Gallery of Halcyon Delights

The rounds of the garden: this week at our place(s)…

by prisoners of the crown, posted in baked, handmade, harvest, little market emporium, market to market

Goodness gracious, how quickly the little pop-up emporium comes around again! And out in the yard those chilly nights now dawn into milder days that tease us with the promise of spring; the heavenly scent of ‘kiss-me-by-the-garden-gate’ (Lonicera fragrantissima) wafting in the air, and pops of daffodil here and there (which we have to rush to pick before our resident thugs, the cockatoos, swoop in to behead them!) But never fear, there’s still a month of lovely winter cuddles to savour and plenty of time for cosy fireside treats.

This Sunday at Candelo we’ll have our signature seasonal fare: jams and condiments (now including Sangmi’s kimchi) and a lovely variety of baked goodies to tempt all tastes; rich moist spiced rum fruit cake, almond crescents, totally munchie hemp cookies, crostoli rosettes and so much more.

Jen’s still been knitting, Megxx has still been casting and Ginger’s still been hard at work at her jewellers bench. Our house guests (Sangmi and Ernesto) remain in residence and all is well in the world…

 

 

See you on Sunday!

 

 

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Reboot towards summer…

by prisoners of the crown, posted in baked, handmade, harvest, little market emporium

For the historically quietest (and climatically most unreliable) Candelo Market period of the year, last Sunday proved to be a gloriously sunny, blue-skied, windless gift of a day.

Jen’s garden provided faux spring cheer with that glorious ornamental apricot blossom and our little market emporium had pops of colour all over the shop to gladden the coolest of hearts…

 

 

How lovely it was to see our regulars!

We’ll be popping back up again on Sunday August 5th.

At the mid-point of the year…

by prisoners of the crown, posted in baked, handmade, harvest, market to market

With the solstice behind us, we’ve turned the (psychological!) seasonal corner and set our course for summer…

ss arcadia

 

But, that distant allure of balmy weather notwithstanding, we’re still in the throes of the winter chill and the goodies for this weekend’s pop-up reflect that frosty reality.

From the garden we’ll have lemons (for your lemon and honey cold remedies!), rhubarb and potted lavender (hedge your bets against those infernal ticks!)

From the kitchen we’re turning up the heat with robust chutneys and relishes and replenishing the stores of naughty treaties (for those cosy Netflix binges!); Sweet Ned and Rocky Road Royale, Monte Carlos, Rich Fruit Cake, Crostoli and Orange and Walnut cake…yum yum yum.

From the studios, we’re showing Megxx new work, Surf and Turf, alongside the Yardbirds, Oysters and Venetians, Ginger’s fabulous jewellery, Sangmi’s lovely embroidery and Ernesto’s darling critters. Jen’s beating the drum for heartwarming heritage crafts and it would be fair to say that Contemporary Craft and Country Chic abounds!!

A glimpse of this week around the yard at our place…

 

Hope to see you tomorrow at our monthly pop-up @ the Crossing, Candelo. 9am – 1pm.

The Bureau of Meteorology promises sunshine!!

Pleasantly fair…

by prisoners of the crown, posted in baked, handmade, harvest, market to market

Against all indications to the contrary (given the preceding week of wind, rain and increasing chill), the day of our June pop-up astonished us all – mild and sunny and nary a hint of a breeze!

Excellent – not that it really matters because we are indoors and we do have heating, but oh! how lovely it was to be slipped such a moderate day.

Last month we became caught up in the whirl and completely forgot to take snaps; such a shame because the installation shifts for each pop-up, as do the goodies on offer. So we jumped in early this time, to capture the set-up at least…

 

 

It was (again!) a fab social day – thanks to all for your interest, enthusiasm and superior taste in comestibles!

We’re now back in the garden, kitchen, studio, workshop, with a keen eye on July.

