:: Everyday I Write The Book...

 pip lincolne on Vimeo.

:: Retro Readers Club : James And The Giant Peach

Do you want to join my club?  We are going to read favourite childhood books. Remember last year we read Anne of Green Gables and Are You There God, It's Me Margaret?  I liked that.  I want to do more of that.  Yes!  I've decided to pare things back a bit and go back to my roots.  I'm going to choose some books that I loved to read as a kid, and some books that I wish I had read.

The first book choice for Retro Readers is 'James And The Giant Peach' by Roald Dahl.  I have read this book, but it was long ago... and I have seen the film countless times too.  I love Roald Dahl. I love Sophie Dahl. I love Dahl in general. Yum.

 Let me know if you would like to read along too.   One of the bonuses of Retro Readers is that you can read the book/s aloud to people in your house, if you are having trouble finding time for a quiet read on your own.  You could even record yourself reading chapters, and then play them to small (or large!) people you might live with or know.  That would be cool too!

We're going to do a book a month.  So you've got the whole of September to read about James and ladybugs and seagulls and nasty aunts.  If you finish early let me know and I'll get you to write a review!

You can sign up below (a form should be showing within this post!) or you can comment to sign up if you can't see the form in your reader/browser!  Both ways work for me!

Would you like to read retro with me?

xx Pip





PS :: (I must admit that in our regular book club I did not manage to get through Pride and Prejudice. Shame on me. Things have been super busy and complicated, and it seemed like P&P was a bit complicated too. I will try again when things are a bit more settled.)

:: Koolest...

A LIGHT? From a vintage camera?  You have GOT to BE kidding ME! Oh Em Gee.  That clever Kirst. She kills me.  This is great.

xx Pip

:: I Wheely Like This...

This is a really clever idea isn't it?  Don't you think?  The very clever Saidos da Concha came up with this cute palett table reinvention.  I likey.  You can click over here to read all about this great project!  Bravo!

xx Pip

:: Secrets From A Stylist

So.  I don't know if you have ever watched a series called Design Star, but I just got onto it and I quite like it.  Last season's winner, Kirsten Dunst doppelganger Emily Henderson has claimed her prize, and it's a show called Secrets From A Stylist. I have been watching it online.  (I am not sure if it will screen here, but if it does it will be on cable and I don't have cable.)

I really like this show!  It's quite a modern, bloggy take on the whole Design Show thing.  I really love the way Emily does her style diagnostic on each episode, and I love watching her decorate (complete with triumphs and mistakes), doing and undoing rooms until they match their soon-to-be-delighted owners.  Super cute.  I think if Decor8 and Design Sponge and Apartment Therapy all got together and hatched a baby, she'd look something like this Miss.  I firmly believe she's super adorable and funny and natural and sweet and maybe YOU would like to watch her show too?!  Here is Emily's blog.

xx Pip

:: Take Your Own Advice...

Last Wednesday I was sitting in the studio by myself thinking about what to do next.  I was feeling a bit overwhelmed and indecisive really.  I had/have a sheep-load of work to do on my new website before it is ready. I was thinking about that, and forming a plan of attack.  The site is currently being developed by this guy (with the help of this lady) and I was trying to make sure that I was keeping up my end of the bargain and doing the recategorizing and tutorial writing that I needed to do.  If you were observant, you might have snuck a peek at the bare bones of my site on Friday when someone accidentally found it and tweeted the link for all to see!  No matter. If you DID see it,  just pretend you didn't. That works for me.

Now, back to Wednesday.  There was overwhelmed me.   I was making lists of things to do for said site, and I was simultaneously writing a column for this site and I was also looking at the shorts for Beautiful Lies, a click later and I found myself checking session times, putting my clogs back on and marching across the Carlton Gardens to the Nova to see it.  Just like that.  Twelve 'o' clock session.  Even though I had work to do.  Some sort of cine-compulsion came over me and off I went.

I rarely go to the movies, because it costs a fortune to take the whole tribe.  (No wonder people come over all piratey...)  I most certainly do not go to the movies alone. I most definitely do not skive off work during that precious 9 til 3 block.  Nope. I do not.  But for some reason I did all those things.  Off marched I.

There were two people in the cinema. Me and a man who had to sit RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME, even though he had the WHOLE FREAKING CINEMA at his mercy.  Just for him, I took my shoes off.  And I crackled my wrappers.  And I even coughed a bit.  That'll teach him.  Regardless of all that, I had the world's best time.  Just me and close-sitter and Audrey Tatou.  Super good. Have you seen Beautiful Lies?  It's so funny and cute. I loved it.

