my cutting & creating

the cake shot ...

2012-02-18T10:15:00.001+10:30

he loves cricket

2012-02-18T10:14:00.005+10:30

our baby boy ...

2012-02-18T10:14:00.004+10:30

Mum's text said:

2012-02-18T10:13:00.002+10:30

Where I'm at ...

2012-02-17T21:12:00.000+10:30

A lovely evening in Coffin Bay :-)

so cute :-)

2012-02-17T21:11:00.001+10:30

Source: My Sister's Suitcase

cousins ...

2012-02-16T12:01:00.002+10:30

brotherly love ...

2012-02-16T12:00:00.002+10:30

Time flies ...

2012-02-16T11:59:00.001+10:30

For Amanda's yummy colour challenge over at Escape2Create!!

home again ...

2012-01-29T17:41:00.001+10:30

So after nearly 2 weeks at Coffin Bay we are home ... the time flew and I think next year we will go for 3 weeks!!

So yesterday ...

First we headed to Seven Mile Beach again and had lunch, a swim (the water was magnificent) and the boys did a bit of fishing (not very successful but fun) ...

After an attempt at fishing at the Oyster Leases we headed off to the beach next to Three Monkey Beach ...

some beachcombing ...

we headed home via a trawl at The Brothers ...

and then the deal was if we didn't catch enough fish for tea we would have dinner at the Oysterbeds!!

I had Nannagai Curry ... yummy!!

Today was pack up time and now we're home :-)

iPhone photos ...

2012-01-24T08:38:00.001+10:30

First day ... monopoly and I discovered some new rules (made up by Jack!!)

A walk Tuesday morning

Then some gardening ...

then the boating and fishing ...

and relaxing!

And then off on a walk this morning ...

More fishing and boating ...

2012-01-23T23:39:00.000+10:30

We had a great day out in the boat today, a friend's son, Will, came a long and lucky that he did as he caught a lot of the fish :-)

We went to The Fenceline, past Farm Beach and then headed to Seven Mile Beach for a swim ... great day!

Hannah stayed with Will's brother Joe, for the day and had lots of fun at Farm Beach.

The rods ...

Seven Mile Beach ...

Rohan catching a Tommie off the beach at Seven Mile Beach ... he was very excited!!

Lachlan with his first fish for the day, same location ...

Back at the front of the shack for the filleting ...

A nice cold beer to help with the job ...

Rohan was very proud of his catches ...

today ...

2012-01-22T22:42:00.002+10:30

Okay so we are in the summer holiday zone ...

we headed to CB ...

clearly she has a brother that loves her ...

and then there is our shack and this fantastic canvas that Amanda created ...

And then today was a boating and fishing kinda day ...

see ... there is so much love!

A selfie ....

and then there was the pod of dolphins, at least 20 .... amazing ...

and then there was Seven Mile beach ... seriously why would you not want to go here ...

I had a fantasticaly reflective day ... about how lucky I am to live here and have access to so many wonderful beaches, how lucky I am to have a wonderful family and life, so I have had a great day :-)

pizza girl ...

2012-01-09T16:04:00.001+10:30

girl time!

2012-01-09T16:03:00.002+10:30

October at our place ...

2012-01-09T16:02:00.001+10:30

hello 2012 ...

2012-01-09T16:01:00.004+10:30

some scrapping from a month or two ago ...

2012-01-09T16:01:00.000+10:30

at five ...

2012-01-08T11:24:00.001+10:30

For Amanda's scraplift the teachers challenge over at Escape2Create.

A bit more Silhouette action this morning!

And then some ...

2012-01-07T17:03:00.001+10:30

These layouts were started last week and finished off with the journaling today :-)

They are for Amanda's scraplift the E2C teacher challenge ...

This one is of Kate Mason's gorgeous canvas inspiration ...

and this one is a scraplift of the fabulous layout by Mardi Winen ... I turned it on its side!

So finally some scrapping!!

2012-01-07T16:57:00.000+10:30

On Thursday I received my long awaited Silhouette Cameo! Yay!!

So this morning I unpacked it and got to work.

After a couple of false starts I had some success ... lucky it's only paper hey!

Firstly I went for a title and then once I had taken the letters out I used the rest as a mask ...

Then with the next one I wanted to try a different technique and it was a little more labour intensive!!

When you put the cardstock through the cutting machine it temporarily sticks to a sticky mat to hold it in the correct alignment and the mat being new is fairly sticky and to get the cardstock off after the cutting is a slow process but worth it I think :-)

Next time I think I will try cutting some shapes rather than just the fonts I have tried so far :-)

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T23:04:00.000+10:30

Happy New Year!

We had a party at our place with lots of friends ... a relaxing time under the pergola and luckily the weather cooled off a bit during the evening / night after a very hot day.

Lots of people stayed the night in beds, swags, caravans and camper trailers ...

Great memories ...

- lovely glasses of Moet, with a little bit left over for another catch up soon!

- great company and time catching up with friends

- beautiful Cosmos made by Amanda

- BBQ tea cooked with lovely salads

- the little paddling pool that cooled lots of people off!

- fun dancing to "Hey Big Spender" with Brooka!! Lots of laughs!