Winter’s upon us…

by prisoners of the crown, posted in baked, general, handmade, harvest, market to market

Time to gather in the stores and cuddle up for the duration. For our June pop-up we’ve ramped up in the kitchen, putting together some very naughty pantry fillers to add fireside cheer to those bleak nights ahead (…you would have made these goodies yourselves, for sure – but hey, why not let us do it for you…)

Indulgent treats include: Jen’s rich spiced rum boiled fruitcake and her beyond killer brownies, melting moments (be still our beating hearts!), monte carlos and utterly delectable nougat; Megxx has supplemented the Rocky Road Royale with a bushranger variety (yes, Neddie – who else!), and added scrumptious crostoli (because every moment should be a celebration) and rempeyek kacung (just for when that savoury urge kicks in – because, yes, it really is okay to enjoy a beer in winter!!)

 

Ernesto’s critters
Sweet Neddie; homage to Sid
Stand and deliver; Bushranger Road
Megxx rempeyek kacung
Jen’s spiced rum fruit cake
Jen’s beanies
macadamias
Megxx’ wild birds
Wyndham macadamias
Grey skies
Megxx crostoli
Jen’s nougat
drop dead killer brownies
cosy fires
Sangmi’s silk wrap
Ratsutra greeting cards
winter’s coming
swinging in the wind
bleak days

 

From the garden we have lavender lane and garlic…and other produce that we’ve not actually checked as yet today (because it’s been too windy and chilly to go outside!!) We have jams and cordials and pickled all-sorts – and Wyndham macadamia nuts!

Jen, concerned for your winter well being, has knitted more beanies and her gorgeous mosaics will lend instant classical charm to your dun winter gardenscapes. Megxx has added top flight colourful pop with her wild bird/Yardbird series. And Ginger’s brought her signature eye-candy – and with Queen’s Birthday coming up she’ll be showcasing some of her top-shelf pieces. [SPENNY ALERT!! although, in the event you can’t resist, we do have PayPal!!)

Sangmi’s elegant embroidery and Ernesto’s darling ceramic llamas enrich the general charm of our regular handcrafted/limited edition/small batch items.

This Sunday 9am – 2pm @ the Crossing, Candelo.

Never mind the weather – we’re indoors.

lyrebird
Look for/follow the birdie

 

 

These are a few of our favourite things…

by prisoners of the crown, posted in general

Our pop-up this coming Sunday is a riff on our fave tune − manna from the garden, luxe kitchen treats and beautiful goods that are, lets face it, little short of life enriching. Big call? Not really.

All of our wares are meticulously handcrafted from quality materials and made with genuine enjoyment; our intent being to enhance the personal environment with discretionary items that are scrumptious and uplifting and much too precious to be destined for land-fill (…not to mention that we’re seriously philosophically opposed to imported mass produced tat made on the exploited backs of poor faceless and unfortunate others.)

We love Autumn in a big way, climate change notwithstanding; particularly the pervading sense of harvest, and the light, and the presage of winter. It’s a time to set store and prepare for those chilly months ahead.

At this coming Sunday’s pop-up we’ll be featuring all of the following and more…

From the garden; Mick’s garlic and bunches of spinach, belladonna bulbs and blue iris rhizomes, salvia roots and potted lavender, rhubarb and bay leaves and Wyndham(!) macadamia nuts…

From the kitchen; jams and condiments and cordials, melting moments and monte carlos, luscious brownies and rocky road royale…

From the workshops; crownie bling and studio glass, exquisite hand embroidery and darling ceramics, nostalgic mosaics and heartwarming knits…

 

venetian by Megxx
Rose of Sharon
crown jewel bling
the kitchen door
mosaic stepping stone
Jen’s mosaics
Courthouse bay leaves
Jen in the workshop
more autumn beanie time
autumn in the garden
Mick’s vege patch
Megxx in the workshop
Ginger in the workshop
Yardbird Chevron (kookaburra)
Ginger’s zodiac tags
reconstructed ‘famille rose’
Ernesto’s ceramics
Jen’s gorgeous knits
delightful Salvia
glorious pistachios
Sangmi’s embroidery
autumn beanie time

 

 

We’ll be open this Sunday, May 6th, @ the Crossing, Candelo, from 9am to 2pm.

