Sew Sweet:: Polkadots!

One of my favourite blogs belongs to a Japanese blog friend, Momo. She used to live in Australia but has now returned to Japan. It is great to know someone who is a part of both these countries... selfishly it is an interpretation of Japanese goodness into English! After posting a few comments on each other's blogs I think I read that she couldn't get any freezer paper, if memory serves me correctly! ... And as these things happen in lovely blogland we decided to do a swap! Our first blog to blog, non-organised event!

On Momo's first post she mentioned that we could read her blog whilst drinking a cup of tea... I love tea, it runs in my blood... the tea leaf originally coming from China (Dad's side) & having an English mother with a pot always on the boil. I can't relax properly if I don't have a cup of the freshly brewed stuff! It seems Momo is a girl after my own heart! Whilst we are freezing here in Sydney I am guzzling down loads of hot tea, but I have got the feeling that it is absolutely sweltering in the Northern Hemisphere. A good time for a refreshing Ice Tea, with coasters of course.

These coasters were made from the "fat quarters" that Nicky & I both discovered & hoarded at the craft fair... I don't like to cut into pretty fabric but I am trying hard to get over this affliction! This is one of my first steps in a 12 step program!

Momo sent me some lovely things from Japan... the light was very dull today, so when the sun shines I will take some photos & show you her generosity.

On another note, you may have noticed that we are prefacing our titles of late. We are trialling a new system! Yep trying to get organised... we plan to do 4 posts each week in the areas of Sweet & Soft, Sweet Eats, Sweet Inspiration & Sew Sweet. Blogging has made us much more creative & camera toting people... but sometimes we have found that we don't have any time to get any work done! So hopefully this will work out & our blog will be more focused. One downfall we have already noticed is that although we have completed our Martha Stewart cake for this month, as of today... we will have to wait & post it up next week!

By the way, clever Momo has started an etsy store selling her hand embroidered fabric covered buttons & other goodies... Japanese craft books to come! Yay! T

Raspberry Darjeeling Tea
From Donna Hay Magazine

1/2 Cup sugar
1.25 cups (180g/6oz) raspberries
4.5 cups (2 pints) boiling water
1.5 tablespoons of darjeeling tea leaves
ice cubes

- Place the tea in a heatproof jug, pour over boiling water and infuse
for 5 mins.
- Strain the tea and set aside to cool.
- Crush the raspberries with the back of a fork, then add the raspberry pulp & juice to the tea the sugar.
- Whisk to combine & serve over ice. Serves 4.