Exciting times: Magazines, Markets stalls and Music

Sooo, exciting times happening here for me. My handmade magazine that I make with Mezz, is almost available for you to buy. Issue one of Hundreds and Thousands magazine is about to be released and its very excting. Our starter issue was sold out, which was a total suprise. We've got a new logo for our mag now after running a compitition on our blog, and my friend Sarah won. She combined vintage fabric and her computer skills to make this...

I LOVE IT!!! We've got all sorts of wonderful crafts and bakes, people, homes, nannas and even sponsors now...feeling very professional. I'd love for you to have a look and follow our Facebook and blog page. You will find links to our shop and info from us there as well as ways you can contact us if you would like to get involved with a craft, recipe, sponsor etc as we continue making this magazine, celebrating all things handmade.

Abbotsford Primary School where the market will be.

Other exciting news is im having my first market stall. I wont lie, im a bit nervous, but Im doing it with my sister, so together we can cope im sure. One of my favourite markets in melbourne is the Fitzroy Market, and the makers of that, have just started another one, in Abbotsford. We will be having a stall there, on their very first market, april 5th. Im going to be selling my handmade goods (which are also for sale here online) and my sister will be selling her vintage dresses which she sells at Lola and Joy. If you live in melbourne, then maybe jot down the date as if it's anything like the fitzroy market, it's a great day out. We can meet (if we don't know each other already) and you could possibly go home with a bag of thrifted/handmade/handbaked goods.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend planned. Tomorrow night I am attending a twilight music fundraiser and I'm looking forward to it. There will be picnic rugs, baked goods, bunting, garden and live music being played by some of my family and friends. I thought i'd share the links with you of the different artists so you can enjoy from afar..

Pete Carr....my lovely hubby!

Mezz Coleman

Byronsiren...Mezz's hubby 

Ashe Powell

Kat Neuendorf

Jacqui Carter

Happy friday everyone,

Don't forget to join my recipe and vintage kitchen swap I a hosting. Click here to join in the fun.

Taz xx

Joining in with Pips link-a-long ~ what's inspiring me at the moment.

Pip from meetmeatmikes recently did a post which was great to read. It was about blogging and what inspires her. I'm joining in and thought I'd share with you who/what inspires me to be creative, blog, cook, love life etc at the moment.

In no particular order as they are all equally inspiring to me in their own way:

Green green grass and flowers in a garden do unbelievable things for my mental health which then lead to other wonderful things. This photo was taken at the Fletcher Jones Gardens.

Lunch Lady. Her recipes, why she started her lunch lady blog, their way of life, it's all right up there for how I try to live. Homemade, self sufficient, caring about what goes in my families mouths, but doing it simply and happy to get help as well as teach. Her blog/Instagram is one I am always excited to read.

Zara from Zaranne handmade. She's been on my fav list for a very long time and is still up there as one of my main inspirations. Simple beautiful crafts, generous, healthy baker, totally everything I hope my blog can be about!

Mollie makes. Yes, their magazine has totally inspired me to make my own magazine and making my own is something I never thought possible. The second magazine is about to be released after the first sold out. Mollie makes, although pretty popular now, we're a bit quieter to start and I fell In love. Still great, I'm saving my money though to work on my own!!


Sisters: 

Mezz from mezzmakesstuff.and my fellow magazine maker. Although I mention Mezz ALOT on my blog as we do a lot together, she really is one of my greatest inspirations. From the simple, creative, love and thought filled crafts to her singing, her way of being creative and doing the things she loves whilst being a mum and wife is completely inspiring for me.

                                             

Ash from www.thesquee.com. Her crocheting ways, her cooking and her attitude towards doing what you want to do, is always so refreshing. She spends her time doing the things that make her happy! She's someone you want to be around!

Sam (my real blood sister) runs the delightful Lola and Joy shop, selling vintage dresses. This is great, as well as her love for travel and people, which she then goes forward and works on. No questioning, just doing. This keeps me motivated to just do and enjoy! Although younger than me, she is always the one I talk to when in need of advice with my shop/creative ideas.

The seaside. Strange one yes, but time at the sea for me does way more than cool me down and get sand/wind through my hair. It fills me with an amazing peace, and feeling of I can take things on, whether creative or life skills, I thank my dad for my love for the sea. This photo was from a recent weekend in Warrnambool. 

