Sweet Mary

I have been so sad all week and really don't feel like writing this but would just like to direct you to two very good blog posts that have been written about the devastating February 22nd Christchurch Earthquake. If you would like to donate money please read this post and follow the link. Click here for the other heartfelt post, its what I would have written if I could.

Its Art Deco weekend in Napier again. Lots of pretty ladies and vintage cars to look at on a perfect sunny Hawkes Bay day.

A pretty lavender heart made up from scraps of the fabrics below. A friend in the UK requested that I make some Sweet Mary hearts from these special bits of fabric cut from favourite items of clothing. This is the easy way to order many lavender hearts - I make them and the buyer fills them with lavender local to their area. I made the filled heart as a thankyou for the order. Below - three filled hearts for sale in my Etsy shop. Click on the Etsy icon to the right.

There are lots and lots of cherry tomatoes growing in our garden so I knew it was time to make Tomato Chilli Jam again. I first blogged about this delicious recipe nearly two years ago. I cut the recipe out of a local newspaper but I think it originally came from a book called Grow It, Cook It by Sally Cameron. Its really easy to make and absolutely delicious with cheese and well, just about anything really. Here is the recipe: Makes 4 x 330g jars or 6 smaller ones. 4 fresh red chillies 1 kg cherry tomatoes 1 kg sugar 2 lemons, grated zest and juice. 1 tso sweet paprika 1 tsp balsamic vinegar Deseed and chop chillies - wear disposable food gloves and clean knife and board well after use. Put tomatoes, sugar, zest and juice in a large heavy based pot. Bring to boil slowly, stirring and simmer 5 mins. Stir in chilli, paprika and balsamic vinegar. Return to rolling boil, stir every so often, for 30 mins. You can test for setting point here but I don't as the 30 mins seems about rig...