Buddhistmusician

The dark side of Kawaii

2010-04-11T15:17:00.000+01:00

I think I first became aware of the term 'kawaii' on Ebay. A few years ago it was popping up everywhere on there, shortly after the word Harajuku and Emo were being bandied about by just about every seller. So I looked it up and after a fairly superficial search I read that it meant 'cute girl'.

Just recently, after becoming very interested in and beginning to make amigurumi, I thought I would revisit the term and find out a little more about it. What I found was slightly disturbing and made me realise the importance of researching a term and understanding more about it's cultural context before adopting it.

The use of the word 'kawaii' can be traced back to 1970s Japan. It was first applied to the writing style of Japanese schoolgirls who used the calligraphy style name burikko-ji (writing that looks as if it was written by a child). However, during the 80s the concept of Kawaii began to be exploited by large companies (perhaps the largest of these being Sanrio-x) and the marketing of Kawaii was born.

"The culture of cuteness emerged during the 1970s. The 'girl' became the central target of a new consumer culture, and variety of 'character goods' and other items were produced. A girl's private room became her sanctuary, separating her from the rest of the world, encouraging her identification with cute objects, and impelling her to project the self-image of the 'cute, innocent I.' In that process, the word kawaii, meaning 'cute', began to incorporate its classical meaning, kawaiso (pitiful). Otsuka argues that a girl's perception of herself as 'cute' and the 'innocent (pitiful) I,' who survives only in the security of a closed room, encourages a closed mode of communication in which its participants share a homogenous emotional time-space, excluding others from their haven." Midori Matsui

The above quote made me feel very uncomfortable. I already knew that there was an ideal in Japanese culture for the young, innocent girl (especially schoolgirl uniforms and Lolita style clothes).

But to encourage young women to become almost 'entombed' in their bedroom, surrounded by cuteness and staying in this childlike, vulnerable state seems verging on abusive. Perhaps it is a bastardization of the Geisha tradition of acting childlike and coquettish.

However, after further reading, it seems that it was maybe Japanese women who were the driving force behind the culture of kawaii:

There is a phenomenon in the country of the little girl being seen as a sex object, as can be observed by the sale of schoolgirls’ panties in vending machines as well as pornographic magazines illustrating junior high school girls (Roach). Given this observation, it is possible to assume that the “childishness” of kawaii girls was not entirely innocent and it has been noted that many of these young women used this to their advantage, dating multiple boys who took them out to dinner and bought them fancy gifts.

The young women taking part in kawaii culture effectively evolved it into a form of power and independence for Japanese females. Many of them were unmarried and used it as a means to express their freedom from married life, which could be very oppressive and boring for Japanese women. (Jeremy Read, Kawaii:Culture of Cuteness)

I'm still having trouble separating the empowerment of women from the idea of the sexualisation of children. Some Manga cartoons have been banned in European countries because of this type of imagery. It just goes to show that understanding different cultures and the subtexts within them is a very difficult thing.

I have been interested in Asian culture for a long time now and after doing this little bit of research I think I may have to get on to Amazon to buy some books! Does anyone else have any thoughts on kawaii and how comfortable are you with it?

In the meantime, here's some more kawaii images to finish with:

99 Things

2010-04-10T15:04:00.000+01:00

I pinched this list from Seethewoods blog. I've been thinking about doing a meme for ages and have looked at a few but nothing caught my eye until I saw this. If you copy this list, post a link for me on my comments so I can see your version :-)

Just make the items in the list that you have done into bold text. Here's my list:

1. Started your own blog   (this is my third! The others fell by the wayside)

2. Slept under the stars  

3. Played in a band   (two brass bands, a big band, two indie bands and an acoustic band).

4. Visited Hawaii  

5. Watched a meteor shower  

6. Given more than you can afford to charity  

7. Been to DisneyWorld  

8. Climbed a mountain

9. Held a praying mantis   (maybe it wasn't an actual praying mantis but it was some kind of HUGE stick insect at London Zoo)

10. Sang a solo  

11. Bungee jumped  

12. Visited Paris

13. Watched a lightning storm  

14. Taught yourself an art from scratch (jewellery, crochet, painting, temari, cross stitch)

15. Adopted a child   (not yet but I am planning to)

16. Had food poisoning  

17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty

18. Grown your own vegetables  

19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France  

20. Slept on an overnight train  

21. Had a pillow fight  

22. Hitch hiked  

23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill 

24. Built a snow fort

25. Held a lamb

26. Gone skinny dipping  

27. Run a Marathon  

28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice

29. Seen a total eclipse  

30. Watched a sunrise or sunset  

31. Hit a home run  

32. Been on a cruise 

33. Seen Niagara Falls in person  

34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors (a teeny tiny village in Ireland)

35. Seen an Amish community  

36. Taught yourself a new language   (I'm learning Nepalese)

37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied

38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person 

40. Seen Michelangelo’s David 

41. Sung karaoke

42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt  

43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant  

44. Visited Africa  

45. Walked on a beach by moonlight  

46. Been transported in an ambulance (several times)

47. Had your portrait painted

48. Gone deep sea fishing  

50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris  

51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling  

52. Kissed in the rain  

53. Played in the mud 

54. Gone to a drive-in theatre

55. Been in a movie 

56. Visited the Great Wall of China  

57. Started a business

58. Taken a martial arts class  

59. Visited Russia  

60. Served at a soup kitchen  

61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies  

62. Gone whale watching 

63. Got flowers for no reason 

64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma  (I would love to, but can't unfortunately)

65. Gone sky diving  

66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp  

67. Bounced a cheque   

68. Flown in a helicopter  

69. Saved a favorite childhood toy 

70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial  

71. Eaten caviar   (it's not all it's cracked up to be - and it was about 6 months out of date)

72. Pieced a quilt 

73. Stood in Times Square  

74. Toured the Everglades  

75. Been fired from a job  

76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London  

77. Broken a bone   (does my knuckle count?)

78. Been a passenger on a motorcycle  

79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person  

80. Published a book

81. Visited the Vatican 

82. Bought a brand new car  

83. Walked in Jerusalem  

84. Had your picture in the newspaper 

85. Kissed a stranger at midnight on New Year’s Eve  

86. Visited the White House  

87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating  

88. Had chickenpox  

89. Saved someone’s life  

90. Sat on a jury  

91. Met someone famous  

92. Joined a book club  

93. Got a tattoo  (two and lots more planned!)

94. Had a baby  

95. Seen the Alamo in person  

96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake  

97. Been involved in a law suit 

98. Owned a cell phone   (that's like a mobile phone, right?)

99. Been stung by a bee

Spring is slowly arriving.

2010-04-09T10:17:00.000+01:00

I took this photo on my mobile a few weeks ago just before the weather started to turn nice. I was feeling like Spring would never arrive:

Then a couple of days later I spotted this in a field:

The first brave daisy of the year :-) Now all the daffodils are out, the woodpecker is busy in the trees and the sun is finally putting in an appearance.

Sad to day....

2010-04-04T11:17:00.000+01:00

I've made the massive decision to close my Folksy and Misi shops today. I just don't have the time to invest in promoting them constantly and haven't had any sales for a while. I will be starting my work placement in September which will take up quite a lot of time and I have a few other projects I would like to work on.

I'm going to keep up the blog and keep reading all the other lovely blogs that I follow. My next big adventure is going to be making amigurumi from reclaimed wool (from charity shop jumpers) - but I won't tell you yet what I'm going to do with them.

All will be revealed shortly.....

for now :-)

Treat yourself (or a friend) this Easter weekend

2010-04-02T15:52:00.000+01:00

Buddhistmusician Folksy Shop is having an Easter sale this weekend for all facebook fans. Become a fan on Facebook (if you're not one already) then you can receive 20% refund on all purchases made from 2nd - 5th April.

In my shop you can find earrings, bracelets and necklaces made using origami stars as well as amigurumi Daruma dolls and Maneki Neko.

Happy Easter!

(Amigurumi Kawaii Yellow Chick by Cutedesign)

Happy Mochi :-)

2010-03-29T14:58:00.000+01:00

My next design amigurumiwise is a series of mochi. Mochi are sticky, sweet Japanese rice cakes. They look like this:

image from: Slashfood.com

Here is protoype number 1 (a happy mochi made from reclaimed viscose/wool mix yarn):

I'm thinking about making in them in sets of three with different expressions and in different sizes/colours. Small ones would look totally sweet on a keychain or as a handbag charm.

Don't forget, I'm having an Easter Weekend Special for my Facebook fans. If you are a fan of Buddhistmusician Accessories on Facebook, you will receive a 20% refund (via Paypal) on every order. Just send me a message via Folksy to let me know you are a fan. The Special runs from 2nd - 5th April.