The Whole Pantry App .The recipes and photos are stunning and what I've tried off the app so far I have absolutely loved. So nice to have this to go too!

My narmie. I don't think a day goes by where I don't think of her baking, sewing, her button tin, her clothes. Her steak egg and chips, her tins of pastry shells ready for dollops of jam or the barbie clothes she used to sew for me. I sew and cook like I do because for her it was normal life, so I'm going to make it normal for me too.

I could probably go on, but these are on the top of my list at the moment/in general.

What's on yours? Join in Here.

I'm hosting a recipe and vintage kitchen swap Here if your looking for something lovely to do!

Taz xx

Join my Vintage Recipe Swap

Ive decided to do another swap and I'd love for you to join in. This swap has come about by combining my love for baking, mail, vintage, kitchen cuteness and handwritten recipes.

So.. this is my idea. I will pair you up with another lovely baking, vintage, mail loving swapper and you will send each other one handwritten recipe and a gift.

For the recipe, it would be lovely if it was a family recipe, a favourite recipe or one of your own, handwritten. Lets try not to use computers unless you can't write of course. Anyone with a type writer is welcome to use that too.

The gift: Something handmade OR vintage for the kitchen/food related. So instead of a brooch or something personal, it's sharing something for your swappers kitchen. It could be a handmade/thrifted vintage apron, tea towel, set of cake forks, napkins, doilys, oven mits, tea cup, plates, serving ware, decoration, tablecloth, tea cosy, picnic things...something food/cooking/kitchen related! If your a maker, then feel free to handmake your gift, and iF not, I encourage you to hit the opshops/thrift stores, as this is where you will find lovely vintage goodies! Your gift doesn't have to do anything with your recipe..so you could send a vintage biscuit tin, even though your recipe may be for Granny's chicken soup!

This can be as small or as bulky as you like/can afford. Your swapper won't expect more than 1 recipe and 1 gift, so there is no need to stress about your parcel. A lovely handwritten recipe and vintage tea towel is perfect, and this sort of combo won't cost much at all!

If your keen to take part, and share the love of cooking and vintage kitchen-ness, then do sign up below with your email address.

It's open internationally. If you would prefer to NOT send overseas, please let me know.

I don't think I am the only one, who thinks, when it's time to bake, eat, serve food, there's something even nicer if the recipe is read off paper from someone elses kitchen and you have lovely handmade or vintage accessories to go with it! This is what this swap is about!

Please dont hesitate to email me at tarryncarr@gmail.com if you need more info or are confused!

The closing date to enter the swap is 11th march(two weeks away). I will then contact you with your partners contact details where you can discuss your likes and loves. We don't want a beef pie recipe    heading to a vegan cake loving girl! So you guys can discuss, without giving to much away about what your sending!

Once you have your partners details, it would be great if your parcel can be in the mail by the 1st April.

I would love to know what people send/receive and if they make the recipes, so you can email me or share on your blogs (let me know if you have a blog) or hashtag on instagram (if your on it) #vintagerecipeswap
Also feel free to share that your taking part, the more people sharing recipes and gifts, the happier the world will be!                                                                                                                                                      


Ok, I think thats everything, tell me if I missed something!

Taz xx

LOVE

Today, I am sure your all aware, is Valentines Day. And although my hubby and I dont celebrate it like we do birthdays and christmas, it is actually hard to pretend its not happening, so why bother. I am ok with a day dedicated to showing extra amounts of love. Thats a good thing isn't it? So I decided to bake my hubby (and myself) a heart shaped cake to say I Love You! I love heart shaped things, and anything to do with love, so I thought id share with you not only the recipe for the lovey dovey cake, but Lovey things around our home!

To make this cake, you will need:
3 very ripe bananas,3 tbs honey or rice malt syrup,1 cup almond meal,1/2 cup corn flour,1/2 tsp bicarb soda,1 egg, 50 ml melted coconut oil, 1/2 cup milk,a few squares chopped 85% dark chocolate(optional), 200 gm cream cheese, vanilla, lemon juice

Preheat oven to 180C and grease two heart shaped (or any shape tins). Mash the banana and honey well in a bowl. In another large bowl, sieve the almond meal, corn flour and bicarb soda and mix well. Make a well in the centre. In a jug, mix the milk, egg and oil. Pour this into the well along with the banana mixture and the chopped chocolate if using. Stir until combined, then pour into the tins. Bake for approx 30 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Cool in the tins a couple of minutes, then trasnfer onto a wire rack to cool completely. Make the icing but mixing softened cream cheese, 1/3 cup honey, good splash of vanilla and a good squeeze of lemon juice. Taste. When cakes are cool, spread half the icing onto one cake, then place the other cake ontop, and spread the remaining icing. Decorate with flowers from the garden. Enjoy!! (Original recipe came from Who magazine for  banana and sultana loaf, but this is my version, completely changed, making it a flourless cake with icing!)

