Thursday, August 27, 2009

12 pieces now finished

It is almost 12 weeks since I returned from the Surface Design Association conference, and my visit to Canada. I came back with the idea of working 12 equal size pieces for my exhibition in October. The size of each was determined by an existing blank screen printing frame 23 x 33cm (9" x 13"), and with the intention that they eventually get displayed as a group, three rows, four pieces in each. They have the group title of 'Out of the Print Box'. They are all worked with Procion MX dyes and the odd bit of pigment, and mounted individually over padded acid-free board.

As each was completed I blogged a detail. I have now put them as a Gallery on my blog. Click on View My Gallery, double click on single image to open up the 12, then Slide Show; sit back and enjoy.... I hope this wets your appetite for my exhibition.

As a point of interest, to get these 12 pieces I actually started a total of 24, 12 of which were abandoned at varying stages as things went awry or perhaps I just didn't like what was happening. All part of the journey....

57 days to my exhibition

Sunday, August 23, 2009

Ginger Biscuits

It is not my usual intent to publish recipes on this blog. However, there has been a major crisis here in New Zealand regarding ginger biscuits. It has been debated on the radio, and in the newspapers. This has come about because a long-time biscuit factory has been closed and all biscuits are now being baked elsewhere, in Auckland. It seems the quality has shifted as well and ginger biscuit fans are stressed....
I have now just made my own batch of ginger biscuits from a recipe printed in the local paper and they are yummy indeed. Try them...

Ginger Biscuits

226 gms /½ lb plain flour
113 gms / ¼ lb sugar
1 level tsp baking powder
1 large tsp ground ginger
113 gms / ¼ lb butter
113 gms / ¼ lb golden syrup

Sift and mix the dry ingredients. Melt the butter and golden syrup over a low heat and fold into the dry ingredients.
Roll into balls and flatten, or roll out with a rolling pin and cut out with biscuit cutter.
Fan bake for approx. 15 minutes at 150°C / 300°F



Still working, detail from #10 - two more to go!

60 days to my exhibition. Had a meeting with the Curator at the Expressions Entertainment Centre today and all planning going well....