Siobhan Rogers

2016-05-04T00:26:00.001-07:00

Just a quick check in to let you know that By the Block is now available in German !

Flower Crowns for the win

2016-03-12T22:20:00.000-08:00

Recently I was down in Tasmania and I found a wonderful flower farm in Woodbridge owned and run by Florist Lisa Kingston

Lisa supplied a make your own flower crown kit for a small party I was having for my Birthday - Have a look back on my instagram pictures for more of my Birthday fun

Anyway back to reality 3 weeks later in Sydney and I decided to re create the flower crown fun.

I bought a few flowers at a local florist - not many just a few for colour and variety and then I walked around my garden and cut a few roses, hydrangeas rosemary and lavender.

It's pretty hot and dry in Sydney at the moment so not really a great deal to choose from fresh from my garden.

Here is my little array - I wanted bright and lively, the greens and mustard tone it down a little.

You could choose any combinations of flowers you like.

The other things you will need are florist wire and florist tape.

It's worth asking your local florist if you can buy some or if not - there are plenty of online florist suppliers to buy from.

Note the two different crown types

The one on the left is a full wire crown and needs to be the exact size you would like and the one on the right is a little more forgiving as you loop in ribbon and tie it on.

Its up to you which one you do - Today I went with the full crown.

To start with you need to make little bunches of flowers.

8 or so bunches will give you enough but play around as different flowers will obviously give you a different look with sizes varying.

Using your florist tape, wrap each little bunch together and then trim the stems short.

Starting on one side wrap one little bunch onto the wire crown with the florist tape and keep going all the way around.

With the full wire crown you could go all the way around so that you have a full circle of flowers but I didn't.

Voila - One fun and bright crown.

Sadly it's frowned upon to be a grown up and wear flower crowns grocery shopping......

Let me know how you go and I would love to see what you make !

#siobhanrogers

Xx Siobhan

Murphy's law

2015-10-29T15:21:00.002-07:00

Good day to you all !

I am just back from 3 days of workshops in Melbourne

Apologies if you have messaged or emailed me as I was flat chat and had zero time to respond to ANYTHING

This is brief as I DO have people that NEED responses and I am also off to Teach this am at Hobby Sew Top Ryde.

I was very excited to receive an email late last week telling me that not only was I one of 66 artists profiled in the Uppercase Compendium - I was also to have one of my pictures of my wedding ring quilt in progress on the cover.

Murphy's law would be that this quilt was chosen for a cover.

Funnily making this quilt, it was when I was having a moment with lots of thoughts in my head and I wanted to mindlessly sew.

I wasn't concentrating on fabric design choices or placement and truthfully my seams aren't all matching either.

It feels like a true reflection of how I felt at the time and I am honoured to have it shown on the cover of this fantastic publication.

I have also just finished discussions with Quiltsmith in Sydney to teach this quilt

31st Jan 2016

Give them a call to book in

Like a typical creative person I have agreed to do a workshop on a class for a quilt that I haven't finished!

I have a pretty tight deadline and hope to have it on display hanging in the shop mid November..... Wish me luck !

Anyway apologies for briefness - I need to dash to teach my Hobbysew class.

If your waiting on advice/ instructions/ general replies I will get onto it after my class today !

Thank you

Xx Siobhan

Bee's Knees

2015-10-14T02:02:00.000-07:00

The last 4 weeks have been crazy

Crazy good - not crazy bad

School Holidays

- which included a trip to Avoca with a few other families for almost a week

- A lunch with Better Homes and Gardens Australia to launch the Better Homes Live show

10 Kids + 10 Quilts = Mayhem

- Shipping 3/4 kids & a husband off for a final hurrah to the snow for a few days whilst I stayed home and prepped for the Brisbane show (I crazily made 24 meters of bunting)

- Getting school ready for the big two kids

- Then Jetting off to Brisbane with the two little kids for 8 days, for the Brisbane Craft and Quilt Fair ...........

I'm FINALLY HOME

and back into some semblance of a routine.

The Brisbane show was great, I had 21 of my 22 quilts on display from my book By The Block.

It really felt very indulgent being able to hang all the book quilts in one space (They took up a little over 20 meters of space). It was lovely for me to see them all together (minus one).

I have some pictures on Instagram and Facebook

I met lots of lovely lovely people in Brisbane - which you will see in my pictures !

My computer is being unfriendly and wont let me upload the pictures to the blog :(

I also had a quick interview with Tim Cox from ABC Brisbane Radio
On the Weekends program 10th Oct 2015
I start babbling at 2:13:35

I'm off to sort out my iphoto issue
and think of what I forgot to tell you

Siobhan Xx

tricks of the trade

2015-08-25T23:32:00.000-07:00

I get a few questions in my classes, trade shows and book signings about my photography.

