Past Projects

Here are some more mosaics that I have made.

A butterfly doorstop...

And some decorative tiles...

Have you ever had a go at doing mosaics?

Wardrobe Wednesday

This is what a wore yesterday as I hung out with my lovely sisters and all my nieces and nephews (yay!)at the gardens. So nice to have all 4 of us and our 9 children together in one place.

Same shoes as another post

(don't go that great with the outfit but were chosen for practicality today...walking in gardens, carrying children etc.)

Lee Rider jeans

Top/Dress from Ula

(yea posted about that before-roll on Summer so I have a few other outfits to share!)

Black cardi from Max

It was a great day apart from when my 18 month old daughter BIT another child (a stranger)...and its not the first time. So embarrasing-what can you do? What would you do? Have you had anything like that happen with your children?

Check out what some other styley mummas are wearing this week over at Green Valley Crafts

White Chocolate Macaroons

I bought a chocolate macaroon way back when I went to A Craft Affair. It was so delicious that it has stayed in my memory and I have been meaning to find a recipe and make some for ages. I finally did that today. I'm not entirely happy with them a)because they stuck to the tray and b)because they turned out way too big and therefore did not make very many. They are sandwiched together with white chocolate and they do taste lovely (but very sweet).

Do you like macaroons?

Have you ever tried to make them?

Do you know of a good recipe?

Do you have a recipe for CHOCOLATE macaroons?

Past Projects

One of several beaded bags I knitted with fine cotton

Wardrobe Wednesday

Well I'm feeling quite smug cos I took this photo the other day in anticipation of Wardrobe Wednesday. I was quite pleased with this outfit and thought I'd better store the photo in case today's outfit wasn't worth sharing! Is anyone else doing that or are you all really honest and taking your photo on the actual Wednesday no matter what you're wearing??

My new shoes-yes they'll probably feature here quite a bit until the novelty wears off
Just Jeans jeans
Glassons top
Vest from Shanton

Find out what everyone else is wearing over here at Clare's

Cheese Fritters

These are kind of a vegetarian alternative to fish fingers or chicken nuggets.
I don't eat a lot of meat but the rest of my family are pretty much meat-a-tarians so when they're chewing on pork chops or licking their lips over lamb roast I add cheese fritters to my plate and I find they go pretty well with any accompanying cooked veges, coleslaw or salad.

Cheese Fritters Recipe
In a pot put 600ml of milk, 1 tsp chicken stock(optional), 1 tsp dry mustard and one finely diced onion. Bring to the boil and simmer for a few minutes.

Remove from the heat and whisk in 1 cup of semolina. The mixture will thicken to this consistency...

Stir in about 1 cup of grated cheese and season with salt and pepper.
Brush a slice tin or roasting tray with oil. Press the mixture into the tray using a wet spoon (or wet fingers) to a thickness of about 1 cm. Smooth the top.
Refrigerate for a few hours.
Using a wet knife cut into rectangles about 8 x 5cm or whatever suits the tray you used. I made 15 fritters.
Dip the fritters in beaten egg then breadcrumbs (fresh or dried) and place on an oven tray.

Use these fresh or freeze on the tray then store in a plastic bag or lidded container in the freezer.
You can cook these from frozen.
Shallow fry in hot oil until crispy and golden on both sides.
Here I have served cheese fritters with Jen's tomato relish and and a roast vege salad with homemade garlic mayonnaise...

My Home

These were my first attempt at painting on tapa cloth. I tried to make traditional designs on the one above.

And I made up some of my own design for this one...

I did these with the help of my mother-in-law and sister-in-law on one of our trips to Tonga. All the dye is made from natural materials. The tapa cloth is made from the bark of the paper mulberry tree.

Ten Terrific Things about Today

1. Planting peas with Sofia

2. The boys working on the playhouse

3. Nappies drying on the line

4. Getting potatoes in the ground

5. Not feeling any aftershocks
(and a sneaky look on geonet tells me there hasn’t been any since 10pm last night woohoo)
6. Na'uli showing an interest in toilet training at 18 months

7. Making 10 jars of jam from my very own berries (thought I’d better use up last year’s crop of Berry Delight from the freezer before this season)

8. Further progress on the playhouse

9. Sofia napping (with a knitted bag on her head) because she’s worn herself out by gardening, singing, dancing, asking Mum and Dad questions, making music, stirring jam…what a lovely life for a child:)

10. Pot roast beef planned for tea mmm better go and get that on

How was the weather in your part of the world and how did you spend your Sunday?

Past Projects

Cross stitched Native American scene. I went through a stage as a teenager where I was really interested in the Native Americans. This was made way back then.

Fancy some Freebies

Hey all you parents of preschoolers! Have you heard about reachMe?
I just received a box of goodies from them today. All I had to do was fill out some details on line ( and yes I have been sent a few advertising emails since then but nothing that the 'delete' button can't fix!)
Here's what was in the box...

