….and the earth moved…..again!!!

…..and I didn’t even know!!! Apparently at 2.29am this morning, we had a minor earthquake, registering 4.1 on the Richter scale, south-west of Bowen.  Friends said they felt their bed move and the sound of a rumble, doors and windows rattle and dogs bark…..but me…..I slept on, oblivious to the phenomenon!!!  All’s well though….no damage….and my puppy slept on, just like me! Then this afternoon, whilst I was cooking up this beautiful score of fresh vegies which grow prolifically in our area… …into these yummy treats… (just ignore the dirty oven door!!! *cringe*) … another surprise awaited me in the hall….. Yes….it is a snake…..they’re on the move now that the weather is warming up and I think I’m going to have to dispose of that welcome mat….because THEY’RE NOT welcome!!!! Thank goodness for paint tins and mops is all I can say!   Once he knew I was on the warpath, he slithered down the hallway into my DS’s room and behind the bookcase and, I don’t care what anyone says, I was not leaving it there!!!…..out came the bookcase, and I know wildlife people would be cringing but not as much as me, as I ‘gently persuaded’ him out with the mop and ‘slowed him down’ with the paint tin!   I know what you’re thinking….he’s not THAT big….well, no…. …he wasn’t….but could you sleep with a snake roaming free in your house, I ask?!?!?!?!!  I just hope Mumma doesn’t come looking!!! *eek* What crafty things have I been up to??? I’ve finished the last two ‘Snowhearts” blocks and I’m waiting for the final instructions for piecing the blocks.  You can still download them here if you’ve missed them, or click on the link on my sidebar. I’m working on my Birdie Stitches and I’m up to here…. Still quite a few blocks to catch up, but I’m waiting for some DMC’s to arrive…..using six strands at a time eats them up…..although it does look great! And do you remember this flimsy? Well, I’ve stitched the black block in the top middle with this…. Isn’t he cute???  It’s a quilt for a friend’s 50th, and as she doesn’t blog, I’m certain to be safe to share it with you!  She’s having a Halloween-themed party so what better way to remember the day?? I’m now working on the pieced backing and must hurry to sandwich and quilt it because, if you notice in the spider block, the date of her birthday is 30th September!!!!!  Can you guess what I’ll be doing this week???  LOL And I thought I’d share this yummy recipe with you. Sooooo easy, and soooooo delish! Pineapple Slice 1 cup desiccated coconut, ½ cup caster sugar 1 ½ cups flour 185g unsalted butter, melted 1 tspn vanilla essence 300ml thickened cream Pineapple topping: 440g can crushed pineapple 1 cup water 1 cup caster sugar ¼ cup custard powder Grease 19cm x 30cm lamington tin, line base and sides with greaseproof paper, extending paper 2 cm above the sides of pan. Combine coconut, sugar and flour in large bowl. Add butter and essence. Mix to combine. Press over base. Cook in moderate oven (180 degrees C ) for 20 mins. Cool completely. Pineapple topping: place ingredients in saucepan. Whisk until combined. Cook, stirring over medium heat until mixture boils and thickens. Pour mix over cooled base in pan. Spread evenly. Refrigerate until set. Beat cream in small bowl until firm peaks form. Lift slice from pan. Spread with cream. Cut into squares to serve. I’ll need to take some with me tomorrow to our quilting guild’s special visit from Pauline Rodgers, the Gadget Queen!  I’m looking forward to learning some new tricks! take care and Sugary hugs X Wendy :O)

….and the earth moved…..again!!!

…..and I didn’t even know!!!

Apparently at 2.29am this morning, we had a minor earthquake, registering 4.1 on the Richter scale, south-west of Bowen.  Friends said they felt their bed move and the sound of a rumble, doors and windows rattle and dogs bark…..but me…..I slept on, oblivious to the phenomenon!!!  All’s well though….no damage….and my puppy slept on, just like me!

Then this afternoon, whilst I was cooking up this beautiful score of fresh vegies which grow prolifically in our area…

…into these yummy treats… (just ignore the dirty oven door!!! *cringe*) …

another surprise awaited me in the hall…..

Yes….it is a snake…..they’re on the move now that the weather is warming up and I think I’m going to have to dispose of that welcome mat….because THEY’RE NOT welcome!!!!

Thank goodness for paint tins and mops is all I can say!   Once he knew I was on the warpath, he slithered down the hallway into my DS’s room and behind the bookcase and, I don’t care what anyone says, I was not leaving it there!!!…..out came the bookcase, and I know wildlife people would be cringing but not as much as me, as I ‘gently persuaded’ him out with the mop and ‘slowed him down’ with the paint tin!   I know what you’re thinking….he’s not THAT big….well, no….

…he wasn’t….but could you sleep with a snake roaming free in your house, I ask?!?!?!?!!  I just hope Mumma doesn’t come looking!!! *eek*

What crafty things have I been up to???

I’ve finished the last two ‘Snowhearts” blocks and I’m waiting for the final instructions for piecing the blocks.  You can still download them here if you’ve missed them, or click on the link on my sidebar.

