Surrounded by crowds was the cooking demonstration by Adriano Zumbo.
Under a beautiful canopy were the chocolate sculptures and demonstrations.
Under a beautiful canopy were the chocolate sculptures and demonstrations.
All made of chocolate. Snippets from the chocolate sculptures competition.
Cooking demonstrations on a lovely little floating platform.
Fast Ed. After cooking a delicious souffle and handing it out to an audience member, Fast Ed saw the person disappear in the crowd to eat the souffle and Fast Ed got a bit worried they were taking off with his plate. He's a fast one - that Ed- and not unhot, as Mrs Walker would say. 
Justine Schofield and Fast Ed cooking some delightful treats.
Dean Gibson, chocolatier extraordinaire and captain of the Australian pastry team, displaying his talents with chocolate. Very nerve wracking stuff. The crowds were poised with cameras waiting for the macaron tower to topple, but alas it stuck firm even whilst Dean and chocolate helpers wrangled it onto a chocolate platform. Tricky stuff indeedy!
Cooking demonstrations on a lovely little floating platform.
Fast Ed. After cooking a delicious souffle and handing it out to an audience member, Fast Ed saw the person disappear in the crowd to eat the souffle and Fast Ed got a bit worried they were taking off with his plate. He's a fast one - that Ed- and not unhot, as Mrs Walker would say. Justine Schofield and Fast Ed cooking some delightful treats.
Dean Gibson, chocolatier extraordinaire and captain of the Australian pastry team, displaying his talents with chocolate. Very nerve wracking stuff. The crowds were poised with cameras waiting for the macaron tower to topple, but alas it stuck firm even whilst Dean and chocolate helpers wrangled it onto a chocolate platform. Tricky stuff indeedy!
The Hunter Valley Gardens Chocolate Festival is in its 4th year and is well worth the drive to The Hunter to check it out. The gardens are absolutely divine and there is chocolate and food galore dotted around the gardens to enjoy and cooking competitions and demonstrations everywhere you turn. An enormous marquee is set up with chocolates and sweet treats to eat. I tried a couple of rounds of melted Belgian chocolate and strawberries and some bites of various pastries. There was also lots of information on chocolate courses, cooking classes and cake decorating. Some of the chocolate and cooking businesses represented included Savour, Patisse and TAFE NSW.
Cute puffy quilt that I whipped up a couple of weeks ago. There are babies about to pop left, right and centre around here so it's good to have a few on hand. I'm in the process of making a few custom quilts. I don't use purple often, but my friend has requested lilac be incorporated. This should be interesting and I'm sure will be very pretty. My sister who is due to pop any day has got a pirate theme going on. I was going to do pirates, but I've got ideas about a camping themed quilt.
After my printing frenzy a couple of weeks ago. I knocked out a pouffe at the last minute to take to the markets to show people what you can do with the panels that I'm selling. I got a request to buy the pouffe when I wasn't really counting on sellling it and thought why not. Now I'm doing a custom pouffe with cushions to match. As a complete recycler of all crafty bits and bobs - the pouffe is stuffed tight with fabric scraps. I'm printing the custom pouffe with some lovely teal panels. Stay tuned.
Here is a sampling of my latest fabric designs. I am currently in the process of opening up a brand new online shop which will be a direct link from this blog with all these goods available - Stay Tuned!! Yes people I will be flogging my wares and will be stepping up my marketing game. I'm so slack and bad at that side of the business and I'm stepping it up. I just adore flower names so I thought I'd pay homage to them as well as knocking over a font fabric which I desperately need for various crafty projects. Wisteria, hollyhock, pussy willow, buttercup, crabapple, sweetpea, hyacinth, oleander, foxglove - so so pretty. They remind me of Anne of Green Gables, Little House on the Prairie, Beatrix Potter and all things spring-like, sunny and lovely.
