ruby-jo

Against the Grain

2011-11-17T19:30:00.001+11:00

I am mesmerised by the pencil animation in this music clip, so I thought I would share.

Hudson - Against The Grain from Dropbear on Vimeo.

Heart Gift Tags

2011-11-12T16:14:00.001+11:00

New from me - crochet love heart gift tags. I have had the idea in my head for quite a while now and finally everything has come together.

The hearts have been crocheted by me in 4ply cotton with my own pattern (which can I say took quite a bit of trial and error)

They come with white or kraft coloured card and you can find them in my etsy store or big cartel store.

New Shop on Big Cartel

2011-10-21T11:36:00.000+11:00

I have just opened up a shop on Big Cartel...no joining necessary to buy.

You can access the shop HERE or from the "Shop" tab at the top of the blog.

More stuff coming soonish.

Infinity Scarf

2011-09-26T12:40:00.000+10:00

I learned to crochet late last year, something I have been wanting to do for ages. You might recall I made some Christmas decorations as my first proper project and then forgot all about crochet for a while.

Anyway I have picked up the hook again and thankfully I remember most of what I was originally taught. My first finished project (and first scarf ever) is the infinity scarf that you can see in the photos, which is basically a scarf that is one big circle. To wear it you wrap it around your head twice.

It's so easy to make that you don't really need a pattern. I have made mine in treble crochet using Cleckheaton Country Silk 8ply, which is a wool that has flecks of silk in it, giving the yarn some texture.

It's very warm to wear so I will be making a few more once winter comes around again. The only change I would make is to shorten the length a little.

Sweet!

2011-08-15T14:50:00.014+10:00

I have wanted to visit the Birch & Purchese Sweet Studio ever since I watched Darren Purchese cook off against Kate on Masterchef, and birthday week in our household was a perfect excuse to do so.

I should explain that the desserts looked picture perfect when they left the shop but unfortunately got a little battered on the way home as you can see in the photo. Entirely my fault. Luckily it didn't affect the taste!

From the top clockwise is Dark Chocolate, Pear Hazelnut, then Pistachio, Strawberry Rose, followed by Banana, Caramel, Rum and finally Chocolate, Mandarin, Salted Caramel. And not shown in the photo was Coffee Smoked White Chocolate, Coffee, Aniseed Lemon.

Just as you would expect they tasted amazing. My favourite was a toss up between the Chocolate,Mandarin,Salted Caramel and the Banana,Caramel, Rum.

I am still here!

2011-08-12T12:41:00.005+10:00

Just letting you know I am still alive and well : ) I seem to have taken an unintended blog break. There hasn't been much going on creatively in ruby-jo land over the past little while so I guess that is probably why.

Anyway I am back on board again so stay tuned for some more regular posting.

Sunday

2011-04-18T19:00:00.008+10:00

I took a trip to the Camberwell markets on Sunday to buy some vintage buttons from the "button lady" who has a regular stall there, but to my huge disappointment she wasn't there. I am just hoping her absence isn't a permanent thing.

I did manage to pick up a few lovely vintage glass buttons and a needlepoint picture so I didn't come away empty handed.....oh and some hot jam doughnuts!

Buttons, Buttons, Buttons!

2011-03-08T17:05:00.005+11:00

Here is a selection of vintage buttons I bought at the Camberwell market on the weekend for a new project that I am working on....

Find me at the North Melbourne Market this Sunday

2011-02-19T12:22:00.010+11:00

I am going to be at the North Melbourne Market tomorrow Sunday the 20th of Feb. It runs from 10am to 3pm and has a $2 entry fee.

As mentioned earlier I am going to have some of my old stock on sale including clutches and the last of the brooches.

I hope to see you there!

PS. If you are wondering why the pictures of my etsy shop that are normally in the right margin aren't there anymore it's because I have put the shop in vacation mode. It will be up and running again next week.

Been Busy...

2011-02-16T11:59:00.006+11:00

Sorry for the lack of posts of late. I have been busy getting ready for the North Melbourne Market on the 20th Feb.

The photo is a sneak peak of my new range of zipper purses which will make their debut on the day.

I will also have some old stock on sale....more about that soon.

Christmas Decoration Close Up

2011-01-02T13:22:00.019+11:00

I promised you a closer look so here they are.

The decorations were my first proper crochet project after learning how to crochet.

I used DMC Pearl Cotton embroidery thread to make them with a size 2.5mm hook which was a little tricky for a beginner but I had a small tree and so I needed to make the decorations small as well.

I was going to stiffen them but ran out of time to experiment so just gave them a press with the iron to flatten them out. I finished them off with some grey/silver ribbon to blend into my silver tree.

I also made some hearts using 8ply yarn which were easy in comparison.

Oh and I know I am a little late but Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas

2010-12-25T16:31:00.013+11:00

Well I hope you are all having a very Merry Christmas.

It is late afternoon/evening here and we have only just finished lunch! I guess we will be having a late dinner.

I should mention that I have found it nearly impossible to take a good photo of my christmas tree. The branches stick out in all strange directions and it's not symmetrical at all. It's a cheap $12 one I bought from Borders one Christmas eve when I was desperate to find something. I think I will have to remedy that next year.

Yes those are the decorations I crocheted! I will show them to you in a little more detail soon.

Christmas Baking

2010-12-24T15:58:00.006+11:00

I have been doing a bit of baking the last 2 days in preparation for Christmas.

I made some gingerbread biscuits for the first time ever yesterday. I got the recipe from here. The only thing I changed was to use cinnamon instead of the mixed spice. They worked out well although the icing seems to take forever to harden. I iced them this morning and it's still not hard.

Today I have been working on cream puffs which are a Christmas tradition in our household. I have made the custard and shells and will assemble them tomorrow so they can be eaten fresh.

phew! Time for a cuppa I think.

