Funky Fabrix

News and Updates

Welcome to Funky Fabrix!
Australia's largest dedicated Organic and Vintage Fabric store!


Here you will find all the latest news from our online organic fabric store http://www.funkyfabrix.com.au

We have new stock arriving daily and will keep you updated on new goodies available, newest trends, fun competitions and bits and pieces from our lives.

If you would like to view our amazing vintage fabrics you can visit our Vintage Fabric store www.vintagefabriconline.com.

We love to see photos of your creations so don't forget to pop us a line and a photo if you would like to see your creation on your photo page on the website.
e-mail: shona@funkyfabrix.com.au

Shona and Jason

Our Vintage Fabric Website

Tuesday, January 7, 2014

My New Slower Cooker and Beef Ragu!

Well my Mum bought me a slower cooker - well she actually bought herself a second slow cooker but decided to give it to me!  I did discover another slow cooker she had given me, a long time ago, in my cupboard, so now I have two slow cookers!

Thanks to some wonderful links provided by our likers on the Facebook page, I found a few fantastic recipes to try out.  One was for Beef Ragu (which by the way, I have never tried before).  I have a problem with following recipes.  I am not sure why, but I do!  I generally read a recipe, get the general gist and then change it slightly or never bother with measurements.  I am definitely not a measuring kind of cook.  So anyway, here is my version the a Beef Ragu cooked in a slow cooker.  It tasted so fantastic and hubby even said I was the best cook in the world!  Did I mention, I love my slow cooker?



Beef Ragu (Slower Cooker Style)

Approx. 2kg beef roast (I used blade roast with all fat trimmed off)
6 tablespoons of tomato paste (or a little more if you like)
3 teaspoons of dried Oregano
2 Bay Leaves
Salt and Pepper to taste
Beef Stock (I used 3 cubes)
Red Wine (approx. half a cup)
Water (approx. 2 cups)
Mushrooms
Carrot
1 large Onion
Balsamic Vinegar

In the bottom of your slow cooker, place tomato paste, roughly chopped onion, carrot and mushrooms (amount as desired).  
Then add the roast (cut in half).  Now pour over wine, water, stock, bay leaves.

Turn cooker on high for approx. 5 hours or until meat can be easily pulled apart with two forks. 
Once your meat is tender, take it out of the slow cooker and pull apart with two forks, and then place back into the liquid in the slow cooker.  Add approx. 2 tablespoons of Balsamic Vinegar or to taste.

I also add a generous amount of Parmesan Cheese at this stage.

Continue to cook, uncovered for approx. 20 minutes.

Serve over pasta with a generous sprinkling of Parmesan! 

I think this could be equally enjoyed with rice or a lovely creamy mash.

Enjoy!!






Sunday, January 5, 2014

DIY Thread and Ribbon Organisers


Ribbons and thread in a tangle?  These simple, but very cute organisers will fix that.
Click here to find the tutorial by High Wall. 

Saturday, January 4, 2014

Funky Fabrix - Going the Organic Route!


We have now been online for almost 10 years and have decided to follow our hearts and what we practise as a family - we are now going fully organic, upcycled and vintage! 

 

Whilst we have enjoyed bringing you colourful bold retro style  prints and will continue to do so, we now are altering the direction of our business.

We will now be stocking exclusively, 100% pure organic fabrics. These will all have been certified by GOTS.
We believe that we as a business have a responsibility to stock only organic fabric.  These fabrics are all natural from GMO free seeds and healthy soils as opposed to standard fabrics which are often treated with fungicides and insecticides. The dyeing and printing is low impact using natural dyes as opposed to chlorine bleaching and high temperature dying which in turn has a damaging effect on the environment. The heavy metals in pigments run off into waterways polluting waterways. 
Here are some more sobering facts. Conventionally grown cotton uses more insecticides than any other crop in the world. These chemicals are deadly. Factory workers breathe in their fumes during manufacuring. World Health Organisation estimates 20,000 deaths are attributed to pesticides alone. In America, more than 10,000 farmers die each year from cancers related to such chemicals. 
We can no longer support this industry.
We will now only be supporting companies which are eco friendly, sustainable, fair trade and produce organic textiles. 
We still will bring you the freshest boldest prints . You can buy in the knowledge that the fabrics you are purchasing are fully organic and are fair trade. 
Thank you for your continued support, we all can make a small difference to the world we live in



 

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