some of those little craft projects that have been lying about the place 95% complete. And the theme is all things avian (being as I am obsessed with particular motifs).

Mind you, before you go and get yourself in a fervent lather - I should highlight the fine print:

a) I am only counting weekdays (cheats); and

b) it is important to note that I have not specified that they will be MY completed craft projects (spoken like a true ex-lawyer).

Yes - should I find I have bitten off more than I can chew (highly likely) or that daytime naps prove too attractive (extremely likely) I will dispense with my contractual obligations by presenting you with the doubtlessly superior, bird themed works of others.

Oh she's crafty (to quote the Beastie Boys).






















But without feather ado (aaaiiieeee!) as it is Monday, and the start of the working week for those not fortunate to have a public holiday, I present you with my little felt birdhouses.

These were actually a Christmas decoration I started back in October. Given that my Christmas tree is only one foot tall, it was a slightly ill conceived idea. But they are, nevertheless deserving of existence, in spite of this fact.

The genius of the creation (if I may say so myself) is that the perch is made of a cinnamon stick. So they make up for being 'twee' to grumpy husbands by spicing the air with an amiable scent.

I've also put a a handful of cloves in there to give it some olfactory kick (potpourri would justifiably, warrant the serving of divorce papers).

See you tomorrow with, to quote the comedic mastermind Daniel Hall:

"shouldn't unless mean more?"

Souper Sunday - French Onion Edition

I was planning to start Souper Sunday with a different recipe, but when I was at the market yesterday there were the most awe inspiringly large onions that I quickly changed my mind.

Large shiny brown asteroids of goodness that practically begged to be made into soup - and just about put my back out as I loaded them in to the trolley.






















Onions ARE the bane of my cooking existence to peel and slice - so for this recipe if you only have to prep 4 big ones it seems a lot less tedious and hard on the eyes.

In fact as I sat on the couch and watched TV whilst Jms peeled and chopped them, my eyes hardly hurt at all.

















This recipe is dead easy - but does benefit from a slow food attitude. Good caramelisation, with an absence of burnt pots, requires an abundance of time, low heat and a steady hand.

Whoever called it stainless steel lied.






















French Onion Soup

1.5 kg - 2 kg large brown onions (approx 4 very big ones)
Olive Oil
Generous knob of butter
Heaped teaspoon cornflour
1/4 - 1/2 cup white wine (or verjuice, tho' quite sweet)
1 litre beef or vegetable stock (I use the Massel "beef style" stock cubes which ticks both the lazy cook and vegetarian boxes)
1 litre water
Black pepper
Salt

Baguette or other nice crusty bread
Gruyere cheese (or anything floating a round in the fridge with a bit of flavour)


Peel, halve and slice the onions.

Melt a generous slosh of olive oil with butter in a heavy based, large saucepan or stock pot. Add onions and stir to coat well. Lower heat, cover and let sweat, stirring occasionally.

When translucent (15 - 20 mins), remove lid, raise the heat a little and caramelise, stirring often (you want the onions to be a nice honey brown - but with no charred bits). This can take a little while - and is really the only part of this soup that requires a little attentiveness, especially towards the end. Like risotto - don't let yourself be distracted by the teev or there will be a (stinky) charred disaster. Though a few darker flecks can be tolerated in my experience.

Eventually everything will start to catch and hopefully get some serious colour - which is when you want to deglaze the pot by adding the wine. But don't lean over the pot unless you want to be temporarily blinded and instantly intoxicated.

Allow the alcohol to steam off , then slowly stir in the stock/water. Add some extra water if you want your soup a little thinner.

Mix the cornflour with a little water to make a runny paste and add to the soup. You can leave this bit out if you prefer a clear broth type soup - but I do it because I think it gives it a slightly heartier, fuller mouth feel.

Simmer for 30 minutes. Generously season with pepper and add salt if desired.

Slice baguette into rounds on the angle, and grill with a slice or two of cheese on top.

To serve, place a piece of bread or two in each bowl and ladle the hot soup over the top.

Bon appétit!

Ps. In French the expression "Ce n'est pas tes oignons" (literally translated as "It's not your onions") means it is none of your business. So there.

A bit of colour on the sideboard

Things (hopefully) look a little prettier around here.

Last night I finally managed to add some pictures down the side - as you can see.

If you've been visiting here and wondering why it was so drab - blogger let me delete my pictures, but for some unknown reason would not let me add new ones in. So my new year "spring clean" took a bit longer than expected.

Add to that my best beloved installed Vista on my pooter and wiped my only copy of Adobe Illustrator. Yay. But to his credit, its back in all its updated glory - so I can do some more drawings. It doesn't mean that I will though (chances are I will just trawl through old uni files and change the colours).

The ones I have added are a bit crude and unfinished to my liking (and the resolution on Starry is all grainy - WTF?) but a change from having glaring white backgrounds that will slowly dull your eye sight.

(If you are vaguely interested - the old illustrations are over in my flickr account)

PS. The other half also brought to my attention that most folks don't know about 'hover text'. Next time I post a photo - try moving your mouse pointer over the image. Its pretty cool - and sometimes I even make with the funny.

A pinch and a punch

The first day of March and officially the first day of Autumn, therefore in my book it's ...

SOUP WEATHER!

(the crowd goes wild with excitement)

Hand me my stock pot man!


Note:
The seasons first foray (above) was vaguely edible, but definitely NOT worthy of promotion. Celebrity chef (and your talentless ghost writer) - I cast a pox on your gourmet salt flakes and I hope your copper pots never polish clean.

I should have twigged at the inclusion of 1 and a 1/2 teaspoons of turmeric in PUMPKIN soup - the redecoration of one's small intestine to a bright yellow hue being the hallmark of good cooking. If it were Martha Stewart ... maybe.

I remain undeterred and hereby launch what I will refer to herein as Souper Sunday. My favourite soup recipes for your own enjoyment and test kitchen expertise.

Hopefully curse free.