Chocolate Chippie Biscuits

Blair has been "complaining" about the biscuits I have been making. He really wants chocolate chippie biscuits and I didn't have a recipe. I know, for something so common! Well I most likely have but not here with me. So when I came across the "Women's Weekly Macaroons and biscuits" cook book/magazine, and the first recipe was the biscuits I knew I HAD to buy it. There was a small grumbling about why did I need another book, but once I made them all was forgiven. So of the batch there is only two left so I am guessing they are popular. I used chocolate and just broke up a huge bar of dark chocolate. I just love dark chocolate!

Chocolate Chippie Biscuits:

250 grams butter

1 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 cup sugar (the recipe says caster sugar, I just used normal and it was ok)

1 egg

2 and 1/4 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

375 gram of chocolate (I used a king size bar which is 250 grams and that was plenty)

Cream butter and sugar, mix in everything else. The mix is quite sticky and gooey. They spread quite a bit, so when putting on the trays give them room to grow. Oven about 180 degrees, bake for about 15 mins. Yum!!!!!!!!! They are very soft them they first come out, but they sort of harden up after a few minutes of cooling.

The best thing about being over at the beach is we always have people popping in to say hi, so the baking doesn't last too long, so I have to keep making stuff. And baking makes me pretty happy!

It is completely bucketing with rain today. I feel a bit sorry for the people camping in the section next to us. I am sure they will be wet as. Our bach is a tiny wee thing but at least it keeps this horrible weather out and right now we are pretty grateful. I am pretty confident it will be a stay at home and TV day.

Tx

Nutella Biscuits

I can across this amazing recipe the other night. It meant a special trip to the supermarket as we cant keep nutella in the pantry because I cant stop myself from pretty much eating it all in one go. When I walked in with it even Blair commented on how dangerous it was and did he need to buy more bread. Yes, ha ha smarty pants! Once they are out of the oven they need to cool, so the nutella doesn't run off, but Blair and a few of our family couldn't wait and ate a whole bunch so I don't have too many left to make into the layered biscuits. They are a bit messy to eat, but hey, nothing wrong with licking nutella off your fingers!

Nutella Biscuits:

1/2 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla essences

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

nutella

Cream butter and sugar and essence. Add egg, mix, add the rest of the ingredients. Make dough into a ball, wrap in gladwrap and put in the fridge for about 30 mins. Make small, even biscuits, place on tray. I made mine a lot small than I would make a normal biscuit. I thought since I was putting two together I didn't need such a big biscuit to start with.

Bake for about 10 - 15 in an oven on about 170 degrees.

Try and resist!

My sister-in-law is getting married in about a month and she wants buntings as part of the decorating. I made the first of 6 10 metre lengths she needs. It took me quite a bit longer than I thought. I was taking it nice and slow but still, wow! But I am rather happy with the outcome. One or two have a corners that didn't get as trapped between the tape as they should, but over all I am pleased. The best thing about this bunting was I used scraps from my bin. As I used each piece I though of where it came from, what I made, how it looked. So that was nice. And after the wedding I am getting this one back, I am going to hang it around Adele's room. I think that will be quite nice.

Well weather is turning today, forecast is for rain. It is rather windy at the moment with big dark clouds around. I am not too worried, a day out of the sun is probably a good thing. And!!!!! I ended up buying good old white for my quilt and I have put two whole rows together! I am finding it rather tricky making the 15 inch white squares as my cutting board is only 12 inch by 18 inch. So not a lot of room. Just taking it nice and slow. My plan is two rows a night. AND I brought the contrasting fabric for another quilt I am planning.

Nutella and quilt, what more could I wish for!

Tx

Merry Christmas and a bit of quilting

Merry Christmas to every one! I hope you had a wonderful few days. We had two days of Christmas and they were just fantastic. Great food, great company and all four of us were very spoilt. I feel very lucky.

Plus a few days before Christmas my "Make it Perfect" book arrived. HEAVEN! My friend has it, I have borrowed it a number of times. So I thought it was time to get my own. The author, Toni, does a great range of easy patterns. Perfect for the beginner sew. Simple yet explain every step so well. And still great for the more advanced sewer as they patterns are just so cool! I have quite a few. Plus, because I am such a geek, she was selling off the clothes used in the book, so I brought Adele the dress from the front cover. Bottom right. It looks very cute.

