eat of the week

jam session 1.

Well, despite the fact that we lost half the tree this year and as a result didnt quite get the "bumper crop" we were hoping for, I still managed to make more jam than both past seasons combined. The trick? Picking early and often - and BEFORE the flying pests and weird summer hailstorms got to the fruit. Lucky really, because every year the list of "please can I have a jar" requests grows longer and longer. Ramona has already snaffled two jars, one for scones and one to whip together in her new fangled ice-cream machine to make apricot vanilla swirl which looked delicious NOT THAT I GOT ANY TO TASTE mind you!

I love making jam, its so easy one kg of fruit, one kg of sugar and the juice of two lemons... and it's especially delicious when you use locally grown in season fruit. So of course we've decided on yet another HML project for 2012, one we're calling The Jam Sessions.

Each month we're going to whip up some kind of jam, marmalade, compot or sticky preserve with whatever we can scrounge, barter or grow and let you lucky readers and listeners compete to win a 12 jar basket of the fruits of our labour...including a choice selection from January's Jam Session (as shown above). Over the holidays I've spied a number of excellent fig trees around the hood, as well as putting in dibs on my italian mother in law's trees... it appears that Feburary will be Fig month.

Oh and if anyone has an idea about what to do with a bucket of apricot kernals please let me know! BECK

Little project of the week

Put a bird on it

My lovely friend B gave me a little nests worth of bird related gifts for Christmas this year. One was a lovely linen tea towel. B was very dismayed when we discovered there was a flaw (about to become a hole) in the material. I still loved it, (and I love B even more) so I decided to make the flaw a feature. I chain stitched around it then stretched the tea towel onto canvas. My friend B gave me this art work for Christmas - isn't it sweet? RAMONA

SHOWS OF THE WEEK

Summer Daze

January is a languid month here in Australia. particularly with the mercury rising, the cricket on the tv, kids at home and many people taking there annual leave. It's not a great time for exhibitions so it's an opportunity for some nice road trips and long afternoons spent in large mausoleum-like galleries and museums around the place. We are hoping to pile the kids in respective cars and head up to Bendigo Art Gallery to see the rare work of 1950's textile artist Michael O'Connell, maybe later this week when the weather breaks a little.

My beloved spent several seasons as a fisherman and so sees himself as a bit of a seafarer so it will be easy to get him down to Morning Peninsula Regional Gallery to see their Sea of Dreams show. All about the impact and influence of Port Phillip Bay at the turn of the 19th Century.

I'll be visiting a pal in Frankston so I'll make a point to stop off at the McClelland Gallery in Langwarrin to see the ceramics on show as part of the Senini Student Award.The work of 2011's award winner Kerry Peterson was a highlight for us at the RMIT ceramics graduate show. A little bit of craft, a little bit of art, a little bit of driving. Summer in the city/country is here. RAMONA

first day of the week

Salutations!

Can you believe it? Brand new year! The ladies of hml are looking forward to a craft packed summery start to 2012. This is the perfect time to just relax, slow down in the heat (or chill depending on your hemisphere) and work on little projects that bring you happiness. We never start on big projects in January. Sometimes a little paper wreath for the front door is all that's needed.

Ps. Inspired by Beck's 2011 365 project of documenting her breakfast, I'm doing dinner. Everyday I cook for 5 people between the ages of 3 to 69. The family dinner may seem like an odd thing to document and to share but I'm interested in how, over time, it will build a narrative of family life. Don't worry I'll include my culinary disasters, bad takeaways and dodgy desserts so it might be entertaining for you.
It's on a separate blog called 365 dinnertime. If you like to check it out please do!

Seasons Greetings

Dear HML readers, did you have a good Christmas? We certainly did! It feels like it's been Christmas for months so it's a bit odd having just the remnants about - mince tarts, ham, holiday paperbacks, paper bunting etc. We are going to take the rest of the week off to rest up and spend as much time offline as possible. This strange week, between the two big days is perfect for list makers and lazy bones alike and right now we are a bit of both. We'll be back next Monday with the Show of the Week (and no it won't be Mission Impossible 5) and news of our 365 projects for 2012. Have a lovely week, get outdoors away from your computers and spend time with really lovely people (or on your own which can be a real luxury)
See you on the flip side

Ramona &  Beck x