Wonderful weekend

A weekend full of wonderful treats - I was so spoilt by my darling friend, Leah. Gosh I am so lucky. Lots of laughter, shopping, crochet, jewellery making, cafes (Martha's Pantry was a real highlight) and of course, lots of talking!

I found some fabulous goodies on our op shop trips - including the perfect dress, and I was lucky to get a wonderful kitch tray for the caravan - made from a 70's puzzle - at a craft show (The Knack).

I also had a real treat with driving Leah's classic car - I can't believe she let me. It is the cutest bright yellow Fiat Bambina, and I must have looked a right sight grinding the gears and giggling until tears streamed down my face!

We had fun comparing our ripple blankets...

And we made some great new rings and necklaces. I've got some further supplies and have been busy making a few more goodies for Birthday and Christmas pressies. 

It's a busy time of year still, I'm not getting much time in front of the computer for fun, it's all work work work unfortunately. So I am here, but not posting much.

Roll on Christmas!!

Have a great week

Kylie xxxx

Hits and Misses

It’s been an interesting week or so. A few good things, a few more not so great things. I won’t dwell on the bad stuff (except for a heavy cold I currently have – splutter, sniff, sniff seems to be my day at the moment), but I have been enjoying this early spring weather and have made the most of it out in the garden the last few days. Spring has just blown a gentle wave over the garden and there is so much new life – really quite magical. I can sit out there for hours and enjoy the sweet smells and the prettiness (well, as long as the children let me sit!).

The Vege garden in looking in great shape, Fennel, Kale, crazy cabbages that never "cabbaged" but just grew huge, and the biggest abundance of Broccoli EVER. We are eating it with every meal (no lie). Any Broccoli recipes gladly welcomed.

 

The spring bulbs are just stunning. One I am loving in my little Peony Tulip (the Peony is my favourite flower but unfortunately I can’t grow them in this warmer part of NZ – I used to have success further South in NZ) so this is a little pretend Peony.

 

I have loads and loads of seedlings growing as well, my sweet peas and coriander are ready to harden off out, and I'm bound to have a heap more ready shortly. Better make some spaces in the garden for all of these delights!                                              

 

Baking has been definitely full of hits and misses this week. I've made some fabulous biscuits.....

And some I’d rather never try again. I didn't photograph those ones though..... Even the girls won’t eat them (chooks didn’t mind though).

I have a great recipe book from the library “The Aunt Daisy Baking Book”  which has some great old fashioned recipes. Aunt Daisy was a NZ radio host back in the 1930s, well known for her handy home hints (Aunt Daisy's home hints) and Baking secrets.  Her recipes are interesting though. Most of her techniques assumed that baking was second nature to all with instructions such as “Bake in the usual way”, and never stated oven temperatures. This book has been adapted to fit more a more modern style of baking.  The Afghan Biscuits were the best I have ever made (although the recipe only made a very small batch – obviously they were more rationed back in the 30’s than we are with baked goods now.

 Afghans
170g butter
85g Sugar
170g Flour
Pinch of salt
1 Tablespoon Cocoa
60g Cornflakes
Cream butter and sugar. Add dry ingredients. Roll into small balls (heaped teaspoon sized amounts) and cook on a cold oven tray in a moderate over (180C) for about 15 minutes.

I also have a new lush early evening weekend treat drink. “Tangelo Gin & Tonic” that I found here. Divine!!

And the blanket – it’s been decided by daughter number one that daughter number two will have it (as she wants more “blues” in her colours – is coming along nicely. And I’m sewing in the ends as I go now. Much better!

 

Have a wonderful week xxx Kylie

P.S if you are quick you can enter a fabulous giveaway on my my very dear friends blog whydidntanyonetellme

On a roll

I've had bit of luck the last couple of days. Firstly I entered a photo of my youngest girl in a competition for an NZ eco friendly cleaning and beauty products company "Ecostore". Today on my facebook page I see that I am their big final winner and the photo of my darling girl is on their website. I'm absolutely rapt, I love their products anyway so it's exciting to get a wee reward for that (I think the prize is a few hundred dollars worth of goodies).

Check out www.ecostore.co.nz

And then the next bit of good luck is that I am now a published writer.....well, kind of. I wrote into one of my favourite magazines (Good magazine - see below) with a couple of handy home hints (eco friendly ones) and they published both of them. A big hamper of Soapnut products arrived on my doorstep (I've blogged about my love for them before here ) so that's pretty exciting for me as well. I've shared the love and given my workmates a sample of them to try to convert someone else to the soapnut love.

 

Not a very clear photo I know, but this is the issue they are published in ;)

I found a new art and crafty type shop in town the other day, with beautiful possum and merino yarns (guess where I will be heading next winter to stock up) and they had a sale rack with the most amazing Kiwiana tea towels. Naturally I had to grab a few for the caravan. Thinking that they will make great cushions for Towby - what do you think??

Anyway, it's the last day of winter here today. I'm so ready for warmer weather. We have been in t-shirts this week so it's not that bad here but still. Getting those jandals ready! The spring bulbs have erupted, the trees are starting to bloom and the nesting Kereru/Kukupa (wood pigeons) are getting tipsy on Loquats again so we have to be careful walking through the garden that we don't get knocked out by low flying (big) birds!

Bye for now xxx K