Way back when I left school I studied photography and worked as a cadet photographer - honestly at the time I didn't have what it took, I don't think I had the maturity or patience. I regret (slightly) not seeing my 4 year course through... I dropped out at the end of 2nd year and transferred across to another degree that I did finish...... much to my parents relief

Live and learn !

Whats that saying - No such thing as mistakes only lessons learnt?

Flash forward a few years later (a few more than I am willing to admit) and I am back to it - I'm loving it. Images take time and patients and I get a kick out of it.

Today I was photographing a blood orange tart that I made. I was photographing it with the intent of blogging the recipe - hopefully in the next few days I'll get around to it.

Picture A

What I actually wanted to write about today was how I took the photo.

I like to use natural muted light, that way I don't need to mess around too much with my exposure.

I used my fixed 50mm lens and set my camera to F/1.4* (*F stop or focal ratio).

Its worth having a read of your camera manual if all of that sounds like another language.

The next important thing is where to take your picture - as in whats in the picture.

To give you an example I have used an old door and painted it with a few different paints and techniques (picture 1)

Picture 1 - Old door painted

The top two panels I painted with a green paint. Letting the paint dry and then lightly sanding it back. I then painted white over the top of the top panel heavily and the second panel only lightly.

I painted the bottom panel in the white, letting the white layer dry I sanded it back lightly and then added a blue layer on the bottom panel.

I chose sections of the door to photograph the tart (Pic A blue section, Pic B green section)

Picture A

Picture B

and then used another part of the door for a nice flat textured surface shoot(picture C blue section)

Picture C

I then used the top part of the door to picture one of my quilts hanging off it (picture D)

Picture D

I tend to be drawn to rough old surfaces, I think they are easy backgrounds to photograph? Maybe.....

I'd love to see what you guys do and what types of areas or surfaces you use in your photos!

paste a link in the comments and I can have a stickybeak

Xx Siobhan Rogers

Happy Days

2015-07-29T03:50:00.002-07:00

I have JUST finished a huge huge quilt with a wicked quick deadline.... cue the bath soak for my sore neck and shoulders.

To celebrate and help me buy/ make some new things I thought I would do a flash sale on my website

link to the left of my blog

50% off almost everything!

(excludes my pre sale book and little patterns)

Some things you will come across in the sale

- very cool big Pom Pom trim

- Leather zipper clutches

and of course

- Some Quilts

Happy Shopping

Siobhan Xx

Roll up roll up

2015-07-06T20:30:00.002-07:00

I'm looking for brands and shops that fit my style and ethos - If you think that thats you

email me

email me siobhan at hillgallery dot com dot au

Xx Siobhan Rogers

Bananas

2015-07-04T22:21:00.000-07:00

This Banana loaf has been a regular in our house for many many years, I might have even blogged about it here before.... I cant remember!

I instagramed a picture recently and I had a few requests for the recipe - so here it is.

Banana Loaf

I use a 10 X 20 cm loaf tin - you could bake it any size or shape you like. My batter usually comes up to about an 1/2 an *inch below the top of the tin when I pour it in.

*its the quilter in me - I like using inches

Grease the cake tin with a little butter

Pre heat oven to 170c Fan forced

Ingredients & Method

3 medium very ripe bananas mashed

1 cup raw sugar

1 tsp cinnamon powder

80g butter melted

1/2 tsp vanilla paste

2 large eggs

3/4 cup milk

mix all the above ingredients until well combined.

add in

2 1/4 cups plain flour

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

200g block of dark chocolate roughly chopped into big chunks

mix until just combined

pour/ scrape into the prepared loaf tin and sprinkle about a tablespoon or so of extra raw sugar onto the top of the cake batter in the tin

bake for 1 hour - checking with a wooden skewer that the middle is cooked.

Turn the cake out of the loaf tin whilst still hot and let the cake cool on a wire rack.

Yummiest eaten still warm and fresh or sliced and toasted the next day.

I also had a go at making homemade Nutella.

Funnily I cant actually remember how I made it.....

I vaguely remember that the recipe I found called for 2 cups of roasted hazelnuts, 1 cup cocoa, 1 cup icing sugar and a little vegetable oil until you get the right consistency. All whizzed together in the food processor.

It tasted a little lacking - I added in half a block of dark chocolate and we were in business.

I really need to mess around a little more to get the recipe right, but definitely worth a go and something for the kids to try.

I would have liked to add coconut oil instead of vegetable oil..... but the kids in our family aren't coconut fans (insert sad face because I LOVE coconut)and I suppose it then wouldn't be Nutella but a hazelnut chocolate & coconut spread.

