It's hard to believe that this young woman is my youngest daughter. It seemed to just happen over night she went from a young girl to a young woman. The days are long but the years are short, such a true statement.
Monday, May 7
Monday, October 17
Bib, Burp Cloths and Beets
The girls had a student free day today and my hubby decided to take the day off too, it was so nice to have a long weekend together it should be a long weekend every weekend I think. Life is always so busy that every chance to relax is one we like to take so it was good to have another day at home. The lawn got mowed so the yard looks neat and tidy now, just in time for the girls to go outside and play together.
We had lamb with rosemary and garlic and roasted beetroot picked straight from the garden.
This weekend I sewed and sewed bibs and burp cloths for babies arriving soon, I love newborn babies. It reminds me though my little niece isn't so little anymore, she'll be one on Sunday so there is no more procrastinating I need to sew the Poppy doll, wish me luck♥
Tuesday, October 11
Seeing Green
Zucchini ripe for picking and eating for dinner tonight
Celery which is taking ages to grow
Potatoes
Mint and basil
A much needed cup of tea
And a cute invitation for my niece's 1st birthday party.
♥
Saturday, February 6
A bit of this and a bit of that!
I'm sorry I've been a bad blogger this week and haven't posted but I'm back today and I have pictures to show you. So how has your weekend been so far?
So far so good on the productive front! I did my housework today not very exciting but I'm a bit of a fuss pot and like to do it all once a week and I'm pedantic enough that I like to do it on a certain day too. I know I get told all the time that it doesn't matter it will still be there tomorrow but I love routine so it suits me. And then it was outside and into the garden. I finished planting my seedlings, finally and have only lost a few to the heat but it felt good to get out and get dirty. My friend gave me some organic corn seeds which I thought I would give a try so they are in the garden too. I usually buy seedlings so I hope that my wish for a garden of fresh organic veges works. As I type they are getting a good watering in from the rain so they are getting a good start.
A week ago I shared with you some mango seeds, care of my bestie friend, that I was trying to sprout in some water, well here is the result.
So today I planted them into a pot and put them in full sun so cross fingers I might have a mango or two to plant in the ground.
One of my regular blogs to visit, Mel at Day to Day, did a post a while ago on making your own dish washing liquid. It seemed quick and easy and I wanted to give it a go. I bought some of the ingredients at my local health food shop as well as having the vinegar already in the cupboard at home.
It doesn't soap up at all but it seems to get everything clean and smells fresh with the lemon essence, mine is a bit strong because it kind of came out a bit quick when I was making it but I love citrus smells so it doesn't matter. Check out her post for the recipe.
With the girls back at school I got back into the kitchen and made a couple of yummy things to put in their lunch boxes, Chocolate Cherry Slice out of the Super Food Ideas magazine and Apple Banana Bread out of the Woman's Day.
Here are the recipes for you to give a try, the Chocolate Cherry Slice was a favourite but the girls enjoyed eating both of them which is great because Miss 6 can be a bit lets say, choosy when it comes to food.
Chocolate Cherry Slice (Makes 24 pieces)
1 cup plain flour
½ cup self-raising flour
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
⅔ cup caster sugar
1 cup desiccated coconut
100g red glace cherries, chopped
200g butter, melted
½ teaspoon vanilla extract desiccated coconut, to serve
Chocolate Icing
1½ cups icing sugar mixture
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
50g butter, softened
2 tablespoons boiling water
1. Preheat oven to 180°c /160°c fan forced. Grease a 3cm deep, 16cm x 26cm slice pan. Line with baking paper, allowing a 2cm overhang at long ends.
2. Sift flours and cocoa into a large bowl. Stir in sugar, coconut and cherries. Make a well in centre. Add butter and vanilla. Stir to combine. Press mixture into prepared pan. Bake for 20-25minutes or until a skewer inserted in centre comes out clean. Cool completely in pan.
3. Make chocolate icing - Sift icing sugar and cocoa into a bowl. Add butter and boiling water. Stir until smooth. Spread icing over cooled slice. Sprinkle with coconut. Set aside until icing has set. Cut into pieces and serve. You can store slice in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Apple Banana Bread
125g butter, chopped, at room temperature
3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 ½ cups self-raising flour
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
½ cup very ripe mashed banana (about 1 large banana)
2 small green apples, peeled, cored, chopped
1/4 cup milk Butter, to serve
1. Preheat oven to moderate, 180°c. Lightly grease a 10 x 20cm loaf pan. Line base and sides with baking paper.
2. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
3. Sift flour and soda together. Fold banana, 3/4 of apple, milk and flour mixture into creamed mixture until combined.
4. Pour into pan. Sprinkle with remaining apple. Bake for 55-60 minutes, until cooked when tested with skewer. Cool in pan for 5 minutes before turning onto a wire rack to cool completely.
5. Serve spread with butter. *Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week. This cake can also be frozen.
I hope you are having a good weekend whatever you are up to.