100 Seinfeld quotes [Episode 1]

2010-12-21T15:23:00.002+11:00

For all you Seinfeld fans out there. This clip never fails to make me laugh!

Christmas Decoration Sneak Peek!

2010-12-03T10:53:00.004+11:00

I have been busy crocheting.

Brooch SALE

2010-11-28T11:50:00.008+11:00

I am discontinuing my current line of brooches. It's time to move on to new designs. As a result I have put them on sale for $20 (including postage for Australian customers) until they all run out.

You can find the brooches in my etsy shop here. With Christmas just around the corner they could make good christmas presents.

I have already had a few sales so if you see something you like, grab it while you can. I have multiples of a small number of designs but if the listing says last one then that is it!

Vintage Crochet Patterns

2010-11-11T13:23:00.013+11:00

Clark's and Coats Book No. 243 Pot Holders

This is one of the many vintage crochet patterns that I have purchased lately. Oops did I say many? Now that I can crochet I may have developed just a slight fascination with vintage potholders, vintage crochet motifs and crochet covered coat hangers.

The pattern booklet contains a variety of potholder patterns and was printed in 1948. At the moment I am dreaming of collection of potholders on my kitchen wall....

...but I must work on my Christmas decorations first!

Granny Squares

2010-11-06T16:07:00.007+11:00

Granny squares made by me!

They are not too hard once you have mastered the basic crochet stitches, although I am still working out the finer details of an invisible finish.

I think I will save making a granny blanket until after summer. I want to try some smaller projects first and make some christmas decorations.

Camberwell Markets

2010-10-10T17:28:00.009+11:00

I didn't go to the Camberwell markets at all during the winter, mainly because it was so cold. Yes I am a wuss!

Anyway I went this morning and there was lots of vintage goodness on offer.

I came away with a sugar bowl, a tablecloth and napkin set still in it's box (minus the lid), a set of 8 cross stitch napkins all with the same design and a selection of crochet patterns. All vintage and all in excellent condition.

It was a beautiful spring day for it too.

New in Store

2010-10-07T12:00:00.005+11:00

New in my etsy store is this purse made out of denim and a vintage napkin that features a floral cross stitch design.

You can find it here.

OK Go - White Knuckles

2010-09-30T21:56:00.007+10:00

If you love dogs you will love this film clip by the band OK Go and even if you don't I am pretty sure you will find it amazing anyway.

Spring Birds...

2010-09-30T14:07:00.007+10:00

I won a giveaway that Belinda of Moonmum was running and these beautiful Spring Bird cards arrived in my letterbox this week.

The bright and cheery colours do remind me of spring and I can't get over how well made they are. The quality is really impressive.

I am feeling very lucky right about now, especially since these were the last Spring Bird cards that Belinda had left.

Crochet

2010-08-24T19:58:00.027+10:00

I am learning to crochet!! and I am excited...hence the exclamation marks.

I have always wanted to learn how to crochet ( something to do with my love of doilies) but put it in the too hard basket because I am left handed and instructions for us lefties are scarce and trying to reverse everything is just too hard.

Anyway learning to crochet right handed has solved that problem and I have been taking classes at Onabee in Kensington. So far I have done Crochet 1.The Basics, Crochet 2.Granny Squares and will be starting Crochet 3.The Next Step soon.

At the moment I have been just practicing my technique but I am thinking about what I could do as my first proper project...something to do with granny squares I think.

My Birthday Wishlist

2010-08-10T14:44:00.006+10:00

Sweet Bow Studs from Joannarutter

Monty the Fox Lambswool Plush from Sara Carr

Heart Factory from Pearson Maron

Silver Stitch Texture Ring from All Those Threes

Blue Is Bashful

2010-08-01T14:40:00.019+10:00

ruby-jo brooches can now be found at Blue is Bashful, 109 Greville Street Prahran.

Blue is Bashful is a cute new shop selling pretty clothes and accessories with a vintage feel from independent womenswear labels with a focus on local labels.

If you want a peak of what else is in store you can check out their blog, or better still, go and visit in person.

The shop is just a short stroll from the Prahran railway station so it's easy to get to and it's nestled amongst a selection of interesting shops that include fashion, books, magazines and music, so its so it's worth the trip to have a look around.

Peppermint Magazine and How To Score Yoursef Some Discounts

2010-07-09T16:00:00.013+10:00

The DUST team which I am a part of are running a promotion in the latest Peppermint magazine, where participating shops are offering discounts until the end of August.

Details on how to get the discount are in the add, including the discount code, so you will need to buy yourself a copy of the latest Peppermint magazine to take advantage of the offers.

I am offering 15% off. My shop is a little bare at the moment but I will be adding new items over the next week or so. I have trying to get the hang of photographing some new products which is proving to be a little difficult and slowing me down a little.

Sunday Stash #24

2010-06-27T15:49:00.003+10:00

I seem to have lost my blogging mojo lately so have resurrected Sunday Stash to give me a gentle push in the right direction.

This is a screen printed fabric I bought off etsy.

More Birds!

2010-06-05T14:24:00.007+10:00

I have been trying to get my hands on a set of geese measuring cups for ages.

I finally managed to score a set from ebay. They haven't been used and came in their original box.

I paid a little less than $20 including postage from America. I can't believe I was the only bidder.

Come Fly With Me

2010-05-19T18:30:00.012+10:00

I have just uploaded another bird brooch to my etsy shop.

It has been featured over at Calico and Co in their latest Handmade Heaven post about birds which you can find here.

I only have 2 bird brooches left including this one and then that's it. Unfortunately I can't get any more of the same bird buttons.

EDIT 21ST MAY

I just found out that my bird brooch has also been featured on Kid Independent, alongside some other beautiful brooches - which you can view here. Yay!