Let me know how you go with the cake or any tried and tested Nutella recipes you may have

Xx Siobhan

Solid as a block

2015-06-26T00:22:00.001-07:00

Here we go

A little more information about my quilt and pattern in the Latest

Australian Better Homes and Gardens

August 2015 magazine

I made this quilt way back in November/ December 2014 just before Christmas and at the same time as two other big quilts for publication....... The usual story of everything being due within days of each other, as well as the end of the school year and start of the summer holidays.

I swore the year before that I wouldn't do that to myself again...... flash back to Nov/ Dec 2013 and I had 12 quilts due for my book manuscript.

Apparently I forget stressful life events very easily and quickly!

I'm pretty excited about this quilt - not only did I enjoy creating it BUT it was for a magazine I grew up reading.

A close second in my childhood nostalgia excitement would be Burke's Backyard or A Country Practice and if my quilt was in an episode of either shows - Which wont ever happen as the two shows are no longer.

I apologise to non Australians who have no idea what I am going on about.

Anyway..... I digress

The quilt

I made the quilt front using Prima Solids from Spotlight.

The Quilt as seen in Australian Better Homes and Gardens August 2015

and the back (pictured before quilting) is a cotton/ Linen blend.

To help my pattern writing and keep in mind I was creating three quilts at the same time, and all in solids from different manufacturers.

I made a half square triangle of each colour and pieced it into the backing so that I would remember exactly what colours I had used when I went to double check the pattern writing.

Light green

Khaki green

mid blue

cornflower blue

teal

airforce blue

mustard

dark purple

light purple

baby pink

coral

hot pink

white background

teal stripe binding

natural sand coloured linen backing

for the full fabric requirements and pattern please purchase August 2015 BHG Magazine

The version I have pictured is slightly different to the pattern in the Magazine as we ran out of room for instructions and replaced my blocks with curved piecing in them with solid coloured blocks.

Its an opportunity for you to change things or mix it up a little if you feel like adding in your own ideas.

I promised on Instagram my banana cake recipe - thats going to have to wait till the weekend, sorry but between teaching the last two days and a backlog of pattern work I'm behind schedule!

and don't forget I have pre order copies of my book available on my website

If you do make this quilt or any of my quilts and you are on social media - please tag me!

or #siobhanrogers

Im off to clean and cook

Xx Siobhan Rogers

Better Homes and Gardens

2015-06-24T20:53:00.001-07:00

Just a quick one to let you know that the Australian August 2015 Better Homes and Gardens Magazine should be in shops today

and it has a quilt and pattern

I designed in it

Xx Siobhan

siobhanrogers.com.au

2015-06-22T23:41:00.001-07:00

Lots of maintenance, design deadlines and bits happening in the shed.

I'm trying to get all my blog links working and everything on my website more efficient. Thank goodness I have the help of an expert...

and

To celebrate the end of financial year

I have 30% off all stock on my website (excluding my book and workshops)

This offer is valid until the 30th June 2015

I also have signed books available for pre sale on my website

The New Down Under Quilts has a pattern excerpt from my book - It should be in stores in the next day or so.

How heavenly does the cover of Australian Country Style look! I don't have anything in it - It just happen to be on my reading pile!

Im off to feed family etc

but a warning that my next post I will be talking advertising!

I am finally catching up with the year 2010 and placing suitable advertising on my blog.

Thanks

Siobhan Rogers Xx

Put a flower on it

2015-06-20T23:45:00.002-07:00

Have you noticed that flowers are everywhere.

Everywhere I look is a magnificent arrangement of flowers or using flowers, picture of flowers.........

Its almost like the put a bird on it craze from a few years ago.

I was inspired after looking through Pinterest to create a cake with flowers.

I then saw a beautiful post by Lisa from We Are Scout and that cemented my idea and what I wanted to do.

I was chatting to my long time friend who bakes lots and uses flowers lots and I was asking her where she sourced her fresh edible flowers......

Which ended up being from Darling Mills Farm (Sydney Based)

The flower hunt prompted Mr 11 and I to do a early morning trip on Saturday to the markets - which was freezing but lovely.

I had to get in early - not only because they sell out of flowers so quickly but also because I had a book signing to go to!
I was signing my book By The Block at the Sydney Quilt and Craft Fair

Which very excitingly won an award

Anyway back to the biscuits

Chocolate biscuits with royal icing and pretty little flowers, they taste beautiful and heavenly with a cup of tea.

Chocolate Biscuits

Ingredients250g butter, softened

330g caster sugar

2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract

450g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup Cocoa

Pre heat oven to 160c fan forced

Beat butter and sugar in an electric mixer until pale and fluffy, then add in vanilla extract and eggs one at a time.

Beat until well combine.

Slowly add in flour, baking powder and cocoa until mixture forms a ball

*if you find the mix is too wet add in a teaspoon of flour at a time until the dough forms a ball in the mixer.

