Hamilton Makers' Market

Oye, it seems like forever since I've posted. We've been up to our eyeballs in preparations for the market. On Friday night, we stayed up until 3 am doing last minute things like packaging, pricing, loading the car etc.

My house has suffered a great deal as I've put housework aside to get ready for this market. I can't WAIT to get it back to a livable state.

The market was OK, but a little windy. Ok, not a little windy, EXTREMELY windy. Several vendor's tents literally blew away. One gal's tent frame was even snapped in half from the wind. (and it was metal...) Not an ideal situation for selling paper goods!

Mark and Lindi holding down the fort. I THINK Lindi is trying to be sexy here....with a pretzel stick? She'd kill me if she saw that I posted this. SHHHH, don't tell!

It's a good thing that we had several people to hold the tent down whenever the wind would start up. (it came in bursts). My sister, Lindi, would hold one side, Mark would hold the other, and I would personally chase after everything that blew away(which was pretty frequent exercise, might I add!)

Our original display was cute, we had everything set up nicely. Around noon though, we started taking things off the table and started putting them in containers for people to sift through. Hang tags and standing signs were tossed in exchange for post it notes stuck right to the table.Not ideal, but better than littering the lawn with our products!

My cards, a total mess by the middle of the day! But weighted down, and that was all that mattered!

Vintage drink charms. The kids loved these, I'm really glad I brought them!

Lindi's shaker games made from old album covers and children's books. The adults like these just as much as the kids!

Lip Balm and Barrettes

Mark's Soda/Beer bottle glasses

The market is held in the courtyard of the cathedral, which is mostly stone, so this is why no one had their tents staked, in case you're wondering!

I wasn't entirely thrilled with the turnout for the market, I'm not sure if it's because it was the first market of the season, or if it wasn't advertised very well.
It was 22 degrees though, (that's 71.6 if you're American) so no one could blame the weather on the poor turnout.

I will say though that the hired musicians were fantastic. First there was a jazz guitarist/singer that was sensational. I could have listened to that all day! He was an older fellow that was singing some old classics, Louis Armstong, Sinatra etc. I was sad to see him pack up and leave!

Shortly after there was a guy who played all sorts of stuff on a steel drum, that was really neat! He played songs that weren't typically reggae (Country Road, some Abba, even old hymns.) Very cool indeed!

We aren't sure that we'll be doing this market again this year. In the beginning, (three years ago) it was completely worth it. Since that year though, the turnout hasn't been what it used to be. We aren't going to stop doing shows entirely, but were going to be more selective about the shows we DO participate in.

We found that there weren't very many vendors this year and the old feeling the market used to have (there used to be a uniqueness about it!) just wasn't there this year. There used to be such a variety, and such friendly sellers. This year, when I walked around, no one really looked like they wanted to even be there. They'd nod at you from their seat behind the table and continue reading their book that they brought...
Maybe that will change, I certainly hope so.

I know that the market lost a TON of vendors when they stopped allowing food to be sold. They said it was for health reasons, but many of these people were already preparing their foods in certified kitchens.

One of my very good friends, Pleun, makes the best lemon curd in the world. She sold it successfully for an entire season. People would come and ask where the lemon curd lady was! But they've lost her, and not to mention the crowd she'd draw in by word of mouth. Her friends, family, their friends and family...
They lost a few organic farmers too. (there was one at this market, and that was refreshing to see. I did manage to buy some purple potatoes:)

In reality, the cathedral wanted to sell their own foods, so they didn't want competition. Well they dropped the ball, because there wasn't a single food vendor in sight, not even the cathedral.
No smokey BBQ smells to draw a crowd. In fact, people were leaving to go get lunch.
Not fantastic planning!

Bird seed cakes. They have a tiny wire loop in the centre so that you can hang them from a tree branch. As great as they smell, they aren't for people. (I did sample a bit of one myself though!)

We brought FREE peppermint iced tea in a giant cooler for the crowd since we learned last time that there wouldn't be anyone selling anything to drink. We were reprimanded after the show for bringing coffee and muffins. Of course I was confused...then I realized that they thought my bird seed cakes were for human consumption. I had to explain to the committee that they were for wild birds, and that it said so right on the jar they were being sold from.

Also, that the tea was free, (no, we weren't selling it), and that it was prepared in a certified kitchen. (at our church, which is frequently inspected by the health department itself!)

They quickly hid their embarrassment and asked if next time we could tell them before we bring free tea, so that they could advertise it. (seriously?)

I hate to not attend this market anymore, because I helped start it. I was one of the first vendors, and one of the committee members. I designed the first logo. I distributed fliers all over the city.
The cathedral took over though (after graciously letting us use their courtyard for an entire season) and formed a new committee, and new rules.

They got so choosy about who they let sell now that they lost some of their best vendors. They stopped advertising with vigor (and the market was new, it needed the enthusiasm) and demanded the stall fees all up front at the beginning of the season. (we're talking over 500 bucks here, up front, for a market that is so new it could flop...which it did...) They've changed that policy now, this season, but still don't have their old vendors back.

I'm really quite saddened by the entire situation. (and I'm sorry to not have something happier to post about!)

Regardless of the day, we did have fun, we always do. We sang, we chatted, it was nice to be outside on such a warm day. But we've learned something. After several years of doing shows, its about time we got some really secure displays for our items! (and maybe some sand bags:)

Makers Market Postcard, with my little bird

Market kickoff is quickly approaching, so we've been making a lot of preparations.

Mark and I have been abusing more beer and soda bottles, and designing more stamps.

I've been making some wee designs of my larger stamps, and quite a few new ones as well! I'll be listing them in my shop shortly after the market:)

Itty Bitty Bartlett (I have a whole slew of fruits and veggies I'm working on)

The market has three locations this year, which can be a good thing, but I'm a little nervous that Hamilton isn't quite ready for that yet.
The arts community is growing and becoming more public, which is great! I'm just afraid that it might be a little bit of an overkill to have three markets a month. The same buyers are often at every market, (with a few new ones mixed in) as well as the same sellers selling the same things.
After a while a lot of people have already seen everything, and suddenly the market is dead.

Obviously some really good advertising would remedy this, as Hamilton IS a big city, so I think there's potential. I just wonder if this is too soon. We'll see!

I'm personally looking forward to all the organic produce. Some of the local farmers bring some really fun and strange heirloom varieties of all sorts of vegetables. (Ever had a purple carrot!?)

Oh, and we have some Birdie news! Since the passing of Atticus, we've been missing that silly little sound. So, we've adopted a pair of Java finches. We were told that one is a male, and the other female. I think that they're both boys though...because they both have a beautiful song. Female Java's aren't supposed to sing at all! So I guess we can take off that nesting box we stuck on their cage, as I doubt we'll be seeing any eggs. (we kinda jumped the gun and thought it would be fun to raise a few clutches).
We haven't named them yet, as we want to make sure that they're both boys before we do.

Originally, before we knew that the one is a boy, we were thinking "Scout and Jeb". (even though that would make them brother and sister...*gasp*)
Once I found out though that they're most likely both boys, I was thinking it would be fun to name them after dictators (they sound SO bossy) but do we really want our kids calling out, "Pinochet" or "Stalin"....?

Grape Pico Salsa Salad, With Barbequed Chicken and Sriracha

What was once a salsa, is now a salad.
It started about four summers ago, when i decided to go all out and throw some grapes in my fajita. The grapes tasted so good with the cilantro, that I decided to try making some salsa out of grapes.
It was a huge hit, so tasty in fact, that all we started eating it alone on the side. So I started adding other veggies as well. We've tried many different things, from julienned carrots and water cress, to tomatillos and broccoli. Even diced pears! The trick is with this recipe is to make sure everything is chopped fairly small so that the flavors can mingle.

Here's the base recipe for the Salsa:

1 lb of Grapes, cut in half. Use seedless, unless you'd like to pit all those grapes. (I actually like eating the seeds, but I understand that not everyone does;)

1 med sized red onion, diced

1 stalk of Green onion, diced

2 cloves of garlic. crushed (I've used garlic powder too, you need more of that, obviously, but it works fine)

1 chipotle pepper (I use the canned variety) Chop it up really well, you don't want huge chunks of that;) You can add more if you like, (i usually use two, if we aren't having company) but do it one at a time to make sure that it isn't so spicy you can't eat it!