He's finished!

2010-03-28T15:23:00.000+01:00

I've finished another Maneki Neko and I'm totally happy with the arm now. It made a real difference just adding a couple of increases on the final round. It blends in much better with the body now:

I've also found a great position for my light tent, propped on top of my craft drawers in the front room window. Although I do have to get into an awkward bending over position to take the photos!

If you'd like to by this cute little chap, visit my Folksy shop. I now ship internationally, so all buyers are welcome.

Crafty swap.

2010-03-26T17:49:00.000Z

I managed to find six lovely people to take part in the craft swap. I hope they find their six as quickly as I did (because that means I'll start receiving some lovely presents!).

Here are the earrings I sent off to Australia:

I made them using hand printed chiyogami paper and they are coated with 3 layers of PVA glue to give them a glossy finish.

To see more origami star jewellery, visit my shop on Folksy.

My creative space

2010-03-25T13:13:00.000Z

I've finished two amigurumi today. The first is a chilli made from acrylic yarn. I'm thinking he'll look very cute on a keychain or as a handbag charm:

Next is the long awaited Maneki Neko. This one is a prototype - I'm happy with it apart from the arm. Something to do with the way I attached it to the body made it go in. I think I'll try another one with an increased row of stitched at the end of the arm so it blends with the body a little better:

I'll have the next one made up soon (probably in pink), although college work is getting in the way a bit this week ;-). The Chillis (or Chilligurumi!) will be available in my Folksy shop soon.

Looking for creative types...

2010-03-22T20:09:00.001Z

I am taking part in an international craft swap. I heard about it through Stuffednonsense's blog and thought it sounds fantastic.

All you need to do is make one item - it could be a piece of jewellery, an amigurumi, a plushy, a birthday card, a painting, a zine - anything at all! Then you send it to one person and (if it goes to plan) you will get thirty-six items in return.

If you'd like to take part (wherever you are in the world) just leave me a comment with a way to get in touch with you and I will send you the details.

My item will be winging it's way to Australia this week. I'm really excited to see if I get anything in the post. I'll keep you updated with what treasures I receive.

What to do on a rainy day?

2010-03-21T11:36:00.000Z

Make a charm bracelet :-)

The weather was really rubbish yesterday - it rained all day and it was very cold so the dogs and I put the fire on and stayed indoors (after an hour and a half hike in the woods).

I have a lovely stash of beads right now so I decided to make another charm bracelet, this time in shades of green:

It's available to buy now in my Folksy Shop. I now ship internationally. Please send me a message if you have any questions or would like a custom order.

Meet the Karma Creations!

2010-03-19T18:01:00.002Z

A while ago I had an idea - I wanted to make some things from something else, if you see what I mean. I decided I would buy some jumpers from Oxfam and other charity shops and unravel them so I could use the wool to make something a bit more 'interesting'.

And so Karma Creations were born. These are amigurumi that used to be something else in a previous incarnation. I really liked the idea of taking an old, unloved, unworn jumper and breathing new life into it. Also, it's amazing how much wool you get out of one jumper (although it takes a long time to unravel, especially if it's very thin and delicate wool).

So far I have made Daruma dolls from reclaimed wool:

a small creature named A'chu:

and two Tamago (or eggs). This Tamago has a Mohican:

while this one has banana yarn dreadlocks:

Each Karma Creation is supplied with a label saying what he used to be in his previous incarnation. All of these amigurumi lovelies are available to buy in my Folksy shop.

My Creative Space...

2010-03-18T11:41:00.003Z

I'm in the middle of designing a Maneki Neko amigurumi this week. I first saw this lucky Japanese cat in our local Chinese Takeaway. I think they are really sweet and I love the story about the original Maneki Neko:

In the 17th century, there was a rundown and poverty-stricken temple in Tokyo. The temple's priest was very poor, but he shared what little food he had with his pet cat, Tama.

One day, a wealthy and important man was caught in a storm while hunting and he took refuge under a big tree near the temple. While he waited for the storm to pass, the man noticed a cat beckoning him to come inside the temple gate. This was so startling that he left the shelter of the tree to have a closer look at this unusual cat. At that moment, the tree was struck by lighting.

As a result, the wealthy man became friends with the poor priest, and the temple became prosperous. The priest and his cat never went hungry again.

When Tama died he was buried in the Goutokuji Temple's cat cemetery with respect and love, and the Maneki Neko was made in honor of him. A Maneki Neko in your place of business, your home or on your website is said to bring in good luck and visitors.

Maneki Neko is Japanese for "beckoning cat." The message he's holding says "Please come in. You are welcome!" and he is beckoning you with his paw . (In Japan, the gesture of beckoning is pretty much the reverse of the gesture used in the West.)

(from http://www.actioncat.com/luckycat.html#Maneki)

So far I've made two ears and a little stubby arm for my Maneki Neko. He's going to be a traditional red colour. As in Feng Shui, the colour red symbolizes good health. Which paw is raised is also significant. A raised right paw is for good luck and fortune while a raised left paw is to welcome people or customers.

Here are the ears and the paw:

I'll be finishing the body this week hopefully and then I need to design a little face for him.

My first blog feature.

2010-03-13T07:25:00.000Z

I was featured in a blog for the first time yesterday! Becky at Red Bird Jewellery has written a lovely blog post about me and my shop, along with a photo of me and my doglets.

You can find the Red Bird Jewellery Folksy shop here. Becky says about her work:

I strive to ensure the highest quality in all of the items I make, from ensuring that the ear wires are smooth and comfortable, that loops are secure and will stand the test of daily wear and that the structure and design is comfortable and easy to wear (as well as looking fantastic!).

I particularly like this Bright Red Bead and Chain Brooch:

I like the use of different sized chain and the red beads are beautiful.

What are friends for?

2010-03-11T17:23:00.000Z

I am sometimes a little hasty. A little too enthusiastic. Once I start an idea I want to run with it until it's completed even though I may not have the correct materials for the job. The Daruma Dolls I made last week are a case in point. I thought originally that I would buy some felt and use it to make little faces for them. But once I had made up the bodies I got carried away and wanted to put the faces on straight away. So I used some flesh coloured material I had at home. The result wasn't too good.

My friend came to visit on Monday and I showed her the dolls plus another one which had a felt face. She was totally honest and said the felt face looked much neater and more professional. So I have changed all the faces to little felt ones and now they look like this:

All the dolls are available to buy in my Folksy shop. They would make a great gift for a student or for anyone that is embarking on a new and exciting project.

A new venture!

2010-03-05T16:01:00.000Z

I've been making and selling jewellery for over a year now and while I really enjoy it I've decided to try something different for a little while. I started crocheting last year and am loving making amigurumi. Amigurumi originated in Japan and are crocheted, stuffed toys with very cute faces. They are part of the Kawaii (cute) type of items and I think that's why I'm drawn to them so much. I love cute things :-)

The first thing I made was this heart:

But it's not just a normal amigurumi. This is the first of my 'Karma Creations' - items that have been upcycled/recycled/repurposed from something else. The idea is that they are reincarnated from their previous existence. In the case of the heart, it is made from a wool jumper that I unravelled. I gave it to my OH for Valentines day.

I am listing a few amigurumi items in my Folksy shop today - some Daruma Dolls:

and a little amigurumi creature named A'chu:

That's Buddha Bun getting in on the modelling action. I think they were discussing waist sizes ;-)

Win an original watercolour painting.

2010-03-03T18:06:00.000Z

The lovely Pat of Pat Elliot Paintings is giving away this colourful watercolour painting of a gorilla:

All you have to do to win is

become a follower of Pat's blog: Pat Elliot Paintings,
leave a comment on her blog,
visit Pat's website and let her know what you like or dislike.

Pat and I agreed to do a swap this year and this is the gorgeous painting she made of my two dogs:

I have made Pat a pair of earrings and a matching bracelet. I'll post photos of the set very soon.

I am busily crocheting right now as I want to put some amigurumi items in my Folksy shop. They aren't your usual amigurumi critters - they are a part of my new rang 'Karma Creations'. All will be revealed in the near future.....

Just a quicky!

2010-02-08T20:54:00.000Z

I have a couple of things to post about, but I'm at college all day tomorrow so I'll try to get it done on Wednesday. I've started making origami star necklaces to match the earrings in the Buddhistmusician shop and have just started crocheting some chilli peppers...find out what they are for later!

I was lucky again this week - I won a month long advert on Handmade Crafts Directory UK! I am officially loving this month! I'm also excited to be doing a trade with the lovely Pat from Pat Elliot Paintings. Pat has the most lovely little Parson Russell terrier called Missy (aka The Chief). After my two, Missy is my favourite dog.

She is such a little character and has a lovely little face.