Keen to repeat the world's best time, I snuck off to see Jane Eyre today.  It was $6 movie day at Nova.  The cinema was packed (drat) and I sat between two gals who were going to the movies on their own too.  Someone a few seats away opened a sandwich. It had ONION IN IT. OMG.  In a cinema!  Jeez.  Why dontcha just smudge sardines everywhere, lady.  Anyhoo.  Despite the packedness and the solo-girl movie bookends at each elbow, I had a lovely time. My stomach was growling (it was 11.15), so I should apologise to my cute elbow buddies for that.  Hopefully they did not hear, because Rochester was going 'Jane. Jane' very loudly quite a bit.  It's a lovely film.  At the end I totes expected Jane to pull a Frankie from her decolletage and ride off on a fixie for a cider. They look very hip and modern, despite their breeches and capes, I thought.  I quite liked that, a bit of an updated Jane Eyre with lovely braided hair-dos and beards and the like.  It was quite a moment when Jane returns to Thornfield.  Half the cinema gasped and the other half (who obviously were in the know) tittered a bit.  Aww.  We were all in it together.  It wasn't so bad to be packed after all..!

Do you do the solo movie?  You should take my advice and head off one lunch time.

:: Cutie Patootie...

cute-face-stuff by mikes 

I am quite liking this post-punk, tribal, crafty kind of thing!  I am really not very good at Polyvore, but I am learning...

xx Pip

:: Lovely Places

Via Room Service

From Via

from Little Circus

xx Pip

:: Things I Would Like To Wear

1. Net-A-Porter
2. Swedish Hasbeens
3. Modcloth

Do you like these? I really DO!

xx Pip

:: Moira Millman...

Ah. I really love this print by lovely Moira Millman.   It is called Custard the Cat.  I want both a cat and some custard now...  Yep.  Don't you?  And I want to drag out my dusty Gocco printer and make something.  Don't you?  (I like sliced banana in my custard... and a sprinkling of coconut atop.)

xx Pip

:: Cake and Make :: Episode One

Oooh yum.  Raspberry, Lemon and Yoghurt Loaf!  This recipe (and photo!) comes to us via Sunflower Days.  There are some other nice recipes over there, if you would care to take a peek. Less cakey things like Chai Latte, Vanilla Poached Pears or Chickpeas with Chermoula, Tomatoes and Spinach. Y to the UM.

You'll find a really great step by step tutorial showing you how to make this great beaded necklace here at ECAB.  There are a TON of other good things over there, too.  Things to craft and recipe tips and decorating inspiration.  It's really the super-goodness!

xx Pip

:: Where Do You Live?

via

Where do you live?  What is it like?

I live in Fitzroy.  It's an inner city suburb of Melbourne (South Eastern Australia!)  Fitzroy sits just north of the city.  It's bordered by the Fitzroy Gardens to my South and the Carlton Gardens to my west. Eastwards is Collingwood. And further north is North Fitzroy.

We live right on Brunswick Street above our shop.  The building is very old and dusty, with mostly poky rooms (except our living room).  Luckily the poke is balanced by nice high ceilings.  There are no cupboards in our house. No storage at all, which is a challenge.  We have lots of bookshelves and vintage suitcases and sets of drawers found by the roadside, which we use to TRY and keep things a bit more organised.

We had to build a makeshift kitchen when we moved in (well... Cam did!) because there was no kitchen.  To get to our kitchen, you have to walk outside and take a few steps through the courtyard garden.  But that is okay (unless it is raining!)  Better than having NO kitchen!

The courtyard has a HUGE wall and fence surrounding it.  The offices from next door can peek in, if they want.  It's filled with old bikes and bits and pieces we have collected.  It's a bit of a mess at the moment, but we'll have it cute as a button for Summer, methinks.  Out the back gate is a laneway garden.  Cam, Laurie (our neighbour), Max and Ari built it.  It's not really meant to be there, but it provides some lovely greenery and happiness to all the people who live backing on to our lane.  Cam is growing peas in there.  SOON we can plant all those delicious salad vegetables, too.

We have lived her for four years, nearly.  It's really lovely and quite noisy.  We can walk to the city, or out for a drink.  Lots of really good things are on our doorstep.  At night the streets are clattery and yelly and busy.  It's always noisy, no matter what.

If you drive past our shop, the upstairs windows are our living room.  It is LOVELY and LARGE with whitewashed floorboards and an open fire.  That is were we will usually be!

Our building is flanked by a row of shops (including a pizza shop, a carpet shop and a soon-to-open lifestyle/homewares store by Rae Ganim), a boarding house and a pub (The Worker's Club) on the south side.  On the north side is The Brotherhood of Saint Laurence.  Over the road is a park and the public housing high-rises.