The Progress So Far

2010-05-17T13:36:00.011+10:00

I mentioned this kit from Subversive Cross Stitch in a previous post.

It has been quite fun to do and very easy to stitch.

I just have the border left to finish and then I am itching to cross stitch something else.

Photos from Yarraville

2010-05-03T19:20:00.009+10:00

Here is the table I shared with Amelia from Milkwood.

My half of the table.

And a basket of cushions which wouldn't fit on the table.

If you look carefully on the pin up board in the second photo you can see I managed to get 2 heart brooches done.. well 3 actually, I wore one of them. They both sold so I will be making some more soon.

Jess from Epheriell dropped by to say hello which was lovely. It's always fun meeting people in real life when you know them from online. Jess has blogged about visiting us here.

Right now I am trying to recover from my cold, catch up on sleep, clean the disaster I left in my workroom and the mess in the rest of the house and catch up on about 2 weeks of bookwork.

Yarraville Markets

2010-04-30T12:29:00.005+10:00

Just a reminder I am having a stall at the Yarraville Markets this Sat and Sun.

I am a bit under the weather but will still be there on both days if you want to come and say hi.

Sharing a table with me will be the lovely Amelia from Milkwood.

New Brooch In The Works

2010-04-30T11:02:00.008+10:00

I have taught myself blanket stitch ( which isn't easy when you are left handed because no one seems to want to produce left handed instructions or diagrams! ) and am busy practicing it for a brand new brooch that I am really excited about.

I was hoping to have some of the new heart brooches ready for the Yarraville markets this weekend but I am running out of time fast....we shall see how I go.

A Bit of Fun

2010-04-28T08:06:00.005+10:00

This cross stitch kit from Subversive Cross Stitch arrived in my letter box yesterday all the way from Texas.

It's a favourite saying of Ev's (never to me of course) and I can't wait to stitch it up.

Countdown to Yarraville Markets

2010-04-10T11:03:00.010+10:00

I will be having a stall at the Yarraville Markets in Melbourne on the 1st and 2nd May. Yes that's 2 days.

It's going to be my first market ever so I am just a little nervous...okay more than a little.

I will be sharing a stall with Amelia from Milkwood, who makes gorgeous resin jewellery.

At the moment I am busy sewing stock to fill up my half of the table. I have a few new products in the works too, that I will be launching at the markets.

Stay tuned as I might just show you a sneak peak of what to expect as we get closer to the date.

Happy Easter!!

2010-04-04T13:04:00.003+10:00

Easter25, originally uploaded by ewan traveler.

Hope you are having a restful day and not eating too much chocolate!

It's turned out to be a beautiful day in Melbourne.

Vintage Finds

2010-03-24T17:43:00.011+11:00

The tin is from the Lost and Found Market on Smith Street. It's such a beautiful tin, quite large and in excellent condition. The inside has hardly aged at all.

The tablecloth and napkin set I bought from the Camberwell markets. As you can see it is still in it's original packaging. I am currently in love with anything cross stitched and this is in as new condition...just how I like it.

Storm Pics

2010-03-13T15:56:00.017+11:00

Just thought I would share a couple of pictures of what it looked like out the front of Cyclic Bicycles when the storm hit Melbourne last week. Pin Oak crescent got a little flooded!

You can see in the top photo that the water came right up to the doorstep. Luckily we didn't suffer any water damage, although that's not the case for a whole lot of unlucky people across Melbourne.

The second photo is looking across the road from the shop at Newmarket train station.

Thank you to Marty for the photos.

Needlepoint

2010-03-01T14:17:00.012+11:00

I found this vintage needlepoint in Savers late last year. I had been looking for some needlepoint for a while but hadn't come across much and nothing I really liked until I found this piece. After cleaning up the glass on the inside it turned out to be in perfect condition.

Chocolate ANZAC Biscuits

2010-02-19T20:48:00.009+11:00

I thought I would give you my recipe for chocolate ANZACs. They are really yummy and super easy to make. They were actually the first thing I ever baked from scratch when I was living away from home. I love this chocolate version so much I have never actually made the non chocolate version.

TIP: If you already have an ANZAC recipe that you like all you have to do to make the chocolate version is add 1/4 cup of cocoa to the mix.

´¨)
¸.·´¸.·*´¨) ¸.·*¨)
(¸.·´ (¸.·`

CHOCOLATE ANZAC BISCUITS

Ingredients

1 cup of plain flour

1 cup of sugar

1 cup of rolled oats

1 cup of desiccated coconut

¼ cup of cocoa powder

125 g butter

2 tablespoons golden syrup

2 tablespoons of boiling water

1 teaspoon of bicarb soda

Method

Preheat oven to 150 °C

Line a baking tray with baking paper.

Combine sifted flour and cocoa powder, sugar, oats and coconut in a bowl.

Melt butter and golden syrup in a saucepan over low heat.

Dissolve bicarb soda in boiling water and then stir through butter mixture.

Combine butter mixture with dry ingredients and mix well.

Spoon heaped teaspoons of mixture onto the tray and lightly press each biscuit down with a fork.

Bake for 20 mins.

The biscuits will harden when cool.

´¨)
¸.·´¸.·*´¨) ¸.·*¨)
(¸.·´ (¸.·`

For myself, I like to tweak the recipe a bit and add a touch more butter for some extra moisture and cook them 10 mins longer because I like them to be slightly overcooked and really crunchy when they cool.

Enjoy!

Shop Update

2010-01-31T21:31:00.008+11:00

I have uploaded a few more brooches to my etsy shop, including this new design made from linen and a vintage hanky which you can find here.

I seem to be drawn to vintage hankies at the moment - unused of course.

Not With The Good Scissors!

2010-01-22T19:24:00.017+11:00

My favourite pair of earrings at the moment are the good scissors earrings from Melbourne gal Victoria Mason.

