A Collection of Thoughts

Pinterest Linkys {6}

I have not had much time lately to be surfing but as the school holidays are now upon us  I popped over to pinterest this evening and this pin by Kate Mason caught my eye.

It was easy to get sucked into the vortex that the world wide web can be, so a quick look showed this image came from here at the Illustration Cupboard.

We have a love of all things Lauren Child in our home and particularity at the moment as Talia has been working on her Tilly illustrated book in Lauren Child style - and carrying around her copy of Pippi Longstocking "trying  to look like an author Mumma " I couldn't help but look deeper. ( that story is shared over in our Issue Two of Teapot 

It made me realise there would have course have to be a dedicated Lauren Child site.

and yes there is and holy dooly it's totally gorgeous and in her style - of course.

I have just spent half an hour playing in there - and can't wait to share it with Talia in the morning.

Her section on books allows you to click a book - and see the cover - and a peek of what's inside.

The pages are animated too with wiggly eyes and a swimming fish

On this page she offers a look at each of her characters - click a badge or image to take you to each one

and you get an insight into how the characters were developed

This is totally fabulous - a film about Lauren herself - sadly it's not complete but it starts and is totally divine  with an opening  picture of her as a child - there once was girl who loved guinea pigs...

Another section shows all her exhibitions - you click the litle view finder to move on through - darling!

 

the FAQs so beautifully answered I know Talia will love reading these.

and finally  you can sub to a newsletter too. Thanks Kate for the original Pin :)

If you are new to my blog welcome - this is a series I write on interesting links I have found via pinterest. You can catch up on this series over here

Pinterest Linkys {5}

Have I found the best thing ever - and I'm so excited to share it with you. I was intrigued by this pin on pinterest - hence it falls into my pinterest linkys series:)

 

Caramel in a tin or Dulche de leche. Now I have always known about the pop it in a pot to boil for many hours re topping the water watching and hoping it doesn't explode -and worrying about the pot boiling dry. But this method uses your crockpot. Pop your tins in the crockpot and leave on for 8 hours and voila rich delicious caramel.

The original came from here along with a detailed blog post.

I read the comments and thought I should dig a bit deeper- I checked out a year of slow cooking recipes and found this one too - and I read all their comments

and then I decided for research purposes only I should try it myself

One pot of nestle condensed milk ( and I used the pull ring tins - is there any other sort these days?) In my Kambrook slow cooker - on low  - filed with water - label removed -  popped it in at 8.30pm and turned it off at 6.00am. I left it in the water to cool all day and opened it up.

 Totally divine.

I made these. Shop bought cases and a dollop of cream.

There was no mad boiling with the tin popping up and down the way it does in the pot of boiling water and although it takes time - it's simple- just pop in set and forget.

I'm thinking a couple of tins next time :) Now if you are stuck for ideas on how to use all that yummy caramel -a quick search on taste.com unearthed

these little caramel and chocolate pots

 OMG - this caramel with strawberries for dipping

this chocolate pound cake and icecream with a caramel topping

and these apple cakes with caramel.

If you are new to my blog welcome - this is a series I write regularly on interesting links I have found via pinterest. You can catch up on this series over here

Pinterest Linkys {4}

This week I have an amazing blog to share with you that I found via this pin on pinterest.

The blog belongs to Jamie who is a photographer in NYC. Apart from amazing photos and a beautifully styled blog her images - move.

Here is a quote from a fan on her blog

THIS IS THE FUTURE

Through my new friends at tumblr headquarters I’ve recently come in contact with a very talented new photographer named Jamie. She and her fiancée create these unique images she calls “cinemagraphs” - more than a photo, but not quite a video.

Mark my words friends, this art form is the way of the future.

 You can see all her cinemagraphs here

After seeing this I spent ages reading back through her posts and looking through all the different categories.

 I loved her polaroid shots

 but I especially loved her dinner and a movie series - such an awesome idea!

She matches a movie to a meal that she makes herself and photographs - DIVINE photography.

There are just so many other categories so you must go visit - but make yourself a warm drink before you head over - It's one of those beautiful places that you just don't want to leave.

If you are new to my blog welcome - this is a series I write each week on interesting links I have found via pinterest. You can catch up on this series over here

Pinterest Linkys {3}

Orla Keily I had heard the name and then her products and clothes keep popping up on pinterest. While I don't pin fashion I really would love to but I don't need any more obsessions in my life I couldn't help but be drawn into take a closer look.

Seriously? How gorgeous is her stuff? this little inspiration board I have put together from her latest collections and I would totally wear each of these pieces - Except that I'd need about 6 inches added to the hemlines - cute as short but umm I don't do short. Realistically I don't really need to be concerned with hemlines given that some of these pieces start at around the  $500 mark - though that stripe cross over dress is ONLY $195 sigh :)

Is there even a stockist in Aus ? I'm not so sure.

images source from  www.orlakeily.com

And the official website is just the tip of her products - when you google images gorgeous images of home decor, furnishings, crockery, stationary and the list goes on appear.

Apparently her products are also available in Target? But I'm guessing not ours??

Maybe it's better that they aren't?

You can catch up on this series over here. Interesting links i have found via pinterest.

