css stuff

Winter Warmer Fundraiser

I wanted to take the opportunity to invite you along to our upcoming Green Renters fundraiser.  We decided to do something a bit different than the typical film screenings and trivia nights and we've paired with fellow Brunswick business Olive Grove to host an in-store evening of magic, shadow puppetry, jazz music, mulled wine, fashion and more with proceeds split between us and Olive Grove. There'll be hourly give aways and lots of entertainment and of course, mulled wine! I'll also be making my very special vegan chocolate crackles!

Every ticket sold includes a complimentary glass of mulled wine and books by Brunswick publishers, Aduki Press. 

Tuesday 14^th August

6pm-9pm

Olive Grove Studios

159 Sydney Rd, Brunswick

 Tickets $8/$10

To book and find out more go to http://greenrenters.org/civicrm/event/info?reset=1&id=203

Make your own jams and preserves workshop

 We've a couple of places left in Sunday's jams and preserves workshop in Brunswick, Melbourne.

Ever wanted to make your own jam but not sure how? Do you have a glut of zucchinis or beetroot in the garden and would like to make something with them? This hands on workshop will show you the basics of preserving, including preparation, jar sterilisation, setting points and bottling of chutneys and jams.

You'll be involved in making preserves using seasonal fruit and vegetables, and all participants will receive a couple of jars to take home.

Tastings include onion jam, lemon butter, rhubarb jam and tomato kasundi and a yummy devonshire tea for all. 
Only $25
To book go to: http://greenrenters.org/civicrm/event/info?reset=1&id=202

I'm busy this week with:

Organising recipes for Saturday's (booked out!) Jam and Preserves workshop

Looking after Mr Pablo, he's been unwell and had an injection of antibiotics at the vet. Here he is enjoying the sun through the office window!


Making double door snakes for our winter warmer packs at the Green Renters shop


Reading crime fiction like this


and watching this at the cinema


Laughing at this video (I'm sure it will amuse food bloggers everywhere) :


Other less pictorial tasks include writing multiple grants, applying for jobs ( I have a interview on skype next week with a company in Israel), working on a vegan lemon butter recipe and getting looking forward to the the comedy fest.

Things I like today

Loving these chairs
Still love the work of Olle Eksell

A lovely idea for upcycling an old atlas

Such a lovely country style kitchen


haha this made me laugh! I'd like to join a book club. I started a crime fiction one last year but got too busy with NEIS and Green Renters to do anything about it.

Things I like today

Orla Kiely does fashion! Available here


Such a gorgeous yellow jute rug



Very cute owl cushion

Mr Pablo decided my next job for the day was patting him.

How lovely is this wallpaper?

Brunswick Artists Society, Sydney Road Brunswick

I was starving hungry on Saturday morning after a busy appointment and not a minute to breakfast or even take my pills so after shopping for groceries for Sunday's brunch, I popped into the Brunswick Artists Society for breakfast. Formerly known as Red Butterfly, a cafe which I always considered a bit daggy (in a good way) it's now stripped back to basics with exposed wood and bricks, sanded back tables and large glass food cabinets. Much more aesthetically pleasing. I'm not sure how much of the food is made on site but the cabinets were full with various lasagnes, frittatta, salads, gourmet filled rolls and cakes. Not much for vegans but there were a few vegetarian options.

I took a seat and looked at the breakfast menu. The menu was nicely laid out attached to a wooden block. Nothing outstanding except perhaps the beetroot relish which I love as I like to make my own. I sat waiting for someone to take my order (there were no signs to suggest otherwise) but despite looking hungry, no one came near me. I popped up to the counter and order. Confusing. Surely an attached menu on each table suggests table service? Having a sugar craving, I opted for french toast, the only way I eat eggs and the kind of food I eat perhaps once every few months and a long black with cold milk. Considering only two other tables were occupied, the coffee took ages. The women behind the counter seemed more interested in adjusting their hair and rattling coffee beans. But the coffee was nice, I had two cups.

The french toast was a bit of a shock. Described as hearty french bread dipped in egg milk and fried until golden with a topping of maple syrup yogurt and apricots I was bemused to receive two very thin fried slices of bread, topped with cold runny unsweetened yogurt with perhaps a half teaspoon of maple syrup and three half canned apricots. Far from great, especially as it didn't appease my sugar craving. Considering I live five minutes away, I could have done better myself! Next time I'll stick to Jellystone Park cafe.

-And in regard to the name of the cafe, I heard the owner telling someone they are planning on running an art space out the back in the future. Hope it goes well.

Brunswick Artists Society
669 Sydney Road
Brunswick

Things I like today

KONY 2012 from INVISIBLE CHILDREN on Vimeo.

