Please Hold...

Happy Easter. Please hold the line whilst this blogger discovers what doing nothing and going nowhere near a computer is like. (Don't worry I'll be back. I'm taking way too many pictures not to share!)

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My creative space*

 

This is a little antler girl from a PepperStitches. I was testing a pattern and this is the result! The shonky arms and off kilter antler are definitely attributed to my shonky sewing skills and not Pepper's cute and clear pattern making skills! Still as a total first timer to embroidery I was kinda chuffed with how the little face turned out! Go here to get your own antler girl (or boy) pattern!

And more creative spaces here...

Carrot cake

 

Did I tell y'all about the perfect carrot cake I made the other day? No? p.e.r.f.e.c.t. The secret? Make cream cheese icing in a food processor. Ok so everyone's probably going "yeah duh" but I didn't know! Why didn't you tell me?? Screw waiting for it to get to room tempreture. I just used a hand held wandy one with blades attached. Add icing sugar. Add a dash of lemon. Spread over cake like Martha Stewert! Huzzah!

{Cake is 'simple carrot cake' Stephanie Alexander}

This is us.

It's doing the blog rounds but I see this and I reflect on all the "No it is clearly orange", "You're crazy, it's salmon and salmon is pink" conversations. Yeah me and my boy, we talk deep and important things we do.

 

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bicycle posters, flea market finds

How wonderful are these peugeot advertising posters? I need to clean them up and frame them,but a fitting end to my bicycle feature week!

*** That my dears, is cycling week over! Hope you enjoyed and are feeling inspired - especially you luckys who are heading into Spring right now! ***

Things to be thankful for*

* Sneaky chocolate treats stuck in my bag by my love.
* The warm fluffy doona we just changed the bed over to. Snuggletastic.
* My housemates supreme omlettes.
* Umbrellas.
* That you can learn to do pretty much anything from instructions on the internet. (I learnt how to smock yesterday)
* Daily crosswords in the newspaper.
* Bumping into friends does happen, even in Sydney.
* I'm on an 8 week count down at my job. Yep I just resigned.
* The short weeks up ahead, thanks Easter!
* That my housemate has a car and let's us use it at short notice. - Thanks Chris! 

{excuse the crappy phone pictures, but that is a delicious bowl of porridge complete with almonds and fig and the second is umbrellas adorning the fairy lights of our favourite watering hole.}

Ride Sydney

The Ride Sydney Experiment - Prelude from MC Cyclery on Vimeo.

So it's clearly a big fat premotion but MC Cylery and Giant are making some pretty cool videos and if it's all about encouraging people to cycle then it's a thumbs up from me.

*rant up ahead*

Bicycle Bits (link love)

La Pomme bicycle bag. Wheel Clock. Bicycle calander. Bicycle Lamp. Sweet bicycle poster. Genius (but possibly not very secure?) bicycle lock. Bicycle wall decal, this would be great in a hallway. Speaking of hallways, bicycle key hook. Love this vintage style bicycle poster. Awesome trouser clips, that I'm sorry to say I don't have a link for. Bowery Lane Bicycles crate. I heart my bike bell. Nutcase helmets. Finally, a headbadge, these are custom made and I really really want one for my bicycle!

 PS. More of me talking about cycling...

My creative space...

Mostly involves interesting ways to clean rust off metal without going all hardcore chemical. So far, soaking in vinegar overnight for small bits is working a treat and making a paste of bicarb and water is helping, though takes some elbow grease. Alternatively, I may have to buy this lovely a new set of wheels...

More creative spaces at Kootoyoo...

Bicycle Porn

As if looking at my bike wasn't enough. hehe!

* Public bikes. Design your own on line.

* Sexy bicycles. No that's their name. So blunt. So Aussie. So shiny.

* Adelineadeline. Retro and beautious. Also American.

 

* CremeCycles, lushious Polish brand, stocked in some Australian stores.

 * I already mentioned Beg. But here it is again.

* Boutique cycles, is just full of bike eye candy submitted by riders. It's where I got the inspiration for mine!

* Wolfies are on display at Blank Space in Surry Hills this week!

* Sydney Bike shops include, Sableandargent (fancyshmancy), Tokyo (simple and cool) cheekytransport, Clarence St, Cell, Citybikedepot,  Stallion  - where you can get an old one done up for you, like mine. And more.


Hope you're inspired! *s*

Bicycle resources

Riding is exhilarating, freeing, fun and okay sometimes down right scary. There are so many things to look out for. But honestly it's still more dangerous to drive a car. Or smoke ciggies. Or drink booze.  There are better ways to go than others sometimes, and there are certain rules it's a good idea to follow. And there are endless resources online.

