Time for a new blog...

I'm no longer running my craft business Polka Dot Rabbit, haven't been for some time, and after a long hiatus, I've decided to do some blogging again.

You can read my new blog, Consuming Cate over at http://consumingcate.blogspot.com/.

What will I talk/write about:

• Daily happenings and a few pics
• new recipes, with an emphasis on plant based recipes
• Travelling
• The process of writing a novel
• New workshops and creative projects.

Maybe you'd like to join me? 

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

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!

For a good cause: Door snake making workshop

Sunday April 10th
12pm onwards
Cate' s house in Brunswick (email me for address)

I'm organising a Green Renting expo for people living in social housing and rooming houses in conjunction with a housing organisation to be held in May. We're hoping for a fairly decent turn out, and would like to offer all attendees with their very own doorsnake for draft proofing their room.

As most shop sold door snakes are mass produced overseas in sweat shops I'd like to make my own instead. So this means making about 100 Door Snakes. They're pretty easy to make. I have two sewing machines but feel free to bring your own. Donations of fabric thread and wadding/cut up scraps are also welcome. (Some makers use wheat or sawdust but this is not an option due to the risk of pests and bugs).

So if you can't sew, it could be an opportunity to learn or you are welcome to do cutting, turning fabric right side out, ironing etc. All useful tasks!

I'll put on some snacks etc but feel free to bring something. You're welcome to bring people who would like to help but we don't have *heaps* of space so might have to spread out a bit. It won 't be too sweatshop like, there'll be wine and chocolate and music and tea and all the good things! A great chance to hang out with crafty people and chat too :)

Feel free to give me an email cate@greenrenters.org or 0433584889
Many thanks
Cate

news and bits and pieces

I've not been around much at all in blog land for a few reasons. I've been flat chat with Green Renters working on our upcoming International Student Challenge and attending the Sustainable Living Festival here in Melbourne where we participated in a Sustainable Homes Q&A, presented a workshop on sustainable living in rental accommodation and ran a workshop on eco-crafting (making rag rugs from t shirts and my friend Katherine taught people how to darn socks).

After that I got a re-occuring hideous sinus infection which really knocked me about over the last few days and has made me hopelessly behind in craft world. Hope you are all well dear crafty folk xx

ps-We had a server crash just before the SLF. We lost all our surveys! If you would be kind enough to fill out another one here we'd really appreciate it

Things I like today

I love this pic of Jeanne Moreau and Henri Serre riding bicycles. Sadly, Australian photos with our compulsory helmets never look as carefree!

Something about this picture really appeals to me...from here


What a stunning entrance of books!


Cute robot cake via Swiss Miss


Apricot jam made by me! We're having a garage sale fundraiser here to raise money for the RSPCA in Queensland. Lots of books, cds, clothing, magazines and of course, apricot jam! We'd love you to come along on Saturday if you're in Melbourne. You can find out more by going here

World Vegan Day!

Yesterday was World Vegan Day! Here in Melbourne the celebrations were at Abbotsford convent and despite the rainy weather it was a lovely day. It was insanely busy all day so I didn't take as many photos as I might have liked as it was just crowds of people everywhere...

I helped Chris out with a stall for Aduki and the books just flew off the table, especially the new 2011 Australian Veg Food Guide. I've always loved the Convent grounds (we looked at getting married there in 2008 but at the time only a huge ballroom was available) so I snuck around and took some pics:

Here's me staffing the stall (excuse the boob shot, Chris took it!)







There was so much amazing food for sale (everything was vegan), including yummy vegan hot food like curries and stir fries. I also had some delicious cupcakes from Mr Nice Guy.

The day also included the Aduki/Uproar Veg Food Awards, annoyingly misprinted in the program of the day and despite Chris' hard work to try and get award winners together, there was a real lack of space for giving out awards due to the weather!

We were generously given some Bounty Burgers which we tried last night. Chris liked them but I found them very bland unfortunately. Tofu is always a challenge for me as I'm not meant to have it regularly due as it clashes with the medication I have to take for my thyroid. This means I sometimes have to chose dairy over tofu, particularly as I can't function when my thyroid isn't working. Frustrating!

I was also really pleased to see Radical Rabbit with their stall across from us. As most of you know I had some very loved house rabbits who sadly passed away a couple of years ago, whom I still miss! I get irrate about the ignorance people have about rabbits, especially in regard to keeping them in hutches instead of inside.



I also bought this book:
Can't wait to give the recipes a try! Of course, you don't have to be vegan to enjoy them, they particularly strike a cord for people like me who've always hated eggs. Since childhood. I love brunch and it's always annoyed me to go to cafes and see a menu full of eggs. There's some cashew cheese recipes I'm going to try out this week. I'll be sure to do some recipe reviews for you all!

Things I like today

What do you think about this? I often get asked for freebies for giveaways and such and as I operate on a very low income sometimes find myself having to explain that I just can't afford it with cost of materials and postage....


Love this website comparing French and American icons...


From a funny gallery of political protest signs!

This crockery by Marianne Van Ooij blows my tiny mind. Just love it. Found here

Tomorrow is Melbourne Cup Day. It's a public holiday for the holding of a horse race. I don't support horseracing. This article gives you a good idea why.

Good people make good things happen

Have you heard of the rather awesome Mirabel foundation?

Mirabel assists children who have been orphaned or abandoned due to parental illicit drug use and are now in the care of extended family (kinship care). Mirabel believes that every child deserves a childhood and its mission is to break the destructive cycle of addiction.

