Blogtober the 8th

I have just spent a couple of hours (hours that I don't really have spare at the moment but meh...) looking through some of the other blogs participating in Blogtoberfest and thought I might share a few new to me blogs I've come across that I've found enjoyable.

Red Parka Diaries. Very cute little blog. According to her profile, Jen is an "illustrator, coffee addict, entrepreneur, globetrotter, occasional headcase and lover of all things colourful and creative!".

Life at Rosemary Hill. Kris is "a mother of eight and grandmother of three who loves to make and create. Rosemary Hill is the name of our home where we live, work, learn and create together".

Bowerbird Blue. Kirsty is "a chronic collector with a strong nanna impulse to save for a rainy day. I go silly gathering for the garden. Always room for a tip treasure or hard rubbish delight."

Gingham Cherry. Catherine say's "I am an Australian expat living in the USA with my family. I like to make stuff. Not just one thing but anything. I like to sew, I like to craft, I like to make furniture, I like to bake, I like to do needlework, I like to paint, yep, anything really..."

Why don't you pop by and say hi!

Blogtober the 7th

Gee this working business really eats into your blogging time doesn't it? So a very (very) quick post today for blogtoberfest.....

Friday French Favourites.

Favourite french word. D'accord. Ok? Ok.

Blogtober the 6th

I am so glad that I hadn't signed myself up for the "Buy nothing new in October" thing. Otherwise I would have failed by day 4!


While killing some time before an appointment the other day I had a bit of a wander through Kmart, not intending to buy anything......until I saw this little Dutch pancake maker for only $12. Seriously, who was I to resist!


So now everyday since I have been stuffing myself silly with tiny pancake goodness. Mmmmm.

Blogtober the 5th

Well, I hope that I left you all salivating yesterday, waiting with bated breath for my homemade baked beans recipe. So here it is.

Selina's Baked Beans.

ingredients:
1 ham hock (or ham bone, sometimes this can be cheaper, or you can use your leftover one after Christmas)
water
3 tins of beans (butter beans, cannellini beans etc)
1 tin of crushed tomatoes
2 cloves of garlic
1 onion
dijon mustard, a good tablespoon
maple syrup, a big slurp
worcestershire sauce, 2 big splashes

note: Initially I used to make this using dried beans, and soaking them overnight, but I have found using the tinned ones to be quicker and actually much tastier. The dried beans are definitely cheaper though, I would recommend if you use dried beans you boil them after the overnight soaking.

Take your hock, pop it in a pot and cover it with water. Boil your hock for about an hour (if you were using dried beans, pop them in too). Take out your hock and reserve the liquid. Let your hock cool slightly before removing and discarding the skin and fat, cut off the meat and chop well. Fry off your chopped onion and garlic and add about a cup of the hock water to boil off the bits at the bottom of the pot. Then add this, your hock meat and all the other ingredients into your slow cooker. Cook on medium for around 4 or 5 hours. If after 4 hours it's looking a little watery you can remove the lid and increase the temp to high, that should get it thickened up. Salt and pepper to taste and enjoy!

Please let me know if you make this recipe, I would love to hear what you think.

Blogtober the 4th

Since buying my slow cooker about a year ago I have hunted down some pretty fab recipes, and adapted them to my tastes and what I had on hand that day! One of my go to Sunday night slow cooker dinners is homemade baked beans. Mmmm mmm. Sunday nights batch was (in my opinion) the best I have ever made.



Tastes great on toast the next morning too! Stay tuned for the recipe.....

Blogtober the 3rd

Let's play "spot the kitty" shall we.



Can you see him?



Looking closer.



Ahhh, there he is!

Blogtober the 2nd

#Sunday Snippets.

Let the festivities begin!

I've really become quite slack on the blogging front lately haven't I? I don't want this to become a chore that I have to tick off my list each day, but I do really enjoy blogging and catching up with all the wonderful people I have "met" through blogging, so Blogtoberfest is really the perfect opportunity to get back that blogging rhythm and "meet" even more wonderful people in the process.

Day 1 I like to write down the things I hope to get through and blog about for the month, and try to have some sort of record that I can look to to get me through, so here goes.

• finally write up that tutorial for the peg apron
• finish up some chenille bunnies and show them off. It has been quite awhile
• finish up my custom order quilt and pillowcases
• make the new cushions for my bed
• work on a few painted furniture projects I have been putting off for far too long
• keep up with the "Friday French Favourites"
• consider signing up to the "Buy nothing new for October"

Maybe this list is a little long and too ambitious, only time will tell. If you don't know what all this Blogtoberfest is about, head over here to find out. Why not sign up while you're there, the more the merrier!

And so, with that, let the festivities begin!

Blogtoberfest 2011!

Yay! It's time for Blogtoberfest! I'm in, are you?!

See you all tomorrow!

Getting in the way...

99 ten inch squares all cut and ready to go!



Now only if the cat would leave those squares alone long enough for me to actually sew them up...