Hooty Earrings

I made my children too busy.  They didn't want mummy playing with their masking tape city, so I had to off and find myself something else to do.  So I made these.  Cute huh!  I am not a jewellery maker, have no skills whatsoever so I just winged it until I got them secure (can't you tell).  I love them.  Found the owls in Just Bead It and couldn't resist (I say that alot don't I haha).

While making these I have come up with a great idea for storing my earrings, by turning them into an art feature.  Watch this space - hopefully I'll have the time to complete it before the weekend is out.  If it works ....

Masking Tape Happiness

Another rainy day in the Waikato.  I was going to take the children on a nature hike today, but we don't own raincoats.  I know!!  Isin't that terrible.  I might have to change that.

So I made this masking tape 'city'.  I know its not elaborate, but it has a jail, a farm and two parking garages.  Even a roundabout!  It will evolve more when the baby goes back to bed, with a train running through it, Stop and Go signs and the farm will score a tractor and some animals.

Very VERY happy children and more scuffed knees for mummy as I get down to their level and brum cars with them, do alot of conflict resolution and catch some baddies.

Pay it Forward with Bookmarks

For me, this is the year of paying it forward.  I love to give anyway (wonder what my love language is!!), but this year I am making a concious effort to go above and beyond, giving gifts for no reason apart from to say "I love you and am thinking of you".  Ohhh, another news years resolution has been revealed!!

I had a spare moment today so I made some more book marks.  I LOVE making these.  All of these, except one I love too much to part with, will be making their way all over the countryside over the next few days to surprise some very close and missed friends of mine.  Awww, shucks.

I found this wooden heart pendant at Just Bead It, in Hamilton and the black charms are off an old necklace of mine.

Another charm from Just Bead It.  If you love beads, you must check them out - http://www.justbeadit.co.nz/

I found the shell pendant in a clearance bin at Spotlight.  I am not sure it will make the sturdiest of bookmarks, but I liked it quirkiness and couldn't resist.  The cross is another delight from Just Bead It.

And the one I am keeping.  I love it.  Also found this pendant in the clearance bin at Spotlight.

I am going to be talking to the hubby tonight about doing a photography course one night a week.  I think its time I learnt how to use my camera properly.  Here is hoping he says yes!

Taking part in Our Creative Spaces



Colour Blind?

I was so excited about The Girls quilt.  I launched into it head first, without really stopping and checking my colour scheme.  BIG mistake.  On piecing it together I decided it looked awful.  I had picked quite a dark green that really just didn't go.  See what I mean:

So after much staring, rearranging and advice, I have picked another fabric to replace the green blocks, and am moving the green borders to around the dolls to make them 'pop' out.  Downside to this is that it requires ALOT of unpicking.  Unpicking the green blocks and unpicking the green borders and the borders around the dolls.  I hate unpicking.  And I can never seem to get my blocks square again once I have unpicked and then restitched.

Lesson learnt.  When quilting, BEFORE sewing, take lots of time to make sure you have your colour arrangement just perfect.  Do not rush in.  Argh.  This is definately a labour of love!!

Parsnip Cake

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The hubby has told me I have to make this cake lots.  He loves it.  It is very much like carrot cake, but has quite an amazing taste from the parsnip caramelising while it cooks.  Devine.

This is a recipe I have had for so many years I have forgotten where it came from.  I typed it out when I was around 20 (ahem, that may of been 13 years ago - shhhhhh), so who knows where I got it!

1 cup caster sugar
1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla essence
3 large eggs
1/2 cup crushed pineapple
4 cups grated parsnip
1 1/2 cups plain flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup currants
2 TBS ground cinnamon

Preheat your oven to 160 degrees and grease a deep 20cm cake tin.

Whisk together the sugar, oil and vanilla until combined.  Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition, until mixture is creamy.  Stir in the pineapple.

Place the grated parsnip, flour, salt, baking soda, currants and cinnamon in a large bowl.  Pour in the wet mixture and stir to combine.  Pour mixture into prepared cake tin.

Bake for 75 - 90 minutes or until cooked.  When cold ice with Lemon Cream Cheese Icing.  I used the Edmond's recipe and just added the grated rind and juice of one lemon into it.  It was rather runny though - you will need to compensate for the extra liquid of the lemon with more icing sugar.

White Chocolate and Custard Biscuits

I had an apprentice chef in the kitchen today.  Danger Mouse rolled out most of them, which as you will see from the last photo, left me with some interesting looking biscuits.  I think he did well though for a 2 year old, and I managed to salvage some to get a semi decent photo.  But really, does it matter too much what they look like when they have been made with love and taste amazing!

125g butter
3/4 cup caster sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 cups of flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup custard powder
2/3 cup of white chocolate buttons or melts

Preheat oven to 180 degrees and line two baking trays.

Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add egg and beat until combined.  Stir in sifted flour, baking powder and custard powder and stir into butter mixture with chocolate bits.  Mix well.

Roll tablespoons of mixture into balls.  Place onto an oven tray, leaving room to spread, and press down gently with a fork.

Bake for approx 15 minutes, or until lightly browned.  Cool slightly before moving onto a cooling rack till completely cool.

Not such a bad start for a 2 year old!

A Quilting Addiction?....

I wasn't going to reveal any of my New Years resolutions.  One reason being that I hadn't really made that many, and the second reason being that when you reveal resolutions, you are accountable for sticking to them.  And I am not that good at that.

But here I am ..... revealing one of my resolutions, which is to complete the 4 quilt kits that I have sitting in my cupboard, and to buy and sew the 2 quilt kits I want to do for the boys.  Here I am being accountable.  I am going to do it!!

So the first to be completed is The Girls single bed quilt, of which I have cut out and now need to place and sew:

The next two are quilts for myself.  I know, shock horror, something for myself!!  Now the photo below just does not do the colours in this quilt justice.  I saw this in Donna's Quilt Studio and I dreampt about it for days until I went back and brought the kit.  Its beautiful.



And this one, for me, feels so romantic, I can't wait to snuggle up in it over winter and drink alot of tea, eat alot of chocolate and read alot of books.

And the last one is another one for The Girl.  I love girly things, and I struggle to hold back now we have been blessed with a girl.  But don't worry, there are some neat things coming up for the special little men in my life. 

I came across this on Pinterest and instantly fell in love.  Its amazing.  A ruffled vintage sheet quilt. 

Check out the Under Construction blog here.  I am so in love.  I have done a spot of shopping the last week in Napier, Taupo, Rotorua and Hamilton and so far these are the sheets I have found.  I also have some sheets being shipped up from Queenstown.  So excited.

And for my boys I am wanting to make them a Dr Suess quilt each.  I like the one sold here at Cushla's Village Fabrics.  They used to do a few different kits, but I see there is only one now, so I might have to do a bit of searching to find a second one.

And there you have it.  I am now accountable for sewing a minimum of 4 quilts this year, if not 6.  Am I mad ...