If the mix is too dry add in a teaspoon of milk one at a time until you get the right consistency.

Shape the dough into a long roll shape, wrap it in plastic wrap and place it in the fridge to rest for 30 or so minutes.

Once the dough has rested - using a sharp thin blade slice dough into 1cm thick rounds. Lay the rounds onto a baking tray and bake for 25 minutes.

you should get around 30 biscuits from this recipe, depending on the size roll you made. My biscuits were around 2.5inches(6 cm)in circumferance.

Let the biscuits cool on a wire rack.

Once cool make the royal icing

Royal Icing

1 egg white beaten with a fork

1 teaspoon of lemon juice

1.5 cups pure icing sugar

use a fork to beat the egg whites with the lemon and then hand beat in the icing sugar, keep mixing until no lumps appear.

To decorate

Dip your biscuits in face down covering the top of the biscuit, let the excess icing drip off and then place right side up on a wire rack. Place desired flowers, petals and leaves on the wet icing.

With some of the petals I used a pair of tweezers as I found my fingers were getting a little sticky and the petals kept getting stuck to me instead of the biscuits.

Voila - Very pretty looking biscuits that are very tasty.

Radio blah blah

2015-06-15T19:33:00.000-07:00

When I was in the US mid May this year I had the opportunity to talk to Pat Sloan - you can listen to it now on the American Patchwork and Quilting podcast

Im in the last 10 minutes of the podcast

Hope I don't sound like a twat!

My book

and

I'll be at the Sydney Quilt and Craft fair signing books at the Can Do Books area

Wed June 17th 11:30 - 12:30

Fri June 19th 10:30 - 11:30

Sat June 20th 1:00 - 2:00

I have also listed other shows and book signings I will be at on my website

http://www.siobhanrogers.com.au/

and just for the fun of it I have added in a picture of pikelets.

If you follow me on instagram you will know how much of an average mum I can be at times (insert laughter) I was tired last night...

Home on my own with four kids, 8pm and it was raining outside. I was cleaning up after dinner and realised we had no bread and very little milk for the next day which would mean breakfast and school lunches would be a challenge. I did however have eggs and flour.... thank goodness, and at least a cup of milk.

Voila my mums 1971 pikelet recipe saves the day yet again.

Now I really should go to the shops before we have a repeat no food for lunches/ breakfast experience tonight

Xx Siobhan Rogers

Never thought I'd utter the words

2015-06-13T21:52:00.000-07:00

"I cant this week I'm doing some book signings......"

which if your my good friend of many years your response is hysterical laughter and a few jibes.

This week I will be at the Sydney Quilt and craft show at Glebe Island

I will be at the Can Do Books stall, signing copies of my book By The Block

Wednesday June 17th 11:30 - 12:30

Friday June 19th 10:30 - 11:30

Saturday June 20th 1:00 - 2:00

I am also just in the process of working out the logistics of going to the Tasmanian, Melbourne, Canberra and Brisbane shows.

Let me know if your a shop or guild and would like a visit.

Here are a few flash back photos from my trip to the US recently - where I did have a book signing and also had the fun experience of seeing my book on the shelves of Barnes and Noble in New York.

As usual I had my quilts with me and photographed a few of them around NYC.

Taking the air

2015-06-09T00:36:00.000-07:00

Work, kids and family logistic can make it very very hard to actually talk to people. I might see them fleetingly or text daily but to actually sit for hours and talk...... That rarely happens.

I was fortunate enough on the long weekend (Queens Birthday in Australia) to catch up with friends that I haven't quiet been able to have a conversation with for sometime or so it felt.... and the country air and beautiful scenery didn't hurt either

I feel refreshed and ready to get some work done. Friends are good for the soul.

of course I packed the boot with quilts! Im never one to miss an opportunity.

Pictured below are two courthouse step quilts - both a little different in pattern widths and colours but similar construction.

One of the patterns is in US Spring Modern Patchwork magazine (top quilt) and the other pattern is available at Spotlight stores in Australia (bottom quilt).

and below my Wild Horses quilt and Kisses and Hugs quilt from my book By The Block - available in lots of places, ask your book shop or library to get it in if they don't already have it.

If your after more pictures from my weekend away check out my Instagram pictures or Facebook

Siobhan Xx

Travelling

2015-05-24T18:25:00.000-07:00

Well Hello !

I am just back from the US - I was at Minneapolis Quilt Market to do some school house speaking and book signings.

I also did a radio interview with Pat Sloan! I'll keep you posted about when that interview is available and post links.

Quilt Market was great - I caught up with lots of great industry people and found some wonderful inspiration with fabrics, art and patterns.

I then took a little side trip to New York (as you do)

Check out my instagram pics for a look at what I was up to.