1 cup of chopped cilantro. (curly leaf or saw tooth, doesn't matter)

1/4 cup olive oil (great opportunity to use a extra virgin, or any other oil that's best raw)

1/4 cup Vinegar

Ok, so that's the base recipe. Mix it all together really well (I like to shake it in a sealed tub a while), and let it sit a little while in the fridge to marinate. It really is best over night.
If you plan on eating it right way, it IS good, just not AS good as the next day.

For more of a salad...

Add 1 whole red or orange bell pepper, half a head of cauliflower, finely chopped raw spinach leaves, and sesame seeds.

I still want to try adding some okra, or bbq'd zucchini or eggplant.
Doesn't seem to matter what I add, it's always been good! Goes great along side of anything bbq'd, or right on sandwiches, burgers, and wraps.
Enjoy!

R.I.P Atticus Finch

Today Mr. Finch was found lying motionless, in the bottom of his cage.

I'm not sure what happened, but he was pretty young, and in good health. He was just singing earlier this morning, happily.

I went to change his water though, and noticed that he wasn't on his perch or in his little nest, and found him in the bottom of the cage.

Poor little dude. I'll miss him. I'll miss his constant "me me me" chirps, (he kind of sounded like a squeaky toy) and his little judging stares.

Zeke was pretty bent out of shape about it all, and Reuben is already making preparations for a burial for Mr. Finch. We're going to bury him beside the lilac bush, which is just starting to bloom.

It sure is a sad start to spring though.

I have a feeling we'll be visiting a pet store in the near future. Maybe we'll get a "Scout Finch" this time.

Gedgable Beef Stew

Ok, so maybe this stew needs a better name. But for now, it's Gedgable Beef Stew. My youngest son, Zeke, couldn't say "vegetables" for the longest time. So around here, vegetables are known as "gedgables". (Actually now that I think about it, It was Reuben that started the Gedgable thing, Zeke sort of followed).

The ingredients for this stew may seem a little different, but trust me, it's yummy! We made this last night, and today the boys were begging for more. (I'm just happy that they're liking foods with lots of gedgies!)

Keep in mind, when I make stew, I like to make it in huge amounts, so that we have leftovers for several days. If you want to make less, feel free to divide the recipe.

If you use the recipe as it is, use the biggest stock pot you've got! (I call mine "the cauldron" haha).

Also, feel free to use less, or more beef, and adjust the broth to the way you like it with bouillon powder.

2-3 lbs beef, cubed. (I've used stewing, simmering, steak, roast, hamburger, it really doesn't matter. Just use what you prefer, or what you've got!)

10-15 potatoes, cubed. (i like to leave the skins on)

4 cups chopped carrots (or a large bag of baby carrots)

4 medium onions

1 medium Stalk of Celery

2 Cans of tomatoes. (whole, diced, again, whatever you prefer. I usually use diced)

4 Tbsp Flour

3 Tbsp Oil (vegetable, olive, its up to you)

1 Tbsp Seasoning Salt

4 Tbsp Garlic powder (or 2tbsp fresh crushed garlic)

2 Cups of Cola

2 Tbsp Sumac (ground) My new favorite spice!

1 Tbsp Oregano

4 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce (or as Mom would call it, "chester sauce"...she's a hillbilly. And i mean that in the most loving way!)

4 Tbsp of Lingonberry or Currant Jam. (if you can't find either, Cranberry sauce works well. You're basically looking for a tart jam)

Beef Bouillon Powder to taste

Water (the amount of water you use depends on how much broth you want)

Sour cream and Chives for Garnish. (i really like using plain, whole fat yogurt)

Lightly coat the beef in flour , And place in the pot with the oil. Cook on medium heat for a few minutes until its starting to warm up and start to cook. Add the Cola and Worcestershire sauce and onions and let the meat simmer on a medium heat until lightly browned.

Then add the celery, carrots and potatoes. Add enough water to just cover everything.

Bring to a light boil, and add in the tomatoes.

At this point, you'll want to see if you need more beef flavoring. If so, add some beef bouillon, and the seasoning salt.

