{Book Reviews} Home Sewn Home; & Tilda's Spring Ideas

Home Sewn Home: 20 Projects to Make for the Retro Home, by Sally Walton is a sweet book that has some lovely, practical home projects for lovers of vintage and retro. Most of the projects have been made with recycled vintage fabrics and supplies, which gives them a lovely charm and takes you back to your grandmother's home.

Projects include: aprons, padded coat hangers, peg bag, wash bag, jewellery roll and more. What I love about this book is that it is enjoyable to look through - it has been printed on quality thick paper and has lots of sweet nostalgic props and details throughout. Most of all, it has full sized pattern sheets included in a pocket at the back of the book (a big plus for sewing books) and lots of tips throughout.

All the projects in the book are suitable for beginner and intermediate sewers. There is a helpful Supplies and Techniques section which guides you through the skills required to complete the projects. It has lots of step by step photos to guide you through the process so that you will get a lovely end product.

This is a great book for lovers of Vintage.

Book Details:
ISBN:         9781861088406
Publisher:    Guild of Mastercraftsman Publications
Format:       Paperback, 160 Pages
RRP:           $29.99

Home Sewn Home is available from Fishpond, Booktopia, and Can Do Books. 

Tilda's Spring Ideas by Tone Finnanger is a sweet collection of fresh Spring themed projects using Tilda fabrics, papers, and  embellishments.  You will be inspired to create garlands, decorations, soft toys, sewing accessories, angels, fabric boxes and more. You can see a google preview of the book at Fishpond if you would like a peak inside this delightful book.

All the projects are photographed and styled so beautifully, it is treat to look through. It also features full sized templates in the back of the book.

If you are a lover of the Tilda style, this is a wonderful book to add to your collection.

Book Details:
ISBN:         781446302446
Publisher:    David and Charles
Format:       Paperback, 48 Pages
Price:          $14.99

Tilda's Spring Ideas is available from Booktopia  and  Fishpond.



Disclaimer: Please note that we are not paid to write book reviews but we do receive a review copy of the book from distributors/publishers. We are affiliates of Booktopia and Fishpond.

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Vanilla Chocolate Butter Cookies

As you know, here at A Spoonful of Sugar Headquarters, there is always a steady supply of sweet treats. Sarah loves nothing more than pottering around the kitchen on the weekend, baking fresh treats for us to enjoy. We try and share the love by giving gifts of home baked treats to family and friends. In this busy world of ours, freshly baked treats are always appreciated.

This week Sarah made up a batch of Vanilla Chocolate Butter Cookies using this recipe from Martha Stewart. The cookies are delicious, with a buttery shortbread texture. They are light and crisp, and go perfectly with a lovely cup of tea. The recipe yielded 50+ cookies, so there were plenty left to share.

To package the cookies, we stacked them in baking cups inside a cardboard loaf pan. They were covered with some printed waxed paper (available from Wonderland Room) and sealed with Japanese masking tape. They were gift wrapped with clear cellophane and tied with a bow.

What types of home made goodies do you like to give or receive?


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Winner of Zakkia Giveaway

Thanks to everyone who entered our giveaway to win the $50 Gift Certificate, sponsored by Zakkia. The lucky winner of the Gift Voucher is Trina B. We have sent you an email Trina. 

If you are looking for quirky, modern, or vintage style, hand painted knobs and handles for your next DIY project, you can't go past the fabulous range at Zakkia. Join Zakkia's VIP club to get a 10% discount off your order. Details on their website. 

Pretty Drawstring Pouch {Tutorial}

Thanks for all the lovely comments on my little pouch design that I shared yesterday. Now that my trusty Pfaff is sewing smoothly again, I was able to complete the tutorial today.

If you are after a little drawstring pouch to hold a few essentials or to use as gift packaging, the Pretty Drawstring Pouch will fit the bill. Made from two fat 1/8's of quilting cotton and a length of ribbon, it can be made in under an hour. The lining is folded over to the front to make a contrasting casing for the drawstring.

It is sized at 6 1/2 x 6 1/2 inches (16.5 cm x 16.5 cm).

Materials:

• 2 fat 1/8's quilting cotton - floral and polka dot
• 42 inches (107 cm narrow ribbon (1/4 inch wide)

Template can be found here.

Note: Seam allowance of 1/4 inch included.

1. Using the template, cut out two outer pieces (floral), and two lining pieces (polka dot). 

2. Place the two outer pieces (floral) with the right sides facing. Stitch around from one side to the other, leaving the top open. Clip corners. Press.

3. Place the outer pouch on top of the lining panel (polka dot) and make a mark with a water soluble pen, just above the stitching line on both sides (as marked in Photo 3). Pin the two lining pieces together with the right sides facing. Stitch from the mark on one side around to the mark on the other side.  Clip corners. Press.

