A bit of a collection

Have to say the pav and ice-cream recipes have generated a lot of emails. I am thrilled to hear that people in places other than Australia and NZ plan to try them both. Plus it sounds like Des may not have been the first with the pav recipe as lots of people tell me that they have been cooking that recipe since before I was born..... There are 100s of pavlova recipes out there. The Edmonds Sure to Rise cookbook (I have a very old possibly original copy) had a hot temperature to start with and one turned the oven off for the last part. It's good to know that the tradition will probably never die. Plus John, if you read this post, you can make it yourself now......

The ice-cream is not icy and would be lovely in cold places as well as hot, Heather. It is very creamy and rich and for 2010 1 day old cream (makes it easier to beat) just select not the latest date in the supermarket Robin. The reason I make both at the same time is because I can use all the eggs....

Busy last couple of days - my working computer (the one which was having grandpa naps in the afternoon) has gone to terminal hospital and after waiting a couple of days I have a new one but of course this means loading all sorts of new things and sorting stuff. So far I have lost most of my favourites but Ian assures me they will be somewhere. Anyway it is easier to use. Just got to make my iphone work again by taking it to hospital on Monday.I am sure I have a dud - I was only trying to synch it..... But we are having enormous pleasure using the iPad and all the new Sonos stuff Grant gave us for Christmas. We have 3 Sonos stations now including one in the bedroom and with the nasty noisy air conditioner going for over a week next door nonstop (I think it is stuck on hot as they have all the doors and windows open and wearing not much in the way of clothing which at least makes me feel marginally better) we can have lovely music coming out of the studio to counter it.

I have finished my Okarito book and here are a few pages.























It is relaxing and satisfying making these little books. Dry felt, wet felt, needle felt and lots of hand stitch and different types of fabric etc. The idea of slow stitch appeals more and more especially in contrast to the hectic pace at which I try to run. The satisfaction of the needle pottering in and out gives plenty of time for thinking. I have enrolled in Jude Hill's upcoming workshop - spirit cloth - seems to me that her ideas fit nicely with my idea of soul cloth. I have started another set of work based on the West Coast but nothing much to show as yet. I am busy working on samples for my Hot Needles Cool Stitches online workshop which starts on 17th Jan mostly for the embellisher plus. I have a huge pile of samples stacked up for each lesson.