Tamar x

Pinterest Linkys {2}

Last week I started a new series of interesting links that have I have found via pinterest. You can see last weeks here.

 This week this lady and her story caught my eye.

at first glance I  thought - oh I wonder who that is - and then I saw her again with some of her story - That led to me to google.

Irena Sendler 1910-2008

source

A 98 year-old German woman named Irena Sendler recently died. During WWII, Irena worked in the Warsaw Ghetto as a plumbing/sewer specialist. Irena smuggled Jewish children out; infants in the bottom of the tool box she carried and older children in a burlap sack she carried in the back of her truck. She also had a dog in the back that she trained to bark when the Nazi soldiers let her in and out of the ghetto. The soldiers wanted nothing to do with the dog, and the barking covered the kids’ and infants’ noises. Irena managed to smuggle out and save 2500 children. She eventually was caught, and the Nazis broke both her legs, arms and beat her severely. Irena kept a record of the names of all the kids she smuggled out and kept them in a glass jar buried under a tree in her backyard. After the war, she tried to locate any parents that may have survived and reunited some of the families. Most had been killed. She helped those children get placement into foster family homes or adopted. Last year Irena was up for the Nobel Peace Prize. She was not selected.

Source

There are a few books about  on her story which I'm very keen to get hold of - I'm going to ask our school librarian to see what he can source. Firstly  there is this -  Life in a Jar

Incredibly, after the war Irena Sendler's heroism, like that of many others, was suppressed by communist Poland and remained virtually unknown for 60 years.

Unknown, that is, until three high school girls from an economically depressed, rural school district in southeast Kansas stumbled upon a tantalizing reference to Sendler’s rescues, which they fashioned into a history project, a play they called Life in a Jar.

Their innocent drama was first seen in Kansas, then the Midwest, then New York, Los Angeles, Montreal, and finally Poland, where they elevated Irena Sendler to a national hero, championing her legacy of tolerance and respect for all people.

Sixty percent (60%) of the sales of Life in a Jar: The Irena Sendler Project are donated to the Irena Sendler/Life in a Jar Foundation.The foundation promotes Irena Sendler’s legacy and encourages educators and students to emulate the project by focusing on unsung heroes in history to teach respect and understanding among all people, regardless of race, religion, or creed.

Source

 Then on Amazon there is also this

Irena Sendler was a diminutive Polish social worker who helped spirit more than four hundred children out of the Warsaw Ghetto during World War II. Using toolboxes, ambulances, and other ingenious measures, Irena Sendler defied the Nazis and risked her own life by saving and then hiding Jewish children. Her secret list of the children s real identities was kept safe, buried in two jars under a tree in war-torn Warsaw. An inspiring story of courage and compassion, this biography includes a list of resources, source notes, and an index.

This is in hardcover and only came out April 1st this year but seems to me to be more the story of Irena Sendler.

 

source

 

And  finally there is a telemovie too.

 The courageous heart of Irena Sendler with Irena played by  Anna Paquin  ( yes of true blood ;) )

I have no idea how to see this - so any suggestions would be much appreciated. You can read more about Irena Sendler over here .

 Tamar x

 

 

Pinterest Linkys

Hello - and welcome to a new series I am beginning on my blog.  Each week I will bring you links to a new blog or two that I have found through my love of pinterest. I hope they become a new favourite for you too!

To kick the series off I'm going to share two I have added to my must read list.

 

 First pinned by Shana Putnam  found here Original source

 This gorgeous set of bunnies led me to the RevoluzZza Blog.

 Written and designed by the amazingly talented Suse Bauer from Berlin.

The blog features step by step tutorials and patterns for an amazing array of softies - often with a fairy tale theme.

The little bunnies  above are a free pattern to download here  - I am hoping to make some for my girls easter baskets this year.

 Red  Riding Hood is one of my favourite tales I may just have mentioned that here before - Here is Suse's softie  -

 

 
isnt it just divine? and she has also created a special download for printing - a Red Riding Hood forest scene

 

You can read her Red Riding Hood post here . Lots of wonderfully creative things to see - head on over to

the RevoluzZa blog

and because I'm excited about my new blog feature and I have so many lovely links to share here is another one

I saw this home made version of a cadbury creme egg - Now don't get me wrong we actually don't eat these in our house - I know we must be mad every other person I speak to loves them - but I thought I'd click out and see how they went about making them.

 First pinned by Kuka Krafty  found here Original source

SO glad I did as I stumbled across this lovely lovely foodie blog

Not without  salt - and Ashley's little blurb in her header says it all  - a collection of well seasoned recipes and photographs.

 So true.

- simply stunning photographs and unusual recipes that make you want to get in the kitchen. She almost had me making those eggs but I got distracted by these hot chocolates with marshmallows

and these home made twix bars

 but lest you think it's all about the chocolate there are also other fab looking recipes too

like this simple as spaghetti sauce

I'm totally going to get my girls in on making that one day this week.

Ashley has a clever way with words and I love all the stories behind each recipe.

You should pop over to Not without salt  and add to your must read list.

 I'll be back next week with some more lovely links . Hope you like them.

 Tamar xx