Whilst I was away

Sew mama sew had a tutorial on this quilt and a give away of my book, check it out

My book seems to be in stock in the US.

Australia is getting stock any moment now, the Australian distributors are just waiting on the shipment to arrive.

Fingers crossed the books will come soon as I am booked to do some book signings at the Craft and Quilt fair in Sydney on the 17th June and I cant do a book signing if we don't have books in Australia!

I do still have a few copies available in my online shop

I'm off to catch up on a million emails and prepare for my classes this week at Hobby Sew Top Ryde

Xx Siobhan R

Cake day

2015-05-03T00:40:00.002-07:00

The Autumn weather makes me bake....

No one is complaining

My latest cake of the moment is a simple pound cake, I have played around with a few recipes and this is what I have settled on.

Everyone is a little fussy in our house, some like plain and no fruit others like fruit but

only cherry.... you get the picture.

Fusspot central - all my own fault.

Luckily this is a simple recipe and a smallish cake so making a few doesn't really bother me.

They keep well in an airtight container and my school morning teas are sorted for the week.

left to right
Rhubarb with lime zest, Blueberry, Cherry - On top is plain

Pound cake

Ingredients for one cake

1.5 cups plain flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

120g butter

1 tablespoon finely grated lemon rind

1 teaspoon vanilla paste

1 cup caster sugar

2 large eggs

125ml milk

*Fruit of your choice

Pre heat oven to 160C fan forced

I like to get all my ingredients measured and in separate bowls ready to go, this helps if I am making 3/4 cakes at a time,

Beat the butter and lemon rind together in a mixer for a few minutes - you want the butter pale and creamy.

Add in the cup of sugar, beating for a few minutes.

Scrape down the sides of the bowl from time to time.

Then add the vanilla paste.

Add in the eggs one at a time and beat until the mix is pale and smooth.

alternatively add the flour/baking powder and milk - mixing well.

Grease and line a loaf tin

pour the cake batter into the tin.

*If you are adding fruit to the cake I pour in half of the batter and sprinkle the fruit in and then pour in the rest of the cake batter.

bake for 60 minutes or until a wooden skewer comes out clean.

Allow to cool for 15 or so minutes before turning the cake out.

Let me know how you go

Xx Siobhan

Celebratory freebee

2015-04-26T23:48:00.002-07:00

HI All

I have a few advanced copies of my book

By The Block

available to buy in my online store (I did have 11, now its down to 6 copies)

I am throwing in a celebratory fat quarter of my text fabric (RRP $12)

Australian stores are expecting delivery early June and the USA seems to have stock coming in now - Let me know if you

have seen it anywhere !

I have been using the hash tag #bytheblock and #siobhanrogers

on Instagram or facebook

I have a few interviews coming up about the book and great bloggers doing reviews - more on that later.

I am also in the midst of planning my trip to International Quilt market in Minneapolis

where I will have a school house, book signing and more interviews and a quick trip to New York before heading home and

getting back to work.

I have a quilt and pattern in the latest Spotlight Patchwork 4 magazine using the Prima Solids range. I use a nifty little trick to make 4 flying geese in 1

and last but not least I have a quilt in US Mag - Modern Patchwork magazine

so many good projects in this one - I highly recommend it

The computer wont let me upload a pic of the Modern Patchwork Mag quilt.....

No idea why........

Anyway Im off to mother my children etc

Xx Siobhan

and then I did all this stuff

2015-04-19T00:04:00.000-07:00

Our Autumn school break is just about to end.... Insert sad face.

We drove up to family in Brisbane - where it was a little bit warmer and the ocean temp was a beautiful 25C.

Back home now and to being productive, chasing work and completing work for me, the year is going awfully quickly.

I am also in the midst of booking and planning my trip to Spring International Quilt Market in Minneapolis, where I will be doing a schoolhouse for my book with Interweave and some book signings.

Let me know if there is anything in Minneapolis that I should check out!

also possibly heading to NYC for 3 or so days after market...... not definite yet. Just looking into Logistics and possible trunk show.

My Book is currently available to buy in most book stores and quilt shops - Its only just started shipping in the last week - If they don't have it in ask them to get it!

I also have a magazine bed size quilt pattern in US Modern Patchwork magazine. Its made 100% out of Cotton and Steel fabrics - the back being a lovely soft voile. The long arm quilting was done by Kim Bradley.

I'm off to tend to kids and get ALL the school stuff ready :-/

Xx Siobhan

back on the tools

2015-04-02T01:25:00.001-07:00

It feels like an age since I had my big guns camera out and taken some real photos........ I have been preoccupied with writing, family and a little teaching/ sewing.

I was at a wedding last weekend out in the country and my husband was the official photographer - he let me assist!

