We just determined our final subscription winner in a ceremonial draw. Jamin Vollebregt, from Island Bay in Wellington, you won the book “Martha goes Green: A Vegetarian Cookbook”. Yay!
Our final subscription winner
March 22nd, 2010My mamachari
March 21st, 2010I recently joined the movement for a shift in the means of transport by acquiring a brand-new, second-hand mamachari bicycle. The reason for getting the bike though was to have a classier, more leisurely way of getting around every day. When I finally put it to use, cycling back home from the city, a slight feeling of warm melancholy overcame me, being reminded of cruising through my home city of Hamburg.
Responsible for my new-found joy of cycling in New Zealand are Sarah and Jason, our downstairs neighbours, who imported the mamachari bikes from Japan, to imprint Wellington streets with new, bike-friendly, city-life looks. A brand new website with all details will be up at mamachari.co.nz soon.
Thomas
Fantastic March Craft 2.0
March 7th, 2010While Hannah and Thomas were jet-setting off to a wedding, I swung out to The New Dowse for Craft 2.0 to meet some lovely crafters, sell some magazines and console those who had just heard the news that this beautiful new issue will be the final one. When I see Hannah and Thomas on Tuesday, I’ll be passing on all your lovely messages of thanks, congratulations and just how many people will be missing their quarterly hit of crafty goodness.
Craft 2.0 was a great hit – I met lots of beautiful people, some of whom had never been before! There were so many amazing stalls – I was almost glad I didn’t have my wallet with me – I think I would be broke or seriously in debt if I’d been seduced into buying everything that took my fancy.
There were moments of being absolutely swamped with enthusiastic makers, and those who stuck around too long had to check out my awesome hand modelling poses from my experiences with the photo shoot. (Check p. 27 for my ‘hand’iwork.) I hope you all had a great day out there, and thanks to everyone who stopped by.
In other news, after compiling the Magpie’s Nest for the latest issue, I’ve found that Giles Speeden, who creates the book carvings, has now got a blog site to show off his works – check it out here.
xx Libby
Thank you, and goodnight
March 2nd, 2010Dear all readers,
It’s two years ago this month that we published the first issue of World Sweet World, and the speed at which our little mag for makers and doers was embraced by the creative, crafty community of New Zealand (and beyond!) just blew our minds.
We wanted to make World Sweet World an inclusive, sharing sort of publication, and that baton has been taken up and run with by so many of you. Since the third or fourth issue, we’ve had a constant flow of new content pour in, supplied almost entirely by people we’ve never met. It’s been incredibly exciting to open our inbox each morning to read messages from people wanting to share their ideas with our readers.
Big changes are ahead here at World Sweet World HQ, and we’ve been having a big think about the future of our mag over the last couple of months. We’re excited to announce: we’re having a baby in July! So this really made us re-evaluate what we’ll be able to manage over the next years. While we utterly enjoy putting World Sweet World together, the magazine has been a labour of love (and not money) for the last couple of years. We don’t see ourselves being able to put nearly the amount of time and energy into it once we have another little project to pour our time into. It’s been an absolute pleasure, lots of fun, and a great learning curve, but we have decided to put the mag to rest, with this being our last issue.
We’re keeping the blog ticking over, so if you have projects or articles you’re still busting to share, do get in touch. We’ll also be adding projects and articles from past issues, plus, due to popular demand, we’re working on enabling you to buy digital copies of sold out back issues. One of our favourite parts of putting each new issue together has been commissioning new artwork by such incredibly talented illustrators. We’ve drooled over Devon Smith’s work in Swonderful here in Welly, and were a couple of excited children when she got in touch two months ago to say she’d like to contribute. We’re thrilled with the work she’s done for the cover, and also the adorable illustrations by Sarah McNeil for the Crafty Business article. Hopefully you’ll enjoy them too, along with all the other content we’ve rounded up in this issue.
We’ve been truly proud of each new issue we put out, and we hope we have been able to inspire the makery scene in New Zealand and to make a positive difference to the world we live in. Thanks once again for the overwhelming support you’ve shown us over the course of this adventure.
Thank you, and goodnight – Hannah & Thomas
A good brew
February 28th, 2010I don’t shy away from it – I’m a tea fiend. I love the variety of tea available, the little rituals I associate with sharing a pot of tea – but I’m also not afraid to say that I do enjoy a good cup of coffee.
It gives me a boost, and I don’t really care if it’s just a placebo effect. But what I like is a good coffee – be it plunger, espresso or filter. My definition of a good coffee comes down to the sugar test. If it needs the sugar, it’s probably burnt and not to my taste. I also like a splash of milk to temper the flavour down. My usual cafe order is a soy flat white – I like the creaminess of soy. Yum.
Yet, deep down, I’ve always hankered to be a long black drinker, but the idea of it seemed so scary. Until last week when I discovered Customs Brew Bar at 39 Ghuznee Street. 