I'm also loving the Feedjit widget I added to my blog the other week. I've been surprised by the diversity of nationalities that visit my blog and the amount of visitors that are coming to see what I'm about.

February is shaping up nicely!

2010-02-06T16:32:00.000Z

I just received my very first blog award from Folksy maker and seller Blackcatswhiskers.

The Sunshine Award is awarded to bloggers whose positivity & creativity inspires others in the blog world.

The rules for accepting the Sunshine award ~

Put the logo on your blog or within your post
Pass the award onto 12 bloggers
Link the nominees within your post
Let the nominees know they have received this award by commenting on their blog.
Share the love and link to the person from whom you received this award.

Charlotte Hupfield Ceramics

Swirlyarts

The Wollies

Silky Prudence

Totally Tutorials

East of the Sun West of the Moon

It Belongs to Turtle

The Pickled Weasel

I've tried to choose blogs that haven't received the award already, but there may be a few repeat winners! Sorry this has taken me a while, but I had so many lovely crafty and creative blogs to choose from I found it quite difficult.

The Curry Tree

2010-01-31T16:02:00.001Z

I was pottering about online today when I came across this site: The Curry Tree Charitable Fund. This charity is part of National Curry Week, which runs from 21st-27th November this year. The website makes for quite sobering reading comparing the figures of English curry consumption (£30 billion pounds will be spent in the 'curry sector' between 2008 and 2022) and the figures for worldwide malnutrition and poverty (19 million children worldwide suffer from acute malnutrition).

There is a link on the website where you can donate. If you donate at least £1 you receive an eBook called Recipes For Success, which include recipes from British, Indian, American and Thai chefs.

On a slightly more upbeat note, throughout the month of February with every order (no matter how big or small) from my Misi shop you will receive a Pilau Rice Spice Mix free. You don't need to do anything, I'll just pop it in your order. Happy cooking!

My lucky week!

2010-01-30T17:22:00.000Z

I won two blog giveaways!

The first was this gorgeous Viking Weave bracelet by Jolicious:

Then I won this beautiful knitted neck warmer by Silky Prudence:

She's making me one in Hot Pink...I'm really excited lol.

I'd never entered blog giveaways until this month and I guess it goes to show - you have to be in it to win it!

I'll be launching a giveaway for my Folksy shop very soon - stand by for details...

Just a Staffy Cross

2010-01-24T17:00:00.000Z

I came across this poem today on the Staffy Rescue website and it really brought a tear to my eye. I am the proud owner of a staffy cross and although she was never a stray I am always aware of where she came from and what she has been through. I've never met a more loving, playful, humorous dog. Hundreds of staffies end up in rescue every year and I can't even think about how many more are put to sleep.

Just a Staffy Cross.

Today is just another day - to me they're all the same
I have the worst of genes you see, I bear the "Staffy" shame.
The shame is in our numbers, there's thousands with no home.
Thousands just like me you'll find, in kennels all alone.

My mum was "just a Staffy", my father - well who knows?
Mum, too, became unwanted, as the last puppy goes.
And then begins the process, of money-making deals
A life of "moving on" unfolds, who cares how the Staffy feels?
If you have the cash to hand, the Staffy pup is yours
But that pup is getting bigger now, just look at those big paws.

You brought me for your image, thought I'd make you look more tough
But you'll find my boisterous nature has already got too much.
If you had thought to train me, with kindness and with praise
You would have had a faithful friend to share your darkest days.
I would lay down my life for you, but you simply cannot see
You make sure you get your money back on what you paid for me.

And on it goes, until one day, I'm no longer worth a dime
The retail on an adult staff - not worth the waste of time.
So what happens to a Staffy now? Do you really want to know?
Do you care what will become of us, when we leave our final home?

Have you ever thought to wonder, "Where is that Staffy now?"
The "Staffy" has another name; he's become a "stray" somehow.
Me, I was put into a car and driven far away
The door held open, I jumped out, I thought to run and play.
It was with joy and happy heart I turned to look for you
You drove away with all my trust and a piece of my heart too.

I wandered round for many days before I was brought here.
Now I wait with heavy heart, trepidation and with fear.
Seven days is all I have you see, seven days for you to claim
The little dog that you threw out, for which you have no shame.

This is my last goodbye now my seven days are up
If only more thought had gone into the future of that pup
As the needle empties to my veins I lay down with one last sigh
I'm sorry I was born a Staff, because it means that I must die.
By Trudy James

Tilly - my beautiful girl

Express yourself!

2010-01-23T17:00:00.001Z

Would you like to let everyone know how you're feeling? Maybe you'd like to send a special gift to someone to let them know you feel about them? I can make origami star earrings and bracelets with any words you like (in black text).

Maybe you'd like a special date or place name? Or a single word. All earrings are made using surgical steel earwires. The stars are coated with acrylic spray to make them durable. They can be attached to the earwire with either a jump ring or a head pin. I can add seed beads for a touch of colour too.

Because the acrylic spray needs time to dry between coats I will need up to seven days to make the jewellery (it depends on the humidity in the air).

Get in touch with me via Folksy, my Facebook page , or email me at hecarte(at)hotmail(dot)com.

Look forward to hearing from you.

Mmmmm Spicy! The winner is....

2010-01-21T19:10:00.001Z

The winner of the Curry Night Giveaway is:

Blackcatswhiskers

I used a random number generator to find the winner. Thanks to everyone for entering and for your comments about curry. I'll be holding another giveaway soon.

The Magic Ring

2010-01-21T13:48:00.000Z

I'm fairly new to crocheting. My mum has always done it and has tried to teach me but she goes so fast that I couldn't keep up! Last year I bought some sari silk yarn and got quite inspired to have a go with crochet. The first thing I made was a scarf (which has since been unravelled) and a pair of matching fingerless gloves.

More recently I've been making crocheted and felted bowls, another scarf using banana yarn and now I'm having a go at making some 3D items. I'm starting with a plushy heart (made from some reclaimed wool) for my OH for Valentine's day. I just need to decide what I'm going to use to stuff it.

Today I found this really clear tutorial for making a 'magic ring' - this is the way to start amigurumi and other 3D items:

It's funny how one person can explain something and I totally don't get it, then another person explains it and it clicks straightaway!

Chole Panjim recipe

2010-01-20T19:00:00.007Z

I don't know about you, but after Christmas I'm wanting to shift a few pounds and save a few pennies. This a really simple, quick, tasty and cheap supper. It provides protein and fibre and is pretty low in fat. Although this is an Indian recipe, it tastes more like Thai because of the coconut and the chilli. The sauce soaks down into the rice and is really creamy.

You will need:

Sunflower/veg oil
2 cloves garlic
1 inch piece of ginger
3-6 dried red chillies, deseeded
5 tbsps dessicated coconut
1 tsp garam masala (or mixed spice - it's more or less the same)
1 large onion, chopped
400g tin of chickpeas, drained
salt
fresh coriander leaves, chopped (optional)

Wash some rice and cover with water. Leave to soak.

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan and add the garlic and ginger. Fry for a couple of minutes then add the whole chillies. Allow the chillies to darken then add the coconut. Stir quickly and let the coconut turn brown. Remove from heat and stir in garam masala.

Turn on the heat on the rice and when it comes to the boil, put the lid on and simmer.

In the meantime, put the coconut mixture in a blender, add some water and blend to a fine paste.

Heat another tbsp of oil and fry the onions until soft. Add the chickpeas and salt, then the coconut paste. stir thoroughly. Add enough water to make a sauce (as much or as little as you like). Bring to the boil then remove from heat. Add coriander leaves if using.

Serve with rice.

Don't forget to enter my competition before 7pm on Thursday for a chance to win a Curry Night spice pack (including Onion Bhaji, Pilau rice and a curry of your choice from my shop).

Crochet bowls - Stage 1

2010-01-19T16:33:00.000Z

I'm going to try to make birthday presents for my friends and family this year (I made nearly all my Christmas presents). I'm going with an edible theme for everyone, apart from my friend George. I started making her these bowls before Christmas, but didn't have time to finish them. She got her edible present for Christmas and will receive her bowls for her birthday in February.

Here are the bowls before I felt them in the washing machine:

I made them using a jumper I bought from Oxfam and unravelled. I'm planning on making a jumper for my dog Tilly with the rest of the wool.

Lots of orders!

2010-01-17T21:03:00.000Z

This weekend has been my best so far for my spice shop. Five items have been ordered from my shop so I've spent this evening mixing and grinding spices.

Each pack is sent out with full, laminated instructions. Why not pop over and take a look at what's on offer?

Competition time!