- thinking at about 4.30am of how good we felt and luckily feeling fairly good when I woke up (although some others didn't fair quite as well!)

- yummy BBQ breakfast cooked by Masterchef Speed - great work!

- early Coronas with lime today

- sleeping under the air con after everyone left

- waking up to discover that Cummins was at one point this afternoon the hottest place in Australia!!

- deciding not to go to the beach

- then deciding to go to Point Drummond with the Halls and having a very relaxing time!

Point Drummond

Hannah

Some of our group

Looking up the beach - the only ones there ... how lucky are we to live so close to such a beautiful beach!

Merry Christmas for yesterday!!

2011-12-26T07:37:00.000+10:30

A little bit late but hey ... :-)

We had a great day with family and some seafood and hot meats and vegetables and delicious pudding and lovely wines!!

So today I find lots of links to crafts for gift wrapping and decorating ... LOL ... a bit late for this year but want to post it for next year!!

The Cheese Thief

This blog has lots of great ideas so I think I'll add it to my side bar!!

Over at How About Orange

These gift card holders over at The October Afternoon blog

If you got an iPad ... I didn't but anyway here's a cover pattern ...

Over at Randomness by Petchy

And to get you ready for the New Year ...

Over at eighteen25

Chocolate cake ...

2011-12-19T06:43:00.002+10:30

Source: Just a Pinch

Broccoli, grape & pasta salad ...

2011-12-18T21:08:00.000+10:30

Source: My Recipes

Lemon chicken ...

2011-12-18T21:04:00.000+10:30

Recipe over at BBC Food

Cosmo Champers ...

2011-12-17T12:25:00.000+10:30

Details over at Taste ... looks tasty!!

Hey Lego lovers ...

2011-12-17T07:09:00.000+10:30

Follow this link for more info ... http://www.chrismcveigh.com/cm/lego_ornaments.html

Christmas is coming # 7

2011-12-13T06:39:00.002+10:30

Button Christmas tree and Santa ... source

So what's been happening ...

2011-12-04T08:10:00.000+10:30

We have been lucky to buy a shack at Coffins ...

Part of our view ...

Last weekend we had a yummy dinner at The Oysterbeds and then walked back to the shack ...

I managed to buy the Lego Advent calender for Rohan and Lachlan to do each day of December ...

Pre dinner drinks last night at a friends shack ...

At the dining table at our shack and the other part of our view ...

Gearing up for Christmas at our house and the school holidays now ...

Silhouette Cameo ...

2011-12-01T09:33:00.000+10:30

I have order one of these from USA ...

Source

Can't wait for it to arrive so I can start cutting!!

This scrapbooker has some favourite designs she uses ...

http://www.marcypenner.com/?page_id=6293

Dinner tonight ...

2011-11-20T19:59:00.000+10:30

Recently in Adelaide I had dinner at the Old Lion and ordered the Atlantic Salmon Nicoise ... it was yummy and felt fairly healthy!

So tonight I was on the search for a recipe ... found one in one of my favourite cookbooks ... Stephanie Alexander's "The Cooks Companion".

The recipe originates in the south of France in Nice and traditionally has Tuna but we had Atlantic Salmon!

Basically it is green beans and baby potatoes cooked and added while warm to kalamata olives, boiled eggs 1/4ed, Roma tomatoes 1/4ed and I added baby capers because I didn't have anchovies and gently tossed!

Then plate it with cos lettuce (what I had), top with other salad items and the cooked Atlantic salmon.

The very light dressing was olive oil, freshly cracked black pepper and 1/2 the amount of red wine vinegar that I mixed with the warm and cold ingredients.

Yummy and felt healthy!!

Christmas is coming #6

2011-11-19T12:01:00.002+10:30

Lil Fish Studio: tutorial for sale

Free tutorial for Poinsettia

I think this would look lovely in red felt for my December Daily!!

Christmas is coming #5

2011-11-19T09:42:00.001+10:30

From Stumbles & Stitches

Oh Silhouette hurry up ...

2011-11-19T08:15:00.000+10:30

Oh my how totally gorgeous is this Advent by Kerri Bradford Studio ... I am definitely going to download the one!!

December Daily 2011 ...

2011-11-18T23:15:00.000+10:30

So I received my kit from Studio Calico yesterday ...

this one ...

... lots of goodies ... so now I need to get started so I am ready to keep track of December as is meant to be!!

In the post yesterday I also received some great adhesive badges and tags from Ormolu ...

these ...

and these ...

so great ... can't wait to use them!!

And then I need to search for my Hambly Screen Prints transparencies ... bought a couple at Sheoak Craft Cottage yesterday so have a little start!!

Stay tuned for an update of my December Daily! And looking forward to seeing what Gina has come up with for hers!!

every morning ...

2011-11-13T21:36:00.000+10:30

1st match stats ...

2011-11-13T21:24:00.000+10:30

For Amanda's colour challenge over at Escape2Create

Christmas is coming # 4 ...