It's important to know that the good scissors are for fabric only and anyone who uses them on anything else is bound to get in a whole lot of trouble. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Monster Goodness

2010-01-17T11:34:00.000+11:00

Yay! I was lucky enough to win a giveaway from Emma at Benconservato. The prize was a colouring book and a couple of postcards.

The colouring book is called Monsters Behaving Badly. I love it! It's fun and full of playful monsters.

You would expect at my age (over 30) that I left my colouring in days behind me years ago but there is something about the colourless pages that are begging me to colour them in. That's exactly what I plan on doing too just as soon as I get myself some crayons.

Getting Sorted for the New Year

2010-01-04T18:00:00.013+11:00

Inspired by a blog post titled "Five easy ways to get organised!" over at Retro Age Vintage Fabrics, I decided to buy the book Sorted by Lissanne Oliver and have a go at organising myself.

I think it's a great way to start the new year, getting organised and clearing out clutter to make space for the new, including new ideas and new creativity. I love the idea of having life running more efficiently so I don't get bogged down in so much stuff.

Since I am currently drowning in paper I have started in the study. The plan is to do a little at a time and eventually get to my workroom. Wish me luck.

Oh and did I mention that I bought a copy of the book at the Camberwell markets for $3? Well I did. How's that for a bargain?

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-25T13:24:00.009+11:00

Here are some yummy profiteroles which have become a Christmas tradition in our household. You wouldn't believe how many I made and there is only the 2 of us here to eat them, oh and the dog as well......he seems to have developed a taste for custard.

Wishing everyone has a happy and safe Christmas.

Christmas Rocky Road

2009-12-23T16:21:00.005+11:00

I made this rocky road today as part of Evan's Christmas present.

It has white chocolate (Cadbury Dream actually because the supermarket was out of white choc melts), coconut, pistachios, mini marshmellows and turkish delight - the authentic kind from Real Turkish Delight.

Since it is warm here today I really need to keep it in the fridge but I don't really want him seeing it until Christmas so I have put it in a christmas tin I had which is great because he won't be able to see though it and I have taped it shut with packing tape and written a note on it that says DO NOT OPEN! I think that should do the trick. Luckily he almost never reads my blog so it won't ruin the surprise. I am about to go and dispose of the chocolate wrappers so he can't find them.

Christmas Giveaway

2009-12-18T17:43:00.004+11:00

This brooch is part of a large Christmas giveaway on fatmumslim.blogspot.com

You have until Monday to enter and be in the running for about $600 worth of handmade goodies.

What are you waiting for?

Sunday Stash #23

2009-12-13T14:17:00.004+11:00

Here is the vintage fabric scrap pack that I won from Retro Age Vintage Fabrics in their last blog giveaway. The fabrics are all around 15cm x 15cm give or take a few centimeters.

Secret Santa

2009-12-10T13:09:00.006+11:00

Here is a purse I made for a secret santa present. It is smaller in size than the frame clutches I have have previously done.

I made it out of linen with a piece of vintage embroidery embroidery on the front that I salvaged from a napkin. And of course I had to include red and white lining.

Sunday Stash #22

2009-12-06T09:46:00.003+11:00

This fabric I picked up at a local op shop. It's some kind of synthetic.

I quite like the colours in it.

Sunday Stash #21

2009-11-29T12:37:00.003+11:00

No fabric this week. Instead I have some recently purchased white vintage buttons.

You will be able to see what I am using them for soon.

Bring Back the Hazelnut Roll.......Please!

2009-11-22T22:33:00.015+11:00

Image from The Food Pornographer

I just found out that the Hazelnut Roll is no longer being made and I am not a happy camper.

I have been eating them since I was a kid and even now that I am all grown up (well, technically anyway) they are still my favourite icecream.

Peters Icecream the maker of Hazelnut Rolls was bought out by Nestle earlier in the year and are doing away with the Hazelnut Roll. I only found out a when I went looking to buy an icecream on a particularly hot day and couldn't find a Hazelnut Roll anywhere. A blog post by The Food Pornographer confirmed my worst fears - they are no longer being manufactured.

Damn you Nestle!

I wish I had found out sooner so I could eat one last Hazelnut Roll for old times sake. As it is I don't think there are any left anywhere but I have been searching deli icecream freezers in the hope that I might find one lucky last one hiding at the bottom of the freezer. I have had no luck so far.

Another Frame Clutch

2009-11-20T10:43:00.006+11:00

This is the clutch I made to take to brothers Wedding a few weeks ago. You may remember the fabric from Sunday Stash #19. I wanted to put a bow on the front the same as the previous clutch but the fabric was too thick and it didn't really work so I had to go plain.

I am slowly getting the hang of making these style of purses.

Another Bird Figurine

2009-11-13T09:12:00.002+11:00

I bought these cute birds on ebay.

I think I feel a mini collection coming on.

Clutch

2009-11-03T21:26:00.012+11:00

I thought I would show you the clutch I made to take to a friends wedding that I went to a couple of weeks ago.

I have wanted to make a purse with a metal frame for years and have never known a) where to buy the frame and b) how I was going to make a pattern and construct one that looked professional.

I found my answers when I across a purse frame kit from Nicole Mallalieu Design. It came with a frame as well as the pattern and instructions on how make to a beautifully finished purse.

It didn't work out too bad for my first go. I made up a calico toile for practice and then made this one with silk taffeta from Tessuti. I added a bow to the front for a bit of interest and some red polka dot lining.

Attaching the frame to the purse is the tricky bit. I did manage to get some glue on the taffeta (oops!) and am not sure whether I have crimped the frame enough but I guess that all comes with a bit of practice.

I am currently making another one to take to my brothers wedding on Saturday.