2010-01-14T11:49:00.000Z

To celebrate passing the 100 fan mark on my Facebook Page, I am giving a way one of my Curry Night Spice Packs. In this pack you will recieve an Onion Bhaji Spice Mix, a Pilau Rice Spice Mix and a curry spice mix of your choice (choices as of today are Korma, Jhal Frezi, Dhansak, Vindaloo and Madras). Full, laminated instructions are included and the meal will serve 4-6 people.

All you have to do is become a follower of my blog and leave a comment about your favourite curry on this post. The winner will be chosen at random at 7.00pm GMT on 21st January.

A brief history of curry.

2010-01-13T10:51:00.003Z

The word 'curry' (anglicised from the India Kadai/Kari) is used in India to describe a sauce or gravy. Mostly in England it's used for any type of Indian food, usually served in restaurants and takeaways run by the Pakistani and Bangladeshi community. Bangladesh used to be part of Pakistan and Pakistan was part of India until 1947. So the type of food we get from our takeaways here in England has it's roots in 20th Century India.

Another theory of the origins of the word curry is the Indian word 'Karahi' which is a cooking pot a bit like a wok. Really, one word is not nearly enough to describe the vast array of dishes from the many regions of India (most of which would never appear on a takeaway menu).

The British love of Indian food really started in the 16th century (although there is evidence that it was eaten here as early as the 13th century), when the Dutch began trading spices. They had the monopoly so began to hike up their prices very sharply. Because of this, the East India Company was formed in order to secure a better price.

At this time India was ruled by Mughals who tended to fight a lot between themselves. This made it easy for the British and Europeans to gain control of much of the land, leading to the building of the British Raj which lasted until 1947.

The British people living in India employed chefs who were trained to cater for Western tastes. The meat and poultry available was often not up to the standard the British were used to and so the chefs often had to improvise by providing chapattis and homemade jam. For breakfast they would serve kichiri which is an omlette prepared with spices. Eventually with the addition of kippers shipped over from England, this dish became known as kedgeree.

Just as the British in India had endeavoured to replicate home comfort cuisine, when they arrived back in Blighty, they craved a little of the East and that was 'curry'.

References:

History of Curry, by Manju Malhi

New Carrot Cake Recipe

2010-01-11T19:00:00.000Z

This may be the BEST carrot cake I've ever made. It's so simple, but so moist, light and delicious.

Ingredients

175g light muscovado sugar
175ml sunflower oil
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
140g grated carrots (about 3 medium)
100g raisins
grated zest of 1 large orange
175g self-raising flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp grated nutmeg (freshly grated will give you the best flavour)

175g icing sugar
1½-2 tbsp orange juice

Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4/fan 160C. Oil and line the base and sides of an 18cm square cake tin with baking parchment. The easiest way to do this is to cut two long strips the width of the tin and put each strip crossways, covering the base and sides of the tin, with a double layer in the base.
Tip the sugar into a large mixing bowl, pour in the oil and add the eggs. Lightly mix with a wooden spoon. Stir in the grated carrots, raisins and orange rind.
Mix the flour, bicarbonate of soda and spices, then sift into the bowl. Lightly mix all the ingredients - when everything is evenly amalgamated stop mixing. The mixture will be fairly soft and almost runny.
Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 40- 45 minutes, until it feels firm and springy when you press it in the centre. Cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then turn it out, peel off the paper and cool on a wire rack. (You can freeze the cake at this point.)
Beat together the frosting ingredients in a small bowl until smooth - you want the icing about as runny as single cream. Set the cake on a serving plate and boldly drizzle the icing back and forth in diagonal lines over the top, letting it drip down the sides.

This recipe is from the BBC Good Food website. I must admit, I made enough icing to entirely cover the top of the cake. If you try this recipe, let me know what you think. It's replaced my old Crank's recipe now and I may be making this a LOT over the next few months.

Just chillin'

2010-01-10T20:04:00.001Z

Buddha was looking very relaxed in his 'snow suit':

Just because everyone else has done it...

2010-01-09T14:00:00.002Z

Here are some photos of my daily dog walk, which is now under 8 inches of snow (it's actually knee deep in places!).

This is the view back over to town:

This is the view from about half way round our walk looking over the countryside towards Durham. It was a beautiful clear day, but it was very hard walking in such deep snow. The dogs love it though.

Tilly (above) lost her coat somewhere in the brambles so we're having to walk everywhere very fast to keep her warm. Bryan (below) has a phobia about looking at the camera. I can never get a photo of him straight on because as soon as I get the camera out he turns round!

All Things Spice is up and running.

2010-01-08T12:26:00.000Z

I've listed four spice mixes so far in my new shop on MISI. It's taken a surprising amount of time to prepare the instructions, the labels for the spice mixes and the information for the shop listings. So far in the shop I have Korma, Jhal Frezi, Dhansak and Onion Bhaji. I think I'll list a Pilau Rice mix next.

I'm planning to do a 'meal deal' offer where you will be able to purchase a curry mix of your choice, a pilau rice mix and an onion bhaji mix at a reduced price. I would love to start selling the sweets soon, but as they need to be made to order I'm a bit apprehensive about listing them - just in case I get an order when I don't have time to make them. I also need to figure out a secure way to package them.

In the meantime I'll concentrate on the spices and maybe develop some less well known mixes for people to try. Next week I'll be listing the bad boys: Madras and Vindaloo.

Super easy beef casserole

2010-01-02T16:51:00.000Z

This is what I'm making for tea tonight. It's my partner's favourite and is so quick yet extremely tasty. I haven't added quantities because I tend to just chuck everything in, but for 2 people I add 1 tsp mustard and 1 tsp tomato puree.

Shin beef
Red onion
Beef stock
Wholegrain mustard
Tomato puree
Bay leaf
Red wine (I freeze any left over red wine so always have some cubes ready to use)

Preheat oven to 160C.

Cut the beef in to chunks and the onion into wedges. Place in a casserole dish. Make up 500ml of beef stock and pour into the casserole dish until just below the beef and onions. Stir in the mustard, tomato puree, red wine and bay leaf.

Place casserole dish in the oven and cook for at least 3 hours. You can add some large chunks of carrots for the final half hour. Keep checking the dish and add more stock if it's looking too dry.

There's no need to add salt because it's going to be cooking for a long time - the gravy becomes very concentrated and pretty salty. Shin beef is quite inexpensive and makes a lovely tender stew. I like to eat it with loads of mashed potato.

All Things Spice has launched...

2010-01-01T16:57:00.000Z

A New Year and a brand spanking new shop! I launched All Things Spice @ Misi today with a Korma Spice Mix and a Jhal Frezi Spice Mix.

Korma is a fairly mild curry, made in the traditional way with plain yoghurt and creamed coconut (no cream and sugar in this one). Jhal frezi is a medium hot curry with a tomato and onion base. Perhaps you already love cooking or have yet to discover the joys of sizzling spices permeating your kitchen. Either way, you can have an authentic Indian curry in about an hour without the calorie load of a takeaway.

Each spice mix comes with a laminated instruction card so subsequent orders will be slightly cheaper (because you'll already have the instructions!). I'll be adding more mixes over the next few weeks - I'm going with the more well known curries, then will branch out into some more exotic ones.

Don't forget my shop over at Folksy is having a sale until the end of January. All my origami star earrings are £3.99 and some items are reduced by 50%.

Festive Greetings!

2009-12-20T17:11:00.001Z

I love this time of year. Not for any religious reasons, but because it's a time of family get togethers, yummy food, cosy nights in front of the fire, reading books under a duvet, dog walks in crisp clean snow and general winter loveliness.

During the year I get to spend a few weekends with my Nepali friends celebrating Hindu festivals. I love these times too because everyone has such a good time, our bellies get filled up with curry, dahl bhat and momos. I think the general theme is togetherness and good times.

I found this photo today on this blog of a Christmas tree in India. These guys are selling malas. I love the colours and strangely, the tree doesn't really look out of place:

Wherever you are I hope you have a warm, enriching, love filled week ahead. I look forward to more blogging in 2010.

With metta.

Introducing......

2009-12-17T16:41:00.001Z

I am planning to open a new online shop in the next couple of weeks. I will be stocking packs of curry spices, ground and mixed by myself, complete with (laminated) instructions on how to make authentic Indian curry. I'm in the process of gathering my packaging materials and writing the instruction cards. Each order will come with all the spices you need to make a tasty (and healthy) curry. Most of the recipes take under an hour to make and just about all of the additional ingredients are items that you'll probably already have in your kitchen.

Prices will start from approximately £2.49 (I haven't worked out the postage costs yet) and once you have purchased one kit you will be able to order additional packs of spice for a reduced amount without the recipe card.

I adore Asian food and really enjoy cooking it. There is such a difference between a homemade curry and a takeaway. Plus you have control over how much oil and fat go into the dish so you can make it as fat free as you want. I'm hoping to add more products such as my homemade mango chutney and extremely hot authentic Nepalese lemon pickle.