This cafe is revolutionising coffee as we know it. No take away cups here (the trees whoop in delight) for this is about the experience of true coffee. The cafe invites you to linger, really taste your coffee and chill out. It blends my love of tea rituals with the boost of coffee. You’re not going to order from a strictly espresso menu. The lads and lasses at Customs have 4 different methods of coffee brewing to keep any coffee connoisseur happy. These methods bring out the best flavours from their single origin coffees – no blends here! (For real coffee lovers, check out their blog for more information)
I enjoyed a Clover pot for two of the Kenyan roast – a tarty citrus tasting bean – and as the lovely manager Charlie saw our interest, she explained the process in full. Our cups and pot arrived on a lovely wooden tray, with milk to add if desired (which I didn’t need….yay! Black coffee tasting accomplished). My friend and I lingered an hour or so, tasting some real coffee and doing the general coffee catch up reminisce routine and soaking up the relaxed vibe.
I’ve since been back to try more chocolatey beans, also very very tasty. But I must say – it’s not just the coffee that has me hooked. I really love the attitude of taking time to really savour life’s little treats – flavours, friends and a relaxed atmosphere. I guess it’s the ethos behind the cafe that will draw me in everytime – hopefully this idea of slowing down the pace can spread, bit by bit…
Check it out if you get the chance, otherwise I’d recommend looking out for cafes that encourage the able loiterers…get in and soak up the atmosphere.
xx Libby
P.S I stole all the photos from the blog link above! Credit due elsewhere…
Crunch in your lunch
February 15th, 2010I’m a big fan of some crunch in my basket lettuce salads – so here’s an easy method of toasting seeds. I’ve seen bags of ’salad topping’ in the supermarket, but it’s so easy (and cheap!) to make your own at home.
It’s worthwhile to check out where you can buy seeds in bulk if you use them frequently – they’re not expensive, but you can save some cash if you stock up at somewhere like Moore Wilson’s, Toops or Gilmours.
To make your own salad seed mix, brush a roasting pan with some olive oil and tip in a about 4 cups of seeds. You can make as much or as little as you like, but I enjoy having a good store on hand to keep me going! I like to use pumpkin, sunflower, linseed (also known as flax seed) and sesame seeds in my mix. Mix them around and roast in the oven at around 180 degrees. About half an hour in the oven will have them nicely crisped – just stir them from time to time.
For extra flavour, add a few splashes of soy sauce or tamari sauce towards the end and mix it around. Once it has cooled, store the mixture in an airtight container.
As well as adding some savoury crunch to salads, it’s a great way to get some protein into your food. I also like to use this topping for pasta bakes and other miscellaneous meals – it’s very versatile. It’s also good by itself, although I sometimes melt some honey and stir in the seeds for a snack.
Just make sure you check your teeth after eating – seeds LOVE to stick in your teeth to add some, uh, mystery to your smile…
x Libby
Mt Victoria Inner City Festival
February 6th, 2010The Mount Victoria festival is coming up, Sat 27th of February (10am-3pm), with workshops around sustainability, food, stalls and live music (wonderful Tessa Rain will be there).
- Thomas
Way to roll
February 5th, 2010Here’s another Frocks on Bikes event that shouldn’t be missed:
You can celebrate summer, promote taking the lycra out of cycling and normalising it as a means of transportation, enjoy a leisure bike ride to Island Bay, fall in or out of/ be in/ stay in love with your cycling partner, and even be in two win prizes – ALL IN AN AFTERNOON!
All the info and chance to register is available on frocksonbikes.org.
- Thomas
Beet Blush
February 4th, 2010
Okay so this is a bit more girly – but it was fun making it….
I definitely fall into the category of New Zealander who has OBVIOUSLY descended from a Scottish background. Fair, pale, glowing and ghostly have all been words used to describe my complexion. Sick of being constantly asked if I was, uh…sick, I realised blusher really helps. But I hate spending money on make up, and wanted to make my own – without having to pinch my cheeks constantly.
So – Ms Josephine Fairley stepped forward with a solution. (Okay, well she wrote a few books about natural skin care – we haven’t actually met or communicated in any way, shape or form.) She also has a column that I stole this from at http://www.wealdentimes.co.uk/health&beauty/beauty/wt84_beauty_own-cosmetics.asp
Beetroot and Glycerine Cheek and Lip Tint
You’ll need:
45g raw beetroot, grated
3 tablespoons vegetable glycerineTo make:
Put beetroot and glycerine in the top of a bain marie (double boiler). Heat gently for 15 minutes, cool, then strain into a small jug. Pour into a sealable container. Shake before use, then apply a dab on to your cheeks, blending well. Try smooshing it on your lips, too (it tastes delicious!).
I like to brag about my luck with this, because I just happened to be growing my own beetroot this summer – so it’s my home made, home grown beauty product. I got vegetable glycerine from Homestead Health in Wellington, but it is readily available at health shops and most chemists. I just asked at the counter and they poured me a bottle – I think it was $6 for 200ml, enough to make this several times over – not that I think I’ll need to, as a little goes a long way.
Libby
Basketcase
January 29th, 2010
As a big fan of summer salads, I’ve been enjoying my own salad greens grown literally on the door step!
Although I am lucky enough to have access to some garden space, there’s nothing better than popping out the front door to grab some lettuce or herbs to throw into a meal. I found some old cane baskets at the recycling centre and have simply lined them with newspaper, filled in with potting mix and some lettuce! With a flourish, I present you basket grown greens…
Of course, this isn’t limited to your salad greens – I’ve also got a few baskets of mint, chives, lavender, rosemary and even had some broad beans take off. The baskets make for a cute, cottage-like appearance – but you can of course use garden pots and other random containers to spice up your stoop. 
So give it a try – all they need is some sun, water and eating!
x Libby