We have just been sent this image by our Express Publications photography team who feature in this image. Starting at the top and working clockwise they are, Ed, Tommy, Johan and Steve. The guys are all growing mos’ to help raise money for men’s health.
They write: Men are far less healthy than women. The average life expectancy of males is 6 years less than females.
Every year in Australia 2,700 men die of prostate cancer - more than the number of women who die from breast cancer.
Depression affects 1 in 6 men…Most don’t seek help. Untreated depression is a leading risk factor for suicide. Rates of suicide are more than double the national road toll.
Help us change the face of men’s health by sponsoring our mos’. Each week, we will emulate a famous album cover from some of the greatest bands in history. Our first effort…."mohemian rhapsody".
To sponsor the guys go to http://www.movember.com/au/sponsor enter their Rego number which is 20247 and your credit card details. All donations of $2 and over are tax deductible.The money raised by Movember will be used to change the face of men’s health by creating awareness and funding research into prostate cancer and male depression. For more information visit www.movember.com
A beloved family member has been quite ill of late, so when he was released from an extended stay in hospital a couple of days ago, I decided to bake him a batch of biccies to welcome him home.
As I am a sucker for all things chocolate, I had my heart set on double choc-chip biccies. But shock-horror, I was all out. Ahhhh!
I’d poured over my recipe books for hours deciding which one was going to be the perfect recipe to make… but when I realised there was no chocky…
I had a major conniption (justified I thought, you know what it’s like when you have your heart set on something!)… when I had calmed down a bit I did an inventory of what I actually did have, and let me tell you, it was pretty paltry.
So, with my pathetic list of possible ingredients, I started going over my recipe books again looking for something else I could bake with the meagre supplies I had…. and these are the results.
Sesame and tahini biccies (I told you things were grim).
Can I just say, they were surprisingly fine eating. A little unexpected on the palate, a bit like peanut butter, but still very very more-ish. And, what’s more, the recipe yielded about 60 biccies!
So, he adored them (as did most here at work), which after my huge and needless tanty, made me feel much better about the whole thing!
Well, so much for having a lazy weekend… well, actually I did laze about a bit, but I kept looking around at the partial display of Christmas items. And felt I just had to get moving on finishing the decorating job otherwise they’ll never all be put up on time.
So not only do I collect Santa things, I have to say I’m a little addicted to snowmen too…
I am sure I should have been born in the northern hemisphere…
Are you getting the Christmas bug yet?
What am I going to be making this weekend?
Published by November 3rd, 2006 in Handmade and Projects I'm working on. 1 Comment
As I have been working so hard lately not only here at work, but my personal life seems to have been more than a little hectic, I have decided I need a little ‘me’ time.
So, I have told everyone I won’t be answering the phone and not to expect to see me at any point over the whole weekend. A little self-indulgent I know, but I figure if I don’t take some time out for me now, I’ll explode a little later. And that, my friends is never a good thing!
So what to do with myself? Well, I’ve planned to make something from our latest issue - Quick Christmas Crafts (Volume 23 No 11), which goes on sale today.
As I have a date with some friends very soon, I thought I’d make them all a cute little surprise, and as I have had my eye on these gorgeous little boxes by Rachel Greig for quite sometime, I thought I’d give them a go!
I have some really cute pink dotty double-sided scrapbooking paper that I picked up in my travels, which will make them very , very cute when they are finished! Plan to fill them with chocolates (every girls’ best friend). Hmmm, that’s provided I don’t eat them all first!
Beyond that, I think it’s dvd’s and the lounge for me!
Cupcakes are coming!
Published by November 2nd, 2006 in Handmade, My favourite things and Cupcakes. 5 Comments
I love cupcakes!
I have been a little obsessed with cupcakes ever since I saw a knitted one on a blog over six months ago.
I fell head over heals in love with it. So much so, that I decided on the spot that we just had to have someone make one as a project for the magazine.
I became so enamoured with the idea of cupcake crafts that suddenly, before I knew it we had over a dozen people making things for us!
Keep an eye out, the cupcake issue is coming soon!
Is it too early to be putting up Christmas decorations?
Published by October 30th, 2006 in Handmade. 1 Comment 
Anyone would think that it was a crime to love Christmas!
Listening to the radio while travelling to and from work last week, it seemed everytime I tuned in, some announcer was whinging about Christmas and how it was way to early to be even thinking about Christmas, let alone to be putting decorations up.
It really got up my nose, until I remembered that I - unlike most - am a self-confessed absolute ‘Christmas nutter’. I think I mentioned last week that I have so much Christmas stuff, that if I don’t start putting it out now, we won’t have enough time to enjoy it. So, I started on the weekend setting some of my pieces up.
As you can see I had a ‘thing’ a couple of years ago for tinware… so I started collecting Santas and snowmen… these are my Santas! Cute huh!
