Miss Peacock Giftwrap

Check out some new pictures of the lovely Miss Peacock Giftwrap Range. You can buy the paper and tags here.

My own Cucina Italiana!

Trying to cook a new recipe every week is proving more difficult than I thought but it always helps when you have a partner who loves to show off his pasta making skills. We made a rotolo di spinaci for the first time last week for a dinner party. It was a bit fiddly but well worth the results. Basically it is a swiss roll of spinach, chicory and ricotta rolled in freshly made pasta and boiled. We served ours with a burnt sage butter sauce and slowly baked tomatoes with balsamic vinegar & brown sugar. Yum!!!!

No more Hermit Thursdays!

One of the downsides to working by yourself is that you have no-one to talk to, bounce ideas off and just generally be inspired by working around other creative like minded 'souls'. The only person who talks to me is Caesar but it's only when he wants to eat!

So, it's been fantastic to have my good friend Catriona (whom I used to work with designing bedlinen many years ago at Sheridan) painting with me every Thursday here in my studio. She is so much fun and very talented!! I have learnt so much from working with her - especially about colour balance and nuances. Oh and she brings me cupcakes when I'm good!

Here's the first (of hopefully many) painting she's done with me.

(copyright Catriona Terris)

I am LOVED!!

I've had an exciting life - "I've been robbed at gunpoint not once but twice in the past month" NOT!!! I have been the unfortunate victim (as well as all my poor friends - sorry) of a plan to extort money for my safe well-being. First it was on Facebook and now my Apple email account has been hacked. Ahhhhhh!!

I have now managed to sort the situation out now with Apple and all is good. I have been told to change my passwords on all my accounts regularly which is a very sensible thing to do. The only upside is that it has been nice to know that I have many friends out there who care for me. I've had phone calls and emails from around the world all this morning. Thank you - I LOVE YOU all too!!

Mandy Emerson

I wanted to tell you about a fantastic NZ artist I met at ArtMelbourne called Mandy Emerson. Her work is beautiful; rich layered textures and deep luscious colours using decoupage, lace stamping, resins. Her paintings have images of bird nests, dresses, trees, eggs and flowers......all very feminine, pretty and whimsical. If I wasn't moving and packing up house, I would definitely have bought one. Here is a little sample of some of her works.

(Image courtesy of www.matakanaartgallery.com)

(Image courtesy of www.matakanaartgallery.com)

(Image courtesy of www.soulgallery.co.nz)

(Image courtesy of www.matakanaartgallery.com)

Mother's Day Promotion

We're offering complimentary giftwrap and a Mother's Day Card with all purchases for Mums this week from our online boutique. Treat your Mum to something special and unique this year.

(Original Painting 'Sunrise at Chao Phraya').

Melbourne Eating Out Pt 2

Arrivederci is a cute, little Italian restaurant which has been going for 20 years and serves simple but delicious Italian food. Kingfish Carpaccio with Fennel and Orange or Pan friend Quail with Vincotto and Figs - you get the idea. In fact we went there for lunch a couple of times as it is just down the road from the Royal Exhibition Buildings. They have an amazing set price lunch menu (entree, pasta, main and dessert) of $35 where you can choose any 2 courses, glass of vino and tea/ coffee.

CARPACCIO DEL GIORNO

QUAGLIA ARROSTO CON VINCOTTO

GNUDI DI RICOTTA E SPINACI CON BURRO E SALVIA

SPAGHETTI ALLA CHITARRA CON RAGU` ABRUZZESE

Melbourne Eating Out

During ArtMelbourne, we dined at some fantastic restaurants! My hometown is so good for food. If you love Japanese food, especially tempura then Tempura Hajime in South Melbourne is a must visit. (Make sure you book at least 1 month in advance). You literally feel like you could be eating in Japan! Behind a non descript wooden door, you enter into a special reception area (think dark gray slate interiors with ikebana and the odd japanese ceramic displayed) with 2 doors. One is for the kitchen, the other leads you into a small dining room with 12 places around a bar surrounding the tempura chef in the middle. Enjoy some pics!!

You get to pick your own sake cup!

Sashimi to start

Two dipping sauces - fresh lemon juice & murray river sea salt and daikon with tempura dipping sauce

Ebi

Fish with Shiso Leaf

Yoghurt Pannacotta with Cointreau

Cake Heaven

Here is a gorgeous little vignette I took last week of my painting and the inspiration. The cupcakes are from    The Cupcake Room in Leichhardt.

Thank you!

A BIG Thank you to everyone who came out to see me at ArtMelbourne. It was great to see you and show you my new paintings.

 Final Set Up before the show opens!

 Caesar's proud father

 Friends from uni

My extended family

 How gorgeous are these flowers?