Jacket

2009-10-27T17:18:00.012+11:00

Here is the cropped jacket I made with Liberty fabric from Sunday Stash #18. I have had quite a difficult time trying to get a good photograph of it.

It's a little hard to tell because the fabric is so busy but the jacket has a revere collar. The sleeves are a bell shape which I have gathered at the bottom and then attached to a lining (which is not gathered) that is a little shorter than the sleeve length so they create a kind of puffball effect (hard to tell when it is not on the body). I hope that made sense!

The pattern is by me.

Sunday Stash #19

2009-10-25T16:07:00.005+11:00

I am going a little glitzy this week. It's some Italian brocade I purchased from Tessuti with the plan to make it into a clutch. It's quite silvery and I am not sure my photos have quite captured what it looks like in real life.

Sunday Stash #18

2009-10-11T16:55:00.005+11:00

Liberty Tana Lawn from Clegs.

I am currently trying to turn it into a jacket to wear to a friends wedding in less than 2 weeks. Because it is such a lightweight fabric I am interlining it with another cotton to give it a bit of body and also to keep me warm. The chances are with Melbourne's unpredictable weather it might just be chilly on the day and I will need something to keep me from freezing in my strappy dress.

De Bretts World of Antiques

2009-10-09T15:32:00.000+11:00

I am slowly trying to discover antique/second hand stores in Melbourne. I have recently found one not too far from Cyclic and the big bonus is that I can afford a lot of what they have on offer. The shop is described as "eccentric antiques and bric a brac"and that explains what kind of store it is nicely. The shop goes back a long way from the street and it is filled to the brim with lots of lovely vintage goodies. I bought this beautiful bird figurine for $24.95, and I am currently in love with it.

With some of the items you will need to rummage through stuff to find what you are looking for. There are piles of books, and boxes of magazines, and linens where you will want to spend a bit of time looking. That's half the fun anyway. It's definitely worth a visit if you are in to that sort of thing. You can find De Bretts World of Antiques at 1043 Mt Alexander Rd, Essendon.

Back Again

2009-10-04T20:02:00.010+11:00

I am back in Melbourne again after a holiday in WA. Now that I am back to real life have a huge "To Do List" that I need to tackle.

Here is a picture of how the birthday cake turned out. I am already working out improvements in my head for the next cake. Mum helped me put chocolate on the outside of the cake to pretty it up and I now want to master that process.

Mmmm.....cake!

2009-09-20T20:46:00.012+10:00

I am flying over to WA today to help mum celebrate her 60th birthday. I am in charge of the birthday cake, so before I left I thought I would test out an idea I had and see how it worked.

The cake is a chocolate mud cake. I have cut it in half and on top of the bottom layer there is a layer of whipped cream and then some raspberry syrup that I cooked up on the stove with some frozen raspberries and sugar, then another layer of mud cake and then chocolate ganache. It is finished off with some raspberries on top for decoration. It looks a little rustic , so I will try and neaten the edges when I make the real thing. I actually cracked the top piece while flipping it onto the the rest of the cake so I used the chocolate ganache to glue it back it together and it wasn't too noticeable. I guess I need some practice in that department!

I was going to link to the recipe for the mud cake which I found on Taste.com but the recipe is no longer available. I will type the recipe up and post it when I get a chance so you can have a try. Even if you don't want to bother with the raspberries and cream, it's worth trying the mud cake. The recipe is super simple and it uses a whole block of chocolate so of course it tastes pretty fantastic.

Sunday Stash #20

2009-09-19T21:06:00.009+10:00

I am diverging away from fabric for my stash this week. This is a vintage embroidery kit I picked up from Savers Footscray last time I was there. The finished product is meant to be sewn up into a cushion.

It came with a piece of linen/cotton that has the embroidery design (cross stitch) printed on in black. The fabric was the only thing in the packet. I am sure originally it came with some instructions and the thread needed to replicate the photo. I guess I will have to work out the colours myself, using the photo as a guide. I plan on giving it a go very soon.

Do Try This at Home

2009-09-12T15:09:00.013+10:00

I have mentioned the breakfast crumble from Mitte before - it's fantastic in case you haven't heard. Those of you not in Melbourne can now have a taste of what it's like too, only you will have to cook it for yourselves. The current copy of Delicious magazine has the recipe on page 50, so if you have been wondering what it tastes like, now is your chance.

Sunday Stash #19

2009-09-06T14:38:00.003+10:00

I bought this fabric off etsy from twogreenchickens. It's going to be clothing I think.

For the Dog Lovers

2009-08-28T19:48:00.010+10:00

Have a mentioned that I am a massive dog lover ? I don't think I have so far... well I am and I have just discovered the Daily Puppy website. I am not sure why it took me so long to find out about it. There is a new puppy for every day of the week. How fantastic!

Swimming Pool Cake Recipe

2009-08-23T12:52:00.008+10:00

I took an unexpected trip to WA last week to visit a sick relative who was seriously ill. Thankfully she is on the mend now and while I was there I managed to get a copy of the swimming pool cake recipe from from the Woman's Weekly Children's Birthday Cake Book. I might just make one for my next birthday.

Happy Birthday to Me!

2009-08-09T21:40:00.000+10:00

It's my birthday today and reading Shannon's post over at Rabbit and the Duck got me reminiscing about the birthday cakes mum used to make my brothers and me from the Woman's Weekly Childrens Birthday Cake Book. Each year we would choose a cake for mum to make and one year I asked for the swimming pool cake.

Yes that's me in the photo on my 5th birthday with my Nonna and I look like I am getting ready to blow out the candles. The swimming pool cake had green jelly in the middle which was meant to be the water with little plastic dolls swimming in it alongside cocktail umbrellas and the whole cake had tim tams lined around the outside. Mum always did a fantastic job at replicating the cakes in the book. The recipe called for chocolate biscuit sticks to be used on the outside but hey, you really can't do better than tim tams.