The hall was beautiful and between the bride and event stylist it was filled with great photo opportunities.

The two pics below are actually from the day after the wedding when the hall was being cleaned up. Such pretty autumn light.

Take a look at Instagram for more pics.

We stayed in a beautiful house at Canowindra called Marlow House.
I will get around to posting more pictures of the house - It was beautiful!

The quilt in the picture below is from my book By The Block - which is due out any day now.

Yes I did bring some book quilts with me on my weekend away .....

I was lucky enough to score a huge basket of figs from a friends farm - thank you farmers Mel & Percy!

I used all the very squishy ones straight away and made some burnt fig and vanilla jam, the medium very ripe ones I made a cake and the ones that had a few days in them I shared with my baking friend

The fig jam was easy-ish

I had 2kgs figs with 1kg white sugar and one vanilla bean.

I cooked them on a high heat, stirring until it reached 104c and put it into sterilised jars. The 2kgs made around 5 jars.

The cake was a bit of an experiment that thankfully was yum and worked!

Fig, almond and maple Syrup cake

perfect for this coming Easter weekend

I used a 24cm/9.5 inch spring form tin

Ingredients

2 cups skin on almonds

4 eggs - separated

1 cup caster sugar

1 tsp Vanilla paste

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 cup maple syrup, and more to sprinkle on top

2 1/2 cups mashed ripe soft fresh figs*

1/2 cup plain flour

pinch teaspoon salt

5 - 8 figs sliced for the top

*trim the top off the fig and mash up with a fork in a bowl

Method

Line your spring form tin with baking paper on the bottom and sides and set aside till needed.

Roast the almonds in a hot oven until they begin to colour- usually around 5-10 minutes(be careful not to burn them)

Put the warm almonds in a food processor and pulse till its a course mix - not fine like almond meal, I like my almond mix to still have almond chunks in the cake and give it a nutty texture.

Turn your oven down to 180c fan forced

Beat the egg yolks and sugar until pale and creamy, add in the vanilla paste, oil, maple syrup and mashed figs - mix until just combined.

Using a clean bowl whisk the egg whites till stiff peaks form.

add all the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt and almonds) to the wet ingredients. Gently fold with a spatula.

Add a third of the stiff egg whites to the cake batter and fold through carefully - Then add the rest.

Spoon the cake batter into your prepared lined tin, tap the tin on the bench to let the cake batter settle. Arrange your sliced figs on top of the cake batter and bake for 90 minutes - check your cake after 40 minutes to double check its doing ok.All ovens can be a little different.

The cake will be very dark on the outside but not burnt when it is cooked, and a wooden skewer inserted into the middle should come out clean. Whilst the cake is still warm pour on some extra maple syrup. Let the cake cool completely in the tin before you remove it.

Served with some double cream and

a pot of tea = Heaven

Let me know if you bake it and how you go

Xx Siobhan Rogers

waste not want not.............

2015-03-31T16:40:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I had another recipe in the Sydney Saturday Daily Telegraph

here it is below for anyone that missed out

Xx Siobhan Rogers

This has been my latest mum mantra in our house, The amount of waste my kids create is unbearable so I have had a crack down lately. Its not just the grocery money but the waste of our resources and the effort that goes into producing.

I always seem to have stale bread.

One of the best uses for my stale bread (other than bread crumbs) is little individual bread and butter puddings.

They are very slap bang together, the kids love making them and more importantly eating them.

You can fancy them up with custard or icecream or just eat them warm with a cup of tea.

Use any bread you like, seeded, wholemeal, sourdough, brioche, crossants – any bread will work.

For Easter I like to use Italian Panatone or hot cross buns.

For this batch I used

½ a stale white bread bagette and two Italian rock hard crunchy bread rolls cut into slices and butter for spreading onto the bread

Wet Mix

mix all of this together in a bowl and let it sit for 5 or more minutes

600ml poring cream

½ cup caster sugar

1 vanilla bean cut in half and seeds scraped

5 eggs lightly beaten

pour the wet mix into the bowl of stale bread.

Let it sit until all the liquid is soaked into the bread, add in the chocolate chips.

Line your individual tins and spoon in your bread mixture half way, then dollop a little jam and continue adding the bread mixture until the tins are full.

Leave the tins full of the wet bread mixture to sit for a little and let the batter settle.

At this stage you could refrigerate until you are ready to bake them - you could prepare to this stage a day ahead if you wanted.

Bake in a medium oven 180c fan forced for 30/40 minutes or until golden on top and set.

They are best eaten fresh ! and warm from the oven.