2011-11-13T12:25:00.001+10:30

http://justsomethingimade.com/2010/11/spool-advent-calendar-kits/

Christmas is coming #3

2011-11-13T08:08:00.000+10:30

Over at Hambly Screen Prints project by Amy Tan

Christmas is coming #2

2011-11-12T19:59:00.000+10:30

Source

Christmas is coming #1

2011-11-12T19:53:00.002+10:30

Source

Watch this all the way to the end (past the credits!) ...

2011-11-12T15:05:00.003+10:30

BOB from Jacob Frey on Vimeo.

My couscous salad for Summer 2011 / 2012 ...

2011-11-04T21:12:00.001+10:30

I made this recipe up this week to serve with the Moroccan chicken that John cooked on the BBQ ...

(the Moroccan chicken was simply Masterfoods Moroccan Seasoning sprinkled over strips of chicken breast and left for 5 or 10 minutes ;-) but it is really good!!

My Summer Couscous ...

1 cup couscous
1/2 red capsicum, diced
2 sticks of celery, sliced thinly
1 medium red onion, diced
2 tablespoons sliced black olives
1 Lebanese cucumber, peeled, deseeded and diced
1/2 block low fat Feta, cubed
1 tomato, diced
handful fresh mint, chopped
handful coriander, chopped
juice of 1 lemon
handful flaked almonds

Prepare couscous by placing in a bowl and pouring over 1 cup hot water, fluff with fork after a few minutes.

Prepare all other ingredients (except lemon juice and herbs) and add to a large bowl, mix in couscous and then add herbs and mix and pour over lemon juice and mix again.

Enjoy ... this served us for 4 serves, adjust ingredients according to how you like it :-)

Oh and as it is served each person can add a dollop of Farmers Union Greek Style Natural Yoghurt!!

December Daily ...

2011-10-29T21:27:00.000+10:30

So this year with Christmas at our place I am going to do a December Daily ...

I have bought a kit from Studio Calico ...

and have ideas of creating the cover of my album like Ali Edwards did ...

Source

I made a December Daily a few years ago, I have done a total of 2 although I'm not sure I have fully completed either of them ... LOL

But this year with my family coming it will be great to make one ... so stay tuned!!

Another Studio Calico DT who has created a great album is Jen Jockisch

Yummy summer slalad ...

2011-10-29T08:17:00.000+10:30

Recipe and photo found at Pioneer Women

Hannah's scrapping ...

2011-10-28T22:42:00.000+10:30

she created this embellishment ...

... beautiful I thought!!

on the iPod ...

2011-10-28T19:33:00.002+10:30

Escape2Create retreat 2012 ...

2011-10-27T08:36:00.002+10:30

totally gorgeous darling ...

2011-10-22T22:11:00.001+10:30

Inspired by a layout by Brianne Nevill in September 2011 Scrapbook Trends.

Transition girl ...

2011-10-22T09:57:00.000+10:30

First week of school ...

2011-10-22T07:05:00.000+10:30

for all four!!

I don't think I magically had lots more time but it was a busy week with a student free day, a trip to Port Lincoln and 2 busy days at work so I suppose that filled in a fair bit of the time!!

I'll see how next week goes!!

Hannah was so excited about going to school but I think the excitement turned to overwhelm-ment once she was there at the beginning of each day. By the time she got home she was telling us that she had a good day!!

And thank you to at least 2 teachers who gave her a hug ... her own teacher and then yesterday a secondary teacher :-)

Silhouette custom cuts ...

2011-10-21T18:04:00.000+10:30

Destination Melbourne ...

2011-10-15T17:51:00.002+10:30

at Auntie Clarie's ...

2011-10-15T17:50:00.002+10:30

Fun Times in Melbourne ...

2011-10-15T17:47:00.002+10:30

Finally some scrapping ...

2011-10-15T17:46:00.001+10:30

These layouts are from my time at the Scrapathon a few weeks ago.

Boarding school memories ...

2011-10-14T23:05:00.001+10:30

The boarding school I went to no longer operates as a boarding school but there is a

Facebook page and some of the girls have been posting memories ... oh my goodness it has

brought back lots of memories of those days!!

I spent 5 years at Boarding School ... from year 8 to year 12.