4. Clip the seam of the lining at a 45 degree angle as shown in Photo 4. Repeat for each side. Press the seam allowance open. This will form part of the casing.

5. Stitch around the seam allowance on both sides of the casing as shown in Photo 5.
6. Turn the floral part of the pouch so that the print is facing outwards. Place the lining inside the pouch. There will be 3/4 inch (2 cm) of the lining showing at the top and this will form the casing. Press this part of the lining down so that it is level with the top of the pouch. Fold under 1/4 inch along the edge of the casing.
7. Pin the casing in place.
8. Stitch along the top and bottom edge of the casing. Cut the ribbon in half lengthwise. Using a safety pin, thread the ribbon through the casing on one side, and right around to exit on the same side. Repeat with the other piece of ribbon from the other opening. Knot the ends of the ribbon. Press.

And there you have it - a quick little pouch to hold all manner of things.

 We have modified the pattern to make a larger drawstring pouch over on this post.

Edit:  Pink fabric is 30's Collection Atsuko Matsuyama, Lecien; White fabric is Tweet by Timeless Treasures.

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Pretty Pouch and my Pfaff

Sewing is so relaxing when everything is going smoothly. It is so therapeutic to stitch away on a project while listening to music. However if you are having sewing machine issues - it can be an exercise in frustration. Over the past couple of weeks my trusty Pfaff has been skipping stitches BIG TIME. Usually every 5-6 stitches there is a giant skipped stitch. The unpicker has been working overtime. I have threaded and re-threaded the machine. Fiddled with the tension. Changed the needle several times. Given it a thorough clean and oil. Words have been uttered in frustration. (Sugar Sugar Sugar....)

I needed a small project to test my machine on after each adjustment so I made a little drawstring pouch to hold a small hand stitching project. (Don't look too closely at the stitching - it isn't pretty!!). At least the pretty fabric gave me something to smile about. The drawstring pouch was going to be a tutorial but I was way too frustrated!

Eventually I had an "aha" moment. I had recently bought a different brand of sewing machine needle when my local fabric store was out of Schmetz. I have now restocked the Schmetz and my loyal Pfaff Tiptronic (circa 2000) is once again stitching along perfectly. It really is a dream to sew on.

I had almost talked myself into upgrading to the Pfaff Quilt Expression 4.0. I was dreaming of the large 10 inch sewing space; the dual lights; automatic thread snipper; 200 stitches; and the Electronic Thread Tension.   Sigh... Alas, it was not to be.....

Which sewing machine do you dream of owning?

Edit: Stay tuned for a Pretty pouch Tutorial:)

Edit: You can find the Pretty Drawstring Pouch Tutorial here.

Maple Oat Cookies

Saturday mornings are always busy here at Chez Sugar. We all pitch in and get the house cleaning and laundry done in the morning so that the rest of the weekend is free for more interesting and relaxing activities. No sooner had we finished all the cleaning today, than Sarah produced some delicious Maple Oat Cookies for our morning tea.  

The Maple Oat Cookies have a lovely maple syrup flavour, that when combined with the oats and rice bubbles, make for a substantial cookie. They are crisp on the outside with a chewy texture. It is difficult to stop at one! These cookies would be great for a school lunchbox - they are very satisfying and not too sweet.

Maple Oat Cookies

• 1.5 cups rolled oats
• 3/4 cup dessicated (unsweetened) coconut
• 1 1/3 cups plain (all-purpose) flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 5 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 tablespoons boiling water
• 1 cup rice bubbles (rice crispies)

Mix together oats, coconut, flour, salt, and sugar. Set aside.

Place butter and maple syrup in a small saucepan set over medium heat. Cook and stir until melted. Remove from heat. Stir together baking soda and boiling water and add it to the melted butter. Stir the butter mixture into the oats. Fold in rice bubbles.

Using a small ice-cream scoop, place balls of cookie dough about 3 inches apart on baking paper (parchment) lined cookie sheets, 8 to a sheet. Flatten each ball slightly with the palm of your hand.

Bake at 150 deg C (300ºF) for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown and set. Transfer to wire racks or paper towel, to cool. Store in an airtight container, at room temperature, for up to 1 week.

Makes approx 36 cookies

Adapted from Kitchen Simplicity

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{Book Reviews} Knot Thread Stitch, and Baby & Kids Quilts.

Knot Thread Stitch: Exploring Creativity Through Embroidery and Mixed Media by Lisa Solomon incorporates traditional embroidery techniques into contemporary projects to give this craft a modern and fresh look.The book begins with a helpful section detailing the supplies and techniques used in the projects.Templates are included in the back of book and they do need to be enlarged.