AND, now we are on holiday I have been doing some work on my, well our, quilt. I have finally sewn all the patterned blocks together. All 15 of them. On Wednesday I am heading into Spotlight to get the plain cotton to do the contrast blocks. All along I was planning white, but now I am thinking navy or another colour. I guess when I am standing in front of all the rows of fabric something will jump out at me. Well hopefully. We are away on holiday for two weeks, just over at the beach. I am planning on a bit of sewing, I usually bring my sewing machine with me, set up a wee corner and when I get the time quickly do a couple of rows. It is amazing how quickly something can come together even with a few minutes here and there. I want to get my quilt top done, maybe start this other one I have half cut out and make a few pieces of clothing for Adele. Not that she really needs anything but what they heck!

Right bring on New Years!!!!

Tx

Christmas Cake

Finally, I have made my Christmas cake. Lucky they keep so well and this one is so tasty that it really can be a New Years cake. We have been making this cake for a few year now, I am not a big fan of standard Christmas cakes. This one has chocolate and tastes a bit more like a fruit cake. I think because you don't soak the fruit for weeks the brandy flavour isn't so strong. I don't really like brandy. I also leave out the cherries and the walnuts. Don't like them either. So I am sounding a bit fussy, but hey it is my Christmas cake!

The recipe came from Dish magazine, 2009! Dish is great. It is NZ based so the ingredients are seasonal to New Zealand and there really isn't anything too strange. So most of the time the bulk of the ingredients are in the pantry. Sometime I find recipes and the ingredients are a little out there and you have to go and spends loads on stuff you may never use again. We had a subscription for Dish and it was awesome. I keep saying I must get another one but so far I haven't. I buy it all the time though. It is sort of like a sewing book, provides inspiration and lots of it!.

Brandied Fruit, Chocolate and Spice Christmas Cake:

500 grams dried fruit cake mix

250 grams pitted prunes

1 cup of grated apple

2 tablespoons of golden syrup

1 cup of brandy.

Leave in a bowl, turning every som often for up to three weeks. We usually leave it for a couple of days. But you can use it straight away. I think we did that last year and it still was yummy.

175 grams butter

3/4 cups of raw sugar

2 eggs

1 3/4 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoons ground nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and mixed spice

250 gram of dark chocolate

zest of one orange

3 tablespoons orange juice

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Cream butter and sugar, add eggs, beat. Combine all the other ingredients. Line a baking tin with three layers of baking paper and the pour mixture in. Place over the top a sheet of paper and press it into the mix.

The the baking tray just below half way, oven at 150 degrees and bake for approx two hours. Check at 1 and 1/2 hours. Cool in tin.

I am planning on putting together home make "sampler" boxes. So a bit of this, some fudge and a couple of types of biscuits. So today I want to make two batches of biscuits. Not too challenging I think. Oh and then house work, tidying, sorting, wrapping. Plenty of time!

Tx

Chocolate Peppermint Fudge

Still using my Christmas Kids baking book and now it is getting so close to Christmas I made Chocolate Peppermint Fudge. It smells so yummy. Currently in the fridge setting, I really cant wait to taste this. I licked the spoon of course and that was tasty. So guessing once hard it will so good. There is a lot of chocolate in it. I used all the correct amounts this time. I have to wait three hours!!!!!!!!!!!!

Chocolate Peppermint Fudge:

50 grams butter

395 grams (one tin) condensed milk

250 gram dark chocolate

100 gram of peppermint chocolate

Candy Canes for the top. I used about 6 small ones

Line your tin with paper. In a pot, on a very very low heat melt butter into the condensed milk. Stir, stir stir! Once the butter is all melted add in all the chocolate and stir until completely melted and combined. Pour into tin. Sprinkle over the tip crushed up candy canes. Done. Simple!

We have finished all our Christmas shopping, mostly likely have to do one more shop at the supermarket. But feeling pretty relaxed about it all. Only three sleeps to go! Wahoo!!!!

Tx

Christmas Tree cookies

I had a busy afternoon and made a forest of Christmas trees. AND I was very good and let the kids help me. Baking is one of those activities I know I should let the kids help me with, but because it is something I do to chill out, I find it hard to let the kids help me. Or else I am quickly chucking together something and want to do it fast. But I made an effort to let the kids help, cutting out the trees and icing them.

I used my book again. Certainly getting my money's worth from this book. It makes a whole heap, even not including the tray that I may have completely burnt. Oh dear! It was tray 5 I think, I just forgot about them.

