Summer is here…. watermelon cake.
December 5, 2013
How good does this look!!? Image from DIY Cozy Home.
I’m adding it to the go to menu this summer….. anyone want us to come for dinner and bring desert?
Spring Fair Photos
November 12, 2012
A quick slideshow of photos in case you missed our fabulous school fete.
The Pop-Up Lollie Shop.
November 5, 2012
Lolly Shop at the school fete.
This year I took on the somewhat scary task of ‘stall coordinator’ at the school fete.
The idea for a lolly shop first came up a couple of years ago when chatting to my friend Belinda. At the time we both had preschool age and younger children, and so the idea just sat.
Saturday was our first fete. 10 hours of set-up and selling many, many lollies and chocolates later, my very helpful family (and 2 other families) ate dinner together and celebrated a job well done. A successful execution of a little idea.
I wanted to share a few photos of the fun!
Working together.
Selling….
Kindy mums, book-club mums, church mums and dads, 9 year old and her buddy Eve and 5 fantastic high schoolers worked hard not just on Saturday but in the weeks leading up to it.
I really want to say thanks to them for their cheeriness and energy while working really, really hard! A big thank you to Sue….. my sidekick for her fabulousness.
The kids couldn’t get enough of these pick and choose lollies.
It’s a pretty easy business model. If you want to do one for your school or church or organisation, I am happy to talk you through the process.
Just email me.
Idea of the Day: Bake and Eat Cake.
January 7, 2012
mmmmm cake.....
…use a packet mix. That’s what I will do.
Idea of the Day: Invite Someone for a meal.
January 4, 2012
Have someone over for a meal.
21 Handmade Wrapping and Decoration Ideas…. with tutorials.
December 13, 2011
Wrapping:
1. Button Cards by Martha Stewart.
2. Downloadable Gift Tags by hello, Good Gravy.
3. Paint Chip Wrapping by D sharp.
4. Pop Up Christmas Cards by Martha Stewart.
5. Nature Packaging by Justina Blakeney.
6. Stitched Wrapping Paper by Redefining Creativity.
7. Fabric Giftwrap by Chewing The Cud.
8. Recycled Fruity Packaging by Tokketok.
9. Threaded Christmas Cards by Bleach Black.
Decorations:
10. Paper Bauble Garland by Kidspot.
11. Filled Baubles by Country Living.
12. Felt Doves by Elsie Marley.
13. Photo blocks via Screen Print Blog.
14. Pomanders via Ohdeedoh.
15. "You mean the world to me" Ornaments by Maya Made.
16. Wire and Twine Star Garland by The Handmade Home.
17. Paper Christmas Tree Ornament by Elsie Marley.
18. Chalkboard Wineglass Tutorial by Just short of crazy.
19. The Gumdrop Garland by Martha Stewart.
20. Lego ornaments by Chris McVeigh via Ohdeedoh.
21. Christmas Tree Mobile by Not Martha.
Yum: Eating with my eyes
October 9, 2011
Saw this photo on the 'fish food blog'...and now I have to try it.
It’s actually a Martha Stewart recipe….
….here’s her picture.
Martha Stewart's photo.....
Both potato dishes are food styled, but I want to eat the first one more!
I guess Masterchef are right….. we do eat with our eyes.
‘Discard anything expired and donate anything you won’t use in the next three months to your local food bank. Having all of your cereal, pasta and canned goods visible will help you know and use what you have.’
Rachel Jonat of the Minimalist Mom Written for babble
This is an easy one for me to do because I don’t have a pantry.
We live so close to a long hours supermarket, coffee, bread, fruit everything…. we don’t need a pantry. That said, I do have a fridge, kitchen cupboards, plastics cupboard etc that I have started to give then treatment.
On the clutter front, this is not a deadly area for me, but still I can reduce the bulk and stuff.
I thought I would focus on one cupboard at a time.
Before the cull
Some of the highlights were….
- 20 spice/herb related products out of date (CHUCK)
- 4 large tins of beetroot…. and I don’t use beetroot that regularly (Make salad before the end of the week. Donate the other 2 to Exodus Foundation.)
- 4 pre-packs of taco sauce and 3 packs of taco seasoning….mmmmm (enjoyed some of them with friends on Wednesday night. Tacos next week too!)
- 5 packets of jelly (We are in the middle of making rainbow jelly to share with Joshua Tree Community on Sunday night)
- 2 large tins of pears in juice (have with icecream for desert this week)
- 3 bottles of artichoke hearts (one out of date)
- a Christmas pudding. Oops. Lucky the use by is after next Christmas so I will get another go.
- 3 packets of blueberries in juice (made into muffins by 11 and 12 year olds and a friend on Monday)
- 2 packs of puree apples. (made into muffins by 7 year old and friend on Wednesday)
After the cull. The items on the bottom fight should be used up by the end of the week.
Next came the ‘sauce and condiments cupboard’. Didn’t take too long.
Before...
After.
Lunch/breakfast cupboard. Another quick one.
Before...
After.
And the cooking cupboard.
Before.... squish everything in and shut the door quickly.
After. Beautiful! Cupboard door can go back to a safer speed.
The highlight of this cupboard, for the sweet tooth’s in the family at least, was finding 3 packets of choc bits which are all close to their use-by dates. Looks like we will be having some choc chip somethings in the coming week.
Ok, so that is all my ‘up’ cupboards done. Down cupboards to come….
The gingerbread creation
December 24, 2010
Unexpectedly we ended up with two gingerbread houses from Aldi to decorate.
Rather than make two, I thought I would set the girls a design challenge.
With input from all the girls we came up with the architecturally designed pinata gingerbread cake.
We took it to share with our Joshua tree family, last weekend.
It was ceremonially smashed with a hammer to open, and enjoyed by all.
Repost: Will I make it this Christmas?- flower food
October 7, 2010
I know this is a weird kind of category, but I am taking the inspiration from our experimental 9 year old who loves to create perfumes from the flower and fruit species of plants in the garden.
As I started looking for things to make with her and the other girls I thought….. this would be a great activity to do as a family and give to those we love.
You can almost smell them through the screen…… you can’t ??? …… you need an imagination overhaul!
Image from Herbal Lifestyle. What a yummy place to start!
1. Violet Syrup.
As you can imagine the colour of this finished is amazing…. but it’s not the colour you think!
Herbal lifestyle has the full tutorial … well recipe actually.
Photo and Tutorial from Clever Nesting
2. Lavender Tea.
How pretty is this one?! And to make it even better, the easiest tutorial I have posted to date.
Full details here at Clever Nesting
Tutorial and image form herbal lifestyle
3. Rose Petal Jelly.
Yum! and high in Vitamin C…. what more could you ask for?
See how at Herbal Lifestyle
A salad and flowers in one. Image from Martha stewart
4. Mixed Greens Salad with fresh edible Flowers.
The perfect salad to take to a Christmas BBQ. “Just bring a salad” becomes flowers for the host and a salad in one!
Martha Stewart give to recipe here, and you can find a list of edible flowers and their flavours here at Home Cooking.
Happy making Petals.
harrysdesk 