Kitchen Swap

I was part of a kitchen swap - and I made a pot holder from here and followed directions for a crochet dishcloth - my first from a booklet by Sugar and Cream and I used the yarn stipulated in a cream/brown colour way to match the recipients kitchen colours. I also picked up a a ball in lemons, blues and greens for me to have a play with.

I really enjoyed making the dishclothes and I hope to make a stash for us to use.

For Clo

A gorgeous mama from a wonderful forum I frequent Crafty Mamas was asking about how to sort your stash. Now I will admit my stash is a bit more than an ordinary one, since I sew for living. And whilst my sewing room still isn't quite finished, floating floors and ceiling still to go in along with new cutting table. The storage situation is pretty well sorted. Stealing the idea from Ikea - Shane's Dad made all the boxes for me. And after having a clean up day yesterday, its' nice and tidy ...... for the moment lol!!

This is the whole back wall. Cotton prints, minky, velours, dyes, knits, and my own stash of wovens. Along with my AS&E and Inspiration collection and embroidery threads. And of course a box of junk !

The cotton print stash - sorted by colour.

Minkys and velours, trying to escape, slippery suckers that they are.

And this was last nights dinner, a favourite. Bacon and egg pie, though I pad it out with tators :)

And the little Miss - first day of Kindy :) She loves it and keeps asking if it's kindy day - sadly not till Friday. Both of us will be glad when the program kicks into full swing next week!

Daring Baker's January

Biscuit Joconde Imprime/Entremet

The January 2011 Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Astheroshe of the blog Accro She chose to challenge everyone to make a Biscuit Joconde Imprime to wrap around and Entremets Dessert.

Joconde imprime/entremets. A joconde imprime is a decorative design baked into a light sponge cake providing an elegant finish to desserts/torts/entremets/ formed in a ring mould. A joconde batter is used because it bakes into a moist flexible cake. The cake batter may be tinted or marbleixed for a further decorative effect.

Well I've been uninspired lately, I guess a combination of the devastating events here in Australia, kids still home from school, either pouring rain, wet depressing weather, or as in the last few days hot and steamy. So I just made mine yesterday, but it looks pretty good I think.

Patterned Joconde-Decor Paste.

200g unsalted butter, softened
200g icing sugar
200g egg whites
220g cake flour
food colouring.

Now I only made 1/4 a batch of this and I had heaps and heaps of the paste, but I piped my design. If you spread it as some of the other DBs did you may find you needed more.

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, add egg white gradually. Fold in sifted flour. Tint batter as desired.

I piped mine onto a piece of baking paper within a swiss roll tin and then I froze it for about half an hour.

Joconde Sponge

85g almond meal
75g icing sugar
25g cake flour
150g whole eggs
90 g of egg whites
10g of caster sugar
30g unsalted melted butter

Beat egg whites with the sugar to firm glossy peaks

Sift almond meal, icing sugar and cake flour. Add eggs one a time until smooth and light.
Fold in one third reserved egg whites to lighten and then gently fold in the rest of the egg whites, do not overmix. Fold in melted butter.

Pour batter over jaconde paste mix.

Bake at 250deg until brown and cooked - My oven was 225deg and baked it for 5minutes, turned it for another 2 1/2 minute.

Cool slightly and turn out onto powdered icing sugar sprinkled onto the parchment paper. Trim crusty edges from the cake (and eat yummo!) line your mould and fill with whatever you desire.

My heart desired CHEESECAKE!!!!!

So beat 250g softened Philly cream cheese with 1 tablespoon caster sugar. Then beat in 1/2 cup pouring cream and then fold through a can of fruit salad yum!

Pour into the mould.

Turn out and voila!!!

Operation June

Well inspired by the gorgeous Kristy at See My Footprints and the fact that I'm finding it very hard this year to find my space/light/mojo whatever you want to call it. I'm making a plan to take me to June. Hopefully we'll get a few things finished about the place. We don't know what the Cherub's will be up to come July as Shane's work is pretty much coming to an end. So organisation and doing things that we need to do to help us become a little more self-sufficient will be good.


So I'm starting small, this is what I'd like to start with.


Finish off both small ones rooms - that means those little niggedly things, like painting skirting boards, fixing curtains and just the general cleaning and sorting that comes every year as your child grows out of clothes and toys.


Ensuring our garden is up and running properly - the rain has played havoc and getting a water tank will have to take priority as well.


Finishing my gorgeous sewing/office room - it's nearly there, just floors and ceiling.


Make time for me - that means making sure that everyday regardless of how much other work I have, that I take that walk or I do my Yoga on the wii, or I just read a book for half an hour. Me time. I'm not being selfish, I need this to recharge the batteries which have pretty much run out lately.


Making sure that my darling DH looks after himself. Making sure he gets the sleep he needs with the long shifts he's been working.  And that he too has his time!


And last but not least - playing with my small ones, listening to them read, watching them draw, helping them cook, helping them to learn in whatever way they need. Helping my big ones get through stressful Uni years, making sure that they get exercise, fresh air and good food. Making sure that they realise that fun is okay and necessary in those years of full on schooling.