A special birthday cake from a shop on Jetty Road, Glenelg ... I think it was Wenzels (when there were 3 terms of school I always had my birthday at boarding school!)
trips down to Jetty Road to go shopping and buy a bag of hot chips and on the way back eating them even though we weren't meant to eat in the street
trips home on Stateliner from the old bus depot for the school holidays ... we had to wear our uniform home on the bus but lots of people changed in the toilets ... we had a long trip to Woomera!!
the fashions over the years ... most memorable ... socks tucked over the bottom of jeans and little scarves over the top of the collar of our shirts and tied at the back ... what were we thinking!! Really wanting the trendy jeans but only having the basic ones in the range ... can't remember the brand ...
running to the letterboard each Recess desperate for a letter or even better a parcel ... I still remember the girl who had a pen friend in South American who received a broken card board box of pistachio nuts before we had even heard of them!!
claiming to have periods on swimming carnival day!! Or actually having periods when the swimming carnival was on!!
standing under the huge Morton Bay Fig tree ... it was spectacular!
shopping just before I started in year 8 for each and every essential item on the list ... I can remember the shop on Jetty Road (no longer there) where Mum took me to buy most of it, I think it was pretty trendy at the time LOL
midnight feasts
Fried eggs that looked very much like plastic and oh so oily that we had to use the paper napkins to de-grease them and the infamous fritz fritters
watching Prisoner in the common room
Dancing classes with Saints boys
having only about $1 pocket money each week and from not being allowed to make more than 1 phone call per week (to parents only)
going to chapel 13 times per week
going to the Style Council for hair cuts with the spunky male hairdresser who I saw was in the top stylist a few years ago!!
finding the cigarettes and Summer Wine that the year 9's had hidden under the floor boards when I was in year 8
the year 9's (again!!) piercing each others ears with an ice cube and a needle!!
the entrepreneurial year 9's who made and sold tissue box covers and fabric photo frames!!
listening to the radio on Saturday nights ... can't remember the show but basically a countdown of music I think
the smelly bed lights in year 10 and 11 ... commonly referred to as the fanny lights!!
a girl that had to be taken off early from the social to the FMC to have her stomach pumped after drinking too much at her grandma's on a day out ... definitely not me!!
the same song being played at the end of a boarding house social every time ... American Pie by Don McLean
going to the Academy Picture Theatre ... not there now!
Friday night trips to the Mall ... took so much time catching the tram in and waiting to get the taxi back and time in the taxi I'm not sure why we bothered!!
once in the city spending time in the down stairs The Gallery (it was under John Martin's I think) checking out boys etc!!
going to Marion Shopping Centre in a taxi ... much better time spent but no boys to check out!!
1980's music ... great site here with most of the ones I remember ... http://www.afn.org/~afn30091/80songs.html
the house mistress who wore the highest of heels and long manicured nails and had her hair done very week ... she looked really old at the time! And the other house mistress who would call down the corridor "nighty night" and we would call back "pajama pajama"!!
Being sent to the sick bay when you were sick and the 2 girls who overdosed on Vitamin C tablets and had terrible diarrhoea!! (Again not me!!)

So many more memories but just a few that I can recall for now!!

Must be the basis of the Ramblers song ...

2011-10-14T22:58:00.000+10:30

Over here

Rye Whiskey

I'll eat when I'm hungry,
I'll drink when l'm dry,
If the hard times don't kill me,
I'll lay down and die.

     Rye whisky, rye whisky,
     Rye whisky, l cry,
     If you don't give me rye whisky,
     I surely will die.

I'll tune up my fiddle,
And I 'll rosin my bow,
I'll make myself welcome,
Wherever I go.

Beefsteak when l'm hungry,
Red liquor when l'm dry,
Greenbacks when I'm hard up,
And religion when I die.

They say l drink whisky,
My money's my own;
All them that don't like me,
Can leave me alone.

Sometimes l drink whisky,
Sometimes l drink rum,
Sometimes l drink brandy,
At other times none.

But if I get boozy,
My whisky's my own,
And them that don't like me,
Can leave me alone.

Jack o' diamonds, jack o' diamonds,
I know you of old,
You've robbed my poor pockets
Of silver and gold.

Oh, whisky, you villain,
You've been my downfall,
You've kicked me, you've cuffed me,
But I love you for all.

If the ocean was whisky,
And I was a duck,
I'd dive to the bottom
To get one sweet suck.

But the ocean ain't whisky
And l ain't a duck,
So we'll round up the cattle
And then we'll get drunk.

My foot's in my stirrup,
My bridle's in my hand,
l'm leaving sweet Lillie,
The fairest in the land.
Her parents don't like me,
They say l'm too poor;
They say I'm unworthy
To enter her door.

Sweet milk when l'm hungry,
Rye whisky when l'm dry,
If a tree don't fall on me,
I'll live till I die.

I'll buy my own whisky,
I'll make my own stew,
If I get drunk, madam,
It's nothing to you.

I'll drink my own whisky,
I'll drink my own wine,
Some ten thousand bottles
I've killed in my time.

I've no wife to quarrel
No babies to bawl;
The best way of living
Is no wife at all.

Way up on Clinch Mountain
l wander alone,
l'm as drunk as the devil,
Oh, let me alone.

You may boast of your knowledge
An' brag of your sense,
'Twill all be forgotten
A hundred years hence.

(Negro Variant)
In my little log cabin,
Ever since I been born,
Dere ain't been no nothin'
'Cept dat hard salt, parched corn.

But l know whar's a henhouse,
De turkey he charve;
An, if ol' Massa don' kill me
l cain't never starve.

(Variant chorus)
Rye whisky, rye whisky,
You're no friend to me;
You killed my poor daddy,
Goddamn you, try me.

Additional verses

O Mollie, O Mollie, it's for your sake alone
That I'd leave my old parents, my house, and my home.

I'll eat when I'm hungry, I'll drink when I'm dry
And when I get thirsty I'll lay down and cry

O baby, O baby, I've told you before,
Do make me a pallet, I'll lay on the floor.

I will build me a castle on yonder mountain high
Where my true love can see me when she comes ridin' by.

Where my true love can see me and help me to mourn.
I'm a rabble soldier and Dixie's my home.