You can't beat getting something for nothing I say!

Follow this link to get your free pack

http://www.reachme.co.nz/

Wardrobe Wednesday

I took these pictures of the girls yesterday. They were looking particularly cute so I thought they'd better enter Wardrobe Wednesday!

Na'uli (on the left) is wearing:

Pumpkin Patch top

Jeggings from Farmers

Dress made by her Mama

Sofia (on the right) is wearing:

Pumpkin Patch leggings

Top from Cotton On Kids

Hand-me-down skirt

Op shop (thanks Allie!) short sleeved cardi

Oh, and here's me today

Top-Just jeans

Dress-Postie

NEW! shoes-Overland

I don't really like the way this dress/top billows out at the bottom, especially with a gust of wind under it! I think it could do with being a bit narrower. It does disguise the tummy quite well though!

 Looking forward to seeing what everyone else has on today..

Birdseed Bars

Fancy some homemade muesli bars? Don't be put off by the name-they're not really made from birdseed, but they do have a delicious mix of seeds, nuts and fruit (which you could mix and match to suit your taste) coated with a sticky toffee mixture...

Heat the following ingredients in a frying pan, one at a time(as they cook at different rates):

1 cup sesame seeds

1 cup sunflower seeds

1 cup coconut

1 cup peanuts/walnuts, chopped

Combine these in a bowl and add 1 cup sultanas/ chopped dried apricots

Heat:

100g butter

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup brown sugar

Simmer to soft ball stage (like making toffee) then pour over te seed mixture.

Mix well.

Press into a greased slice tin so it is about 2 cm thick.

Refrigerate, then slice into bars.

My Home

Flax flowers

Our Weekend

We spent the weekend in Le Bons Bay with my parents and my sister and her family. After the recent earthquake it was nice to get away to a different environment and to take some deep breaths of fresh, country air. We spent most of Saturday demolishing Mum and Dad's chimney which crashed in one piece onto their lawn and garden. It took lots of man power and machinery to break up the 22 year old brick work which had a clay pot lining and was solid filled with concrete as well. I did have some photos of this but yesterday Na'uli got hold of the camera and deleted everything on there including photos from the weekend and some shots that I was really pleased with from the last few weeks...grrrr.
On Sunday we all decided to have a day that did not involve anything to do with the 'E' word. The boys went flounder fishing and gathered some shell fish and the kids ran on the beach and flew their kites.

We fired up the barbie to cook the seafood and prepared some other tasty food in the campervan and sat in the sun to enjoy all this while the kids played on the playground. I had some funny shots of all the men sleeping in various places after lunch but thought they might be offended if I shared then here so I'll just share the few photos I do have left which are of the kids and that should be safe because they can't tell me not to!

Past Projects

  Needle felted gnome couple-my first and only needle felting projects.

Wardrobe Wednesday

Here's me one day last week. What with all the earthquake drama I can't remember when it was but glad I had taken the photo otherwise I probably wouldn't have got round to joining in this week (or I definitely would be in trackies and jacket with red eyes and it would be a blurry photo cos I'm shaking so much!)
Shoes-Number One shoes (don't wear them very often-not sure about them, what do you think?)
Leggings-Farmers
Skirt-Kmart
T shirt-Glassons
Hoodie-Warehouse...but it's extra cool cos on the back is this...

which was printed on there by Allie
Oh and Sofia is wearing pants from a garage sale and top from Trademe and a pretty crazy face!

My Home

This is one half of a wood carving that we brought back from Tonga-very talented craftsman.

Unfortunately I don't know his name to be able to give him credit.

Father's Day

Me with my Dad, through the years...

My girls with their Dad, at birth and more recently...

We love both these Dads and we're so grateful to have them in our life.

Happy Father's Day!

Stuffed Baked Potatoes

Last night for dinner I made these stuffed baked potatoes. I am a huge potato fan and love them cooked in every way possible but this is a particular favorite. I used Agria potatoes and they were ideal.
First get the potatoes in the oven (or microwave first to get them started)

Meanwhile I sautee onion and bacon...mmm that's one of the best smells in the kitchen

I finely shred some silverbeet (this coloured variety was from my garden), grate carrot and cheese.

As the onion and bacon softens add the carrot and silverbeet to wilt a bit.

When the potatoes are cooked scoop out the insides and add to the other ingredients along with the cheese and a decent grind of salt and pepper. Mash together and refill the potato skins. I then sprinkle a bit of paprika on the top.

Wonder what the Masterchef judges on the TV in the back ground would think of my cooking!! I think YUUUUMMM

I'm happy to eat these on their own as they're like a meal in themselves but I felt like I needed a bit of crunch so I added some sliced cabbage with this tangy dressing.