Now Add the Garlic, Oregano, and Sumac. Bring back to a boil, and cook until the vegetables are tender. (or leave them slightly crunchy, if you like them that way!)

Last but not least, add the lingonberry jam. (or whatever jam you happen to be using. If you're using canned cranberry sauce that is more of the "gelatin" style, dissolve it in some hot water first, so that its more of a liquid than a solid.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream or yogurt, and sprinkle with chives.

I'm not sure if I gave the best instructions for this, I usually cook without measuring, and sort of fly by the seat of my pants. Sometimes I put diced turnip in, or add some butternut squash towards the end.

The real prize here is in the seasoning:)

New Spring Designs

Here are a few of my new designs, now available in my shop.

Now Hansel and Gretel aren't really new, but i've changed their faces a bit. I'm curious to see which ones people like better. Here's the listing, which shows both faces.

I just felt like changing them up a bit.

I have a lot more i'm working on, so stay tuned for more designs!

Hansel & Gretal
Max, A happy little Coffee Mug

Winston Whale

My Mayberry Sparrow

Bartholomew Bunny

Real Mayo...there's no going back!

Lately I've been reading older cookbooks, and old issues of "ladies home journal" and there are so many really simple things that we no longer make for ourselves.

Instead, we head off to the grocery stores and find it already bottled, ready to serve.

Ketchup, Salad Dressing, Mustard, Jam, Jelly, chocolate syrup, pretty much every condiment you can think of.

Now I'm not about to go tap my own maple trees for syrup. (I couldn't even if I wanted to. I have a ginkgo tree, and I'm not sure that would be too tasty!)

Hey, if you have a small forest of maples though, all the power to ya. It could be fun!

But mayonnaise, how simple is that? I'd never thought of making my own, because, well, it's relatively cheap, and usually comes in such big bottles that we rarely run out.

I've been reading labels a little more carefully though these days, and even the most basic of things are so full of chemicals. Preservatives, high levels of sodium, and all sorts of fillers that were never named with the intentions of anyone ever being able to pronounce.

So I decided to give this condiment a shot. I know people used to make their own all the time. I'm not sure if it was the raw egg factor that made people stop, or if it was just the fact that it was cheap to buy it already made.

For whatever reason the quit making it, I think they're crazy.

Real mayonnaise tastes entirely different than the pre-made stuff. It's a whole other category.

I made mine slightly differently than recipes I've seen. Most recipes call for whole eggs, and canola/vegetable oil. I'm sure that'd be great! I love the taste of olive oil though, and thought this would be a good way of getting some essential fatty acids. (It's hard to find ways of getting good fats in, other than salad dressing. So many recipes involve cooking and heating the oil, which ruins any benefits the oil has to offer).

I also used some really yummy vinegar that I got at Ikea, it's a lingonberry and apple vinegar that has a fantastic flavor. And to top it off, i used farm fresh eggs. (the yolks are SO much brighter, since those chickens actually get some sun, and aren't fed hormones...) I only used the yolks. You can use the whole egg though if you like.

It didn't make a ton, but you don't need a lot. It only keeps for about a week, so unless you're making enough for party sized potato salad, this is all you'd need.

4 egg yolks (or two whole eggs)

3tsp of vinegar. (I added a bit more, because I like it a little more tart)

1tsp of salt

1tsp of sugar

1 cup of oil

Crack the eggs into the bowl and whisk them really well. Add the vinegar slowly and continue to whisk until it starts to froth up a bit. It will start to get pretty thick.

Then start adding the oil..... s l o w l y.

Add a drizzle at a time, and continue to whisk. If you add it too fast, you'll end up with really runny mayonnaise.

If you like, you can do this in the blender instead. It is faster that way. Truth be told, I just don't like to dirty my blender over a cup of mayonnaise. I hate cleaning it!

Once you're finished whisking it, and it's fairly fluffy, you can add in the sugar and salt. If you're feeling really fancy, add in some seasonings. Garlic? herbs? Anything your little heart desires!

Pour into a sealed container, and refrigerate.. I found that it set up even more after being in the refrigerator for a couple of hours.

Eat on top of your favorite mayonnaise adorned sandwiches and enjoy! (i like mine on toasted tomato sandwiches, with little bits of prosciutto, and lots of black pepper:)