Let them eat lace

One of the photographers I like to follow is Nicoline Patricia Malina. I have posted about her on this blog before but I can't resist posting up her latest photoshoot. The colours are so gorgeous I'd like to eat them. She mainly shoots for fashion with her photos appearing in Harper's Bazaar, Elle, Esquire etc....you know all the gorgeous glossy mags........I love the way her work always looks so luscious and other wordly. Hopefully you'll enjoy it too.

Stitch and Bitch

I've started gong to a Stitch and Bitch on Monday nights....................a friend dragged me along a few weeks ago and it's great. I had taken up knitting again just recently, in part of my take back my weekends campaign. The one thing I've found over the years of having a creative business is that less of my creativity is used doing things just for me. When you work from home it is so easy to never have a real break especially when you're blogging, facebooking and that latest painting is looking at you telling you just to do a little more.  

I am the kind of knitter who knits scarves and maybe something as complicated as a beanie, not things where I have to count stitches or follow patterns, though i can do that........I just like to relax though and not think too much while I'm knitting. 

So Stitch and Bitch is just fabulous. Knitting, getting to meet new people, chatting, a glass of wine, I'm hooked. We go to the Southern Cross (for those Wellingtonians that are reading) and wow has it changed.......for most people that's nothing new but I hadn't been to the Southern Cross since it was a dingy student pub........it's really great...........pop in if you get a chance.

If you want to try knitting or are picking it up again, one of the woman at Stitch and Bitch told me about this fantastic website ravelry. It has patterns, forums, everything you could ever need or want to know about knitting.

In my wandering around the web looking at knitting sites I have also discovered "yarn bombing". As one website puts it "improving the urban landscape one stitch at a time'. I've popped some examples below.......aren't they fabulous........makes me want to gather up a bunch of knitters and cover some part of Wellington in colour.

steampunk insects

I adore anything steampunk so when my son sent me the link for these steampunk insects the other day I was all there. In fact I want all of them......I also have a thing for insects too.  

The insects are made by sculptor Mike Libby. He says he started making them when he found a dead intact beetle.  He was thinking how the beetle operated was like a little mechanical device and when he got hold of an old wristwatch he decided to combine the two.

The birds are made by Jim Mullan , made out of old decoys and found objects. Don't you love how he has mounted them on the strangest things. He apparently has a vast collection of vintage hardware, bird carvings and watches filling up his 3300 sq ft studio. 

getting in the mood for a long weekend

I've posted up a competition on our facebook page because queen's birthday weekend is coming in twelve sleeps......yah a long weekend ! So if you'd like to go in the draw to win a barkingmad image block pop on over to our facebook page and like us.

Art By Wiley

Lovely Jodi at Art by Wiley posted an interview on me today if any of you are interested in

 having a look here's the link. She has a really great blog and has challenged herself this year to blog everyday, which I think is quite a feat.

the sweet smell of snow

Inspiration in the kitchen

I'm really into my cooking at the moment after a little bit of a drought of inspiration in the kitchen.

Do you find you start to get so bored with everything you're cooking and then can't really be bothered and what's for dinner becomes a chore. Well that was me until I made a wee resolution to start eating more vegetables. That got me going to the vegetable market on Sunday morning (the one on the waterfront for those of you that know Wellington).

I love the vegetable market. I love that you're buying from the people who grow the vegetables. I love that you're buying in season. I love that it's cheaper so you can afford all that yummie fruit and vegetables you might not buy at the supermarket. And I love that once I've brought home bags bursting with fresh vegetables it inspires me to start looking up new recipes.

So shopping at the vegetable market started me getting into cook books again which of course started a little obession with food blogs and before I knew it I was whipping up gorgeous feasts for the family on a regular basis (which I have to say have been much appreciated by all).

My favourite thing at the moment is to cook a big meal on Sunday night with desert ! ( usually unheard of by me ....the kids are in ecstasy) and of course with a lovely bottle of wine for the adults. I take my time over Sunday afternoon to prepare and contemplate what I'm going to cook. Which brings me to my other resolution at the moment to try to have weekends and especially keep away from the computer on the weekend .........you know get out of the cyber world into the real world......I've taken up knitting again too but that's another story.

 So when Decor8 featured a new online cooking magazine this morning I was all there. Here are some of it's glorious images and the link. If you'd like to see more recipes have a look at their blog. Thinking of making the wholeflour pancakes with spinach and parmeggiano this weekend.

isn't this a joy

from buzzfeed