A wonderful inspiring campaign definitely worth supporting. Get informed and spread the word.



I must get a couch/chair and do this!



Really liking these recipes for making your own vegan peanut butter and hazlenut spread. Really need to get a new food processor very sooon.

Lovely mountain print

Definitely worth remembering for any self-started initiative

Make your own skincare workshop

Make your own full sized skin care products from high-quality, natural ingredients. Not only will you know exactly what’s in them, but you’ll blend ingredients to work beautifully with your own skin type.

You'll learn to make your very own:

• lip balm
• gentle cleansing mask
• cooling hydrating toner/facial scrub
  
• facial cleanser

All ingredients, containers and instructions are included in the workshop price and you will receive full sized products to take home for personal use, a recipe list and instruction for the products you've made.

March 8th 6:30pm to 8:30pm

Location: Ross House Association
First floor meeting room 3, 247 Flinders Lane
Melbourne

Cost: $50/$30 concession
Book here

Like this workshop?

You might like our following workshops:

• Make your own bath products
• DIY Natural Cleaning
• Make your own jams and preserves

Planning a Girls Night In or Hen's Night?

We are able to offer this workshop in the comfort for your own home for you and your guests. Contact us for more information and rates.

Things I like today

Such a lovely image
I would have loved one of these when I was studying nursing



My dream bedroom from here

One of the very cute cards by Geek Armour

Things I like today

One of a series of amazing tattoos

Such a good way to use up scraps of embroidery thread!

This painting by Sia Joo Hiang reminds me of someone at home....

Yep that's me

Gorgeous selection of bird embroidery and tapestry from here

What have I been up to?

I've been really busy with the Sustainable Living Festival! Green Renters had a stall on the weekend and launched our gigantic green games.

Last night I made these as a gift for a vegan friend:

We're actually making these with some other goodies at Thursday night's workshop which will be fun, even if it means I've made them twice in a week. I'm also trialing a homemade toothpaste and deodorant to offer at workshops, depending on how they work out. Will get some guys to road test them also.

I'd like to offer the bath and skin care product workshops to 'hen's nights'* and the like, but I'm not quite sure how to promote them. I've contacted several 'green' bridal websites but they only focus on the big day not the preceding events.

Also busy hunting for part time work as Chris has been working full time the last six months and it's his turn to focus on Green Renters a bit more whilst I work (hopefully) to pay off some debts. Applying for jobs is always a bit soul destroying but fingers crossed. I'm also in the process of closing down my Polka Dot Rabbit shop to move the items over to Green Renters as appropriate, as they are all 'upcycled' products. It is too much work trying to promote two shops and the craft scene bubble has definitely burst.



I think this video is great, obviously the name of my blog and business makes it evident I love rabbits and find it quite abhorrent that they are seen merely as food by many rather than the engaging intelligent animals that they are.

*I really loathe the term 'hen's nights' I also dislike 'girls' as in 'girls' night in'. I wish more contemporarty terms were recognised!

Playing catch up on blogging....

I'm a rather behind blogger. I've been busy making things in time for Melbourne's Sustainable Living Festival where Green Renters is having a stall as part of the big weekend and running our life-sized board games (assuming they are finished in time) Rentopology and Sneaks and Ladders. We also have a stencil artist 'in residence' in our stall so people can bring along their calico bags, t shirts or other items and get them stenciled with a new design!


Chris dug up some fresh veggies this afternoon all set for making potato and beetroot mash. I love beetroot! Roast, boiled or eaten raw. Mashed with potato and Nuttlex and served with hot mustard, homemade capsicum and soy sausages, it's a definite treat.

We have loads of herbs in the garden at the moment: rosemary, parsley, basil, vietnamese mint, culinary mint, oregano and thyme. I put bags full out the front with a 'help yourself' sign at regular intervals.


We're also enjoying a bumper crop of strawberries on our breakfast cereal this season. Nothing like homemade produce! We've three Green Renters workshops coming up on making jams and preserves, one of which is booked out already. I'm looking forward to them to demonstrate that preserving is possible even in small spaces without a Fowler kit.


I've also a couple more skincare and bath products workshops coming up. They'll be held at Ross House, in Flinder Lane, Melbourne city and cost $50 full/$30 concession. I've done several practice rounds of each workshop now and tweaked a couple of recipes, bought extra equipment and I feel I've got them nicely polished. All materials and recipes included in each workshop and the ingredients are all vegan.

Here's a cute pic of Chris with Mr Pablo, our 15 year old cat. We adopted him last year and he's surprisingly spritely for an older gentleman!

Things I like today

such a lovely dress!

Love these retro advertisements!

Great tutorial for this cute purse!

Love this London transport cushion!