I'll get up in my saddle, my quirt in my hand,
And I'll think of you, Mollie, when in some distant land.

I'll think of you, Mollie. You caused me to roam.
I'm a rabble soldier and Dixie's my home.

But the ocean ain't whiskey, and I ain't no duck,
So I'll play jack o' diamonds and try to change my luck.

I have rambled and gambled all my money away
But it's with the rabble army, O Mollie, I must stay

It is with the rabble army, O Mollie, I must roam.
I'm a rabble soldier and Dixie's my home.

The Union men and Yankees have forced me from my home.
I am a rebel soldier and far from my home.

I'll eat when I'm hungry, I'll drink when I'm dry.
If those Yankees don't kill me, I'll fight till I die.

From American Ballads and Folk Songs, Lomax
Note: One of the more exhaustive texts.
RG ,XX

45 uses for vinegar!!

2011-10-06T20:28:00.000+10:30

45 uses for vinegar!

Yummy salad planned to be made!!

2011-10-06T08:40:00.001+10:30

Photo from and Recipe can be found over at Petchy's blog ... bulgur and chickpea salad!

Think I'll try it with cous cous ... yummy!!

Coffin Bay ...

2011-10-05T16:27:00.001+10:30

has been about ...

enjoying this yummy Bircher muesli for breakfast (thank you Amanda for the recipe!!)

boys heading to the jetty ...

boys enjoying the boat ...

girl enjoying the boat ...

a bit of canoeing and taking each other for little trips out the front of the shack ...

more trips to the jetty ...

(yes it is as hectic as it looks!!)

tea at the yacht club ...

a trip out from Farm Beach fishing ...

taking some photos with my new camera ...

Lachlan's favourite thing to do once we have caught fish ... fish handling!!

there has also been a lot of arguing and fighting and telling off but hey that would happen at home too!!

Must do this ...

2011-10-05T06:58:00.002+10:30

Great post by Stephanie Howell ... stay tuned!!

Update ...

2011-10-04T10:42:00.002+10:30

We had the 3rd Escape2Create scrapathon on the weekend of 23rd - 25th September ... was a great weekend of yummy food, good times and a bit of scrapping thrown in!!

Thank you to Sue, Kathryn and Amanda!!

The crops are growing on the farm ...

School holidays started on Friday 30th September and we headed to Coffin Bay ...

There has been a bit of chess played ...

But mostly lots of card playing!

I have learnt Warlords and Scumbags (LOL) and John and I have taught the kids Coon Can!!

Sunday was my birthday ...

So John and I shared a bottle of Moet and ended up all going to have tea at the Yacht Club (not the original plan but it was easier!!)

I slipped into the Blue Bird Markets on Sunday and bought a few things, including this dress for Hannah from Green Dandelion!

Yesterday we headed out in the boat ... John, Lachlan and Rohan left from Coffins and Hannah, Jack and I met them at Farm Beach ... we caught enough King George whiting for tea last night!! Yummy!!

Today it is raining ... so it is fairly hectic in the small shack with 4 kids!! Just planning our day now!!

Sorry about the false start to this post ... internet is fairly unreliable here!!

Sun flare tips ...

2011-09-19T17:43:00.000+09:30

http://www.mcpactions.com/blog/2009/08/24/5-killer-ways-to-shoot-into-the-sun-and-get-beautiful-flare/

I think I might read up on these ideas to give this a go soon!!

Oven baked parmesan fries ...

2011-09-19T17:35:00.000+09:30

Recipe from Playing with Sugar

even more party ideas ...

2011-09-11T17:33:00.000+09:30

Source

Birthday cake ...

2011-09-11T09:23:00.000+09:30

So I'm thinking of making Hannah a dolly vardon style birthday cake!

I have ordered my tin from Donna Hay Online ...

I might try her recipe in the last Kids Donna Hay magazine ...

or maybe

The Women's Weekly Children's Birthday Cake Cookbook

But I have been reading that they can be a little tricky to cook ... eeekkk!!

Just found some tips on line ...

from Planet Cake Tea Party forum

- Use a lighter cake mix - butter / sponge or light chocolate cake. Mud cake - not a good idea!
- Place tin on a tray (otherwise it will tip over in the oven, never a good thing!)
- The top rim of the tin needs to be in the middle of your oven (so the base of the tin is close to the bottom of the oven)
- some of the older tims have a metal column that goes down the middle of the cake, get one of these if you can, they bake much easier
- when checking to see if cooked (always allow a bit longer) put the skewer in straight, but when pulling it out, pull on a slight angle so the cooked cake at the top does not pull off the uncooked cake on the skewer, as you will think it is cooked, but it isnt.

Then the decorating ...

maybe something like this ...

Source

or with the fondant icing that Donna Hay used!!

And then there is the dolly part ... I have bought a $5 Barbie look alike from Kmart that I need to de-leg ... LOL Wish me luck with that ... one forum suggested sawing off the lower part of the body ... LOL!!

Photos to come after the party!!

cute apple cupcakes!

2011-09-11T08:09:00.000+09:30

Source: Make and Takes

more party ideas ...

2011-09-10T18:31:00.001+09:30

all above from: RubyJu blog

love the straws with banners!!