Flood Fundraising from Gossamer Dreams

Just a scan of the donation - this was money from Cherub's Kiss auctions and Outrageous! jewellery from the Gossamer Dreams Stocking on the 15th January.

Thank you to everyone that purchased or bid to raise this awesome amount.

We deposited it to the Salvation Army Flood Appeal through Woolworths as they were matching dollar for dollar the funds donated, which means twice as much to those that will need it the most in the coming weeks and months.

Gossamer Dreams Stocking

Tonight at 8pm Queensland time, you can find us here

Quite a few of the goodies that are up are being donated to the Flood Relief Fund, so please pop along and bid or buy.

We have guest WAHMs as well - Gorgeous Sara from Willow and Moo and Divine Miss Anna from Howie and Charlie. This is Anna's first outing with the Gossamer Dreams Girls but we are hoping that like Sara she makes a return during the year.

The theme for Gossamer Dreams is 'Eden'

I've personally found it very hard this week to even get motivated. My darling DH works in television and he's been doing extremely long shifts so we've not seem him very much and he's doing 7 days straight. I don't know how he can stand to watch all the devastation, I've switched off the telly. But all the cherubs are sending thoughts and prayers for anyone that is affected by the floods and bushfires in anyone in Australia and also those in Brazil.

Another late pressie

oops! But seeing as it went to a bestie, I'm sure she didn't mind :)



I used the Wired Up Bag Pattern - The Lovely Lady - it was good to put together, though I would change a couple of things, but all in all, good instructions.



I think I'd like to have a stiffer interfacing next time, but I think she's very lovely!

Saturday Dinner

We had roast on Friday, so what do we do with the leftovers, turn them into a yummy scrummy delicious beef pie with veges, yummo!! I like my pies to look rustic and rough, no perfect pies here :)



For once no tantrums at the dinner table.



And I couldn't resist this one either - it's a Burnt Sugar Bundt - I found the inspiration here . I think our atrocious weather is not helping the baking and it's humid and sticky - so the cakes been in the fridge which is not what I like to do, but it's still scrummy and deicious and yes I've bought the book, waiting for it to arrive :)



And please excuse the lack of gorgeous photos. This weather is enough to do anyones head in and lack of light is a big problem when trying to take delicious food pics.

Baking Day

It's gloomy and overcast again, what a surprise, it's too early to do anything else, everyone is sleeping except me and the small ones, what a surprise, so I'm baking.

Inspired by Bubble and Sweet I'm making Peanut Butter Brownies. I do not like chocolate and peanut butter but the Man in the Fridge does so that's what I'm making. I'm using my standard brownie recipe, cause it's good and always works. And then I just swirled through some peanut butter. My peanut butter is a bit thick, but it will do. Recipe is from a Women's Weekly. I like it cause it doesn't go overboard with either sugar or eggs.



Melt 200g dark chocolate (I used milk cause that's what I had) with 150g butter. Beat in 1/2 cup caster sugar, then 2 lightly beaten eggs and teaspoon of vanilla extract. Mix in 1/3 cup plain flour and 1/4 cup SR flour. Stir in any variety of mix ins. I used chopped walnuts and chopped white chocolate along with the peanut butter today.

Bake at 180 deg in a slice tray for about 25 - 35 minutes, all depends on your oven. You want it crispy on the outside and a just baked in the middle.

And MOTH declared them delicious!!!

Chip Chip Biscuits, makes 70.

And this is how I make them all the same size - I use a small ice cream scoop - so this is how they go into the oven.



And this is how they come out - nearly all the same.



And last but not least, divine, cinnamon scrolls. Going to do yeasty ones next time, but I didn't want to wait for things to rise.

Happy New Year

But for the vast majority - 2011 hasn't started well with alot of towns having either cleaning up from major floods, or still bracing for the peaks to hit.

My family are in Rockhampton which to all intents and purposes is now cut off, whilst my sister is high on the range, water is starting to lap in and around my Mum's house. We were up there for Christmas and the water had started to recede some when we arrived but the time we left was higher than ever and still rising. There are alot of people in need all over Queensland so I'm going to try and do my bit by fundraising through auctions etc via Possum Pouches.

There is already an auction up donated by Kylie from EarthChild/Little Zen - it's a gorgeous rainbow coloured set.

I've decided to kick things off with a rainbow minky coloured AIO, we need a bit of sunshine and rainbows in Queensland at the moment and what better way to start things off.



I'm open to suggestions as to how else you'd like me to help raising funds?

Christmas Gifts

With both the little cherubs ill in the lead up to Christmas and then the littlest cherub with a nasty chest infection over Christmas, my gift sewing is a wee bit late, but it's not so bad, as I haven't seen the giftees yet!

So here's the start of them with more to come.



An appliqued tshirt and a My favourite skirts pattern. I really enjoyed the skirt pattern and I think I'll need to make some for K.




A little gift bag - I know it's yellow lol!! from the Bagaliciou Club bags mailout no. 7. It's a cute idea, though I think I'd like them a wee bit bigger, but it's holding a special surprise inside. It's only wee about 7 x 5 inches finished.




Another appliqued tee and matching skirt - the skirt is Maddy from ModKids, I guessed on the sizing, so I'm crossing my fingers that it's right.