Buttercup & Peek on Made by Hand

 Just in case you missed the episode...

It's here on our Media page.

You can find more episodes of the terrific series here at Made by Hand.

Disclaimer: By the time the TV crew came by to film us, we'd already SOLD OUT of everything! Leaving 3 very lonely cupcakes to say hello; it's not entirely representative of our range of yummy treats. I guess you'll just have to pop down to the North Melbourne Market this Sunday (Aug 21) and see for yourself! *wink*

Made by Hand

Exciting news! A couple of months ago we were interviewed for an episode of Made by Hand, a Channel 31 programme that profiles creative Melburnians who make a living from their craft.

So far, they've covered artisans such as glassblowers and painters, milliner Richard Nylon and the incredibly talented Gwendolynne (who made two of my friends' wedding dresses...they were gorgeous!) Two weeks ago they featured Thread Den, the girls behind The North Melbourne Market.

Well, guess what? Next Wednesday at 8.30pm, tune into Channel 31 and you could spot Buttercup and Peek making a special little appearance in the North Melbourne Market segment. Hopefully we've made the edit, and haven't ended up on the cutting room floor!

Funny story: After we were interviewed, it was the producer's turn to shoot her "talking head". She started asking questions, and I just plastered a smile on my face because I thought the cameras were rolling. It went on for awhile  before I realiased she was really, actually, asking me genuine questions!

"So how long have you two been at this market?"

*Plastic smile*

"I mean, have you been selling here for awhile?"

*Plastic smile*

"Um, is this something you've been doing long term at the marke....oh goodness! We haven't started filming yet, sorry you must have thought...."

*Eyes widen* GAHHHHH!!!

Good God, how embarassing! Of course everyone just burst out laughing.

Anyhoos! If you're interested in the episode but can't watch it on the telly, it'll be up online at 9pm (Melbourne time, next Wed 17th August) at their website.

Art Collective

Over the last half-year and more I've been hoarding inspiration.

I've cut out (well, ripped really) clippings from magazines, bookmarked (and stalked) fascinating dessert and fashion blogs, traipsed through style files and imbibed all the colour and artistry of the avant garde.

It's amazing! I have so much I want to experiment with, but often feel I fall short, especially technique-wise. So I'm always up for a challenge, and while I don't play around with as much with the structure of cakes (have yet to venture into 3D carved cakes like this one), I do like to experiment with its form (for example, my typography cakes).

Anyways, I recently had the tremendous opportunity to work with Rowena Martinich, an amazing abstract artist whose works can be seen all over the physical and cultural streetscapes of Melbourne. We met at the Design Made Trade exhibition a couple weeks back, and I was immediately drawn to her use of bright, neon, fluorescent colour. It's so vivid and simply demands your attention. We got to talking, one thing led to another, and ta dah! A cupcake collective based on her work, Acid Tempest, for the launch of her exhibition Colour Storm.

I think what was running through my mind was whether I would be able to capture the essence of her work, which is often presented on a huge scale - sometimes several stories high on the side of a building! - and re-present it on my small canvas. And an edible one at that! It certainly takes the idea of art-as-consumption to a literal level; the "art" becomes corporeal.

All right enough talk, here're the pictures!

Chocolate fudge cupcakes dipped in dark chocolate ganache.

 

Mouthgasm.

Preparing the royal icing for "painting". 
I thinned the mixture with water to create a runnier texture.

Holy cow, I can't believe how bright the colours were! 

I can't believe I managed to source fluoro food gel!