We are less than one minutes walk from the cute Gertrude Street Shopping Precinct.  My studio is on Gertrude Street too, along with a whole host of favourite shops and cafes.

It is a really busy, exciting, interesting place to live.  And also a bit tiring and loud at times.

That is where I live!  Where do you live?  What is it like?

xx Pip

:: Ari's Book Week Book...

Just because we are doing a bit of family show and tell!  Here is the book Ari's taking to school for Book Week.  Cute-face.  They have a Kitchen Garden Program at Ari's school and he is LOVING it.  Yesterday they made Gnocchi and also Cauliflower with Caramelised Onion.  Apparently it was delicious!  Aw.  Last week I spied this book in the kitchen at school.  He's in good hands, methinks!


xx Pip

:: Rin's New Ziggy...

Rin and Joe got a new dog!  His name is Ziggy!  Look how CUTE he is!! He came from the Lost Dogs Home. Aw.  Welcome Ziggy!

xx Pip

:: Washo...

I have never met Megan Washington.  Once I went to a book launch and she was RIGHT THERE, but she was talking to a rather rakish fella, so I did not go up to her, lest I rudely interrupt.

I like to call her Washo.  It's meant to be a good thing.  It's my nickname for her.  Maybe other people call her that too, I do not know.  Anyhow, I really like her a lot.  I like her energy and her determination.  I like the way she references some great ladies with a healthy dose of herself and pulls it all together into something unique.  I like her shoulder shimmy, too, of course.  And I like the way she sings.  And her costumes.  I do.

Here is the AFTER and then the BEFORE and DURING of Washo's latest video, Holy Moses.

Shake your shoulders, why dontcha?!

xx Pip

:: Spirograph...

 Did you have one?  Launched in 1966, the Spirograph was totally the most fun you could have with some cardboard and paper and colourful pins. You needed the pens with the long nibs, too, to fit nicely in the holes in those plasticky circle things. And you needed a firm hand.

I had a Spirograph and an Sketch-a-graph too.  Usually the Spirograph  had me drawing very random scribbly shapes, as my hand veered off the circle cog and across the page. Un-co much?

The slightly related Sketch-a-graph was quite good also, because it allowed you to trace a drawing... but again it required a lot of patience and I never got great results.

I found this set at the Camberwell Market earlier this year.  It once belonged to Janet Eggleshaw.  I know this because her name is on a lot of the amazing Spirally works in the box.  Go Janet.  You do not have the scribbly, veery hand like me.  Well done YOU!

xx Pip

:: Papery Stationery Makery

How To Make A Washi Tape Dispenser

How To Make A Cute Envelope Accordion File

This blog seems to be having a little snooze at the moment, but there are some lovely things over there regardless!

xx Pip

Listening to :: Adele
At :: The Studio (finally!)
Thinking of :: New projects for next book!
Feeling :: Head-achey

:: My New Book/s!

Wooh. Look at this! My new book and my new crafty journal! OMG. I am back in bed, sick with a sinus infection. But I am totes cheered along by these!  Exciting!  That is Bronte up there.  She is Steve and Michelle's cat.  We made a lot of Make Hey! at Steve and Michelle's house. They are really very lovely to let us take over their lives for 3 whole days, methinks.  Don't you think? Yep.  Michelle is so lovely, she designed the book.  Go her!

The rest of Make Hey! was shot in Melbourne's Edinburgh Gardens.  And we were lucky enough to borrow Besty the Caravan for the day, too.  Thank you FLISS!  Thank you Betsy!  John Laurie took the photos for Make Hey!, with some help from Chris M.  So thank you blokes with cameras!  And you probably already know that Hardie Grant (and the adorable Jane Winning) were the backbone of this whole book. So thank YOU.  Phew.  And look at Rin's legs up there! And let's not forget Janine Flew, my trusty craft detective.  She is great.  Yep.  There are lots more thank yous in the book. You'll have to buy it to see yours. Tee-hee. Out in all good bookstores from October.  Try to buy local if you can.

xx Pip

PS : YES! There are recipe cards!
PPS : I will tell you about the Meet Me at Mike's Crafty Journal next time!

:: Ode to Flickr

via KayLovesVintage

Aw Flickr. It's still a fave of mine. I think Pinterest is kicking Flickr's butt a bit.  But Flickr is really super wonderful and we must not forget about it.  Flickr is all about people 'pinning' their own photos. I like that.  I like Pinterest too, but sometimes the same images go around and around. Sometimes it's not so much about the maker or origin of the image, but about consuming the image. Tumblr can be a bit like that too.

