3/4" Handmade Yo-Yo's great for Doll House Bed Quilts

3/4" Handmade Yo-Yo's great for Doll House Bed Quilts
Originally uploaded by nakpunar

handmade persian quilt

handmade persian quilt
Originally uploaded by willbesoon

Quilts

Quilts
Originally uploaded by Frangines

berries and cream

berries and cream
Originally uploaded by fallsroad

Sunday mornings

Darwin sunrise, originally uploaded by the_bashful_owl.

Woke up far too late to see this today, but isn't the sunrise amazing? We live on the fifth floor and have beautiful views of the harbour rather than the ocean. I don't mind at all... and will surely miss such spectacular natural eye candy when we move...

As for today, I spent hours in bed reading my newest patchwork book. I can't wait to start sewing today. Currently two oranges are on the boil, to make a cake for church tonight. I made an orange, almond and chocolate cake for a friend's renovation party last night. Boy did the compliments flow. So with a boosted baking ego, I'm keen to make another. No almond meal left though, so this will be a combination of two recipes. Will be so tasty, with the recipe to follow once success has been had.

Happy Sunday.

Crafting during the week...

One of my greatest frustrations is that I work five days per week and thus squeeze creating into nights and weekends. But there are other things that have to be done then - washing, dishes, husband (not begrudging this), sleep, life in general. I'm particularly struck by these limitations on my time when I become inspired by something new...

Such as this book. I went to our local (and only) patchwork shop yesterday to buy some lemon-inspired fabric for a swap. I did find the most lovely, fresh fabric - a light tangy yellow with green and blue overlapping circles. It's made me keen on a yellow quilt. I will get a fat quarter of lemonish fabric back from someone in this swap, and will hopefully use it as the base for something lovely. But back to the book. I have the first one in the series, and love it. I've purchased and cut and made around half of a quilt top from it. But this next book sucked me in - rich colours, sumptuous fabrics, appealing photography, Australian authors, beautiful quilts. So tempted to cut and sew and quilt - so why do I have to work?

Finished Rachie's cat. Not sure if he is a cat, think perhaps he is an alien. I've not given him a tail though, which probably blurs the cat boundaries... What do you think?

Ice Cream Goodness

Check it out, two lip-smacking recipes for ice creamy goodness...

Lemon Meringue Ice Cream

600 g thickened cream
225 g greek yoghurt
320 g lemon curd
Juice & zest of two lemons
6 meringue nests

Whip cream until just stiff.
Fold in yoghurt. Add juice, curd & zest (in order),
& crumbed meringue nests. Stir gently.
Place into a shallow container to freeze. Cover.
Ripen in fridge before eating.

C/ Nigella Lawson (perhaps from How to Eat)


Cookies & Cream Ice Cream

600 ml thickened cream
Tin sweetened condensed milk
Packet of biscuits – chocolate ripple recommended

Beat together cream & milk in a mixer until thick & smooth
Smash up the biscuits roughly.
Stir biscuits into the cream mix.
Place in a lined container. Cover.
Freeze at least overnight.

Now in the post to the USA for some fellow swappers to enjoy. Only a week or so late... My next swap project is a bird stuffie. Looking forward to it as the recipient has a thing for scandinavian inspired object. Just my cup of tea.

Back in the real world

Why no blogs?

1. Smashed camera - trying to photograph the last storm for the season and camera fell off the tripod. I was so devastated... missed the incredible lightening and couldn't take picies for a while. We've got a cheapo replacement, trying to find the receipt to have the good camera fixed.


2. Holiday went wrong. Car broke down in the beautiful but isolated Kimberly region of Western Australia. No technology, no food, no insect repellent. Challenging times all round.

So, currently needing to create some postcards with ice cream recipes for a over-due swap. Also need to make a birthday giftie for my lovely sis Rach (thinking a project from this book). Also slowly working on hand-quilting a long-term project, and inspired by this beautiful tin...

Happy days.