So when you're sick of turkey after Christmas, pop along to All Things Spice and give your tastebuds a treat!

Tilly....

2009-12-13T15:55:00.000Z

I thought I'd share a couple of photos of my Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Tilly. She was the first dog we fostered for the Freedom Project (Dog's Trust) and now lives with us permanently. She's very scared of fireworks so this year I tried using TTouch on her . It's a kind of massage which is very relaxing for the dog. Here is the result of twenty minutes of TTouch.

As you can see, she was fairly relaxed.

Here's another one of her sleeping. My partner found her in this position, fast asleep:

It was the only patch of sunlight she could find!

Donations for St Teresa's Hospice

2009-12-12T10:00:00.001Z

Many weeks ago I asked the lovely people at Folksy if they could donate some items for craft fairs that are going to be held for St Teresa's Hospice. The craft fairs are a precursor to the Teddies To The Arctic fundraiser which is now in it's second year. In it's first year the event raised £33, 800 for the hospice.

Foreverfoxed sent me a selection of her handmade cards:

Fen and ned made me this beautiful cushion:

I donated some earrings:

Other donators included Christals Creations and Dark Fairy Treasures.

I'll be in touch with the organisers to find out how much they raise. There are events going on over the next few months so if anyone else would like to donate items they would be gratefully received.

It's Friday and I'm loving...

2009-12-11T11:52:00.000Z

Anything that's orange!

Clockwise from top left:

Orange/brown felt flower brooch by Angela Barrow Designs.

Red/orange felt handbag by Created and Felted by Claire Louise.

Lollipop. Round silver and orange enamel pendant by Cheekylemur.

Owl carved gourd box by Puka Flower.

End of an era.

2009-12-10T16:37:00.001Z

It was my last day working in daycare at St Teresa's Hospice today. We had a lovely day which ended in a coffee morning and me playing carols on the keyboard for an hour! I've enjoyed my time at the hospice (I've been there for just over a year now) but I'm ready to move on now to working with people on a one to one basis.

I'm starting training for two work placements in January. Both are exclusively with women (aged 13 and over) who have been abused. It's such an exciting opportunity and I will receive a lot of excellent training (which is provided free of charge).

I've also start a course of hypnotherapy which I'm finding very enlightening. I've discovered that I have a lot of inner strength which I never knew was there and am feeling very at peace right now.

None of this has anything to do with crafting, but I wanted to write a bit about where I'm at right now :-)

Peace to you all.

Red Riding Hood

2009-12-09T11:41:00.000Z

Just a quickie, because I'm super busy today. I came across this painting on Folksy this morning and just had to share it with you all:

It's entitled 'Little Red Riding Hood Reaches Grandma's House' and was painted by Artquirk. I love the atmosphere created in the painting: the tall grey trees, the cottage nestling in the snow and the red smudge of Red Riding Hood's jacket. It's full of anticipation and is almost foreboding - I remember my nana reading the Brother's Grimm fairy tales to me as a child and I think all of them are very dark and pretty frightening.

This is definately one to add to my favourites list.

Sarah's Handmade Christmas

2009-12-07T12:16:00.000Z

Kirsty didn't think of it first! Lots of us crafty folk have been making Christmas gifts for our friends and family for years. My nana recently dug out an angel place name that I made when I was about 8 years old. \It brought back lots of memories and it was really sweet that she'd kept it all these years.

I've made a monster batch of mango chutney today - it's merrily boiling away on the hob. The only downside is that the house smells very strongly of vinegar now (although it does make a change from the smell of wet dog which has been lingering for a few weeks now).

It looks really pretty with the bright red chillies, green cardamoms and succulent mango. Once I've put it in jars it's best to leave it to mature, although I like it so much I generally open up a jar way before I should.

To go with the chutney, I'm making lemon pickle and chilli pickle. That's my task for the weekend - first I need to go to the Indian grocers to buy a large bag of green chillies. They are much better than the ones in the supermarkets.

I'd love to hear what you are making this Christmas for your friends and family.

It's Friday and I'm loving...

2009-12-04T16:19:00.005Z

Buying Christmas presents for children!

I just bought this gorgeous sock bunny from Widget and Friends on Folksy. It's a present for my SIL's daughter who is 3 years old. I think she'll love the colour and the expression on the bunny's face is so sweet!

And for her son I bought these adorable baby bootees from Little Pudding, also on Folksy.

They are beautifully made and the tiny pom pom tails are adorable.

I think that's my Christmas shopping just about finished now. I'm planning on making some Turkish Delight and some fudge in the next couple of weeks. I'm also halfway through crocheting two sets of bowls for two of my friends. Photos to follow soon....

Pipedream...

2009-12-03T16:25:00.003Z

I have a little idea going round in my head. It involves setting up a new shop, Indian spices, homemade curry, time saving, convenience and tastiness.

I'll still be carrying on with my shop on Folksy, but want to do something a bit different (for me) also. I'm just brainstorming ideas for names and product packaging right now.

More about that in the New Year.

Are you intrigued yet?

Shop Handmade UK Gift Boxes

2009-11-30T14:09:00.003Z

Take a look at these wonderful gift boxes that have been put together by Shop Handmade UK on Folksy:

Turquoise Gift Box No.2, £43.95

Purple Gift Box No. 2, £41.10

Each box contains gorgeous handmade items from selected Folksy sellers (including myself) and you make a 45% saving on each box. These boxes aren't samples: they are the full sized products and could make your Christmas shopping much easier if you have a lot of people to buy for!

More stars and some old friends

2009-11-28T14:01:00.003Z

Top row: A couple of photos of my latest batch of origami stars.

Bottom left: Some temari I made about 5 years ago which my mum brought round.

Bottom right: Banana yarn and recycled sari silk yarn.

Christmas baking

2009-11-23T14:05:00.003Z

As a family we've decided this year not to go to mad with present buying. So I suggested to my nana that I bake her a cake. She said she'd like a carrot cake so that's what I've been baking today (I'll keep it in the freezer until Christmas Eve, then take it out and ice it).

I'm loving the Cranks' carrot cake recipe right now which is a variation of a traditional Swiss recipe:

Carrots 175g

Free-range eggs 2

Brown sugar (I use half dark soft brown and half demarera) 100g

Oil 75ml

Wholemeal self-raising flour 100g

Cinnamon 1tsp

Nutmeg 1/2 tsp

Desiccated coconut 50g

Raisins 50g

Line a 7inch square cake tin. Finely grate the carrots. Whisk the eggs and sugar together until thick and creamy. Whisk in the oil slowly, then add the remaining ingredients and combine evenly.

Spoon the mixture into the cake tin. Level the surface and bake at 190C/375F/Gas mark 5) for 20-25 minutes), until firm to the touch and golden brown. Cool on a wire tray.

(Recipe taken from The Cranks Recipe Book, 1993, Orion:London)

Photos to follow when it's out of the oven!

It's Friday and I'm loving...

2009-11-20T17:41:00.000Z

All things red!

Clockwise from top left:

"Dec Your Doors With Balls of Woolly" Christmas Wreath

MrsB £24.50

Cute Cherry Necklace

Kist Jewellery £10.00

Kokeshi Earrings - Red Set

Mr Jin £6.00

Handbag in Rich Red With Individual Gem Design

The Bridal Accessories Studio £29.95

I've decided to go through the rainbow for the next couple of weeks so next Friday I'll be looking for orange items.

Buy, buy, buy (again!)

2009-11-19T17:56:00.003Z

My friend has just welcomed his first baby to the world and when I saw these bootees on Folksy I just had to buy them:

They were hand crocheted by Funkybootees. Take a look at the shop for more adorable baby boots including the sweetest baby Mary Janes!

Then, another of my friends has a birthday in December so I bought this lovely felted brooch for her:

This lovely flower was hand felted and stitched by Fibrespace, run by Beth Connor in North Yorkshire. Beth makes felted accessories and jewellery in beautiful colours.

And for me, I couldn't resist this Primitive style Christmas tree:

This little piece of gorgeousness was hand stitched by Leanne of Seethewoods. When I saw it at first I thought it was a gnome! Leanne is based in Northern Ireland and sells fabric creations from bags and totes to decorative items, jewellery and accessories in a wide and varied range of media. You can also find hand knit items from wearables to playables and everything in between in her Folksy shop. She also enjoys working with wood and on occasion you may find a few pieces in her shop too.

Some photos of stars

2009-11-18T15:18:00.005Z

I've been making lots of origami stars recently:

It gives my fingers something to do and I enjoy the way each star comes out completely different from the last. My latest batch are made from recycled paper (an Amnesty International Catalogue) and are destined to be made into some kind of mobile I think.