The projects include: tea towels, portraits, jewellery, skirt, totes and more. The projects included detailed step by step instructions, detailed photography, plus artist made variations. The use of variations from talented artists/bloggers, makes it most inspiring book. It gives you so many tips and ideas for incorporating elements of embroidery into fun and modern projects.

Book Details:
ISBN:           1592537723
Format:         Paperback, 144 Pages
Publisher:      Quarry Books
RRP:             $27.99

Knot Thread Stitch is available from Fishpond, Booktopia and Can Do Books.

Baby and Kids Quilts , Best of Fons and Porter, contains 39 Projects for tots to teens. It is a collection of some of their favourite and most popular quilts from their magazine. It includes quilts of all skill levels, and many feature elements of appliqué. It includes helpful and detailed instructions, many step by step photo guides, and the necessary full sized templates.

If you enjoy making quilts for babies and kids, you will find plenty of inspiration in this book with lots of bright, colourful designs.

You can find a google preview of the book with more images at Fishpond.

Book Details:
ISBN:                 1609002490
Format:               Paperback, 176 pages
Publisher:            Leisure Arts
RRP:                  $29.99.

Baby abnd Kids Quils ia available from Fishpond, Booktopia and Can Do Books.

Shades of Aqua

Making us smile today .....

• Completed a reversible runner for our coffee table at my sewing group this week. It is a simple design from white linen and fabrics to match our cushions/pillows and it looks perfect in our family living area.
• New Ceramic Coasters in the perfect shade of aqua/sea glass that arrived today (as a result of some recent online shopping).
• New magazine arrived in our letterbox this week. It came with a wooden crochet hook and cute pattern for crocheted stars. 

It really is the little details that make us happy. What has put a smile on your face today?

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{Product Review} Dremel 3000 Variable Speed Rotary Tool + Project

As you know, we love to dabble in a wide range of crafts here at A Spoonful of Sugar headquarters - sewing, quilting, paper crafts, knitting etc. We don't tend to do a lot of DIY home decorating projects as we don't have access to a workshop or have many of the tools needed to work with wood, metals, plastics, glass etc. We see lots of fantastic ideas for home decorating projects on some of our favourite home decorating blogs but sadly we don't have the necessary tools/equipment required. Also to be perfectly honest, we don't really feel that comfortable using big, heavy power tools. A glue gun and a sewing machine are more our style!

We were sent the Dremel 3000 to review  and it is a lightweight, handy and compact power tool. We were surprised to find that it can grind, cut, sand, drill, carve, etch, buff and polish. It can be used with wood, glass, plastics, metal, laminate, tiles, ceramic, metals, rubber and more. It comes in a plastic storage case with one attachment and 26 accessories. Priced at $99 for Series 1 - it is affordable for a tool that has so many applications. You can purchase additional accessories separately online and from major hardware stores. The Dremel is really easy to operate, even if you don't have much experience with power tools. You can quickly change the attachments to suit the project you are working on.

To put the Dremel through its paces, we made some key chains and a pendant from some old coins that we had collected in our travels.

You will need:
Coins ( I used some old French Francs)
Dremel 3000
Drill Bit (#150)
safety glasses
clamp
split ring key ring fittings
long nosed pliers
leather cord

Method:

• secure coin to workbench with clamp (I just used my sewing table).
• Using the Dremel with the drill bit attached (and wearing safety glasses), drill a hole in the top of the coins
• Use pliers to attach key ring fitting to coin or thread leather cord through the hole to make a pendant.

Another great idea would be to make a charm bracelet using coins from different countries you have travelled to.


The Dremel 3000 Rotary Tool was easy to use and quick to set up in our craft room. Some other crafty things you can do with the Dremel include: etching on glass and metal; making toys and models; carving pumpkins; distressing jeans; making jewellery; and loads more. The Dremel would be a great addition to any craft kit (but you may need to hide if from your husband and sons!) Now that we have discovered how easy it is to use, we are already dreaming up some more DIY projects using the Dremel. In fact we have started a Dremel Projects Pinterest Board to give us plenty of inspiration.

Disclaimer: This is not a paid sponsored post but we did receive a Dremel 3000 to review.

{Sponsored Giveaway} Win a $50 Gift Certificate to Zakkia

Zakkia has a fabulous range of quirky and vintage style, hand painted knobs and handles. Sara, owner and founder, is generously giving away a $50 Gift Certificate to one lucky A Spoonful of Sugar reader. You will absolutely love the gorgeous hand painted knobs in Sara's online store. You can update a tired or plain piece of furniture so easily with some new knobs which make a great design accent.

Zakkia has an extensive range of both glass knobs and ceramic knobs at everyday prices. All their knobs are hand painted and come in a wide range of colours and styles, to suit your next DIY project. All orders are shipped within 48 hours from their Sydney based office.