Kate Landers

clever cake decorating!

From Mon Tresor

party ideas ... from Pinterest!!!

2011-09-10T13:43:00.002+09:30

Ruby Ju

Mindi Bartell

Complete Party Boxes

Source: sweet days with elle and mia

Instructions to make this tent at: cakies

Invite idea: here

Kara's Party Ideas

From Kara's Party Ideas

Hip Hip Hooray!

Hip Hip Hooray

I love ...

2011-09-05T15:53:00.001+09:30

fresh sheets of paper to write on, a good pen, yummy food, trying new recipes, a beautiful sunny day, reading novels and cooking magazines ... among other things!

Today I want to point out a new cooking magazine ... it really is great!!

Feast magazine

From the web site ...

"Get ready to experience life through food. Feastmagazine is all about meaningful food experiences, delving deeper into the world's most popular and untapped cuisines, and meeting the people and stories behind them. In doing so, we hope to celebrate and bring to light all the beautiful traditions and recipes which continue to enrich Australia."

The photography is beautiful, the range of food and recipes excellent, lots of Australian restaurants and families featured.

There is also a Feast Cookalong blog, where they try some of the recipes featured in the magazine ... great idea!!

The second issue is on sale now and I'm thinking about subscribing!!

Melbourne ...

2011-09-03T15:45:00.000+09:30

So a few weekends ago we headed to Melbourne for 4 nights, all 6 of us.

I haven't visited Melbourne very much ... I don't know my way around ... so we had to find out stuff as we went ...

1. The Free City Circle tram is great

... it does a loop around and has a commentary of what sights are nearby
... it runs both ways ... ie clockwise and anti-clockwise!!
... you can obviously hop on and off as you go
... it's FREE!!

2. Melbourne Aquarium

... a little bit pricey but a unique experience for the kids
... lots of different sea / water life
... the area where you sit & the sea life swim around above and around you in the surrounding walls is great especially good if you get the information talk ... great info about the various sea animals!!
... if you have young kids and go during school time follow a school group around and you get lots of extra info!!

3. Melbourne CBD is SO different to Adelaide CBD!!

... every side of every block has at least one sushi bar or cafe ... I can't believe how many sushi "joints" there are!!
... there are so many different shops every where and so many shopping areas just in the city centre, I have stuck to Melbourne Central but it isn't that great for kids clothes!
... there are people "begging" on some streets in the busy areas ... sitting with cardboard signs and "hats" for money
...so many places to eat ... how can you tell which are the good ones ... ??? lots of customers???
... the trees that are deciduous are lovely but I remember them looking even better in "full leaf" just before Christmas when John and I had a one night visit for The Eagles concert
... the trams are great except when on Saturday we thought we would catch one down Bourke Street and there was a "Third Party Interruption"!! Found out later that there was an almighty crane down the other end of the street doing its stuff!!

4. Going to the footy is good!

... but one game was enough for the 2 girls!
... the boys had a ball!
... it is a reality check when you leave Etihad Stadium with 45,606 other people!!
... the food available at footy is average!
... we took lollies as a treat but maybe better to have dinner before you go or take something with you
... the boys loved it!!
... the boys went to 3 games all up and wanted to go to another one ... maybe next year ... whoops next time ;-)

5. Trams

... find out about the ticketing before you catch one!
... we hopped on one on Sunday and didn't have a lot of coinage and only managed 2/3 of the tickets!
... we also found out that for Sundays you can buy tickets at the newsagent and save on Sundays!
... the steps are a bit steep for little kids to get up and down
... they are a comfy ride
... they are every where, quite an amazing transport network!

6. Eating out

... we did not experienced much in the way of meals out
... 1. Florentino's Cellar Bar... I had a cuttlefish risotto ... fantastic!!
... 2. Steak at Von's Restaurant ... quite good
... 3. Cantonese at The Supper Inn ... yummy, great variety on the menu, wouldn't have gone there except for a girlfriend's friend suggested it to her

Other than that we have had
- a cafe meal for lunch on Sunday ... good
- tea at the footy ... do hot chips count??
- breakfast at the restaurant where we are staying
- a delivered pizza ... one was so oily I couldn't believe it, soggy undercooked chips we ordered for the kids, a fairly average experience!
- you don't even get lunch on the plane anymore!!

7. Accommodation

- really happy with the location of the apartment we stayed at ... Mantra on Little Bourke Street
- because it was on a one way street it was a really quiet location
- great service
- we had an issue with the key cards and they gave us voucher for free breakfast for the 4 mornings that we were there !!! Wow that was a big saving for us!!

So we had fun along with a few kid moments ;-)

first full game ...

2011-08-28T18:19:00.003+09:30

they love to play together ...

2011-08-28T18:18:00.002+09:30

on the boundary ...

2011-08-28T18:17:00.004+09:30

your favs ...

2011-08-28T18:16:00.004+09:30

our babies ...

2011-08-28T18:15:00.004+09:30

Melb 2011 ...

2011-08-28T18:14:00.003+09:30

For Sue's Sketch over at Escape2Create.

Matt Preston ...