I made a couple of 'memory jars' from shells I picked up on our weekend to Swansea and our holiday on the Yorkshire Coast. The shorter jar is filled with sea glass and shells I found on the beach at Fraisthorpe:

I've also listed some bangles at my Folksy shop. I made them using recycled sari silk and banana yarn. The inside of the bangle is completely recycled. I really enjoyed making these and am planning on listing a few more:

You can buy them here: sari silk bangles and here: banana yarn bangle. Remember, if you are a Folksy seller you get 15% off items in my shop until the end of December (excluding P&P).

Chasing my tail!

2009-11-16T21:40:00.001Z

Just a quick post because I haven't written one in a couple of months!

I have lots of photos and things to blog, but am so busy right now with college and various other things. Once I have time to take a breath I'll get blogging again.

And Friday Love will be making an appearance in the near future.....

A relaxing time.

2009-09-28T20:08:00.005+01:00

Here are some photos of our holiday on the Yorkshire Coast. We stayed in a really sweet cottage called 'Searchlight Cottage'. During the Second World War there was a searchlight on the beach and this building was originally accommodation for the soldiers who operated the light. Now it's been turned into a holiday cottage:

Bryan and Tilly had a fabulous time playing on the beach:

and we went for lots of lovely walks along the cliff tops:

If you book a holiday with Welcome Cottages, via the Dog's Trust website, a 10% donation is made to Dog's Trust. There are loads of lovely places to go on holiday with your pooches. We have our eye on a lovely one on the Scottish coast for next time.

I've started making a multi strand seed bead necklace to hang my sea shell pendant from. I find it's nice to have a larger project on the go so I can take a break from making stars. I have quite a few pieces made up for a coffee morning I'm selling at in

The Spirit of Recycling

2009-09-27T12:42:00.004+01:00

I went into the Post Office this week to post some sheet music I had sold on Amazon. I wanted to buy one of those A4 envelopes that have a card back so the music wouldn't get bent in the post. They didn't have any for sale, so the lady in the Post Office said 'Hang on a minute'. She disappeared into the back of the shop and came out with a used envelope which was exactly the right type and size.

It was so nice of her to go out of her way to find it for me and to find another person who likes to recycle.

Right now I'm making up a batch of origami stars from strips of an Amnesty International magazine. I enjoy making stars from paper like this because each one is completely different and I can make up different colour schemes with the batch.

There are a few recycled items on Folksy right now that I really like as well. The first that caught my eye is this collage by Tozzy Bridger:

It's made from strips of magazine, mounted on recycled card. The plain white background and frame makes the star really stand out.

This beautiful dress is made by EverlastingLife EcoFashions:

It's a UK size 12/14 and is made from repurposed materials. I love the colour combinations and the sweet corsage with lace ribbons.

Busy busy busy!

2009-09-09T16:40:00.004+01:00

I'm having a busy week this week and am going on holiday next week so I haven't been making much jewellery.

I went to work today and found out when I got there that there was only myself and one other volunteer in daycare! They kept that quiet! I work at St Theresa's Hospice as part of my University work placement. I've been there since April, helping out in Daycare and absolutely love it. I didn't really get much chance to sit and talk with the guests (which is the main reason I'm there) because there was so much washing up to do, but we had time to play bingo and I called the numbers for the first time in my life. We all had a real good laugh because I had to make up the names for the numbers. I think I'll have to find a list online somewhere and take it in for next time.

We're taking our two dogs on holiday with us to Searchlight Cottage which is just south of Bridlington. The dogs have never been to the beach before so I'm not sure what they'll make of it. I'll have lots of photos to post when I get back. I'm just not sure how we're going to fit two adults, two dogs, a week's worth of food for us all and our clothes in the car...

Variations on Saag Aloo

2009-09-06T17:07:00.004+01:00

I might not be able to post for quite a while because I'm going to be away on holiday (a week on the Yorkshire Coast with Richard and the dogs) and then I start University when I get back (Foundation Degree in Counselling).

I just thought I'd add to the previous post that you can make a few different vegetable curries using the basic saag aloo recipe:

Aloo Gobi - blanch some cauliflower or broccoli for 2 minutes then add at the same point as the spinach.

Gobi Mattar - using the saag aloo recipe, leave out the spinach and add some frozen peas right at the end.

Stay tuned for lots more Indian and Nepali recipes and don't forget about the September giveaway in my Folksy shop.

Saag aloo

2009-09-02T12:38:00.008+01:00

This spinach and potato curry is perfect for a mid-week evening meal with some rice or naan bread. You can also make it as an accompaniment to a chicken or lamb curry. Sorry about the lack of measurements - I make this from memory so just use the amount I think is best!

vegetable oil

1tsp mustard seeds

10 fenugreek seeds

1 large onion (finely chopped)

1 or 2 cloves of garlic (finely chopped)

1tsp coriander

1tsp cumin

1tsp (or as much as you like) chilli

fresh spinach (washed and roughly chopped)

potatoes (boiled and drained)

fresh coriander (optional)

Assemble your spices (I buy all my spices from our Indian grocery shop):

Heat the vegetable oil in a wok or kadhai. Add the mustard seeds and when they start to pop add the fenugreek seeds. Turn down the heat to low.

Add the onions:

and cook until soft. Add the garlic and fry for a couple of minutes, then dd the coriander, cumin and chilli powder and fry for a few more minutes.

Turn the heat up a little and add the spinach:

then stir fry until the spinach is dry and totally cooked down, being careful nothing burns on the bottom of the pan:

Next, add the cooked potatoes and the turmeric and heat through. Once the potatoes are warm, remove the wok from the heat and add the fresh coriander leaves (I usually forget to add them!).

Serve with rice and rotis and mango chutney.

September Giveaway!

2009-08-31T15:49:00.004+01:00

I'm building up a good amount of stock now and feel like it's time to start my very first promotion:

Spend £5 or over (excluding P&P) in my shop during September and receive a free pair of chiyogami paper origami star earrings (worth £6).

I've discovered that two of the shells I picked up on Rhossili beach have ready made holes in them - as if they are telling me to make them into pendants! I've coated one side with two layers of varnish and this is how the look so far:

I'm planning on making them into multi strand seed bead necklaces. I have some lovely vintage white seed beads which I think will look lovely with the shell on the right in the photo. I'm going to use copper wire to attach it to the necklace and to make some cones for the ends. More photos to follow.

Peyote stitch bracelet

2009-08-29T16:05:00.004+01:00

I finished the bracelet for my mum's Christmas present. I'm pretty pleased with the results:

It's Friday and I'm loving...

2009-08-27T13:03:00.006+01:00

Hermit Crabs!

I know it's not Friday, but we can pretend ;-)

I haven't blogged for a while because I've been pretty busy with one thing and another (although strangely I still find time to watch big Brother). There was no Friday Love last week because I was in the car driving to Swansea with my partner to visit some friends.

We spent most of Saturday on Rhossili Beach where the children made sandcastles and I went for a walk to collect some shells. While we were having a paddle in the sea we found lots of tiny hermit crabs tumbling about in the waves. They were so sweet, but they'd pinched all the prettiest shells!

The shells are washed and are outside drying in the sun. I'm planning on making a mobile out of the smaller ones. The larger ones I'll put in a nice bowl of some kind to display them.

Tilly (my brother's dog) moved in with us on Sunday. It's like she's never been away. I think she's enjoying all the company and the long walks. She even went out in the rain three times yesterday.

She's such a lovely, good natured dog even after all she's been through. I'm looking forward to spending many years with her and all the slobbery kisses I'm going to get.

My Counselling Foundation Degree starts in about three weeks. I'm going to have a trip to Durham on the bus tomorrow just to see what it's like and if the 10.30am bus will get me there on time. I'm so excited to be going back to University and even more excited at the prospect of becoming a fully qualified counsellor.

I haven't posted any new items in my shop for a while, but I've got a few things made up including a very heavy blue charm bracelet and a couple of seed bead bangles. I really must take photos of them and get them up for sale in my Folksy shop. Hopefully I'll get it done over the weekend while Richard is doing some overtime ;-)

It's Blackberry Time!

2009-08-15T16:10:00.006+01:00

I made the first bramble and apple pie of the year yesterday afternoon. It's going to be a really good year for brambles (blackberries) this year - they're looking very large, shiny and juicy. But why is it the best ones are always out of reach? Because it was the first pie I used Jamie Oliver's pastry recipe - it's more like shortbread than pastry. Very rich and sweet.

Bramble and Apple Pie (Serves 4 if you like big portions)

For the pastry:

8oz plain flour

4oz butter (cubed)

3oz sugar

grated zest of 1 lemon

2 egg yolks

water

For the filling:

3 large apples (I used organic Braeburn)

2 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp water

freshly picked brambles (blackberries)

Rub the butter into the flour until it's like breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar and lemon zest. Add the egg yolks and a drop of water to make a dough.

