Christmas Baking

I finally found my baking mojo this week! The biscuit crumbs have been flying and melted chocolate splattering. This is what I have made so far...

Reindeer Cookie Ball Pops

They have a ginger filling. I would recommend them but found it very difficult to cut the pretzels into antler shapes

It wasn't until I had only a couple left to do that I realised the antlers should face inwards (so they wouldn't look like mice!)

Oreo Cookie Balls

I tasted these made by someone else. A peppermint version can be found here. I used that recipe but omitted the candy canes. These are SCRUMPTIOUS.

Chocolate Licorice Truffles

Very nice if you like licorice

Fudge Tree Pops

This recipe was in Better Homes and Gardens Magazine December 2011

Odd-Fellow Roll

Very easy, very yummy.

White Chocolate Truffles

These were far too sticky to roll so I added biscuit crumbs. They have a toasted hazelnut in the centre.

This recipe was also in Better Homes and Gardens Magazine December 2011

A little bit Christmassy

It's starting to get a little bit Christmassy here.

Our tree is up...

And a little Christmas display...

Including a lovely bunting made by Stitchery

Look at these cute felted Christmas decorations I bought from Jingle bugs on Felt

And a pretty ceramic heart from a little white box which will join my heart collection after Christmas

Things I'm loving...

I am loving the garden that I inherited with our new house. The vege garden in particular at this time of the year.

Broad beans

New potatoes

A tunnel house of tomatoes (had been let go a bit but my good ole Dad got it tidied up)

And a place for my little islanders to try their hand at growing taro

A selection of beautiful roses

I'm very grateful to the previous owners for the hard work they have put in to establishing this wonderful garden.

Mid Week Meal Idea: Lu Sipi and Lu Pulu

This is a very traditional Tongan meal

Taro leaves laid out in layers...

A handful of diced meat-sipi(lamb) or pulu (beef)...

A handful of diced onion...

 A few tablespoons of coconut cream (traditionally freshly squeezed)...

 Wrap all leaves into the middle to enclose the meat, onions and cream...

Wrap in a tinfoil parcel (traditionally would be banana leaves)...

 Place parcels in a roasting dish...

and bake in the oven (traditionally umu) at a medium heat until meat is tender...

Green

Well we have been in our new house for 6 days now and we're absolutely loving it.

 It is so nice to look out the windows and not see a fence or another house.

View out the dining room window...

View out the kitchen window...

 View out the lounge window...

View out the bedroom window...

Nothing and Heaps of Things

Clearing, cleaning and packing is in full swing (hence the lack of posts here recently)

Our walls are now bare...

And the garage is chocka-block of boxes and bags...

Moving day is Friday.

Still lots to do.

More Stitch Markers

Ok so I probably didn't need two sets but when I starting looking on Etsy there were so many cute stitch markers it was too hard to choose just one. Sofia chose these ones from WeeOnes Creations.

Stitch Markers

Look at these cute little stitch markers that arrived in the post today...

I bought them from fripperies & bibelots on Etsy. There are so many on Etsy that it was very hard to choose.
For those that don't know these are used when doing knitting on circular needles to mark the places that you need to make increases.
I have ordered another little set too so will show you them when they turn up.

Wardrobe Wednesday

Just for a break in the major lack of posts here lately I thought I'd do a Wardrobe Wednesday. Being back at work each morning I've had to make a few changes to my wardrobe mainly because I live in jeans at home and I'm not allowed to wear jeans to work.

Pants from Portmans

Top and Jacket from Just Jeans

Boots from Street Legal

Necklace from Postie

I dropped my camera after taking the first picture and broke the zoom thing so had to take the other photos on my phone so they're a bit blurry:(

Out with the old and in with the new

You might remember me writing a few weeks back about the possibility of buying a new home...well now it has happened. As of Wednesday our house is sold and as of yesterday we have bought a new house and some land. We now have four weeks to get everything organised and packed so we are ready to move on November 18th.

This is the house we have sold.

It is a special house as it is the first house we owned. We have lived here for 7 years. When we moved in it was just the two of us. It was a huge move from an old 2 bedroom flat to a brand new 3 bedroom house. We worked hard to pay off a good chunk of the mortgage before we started our family. This is where we bought our new babies home to. It was Sofia and Na'uli's first home. We have created a lovely garden, a nice environment for our children to play in. There have been lots of happy and fun occasions at this home as well as some sad ones. We have celebrated birthdays, shared meals with friends and family, hosted nephews and nieces, sisters, parents and friends. In this house we have recuperated from illnesses, mourned the loss of Paula's mother and survived the thousands of earthquakes that have rocked our city over the last year.

This has been a great house and we have created many memories here.

Now it is time for a change, the next step in our journey.

This is the house we have bought.

We wanted somewhere that was close to town for work but far enough away to feel like we were in the country. We wanted some land so we can have animals, plenty of sheds to store our company vehicles and materials, more vege garden, more bedrooms and overall more space and freedom...we think this fits the bill.

So here goes...hopefully lots more happy times will be had at the new house and more happy memories made.

Latest Knitting Projects

This is what I have been working on most recently.

This darling little tunic top is a gift for the daughter of Sofia and Na'uli's Porse carer (who looks after

them while I'm at work)...

 For the shop

Another one of my favourite baby styles....

 A little garter stitch jacket with pockets...

For keeps (in hope of one day having a little boy to dress up)

A simple little vest...

I loved this colour and the wool is so soft, perfect for a newborn...

And I had some pre loved buttons in just the right colour to match...

Some of these items are now available in my Felt shop