Each Christmas Lil makes a slice, fudge or biscuits for Michael to have with his coffee, it is part of her Christmas present to him. I shared this fudge recipe on my instagram feed @fairywrencottage earlier in the year, over the years it has become a family favourite. Dark Chocolate & Ginger Fudge. Ingredients: […]

If buying bare rooted heritage fruit trees was a priority the first winter we were establishing the garden at Fairy Wren Cottage then planting roses was the priority for the second year. I saved up for a bulk order just like I did for the fruit trees. It is cheaper to buy roses bare rooted […]

Just like looking in our supermarket trolley to see what I could make from scratch at home to cut down on food miles, chemicals, cost and achieve a better tasting food or product we can use in the home, I have been borrowing the same kind of concept applying it to my wardrobe for the […]

  We’ve been lucky here at Fairy Wren Cottage, now  into the first weeks of Summer and our water tank is still full. We are yet to experience  long hot days that roll into weeks, scorching the grass, truely reminding us that we live in a sunburnt country. While some gardeners in the warmer climates […]

These bags are a great alternative to wrapping paper. They also make great bread bags to store your homemade loaf in or to take to the shop when you buy a loaf instead of using a paper bag or plastic bag.  There are so many uses: handy to put kitchen supplies in when camping,  they […]

I may be the Christmas Scrooge when it comes to single use wrapping paper, especially the foil stuff, everything really that doesn’t break down in the compost heap.  Every Christmas I wonder if someone has done the science experiment comparing how long foil wrapping paper takes to break down in landfill, especially with all the […]

To encourage Lil’s love of cooking every Christmas and sometimes on her birthday she gets a cook book. Sometimes Lil chooses a cook book or drops not so subtle hints and it becomes a surprise! Cooking has also helped Lil’s sensory retraining and rehabilitation since she suffered nerve damage (Dr’s negligence) in simple terms her […]

We shifted to our property Fairy Wren Cottage in country Tasmania just over eight years ago.  The cottage was liveable if you liked shag pile carpet in every room including the kitchen and toilet, false ceilings just above the door frame height were made   from masonite and joined with plastic strips, the window frames were […]

Like some women collect shoes or jewellery or like some men collect fishing rods and footy souvenirs, I like collecting machine embroidered or better still hand embroidered linen. Always trying to find a use for this beautiful work.  It somehow feels like I am honouring the embroiderer and all their hand work doesn’t go to […]