Take Care
Smiles Catherine xo
So far so good on the productive front! I did my housework today not very exciting but I'm a bit of a fuss pot and like to do it all once a week and I'm pedantic enough that I like to do it on a certain day too. I know I get told all the time that it doesn't matter it will still be there tomorrow but I love routine so it suits me. And then it was outside and into the garden. I finished planting my seedlings, finally and have only lost a few to the heat but it felt good to get out and get dirty. My friend gave me some organic corn seeds which I thought I would give a try so they are in the garden too. I usually buy seedlings so I hope that my wish for a garden of fresh organic veges works. As I type they are getting a good watering in from the rain so they are getting a good start.
A week ago I shared with you some mango seeds, care of my bestie friend, that I was trying to sprout in some water, well here is the result.
So today I planted them into a pot and put them in full sun so cross fingers I might have a mango or two to plant in the ground.One of my regular blogs to visit, Mel at Day to Day, did a post a while ago on making your own dish washing liquid. It seemed quick and easy and I wanted to give it a go. I bought some of the ingredients at my local health food shop as well as having the vinegar already in the cupboard at home.
It doesn't soap up at all but it seems to get everything clean and smells fresh with the lemon essence, mine is a bit strong because it kind of came out a bit quick when I was making it but I love citrus smells so it doesn't matter. Check out her post for the recipe.With the girls back at school I got back into the kitchen and made a couple of yummy things to put in their lunch boxes, Chocolate Cherry Slice out of the Super Food Ideas magazine and Apple Banana Bread out of the Woman's Day.
Here are the recipes for you to give a try, the Chocolate Cherry Slice was a favourite but the girls enjoyed eating both of them which is great because Miss 6 can be a bit lets say, choosy when it comes to food.Chocolate Cherry Slice (Makes 24 pieces)
1 cup plain flour
½ cup self-raising flour
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
⅔ cup caster sugar
1 cup desiccated coconut
100g red glace cherries, chopped
200g butter, melted
½ teaspoon vanilla extract desiccated coconut, to serve
Chocolate Icing
1½ cups icing sugar mixture
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
50g butter, softened
2 tablespoons boiling water
1. Preheat oven to 180°c /160°c fan forced. Grease a 3cm deep, 16cm x 26cm slice pan. Line with baking paper, allowing a 2cm overhang at long ends.
2. Sift flours and cocoa into a large bowl. Stir in sugar, coconut and cherries. Make a well in centre. Add butter and vanilla. Stir to combine. Press mixture into prepared pan. Bake for 20-25minutes or until a skewer inserted in centre comes out clean. Cool completely in pan.
3. Make chocolate icing - Sift icing sugar and cocoa into a bowl. Add butter and boiling water. Stir until smooth. Spread icing over cooled slice. Sprinkle with coconut. Set aside until icing has set. Cut into pieces and serve. You can store slice in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Apple Banana Bread
125g butter, chopped, at room temperature
3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 ½ cups self-raising flour
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
½ cup very ripe mashed banana (about 1 large banana)
2 small green apples, peeled, cored, chopped
1/4 cup milk Butter, to serve
1. Preheat oven to moderate, 180°c. Lightly grease a 10 x 20cm loaf pan. Line base and sides with baking paper.
2. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
3. Sift flour and soda together. Fold banana, 3/4 of apple, milk and flour mixture into creamed mixture until combined.
4. Pour into pan. Sprinkle with remaining apple. Bake for 55-60 minutes, until cooked when tested with skewer. Cool in pan for 5 minutes before turning onto a wire rack to cool completely.
5. Serve spread with butter. *Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week. This cake can also be frozen.
I hope you are having a good weekend whatever you are up to.
Take Care
Smiles Catherine xo
Wednesday, November 11
Produce and Productivity!
Hi there! Today I had a quiet day with Miss 5 at home with a bit of a temp. She played quietly and was in good spirits so I'm not sure why she has a temp, maybe she is getting cold and just feeling run down since it's almost the end of school and it's a lot for a little person to go everyday.:( So my productivity wasn't today but was last night. The first card I have to share is one I made for my brother who recently just finished his second apprenticeship and I wanted to let him know how proud we all were of him! 
The second card is for my sister in law who is celebrating a birthday this month and her favourite colour is green so I incorporated that into the card. Also the CAS challenge this week on Splitcoast was to use white and one other colour so I thought I would give it a go, I really liked the challenge.
At home I have just a small vegetable garden that I look after but not nearly as much as I should but with all the lovely rain that we have had here lately the veges are doing really well. I went down today to check on my zucchini plants and found this specimen as well as some tiny capsicums. I always get excited to see these veges growing in my back garden, it's so much fun. And I just thought I would show you the eggs I collected from my girls today, we've got three hens and had them for almost two years so I get 3 eggs every two days. We have more than enough and a bit extra to share with neighbours and my hubby's work mates.
