A Big Brisbane Weekend Ahead

When it rains it pours! There's a glut of fab shopping events this weekend in Brisbane - first on my list is The Finders Keepers Markets on Saturday and Sunday at the Old Museum

My Mutant Zucchini

So here is our first zucchini, just lounging around on a deck chair.

In case you didn't notice.. its a little odd looking, fatter at one end, slightly withered and puny at the other.

A little web research has helped me determine that it's been incompletely pollinated. I found out here that "When pollination is incomplete the fruit develops unevenly because the ovary wall enlarges more adjacent to fertilised seed." It goes on to mention that in cold growing conditions female flowers open before the male flowers so there isn't enough pollen present.

Since Mr Tchotchke hand pollinated it he's considering a little soft music and candlelight before his next attempt.

I'm hoping that it's similar to making pancakes and the first one is always a little wonky, but the next one will come good.

The Cottage Garden Nursery & Gillian's Garden Cafe

Today after the markets we stopped into The Cottage Garden Nursery at East Brisbane. I literally drive past it every weekday on the way to work - but hadn't popped in for a few years.

App Review: Shop Ethical!

I go through phases of downloading heaps of apps on my iPhone - and then not using most of them more than a few times.

One of the stayers has been Shop Ethical - an app that aims to help you make smarter choice at the supermarket.

I didn't really believe that it would be compatible with Aussie supermarkets - or have enough product data to be useful - so I took it for a whirl on my last shopping trip.

Hydrangea Blues

I've got the hydrangea blues.

via Martha Stewart

Look how gorgeous Martha's hydrangeas are. I'm jealous. I desperately wanted hydrangeas for my wedding last year, and even went and bought my own plants - determined to grow my own flowers when florists all over Brisbane were adamant the blooms wouldn't be available.

Neither plant did too well - I mistakenly put them both in full shade. Both are still hanging in there so we'll see what happens this coming summer. In the meantime - look at what I spotted in the Garden Express catalogue in this month's Gardening Australia...

Home Festival: What I Took Home

It was a perfect Brisbane winter's day yesterday - so we checked out The Home Festival - held a few suburbs over from us (yay for the southside!) at Raymond Park at Kangaroo Point.

It was fantastic! We turned up slightly early and had a coffee at Spoon's stand, and then got stuck into all the great stalls. There were plenty of old favourites represented with stalls from Reverse Garbage and Northey St City Farm and heaps of great vintage gear!

My favourite find was Each To Own - they had a terrific range of wood cut jewellery and brooches but I couldn't resist this adorable chrysanthemum ring. You can find more of their goodies here.

It was the inaugural Home Festival event - and I can't wait for the next one! A big round of applause to the organisers - it was a really well curated group of food vendors and stallholders, and it looked like it was shaping up to be an all round top day out.

Garden Update: Peas, Radishes and Zucchinis

I spruced up a bare patch in the veggie garden this afternoon with these sugar snap peas. 

The last batch of bean seedlings I bought were (unbeknownst to me) the dwarf bush variety which disappointingly didn't climb up my pretty support frame. I've left these uncovered so if they make it through the week without being eaten by a possum I'll be amazed.

Newtown Old Wares, Sydney

On weekends in other cities - I pretty much do the same things as I do on regular weekends - haunt antique stores. Last weekend in Sydney I visited Newtown Old Wares.

It's one of many antique/vintage/retro shops along King st and was chock full of treasures.

Winter Camellias

I'm not a big fan of cold weather - but one thing to look forward to in winter are my beautiful camellias.

I captured the first one here but now I've got a whole bush with enough to snip and bring inside.

Last year I cut a few branches and tried my hand (unsuccessfully) at propagating them - seeing these blooms makes me want to try again.

Flea Market Find: Turquoise Foo Dog

I often get slightly distracted at the Chandler Markets - we often go to pick up veggies or plants, but I end up sidetracked and picking through the flea market stalls. 

Last weekend I set eyes upon this little guy across the row of stalls.

Unfortunately he was missing his twin, so I felt duty bound to grab him and give him a good home.

The good old Foo Dog figurine is becoming a little ubiquitous in interior shots - but I can't resist the colour and love that this little guy is a flea market find instead of a shop bought reproduction.

Vivid Sydney Light Projections

I was lucky enough to be in Sydney this weekend for the Sydney Film Festival and Vivid Sydney events.

My highlight of Vivid Sydney was the amazing 3D projections on Customs House.

It was totally gob-smacking to see in the flesh- and well worth waiting out in the cold Sydney weather! It's the last night tomorrow night for the Vivid Sydney festival.

This was the first video I've ever taken on my new iPhone - and now I know to rotate the camera next time...

Choko-licious

After regaling his co-workers with tales of our veggie garden Mr Tchotchke was gifted a sprouting choko from Sheila the lovely accounts lady.

It's not a pretty fruit but it promises to be a vigorous vine (according to my trusty Yates Garden Guide) 

Collecting Flowers

We babysat a friend of ours last weekend and she busied herself picking lots of flowers from our garden - look at her collection!

Separated at Birth?

Dr Octopus and...

What I'm Reading: Clean

So I've started reading Clean: The Revolutionary Program to Restore the Body's Natural Ability to Heal Itself. It was a late night Amazon.com purchase when I was lured by the temptation of free shipping. And Gwenyth blogged about it. And it was only £3. 

Green Walls

I took this snap at the rear garden area of The Gun Shop Cafe last weekend - it looks like their green wall is made up of plenty of different herbs and nasturtiums in terracotta pots. 

Green walls seem to be a quickly growing trend - especially in corporate offices and restaurants.

Greenwall by Michael Hellgren (Sweden)

But my favourite green walls are the more organic kind - looking back through my travel photos I realised I'm quite prone to snapping foilage covered buildings.

This one is from our honeymoon on 5th Avenue in Playa del Carmen Mexico.

More Garden Work: A Stepping Stone Path

So even after our big gravel job the other weekend (here) we still weren't done in the garden.

When we were at Tingalpa Landscaping Supplies we also bought some pavers to make a stepping stone path to the chicken coop. 

A Visit to Capalaba Produce

Our go-to location for chicken supplies is Capalaba Produce. We get our chicken feed, shell grit, sunflower seeds, straw and even wire mesh from there.

But the highlight of every trip is always a visit to their livestock section..

This was just a taster - more animals after the jump.

Design Muse: Jonathan Adler

I recently purchased Jonathan Adler on Happy Chic Accessorizing which has reignited my passion for all things Adler!!

He's certainly partially responsible for popularising the pop brights / palm springs / ethnic clash / print happy / more is more look that I love.

Here are a few of my favourite Adler rooms - 

Hello zig zag rug..

 Hello blue buttoned lounge...

Hello moroccan octagonal table... and creepy Napoleonic bust... and pirate ship chandelier...

I think this mosaic table may be a future DIY project...

When I was in LA last year I was lucky enough to pay a visit to the Jonathan Adler store in West Hollywood - it was amazingly merchandised but the only happy snap I took was of the adorable shop dog Gabe.

Wah I'd love a French Bulldog. I'm not sure what the chooks would make of one though..