Recipe Ingredients

For this batch I used

½ a stale white bread bagette and two Italian rock hard crunchy bread rolls cut into slices

butter for spreading onto bread

Strawberry jam

Dark Chocolate chips

Wet Mix

mix all of this together in a bowl and let it sit for 5 or more minutes

600ml poring cream

½ cup caster sugar

1 vanilla bean cut in half and seeds scraped

5 eggs lightly beaten

spread a little butter onto the bread slices on one side and place the buttered bread into the wet mix

Let the bread and wet mix sit for at least an hour and mix it up every now and then to make sure all the bread is soaking up the cream and egg mixture.

Mix in the chocolate chips to the bread mix

Once the bread has soaked up all the liquid, line some patty cake cases with baking paper, I used two different shaped pans – you can use anything.

Using a spoon - spoon in the bread mix to your individual tins, filling half way. Add in a little spoonful of jam and continue to spoon in the bread mix until the tin is full. Let the mixture sit for 10/15 minutes to settle.

Set the oven to 180c fan forced oven and bake for 30- 40 minutes or until golden on top and the mixture looks set.

The individual puddings are lovely warm or cold and a lovely treat.

Instead of Choc chips and Jam you could use sultanas, add a little orange zest or use fresh fruit in season such as fresh Figs or Raspberries.

Donuts and dyeing

2015-03-22T20:35:00.000-07:00

Autumn has me cooking and crafting, I taught my usual Sydney classes last Thursday and Friday at Hobby Sew Top Ryde

and alternate Fridays at Kim Bradley Creations Castle Hill

and then the beginnings of kids sports .... Soccer gala, Soccer game, Rugby gala, Soccer game.

We have a couple of weeks till netball starts.....

All in all a busy couple of days - but good time was had by all and even better it was a little cool and drizzly - yes I said drizzly was good.

Everyone was happy and cozy and I made doughnuts - I've been meaning to make them for weeks. I made a cake type doughnut way back for a christmas story and I have been meaning to test out doughnuts made with a yeast dough ever since. I did a quick google and found a doughnut dough recipe on Taste.com

I couldn't find my small cookie cutter for the inside hole of the doughnut..... and decided at the last minute to make Jam doughnuts.

The only change to the recipe from taste was that I cut the circles of dough using the large cookie cutter and then covered the tray of circles with a tea towel and left them to rise for half an hour or so and then shallow fried them in a frying pan.

When the doughnuts had cooled I used a piping bag to pipe jam into the centre of the doughnuts and then sprinkled them with icing sugar...... Not pictured are some doughnuts I piped Nutella into..... Not pictured because they were eaten quickly!

actually none of the pictures are that great because no one would let me take pictures!

These are all from my Instagram

and more food.... This weekends Sydney Saturday Daily Telegraph should have another of my recipes in it - I'm talking about waste and getting kids into using up left overs.

The other activity of the weekend was Tye Dyeing.

The girls found some white T'shirts and calico bags - I found the bucket of dye supplies and that happily occupied most of Sunday afternoon. Ill write a how too post next...

but here is a look at some more Instagram pics

I'm off to post an order of Pom poms

I currently have my pom poms marked down from $15 per meter to $10 per meter

use the code

pompom

at the check out for a $5 discount per item in the accessories section in my shop.

The pom poms are 100% cotton, large and hand made in India.

and the code

winteriscoming

for a 30% off any item over $300 in my shop

Thanks

Siobhan R

Flourless Chocolate Brownies - Gluten Free

2015-03-12T03:51:00.002-07:00

This is an oldie but a goodie - from a post in 2011

Chocolate Hazelnut Brownie

(gluten free)

380g Dark eating chocolate

180g Butter

1cup Brown Sugar

3eggs

1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract

150g Hazelnut meal

1tsp Baking powder

Heat the oven to 180C fan forced, and line a

20 X 30cm tin with baking paper.

Melt butter and chocolate in a bowl, leave for ten minutes to cool. Beat sugar and eggs until pale in colour and creamy, fold through the egg mixture into the chocolate mixture add vanilla and mix through hazelnuts.

Add in hazelnut meal and baking powder mix gently.

pour into tin and bake in the oven for 35 - 40 minutes. Its ready when the skewer comes out moist but not wet. Leave the brownie to cool completely in the tin (it will continue to cook once out of oven), then cut into squares and sift icing sugar over the top.

Happy Cake Day

2015-03-08T22:07:00.000-07:00

Hi All

Here is the Recipe from the Sydney - saturday Daily Telegraph

Chocolate Sponge layer cake

An impressive layer cake to serve up at any occasion!

The chocolate sponge is a good go to recipe for kids to make, its simple and light and great for any occasion.

I used fresh cream and burnt salted caramel for the filling as it’s the kids favourite at the moment.

Anything can be used for the filling like jam with fresh cream, nutella with fresh cream or even a butter cream icing.