Mirabel supports children aged 0-17 years and works at restoring a child’s sense of self-worth, belonging and hope for the future in order for them to reach their full potential as young adults.

Pretty awesome hey? Equally awesome is the Softies for Mirabel campaign organised by the lovely Pip of Meet me at Mikes. You can make a cute softie of your own and it will be donated to a child from Mirabel. I met a couple of women from the Mirabel Foundation last night, amazing work they do! You can find out more info from Pip's website here. I'm thinking I'll make some more duck softies and maybe some dinosaurs!


I went along to the launch of Pip's new book Sew Tea La Do! It was held at the lovely Captains of Industry and was great fun! I think you should buy a copy of this book, it will impress you no end, it's really well made with the most beautiful photographs and projects for everyone. I like people who make things happen. It's very easy to complain rather than do, and I think Pip is a great example of someone who works hard and makes things happen. We should all be inspired by that really.

Have you made something good happen lately? Email me at cate@polkadotrabbit.com so I can share the goodness! xx

The wonder of creative Melbourne

Went to the Positive Poster exhibition at the No Vacancy Gallery at QV here in Melbourne last night. These two were my favourites....




Then we went for rather awesome mushroom and spinach dumplings at David and Camy's Dumpling House. Excellent.

Then we went to see Bill Viola's Firewoman and Tristan ascending in St Carthages in Parkville. Eerie but glorious.And free. We are incredibly luckily in Melbourne to have access to such wonderful creative sensibilities. I always feel grateful.

Self Portrait-Day 13 of Blogtoberfest

Created as part of 2008 Fringe Festival's Totem exhibition, held at Federation Square, this self portrait represents my love of bunnies, struggle with body image and depression: (the black dog) and my open heart.... I enjoyed making it, and I've had a few requests by people for their own portraits but nothing definite. I think a personalised totem doll would be an awesome gift for someone special!

Blogtoberfest

pic from here

Not much news, I've been recovering from the exhibition, packing things up, working on paperwork, putting things back where they belong, organising things. I'm very tired. Give me a few days, things will be organised.

Things I like today

I've been drooling over these Jane Foster dolls for ages...the catch is they come in a kit and you have to make them yourself! Very cool.


Gotta make me some of Joel's paper owls! Fab tutorial!

Such a stunning example of the power of black and white photography.

The only thing as good as the V&A is the V&A shop.This is 'Pause and Wonder' by Aardvark for the V&A Cherry on the Cake: Paper collection.

Sunday Market tomorrow!

Tomorrow's Exhibition includes a back yard pop-up market with beautiful dresses by
Polly Pratt, cupcakes, craft wares and vintage goodies! Do come, it'll be fun!

12 to 5pm

161 Albion St, Brunswick.

cate@polkadotrabbit.com

When an Idea becomes a reality

Well the exhibition is up and ready for viewing! The launch was held last night and very well attended with lots of lovely people and even some sales! I'll write something detailed with pictures and such over the next couple of days. I've got a bad cold alas (of all the times for it!) and I'm quite weary as I had a tv interview at the channel 31 studio last night after the exhibition and then a phone interview this morning with ABC radio at 6am. Tiring! I managed to go back to sleep, but slept badly in general due to being ill. I made us a full english breakfast (well a vegan version) complete with toast, mushrooms, baked beans, hashbrowns, spinach from our garden and soy sausages. Very yummy and somewhat restorative.

At the moment I'm sitting outside in my backyard watching people walk in and outside my house to look at the work, certainly a strange experience! Somewhere between a open house inspection and a garage sale I think. But definitely fun.

Edit-two minutes after I posted this, one of Louise Francis' burlesque embroideries just sold. Yay!

I'm quite pleased that the Exhibition has come to fruition. Certainly a mammoth effort which I could have done without the help of my husband and some great friends and of course, our lovely exhibitors. So lucky to know so many wonderful people.

Selling...

I'm selling some Frankie magazines and books over on Ebay. Have a look here won't you? Like most creative people in the middle of putting on an exhibition, I'm rather broke!

Home is where the Craft Is, 2010 Melbourne Fringe Festival

Our promo postcards for the exhibition! Yay!

Polka Dot Rabbit one day sale!

I'm having a quick spring sale today on my Polka Dot Rabbit gloves. All gloves are $10 for today!
xx
Cate

News and bits and pieces...

Did you know I'm curating a craft show at my house from Melbourne Fringe Festival? It starts in about three weeks, very exciting! We're still designing a flyer but more coming soon including pics. Some ace women are in it, including Rayna Fahey, Camille Condon, Clem Bastow and Anna Boyd Dunlop. I hope you'll all come visit us and view all the amazing exhibits!

My website Polka Dot Rabbit is being redesigned and includes a vintage section. It still needs a bit of tweaking so bear with us, but it's ready for a spot of shopping if you like! At any rate, feedback is always appreciated.

I'm working on a bout of healthy eating and less drinking to try and lose some of my thyroid weight. Nothing too exciting and I hired a cross trainer. If you have any tips or favourite healthy recipes, I'd love to hear them.

Have you seen the Frankie Blankie? I was honoured to embroider the Beci Ophin illustration! You can place a bid and have it sitting proudly on your bed! Just email quilt@frankie.com.au with your highest bid. Bidding closes on October 19 and the final winning bid will be donated to The Salvation Army.