Colour Swap 1

So back in September I entered into a blog colour swap. Each person was paired with one other. We told each other which colour we liked and posted out a parcel of goodies in that colour theme. I was paired with Tillie from She Waits For Whispers. This is what I sent to her:

Next post I will show what I received from Tillie.

Curried New Potatoes

As I think I have mentioned I LOVE potatoes, any which way. Here is a recipe for one way that I cook them. It is adapted from Alison Holst's Best Potato Recipes book

Saute 1 tsp curry powder and 1 chopped onion in 2T butter

Add about 6 medium new potatoes (chopped into chunks)

and 1 tsp instant chicken stock dissolved in 1/2 cup hot water (or you could use the real stuff)
Simmer gently for about 15 minutes. Add about 1/2 cup peas and 1/2 cup coconut cream.

 Simmer gently until potatoes are tender and sauce has thickened. Then if you like you can add 4-6 hardboiled eggs, roughly chopped.

If the sauce is a bit runny I add a bit of cornflour thickening.

This would probably be nice served on rice as a main dish but I usually serve as a side dish with sausages or other meat.

Earlier this week we were surprised to find a parcel in the mailbox. It was from Clare. Inside were two beautifully hand made patchwork doll's blankets. Clare had kindly decided to thank me, for giving her daughter this knitted food, by making these lovely blankets fro my girls' dolls.

Pretty fabrics...

Beautiful button detail on the back...

New Doll and Polly on their new blankets "in the car seat"

One very proud owner of the a new doll's blanket...

A perfect match for a little wooden pram...

Thanks Clare:)

Four Seasons-Mid Summer

I am enjoying reaping the rewards for the effort I have put into my little garden since Spring.

Tight, crunchy cabbage in purple...

and green...

These groovy potatoes (Purple heart or purple passion) which even stay purple when cooked...

Butter beans-just a small crop but first time I've tried them in my garden...

Yellow courgette, almost ready...

Runner beans climbing high and flowering now...

The first few cherry tomatoes have ripened...

And my one and only precious peach...

The tree was healthy for a start then got quite sick but still managed to produce two little fruit. I was watching them carefully and trying to divert the girls' attention away from them, which worked until last week when Na'uli picked one when it was about a week away from being ready!!! The one that we did get to eat was so sweet and had such a beautiful flavour. Fingers crossed for more next year.

For more seasonal goodness visit Lou at Seaside Siblings

A Bit of Baking

Here's a couple of things I have baked this week...
A sponge cake filled with whipped cream and lemon honey/curd (for no other reason than to use some lemon honey I had in the fridge)

Sofia thought there really should have been a birthday to go with the cake!

Perfect with a cuppa

Vanilla cupcakes with strawberry icing for my niece Willow's birthday

Pay It Forward 2011-Re-post

I promise something handmade to the FIRST 5 people who leave a comment here. However, to be eligible, you must repost this message, offering something handmade to 5 other people. The rules are that it must be handmade by you, and it must be sent to your 5 giftees sometime in 2011. Ready, set, GO!

Note:
Seeing as I only got one response(thanks Clare!) to my last post about Pay-it-forward I thought I'd put it out there again. Will make the game more interesting if I have a few people to post to!
And please do only post if you REALLY intend to pay it forward. Last year I entered into several blog swaps, sent out pretty decent parcels and didn't receive anything in return:( Not really fair to the people who do put in the effort I reckon

Further Savings and a new listing in my Felt shop

The time has come again to relist the items in my Felt shop. I decided to futher reduce the prices. They really are an absolute bargain now for baby wear that is lovingly handmade from natural materials (wool and cotton). If you need a wee gift for a new baby you know or if you're having a baby yourself please pay a visit to my shop.This is the range available

I have also just listed this wee doll's cardigan, shown here on Sofia's Waldorf doll. It would be suitable for a doll of approx. 16 inches high

Four Seasons-Summer

Happy New Year followers!

I'm a day late for Lou's Four seasons but we've just come back from our camping holiday and I'm slowly getting back into the daily routines. Summer for me is definitely about going camping-living in the outdoors, barbequeing, toasting marshmallows on the fire, swimming and puddling about in the river, relaxing under the shade of the trees, spending time together as a family and with extended family and visiting new places. This year we camped at Quinneys Bush in Motupiko, south of Nelson then at Havelock. Both places had rivers/streams for the children to puddle in which was a real hit. We only had one day of rain so counted ourselves pretty lucky.

For more Summer fun in the sun visit Seaside Siblings

Pay It Forward 2011

I promise something handmade to the FIRST 5 people who leave a comment here. However, to be eligible, you must repost this message, offering something handmade to 5 other people. The rules are that it must be handmade by you, and it must be sent to your 5 giftees sometime in 2011. Ready, set, GO!