2009-08-05T13:17:00.004+10:00

Our almond tree is showing signs of life again with pretty pink blossoms that will eventually turn into nuts for us to harvest . I just hope the birds don't get to them before we do this season. Last time we had a flock of Sulphur Crested Cockatoos eat most of the crop which was disappointing on the almond front but fascinating to watch at the same time. Fingers crossed.

Sunday Stash #18

2009-08-02T15:26:00.003+10:00

Liberty Tana lawn from Patchwork on Central Park. I only have two small pieces left in this.

I have made some brooches out of it. One of which you can find in my etsy shop here and one on Leeloo here

See everyone else's stash here.

Unveiling the New Look Pin Oak Crescent

2009-07-31T18:52:00.004+10:00

Excuse the crap photo, I have no idea how to use our new scanner.

Moonee Valley Council has just completed some road works on Pin Oak Crescent where Cyclic Bicycles is located and to celebrate they are having an opening/unveiling event.

There will be free activities and entertainment on the day including:

Roving entertainment
Balloon for kids
Face painting
surprise giveaways

Date: Saturday 1st August
Time: 10am - 1pm with the official opening at 10.30am
Location: Pin Oak Crescent Flemmington

So if you are in the neighbourhood why not drop by. All the shops are up and running again including Flowers by Janelouise, White Pony, Made Cafe and Cyclic Bicycles so it is a good day to get out and do some shopping.

Sunday Stash #19

2009-07-26T13:16:00.004+10:00

I thought I would show you something different from my stash today. Some cute vintage hankies I picked up a few weeks ago. I have two in each colourway and thought I could use them for brooches.

Want to play Sunday Stash? You can do so here

Don't forget about the DUST team sale. We aren't having a lot of entries in the prize draw so you have a good chance of winning something. All you have to do to enter is to pick something from one of the participating shops, show us a link to the item you like and tell us what you like about it. It's that easy, prizes are drawn every 3 hours or so and you can enter each round. Find out more here. You will need an etsy username though.

Christmas in July Sale Starts Now

2009-07-24T19:55:00.011+10:00

The DUST team Christmas in July Sale is NOW ON!

As part of the sale ruby-jo is offering 30% off the listed price of all brooches! Doesn't include postage.

Every store that is participating in the festivities is having some kind of sale. The full list of shops can be found here.

As part of the sale there will be ❉ GIVEWAYS ❉ throughout the entire weekend from different members of the DUST team.

To win something you will need to keep an eye on this thread here. There is an assortment of prizes on offer, one of which will be a brooch from me.

The sale runs from Saturday July 25th through Sunday July 26th, although a lot of the DUSTers have started their sale from now. To cater for international customers many shops will also extend the sale to finish at 12noon on Monday 27th July (Sunday night American time). Check each store for individual details.

and have fun shopping!

Just Listed

2009-07-24T19:06:00.007+10:00

The latest batch of vintage embroidery brooches waiting and ready for the Dust Christmas in July Sale.

SALE Sneak Peak!

2009-07-18T14:31:00.010+10:00

Next weekend the etsy Down Under Street Team (DUST) is having a HUGE Christmas in July sale.

From the 25th to the 26th July every shop participating (including me!) will be offering some kind of sale for their customers. There will be lots of lovely hand made goodies on offer and the chance to win some fabulous prizes from Australian sellers (including one of my brooches).

You can find the shops participating in the sale here, so why not have a browse and mark some favorites ready for the weekend ahead.

In my ruby-jo shop I will be offering 30% off all of my brooches.

Stay tuned for more details closer to the date...

Foodgawker

2009-07-17T12:37:00.009+10:00

I might be a little late to the party but I just discovered foodgawker.com. It's a great site for finding new recipes and discovering some delightful food blogs along the way. It's a good thing looking at food doesn't put on kilos!

Sunday Stash #19

2009-07-12T13:24:00.004+10:00

I am now the proud owner of Paint by Numbers Birds in red by Erin Michael for Moda, thanks for GJ's Discount Fabrics in Brunswick. I had given up trying to find the fabric as it seemed to have sold out everywhere but I was lucky enough to stumble across some at GJ's. There was only 1.2m left on the roll so I bought the whole lot. I want to use it as a trim on a skirt for myself and maybe some bags.

If you want to play Sunday Stash you can do so here.

Trip to Ballarat

2009-07-08T16:20:00.010+10:00

We (man, dog and me) took a trip to Ballarat for an overnight stay on Monday to get away from it all for a short time. It was my first visit to Ballart and the highlight (for me at least) was exploring the many antique stores on offer. You can see in the photos some of the goodies I came home with.

1st photo from Joyce’s Junkatique (next door to Antiques, Goods and Chattels) It's not an antique store but pretty much what the name suggests, a shop packed full of junk including the many rooms out the back. The bonus is if you are lucky enough to find something worth buying you won’t be pay much for it.

2nd photo from Antiques, Goods and Chattels - 30 Main Road Ballarat East. They had such an amazing collection of vintage treasures including a selection of peoples old sewing tins and boxes with various collections of threads, needles buttons and other bits and pieces inside.

3rd photo from Alexa’s Treasures - 46 Sturt St Ballarat. Amazing is how I would describe the shop, they have a wonderful collection of china as well as a huge shelf packed tightly with doily’s, linens and buttons. I am kicking myself for not buying one of their beautiful vintage tea cups.

The trip was fun despite a few things not going entirely to plan including a bed and breakfast that didn’t want us to let our dog inside, despite advertising themselves as “pet friendly” (we snuck him in when we went to bed anyway because the temperature dropped to about 1 degree overnight) and a brewery where we had planned to spend our evening with drinks and tapas not opening on a Monday night in winter. We turned up to the brewery ready for dinner at 7pm only to find out they were closed.