Gingerbread Cookie dough:

125 grams of butter (I have made this twice and both times I have added extra butter, just a wee bit, it seems a bit dry otherwise)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup golden syrup

1 egg

3 cups flour

3 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Beat butter and sugar, add egg and golden syrup and mix. Add the rest of the ingredients. Mix well. Wrap in glad wrap and put in the fridge for a couple of hours. Roll dough out between two pieces of baking paper. I break mine into smaller pieces, Much easier to control. Cut with a cookie cutter. Bake in the oven for 175 degrees for bout 10 mins. Once cool, ice!

So I got up this morning to find the silver balls I put on the top of the trees missing, I believe a wee mouse aka Ryan came out of his room last night and took them.

I had a rest from sewing yesterday, I have managed to hurt my shoulder. This morning though it is feeling much better so I will get back into it today. Kids have a play date and then I have to work tonight so not a lot of free time.

Tx

WHite Chocolate Rocky Road

Oh My Gosh, this is amazing! This is meant to last until Saturday, Christmas with my family, but you know I just don't think it will!

It is from my Christmas Cooking for Kids book I brought a while back. Now I didn't quite make it to the recipe and to be fair it is melted chocolate with stuff in it. So I didn't have everything in the pantry and I really didn't feel like going to the shops. AND I thought I had the right amount of chocolate, but I didn't and whilst I would never so no to adding more chocolate, it still has come out mighty fine.

So this is my version

250 grams of Whitaker's White chocolate

1/3 cup of cranberries

1/2 cup of raisins

1 cup of white marshmallows cut into quarters

1/2 cup of cashew nuts

Melt into one big white chocolaty mess. Pour into a lined tin, put in fridge to set and try your best to wait for it to set

The real recipe had 400 grams of white chocolate and other dried fruits instead of the cashews up to a 1/2 cup. Oh and 6 mint leaf lollies. So I think that will be pretty fantastic too.

Poor Ryan, Adele is so happy to have him home she wont leave him alone. She is constantly hugging him and wanting to be with him. He on the other hand, wants to play with his toys and just have a bit of time to himself. The joy of a little sister!

Tx

Christmas table runner

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rl_OPPpXNLM

I hope this connected the link. I was randomly looking at various things on you tube, as you seem to do and I came across a quilt as you go table runner. Of course I thought a perfect project for some left over Christmas fabric. So by default it matches my Christmas bunting, how perfect!!!!! I have used this quilt as you go method before on a baby size quilt and it is pretty quick and simple. By watching this, it sort of reminded me about it. Last night I was up late (yes rock and roll on a Saturday night here) sewing the strips on my runner. It is not the straightest thing in the world, adds to its charm. This morning I did the binding, good old machine binding. All done! I love it.

Still loving my machine and trying to think of something to make tonight...

Tx

Another Party, new machine and Christmas Sewing

On the second to last day of school, Ryan received another party invitation. Just when I thought all the parties were over and done with. I asked Ryan what sort of things she like and straight away came back with fairies. So I made a peak-a-boo storage bag out of fantastic fairy fabric. The fabric looked pretty much the same as the party invite, so that was a pretty good fluke.

http://tonicoward.blogspot.com/2010/06/peek-boo-toy-sack-tutorial.html

I then made a bunting. Just a small one. The "string" is only a width of fabric. I got the bunting size template from www.activityvillage.co.uk.

And I fussy cut the fairies so they didn't end up headless of anything nightmare inducing!

Also on Friday I was allowed to go and pick up my Christmas present, my new sewing machine!!!!!!!! Gosh I love it so much. Is it o.k to love something so much without sound materialistic. But I really love it. So o.f course I had to try it out, and since I was in a bit of a bunting mood...

I spent the night making this. It is three metres long, used my template, needed twenty flags I think. It is very cute, hangs under the TV but above the fire place. When the kids woke up this morning and saw it they were rather excited. Well maybe not as much as me, but still, it is Christmas!

I am feeling right in the Christmas mood now. I want to make a couple of more things and then the kids Christmas outfits and then I can just play! I am just so excited about my new machine, have I said it enough!!!! But I really am!!!!!!

We have our coffee group Christmas BBQ tomorrow lunch time. This is our 6th Christmas BBQ now. So tomorrow there will be four of the original seven families. I think that is a pretty good group after that length of time.

Right must go sew!!!!!

