Happy Easter

Hoping your having a lovely Easter and enjoying a hot cross bun....or two!

YUM

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The Sketchbook Project 2012

Sketchbooks for the 2012 Sketchbook Project have to be post marked by 31st January and I've finished just in time!......phew.
The theme I chose was TREE HOUSE.


I've always loved the idea of living in a tree house in one of those amazing Morton Bay Fig Trees with the crazy big roots.  It would be like living in "The Faraway Tree" (but with all the mod-cons, of course).

Morton Bay Fig Tree, Sydney

  Anyway.... below are the little artworks that went into my sketchbook.  I love using ink and making mixed media collages.  I like gathering up all sorts of bits and bobs - that on their own might not be that interesting, but put them together make and they make something unique.

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A Sing-Song & Some Shortbread

Yesterday my sister and I vistited our Nanna at her nursing home and we took her along to their Carols for Christmas evening.  It was so much fun and there was such a big turn-out (over 100 residents and family members).  

In between songs there was a lovely lady handing out homemade shortbread.  It was so delicious (I've been on a mission to find an awesome shortbread recipe for ages) so we plucked-up and asked for the recipe.  She was more than happy to oblige and said that it came on the side of the rice flour box!

So carrying on with her Christmas spirit I thought I would share the recipe with you here too....

Traditional Shortbread

115g Rice Flour

225g Plain Flour

115g Caster Sugar

1 pinch Salt

225g Butter

Directions

• Sieve flour, rice flour, sugar and salt into a bowl.
• Rub in butter and knead until smooth paste forms.
• Turn onto floured board, roll out to 1 - 1.5 cm thick and make bars or shape as desired, prick with a fork.
• Place on cold greased tray, sprinkle with some extra caster sugar, cook in a slow oven 140-150°C (300°F) 45 minutes to 60 minutes, until pale brown.

Enjoy!.....let me know how you like them.

P.S:  How cute are those shortbread molds that have pretty traditional pictutes on them like thisles and flowers - I want one!

....Happy Baking X

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My Weekend

I had the best weekend filled with some of my favourite things....

Sewing up a storm making lots of Christmas pressies.
Wrapping up all of those pressies
Baking batches of gingerbread men....so cute
Coffee with my Nanna and Sister
Hanging out with my fur babies and decorating the house

- LOVE it

what did you get-up to this weekend?




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Christmas Swap Time - Part 2

After this weekend I am officially in a festive mood!  I finished making the Apron for my Secret Santa Swap partner.  I really enjoyed making this apron and gathering up an array of fun, tasty, Christmassy "tuck-in's"  I hope my partner likes her goodies......

Now......what other Christmas type activities can i get get up to??  Ah....I LOVE this time of year! 

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honey, honey

Today I had a hankering for HONEY JOYS!  So I gave-in and made the biggest batch ever (to share of course).  They have been one of my favourite treats since I was little and I still love 'em.

So you too can enJOY some of these scrummy babies, I've included the recipe below (yay)....

Honey Joys

90g butter or margarine
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon honey
4 cups Corn Flakes

Preheat oven to 150°C.

Line 24 hole patty pan with paper cases.

Melt butter, sugar and honey together in a saucepan until frothy.

Add Corn Flakes and mix well.

Working quickly spoon into paper patty cases.

Bake in a slow oven 150°C for 10-12 minutes.

Cool.  
  




www.kelloggs.com.au 
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Foxy Swap ;) - Part 2

I had so much fun this weekend making my decorations for the Small Fox 3rd Annual Ornament Swap!

I made some "Love" & "Dove" tree decoration, using felt,  LD fabric, and of course a little bit of glitter to give them that Christmassy sparkle....>>>

on the tree...

 all packed-up 

and ready 

to go....yay! 

xxx

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Christmas Swap Time

Yay......I can't wait to do this swap! 

1. At LEAST One Handmade Item
2. Something to Read (book, magazine, poem)
3. Something for the Tree (garland, ornament, topper, skirt)
4. Holiday Goody (candy, cocoa, tea, coffee, chocolate)
5. Challenge: Include one gift for each letter needed to spell out a word from the season (SNOW, JOY, FAITH, LOVE, HOPE, GIFT, TREE, JESUS, STAR, SANTA, etc). We did this last year and it was SO MUCH FUN! Of course, the perfect gift for an "A" is an APRON.

Shawnee has requested that participants answer her questionnaire to help out out swap partner.....so here are my answers...

Shawnee's Secret Santa Swap Questionnaire

1.  What are your hobbies?

Sewing, Cooking,

2.  What are your favourite colours? –

Pink, Lilac, White, Taupe, Aqua, Melon, Aubergine

3.  Do you collect anything?

 Not really

4.  Are you allergic to any fibres or animals?

 No

5.  Do you have any pets?

Yes!  two gorgeous fluffy doggies, Daisy & Hugo.

6.  Coffee, Tea, or Chocolate?

All of these!

7.  What do you like to read?

Classics

8.  Do you prefer Cookies or Candies as a sweet?

Candies

9.  What is your favourite holiday treat?

 mmm so many - probably gingerbread

10.  Describe your favourite holiday tradition.

Sitting around the tree and opening our gifts

11.  Did you believe in Santa as a child?

Yes!

12.  When do you open presents?

We have a European background so half of our family’s pressies are opened on Christmas Eve and the other half on Christmas Day.

13.  Do you put up a tree and when?  If not, how do you celebrate?

I love putting up our tree - it's HUGE.  We decorate the tree and house on the 1st December so we can get the most enjoyment out of all our effort!

14.  Does your tree have a theme?

Yes, each year we have a different theme - this year I'm thinking maybe red & white

15.  What has been your favourite gift to give?  to receive?

My favourite gift to give is something that's hard to find or something special from overseas. I love receiving gifts that someone has put a lot of thought and love into especially for me.

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