Split the dough in half and turn out onto a floured board. Roll out half of the pastry to line a buttered metal pie dish. My dish is 17cm across the base, the lip is about 3 centimetres. Place the lined pie dish and the other half of the pastry in the fridge.

Peel and core the apples and slice them into chunks. Place them in a saucepan with the sugar and water and simmer for 5 minutes. Leave to cool completely. When the apples are cool, stir in the brambles (as many or as few as you like).

Get the pie dish out of the fridge and pack the filling in:

Roll out the other half of the pastry to make a lid and brush with milk. Bake in the oven at 150C for about 50 minutes or until golden.

Enjoy!

It's Friday and I'm loving...

2009-08-14T11:44:00.005+01:00

Earrings with goldfish inside!

These amazingly sweet earrings are made by PennyDog Jewellery. You can take a look at her Folksy shop here.

PennyDog makes unusual resin jewellery and knitting needles and makes a donation to the Retired Greyhound Trust with every sale. Her items include beautiful chunky rings with cake sprinkles, battenburg slices and copper leaf.

I'm also loving these tiny studs with polymer clay grapefruit slices:

Definately worth a visit!

I've been at the mercy of the weather this week - I had to give a batch of origami stars a second coating of enamel spray but the weather has either been raining or much too windy. It was finally a lovely afternoon yesterday so I got all five strings of stars sprayed. That means I can get them made up into earrings, bracelets and kiltpin brooches in the next week or so.

It's Friday and I'm loving...

2009-08-07T12:37:00.006+01:00

Nadine Arbuthnot Adornment

Nadine has a shop on Folksy and sells beautiful brooches, bracelets, necklaces and earrings using beads and textiles. Her jewellery reminds me of Celtic art. The colours range from bright to natural and the designs are very interesting.

She's having a sale in her Folksy shop right now, so head on over and take a look. I'm especially loving these earrings:

This is another shop that is on my Christmas shopping list :-)

In other news...I'm looking after my step-dad's dog for three weeks. Freddy is an eleven year old Bedlington terrier. He's a bit blind, a bit deaf and has pretty stinky breath. He's a bit of a poppet though and loves to have snooze in the sun somewhere comfortable. I made him a little dog sofa from two pillows and a doggy blanket in the corner of the room:

Once Freddy goes home, we are having Tilly (my brother's dog) come to live with us permanently. We have all decided that she'll have more company at my house (because I already have Bryan the Parson Russell Terrier) and will be able to have lots of off lead walks. She's happy living with my brother, but he thought she would be even happier with me!

It's Friday and I'm loving....

2009-07-31T17:01:00.002+01:00

Locally grown organic veg, delivered to my door!

I've been getting a veg box from Riverford Home Farm for a few years now and their produce never ever disappoints. Right now I get their fruit and veg box once a week. It costs £14.95 (including delivery) and includes 3 types of fruit and a good mix of veg.

I initially looked for a veg box scheme because I was tired of going into a supermarket and looking at apples that have been shipped from New Zealand or South Africa - we grow apples in this country for goodness sake. That coupled with the lack of taste, especially of fruit, got me thinking 'There must be a better way!' I'd thought about joing a scheme a long time ago, but hadn't done anything about it. I found Riverford online and haven't looked back since.

I've found it so much easier to plan meals now I know what veg are being delivered every Wednesday. The orders are really flexible too. You can choose to set up a regular order or you can order online once a week (or once a fortnight, or whenever you want). Our delivery man (the 'veggy man' as I call him) is really friendly and always has a cuddle with my dog.

You can order lots of extras to go with your box from local organic eggs and dairy produce to wine, beer, chutney, jam and breakfast cereal. There's also a recipe section on the website and you can check to see if any of the sister companies deliver to your area. I heartily recommend it.

Something a bit different.

2009-07-30T17:42:00.014+01:00

I fancied doing something a bit different the other day, so I started making a peyote stitch bracelet. This is how it looked after a couple of hours:

It's made up of lots of triangles that overlap one another. It's a long time since I did any bead stitching so I'm quite enjoying the change. I think this one will be a Christmas present for my mum. I'm so slow at making this type of thing that it'll take that long to finish it! I'm going to try out some tubular peyote stitch bangles next as a possible new product for my Folksy Shop.

One thing I have finished though, is a toothbrush rug for my good friend Lisette. It's made up of recycled clothes: a couple of t-shirts, two pairs of trousers and a pair of pyjamas. I think the technique originated in America. Strips of material are knotted together using an old toothbrush as a needle. I have two in my own house. There's an oval one in front of the sink to keep my feet warm when I'm washing up and one in front of the TV, just because it looks nice.

I had a visit this afternoon from my brother, his fiancee and their dog Tilly (a five yera old Staffordshire Bull Terrier). Tilly is the first dog I fostered for the Freedom Project. She lived with us for 9 months and eventually her owner signed her over to the Dog's Trus because she couldn't look after her. My brother had already fallen in love with Tilly and decided he would like to adopt her. She's been living with them since March this year. Here she is with my dog Bryan (those are my legs on the right!):

I made some very sweet earrings from teeny tiny origami stars last weekend.

The stars measure about 4mm across and are attached to silver plated chain using jump rings. I think they are the most fiddly thing I've ever attempted. My hands were literally sweating by the time I finished them (nice eh?). They were really worth it because they've turned out lovely. I'm still thinking about whether to keep these ones for myself, or list them in my Folksy Shop...

Anyone for brownies?

2009-07-25T14:59:00.004+01:00

After finding fellow Folksy artist Seethewoods blog (Just food plain and simple), I had to make the Ultimate Chocolate Brownies - the latest recipe to feature on her blog. Unfortunately I didn't have enough ingredients to make the full amount so I had to half it (oh noooooo!). Here's how I made the brownies:

187g dark chocolate (I used 70% cocoa, Ecuadorian chocolate)

187g salted butter (because unsalted is more expensive!)

225g sugar

3 eggs

2 tsp vanilla essence (I buy the expensive stuff from Sainsbury's - it's really worth it)

112g plain flour

chilli powder (optional)

Preheat your oven to 160 c (180 if you don't have fan assissted).

Melt the butter and chocolate in a pan over a very low heat.

Meanwhile, beat the eggs, sugar and vanilla essence. When the butter and chocolate have melted, stir into the egg mixture slowly (so as not to cook the egss). Add the flour and chilli powder (if using) and stir until well combined. I get chilli powder from our local Indian grocery shop so it's very strong. I used about a quarter of a teaspoon and this gave the brownies a lovely warmth.

Pour into a pan lined with tin foil (my pan is 10.5 inches by 6 inches) and bake for 30 minutes. Leave to cool in the pan. Here's what mine looked like:

The origami stars are still hanging from a nail in my living room, waiting to be sprayed with varnish. I'll probably get around to doing

it today because it's nice weather outside. I'm enjoying looking at them though and I am definately going to make some kind of hanging ornament from either these ones or some others:

It's Friday and I am loving.....

2009-07-24T11:22:00.004+01:00

Sock Bunnies!

One of my most favourite shops on Folksy is Widget and Friends Sock Bunny Shop. Folksy member The Warren makes the most adorable sock bunnies which arrive in their very own sleeping bag. I am especially loving this bunny:

She is called 'Little One' and has such a sweet expression on her bunny face.

Once your bunny has reached you, you can send photos to The Sock Bunny Blog. This super cute blog will keep you up to date with Widget the sock bunny's adventures and you can find out where Global bun is.

The Warren celebrated yesterday with the sale of her 100th sock bunny who left the Warren with her two teeny tiny babies:

A sock bunny from the Warren is definately on my Christmas shopping list.

Photos and a sad day.

2009-07-23T17:38:00.002+01:00

I found Haptree's blog today while mooching on the Folksy Forums. She has written a brilliant article about photography which I am going to find very useful for taking photos of my jewellery:

Composition - Photography Tips

Shared via AddThis

I've been into work today for the first time in two weeks. Someone at R's work decided it would be a good idea to start a rumour that there was swine flu going around the factory. I had to inform the hospice and was told not to go in for two weeks. The story was also reported in our local paper. I found out today that one of the guests I was pretty close to passed away at the weekend. I would have seen him one more time if I'd been able to go to work. I also found out today that the whole thing is just a rumour and there have been no diagnosed cases of swine flu.

People just don't understand how their actions affect other people. I don't know the person who started the rumour, but their action has affected me in a profound way. I'll never get to tell the person who died that I think they are a true gentleman, that he made me laugh, that I admired him and felt privileged that he shared so much with me about his feelings and his illness. I am happy for him that he went suddenly but am sad for his family who loved him so much.

WTF????