2011-08-25T20:51:00.000+09:30

great article in the latest Delicious magazine (September 2011, p. 154)!!

The article that Matt wrote was about what foods are a bit too daggy "now days"!!

Great reading!

I might have to

- stop using rocket (well I don't use overdoses so maybe I'm safe)
- avoid the raspberry coulis, can't actually recall when I made it last but it is nice with a chocolate dessert cake
- stop with the semi-dried tomatoes but I still love them ;-)

Interesting to note that apparently

- iceberg lettuce is now quite chic!
- wedges of lemon are acceptable, even dare he say trendy!! LOL

He finished by quoting Yves Saint Laurent ... "Fashions fade, style is eternal".

Great article! Matt!

Dinner tonight ...

2011-08-25T20:33:00.000+09:30

So I received the latest Delicious magazine yesterday (September 2011) and have had an initial look through and started to tag recipes that I'd like to try!

Tonight it was ... Vietnamese Chicken with Pickled Cabbage Salad, p.102

(hard to take quick photos of food ;-) ... not that attractive)

I halved the chicken sauce part of the recipe but used 6 chicken thigh fillets.

I halved the salad part of the recipe.

Lots of my friends don't like chicken thigh fillets ... something about the brown meat I think. I find it really tender and moist in comparison to breast fillets that can dry out easily.

The recipe had the sweet, sour and hot that the chefs on Masterchef referred to in Asian foods.

This recipe ...

The salad: good sour, maybe a little too sweet and maybe not quite hot enough. But those things can be adjusted for the next time I make it!

The chicken: not hot at all but that is okay if the salad had a bit more heat, lovely soft sweet flavours and no there were no sour flavours.

The salad really complimented the chicken and the meal was fresh and felt healthy while we ate it. So by reducing the sugar in the sauce and the salad it would be more healthy!

The chicken had a caramel sauce ... my first attempt to make the caramel was a failure ... I burnt it ... but the second attempt ... I don't think I cooked it long enough so it wasn't brown enough for the effect it was meant to have ... better luck next time! So if you try this recipe watch the caramel carefully!

So end result: I would try it again!

Christmas place card ...

2011-08-18T09:20:00.002+09:30

Another great idea from Twirling Betty ... place card holder made from cinnamon sticks!!

Clever washi tape magnets ...

2011-08-18T09:08:00.000+09:30

Found this great idea over at Twirling Betty

Books ...

2011-08-16T13:01:00.000+09:30

While we were in Melbourne I walked into a bookshop where all the books were $5!!

Then I discovered they have a web site and all the books appear to be $5!!

I love buying books and at $5 ... wow!!

I bought ...

Little Hut of Leaping Fishes by Chiew-Siah Tei

Having the Builders In by Reay Tannahill

Chef by Jaspreet Singh

The money I saved was balanced out by the cost of the books I bought at the Adelaide and Melbourne Airports!! LOL!!

1. River of Smoke by Amitav Ghosh, that I mentioned in an earlier post

2. Inspector Singh Investigates: A Deadly Cambodian Crime by Shamini Flint, that I also mentioned earlier

3. The Colour of Tea by Hannah Tunnicliffe

So I have a good stash! Along with the 3 books I borrowed from the library at our first Cummins Book Lovers meeting!!

Great reading magazine ...

2011-08-06T21:52:00.002+09:30

Last night at our pre-book club get together Jeannie had a copy of Good Reading so I headed to our local newsagency this morning to look for the most recent copy and found it ... very happy!

Good Reading

Lots of book reviews and it is also divided in to genres which is very helpful ;-)

Two books that I have initially found in this magazine that I would like to find and read ...

Inspector Singh Investigate: A Deadly Cambodian Crime Spree by Shamini Flint

... this is a crime fiction novel and is preceded by other novels by the same author in this series so I might need to find the first one to start with!

Which is this one I think ...

and then ...

River of Smoke by Amitav Ghosh

I have read

I bought this book first, 11 years ago at the Singapore Airport after we had visited my girlfriend, Sarah, and her husband, John, in Burma and I loved it.

and then I read ...

and really enjoyed it too so I need to really read

which is the first in the Opium Wars Trilogy and I do have it in the pile next to my side of the bed!!

So maybe I need to buy the next one so I am ready!!

Reading ...

2011-08-06T20:55:00.000+09:30

Rhoda Janzen's site

Started this book today ... a memoir and funny to read ... really enjoying it so far!

Baby idea = fantastic

2011-08-05T21:34:00.000+09:30

Well there are no more babies for us ... 4 in 5 years is enough but wonderful ;-)

But I just found this link ...

http://thepatacakebaby.com/item_610/Candy-Damask-Swaddle-Wrap.htm

What a great design! I was hopeless at swaddling so this would have been ideal!!

Looking forward to ...

2011-08-05T21:13:00.000+09:30

to the first meeting of Cummins Book Lovers

on Monday night (8th August 2011)

at our wonderful new library!

I have loved reading for so very long!

I had a governess when I was younger (primary school years) who read novels to us.I recall The Hobit and The Secret Garden .

I can remember reading under the covers of my bed with a torch when I was young!