I can’t wait to go back and do some more exploring.

Sunday Stash #19

2009-07-05T12:57:00.005+10:00

This is an interesting piece of fabric I picked up from the op shop yesterday for 20c! It's only about 58cm wide and 33cm high which is not a lot to work with. I think it may have originally been curtain material.

Stocktake and Breakfast Crumble

2009-07-02T10:33:00.005+10:00

Yesterday we did a stocktake of the shop. I have to say I really don't look forward to doing it. If you have ever done a stocktake before you will know what I mean. We had over 1,000 items to count which takes quite a few hours and is surprisingly tiring too. The silver lining is that we always go out to breakfast before we do stocktake. It's kind of like an unwritten stocktake rule and is supposed to make the day a little easier to bear.

We went to Mitte for our breakfast and that's where the breakfast crumble comes in to play. Mitte won Best Breakfast of the Year in the The Age Cheap Eats 2009 and it's well deserved. I had their breakfast crumble which involves cinnamon and vanilla poached pears and apples topped with a macadamia crumble and mascarpone. Absolutely awesome and a perfect way to start a day that involves doing something you really don't want to be doing. If you are in Melbourne I recommend checking them out, they have lots of other yummy breakfasts on offer and are located at 76 Michael St, Fitzroy North

Sunday Stash #18

2009-06-28T16:32:00.004+10:00

This is my favourite piece of fabric from my stash. It's a beautiful polished cotton from the 1950's. The fabric has a lovely sheen to it and I don't think the photos quite do it justice. I bought the fabric from the Lost and Found Market in Collingwood. I have about 2.5m of it and the big plan is to make it into a 1950's style dress with a fitted bodice and flared skirt.

If you want to play Sunday Stash you can do so here.

Trip to Tessuti

2009-06-26T20:54:00.009+10:00

Tessuti has recently opened in Melbourne and I took a trip to the city to have a look. I have always felt a little jealous that Sydney had Tessuti and the rest of Australia didn't. I visited one of their shops in Sydney while on holidays a few years ago and was really impressed with their range of fabrics. No need to feel jealous anymore.

The Melbourne shop is exactly what I expected it to be, full of gorgeous, quality dress fabrics. Note: this is definitely not your local spotlight. Tessuti buy fabric from local and overseas designers so it is packed with drool worthy fabric.

I took home from the trip some beautiful denim that came from Zimmerman and a box of Crown Fox Pearl Pins. If you have never heard of Crown Fox Pearl Pins then listen up. They are THE ultimate box of pins. You get 1000 of them in a box and they have a pearl head so they are easy to work with and you won't lose them in your fabric. They will last you for ages and you can use the box as a storage container. Just don't iron over them or they will melt.

Sunday Stash #19

2009-06-21T14:20:00.004+10:00

My stash this week is some fabric I have screen printed myself (just now actually and it is still wet!) I took some lovely brown check fabric that I was going to make some pants out of and then screen printed it in white with my doily print. I am going to make some clutches out of it so I guess that means I am going to miss out on the pants.

Op Shop Finds - Hawthorn.

2009-06-18T15:42:00.004+10:00

I thought I would show you some goodies I bought at the Epic Treasure Trove op shop in Hawthorn. It's not in my neck of the woods but Monday is our day out and we usually go exploring other suburbs. I got this lovely little matching tea cup, saucer and plate. I love the combination of yellow and pink flowers. It's in really good condition too. There is a tiny bit of wear on the saucer but it's not really noticeable unless you look very closely.

I also managed to pick up an embroidered doily and a whole heap of vintage hook and eye cards. Some of the hook and eye cards are a little damaged but I did manage to snag one that was in pretty good condition and had all it's hooks and eyes in tact.

I went to 2 other op shops in the area but didn't find anything worthwhile in either of them. It's always a bit hit and miss with op shops. Most of the time I end up leaving with nothing.

New Brooches

2009-06-14T10:14:00.007+10:00

I have some new brooches ready to go in my etsy store. For the first time ever I have made some mini ones. They aren't exactly tiny but they are small compared to my standard size brooches. They measure 5 cm in diameter at the widest point. I have made them from from vintage napkins and they feature some fabulous cross stitch embroidery.

The purple and red brooches are my small size ones and measure 7cm. I will be adding the brooches to my etsy store in the coming week.

Lost - can you help me?

2009-06-07T15:08:00.004+10:00

Anyone here a Lost fan? I (or should I say we) forgot to record last weeks final episode for the season so I am desperate to find someone who has and who is willing to send me a copy on video. I will of course reimburse all costs and be eternally grateful to whoever can help. Just quietly I am actually a little desperate so you could probably name your price. If you are a fan you will understand. I can't not know what happened and while I could read about it, it's not quite the same.

The episode in question is Season 5, episode 17 - The Incident part 2. For those of you in Australia it aired last week on Wednesday 3rd June at 11pm. The rugby was on that night which threw our normal Wednesday night viewing out of wack and I went to be and forgot all about recording it, which I wouldn't have to do if channel 7 didn't put it on so late.

Sunday Stash # 18

2009-05-31T14:05:00.003+10:00

I just couldn't resist this polka dot fabric to use as bag lining. Bought on my last visit to Patchwork on Central Park. I have a thing for red and white bag lining and this fits the bill perfectly.

Find out more about Sunday Stash
See Sunday Stash on Flickr

Ruby-Jo at Leeloo

2009-05-28T11:29:00.009+10:00

I am very excited to say that Ruby-Jo brooches are now being sold at Leeloo!

For those of you who don't know, Leeloo is an online community and store that promotes up and coming Australian designers and artists. The lovely Angela behind the website has put together a range of fantastic handmade items many of which are one offs or exclusive to Leeloo.