The choices are endless. For the outside I have used a swiss meringue because it is very forgiving when you are trying to ice the outside of a big cake and perfect when kids are decorating. My miss 8 who is by no means a cooking oficionado (I promise she really isn’t) decorated this cake, again you could do a butter cream icing.

*Chocolate Sponge Cake with burnt salted caramel and fresh whipped cream in the middle and Swiss meringue on the outside.

Ingredients and Directions

Chocolate Sponge

4 eggs

1 cup of caster sugar

30g butter

3 tablespoons of cocoa

4 tablespoons of boiling water

1 ¼ cups of self raising flour

Grease and line two 8 inch round high sided cake tins.

Set oven to 150c fan forced

Beat eggs together in your electric mixer, gradually adding sugar beat until pale and fluffy and sugar has dissolved.

In a separate bowl put the cocoa, butter and boiling water together, mix until a chocolate smooth paste forms.

Fold the chocolate paste into the egg mixture.

Sift flour into the wet mix and fold until combined – try not to over mix as all the air will come out.

Divide the mixture evenly between the two cake tins and bake for 30-35minutes.

The sponge is cooked when it springs back after lightly touching.

Remove from the tins and let them cool on a wire rack.

300ml Thickened Cream

Beat cream

Burnt Salted Caramel

*this is an adult step as the caramel is extremely hot

2 cups of white sugar

200grams Butter cut into cubes

1 cup of thickened cream

1 tablespoon sea salt flakes or to taste

Pour the sugar into a heavy based saucepan and cook on medium heat until the sugar starts to melt, use a small whisk to mix the hot sugar in the pan so that it cooks evenly.

Continue cooking until the caramel reaches a temperature of about 175c or until it is a deep amber colour, at this point it can burn very quickly.

When the caramel is the right colour and just before it is burnt take it off the heat and add in the butter whisking till the butter melts. Add in the cream and whisk till all combine.

Let the caramel cool in the pan and then pour into jars or bowls, let it cool to room temperature and the refridgerate until needed.

Swiss Meringue

10 egg whites

2 ½ cups caster sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla paste

use the bowl of your electric mixer and place the egg whites and sugar in it, place the mixing bowl over a pan with water in it (double boiler) and slowly whisk the eggs until they reach a *temperature of 70c

*this cooks the eggs whites and also makes the meringue stable

Once the mixture is hot enough put it into the mixer and beat the egg whites until they are cool – around 10/15 minutes. Put the swiss meringue aside until you are ready to use it.

Cake assembly

Find a flat plate that will fit the cake and place the bottom of the cake on the plate, I put my cake down with the flat side up (Its up to you and makes no real difference).

Spread the burnt salted caramel (or flavour of your choice) onto the cake and then top that with the fresh whipped cream, drizzle more of the caramel on top of the cream.

Place the other cake on top and double check that it looks level – it doesn’t have to be perfect, you just don’t want it to be the leaning tower of Pisa and the top slide off.

Meringue Icing

I use a palette knife when decorating cakes but anything flat will do like a spatula.

Do the sides first and then the top, make swirls or flatten to your desired effect and try not to eat to much as you go…

Let me know how you go and enjoy

Siobhan Rogers Xx

my new book due in store April 2015

available at most bookstores

see my previous post for links

and what !?

2015-01-26T17:17:00.002-08:00

One thing at a time ! Thats what I keep telling myself, I am only one person and only have two hands!

Trying to start up something on your own entails a fair share of blood sweat and tears.

I spent the first half of last year finishing off my book manuscript and projects to hand into my editor, Its hard to believe this time last year I was knee deep in 22 quilts and pattern writing.....

and

Now its available for pre order !!!

I did a quick google and these are all in the first page search

AMAZON US based Store

Book Depository UK based Store

Interweave Store US based Store

Page after Page NC, USA

Booktopia Australia

Angus & Robertson Australia

Kinokuniya Australia

Can Do Books Australia

The Australian distributor is
Capricorn Link

Please let me know if you have seen it somewhere else!

If you would like your local shop or Book store to stock my book - ask them to get it in :)

The second half of the year was dedicated to setting up my website

siobhanrogers.com.au

I wanted a space where everything was in one spot. The blog, contact info, My Media work, workshops, exhibitions (coming soon), The book and of course my shop for patterns quilts etc.

Id love to know what you think of it.

I also had the opportunity to create projects, style, photograph and write for local Sydney paper The Daily Telegraph. Below are some of the stories I created.

Then later in the year 2014 - just when I thought I would get into blogging again, I was commissioned for a few more magazine stories............. Some exciting (for me!) Magazines with my projects coming out through out this year

Let me know how you go with the pre orders of my book!

and If you know or see another retailer that has it in stock or will be getting it in - Let me know and I will eventually get a stockists list together !

Siobhan Rogers Xx