Monday 23 April 2012

F.N.S.I

This month’s FNSI was a bit of a two part affair….. I finished these pillowcases, for the challenge this month, a couple of weeks ago 071 (Medium)072 (Medium) and talked a bit more about them HERE But on Friday night, when I’d planned to stitch some more, I had an unexpected trip to Townsville to watch DS play soccer….oops…I mean ‘football’! We got home at midnight….didn’t turn into pumpkins, but I did manage to squeeeeeeeeze in a little bit of stitching though….. 262 and it will be back to the pillowcases during the week! Sugary hugs xo  :O) Signature

F.N.S.I

This month’s FNSI was a bit of a two part affair…..

I finished these pillowcases, for the challenge this month, a couple of weeks ago

071 (Medium)072 (Medium)

and talked a bit more about them HERE

But on Friday night, when I’d planned to stitch some more, I had an unexpected trip to Townsville to watch DS play soccer….oops…I mean ‘football’!

We got home at midnight….didn’t turn into pumpkins, but I did manage to squeeeeeeeeze in a little bit of stitching though…..

262

and it will be back to the pillowcases during the week!

Sugary hugs xo  :O)

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Thursday 19 April 2012

The BEST medicine…

Today was the BEST medicine in a long time…….I had my bloggy friend Jen over for a stitchy, girly day…..chatting, eating, chatting, laughing, laughing, chatting, drinking coffee, stitching, chatting, laughing, chatting, laughing, drinking tea, laughing….you get the idea! 027 (Medium)025 (Medium)026 (Medium) As you can see…..not much stitching was done….but a little was begun…. 007 (Medium)  I saw this on Fee’s blog a couple of weeks ago and her gorgeous effort inspired me so much I just HAD to have it….and with Dawn’s great investigative skills, I bought my kit here.  It arrived yesterday, just in time for our big day!!!!  Don’t you just love it!!! Before we knew it, it was time for lunch…… I made these Chicken and Corn Pot Pies and I hadn’t made them before so I was a little wary but…. they were deeeeee-lish!  001 (Medium) So Jenny suggested I share our lunch with you, so here it is… Chicken and Corn Pot Pies
  • 500g chicken breast fillets, diced
  • I large onion, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1 small can corn kernels, drained
  • 3/4 cup chopped green beans
  • 1 cup each light sour cream and chicken stock
  • 2 tspns cornflour, blended with a little of the chicken stock
  • 1-2 sheets frozen shortcrust pastry, thawed
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  1. Preheat oven to 220 degrees C. (200 degrees F. fan forced) and lightly grease 4-5  x 1-cup capacity ramekins.
  2. Heat 1 tblspn olive oil in a frying pan over medium high heat.  Season he chicken with salt and pepper and cook until lightly browned.  Remove from pan and set aside.
  3. Add onion and garlic to pan and cook over medium heat till transparent.  Add corn and beans and cook a further 5 mins.  Combine blended cornflour with cream and stock and add to the pan, stirring often until thickened.
  4. Divide chicken filling between ramekins.  Cut pastry squares into quarters and place one on top of each ramekins.  Press down to seal and run a knife round the edge to cut off excess.  Brush each with beaten egg and cut two slits in the top.  Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
005 (Medium) Before we knew it, 3 o clock had arrived and Jen had to drive home before she turned into a pumpkin!!!!  Nahhhh……to pick up Blossom from work!   So sad that time flies so fast when you’re having the most fun, isn’t it? This just HAS to be a regular occurrence for everybody…..great time spent with great girlfriends IS great food for the soul!  Thanks Jen for a fabulous day! Sugary hugs :o) Signature

The BEST medicine…

Today was the BEST medicine in a long time…….I had my bloggy friend Jen over for a stitchy, girly day…..chatting, eating, chatting, laughing, laughing, chatting, drinking coffee, stitching, chatting, laughing, chatting, laughing, drinking tea, laughing….you get the idea!

027 (Medium)025 (Medium)026 (Medium)

As you can see…..not much stitching was done….but a little was begun….

007 (Medium) 

I saw this on Fee’s blog a couple of weeks ago and her gorgeous effort inspired me so much I just HAD to have it….and with Dawn’s great investigative skills, I bought my kit here.  It arrived yesterday, just in time for our big day!!!!  Don’t you just love it!!!

Before we knew it, it was time for lunch……

I made these Chicken and Corn Pot Pies and I hadn’t made them before so I was a little wary but…. they were deeeeee-lish! 