I've been riding a bike since I was 4 or 5. I remember my dad pushing me on my pink training wheels down our street and it being the best thing in the world. I've been riding as a mode of transport since I was 13 or so. Last year I rode around Uganda. I've been riding in Sydney (deemed one of the most unfriendly bicycle cities in the world) for seven years now, and have only had the one big accident, a handful of minor incidences, and saved a crap load on bus fares, time and gym fees. Here's my advice.

* Remember you have a right to be on the road (okay not on motorways I suggest you avoid those) If you don't feel safe being in the gutter or right up close to parked cars then drivers are just gonna have to suck it up and wait to overtake you as you saunter down the centre of a lane. At the end of the day traffic in Sydney is at crawling pace anyway.
* Wear a helmet. I love the feeling of the wind in my hair as much as the next free spirited soul. But mines saved my bacon twice now. I love not wearing one for a saunter around centennial park. But if you are commuting in the city like me, it's dumb dumb not to.
* Likewise have lights. You are SO invisible in the rain and at night without them.

 * Look around you all the time. Remember how in your driving test you check the rear view mirror and the wing mirrors all the time coz the examiner is marking you on it. Yeah. Do that. But for real.
* Don't swerve without checking first because you can be as sure as hell the drivers aren't checking for you.
* Be a good cyclist. I see heaps of crap ones everyday, and I'm sick of having a bad rep because of people that cycle the wrong way down one way streets, go through reds, abuse anyone who makes the slightest mistakes etc.
* Have a bell. They're not just retro and cool, they are so important. I use mine everyday to get pedestrians off *my* cycleway. Pedestrians don't realise that getting hit by a bike will really hurt. Problem is, it hurts the cyclists too! A friend of mine actually has an air horn with adjustable volumn!
* Be comfy. I ride in jeans and a tshirt, because that's what I wear to work. If I worked somewhere that required me to look neat and ummm professional, then in most likely hood I would change when I got there. Always under dress for the weather slightly. Even if it's flippin cold out (okay Europeans I'm talking australian cold so this may not apply to you).

 * If all else fails and someone has been a total banana head (no I don't swear on my blog - it seems to be the one place I can control it) sidle up next to them at traffic lights and give them a slow clap, or a loud clap on the hood of their car... with a bunch of keys in your hand (I'm joking I'm joking!)

Here are some useful links, especially if you're a Sydneysider. Also let me know in the comments if I've missed an awesome cycling resource.

Resources
* Bikely. People post their routes on maps. Really great if you are looking for a scenic trip or the best way to get to work.
* Bike Sydney.
* City of Sydney.
* Sydney cyclist.
* All the info about the cycle network in Sydney.
* The lovely treadlie magazine.
* The humble vintage bike hire has just launched in Sydney (and was started in Melbourne).

PS. Did you know there are bike racks on the Sydney ferrys? And lovely bike paths all along the harbour, including around Manly. Daytrip anyone?

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Bicycle blogs

 * Candy Cranks is for seriously cool cycling ladies around the globe. Plus they make the prettiest chain rings you ever did see.

* Cycle Chic is also a global phenomanon. It's not for lycra wearers. It's about cycling in your own clothes. Even if your own clothes means mini's and stilehettos. Of course, the movement started in Copenhagen. For more local news and events check out Sydney cycle chic.

* For an amusing look into the cycling world in NYC, there's bikesnob.

* This tumblr has awesome photos showing you which celebrity rides a bike..{that's Laurence Olivier}
* Change your life, ride a bike.
* Riding Pretty.
* Velocouture. Looking good on a bike.
* The humble Vintage.

Bicycle

 

It's so much easier to 'get back on the horse' when it's a brand spanking new horse. This is my new bike tentatively called storm for now ( cheesy I know but it is an inanimate object so it's okay, she's not gonna get bullied in school or nothin'). She's been in the pipeline for a while now... well ever since I've been coveting husbando's lovely one. She's made from a vintage lugged frame, powder coated just for me, 12 speed, deep v rims in white, brown Brooks saddle, brown faux leather (less slippery, more cheap, more soft) grip tape... oh and ridiculously light, speedy and awesome. 

Sarah from Stallion bikes (in Redfern) made her for me. I told her the kind of thing I was after and she was super enthusiastic, really helpful, down to earth and genuine. She cares about her product and her customers and the price was really fantastic.

I'm keeping well clear of car doors, and loving the feeling of riding again, being a free woman and turning up on time to things! Please indulge my bike fashion shoot... but ain't she pretty?!