What brings you REAL joy?

Fresh picked whimsy

Just wanted to share this thought on a Monday in May ... seems so simple.
Thanks to Lori for sharing her creativity.

I should be packing, but ...

I'm sewing.
I find it hard to pack up my creative room, the sewing machine will be one of the last things to box.
Folding up the multiple yards and metres of fabric just makes me think of things that I need to sew... now, before I leave Beijing.

Here is the T-shirt quilt I have just finished a quilt for Alice.

Not only is she graduating from high school this June but she also leaves China after 9 years here in Beijing. Sewing some of her history together in a quilt, seems like a perfect way to keep the memories warm around her.

The squares are all cut from old T-shirts I have saved from her 9 years here in China. They range from her role as the Munchkin mayor in 'The Wizard of Oz', to being a committed member of the school girl's rugby team.

T-shirt quilts are quick to sew.

It's not too late to make one, if there is someone reaching a milestone in your family.
Here's how I did it:

1. Collect old t-shirts (or buy new if you need extra!)
2. Wash and iron them, before cutting a square approx 13 inches (33 cm).
3. Iron some fusible interfacing onto the back of your square. This will help the T-shirt to remain stable and not stretch too much when you're sewing it.
4. Lay out the T-shirts and form a grid. My quilt has 4 T-shirt squares across and 5 down, but you can make it smaller.
5. Choose a cotton fabric that compliments you T-shirts. You will need about 2 metres.
6. Cut this cotton into strips 3inches (7.5cm) wide. This will form the borders to your squares.
7. Gradually sew together to form a quilt top. I used fleece for the backing to make it cosy and quick!
8. Quilt round the squares or simply tie the layers together in places.
9. Add a binding round the edge, I used a chinese red to contrast with the turquoise chopsticks fabric.
10. Check out this link and this one for more ideas on how to make your quilt.

Oh well, enough blogging and back to the boxes!

Words to Live By ...

Reblogged from That Kind of Woman
Originally posted by ringleaderjayy

Where in the world am I?

A thousand apologies apologise for the lack of posts, 

but let's see if you can guess where I am this week...

Clue 1.

The cake shops are amazing

Clue 2:

Everyone walking or cycling by has their own unique and amazing sense of style

Clue 3:

It's April and it's still feels like winter

Clue 4:

The restaurants are soooo good

Clue 5:

Flower shops everywhere to inspire and brighten your day

Clue 6:

I used to live here.

Where am I?

Why, I'm eating ice cream in wonderful Copenhagen.

Useful advice: Don't feed the bad wolf

If you thought there were no wolves at your table, think again. 

Found via Pinterest.

Image source

An elderly Cherokee Native American was teaching his grandchildren about life…

He said to them, “A fight is going on inside me, it is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One wolf is evil—he is fear, anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, competition, superiority, and ego.

The other is good—he is joy, peace, love, hope, sharing, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, friendship, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.

This same fight is going on inside you, and inside every other person, too.”

They thought about it for a minute, and then one child asked his grandfather, “Which wolf will win, Grandfather?”

The Elder simply replied, “The one you feed.”

What lies behind the doors of Beijing?

'Never judge a book by it's cover' has to be the rule for living in China.

Image: Ingrid in Beijing

These beautiful bone china tea cups were found in a recent foray to a warehouse in the backstreets of Beijing.

Would you guess that behind these ply wood walls we would find 5 rooms full of bone china - some beautiful and some best left there!

One of the joys of living in Beijing is that someone is always discovering a new emporium in this vast city and another joy is how we love to share these finds with friends. 

Thanks Wendy for taking me along and I am sure we will be back again soon.

Lo-fi ... the new retro photo app

Lo-fi ... the new retro photo app, originally uploaded by rufusandco.

Check out lo-fi a new way to give your photos a retro photography look.
Starting with a photo I took of some old printers blocks, so many different looks from randomly choosing the processing.
It really is straightforward to use and with a seven day free trial, it's nice to try it before buying it.

Sorry I am having to blog via flickr as every VPN I try is blocked right now- so in case the link doesn't work go to www.lofiapp.com and have some fun.

Duck egg blue bowls

Duck egg blue bowls, originally uploaded by rufusandco.

Don't you love the colour?
This beautiful bowl is the work of David Edmonds in his Sydney studio.
His inspiration comes from a love of food, and his colours are designed to compliment and enhance the pleasure of food - soft and delicious. The ceramic surface really has a magical silkiness to touch, I fell in love with it the moment I had it in my hand.
When not being used for salad or fruit, I love the way it serves as a sculpture on my table.
Stockist for the bowl: DuckEggBlue in Darling St, Balmain, Sydney.

PS
Sorry for any blog double posting from me. China in its wisdom has now blocked not only blogs but also the VPN I was using to be able to post. I am trying to find ways round it.

It's a reminder to me to never take things for granted. What worked yesterday won't necessarily work today.

Mmmm ..... mamma's almond biscuits

Thinking back to the luscious lattes I enjoyed in Sydney last week.
Bertoni's on Darling in Balmain was my absolute favourite.
Not least because I fell in love with their almond biscotti.

Imagine my delight when Trudie and David, the fab friends we were staying with, presented us with "I only eat at Bertoni.", This book is a visual feast of all that the Bertoni family serve to the lucky residents of Balmain.
So today, I'm in Beijing imagining I am back in Sydney, baking Amaretti di Mamma ... Mamma's almond biscuits.
Mmmm, I wish you could smell the sweet almond fragrance wafting out from the kitchen where they sit cooling. Well instead why not have a go yourself? They are so easy to make and just perfect for coffee, tea, dessert and any other excuse to nibble on another one.

Recipe from "I only eat Bertoni", available from Amazon in April.

Amaretti di mamma
100g (1 lb) caster sugar (fine granulated sugar)
500g (1lb) ground almonds
1Tbsp vanilla sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1/2 teaspoon almond essence
4 egg whites (mine were small)
100g (3 oz icing sugar for rolling
Oven preheat 160C, 325F, gas mark 3


Method
1. Line 2 baking sheets with baking paper.
2. In a large bowl, mix caster sugar, ground almonds, vanilla sugar together with your hands.
3. Add vanilla extract and almond essence ( do not use artificial flavouring). Then add egg whites, one by one, making sure mixture is not too wet. (It should come off your fingers and not be sticky).
4. Sprinkle a generous amount of icing sugar on to a clean work surface. Take a handful of the almond mixture and roll into a sausage (about 2-3cm in diameter) and then roll the sausage in icing sugar. Cut the sausage into 2cm long pieces.
5. Turn the sections on end and then press gently down to form a rounded shape. Place onto the lined baking sheet, about 2cm apart. I baked them for around 10 minutes, longer than the recipe says. Just keep and eye on them and when they start to crack on the surface and have pale golden tinges, take them out and cool on a wire rack.
Enjoy with a lovely cup of coffee, a nice cup of tea or a refreshing glass of Vin Santo. Why not.. it's almost the weekend.

Check out Bertoni on their soon to be revamped website.

Baking on Bourke Street

Just time for a quick postcard, from one of Sydney's great bakeries. 

Remember this?

Isn't it great when you get to go inside a book for real?