Arrrrr!
Just for a wee bit of fun, last week I organised a pirate day for everyone to dress up and ‘let their hair down’ so to speak! Ok, so I totally missed the official International Talk like a Pirate Day (which was actually the 19th of September)… but better late than never I say!
As Cap’n ‘Awkins, I be drivin’ every nuts for two weeks by practicin’ talkin’ like a pirate. Poor ‘first mate Stanley’ had to put up with me cursin’ an a swearin’ at me desk - an I must say I be pretty darn good by the time the day came ’round!
Everyone be havin to be talkin’ like a pirate, be dressin’ like a pirate, an if’n they didn’t bring pirate tucker, they’d be walkin’ them there plank.
I be decoratin’ our kitchen with black streamer, pirate balloons, black tablecloths an a fake rat… yes that’s him there!
Everyone looked fantastic, we ‘ad lots of giggles an gorged ourselves silly.
But the winners for the best dressed was a tie between Commodore Vanest and Rotten to the Core Ahern (aka Louise Vanest - Craft Titles Publisher and Robyn Ahern Editor - Patchwork & Stitching magazine).
There be swashbucklin a plenty happenin in the hallways, an at the end of the day - an most important of all - every buccaneer had a bit of fun!
Above: Mazza and Pete the Parrott (aka Marilyn Stanley - Technical Editor of Embroidery & Cross Stitch magazine and Pete the cardboard parrot!)
Right: Commodore Vanest and Rotten to the Core Ahern
Below: This be Ratty enjoying a lolly he stole from a treasure chest made by the scary pirate (aka Elaine Rose - Project Editor for Patchwork & Stitching magazine!
We’ve thought long and hard about how to design a website that provides entertainment, staff and contributor profiles, information, tips and techniques, interactive sections - and of course, space for fun stuff like poetry, feedback and even colouring-in pages for the kiddies! Most importantly, we wanted it to be an attractive site that’s fun and easy to navigate, allowing you to get your regular fix of Handmade without having to wait until the next issue goes on sale.
It also lets us give you weekly updates of all the happenings in the craft world - including new techniques and products, shows, exhibitions and giveaways. We’re keen to give you a glimpse behind the scenes, so the staff ‘reveal all’ in hilarious interviews, and this blog enables us to report on our fun office capers such as dress-up days or cupcake bake-offs! In short, our expansion online means Handmade is much more than just a magazine - it’s a part of the interactive crafting community.
The hard work and the tears have been worth the effort, as the new look is just fantastic. And it is my goal that over time our website becomes a great reference and resource library to visit every week. That said, make sure you sign up for our newsletter to stay on top of everything that’s happening in the wonderful world of Handmade at www.handmade.com.au
We’ve been so focused on work this past month, Tamara and I were only discussing this morning how astounded we are that it’s now the middle of October. Seriously, where has this year gone? It’s time for me to drag out the Christmas decorations - in fact I usually do that at the beginning of October. I mean, really.
Christmas is only here for a short time and I have so many decorations that one month’s display time is just not worth the effort! I have to make the most of it, so I usually set up at the beginning of October and take them down at the end of February… I am seriously behind schedule now!
It’s a good thing that I adore Christmas, as for me it happens just about all year round. Let me explain. Christmas here in ‘magazine land’ (a nice term I have stolen from Lynelle Slade, editor of Country Threads - thanks Nel!) started back in February. We had a few months of normal issues, then in May/June we began working on our four other extremely popular Christmas issues. We pretty much had Christmas wrapped up by August, then we had a few months reprieve, and suddenly the real world catches up with us - yep, the shops are now laden with Christmas decorations and displays in the lead-up to the real thing.
And by the way, the current range of decorations available in stores is quite impressive, isn’t it? I’ve noticed vintage-style ornaments next to funky modern Christmas trees and whimsical ones thrown in for good measure. It seems no matter what your tastes, there’s something that’s bound to tempt you - and your purse!
But seeing as we work on our Christmas issues well before the festive season, when there are no ornaments around, it used to really do my head in. You have to admit, working on Easter at Christmas time is just crazy! The problem I have now is I often miss the actual event, because in mind I have already ‘done it’. Still, it’s nice when festive items start making an appearance - though of course we crafters always prefer homemade pressies!
So lets put this in perspective for you - at the moment the current magazine is our pretty ‘Gift-giving for Christmas’ issue that comes with a free set of eight all-occasion gift cards (the photos I have posted are two images from the cards), while right now we are just finalising our January issue. Confused? It’s okay - I got a bit that way too when I first tried to wrap my head around it!
Anyway, Tamara and I look forward to updating you with life in the world of Handmade.
Be sure to browse the website and get to know a little more about all the staff, and submit your poetry, prose or feedback - we look forward to hearing from you!
Cheers!