Tx

Finished and bound

So again, up early, I made a good start on binding Adele's quilt. I thought I would have a go at machine binding.

http://crazymomquilts.blogspot.com/2011/11/one-way-to-machine-bind-quilt.html

Crazymomquilts is a great source of information on all things quilt like. As well as her, there is the http://tutorials.missouriquiltco.com/, and the tutorials are all little you-tube clips. The presenter lady is a good southern belle. I could listen to her accent all night. O.k. well I sort of did. Anyway, great tutorials.

So you can kind of see what I was up to last night, watching and reading all about quilting, as well as watching x-factor!

Right back to Adele's quilt, I found this red and white fabric tucked away in my fabric bin. I think it looks great, but I don't quite have enough so I had the quilt on the kitchen floor, I would look at it, pull other fabrics, put them away, look at it again. I came to the conclusion I have to wait til Spotlight opens and get some more of the fabric. Now the machine binding, it is way faster and I think it really will be a personal preference to as you like it or not. I like both ways and I think I will chop and change between the two. The key is to go very slow and steady.

Taking the kids to see Santa today, well if they behave, been right terrors this morning.

Tx

I think I can go back to bed

I have been up since about 6. This is pretty normal and does suit us quite well. With Christmas looming it is amazing how much I can get done now with no school run. Also having Ryan home from school means Adele has a play buddy.

So this morning I have made the above wrap, an order that came through late last night. I am loving the stripes! She is taking it over to Aust and they leave Sunday so it really was do it now or not at all. Whew!

I iced the cupcakes for Adele's kindy teachers. I did make them last night so I am not that amazing. We made our Christmas cards out of a picture from Ryan's numerous Santa pictures. They had him up until the third term so I hope they like that little touch. I was meant to make chocolate ones, but I have run out of cocoa and only noticed this once I had started, so a bit of a mess up. They taste good, and that is all that really counts.

AND I made my friends dress for her daughter. I had it all cut out and ready to go. This one is much better than Adele's. Just finished a bit nicer. Second time round always goes so much smoother.

I now have a bit of a sore shoulder, the plans for the afternoon though involve binding Adele's quilt which I have picked up. It might be the last one I get quilted in a while. It cost a lot. It does look amazing! But really I can keep spending money on quilting like this. I need to learn how to do a basic quilt. I have tried in the past but I found wrangling the quilt and the machine so frustrating and I could never get the back nice. But I have since noticed a lot of blogger who I think are amazing "just" so straight lines and have a few wrinkles and I still think they are amazing. Also I am making more and more quilts and rather quickly. It is starting to get out of control!

So, Blair you have it in writing, this is the last one! Well except the one I am doing for our bed. But any gift quilts, random ones made for fun or anything else, I will work out how to do it myself!

Tx

Christmas Dress

It is hard to believe Christmas is almost here. I haven't done as much Christmas crafting as I would have liked. Adjusting to having a school kid and a kindy kid, learning new time management for this and trying to keep on top for my Silly Goose orders. But this morning Blair was home and I had a couple of hours to "whip" up a dress for Adele. I went to Spotlight yesterday, a friend wanted me to make her daughter a dress, so we got sort of matching fabric and am going to make the same dress. Adele's is just trees, the friends has trees and owls. Of course this caused a very heated debate this morning when Adele changed her mind. She didn't win, she has trees.

The pattern is New Look 6796, I made dress B. Instead of a contrasting band I put a ruffle. I really like it. It is quite roomy so I expect it will be a tunic next year. Especially as it has the ties, there will be ample room next year. I hope.

Adele had her kindy show yesterday, Ryan has his chapel/carol evening tonight, just full on at the moment.

And of course I am my own worst enemy, I am planning on Christmas cookies for his class, a new dress for me and another sneaky quilt for next year. he he he

Tx

Sale

Tonight I am having a sale over on my Facebook page.

http://www.facebook.com/Sillygoosenz

Kids and adult merino, plus a few other bits and pieces.

Thanks

Tx

Madeline Skirt

I made one of these skirts, skirt C not shown, last summer and I have had so many compliments on it. One of my friends liked it so much she wanted one of her own. The other day a fabric store, that we quite like, was having a big sale. A couple of texts later we had plans to head there and buy the fabric for her skirt. She found a really lovely one, so lovely that myself and our other friend tried hard to talk her out of buying it so we could have it. (Joking of course)

The skirt is pretty simple, just a standard A-line. But it is the cute little pockets and the ruffle that make it look so lovely. The yoga band top makes it super comfortable. Especially this time of the year where all I seem to be doing it eating!

So that is all finished and ready to go to its new home. I hope she likes the finished product.

Tx

More Biscuits

I love Christmas! We have most of the shopping done, quilt being quilted, so now it is time for the food.

I came across this book and I had to buy it. Lots of great simple ideas for a bit of festive baking. So last night, after a day at work and kids tucked away in bed I started baking. Blair was watching the cricket and I was baking. I can't make biscuits without making a huge mess so once I had all the trays with their pretty little biscuits on them, I had about an hour to clean but all the flour and butter EVERYWHERE. I am mostly happy with how they have turned out. I should have used a bigger hole in the middle because as they cooked and rose a small bit, the hole closed in. The one I put a much bigger hole turned out the best.

Stained Glass Biscuits:

125 grams butter

1/2 cup caster sugar (I used standard sugar, was all I had and it was ok)

1 egg

1/2 cup golden syrup (I used honey)

3 cups of flour

1/2 teaspoon of baking powder

boiled lollies

Beat the butter and sugar, add egg. Add syrup, mix.. Then the flour and baking powder.

Tear off two pieces of baking paper, put the dough between the two sheets and roll the dough out til about 5mm thick. Cut the biscuits, I did circles but you really could do any shape. Cut out a

small shape out of the middle. I did circles, I didn't have many shapes. The book does stars and they look really cute. Put the tray with the biscuits on it into the fridge for about 30 mins.

Right after 30 mins, put crushed up boiled lollies into the hole, pop in the oven for about 10 mins, oven at 180 degrees.

On a different note, from my scraps I managed to get nearly all the squares I needed. I just need two more! I am pretty impressed. So now I am going to cut out the white squares and then do the wonky cutting. But first we have today. Blair's work puts on a great kids Christmas party and then my brother randomly asked if him and his girl-friend could take the kids to a show in Auckland. So that is this afternoon. So over tonight and tomorrow I want to finish my friends skirt (can't wait to share that because she has picked the most amazing fabric) and make Ryan a pair of shorts and well there is always projects to do!

Tx

Scrap busting!

I am like many other crafters out there and have a silly amount of fabric. I always intend to use it all. But some time it is the patterns fault and not mine. Some time they do ask for a heck of a lot more that is required, sometimes it is fabric I just must have and sometimes it is stuff I have brought for a project and just never made it. I was looking through my fabric chest and found some I had planned to make myself a dress out of, I still like it, but that was about two years ago. Still sitting there. Maybe this summer.

Anyway, I also buy too many books. I do take inspiration from them and hence this new idea I have for a quilt is a combination from two of my books. "Scrap Republic" and "Block Party". I have always wanted to make the wonky nine patch quilt, but being this close to Christmas I can't justify buying specific fabric for it. So I pulled out my fabric bins and I think I might just have enough to make a whole, rather large, scrappy, wonky nine patch quilt! Some of the fabrics are not what I would have put together by choice, but I am trying to be a bit adventurous with it as well. So a bit of a mix of colours and styles. I am going to team them with white. I am really liking the colours and white at the moment. I am doing the blocks a little smaller than the book. She did hers 12 inch to start, I am going to go with a 10 inch to start. I may have to make a couple of extras to make it a similar size. I am quite excited about it. I feel thrifty! lol. I was explaining it all to Blair, I am not sure if he heard a word I said, but he nodded his head and make the correct listening noises. Bless

Right time to get cutting!

Tx

New Shorts

Adele has made the choice not to pretty much wear any skirts. This has gutted me greatly. She has a whole heap of skirts. Even if she will wear a skirt within 5 mins it is off and replaced by leggings. I don't have a complete issue with leggings, but I love skirts. So in the effort to make a bit of a peace offering I made her some shorts. Now she tells me only boys wear shorts. And still has to have her leggings on. Oh well... Lucky I can make leggings I guess.

So here are the peace offering shorts, New Look 6473. It is super easy. I added a tiny ruffle to the bottom on them just to add a bit of length and make them a little less boring. All I did was cut a 2 inch band from the whole width of the fabric, iron in half (no hemming) and gather the heck out of it. There was a bit left over, so I think the width will work for a size 4, 5 and maybe a 6. I guess it depends on just how much you gather it. Done. The fabric is from my fabric box, from Spotlight during a sale, a year or so ago. It is pretty cute. I am hoping she likes them. They haven't come straight off so that is good and Blair has made all the right "Oh wow you are so cute" noises.

I brought (another) cook book, it is a Christmas goodies book. So I am hoping to make some things from it tonight when the kids are in bed. Sometimes you just want to cook by yourself. You know what I mean. And the first time can be a bit tricky without the kids wanting to help.

Almost kindy time, so better try and get some munch into her.

Tx

My new Wraps

A lady from my Play Centre asked me if I could make her something. I said yes. Pretty simple really. She had seen a merino wrap that she liked but wanted it a bit different, things a bit longer, wider and well different. This sounded like a great project to me and I came round and we started working on it straight away. I had about 100 other things to do but this sounded soooooo much more exciting, making my own pattern, trialing it on a real person other than my family. Wow and to be honest, I was just excited some one asked ME to do something.

So I did one, changed it only a little and now have my merino pouch baby wraps. They have been pretty popular so far. I have a small tweaking I want to do but overall I am pretty pleased with how they are. My sewing machine isn't all that keen on the many layers it has to sew through. But as I am starting to realise, I need a slightly more heavy duty one any way!

And well to be fair, her wee baby makes anything look cute! Man oh man, there are so many babies at Play Centre at the moment...YUM!!!

So I have a few listed over the place

http://www.etsy.com/listing/85672457/pink-swaddle-merino-wrap

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.273274322716413.67378.179838342060012&type=1

http://felt.co.nz/listing/69418/Green-with-Black-binding-100-NZ-Merino-Baby-pouch-Wrap

Plus I have some lovely stripe merino that I am planning to make into wraps too, they will be just lovely.

Anyway that's enough "selling" for one blog post.

I got some bad news today. The red rosebud is not wide enough for Adele's quilt and they believe that joining it wont be a good idea. So I have to either take the white boarder off or find a different backing. Gutted... I think it will be a new fabric as I just don't think I can take it apart, but I really love the red rosebud. I have to let them know by tomorrow.

Right time to go and look at fabrics for Christmas presents. Some times I think the best part about crafting is the fabric selection, I just love looking and planning.

Tx

Christmas fever

So firstly I have been working on my decoration swap run through New Zealand Handmade. The brief was something along the lines of a small decoration for the tree. Now I have no idea why but I looked and read the instructions for what I made and it is really not what I thought it would look like. Well it is what I thought it would look like just a little bit bigger than what I thought. I haven't put a hanging string on it as I don't really think it will hang in a tree. BUT, my kids love it and I know my swap partner has kids too so it might just end up being a little Christmas toy.

http://www.modabakeshop.com/2009/09/peppermint-swirl-pincushion.html

Above is what I made. I do really like it, I made it from my left over Flurry by Kate Spain. Now I have to make another two for my kids. And quickly too. My swap one keeps going missing, I find it hidden under their toys. But am posting it today, imagine if I lost it now!!

I have been working my butt off getting Adele quilt done. Last week I even took my sewing machine into a friends house so I could do sewing while Adele was at kindy instead of coming home, getting distracted and doing nothing. Both Friday night and Saturday was spent doing long straight sewing. My back was rather sore and I very much enjoyed my wine whilst watching the election results. (See a geek in soooooo many ways)

It is all finished now, taking it in to get quilted today. No idea if they will be able to get it all done in time or even how the Christmas dollar will stretch to pay for it, but when it involves kids we always seem to find a way. I guess the afternoon will be spent listing things on Etsy.

Wow, a very productive few days. I am so happy with my quilt top. It is the most involved quilt I think I have made and it the shortest time too. I just love being part of a quilt a long, so thanks to PS I quilt. She runs the most amazing quilt a longs. Her comments are always so nice and friendly. I only "know" her through her blog and this on-line quilt a long...but.... Adele is into Tinkerbell and one of the fairy's talks how she writes, so I always giggle when we are watching the DVD. A real American Southern sounding Belle. It is funny how you make a picture about a person from a few words!

Right, no rest here, I have biscuit mix in the fridge, should be ready. I brought a biscuit gun to make fancy biscuits. Adele and I were both rather excited, but the gun didn't really work so it is good old circles. Plus I have an order to finish and get in the post AND two Christmas cushions.

Tx

All laid out

My wee helper and I have been laying a quilt this morning. I have sewn together two rows. So it will be this size, plus two rows. I am pretty happy with the size and of course Adele is excited (or indifferent, but hey I am excited). I feel like I am starting to make some good progress. I am very much hoping to have it done this week so I can get it to the quilter this Friday or at the latest Monday. I know she is rather busy but I am really hoping since it is a Christmas quilt she might bump it up the list a little. I find once you get to this stage is races along a bit

I have been searching the net for some Christmas crafting ideas. Found a couple of things I think might be cool. Just a matter of finding time for it all at the moment. But I LOVE this one

http://www.prudentbaby.com/2010/12/ruffled-tree-skirt.html

Yes that's right a ruffle tree skirt, how awesome will that be!!!! And it looks pretty easy. Just got to go shopping for fabric.

Anyway must go play with Adele, I find that the hardest, getting the balance between family and making things for my family. I would love to spend all day making things for the kids, but I also love spending time with them.

No night out

As you can see my dress is still sitting where I left it. We didn't end up going out. Poor Ryan was so sick. He started vomiting about 6 in the morning, we cleaned him up and I had to go to work. Blair was at home looking after him and he still was vomiting off and on through out the day. The kids were going to stay with my parents who said "Go out, we don't mind looking after them". I rung to see how he was and Blair said much better, hasn't been sick for ages and has been eating. So I was feeling o.k about it all. When I got home he was fast asleep so we started getting things all sorted. I picked Ryan up to move him to the car and... vomit everywhere. Loads and loads of it. He didn't even wake up. It went all down my clothes, soaked me from chest to toes. So at this point we knew our little boy needed us to be home with him. Even fish and chips for dinner didn't even lift his spirits.

This morning he is back to his normal self. A bit slow and very hungry! But not vomiting so that is the best!Here is one of the blocks I have been working on, there is about 120 of them I think. I have about 20 to go I think. I am pretty sure I will be able to get some done today. After all my self imposed deadline is today. Not sure if I can meet that, but should be able to get a whole heap done.

Right off to do another load of washing, we used every single sheet and quilt with poor Ryan.

Tx

My Monique Dress

Tomorrow night our coffee group has its Christmas dinner. The mums and dads get together and go OUT for dinner, with NO kids. We usually go out a couple of times a year, plus us girls have a weekend away. And of course we catch up with the kids every Wednesday for coffee. I really wanted a new out fit so I made this dress today. The picture is pretty unflattering but it is a Monique dress by Boutique Chic. It is a 1950 (I think) inspired dress. I have used some old fabric I had from good old Spotlight. It is cream with tiny blue flowers over it, sort of vintage looking but of course not. I had to add an extra band other wise I am sure my undies would have been on display. I am quite happy with the dress. It is one of those amazing dresses that look great on any shape or size. Yeah, the more I look at the photo the more I don't like it, but honest the dress is really nice!

It was a rather time consuming dress to make. It has taken all day, with a good two hours no-stop this morning, plus it was all cut out and ready to go. I still have to hem it and I want to get some decoration to put on it tomorrow before dinner. I am not sure when that will happen as I have to work all day tomorrow. Plus I want to buy some new shoes to go with it. One wine tomorrow and I will be asleep!

I did get a whole heap done on Adele quilt, not many more retangles to sew up, so once I have them all done I will post. I think if I can get it done by Monday the quilter will be able to have it quilted in time. And OMG if you could see the state of my home you would know sewing has been full on, cleaning not so much.

Right time to sort dinner and maybe clean the kitchen. To be fair the kitchen has been the only place I have cleaned, but Blair brought some fresh bread that came covered in flour....so the kitchen benches, floor, everywhere is covered in flour. Man it tasted so good!!!!!

Right better get to it

Tx

I am baaaaccckkkk!!!!!!

I have been missing in action. But I have been a little rushed off my feet. Blair has been crazy busy at work and I did a couple of markets and had two big orders out of the blue. I haven't really been doing a whole lot of crafting other than going crazy sewing for markets. The markets haven't been overly positive but I am hoping it is just because it is summer here and merino is better known as a winter item. I am keeping positive for winter. Plus with the help of a friend I have come up with, well in my opinion, a cool baby wrap. I will post about it next time. I have sold a few of them, but I am really hoping a few more will leave me soon.

On the crafting front I finally got this one quilted. It had been sitting on my floor a while, waiting for the right moment. So I took it in thinking I could finish it and give it to my sister-in-law for her wedding. As per usual now I have it home I really love it. I tried in on Adele's bed and it is not really a single bed size, more of a "cuddle on the couch" size. It is so bright and happy I am not sure I will be able to part with it.

Plus the squares are not perfect so really I can't gift it...can I ;)

Tonight Blair has to work on his car so I am planning to get a whole heap of Adele's Christmas quilt done. I have made good progress. So I am crossing my fingers that tomorrow I will have so much to show you. I want to get it finished this week so I can get it into the quilter. Of course with it being a Christmas quilt it really needs to be all finished by 1 December to go on her bed. What can I say, I must love being busy he he he

Tx

Dorothy Dress

The wee lass that I dressed to match Ryan for their first kindy disco is now off to her first school disco. They don't go to the same school so there was no dressing them matching this time. But the theme for her school disco was Book Character (I think). I got a text asking if there was any chance to make a Dorothy dress. I will admit to having to google Dorothy as I wasn't 100% sure what she wore. I had a rough idea. Lucky for me Simplicity has a Wizard of Oz range. Simplicity 4139 is the kids version, there is also Dorothy in baby and adult. I don't know why but I thought I would be able to whip it up in the morning before kindy and then go for a run during kindy. But no, I am 90% finished. Just a hem and a bit of hand sewing to do. The dress has so much detail and the sleeves are amazing, even with ric rak heavenly!!!!!!!! I am so pleased with the dress, well apart from my zip putting in skills. I did mess it up a bit so I might have to get the dress back and fix it up. At this stage I really don't think I have time as the disco is tomorrow night and the kids are off to Blairs parents tomorrow for the weekend so I have packing and stuff to do. So apart from the zip I think the dress is perfect. Hopefully it lives up to the expectations of the Dorothy wannabe.

Adele has been eyeing it up so maybe this could be a good Christmas present for her.

Tx

Ten thousand biscuits!

O.K well not 10 thousand but close to it! I found a recipe on a blog, and do you think I can find it now, but on their page they said it was a pretty common biscuit recipe, I am going to post it but it isn't mine and I can't give credit, sorry. It did say it will make about 100 biscuits and usually I am a bit sceptical, maybe I make mine bigger than they should be or something. These pictures were all taken at the same time, so as you can see, about 100 biscuits! I had a bit of a feeling once I started making this that it could be a bit closer to the truth, the 4 and a half cups of flour sort of gave it away! I am feeling pretty pleased to have a double oven!

So here it is:

Sour Cream Biscuits

1 cup butter

1 and a half cups sugar

3 eggs

2 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup sour cream

Cream all together

4 and a half cups of flour (I did this in a couple of goes, I didn't think it would all fit in, it did but a close fit)

2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

Now it said to roll into a log and put in the fridge. I had mine in for about two hours and it didn't really change so if I make these again I am just going to tray the mix up straight away. About a teaspoon of mix into balls and on the tray. About 10 mins at 180 degrees. They should be nice and golden.

They are so light and fluffy and so many of them!!! Ryan has had about 4 already so they must taste pretty OK.

My machine is playing up again! I have been trying to fix a dress I made last summer but really I have made no head way as my machine is jumping and missing stitches. Very frustrating! Off to Spotlight to get new needles and if that doesn't work it is going no the trailer to the dump!!!! Yeah I may be a bit cross with it.

Tx

Almost finished one quilt, so starting another

Next block of the quilt a long, only two months to catch up on, one is three blocks and the other two, so I don't think will be too tricky to catch up on now. Weird though, this row was loads longer than the other rows, by about a block. No idea why, so looks like I will have to un-pick one and just make it a row of nine. Lets just say mine will be original.

A while back I talked about joining up the www.psiquilt.com quilt a long. Surprise, surprise I am running a little behind. With forgetting my quilting foot and while back and maybe getting a little side tracked last weekend with friends, I am busy today trying my best to catch up. I have cut up my layer cake, just have to do a whole bunch of white squares and with any luck will get on to sewing them all together tomorrow (or tonight...I CAN do it). The layer cake I picked is "Flurry" by Kate Spain and I brought it from The Fat Quarter Shop. I think they are dot com. But I am sure you can easily find them on google. So Flurry is Christmas fabric!!!!!! Only two months until Christmas and I have heaps of stuff I want to make. Christmas crafts is the only thing I can handle before December. I don't like seeing loads of adverting or malls decorated. Call me a bit of a Grinch, but come 1 December we go all out. With kids it is just too hard!

This quilt a long is so quick! Week one was all the cutting, week two is heaps of sewing, I think it is all done in a month! Whew! Hopefully I can get it into the quilter and have it back by 1 December! See how little waste there was from the layer cake. Rachel, the organiser, is so great at using every last bit. My postage Stamp quilt was done following her instructions too. I may just be a wannabe groupie!