I remember borrowing books from the Woomera Library

... something Mum encourage (she loves books too :-)

Over more recent years I have had a year on and a year off of reading lots ... probably something to do with having our children fairly close together!

But in the last couple of years I have made an effort to read.

I absolutely love going into book shops. If I go to Adelaide I always go into several bookshops even if clothes shopping is a priority!!

I love to pick up a book and read the first page and the back blurb to see if it is something I would like to read.

I love the feel of a new book.

Now that I don't buy as many books I always choose the "New Books" at our local library because the still have the new book feel!

So when Amanda, Jeannie, Mel & I met tonight to plan the first meeting of "Cummins Book Lovers" it was a flurry of conversation about books ... it was invigorating and exciting and I can't wait for Monday night ... bring it on I say!!

quinoa recipe ...

2011-07-30T21:11:00.000+09:30

I bought some quinoa recently and I have been on the search for a recipe ...

I might try this one ...

from Zakka Life

Quinoa Tabbouleh Recipe

(recipe from Auntie Susan)

Ingredients:

2 Cups water

1 Cup uncooked quinoa

1 pinch salt

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 tsp. sea salt

1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice (if using bottled lemon juice start with 2T and add to taste)

3 tomatoes diced

1 cucumber diced

2 bunches green onions, diced

2 carrots grated

1 cup fresh parsley, chopped

1. In a saucepan bring water to boil. Add quinoa and a pinch of salt. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature; fluff with a fork.

2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine rest of ingredients and stir in cooled quinoa.

Enjoy.

recipe to try ...

2011-07-25T10:01:00.000+09:30

Recipe for French Macaroons over at Here Comes The Sun ...

Looks achievable so I think I'll give them a go soon!!

cupcake beauty ...

2011-07-24T21:01:00.001+09:30

Oh my goodness how beautiful is this!!

Tutorial for icing technique ... here

From Call Me Cupcake

From the same blog ...

Stunning hey!!

table idea ...

2011-07-24T20:50:00.000+09:30

love this idea from diyideas

nearly five ...

2011-07-24T12:46:00.000+09:30

For Sue's sketch over at Escape2Create.

A few holiday snaps ...

2011-07-23T21:42:00.002+09:30

Jack & Hannah filling in time in the car in PL on Thursday!

Rohan ...

Rohan & Hannah

Lachlan was around too but no suitable photo as yet!!

We have had a really relaxing holidays!! John has been working and I have had my usual work too but other than that we have

- had friends for dinner 3 Friday nights in a row
- been to 2 weekends of football
- all went and saw Cars 2 on Thursday
- had one weekend off from going to footy
- slept in
- gone to bed later than usual
- basically enjoyed the break!!

on the wing ...

2011-07-19T16:42:00.000+09:30

For my Escape2Create circle challenge.

Reading ...

2011-07-17T13:51:00.000+09:30

Mum suggested this book

http://www.kateatkinson.co.uk/books/

Mum had said you had to stick with it at the beginning ... lots of different characters and no chapters in the traditional sense.

So I stuck with it and have just finished reading it this morning and really enjoyed it!

Intriguing and it made me want to keep reading to see how all the characters joined up to make the story.

Thinking I might try another one of her books soon!

Now I am deciding between ...

Joanna Trollope

and this one on the new book stand at our local library ...

Lisa Verge Higgins

(The copy I have has different cover)

New book quirk of mine ... When I select a new book I will initially look at the blurb on the back but by the time I begin reading the book I don't re- read it ... so far I have found it seems to give the story a little less predictability!!

Do you have reading quirk??

When I was at school I had a girl in my English class who always read the last page of the book first ... wonder if she does still!! LOL

woo hoo ...

2011-07-14T12:12:00.004+09:30

What's cooking ... ???

2011-07-10T17:05:00.000+09:30

Tonight I thought I'd make sushi for dinner.

The older boys eat it ... with tinned tuna or smoked salmon inside and cucumber or lettuce.

Tonight I'm going to try adding Kewpie mayonnaise that I found at Woolworths in Port Lincoln last week.

I'm thinking about ordering a crepe pan so next time I can make these ...

http://www.instructables.com/id/Easy-Tamagoyaki-egg-sushi/

or maybe some scrambled egg in the sushi ...

Recipe ... http://www.sugarbar.org/blog/2010/02/23/two-egg-inari-sushi/

These little pouches look great hey ... have to wait until a trip to Adelaide to find them maybe!!

On line kitchenware shopping ...

I am planning on placing an order with Peter's of Kensington ... always great service and very good prices.

Another on line Kitchenware shop that I have bought from recently was Kitchenware Direct. If you link to them on Facebook they have special FB specials for members.

From Kitchenware Direct I have recently bought a Scanpan chef's pan - great price and I love it. Then I ordered John's birthday present ... Riedel wine glasses ... beautiful to drink from and a great price, as well as some wine decanter cleaning beads and glass tea towels. The shipping is really quick as it is only from Adelaide!!

I also like to shop locally in Port Lincoln at House & Kitchen!!

finds at farm beach ...

2011-07-10T15:29:00.000+09:30

For Amanda's challenge over at Escape2Create.

welcome summer days ...

2011-07-10T15:27:00.000+09:30