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insert monkey pun here

I've been making monkeys this week. Pablo (above left) is already spoken for but Jarvis (above right) will be in my shop sometime next week. I'll send out a note to my email list with a time/date when I have one. I'm hoping there will be a couple more monkeys, a few dolls and some bunnies in there, too. Although, after extolling the virtues of cooler weather the other day, my words have come back to bite me and I seem to be coming down with a cold, so how much I get done will depend on what kind of 'lergy this is.

In any case, it's nowhere near bad enough to stop me from going to see Dylan Moran tonight. Yip! Audrey's sleeping over at Grandma's house tonight (a rare treat), and Matt & I are actually leaving the house together after dark. It's been a while. Tomorrow, we have a first birthday to attend, so I'll probably be back here with cupcakes. Happy Friday, all!

willing on autumn

On Friday we had a fantastic rainstorm. Audrey and I were out walking at the time and happily got completely and utterly drenched (aided and abetted by some very enthusiasic puddle jumping). Anyway, having just been through the hottest February on record, not to mention the drought, (I know. I'm rabbitting on about the heat again, forgive me), we're just a little bit keen to welcome the cooler months. So, when the mercury plummeted (!) to 19 on Saturday we cooked up some pumpkin soup for dinner.

[Just as an aside, the wintry soup was much too premature, because today was beautifully warm and sunny again. I took this photo at the Semaphore kite festival this morning.]

In any case, I'm still turning my thoughts towards shorter days, and quiet (ha!) sewing indoors in front of a toasty heater. Here are a couple of things inspiring me with the change of season (sorry, can't remember how I found a few of these):
- The art of Angie Lewin (oh my, this! And this! (via Bloesem)
- Nadia Sparham cushions
- So excited to be included in the first issue of Small magazine
- Blanket quilt (via Rosa)

Hope you all had a lovely weekend.

breeding like rabbits

Wow - just wanted say a big thanks to everyone who bought a bunny earlier today when I updated my shop. I sent out a quick heads-up to the email list yesterday, and, well, you guys certainly made my day. Thanks so much again. If you're interested, the whole lot can all be seen here. I'd really lost motivation with the toys for the last couple of months, and have pretty much been stuck in a big uninspired rut. But today feels better - there are a few new ideas in the works. I'm back, baby! With a plan (which really only involves updating every fortnight for the next while... but it's a plan nonetheless).

Now, though, it's to the couch. Matt has just returned from the corner shop with some celebratory jelly beans (my drug of choice), and Spicks & Specks is calling. Goodnight, all!

carrying on

Another week has zipped by. My work in progress over the past few days has been some rabbits for a small easter themed (in so far that there will be rabbits) shop update next week. These are their aprons in waiting.

And a corner of my home. Oh, this is making me so happy. A reproduction of a British government issue WW2 poster. Sorry about the dodgy photo - reflective surfaces are such a bugger to photograph. I first saw this in a home featured in Livingetc a few years ago, so was thrilled when I came across this image on Flickr. And even more thrilled when I discovered that it could be purchased (here) and delivered to my door for a mere $15. Sold! Thankyou, internet.

three by four

My camera is back, and functioning once more. Just as I've polished off the last of a wholesale order. So, these chaps and chapesses are off to Kol Kid, Toronto. Three types, four of each. There be rabbits (Walnut, Birch, Daphne and Lobelia).

Girls: Esther, Nellie, Lilac and Amber.

And monkeys: Denzil, Delora, Eldo and Eliza. Sorry about the alliteration, but after a day of handstitching little eyes, cheeks and snap closures, I've got to amuse myself somehow. That stuff is so incredibly time consuming. To say the least.

Thankyou so much for all your helpful suggestions after my last post regarding the custard powder in the yo-yo recipe. You're all stars! Looks like custard powder can be purchased in the US through Amazon or British specialty stores, or failing that, can be substituted with cornflour and a little vanilla.

more from the menagerie

I found a couple of photos of toys I'd made recently and not posted here. The kittens, Gilroy and Archie, went off with my last order to Tiny People. Albert the monkey is soon to be included in "Softies", a book being published by Penguin Australia in September this year. His pattern will be in there too. It looks like it's going to be an interesting book, with a number of craft bloggers submitting patterns. I'm really looking forward to seeing it.

Also, I was wondering if I could please enlist some help from the baking inclined among you. The recipe for yo-yo biscuits in my last entry uses custard powder. A couple of people left comments asking what it was as they hadn't come across it. It seems as though it is either not a universal ingredient, or that what we know as humble custard powder here in Australia goes by another name in the US. I'm talking about a yellowish, flour-like substance that you add milk to, to er, basically make 'fake' (ie without the eggs and assorted palaver) custard. Any ideas what other name it goes by, or what might be a good substitute? Thankyou!