I love the originality of Flickr.  I love the little surprises it offers. I love that you can use it as a home base for all your images, editing and storing them over there.   I love the people over there too.  Like this people.  KayLovesVintage. She's my kind of people.  I found this image by Kay in the Jeu de Paume group.

(Also I love these chairs and this blue.  I love blue!)

xx Pip

:: Don't Ruin My Wedding

Wow. Check out these beautiful invitations via Don't Ruin My Wedding.  Ah-may-zink.
Found via Oh So Beautiful Paper. Merci!

xx Pip

:: Pip's Uber Famous Teriyaki Chicken

I cook this a LOT.  Ari begs me to not cook it too often.  "I love it so much, I don't ever want to get sick of it!"  The potato starch coating transforms the chicken into something quite remarkable.  This recipe only takes a few minutes to prepare and it's really just as good as eating in a Japanese restaurant, and much less spendy.  And much better if you like a greedy bowlful, too!

Pip's Uber Famous Teriyaki Chicken

Serves 6

Ingredients

1kg skinless chicken breast fillets (free range if you can!) cut into rough 1" pieces

1/2 cup of potato starch (from Asian grocers and some supermarkets)

1/2 cup of oil (I just used canola oil)

Sauce :: Mix Together

1/4 cup of good quality soy sauce (like Kikkoman)

1/4 cup of mirin

1/4 cup of sake

1/4 cup of raw sugar

1/4 cup of water

2 teaspoons of sesame oil

To serve::

Short grain rice or sushi rice

Chilli sauce if you are into it

Chopped spring onions and any other chopped raw vegies you like 

(I like to use cherry tomatoes and I steam some broccoli to the right side of crunchy to have with it too!)

Let's Make It...

Tip the potato starch into a plastic bag and then dump the chopped up chicken in there.  Twist the bag a few times to seal it and then shake it all up to coat the chicken well.  We want the starch all over every piece.

Heat your oil in a large frying pan or wok over a medium high heat.  Fry the coated chicken in two batches, just until it's sealed and colouring a tiny bit.  We don't need to cook it right through yet.  Drain the sealed chicken on kitchen towel.  Now, tip out the oil leaving just a teensy bit in the pan.  There will be bits of fried stuff stuck to the pan too.  That is just fine.  Leave that in there.

Put the pan with teensy bit of oil and leftover fried bits back on to a medium heat.  Add all of your chicken to the pan.  It will be a bit crowded.  Stir your sauce mixture to distribute the sugar a bit, then tip it over the chicken and toss well.  It will bubble up and start to look pretty impressive and delicious.

Put a lid on for a minute or two to help cook the chicken through properly, shaking the pan every now and then to prevent things burning. Then take the lid off and toss the chicken for another minute or two, until it's lovely and glazed and caramelizing a bit. (If you don't have a lid, just cook for four minutes without the lid, tossing well to keep things cooking evenly.)  That's all you do!

Serve on top of a few spoonfuls of rice.  Top with spring onions and the raw vegies.  I always put a big dollop of chilli sauce atop mine.  

Serve with green tea and marvel at the amazing texture of the chicken!  SO so so so yummy.  Try it. You will be amazed. Honest.

:: Here Are My New Books!

Please excuse the iPhone photos! They just came through from Hardie Grant via Twitter!  They have advance copies of my books floating around their building! And they took these photos so we could sneak a peek!  It's really very exciting when these things finally come together. I can not quite believe it.   You sort of forget that the book you spend so long making will actually be released.  It's just such a nice thing to make a book... the publication is a bit of a BONUS!  I need a cup of tea now.  I'm a bit shaky-thrilled!  I can't wait to hold these in my very own hands. I can not wait!

xx Pip

:: Today Is The Day!

STOP! Today is the day.  It's the day to do something NICE.  Something that you WANT to do. What will you do?  No ifs. No buts.  Do you want to bake a loaf of bread?  Do that, and do it happily and slowly and full of fun-ly.  Do you want to have a nap? Do it.  Do you want to read a book for a little while? Do it? Don't choose something you HAVE to do.  Choose something you want to do.  Maybe you want to have a nice piece of cheese after dinner?  Or maybe you want to buy yourself a new magazine to flip through?  Or maybe you want to read the first ten pages of the newspaper properly? (I don't!)  Would you like to go for an unhurried walk?  Would you like a special treat for your lunch?  Do you want to make a big pot of tea for yourself, and not just a cup?  Do you want a really yum piece of organic fruit?  Or a long bath?  Or to listen to a record you really like?   Do something that takes a bit of time, something that makes you feel happy, and do it today.  Go on.  Make sure you don't rush and make sure you take the time to enjoy your thing.  Today is the day. Off you go!

xx Pip

Reading :: Sarah Wilson. She's so healthy and cute. I am always trying to be healthier (and cuter, fo schizz)
Writing ::  A list of thing that are hurdles at the moment.  And then I am going to work out how to get over or sneak around them.
Listening :: to Michelle Bennett's Spoke on 3RRR
Making :: Writing up tutorials for my new website (coming soon!)
Designing :: My new website with the help of a nice techie and my friend Yvonne
Wishing :: My taxes would be done already so I can put some money in the bank!