2009-07-22T13:22:00.006+01:00

I've been taking part in the forums on Folksy over the past couple of weeks. It seems like a friendly place and a great way to network. Whilst looking through the threads I found a post about a blog called EtsyWTF. I have to admit, I read it with a certain amount of schadenfreude - after all most of these items have been hand made by someone and for all I know could have taken hours of blood sweat and tears. It's still very funny though. Even more funny is the fact that some of the items have been bought!

There are some very interesting links to blogs about Etsy. I only tried selling on Etsy for a very short time but found it too large a venue. I still buy things from there (especially when the pound is strong against the dollar) but I am enjoying selling on Folksy much more.

I've listed lots of items in my shop over at Folksy in the past week - the joys of being a one dog household again means that I have been able to spend a good couple of days making things. One item I felt turned out well is a bracelet made from strips of a Never B To Busy To Be Beautiful catalogue. The paper was glossy, so when I used the acrylic spray on it the effect was very good.

I was hanging strings of origami stars today ready for spraying and have decided to make a mobile with some of them. I'm thinking 5 strands of stars, threaded onto black cotton, passed through a large bead at the top. I'm going to make some beaded beads which might look good on a mobile as well.

I still haven't gotten around to trying a kanzashi - I need to buy some spray starch, but I have a lot of fabric to use (kindly given to me by the vicar's wife). So watch this space for kanzashi and star mobiles :-)

It's been a long time!

2009-07-16T10:33:00.004+01:00

I've had a hectic 6 weeks or so fostering a 7 month old puppy for the Freedom Project. I found out it's impossible to do anything crafty involving small pieces unless I somehow barricaded myself into a room without the pup! She's gone back to her owner now so I've been getting down to some serious jewellery making.

I listed lots of new items in my Folksy shop yesterday and just about used up all of my origami stars. I made a custom order of four bracelets a couple of weeks ago for a lady on Dogsey:

It was lovely working with her to choose the colours for the bracelets and I was extra chuffed that she upped her order to four of them :-)

I've also been doing a lot of baking recently. My mum's friend gave me his recipe for ginger biscuits. He has an aga and loves baking, but his wife is wheat intolerant so he gives all his lovely cakes and biscuits to people in the village. I'm sure he won't mind me sharing the recipe with you so here it is:

Ginger Biscuits:

8oz margarine

2 tbsp golden syrup

4tsp ground giner

12oz self raising flour

6oz sugar

pinch of bicarb

handful of crystallized giner, chopped (optional)

Melt the marg and syrup together over a low heat.

Mix the ginger, flour, sugar and bicarb together and add the marg mixture. Work in the crystallized ginger (if using).

Roll pieces of the mixture into balls (as large or small as you like, I like big biscuits but the recipe says walnut sized balls). Place onto a baking sheet and bake for 10 to 15 minutes at 180C.

The above quantities make a big batch of biscuits, but they don't last long in our house so I always make a lot.

Spend, spend, spend!

2009-06-02T20:24:00.002+01:00

I've spent way too much money online over the past few days. Firstly I bought this uber cute fabric from kallistiquilts on Etsy:

I'm going to make ponytail holders using this material and I'm thinking of other uses for it...

I also found these little badges made by TheHouseofMouse and just had to buy them for Richard:

I'm waiting for a few other things to be delivered: some buttons from everythingribbons and some kilt pins from Ebay. I just got 10 more sheets of washi paper and the acrylic spray arrived a couple of days ago. It's much easier than coating the stars with PVA glue.

I'm halfway through making a large origami star pendant. It should be finished by tomorrow so hopefully I'll post photos then. We have a 7 month old puppy arriving tomorrow so I might just have my hands full for the next week or so!

Garden Project

2009-05-30T12:44:00.005+01:00

I decided today I absolutely must do something about Richard's (my partner) garden. The back garden is pretty small and is a funny triangle shape, but it's lovely and cool in the mornings. It's full of dandelions and wicken right now so I took a strimmer to it this morning:

I want to make it a Japanese themed garden with Buddha statues and a red maple tree. I'm going to put

down gravel either side of the path which runs up the middle of the garden (it's invisible under all the plant life right now).

I've just started doing a bit of research online this afternoon (while staying out of the midday sun) and came acroos a lovely site which gives instructions on how to create a Japanese garden. Hopefully the good weather will hold up long enough for me to get a good start on it - otherwise the weeds will take over once again!

Mmmmm rice!

2009-05-27T14:31:00.005+01:00

I've been away for the weekend staying with friends so haven't really done anything crafty for a few days. Last night I made a huge pan of pilau rice. The colour was so gorgeous I just had to take some photos:

It's surprisingly easy to make: just soak some basmati rice in cold water for thirty minutes.

Thinly slice a large onion and fry gently in butter (or ghee if you have it) for 5 minutes in a large pan. Add two chopped garlic cloves, a cinnamon stick, 4 cardamom pods, 4 whole cloves and 4 black peppercorns to the pan. Fry for another 4 minutes.

Then, drain the rice and add it to the pan with a teaspoon of turmeric and fry for two minutes, or until the rice is dry. Add enough water to cover the rice, bring to the boil, cover and simmer for fifteen minutes without lifting the lid. After fifteen minutes, turn the heat off and leave to stand for another 10 minutes. Voila!

I'm thinking about buying some acrylic spray for coating my origami stars. Right now I'm hand painting each one with PVA glue. It's not too bad on the normal paper ones - they only need two coats. But the washi paper is much thinner so they need three coats. I found some on Ebay so I think it'll be worth the time it'll save me.

I need to buy more buttons to cover so I've contacted Everything Ribbons at Etsy who are kind enough to do custom orders for specific numbers of buttons. I'll be making up some ponytail holders with Kimono fabric and some special ones which I am selling for St Theresa's Hospice.

If you try the pilau rice recipe, let me know if it was nice :-)

So many crafts, so little time!

2009-05-19T19:59:00.006+01:00

I've been doing crafty stuff all my life. I remember my Nana always encouraged me to make things - at Christmas we would make our own gift tags from old cards and make cut out paper snowflakes to stick on the window.

I began cross stitching when I was about 9 or 10 years old. Although I haven't done any for ages I still have a few projects on the go. Maybe I'll finish them one day. Here's one I did finish for the Angel Quilt Project:

I took a silk painting course at the Arts Centre in my town. Here's a dragon I painted:

I still haven't got it framed but it's on my list of to do's!

I was reading about kumihimo the other day. I think after I have a go at Kanzashi I'll give Kumihimo a go. I wish I had nothing else to do apart from crafty things (and enough money to buy all the gear!).

Chunky star bracelet

2009-05-18T11:49:00.009+01:00

Ok, as promised here's a photo of a finished origami star bracelet:

I'm always on the lookout for paper I can recycle into stars. I like the idea of something being reused as an adornment. The red stars are made from a handout I got at college last week! The white stars I created by printing lots of Om signs on white paper. These stars are a little larger than the Washi paper ones but I think the bold red and Om designs look great in a more chunky version.

Om is the first syllable in the mantra 'Om Mani Padme Hum'. This is how the Dalai Lama describes it:

Om [...] symbolizes the practitioner's impure body, speech, and mind; it also symbolizes the pure exalted body, speech, and mind of a Buddha"

I got my first tattoo last Wednesday and it's the exact same Om sign as on the bracelet:

I'm planning on getting a lotus flower design encircling the Om. More pics when it's finished...

Stars and lots of them.

2009-05-17T15:16:00.008+01:00

Ok, the oven is clean (kind of). As I said before I'm really into making origami stars at the moment. I bought some gorgeous washi paper from Japan Crafts last week and have been busily making them up into stars:

They look just about edible!

Next I'll coat them all to make them more durable (it's the part I dislike most but it has to be done) then I'm going to make them into earrings, bracelets and pendants. Here's a photo of the coating in process - I did this many this afternoon and have now got sick of them :-)

I'm using a baking tray to dry them in lol. Hurry up and dry I want to make brownies!

Hello and welcome!

2009-05-17T13:16:00.000+01:00

I'm Sarah (aka Buddhistmusician). I like to make jewellery and hair accessories and have recently discovered a few new techniques (well, new for me anyway). I'm very into origami lucky stars right now and have been making stretchy bracelets from them.

As well as making jewellery I am training to become a Person-Centred Counsellor at Darlington College. I'm currently half-way through my Level 3 NVQ and hope to start a Foundation Degree in September of this year. I work one day a week at St. Theresa's Hospice where I'm a Daycare Volunteer. I also donate some of my jewellery to their charity shop for sale.

My jewellery is currently in stock at In Arcadia and I am just opening an online shop at Folksy. I'll get my bum in gear and post some photos of what I've been making over the past few days, but first I have an oven that needs cleaning....