The brooches you see in the photos are one off's that you will only find on Leeloo. Because I only have one of each of the vintage buttons used in both brooches you won't find that same combination of button and fabric again.

See the rest of my brooches at Leeloo here.

You can check what else is for sale at Leeloo here.

Sunday Stash #17

2009-05-24T15:14:00.003+10:00

This fabric makes me think of wallpaper or curtains in a 70's kitchen. I am using it for brooches and I bought it at Patchwork on Central Park.

If you want to play Sunday Stash you can do so here.

Sunday Stash #16

2009-05-17T14:21:00.004+10:00

Lovely green vintage fabric I bought from the Camberwell Markets. It is destined to become brooches and clutches.

If you want to see who else is playing along with Sunday Stash you can do so here and the flickr group is here with lots of fabric eye candy.

Blog Feature

2009-05-15T21:41:00.004+10:00

My latest brooch has been featured on Autonomous Artisans. Thank you to Lynne from Pirate Pixie Crew for the article.

Look what arrived in the mail

2009-05-07T17:29:00.005+10:00

I finally got round to ordering some Ruby-Jo sew in labels.

I will be using them on some new clutches that have been in the works for a while.

Hopefully I will be able to show you soon. I have people staying for 10 days so I am not sure how much sewing I can get done while they are here.

A Brooch Sale - But Not Exactly

2009-05-02T16:44:00.009+10:00

Well, technically it isn't a sale, but allow me to explain.

Ruby Jo brooches are going to be sold by an exciting new retailer. I won't say who just yet. Without going into the number crunching, to bring my brooch prices in line with the retailer I am increasing their price to $33. Currently the brooches are selling for $22AUD in my etsy and made it stores (although no brooches in made it at the moment)

About the sale part. The price rise will be happening on Monday 11th May so this gives you about a week to buy them at the current price which is quite a bit cheaper. Hence the sale analogy. So if you have been thinking of buying any of my brooches now is the time.

Oh and there are a few of the first brooches I ever listed on etsy marked down in the SALE section so there is some sort of real sale going on too.

Meet Someone Clever

2009-04-25T14:38:00.008+10:00

The lovely Rachel from Pink Lizzy Sews has interviewed me on her blog as part of her Meet Someone Clever Series. I am the first person she has interviewed for this and I feel extremely flattered. If you want to find out a little more about me then you can read the article here. If you don't then maybe you could have a look at her etsy store instead, she makes adorable children's clothing.

Sunday Stash #15

2009-04-20T16:00:00.003+10:00

A little late, but better late than never I guess.

I got this fabric from Patchwork on Central Park. The gold printed parts have a finish like gold leaf. I am going to make it into brooches but I think it would be great made into a shirt.

Vote for Me! Please!

2009-04-14T13:54:00.007+10:00

I found my Cross Stitch Rose brooch on etsy's latest Voter page for where you can vote for your favourite Eco Friendly item. The brooch is one of 60 items you can vote for. If you look in the photo above it is bottom row, second from the right. The top choices from the vote will be featured in etsy's Gift Guides so if you want to help my brooch get into the Gift Guides please send a vote my way.

You do have to be a registered etsy user to vote and you can only vote once per user name. The voting ends in 7 days so you have plenty of time to vote if you wish to.

P.S. In case you were wondering etsy have classed the brooch as eco friendly because I made it from a vintage napkin.

Sunday Stash #15

2009-04-12T16:27:00.004+10:00

This fabric is from a mint condition vintage pillow slip that I found opp shopping. I have already made some of it into a brooch which I will be listing in my etsy store.

Happy Easter!

2009-04-11T20:49:00.006+10:00

It's hard to resist chocolate at Easter time as it seems to be every where you look. And not just any chocolate but Easter egg chocolate which we all know tastes better than your normal run of the mill chocolate that you can find any time of the year.

The only chocolate I ever request at Easter time these days is a Red Tulip Elegant Bunny. Mum used to buy one for us when we were kids and then stopped doing so when we got a little too old for bunnies. Maybe having one at Easter makes me feel like a kid again but I love the outfits they wear and of course I LOVE the Easter egg chocolate taste. If you could buy Easter eggs all year round that is probably the only chocolate I would buy.

I have a have a milk chocolate and white chocolate Elegant Bunny to share this Easter. Of course there were no white chocolate bunnies when I was a kid but I am prepared to overlook that fact.

Happy Easter!

Sunday Stash #14

2009-04-05T10:42:00.003+10:00

I have been a little slack with my Sunday Stash's recently so I thought I would make an effort today. This fabric combo I picked up at the Amitie stall at the Stitches and Craft Show a few weeks ago when it came to Melbourne.

Camberwell Rotary Sunday Markets

2009-04-01T15:43:00.003+11:00

I went to the Camberwell markets on Sunday. The photo shows my haul from the excursion. I can’t believe I have been in Melbourne for over 2 years and it has taken me this long to get there. It felt like I was in vintage heaven.

For those of you not in Melbourne, it’s a trash and treasure market and that’s exactly what you will find plus everything in between. If you are after vintage and collectibles it’s the place to go apparently. All the goodies I bought were vintage - fabric, buttons, a beautiful tin and an embroidered tablecloth still in it’s packaging.

I went on my own which means I could browse to my hearts content and I didn’t need to worry about anyone else getting bored. There are around 350 stalls so it takes a while to get through them all especially if you want to go back and have a second look.

If Camberwell was close to home I would probably be there every Sunday but because it is a bit of a trek from my house I think I will have to be content with once a month. I can't wait until my next visit.

Dreamy

2009-03-28T15:26:00.005+11:00

Penny from Pocket Carnival on etsy has featured my Come Fly With Me brooch in her latest treasury called Dreamy. Thanks Penny!

EDIT: the treasury made it to the front page of etsy! Thanks again Penny