:: A Sprinkle of Bonkers...

Steve. He's the man with all the tips.   This is cool, no?   This is one of Steve's tips.  It's a video by One Night Only featuring the spunky Emma Watson.  Faux fur clad, braided headband and biting at the styley heels of (the former??!) Ms Moss, I think that Emma REALLY should grow up to be Helena Bonham Carter.  I love them both...  HBC and EW.   I hope EW doesn't get all smooth and taut and big lipped in her old age... and please don't let her get a washboard stomach with those lumpy above-the-hip muscles. Whatever they are called.  I take it back.  Please let her grow up to be HERSELF, actually.

(Well. With a sprinkle of Bonham-Carter bonkers.  Because we all need that.)

xx Pip

Listening to :: The Grapevine on 3RRR (It's Radiothon peeps, so subscribe!)
Reading :: Gourmet Girlfriend on Homework
Watching :: Intervention. I am addicted. That is a bit wrong.

:: Go Anna!

Last night, Anna Brownfield's film 'Making It Handmade' had its television premiere on ABC2.  Wowee! Bravo Anna. The film features the crafty lives of four ladies (Gemma Jones, Casey Jenkins, Rayna Fahey and Me) and talks about all kinds of good stuff, crafty-like.

Anna had to chase me to get me to be in this film.  I am quite skittish when it comes to discussing my place in the craft world.  It makes me feel like a bit of a show-offy tosser.  But I love Anna. And I love her commitment to her work and to this DIY life. So despite being quite ill, I did take part and I am very glad I did. I am proud to be part of something so fab (despite my watery eyes, croaky voice, unbrushed hair etc!)

My segment focused on Moi, our shop and the crafty ladies of the Brown Owls.
Gemma talked about the meaning of craft to her, and crafty trends and we got to sit in on her Kaotic Kraft Kuties gathering too.
Casey talked about radical craft, using craft as a woolly, glittery fire-starter to encourage dialogue on all kinds of issues, from lady parts to explosives and plenty in between.
Rayna talked about crafty activism, taking us on a knit graffiti mission and chatting about making craft your own and turning our backs on crafty commercialism.

In addition to we four...
Faythe said some GREAT stuff about the realities of crafting as a job, as well as strewing other pearls of creative wisdom.  In case you don't know, Faythe is the super-smart lady behind the book and film Handmade Nation.
Justine talked about the contagious wave of handmade life that is sweeping through our suburbs.. and how fantastic that is!  Justine is the editor of the much loved Mixtapezine.

In true DIY style, Anna conceived, shot, edited, produced, packaged and marketed this film herself.  Now that is crafty.

You can watch Making It Handmade on iView for a limited time
You can buy Making It Handmade on DVD here :: (please note that Anna also makes feminist erotica films, so don't be startled when you pop over there!)

Do you know, when I was growing up our house was FILLED with dressmaking patterns, DIY manuals, Golden Hands, Family Circle... all kinds of things that made you want to make things (and read things too!)  If there is one thing I can say to people who want to foster crafty times in their household, it is that you should surround yourself with encouragements like these.  Um. Actually there are two things.

1. Surround yourself with encouragements
2. Just have a go

What do you think?  How would you encourage a crafty life...?  Or how do you get your crafty inspiration?  Did you watch this film?  Will you?  What did you think?

xx Pip

:: Making It Handmade : Sunday ABC2

If you live in Australia you can see Anna Brownfield's film about the contemporary craft scene, Making It Handmade on ABC2 tomorrow (Sunday) night.  It's on at 9.30! Go Anna!  It's not an easy thing to get your show on the telly, so huge congratulations to Anna!  Well deserved, methinks.

The film features Gemma Jones, Faythe Levine, Rayna Fahey, Casey Jenkins and moi.  It was produced, shot and edited by Anna Brownfield and premiered at the Melbourne International Film Festival last year.

Write this in your diary, or set your equipment to record, because you are going to love Anna's film!

xx Pip

:: The Doctor's In The House

via

Both kids were sick over the last two weeks.  Now. I. Am. Sick. So boring. See you soon. Hope you are well!

xx Pip