If you are after some modern or  funky knobs for your next DIY project, check out the fabulous range at Zakkia. For inspiration on how to use knobs in your decorating, check out Sara's blog and Pinterest pages.

Zakkia Links:

Store

Facebook

Twitter

Blog

Pinterest

Win a $50 Gift Card for Knobs and Handles from Zakkia

*To be in the running to win a this fantastic prize from Zakkia,  log in to the Raflecopter giveaway box below with your email address or facebook account and follow the steps. Do as many of the giveway options as you wish - if your already follow A Spoonful of Sugar or Zakkia on facebook/twitter/pinterest, just click the button below for an automatic entry. 

Giveaway is open world wide until August 29. Good Luck!

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Hosted by Three Lil Princesses

Chocolate Caramel Macadamia Tart

If you are after a special dessert, you can't go past a Chocolate Caramel Macadamia Tart. It has a lovely chocolate pastry shell, a filling of chocolate ganache, and is topped with a delicious layer of caramel and macadamias. It is extra scrumptious when served with a vanilla bean ice-cream.

Sarah baked this wonderful treat for a special dinner with extended family visiting from the UK. She adapted Martha Stewart's recipe for Chocolate Macadamia Tartlets. It was absolutely delicious!

Pastry (Pate Sucree Chocolat)

Ingredients

• 1 1/8 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/8 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons (3 ounces ) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1-2 tablespoons cold heavy cream or ice water

Directions

1. Pulse flour, sugar, cocoa, and salt in a food processor until combined. Add butter, and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, about 10 seconds. Add yolk, vanilla and 1 tablespoon water/cream, and process until mixture just begins to hold together (no longer than 30 seconds). If dough is too dry, add remaining water/cream.
2. Shape dough into a disk. Wrap in plastic, and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour (or up to 2 days).

Chocolate Caramel Macadamia Tart

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup macadamia nuts, halved
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons glucose syrup (light corn syrup)
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Pinch of coarse salt, preferably sea salt
• 230 g (8 ounces) dark (bittersweet) chocolate, finely chopped

1 quantity of pastry (Pate Sucree Chocolat)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 190 degrees C (375 degrees F). Place dough on a piece of parchment; roll out in a rectangle to 1/8 inch thick. Transfer to a baking sheet; chill 10 minutes. Remove from refrigerator. Line a 35 x 13 cm (approx 14 x 5 inch) tart pan with removable bottom with pastry, pressing into corners. Prick bottom of tart all over with a fork. Chill at least 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, spread nuts in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet; toast until golden and fragrant, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven; set aside.
3. Remove tart shell from refrigerator; line with parchment, pressing into edges. Fill with dried beans or pie weights. Place on a baking sheet; bake 20 minutes. Remove paper and beans; continue baking until crust is firm, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
4. Make caramel: In a small saucepan, bring sugar, glucose syrup, and the water to a boil over medium-high heat; wash down sides of pan with a pastry brush dipped in water to prevent crystals from forming. Reduce heat to low; cook, swirling pan to color evenly, until caramel is a rich amber color. Remove from heat; carefully add 1/4 cup cream (it will spatter), butter, vanilla, and salt. Stir until smooth. Let cool slightly; stir in nuts.
5. Make ganache: Place chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Bring remaining 3/4 cup cream to a boil in a small saucepan. Pour over chocolate; whisk until smooth. Cool until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.  
6. Spread ganache in cooked pastry shell; spread to coat evenly. Chill until set, about 10 minutes. Remove from refrigerator; pour caramel into shell. 
7. Store tart in fridge until ready to serve.

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Mud Hen Bars

Sarah wanted to bake a sweet treat and came across a recipe for Mud Hen Bars. They have an intriguing name but really filled the brief. They consist of a vanilla cookie base, a chocolate chip and marshmallow centre, and are topped with a delicious brown sugar meringue. Mud Hen Bars are a mouthwatering scrumptious treat!

Ingredients :

1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs, divided (1 egg, 2 yolks, and 2 egg whites)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups plain (all-purpose) flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk (semi sweet) chocolate chips
1 cup mini marshmallows
1 cup dark brown sugar

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 175 Degree C (350 degrees F). Grease a lamington (9 x 13 inch) pan and set aside.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together butter and granulated sugar until creamy. Beat in 1 whole egg and 2 egg yolks (put aside the whites for later.) Beat in the vanilla extract.

3. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Blend until just combined. Spread mixture into 9x13" pan. Sprinkle with marshmallows, and chocolate chips.

4. Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently fold in the brown sugar. Spread mixture evenly over marshmallows and chocolate chips. Bake for about 30 minutes or until bars are a deep golden brown. Let bars cool completely. Cut into squares and serve.

Recipe Adapted from Two Peas and Their Pod

The Mud Hen Bars got the thumbs up from our family.

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