001 (Medium)

So Jenny suggested I share our lunch with you, so here it is…

Chicken and Corn Pot Pies

  • 500g chicken breast fillets, diced
  • I large onion, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1 small can corn kernels, drained
  • 3/4 cup chopped green beans
  • 1 cup each light sour cream and chicken stock
  • 2 tspns cornflour, blended with a little of the chicken stock
  • 1-2 sheets frozen shortcrust pastry, thawed
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  1. Preheat oven to 220 degrees C. (200 degrees F. fan forced) and lightly grease 4-5  x 1-cup capacity ramekins.
  2. Heat 1 tblspn olive oil in a frying pan over medium high heat.  Season he chicken with salt and pepper and cook until lightly browned.  Remove from pan and set aside.
  3. Add onion and garlic to pan and cook over medium heat till transparent.  Add corn and beans and cook a further 5 mins.  Combine blended cornflour with cream and stock and add to the pan, stirring often until thickened.
  4. Divide chicken filling between ramekins.  Cut pastry squares into quarters and place one on top of each ramekins.  Press down to seal and run a knife round the edge to cut off excess.  Brush each with beaten egg and cut two slits in the top.  Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

005 (Medium)

Before we knew it, 3 o clock had arrived and Jen had to drive home before she turned into a pumpkin!!!!  Nahhhh……to pick up Blossom from work!   So sad that time flies so fast when you’re having the most fun, isn’t it?

This just HAS to be a regular occurrence for everybody…..great time spent with great girlfriends IS great food for the soul! 

Thanks Jen for a fabulous day!

Sugary hugs :o)

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Wednesday 18 April 2012

What ? Wednesday already????

Where has the week gone???  I promised you I’d post ‘tomorrow’ last time I posted…..I’m sure it can’t be Wednesday yet!!!! Mmmmmm!!!!!  Here’s what I’ve been doing…. 009 (Medium) 010 (Medium) making more stillborn quilts for our hospital… 039 (Medium)040 (Medium) taking time to soak up the nature in my surroundings…can you see this little fella?…. 001 (Medium) 003 (Medium) …and this one… 011 (Medium) and just generally appreciating and enjoying each new day, 014 (Medium) Sugary hugs Signature

What ? Wednesday already????

Where has the week gone??? 

I promised you I’d post ‘tomorrow’ last time I posted…..I’m sure it can’t be Wednesday yet!!!!

Mmmmmm!!!!!  Here’s what I’ve been doing….

009 (Medium)

010 (Medium)

making more stillborn quilts for our hospital…

039 (Medium)040 (Medium)

taking time to soak up the nature in my surroundings…can you see this little fella?….

001 (Medium)

003 (Medium)

…and this one…

011 (Medium)

and just generally appreciating and enjoying each new day,

014 (Medium)

Sugary hugs

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Thursday 12 April 2012

Surprise parcels….

I so enjoyed our Name Game Swap that Anorina over at Samelia’s Mum organised earlier this year and I had to wear my ‘Patience’ hat, as my mini quilt was coming from far across the waters……Canada…..which is a lot of swim strokes in my books!!!!  But it was well worth the wait…. 013 (Medium) ……how could I have anticipated such a swap????….It is just magnificent….with hand painted sky, and specially dyed fabric for the water from a very special friend, threadpainted sugarcane (and yes, Janet….I could definitely tell it was sugarcane….very professional!!!), 014 (Medium) … along with texture magic-ed palm leaves….I feel very lucky!  016 (Medium) Thank you so much Janet….I just want to ask….how did you know my dear husband has black curly hair and ALWAYS wears a cap!!??   LOL  015 (Medium) I couldn’t have wished for a better quilt…it’s so very beautiful and will be treasured always and will take pride of place in my sewing room!   And if you head on over to visit Janet in the next day or so, she has a special giveaway going on…but be quick, it closes Friday 13th…..her time!!!! flipflops-borderhth Another swap I love being part of is our Fat Quarter Swap.  We get to swap with a different partner each month, and each month has a different theme.   Last month was our 1st birthday so I got to swap with Naomi (Nomes)  who sent me these regal red and white fabrics, along with some special ‘extras’, some threads (just lurve red threads) and gorgeous  charms….. 036 (Medium) …and don’t you just love that card????  Those ‘Matryoshka Owls’ are too cute,don’t you think??? Nome's requested some ‘manly’ colours suitable for some ‘Aussie Hero’ quilts she was making so, with my thinking cap on (and a fair bit of brain strain, let me tell you!!!!)…here’s what I sent…. 019 (Medium) To me, Aussie spells ‘green and gold’ and as this month’s swap theme was ‘one colour’….. manly + one colour =  GREEN!!!!! …..plus some sweet little birthday cake buttons…..well, you really can’t send REAL birthday cakes in the mail, can you???!!!!! LOL cupcake-YELLOW-borderh-th Tomorrow I must post these pillowcases I made as part of a challenge proposed by Heidi and Bobbi over at the FNSI to help kids with cancer. 070 (Medium)071 (Medium) I just love the little sneaky pockets that are hidden in the seam of the binding, don’t you? 075 (Medium)072 (Medium)073 (Medium) Such an easy pattern but so effective and no seams showing makes it even better.  I got my pattern from here, one of my favourite places! I think I’m going to have to make some more of these at the FNSI on April 20 (next Friday!)….they’re quick and fun and perfect for my Christmas Through the Year box! Plenty more to share with you of the goings on in the past week or so but I think I’ll leave that for tomorrow! Sugary Hugs :O) Signature