Sourdough Bread

For the past week I have been having lots of fun baking my own sourdough bread.  I've had mixed success - the first loaf was pretty good, the second one went straight to the chickens!  Overall every loaf (with the exception of the chicken food) has been edible ... some more than others.  I've even made bread rolls, which turned out not too badly for my first attempt!

Why is making bread more satisfying than baking a cake?   I don't know why this has given me such pleasure, but I'm loving every minute of it (even the failures).  I feel very connected to generations of women before me who baked bread as part of their everyday life, when calling into the local bakery on their way home from the school run/work wasn't an option.

I have been using recipes from Yoke Mardewi's book Sourdough.  This is a beautiful book that goes through everything you need to know about baking with sourdough (even croissants!).  My wonderful neighbour got me started on this "bread making" journey and has been very patient with me as I ask hundreds of questions ...... every other day!

I urge you to give baking bread (preferably sourdough - but any will do) a try.  Maybe you will find it has an impact on you as well.

Photographic journal

In a quest to:

1. Have a photographic journal of things in my life;

2.  To take better photos;

3.  To explore and extend my creativity (or not)

I have decided to take a few photos of what's going on around me most days.  I'd like to say "everyday", but I'm being realistic in that I will probably forget .... most days!  But I'm trying. 

I have been thinking of this project for a while now, but Kazz has totally inspired me (both with her photography and her amazing sewing skills and fab blog posts) to stop thinking and start doing.  So here goes ......

Day 1 - Monday 16 January 2012

my hexagon rug

It's raining today; I love my new red chickens; pinecone decor. 

Was I on drugs when I bought this fabric?

I haven't started the year off well on the sewing front. I half made possibly the worst thing I have EVER made this week - a hideous sack of a dress in fabric that I can't quite believe I actually bought. I was obviously having some sort of brain meltdown at the time - and if it wasn't bad enough that I had purchased the fabric - I still didn't see the "light" and went on to actually use it! That little voice in the back of my head tried to stop me when I got the fabric out this week, but did I listen? No, I went on to waste a couple of hours tracing out the pattern (which I think I will bin), then make a muslin of the bodice (??? I NEVER do that) and happy with the fit of that, go on and cut out the dress, by which time I was finally coming to my senses. Trying the dress on I shrieked, took it off and threw it straight into the bin. I did retrieve it briefly to take this photo .... just to remind me how stupid I can be sometimes (most times?) .....

You will be relieved to know that it has gone straight back into the bin.

Lessons learnt from this little exercise?

1. Don't buy silky bright coloured fabric - unless making pj's for my children (and I still wouldn't use this).
2. Don't be lazy and look for the "quick" make dress - they are usually shapeless sacks (that's what makes them quick)
3. When that "little voice" is trying to tell me something - stop and listen!

Not to be deflated - I'm looking for a more complex project this week - maybe the shirtmaker dress I've been wanting to make for ages (and it has buttons, so I can use it for the next Sew Weekly challenge).

What do you think? I know this fabric is quite loud as well, but I think it will work. Tommy Hilfiger did a shirt in fabric similar to this and I just loved it ... so I think this is my next project. Don't you just love my new red chickens? I just got them so had to put them in the piccie too!

Calmness

Image from timeinc.net

I need more calmness in my life.  These things are going to help me find it ...

Reclaim my house from all the Stuff" that has been allowed to move in

Increasing my physical fitness and loosing 5 kg (before March) and going back to yoga classes

Participate in the Sew Weekly challenges

Finish my hexagon rug

Spend more time in my garden

I need to do a whole lot on a personal level to become a more peaceful and calm person, but making time to do these things will certainly have a huge impact.

Welcome 2012

Welcome 2012 - may you be full of love, friendship, opportunity, creativity, laughter, happiness.  This is my wish for everyone.  For all those that have had a difficult 2011 I hope 2012 smiles upon you.  For everyone that suffered heartache through personal tragedies or natural ones (floods, earthquakes, tsunami, cyclones) - I hope 2012 will give you strength and healing.

For me - I am hoping that Miss A's transition into high school will be a positive and rewarding one.  For Miss E (happy 8th birthday my darling) that she will continue to blossom (and that the whinging passes - quickly).  For Mr R - that he catches some fish (a new hobby). 

And me?  I hope that 2012 will:

• continue to be filled with joy as I watch my children grow,
• that I spend more time in my garden, with my horse and at my sewing machine,
• I finish my hexagon rug (only 120 more hexagons to go!). 
• I can find more serenity and calmness in my life. 

So ..... let the journey continue!