Thanks for stopping by, I love it when you come to visit!
See you all again soon.
Smiles Catherine xox
Materials (Male)
Cardstock: SU Kraft, SU Very Vanilla, SU Chocolate Chip
Ink: SU Chocolate Chip
Stamps: SU Polka Dot, SU Say it with Scallops
Accessories: SU Jumbo Eyelets, SU Twine, Brown Grosgrain Ribbon, Nestabilities, SU Distresser Kit, SU Mat Pack, Hammer Embellishment, Dimensionals
(Female)
Cardstock: SU Whisper White, SU Old Olive
Ink: SU Craft White
Stamps: Baroque Motifs
Accessories: SU White Grosgrain Ribbon, SU Felt Fusion, Kaiser Pearls, Dimensionals
The second card is for my sister in law who is celebrating a birthday this month and her favourite colour is green so I incorporated that into the card. Also the CAS challenge this week on Splitcoast was to use white and one other colour so I thought I would give it a go, I really liked the challenge.
At home I have just a small vegetable garden that I look after but not nearly as much as I should but with all the lovely rain that we have had here lately the veges are doing really well. I went down today to check on my zucchini plants and found this specimen as well as some tiny capsicums. I always get excited to see these veges growing in my back garden, it's so much fun. And I just thought I would show you the eggs I collected from my girls today, we've got three hens and had them for almost two years so I get 3 eggs every two days. We have more than enough and a bit extra to share with neighbours and my hubby's work mates.
Thanks for stopping by, I love it when you come to visit!
See you all again soon.
Smiles Catherine xox
Materials (Male)
Cardstock: SU Kraft, SU Very Vanilla, SU Chocolate Chip
Ink: SU Chocolate Chip
Stamps: SU Polka Dot, SU Say it with Scallops
Accessories: SU Jumbo Eyelets, SU Twine, Brown Grosgrain Ribbon, Nestabilities, SU Distresser Kit, SU Mat Pack, Hammer Embellishment, Dimensionals
(Female)
Cardstock: SU Whisper White, SU Old Olive
Ink: SU Craft White
Stamps: Baroque Motifs
Accessories: SU White Grosgrain Ribbon, SU Felt Fusion, Kaiser Pearls, Dimensionals
Friday, October 9
Green
I promised you the other day that I would show you some of my favourite things that are green. The first are these lovely pieces of untouched broccoli, the last that remained after the caterpillars had enjoyed the rest. There was no hints of any caterpillars hidden in the broccoli that I had grown all by myself, gee I was so proud to have successfully grown a larger type of vegetable. I had planted half a dozen of the broccoli, I cut the two healthy remaining broccoli and took them upstairs, looking forward to giving them to my family. I washed them and started to cut them up. I had pretty much finished cutting up the broccoli and had them sitting in the steamer ready to cook when I came to cutting another piece off and to my surprise here was a green caterpillar. I thought I had better check the rest of the broccoli before I cooked it to serve to my family and there were at least six caterpillars in the broccoli. I was pretty shocked because I didn't see them they were so camouflaged and because I was going to give my family this lovely healthy dinner of broccoli and green caterpillars! I cleaned the broccoli again and threw out the pieces with the caterpillars on it and steamed up some of the remaining but all we ended up eating was a piece each at the table ever so gingerly, it was really funny and it did taste nice the little bit we ate.(lol)
My other favourite bit of green I enjoy looking at each day would have to be these beautiful rainbow lorikeets. They stop by to visit my feeder each day and they always make me smile.
Thanks for stopping by!
Smiles Catherine xox
Tuesday, September 8
How does your garden grow....
With lettuce, cauliflower,corn and shallots all in a row! I thought I would share what I am growing in my garden at the moment tomatoes, lettuce, corn, cauliflower, broccoli, dwarf beans, shallots and some herbs. I am not a green thumb and I think partly the healthy growth is due to timing in the planting, some sunny days and the rain, and also the garden beds needed to be replenished so my hubby put in some mushroom compost which I think has been really good for the plants. Now I look forward to eating the rewards but hope that the caterpillars don't get to them first.(lol)
The other day I saw Mel's photo of the little wren on her blog so I thought I would try and get a photo of one of our little residents, boy are they quick and hard to photograph so this is my effort. I hope you are enjoying your day. Bye for now. Smiles Catherine xox
Thursday, May 7
Just a nice day at home!
Today the girls have the day at home because they have a holiday here where we live so I thought it would be nice to do a bit of cooking. After being inspired by Melissa I decided that making Honey Joys would be quick and easy for the girls to do with me and an easily shared experience. I also thought I would show off my lemons that I grew. Miss 5 kindly went and picked them for me, the first I have ever grown, so I can make some pancakes with lemon juice and sugar for lunch. Not healthy I know but very tasty. I have some cards to post so I will be back later tonight. Bye!
Smiles Catherine
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