 

 

The Guest List…

by prisoners of the crown, posted in general, handmade

While reiterating that the Arcadian Artisan is fundamentally an in-house venture – Jenny and Megxx & Ginger/Prisoners of the Crown – we do like to enrich the experience by including irresistible work by empatico others – work that is so adorable that you just want to hug it.

Most of you will know Ernesto San Juan for his pastries, and the fabulous cake stall he shares with his darling wife Olga; both as sweet and warm-hearted as their delectable fare. But perhaps you won’t know that as a young man he went to Art School in Argentina, that he is inherently creative and that, above all, he loves to sculpt…

 

Ernesto with the pack
Llama bowl (large) & Lady sugar bowl
Llama jug and bowls (small)

 

His ceramic critters are wonderfully folkloric in nature; so characterful and charming, so endearingly sweet, that on the richter scale of seismic appeal they are totally want-want.

Available exclusively from The Arcadian Artisan; next pop-up Sunday May 6th.

(Entrée to the Guest List now closed.)

Hey ho away we go…

by prisoners of the crown, posted in baked, general, handmade, harvest, market to market

Easter Sunday saw the launch of our little pop-up shop at the Crossing in Candelo – and what a lovely day we had! Friends old and new have been so curious to see what on earth we’re up to – and our first reveal is a fair signpost of things to come.

The Arcadian Artisan is the purveyor of a sweet country state of mind, reflecting the deep contentment we find in our rural preoccupations; the garden, the kitchen, the handcraft, the artwork. And, more particularly, the very diligence of it all (handed down from our beloved grandmothers!)

More importantly, The Arcadian Artisan is our line in the sand; a repudiation of mass production and an homage to the natural industry of a (relatively!)tranquil lifestyle. Our ‘wares’ reflect our varied interests and our dedication to the preservation of genuine quality in our lives. We’re not stuck in tradition – rather we find ourselves constantly reinvigorated by it. If we had a ‘theme song’ it would be Nigel Kennedy’s Vivaldi’s Four Seasons (particularly the 2013 BBC Proms performance) though, of course, we’re not so highfalutin!

Thanks to everybody who dropped by (we only managed a few early and late snaps – once the crowd turned up we were too busy to take pictures!) We’ll be back next month, popping up like a veritable Brigadoon! See you on May 6th.

 

Ginger’s lavender lane
Jen’s adorable lavender bags
nougat
Old Gran’s climbing pink geranium
10 green bottles hangin’ on the wall
jools
lost wax cast lead crystal oyster shells
just a few of Jen’s show ribbons!
Ginger, Jenny & Megxx
kitchen chic
Rogero
interior
Ginger
Jen
end of the day
shopfront
traditional Korean hand-embroidery
rocky road royale
a well earned rest

 

The Guest List…

by prisoners of the crown, posted in general, handmade

The Arcadian Artisan is the dedicated upmarket venture of Jenny Attwill and Megan and Ginger Bottari (Prisoners of the Crown) – ie it features entirely our own work. However, that being said, every now and again we come across something that is so unutterably charming that we can’t resist including/sharing it. You know how it is, when you find a sweet natured person of inherent grace quietly producing traditional hand-embroidered Korean Bojagi…here in Pambula!!

Sangmi Lee’s beautifully meticulous work ranges from the elegantly spare to super-delish luxe, lending a pop of exotica to our happy haven of southern valley handcraft…

 

Korean wrapping cloth & pin cushions
Bojagi & pin cushions
Sang Mi
Traditional embroidery
Silk wrap (photo: Tilmann Krieg)
Silk wrap (photo: Tilmann Krieg)
Silk scarf (photo: Tilmann Krieg)

 

Just divine.