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“This special wedding project was such a joy to work on. Come see the finished piece!”

It’s been a while since I popped into your inbox, so I thought I’d send a little update about what I’ve been working on behind the scenes.

For the past few months, I’ve been deep in The Accelerator course with The Print School in Sydney, learning more about surface pattern design — and I’ve absolutely loved it.

I’ve been creating hand-painted designs and learning how to turn them into beautiful, seamless patterns that could be used on fabric, wallpaper, and stationery — all the things I love!

It’s been such a fun process — challenging at times, but it’s opened up so many creative ideas for me, and I feel really excited about where it’s all heading next.

Here’s a little peek at some of the designs I’ve been working on — I’ve popped a few photos above & below, including some behind-the-scenes shots of the process from sketchbook to finished pattern.
I thought you might enjoy seeing how it all comes together.

Thank you so much for being here and for following along with my creative journey — it honestly means a lot.

I’ll share another update soon with a bit more about what I’ve been learning. Lots of exciting things bubbling away in my studio right now.
x jen

I applied to join Illustrators For Hire and I was accepted—YAY! I’m happy to be a .........

....My favourite memory is with my grandma making little shortcrust pastry cases and once cool, put in a teaspoon or two of the lemon butter in and enjoy.......

I've made thousands of this recipe, Orange & Poppyseed Cake, over the years.  Back in the early 90's I owned a wholesale bakery and I used to deliver cakes from Palm Beach to North Sydney.  This cake......

Anzac cookies are a popular treat in Australia and New Zealand that are celebrated on ANZAC Day, a national holiday to honor the sacrifices of soldiers in the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. These cookies have been a staple in our household for years, and it’s always a topic of discussion – should they be crunchy or chewy? This is a great debate in the baking world, so let's dive in and explore both options.

Crunchy Anzac cookies are often seen as a more traditional option. They have a satisfying crunch when you bite into them and contain more of the oaty texture that Anzac cookies are known for. They are also perfect for dunking in a cup of tea or coffee. If you want your batch of Anzac cookies to be crunchy, make sure to bake them for a bit longer amount of time or on a higher temperature or add a little more golden syrup or butter - but not to much or your Anzac will slide in the oven :) , so that they come out more golden and crisp.

If you prefer your cookies chewy, you can add in different ingredients to make them stickier and denser. Adding a touch more of honey or golden syrup to the mix can help to create a more caramelised flavor and add a chewy texture. You may also want to add more flour and butter to make the cookies more dense. Chewy Anzac cookies tend to come out a bit thicker as well, since the ingredients help them expand and rise more.

Another factor that can affect the texture of your Anzac cookies is the size of them. Smaller cookies tend to be more crunchy since they bake faster, while larger cookies have more time to spread out and become chewier. So if you want to make sure that your cookies are crisp and crunchy, stick to making them smaller and flatter.

Lastly, there is no right or wrong way to make Anzac cookies, so you should experiment and find the texture that you like the most. There are hundreds of recipes out there, and each one has different variations to the classic Anzac cookie recipe. You could add chocolate chips, dried cranberries, or even coconut flakes to switch things up.

In conclusion, whether you prefer your Anzac cookies to be chewy or crunchy is subjective, and ultimately depends on personal taste. Crunchy Anzac cookies are great for a satisfying crunch, while chewy Anzac cookies have a more complex texture and flavor. You can experiment with different ingredients and baking times to achieve your desired texture. Whichever way you prefer them, Anzac cookies are a delicious and unique treat that honor the sacrifices of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps.