A whole lot of hoopla

I have finished a few embroideries and simply hung them in their hoops on the wall. The 'peacock garden' above is from Kristen Doran. It was my first attempt of embroidery and I was hooked. I actually did this one months ago and it's been waiting for me to work out what to do with it. Rather than have it sitting in the cupboard, I put it back into the hoop and blue-tacked it to the wall.



This is my finished 'teepee girl' She has been packed up with the rest of the Christmas decorations



This is my finished vintage girl. She now hangs in our playroom.



This is my finished birthday artwork. Miss Moo Moo's picture that she drew for her brother's sixth birthday.



And here is what my creative space is looking like this week. I love this idea that I saw on 'mousehouse' a few weeks ago.

If you want to see some more creative spaces, go over to kootoyoo and be inspired.

Some arrive and some depart

Today I have spent the morning bundling up all the dolls and softies ready to be sent to their new homes. Each one has been packed up with a special little note.

Val, Jen, Karen (House of Wilson), Megan (Olive and Esther) and Tat, your softies have been posted to Theodore today.



The rest have been sealed in zip-lock plastic bags (sorry little dollies) and are boxed up ready to go. Twenty-five of them will be going to the ladies at the Toowoomba C.W.A in about 3 weeks time.

And.... more dolls are still arriving. Thank-you ladies, you are so very generous!

Little works of art!

Some more doll arrivals for the Queensland Flood Appeal Dolly Drive. Thank-you Ceila. I love these two gorgeous dolls.



Very detailed embroidered faces.



Cute re-purposed outfits



Oh my, those shoes!

Spinach and Barley Soup

This is one of the easy soups that I have cooked twice already this year. I love it, but... if you are not a lover of spinach and not a lover of barley, you may want to give it a miss. I have pretty much eaten most of it in this house.

Spinach and Barley Soup
Serves 4-6

• 3 tables. olive oil
• 1 onion (finely diced)
• 2 large sage leaves (chopped)
• 6 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable stock (hot)
• 6 cups (180 grams) spinach (washed and chopped)
• 3/4 cup pearl barley
• salt and pepper

to serve:
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed soup pot and gently saute the onion and sage for about 5 minutes. Stir in the spinach and cook for another few minutes. Add the chicken stock, cover and cook for 10 minutes. Add the barley and cook for 30-45 minutes or until the barley is soft. Season to taste. Serve with the parmesan cheese sprinkled on the top.

This recipe is from the gorgeous book, "Miss Dahl's Voluptuous Delights" that I currently have on loan from the library.

So eggcited!

A quick stop at the op shop this week and I left with a pile of new (old) Donna Hay Magazines.

I was smitten with the egg cosies on the cover of this old Autumn issue. As I don't knit, I did the next best thing. Had a little peek at Etsy and here's what I found.



This matryoshka doll cosy is from momfetti. There are quiet a few cute little felt covers here.



Gorgeous crocheted alpaca wool bunny from locket and pocket.



One for the boys, from missus D



Spring coloured egg cosies from sabahnur. Lots of other cute crocheted things here too.



Striped eggs cosies from norah smith. The perfect colours for Autumn.

Earth Hour

Don't forget to switch off your lights.

I'm off to put the little ones to bed and find some candles now.

Enjoy and sleep tight.

I'm grateful for...

Today I am grateful for......... the Arts.

This morning we went to see "The Gruffalo". A favourite story adapted by the very clever, Tall Stories Theatre Company in the UK. It was brilliant. I'm so glad that the show was able to make it to our little part of the world

Earlier on in the week, we also went along to our school's 'Music Night.' It was a really fun night. The school choir sang beautifully, the teachers did a great Abba sequence (very funny) and the boys choir 'rocked' as all good 8 and 9 year old boys should.

I know for a fact, that seeing shows like these as a young child, encourages a life long love of the theatre.


(image from here)

Take myself for example. I looooove marionette puppets. I remember sitting in our huge town hall with all the other 6 year olds in Grade One, watching the puppet show, "Peter and the Wolf." The School Arts Council travelled to small towns bringing culture to the country folk. I for one, am very glad that they did.



And more puppet love. I think that watching the 'Sound of Music' every school holidays, also had something to do with my enthusiasm for these little wooden people. The 'puppet theatre scene' is definitely still one of my favourite parts of the movie. My kids love it too.

Go over to 'maxabella loves' for more gratitude posts.

Autumn crafting

There has been some Autumn crafting going on in this house of late. I made some decorations for our Autumn tree. The house is my favourite and my preferred shape. Once filled, those circles just didn't want to stay a circle!



The kids wanted to get in on the embroidery action. This was their first attempt at embroidery and I was very impressed. They were very excited and rushed a little. Miss Moo Moo's is the blue leaf. You can see where she becomes 'over it.'

I love them and they are now decorating our hallway.





Work in progress.

If you want to see some more creative spaces, go over to kootoyoo and be inspired.

Secret blooms

This morning as a walked past the lounge room window, a small pink camellia flower caught my eye. It was hanging low, almost unnoticed. I went out for a closer look and found some more new buds hiding at the back of the plant, against the fence. I must remember to keep and eye out for them. When they open, I will pick them and put them beside my bed.

It had been a while since I had been out in the garden. I went for a wander and made some lovely discoveries, all hidden deep in between the dark green foliage.



Yes, that is a baby pineapple.



Bright orange heliconias, lost in a sea of green leaves



I needed to peel back the layers of a mock orange to find these beauties.



One single 'yesterday, today and tomorrow' flower, at the bottom of the bush.



New basil, found far from the vegetable patch.

And sadly, a beautiful coral coloured torch ginger that had been missed. Discovered today, when it was too late.

Secret blooms, butterflies and dragon flies.

What's hiding at the bottom of your garden today?

'Pancake Day' Pancakes

(Pancake image from here)

This recipe has been requested, it is the recipe that I use to cook our 'Pancake Day' pancakes every year.

As a child we did not celebrate Pancake Day/Shrove Tuesday. It was only when I went to England when I was 23 years old that I discovered the tradition. As you may already know, if there is food involved in a celebration, I'm in!

A very dear friend cooked these pancakes for me on my first ever Pancake Day.

'Pancake Day' Pancakes

(Pancakes with lemon and sugar)

makes 12

• 1 cup plain four
• pinch of salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup of milk
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tablespoons butter (melted)

to serve

• lemon wedges
• raw sugar

Sift the flour and salt into a bowl. Make a well in the centre and crack in the eggs. Gently whisk a little flour into the egg. In a jug, mix together the milk, water and melted butter. And add to the flour to make a batter. The batter should be the consistency of pouring cream. Don't worry if there are still little lumps in the mixture and don't overmix. Heat a frying  pan over a high heat and add a little butter for frying. Fill a ladle with a quanity of 2 tablespoons and pour into the pan, tilt the pan from side to side to get an even coating of the batter. Cook for 30 seconds on each side, until pale golden and crisp at the edges. Stack the pancakes as you go. To serve: sprinkle the warm pancakes with some raw sugar and squeeze over the lemon juice.

This recipe is from 'Delicious' Magazine, March 2007 issue.

A rainy weekend

Meet Lady Princess Ga Ga (that's the one with wings) and the Queen!

These are just a sample of the delightful dress-ups we saw in our house on the weekend. As well as: a few blanket cubbie houses, heaps of drawing, kite-making, playing in the rain with umbrellas, playing in the rain without umbrellas, and tea parties.



I made big pots of soup (some from this book) and finally got started on my softies for Christchurch.



On Sunday I picked up Nanny from the airport. It's great to have her home. We were all spoilt rotten with prezies. Thank-you Mum.



Mr Moo and I even have had a chance for an afternoon nap. I'm talking about a proper sleep, not a 20 minute Nana nap. Mr Moo slept for over two hours on Saturday afternoon and I slept for over two hours on Sunday afternoon. It was heaven.

Then when I woke up yesterday, this old movie was on TV. The kids were happy gardening in the rain with Daddy. So I settled into the lounge and stitched faces on my softies. Yes I do love a rainy weekend.

How do you like to spend your rainy weekends?

Crazy Hair Day

I just found these photos of Spunky Monkey at his "Crazy Hair Day"at school last week.

They make me laugh.

He looks like a mini mad scientist, which he of kind of is!

Queensland Flood Appeal Dolly Drive

These beautiful softies are from Melissa. I love these two little cuties. Gorgeous fabrics and adorable stitched faces. Thank -you Melissa.

Yesterday was the official close date for the Queensland Flood Appeal Dolly Drive.

Thank-you, Thank-you, Thank-you.

To date, I have received 40 dolls/softies, with a few more on the way. WOW!

I guess it's a small gesture in the grand scale of the disasters that have affected both Australia and the world. But, if I was one of those families, trying to rebuild a home and a life, I think that a small handmade gift from a stranger, would warm my heart no end.

Thank-you to all of the beautiful woman who donated their amazing softies to this Dolly Drive. Thank-you also to the people who helped spread the word through their blogs.

So where are they going?

• 10 softies are being sent to Theodore. A lovely local lady will be distributing the dolls to children in need. Thank-you Carol for all of your help in organising this.

• 25 softies will be going to the lovely ladies at the Toowoomba C.W.A. Many people have not returned to their homes, some houses may need to be demolished. So the C.W.A will be storing the dolls with other household items. They will be distributed throughout areas in the Lockyer Valley, when they are needed.

• The remaining 5 and any others that arrive, it could be 3 more, it could be 10. I would like to send to Northern Queensland and to the areas affected by Cyclone Yasi.

So if you are still making a doll/softie, or still want to, please contact me via e-mail to let me know. I don't have any contacts in North Queensland yet, as I was waiting to see how many dolls I received. If anyone has any contacts up that way, please let me know.

I will continue to keep you updated, I'm enjoying sharing this journey with you.

In fact, I have a few cute dolls sitting on my desk, patiently waiting to get their photo taken.

Watch this space!

St Patricks Day

(images are from here)

Top of the mornin' to ya!

Happy St Patricks Day.

I'm off to my local library this morning to try and learn a little bit more about my Irish ancestry.

I'll be needing the luck of the Irish with me today, as I don't have a lot to go on.

I hope you are having a lovely day.

Autumn

(this photo was taken last May on a visit to New South Wales)

My favourite season has started. It took a few days, but the weather is cooling slightly.

I am looking forward to the true arrival of Autumn. Fresh mornings, chilly evenings, heartwarming casseroles, crumbles, pudding and custard. I hope to do more baking and will try my hand at bread making. I want to pull on a cardigan, drink hot chocolate and snuggle up to watch old movies.

Here are a few of the things that we have been up to since the beginning of the month:

• Taking late afternoon walks on the beach. Steel grey skies, murky green, warm water. Clusters of bluebottles washed ashore and dried by the sun. Beach combing with our collection bags. Big holes and sandcastles.

• We watched a butterfly hatch from his cocoon. He had been collected as a caterpillar from our passionfruit vine and we had been watching him closely. Then, just as we were walking out the door for school, there was great excitement. Muuuuumm! he's hatching.

• Catching up with lovely friends, drinking lots of tea.

• Eating: creamy chicken soup, spinach and barley soup, spanish cabbage soup, dragon fruit, lamb tagine and cous cous, homemade pizzas and garlic bread, pancakes with lemon and sugar and hungarian chocolate pancakes.

• Crafting and embroidering - me and the kids

• We enjoyed a blustery morning at our favourite coffee shop to celebrate Uncle JJ's birthday. Ham and swiss cheese croissants, cappuccinos and baby shortbread. Happy children climbing trees.

• We enjoyed an amazing lunch at our favourite restaurant for Mr Moo's birthday. Lemongrass chicken curry, whole tamarind chilli fish, jasmine rice, Thai beer, New Zealand white wine, lime and coconut panna cotta, macchiato's. We were in heaven.

This last weekend was quieter, deliberately so. We have hit the ground running with another hectic week. Teacher meetings, dentist appointments, a sports day, a crazy hair day, a day on kindy roster and dinner guests. I even hope to squeeze in a couple of play dates.

I hope you are having a lovely week.

This morning

I have been eating rustic sourdough bread, still warm from the bakers oven, with lashings of organic butter and my cousin's homemade marmalade.

What are you eating to today?

Flea market finds...

Last Sunday, I spent a few lovely hours wandering around an antique fair with my mother-in-law. It was a happy diversion from a busy week. It was really nice looking at everything together and hearing stories of things that she remembered from her childhood.

Unfortunately their were no ATM facilities at the grounds were it was held.



I only had enough money for a cappuccino, a piece of date and ginger cake and some vintage buttons.

The rest I have to dream about.

Oh, lovely linens, Clarice Cliff breakfast set and Carlton Ware salad plates. How sad that I had to leave you behind.

Go here, to see what other treasures have been found this week.

I'm grateful for...

Today, I'm grateful for these amazing woman.

Zoe, Jen, Treann, Alison, Val, Megan, Karen, Heather, Lindsey, Crafty Mermaid, Elsa, Megan, Jan, Melissa, Jane, Tat, Ceila, Roslyn, Karen, Rachel, Fran, Isabelle, Vanessa, Amanda, Mary Jo and Prue.

How could I not be? These beautiful women have donated time and materials to make such gorgeous soft toys for children who have lost everything during the Queensland floods in January.

I am overwhelmed by their generosity. Thank-you, Thank-you.

I chose to do my Dolly Drive for Queensland, because it was very close to home. But my heart is with all of the families and children who have suffered through natural disasters this year. Floods, fires, cyclones, earthquakes and tsunamis, both throughout Australia and the world.

My thoughts and best wishes are with the people of Japan today. So much devastation and lives lost. Truly heartbreaking.

The names of the women above, are the makers of the dolls, I have already received. Actually a few are still on they way (but I've seen pictures!)

Go over to 'maxabella loves' for more gratitude posts.