Rainbow Icing

What an awesome and effective icing technique!  I don't have any photos of the process, but its really easy to explain.

I used Gel colours for this as liquid colours would run.  I placed my piping bag into a glass and opened it up wide and folded it back over the outside of the glass (so the bag is wide open).  Then using a paintbrush I just painted the insides of the piping bag with gel colour, added plain uncoloured butter icing and piped.

They were so bright and the kids were fascinated with them.

Kids Designed TShirts

I had the kids design their own TShirts today for a bit of fun.  Even The Girl joined in.  Sprat has been wanting to do this for ages and he very carefully, almost painstakingly, drew his picture so slowly so it was just perfect.

Danger Mouse had four attempts until he got the picture he wanted.  First he drew a green banana, then it evolved from there.

And The Girl just went on a mad scribble as to be expected of a 14 month old.

So we had three masterpieces in the end.

Which I transferred onto Avery TShirt Transparency paper.  I even remembered to print Sprats in mirror image so his name would come out the correct way when transferred.

I then just followed the instructions of the transfer paper to iron them onto the TShirts.

And there we have it.  Personally designed TShirts which the boys are SO majorly proud of!  Sprat even drew some bigger pictures later today for when he 'gets bigger and has bigger TShirts'...

Hoodies - I Nailed It!!

I found a vintage pattern on Trade Me last winter.  I found the fabric at the Hospice shop, also last winter, for $5.  I cut the pattern out last winter .... and there it sat, all summer long just waiting to be sewn.

Well I found it yesterday afternoon at the bottom of one of my sewing drawers, and using the overlocker (oh how I love it) it took me about an hour to finish completely.  And its perfect. 

Do you remember this one here?  I am so relieved I have finally got a great pattern.  My boys are going to be nice and snuggly this winter!

Op Shopping This Week

Much to my poor husbands relief, its been a few weeks since I've found any delights in my op shopping hunts.  I've also been a bit under the weather as well, and just haven't had the energy.  I am horribly low in iron at the moment, so if anyone has any great tips on how to raise your iron levels, I'd love to hear from you!!  Its turned me into a very snarky tired mummy!

But I came across the most beautiful tea cup at Habitat for Humanity, which made me feel a million times better.  Its from the Blossom Time range from Royal Albert.  Beautiful.

I also managed to pick up a Pumpkin Patch skirt for The Girl for $3

And the best kids cat book ever!

Roll on next week for more exciting finds!

Many Biscuits

Got an army to feed?  Tribe of endlessly hungry children?  This batch of biscuits makes between 80 - 120 biscuits, depending on the size you make them.

I have tried about 3 different large batch biscuit recipes and this one is by the far the nicest.  And there are so many different flavour options, its endless!

500g butter
1 cup of sugar
1 tin of condensed milk
5 cups of self raising flour

Preheat oven to 180 degrees.  In a big bowl, cream together your butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in condensed milk.  Add flour and stir with a wooden spoon until combined.

I usually seperate mine into four parts to get four different flavours.  Once you have added your flavours bake for 10 - 15 mintues until cooked and slightly golden.

Flavour ideas (they really are endless):

• Break up a king size bar Caramello chocolate (or other favourite) and wrap pieces of chocolate in dough
• Chocolate chips
• Jam drops
• Hundreds and thousands
• Nuts and raisins
• Mini M & Ms
• Macadamia and White Chocolate
• From Baking Makes Things Better - Raspberry Liquorice logs, pistachios and white chocolate - see their link here
• For Easter you could wrap the dough around mini Creme Eggs
• Lemon and White Chocolate (add lemon essense or lemon rind)
• Chocolate and Ginger
• Oat and Chocolate Chip
• Cranberry and Chocolate
• Cinnamon Cranberry
• Coconut and Dried Fruit

Its endless and there are so many options.

This pile has already been attacked by my children!  Hmmm, how unclean does that stove top look?...

Applique Madness

I love to applique.  Haven't done it for a while, but with 4 of my closest friends being pregnant its a great time to stock up on some cute applique onsies.

I have 6 more to make, but want to find some fat quarters that are suitable for boys first.

If you want to know how to applique just google it, there are heaps of different sites out there offering tutorials, and heaps of free patterns to download as well.

It Must be Love

Its definitely true love when your hubby encourages your passion by buying you an overlocker!!  My darling hubby swept me away yesterday afternoon to the Bernina shop and brought me a much wanted overlocker.  He even threaded it for me!!

He truly is amazing - especially for enduring my crafting passion!  I am one very lucky girl xx

Marble Races

OK, sometimes we make things, and they just look totally terrible, but the kids don't notice and still have a ball (... nice pun).  This is the case with my Marble Racer.  But for the past half an hour all I have heard is giggling, yahooing and the rattle of marbles on plastic.

So what does it matter if it looks rather amateur and like it should go to the tip, right, the kids are loving it!

I saw a picture of this somewhere ...now I can't find it so can't give credit.  But basically it is just a pool noodle cut in half with a gutter in it for the marbles to run down.  Of course do you think I could find a pool noodle at this time of year?  It wasn't easy - I do think they usually come with a hole down the middle as well.  The one I brought didn't, so I had to use a craft knife and hack it.  As you can see.

BUT - the hubby has a mission.  I also brought some wood, and his mission this weekend is to recreate something very similar to the one below.  He believes it will be epic. I will post the epicness once it has been created.  Check out this link to see how they made the one below.

Op-Shopping - Tea Cups

Ohhh look at these beauties I picked up today.  For the past few years I have wanted to start collecting beautiful tea-cups and saucers, and today I have started! 

The pink one I have been eyeing up for a few weeks.  It is irresistable.  I decided today if it was still there when I went in it was meant to be mine.  Obviously it was!  Its Delphine Bone China, made in England and has a hand painted number on the bottom - 5376.  (I have no idea what any of that means, I have much to learn I think!)

The second one I brought on a bit of whim, as I thought it was extremely pretty.  This is Royal Albert, from the Friendship series.

As I uploaded this picture I realised this was a picture of the back of the cup, so here is the front as well:

Both of these sets are in beautiful condition.  And I am going to use them!  Nothing better than a cup of tea in a pretty bone china cup.  Ohhh I love the start of a new obsession.