Pic's from the Glenlyon Market

The sun came out and we had such a lovely day at the gorgeous Glenlyon market today.

 

Magnificent fresh produce, amazing pasties that sold out too quickly, sweet scented candles, yummy preserves, fabulous clothes, second hand books, divine goats cheese....

and great company! ah... heaven! I do love a good community market! I finished up a perfect morning by getting my hand dirty in then garden then we drank a beautiful bottle of Veuve Clicquot we got for our engagement... thanks Biddy, Djad and GT! 

I do hope your Saturday was just as fabulous! :)

the Glenlyon Market now has a blog too.... you can see it here

Custom Doll Orders

I've just put a custom doll listing up on Made It to make it easier for you to order your very own Ruby Doll.

Just click on the shop link over on the right :)

Ive also added a Flikr set (over on the right too) so you can check out other dolls with ease.

 There is also a few other goodies on there, including the alpaca hot water bottle covers.

Grossgrain Fabulous

Is this not the most divine frock you have ever seen? I'm totally in love! Sigh...

You too can be in to win it here.... The State Fair Frock Grosgrain Giveaway

Or this one...

**Ah...Swoon**

here... The 'Oh Dear' Frock Grosgrain Giveaway

Ruby doll in action!

Charlie found herself the proud owner of a polka dot tea set this morning... 

It was outta control cuteness all round. Gosh I'm glad I had a little girl. I think I enjoy these things more than she does!! Te he he.

I love seeing my dolls in action, it makes all that hard work worthwhile :)

My NEW Wedding blog...

For those of you who are interested in following my progress with the Challenge and the planning and creating of this handmade wedding...

Please do join me over at:

http://imaginelovely.blogspot.com/

Challenger of the utmost kind...

Sometimes out there in blogland you stumble across something that really speaks to you. It's timely and moving, beautiful and thought provoking- it might be just what you need in that moment.

 This is what happened when I came across the beautiful blog of Dottie Angel.

Apart from being gorgeous and full of wonderful things (including the photos above) Dottie Angel has started a movement of sorts, a challenge of the utmost kind.

I love a challenge. I thrive on challenge! I thought to myself... I'm in! So for 365 days starting today I swear I will only buy secondhand or handmade for my wardrobe and for my home. Sounds fairly easy right? I mean most of the stuff I purchase already fits into those categories. Well we better step it up a notch...

Included in my personal challenge will be my wedding!

Well our wedding... we vow that everything from this moment on for our wedding will be either second-hand or handmade. EVERYTHING. Invites, decor, dress, flowers, cups, plates, saucers... everything.

It's going to be a super challenge of the utmost kind and I'm going to blog about the adventure right here.

Isn't he a wonderful man he is to agree to this challenge.. thank you Adam.

Why would I want to do this?

Well firstly, weddings are an environmental disaster. Check it..

 -The average wedding produces 63 tons of CO2 and 400-600 pounds of trash. With 2.5 million weddings a year in the United States alone, the impact is huge. I want no part in that!

Secondly, cost:

-The average wedding costs almost $40,000 and weddings are a $60+ billion industry. 

Apart from that seeming to me like a hideous waste..

Adam and I are saving to buy a small acreage here in the pretty country town of Daylesford. On that land we will build the dream house we are designing (made from strawbale) and we will grow veges and milk goats be sustainable and self sufficient. (sigh...) 

$40,000 would buy a lot of strawbales! 

But most of all, I want to get creative. I love that instead of popping out to buy something instantly, every detail will require thought, creativity, inspiration and effort. The outcome has to be something amazing. It will also require us to involve our wonderful friends and family, use their skills and have them feel part of the process and share in the joy of what we create.

So I do hope you will join me on this adventure!

(This post has been repeated on the my new blog, which is devoted to the challenge!)

Autumn Love

I have recently been starting my mornings with a brisk stroll around the lake in Daylesford. I started doing it for fitness, but the peace & incredible beauty of it has had a wonderfully joyous effect on me too! It really is stunningly gorgeous, especially with all those glowing autumn tones and fairy tale mushrooms.

It reminds me every morning what a beautiful world we live in and how lucky I am to reside within such a stunning landscape. I really LOVE living here!!

What do you love about where you live?

Make your own... Yoghurt.

Did you know you can make yoghurt in a thermos or a polystyrene container or a small esky?

You don't actually need a fancy yoghurt maker, and it's so easy! Plus it's cheaper and way better for our environment. This is how I do it, though there are may different recipes / methods.

You will need:

Milk- 1litre. Can be cow, sheep or goat.

Easyo yoghurt starter culture from the supermarket (I use the greek yoghurt one).

A thermos, small esky or polystyrene box with lid. If using an esky or box you will need a 1 litre glass jar with a lid.

Thermometer.

If using a thermos heat the milk to 48 degrees using a thermometer. Mix in the 2 dessert spoons of the yoghurt starter making sure all the lumps are gone. Pour into a thermos which has been well cleaned & pre-heated with boiling water. Wrap in a towel and leave over night- in the morning fresh yummy yoghurt!

If using an esky or similar half fill your glass jar with milk, add 2 dessert spoons of the yoghurt starter (not the whole sachet as the packet says!) and mix well. Top up with the rest of the milk. Place jar with lid on in the esky. Almost fill with hot water from the tap and top up with boiling water to bring teh temperature up to 50 degrees. Place lid on and n 1 hours time top up again with boiling water to bring it up to 50 again. Leave over night. Easy.

If you want your yoghurt thicker you can also add a couple of spoons of milk powder. You could also use 2 spoons of fresh yoghurt as a starter- just be sure it's a good one with the right cultures. I find this much easier though and when you only use 2 spoons instead a whole packet it's quite cost effective and basically fool proof.

Yummy, easy & good for both you & the environment!