Love letters in our lounge

wearing a handmade lacey heart for handmade 365

one of my brooches, a pressed flower glass heart

this handmade heart was from my midwife when Percy was born

me and my hubby from our wedding, a photo amongst other treasured bits and pieces

two kissing salt and pepper shakers

a vintage top with love hearts

the love chapter

photos of Percy days old

hearts on fabric

my mollie makes calendar

this paper decoration i made for our home

hearts on fresh bed linen.

love hearts amongst other thrifted pot holders on percy's mat!

I hope today, with whoever, you felt and shared a bit more love!

Taz

It's february- A life update!

Hi all,

I realised the other day I have not done a blog post in a while. Not sure anyone has noticed, but I like to type down a post every now and then and I think its been a little too long.

We are in the middle of long hot days, day after day, its really making any activity quite hard to do. But I have been keeping busy with all sorts..

Percy has started swimming lessons. Today was his second and it went much better than last week(his first lesson). I approached it differently, and whether or not he noticed, I definitely found it more of a positive experience than last time. He is still unsure about a few things and all he really wants to do is throw things into the water, so its about keeping him distracted and happy at the moment, not really caring about learning skills just yet. After each lesson, we head out to a local cafe for a drink and a banana for him. It's becoming quite a nice day.

Percy and hubby walking to the cafe after this mornings lesson

  I have also been keeping busy working on issue one of my handmade magazine, Hundreds and Thousands with Mezz. We have a date we would like to release the mag, so we are focussing on reaching that goal, and it's been loads of fun. We had a little photoshoot during the week which was delightful. Full of nice sunshine, bunting and colour. Did I mention our Starter issue is SOLD OUT!!!!

I havent been doing much sewing since my dresses or any other craft really. It really has been too warm to sit anywhere but near the aircon.

One of the dresses Ive made. For sale in my online shop.

My mums pool has come in very handy this summer. I'm quite the sucker for spending silly amounts of time under the water, like a fish. I love swimming at the very bottom of a pool and enjoying the peace, weird I know.

Baking, eating, cooking, eating, is still happening as usual. Ive been loving instant ice creams and using my homemade yoghurt to make frozen yogurt. I also baked homemade lamingtons for the first time, which were a hit!

Instant mango ice cream, recipe from Wholefood Simply

We did a spot of fruit picking to pick the best peaches,plums and nectarines. These make summer better! I used the plums to make frozen yogurt.

Homemade blood plum and strawberry frozen yoghurt.

We have also been living on smoothies and chia puddings as they are sooo easy to make in the warm weather and so filling. The smoothies are usually what ever I can find, thrown in with either almond milk, coconut milk or regular milk. Chia puddings are from my Petite-Kitchen cookbook.

 Hubby has been playing some gigs and has a few coming up which I am very excited about.

This gig was played with a school friend of mine, Freya Bennet, at a crepe and music lounge. Perfect really. We ordered a buckwheat salted caramel crepe and it was good.

Pete is also playing with his sister Mezz at the Yarraville Festival next weekend, and at the Yackandandah Folk Festival later in march which I am very much looking forward to, as we will stay there for the weekend.

Speaking of weekends, I've booked us a weekend away in Warrnambool in 2 weeks time. I would love to know of any places we should visit, opshops, cafes etc? We are also planning on visiting the dairy farm we get our milk from, Schulz Organic Farms. How often do you get to actually see the animals/farms you get your food from these days!!!

My weekly activities have also started since school holidays are over. Craft groups on a wed, pilates thurs and ive started walking/running for no reason other than to have me time, outside.

Well, I think this post is long enough! It's nice to sometime jot, or in this case, type it all down.

How is the year going for you so far? I'd love to know!

I am hoping to make this year more positive, more yes's, less overthinking and less no's for me. Im learning just how important Percy's development is at this age, and how he needs to be my main focus. 

Ok, well, see you soon,

Taz xx