I’m working on my Birdie Stitches and I’m up to here….

Still quite a few blocks to catch up, but I’m waiting for some DMC’s to arrive…..using six strands at a time eats them up…..although it does look great!

And do you remember this flimsy?

Well, I’ve stitched the black block in the top middle with this….

Isn’t he cute???  It’s a quilt for a friend’s 50th, and as she doesn’t blog, I’m certain to be safe to share it with you!  She’s having a Halloween-themed party so what better way to remember the day?? I’m now working on the pieced backing and must hurry to sandwich and quilt it because, if you notice in the spider block, the date of her birthday is 30th September!!!!!  Can you guess what I’ll be doing this week???  LOL

And I thought I’d share this yummy recipe with you.

Sooooo easy, and soooooo delish!

Pineapple Slice

1 cup desiccated coconut,

½ cup caster sugar

1 ½ cups flour

185g unsalted butter, melted

1 tspn vanilla essence

300ml thickened cream

Pineapple topping:

440g can crushed pineapple

1 cup water

1 cup caster sugar

¼ cup custard powder

Grease 19cm x 30cm lamington tin, line base and sides with greaseproof paper, extending paper 2 cm above the sides of pan.

Combine coconut, sugar and flour in large bowl. Add butter and essence. Mix to combine. Press over base.

Cook in moderate oven (180 degrees C ) for 20 mins. Cool completely.

Pineapple topping: place ingredients in saucepan. Whisk until combined. Cook, stirring over medium heat until mixture boils and thickens.

Pour mix over cooled base in pan. Spread evenly. Refrigerate until set. Beat cream in small bowl until firm peaks form. Lift slice from pan. Spread with cream. Cut into squares to serve.

I’ll need to take some with me tomorrow to our quilting guild’s special visit from Pauline Rodgers, the Gadget Queen!  I’m looking forward to learning some new tricks!

take care and

Sugary hugs

X Wendy :O)

Where did it go???

I keep asking myself, where oh where do the days go???  One minute it’s Monday and I’ve a list of things I want to get through during the week and I turn around and it’s Saturday morning and only half my list’s been touched!!!!!   aaaarrrgghhh!!!! If someone find’s them, can they please send me some back????….I’m running out of time to get my jobs done!!!! I have been catching up on some reading…. and purchasing some yummies… ….but I really must get back to this… …this…. ….and this….. …never mind the housework!!!! But first, I must take my 16+ year old to the airport to board a plane with his school mates for their year 12 Snowies trip! Oh to be young with ‘nare a care in the world!!!!!! Must rush….. sugary hugs Wendy X :O)

Where did it go???

I keep asking myself, where oh where do the days go???  One minute it’s Monday and I’ve a list of things I want to get through during the week and I turn around and it’s Saturday morning and only half my list’s been touched!!!!!   aaaarrrgghhh!!!!

If someone find’s them, can they please send me some back????….I’m running out of time to get my jobs done!!!!

I have been catching up on some reading….

and purchasing some yummies…

….but I really must get back to this…

…this….

….and this…..

…never mind the housework!!!!

But first, I must take my 16+ year old to the airport to board a plane with his school mates for their year 12 Snowies trip!

Oh to be young with ‘nare a care in the world!!!!!!

Must rush…..

sugary hugs

Wendy X :O)

Fathers’ Day Finish

Today, the first Sunday in September, is the date we commemorate Fathers’ Day here in Australia.   A day to celebrate our Dads, Stepdads, Grandads, Nonnos, Pa’s, Daddys, Pappys, Papas, Padres, Pops or whichever name you’d like to call your Father or significant man in your life! I designed this “Good Things” stitchery (which, btw,  you can download for free for your own use from my sidebar!) to celebrate my Father In Law, a strong Italian man who loves both his garden and his fishing (not to mention his food and wine….and family!). Now my FIL, who is in his late 70’s, has had a stroke quite a few years ago, and his memory is not like it used to be.  He is always referring to his “Brainbox” as he calls it……his diary, where he writes every little detail down in case he forgets. He brought out his little diary the other day to refer to some notes he took down about a joke he just HAD to tell me, but thought he might forget the details of….and promptly couldn’t find the notes as he’d written them on a piece of paper and stuck them randomly in the pages…..he was so relieved when he found them!!!! He even writes on backs of envelopes stapled together, and puts them ‘somewhere safe’  but forgets where he’s put them when he’s looking for them later!  So I thought I’d put my stitchery to good use and created a notebook cover for a notepad where he could jot down all his thoughts and have them all in the one place. There’s a holder for his pen so he doesn’t lose it and the ‘button’ to close it, is even a sinker! Inside, there’s a pocket, and a ribbon to hold his place. I used Alexander Henry “Caitlin Stripe” on the cover because I thought it looked just like the waves, and  Henry Glass “Daisies and Dots” for the lining and pocket because, well…..they just looked like his sinkers!!! I must give credit to Craft Passion for the notebook cover tutorial and pattern.  I did make some modifications as I used a different type and size of notebook and my cover design was different but basically, it was the same. Now, all that’s left to do is:

1.   wrap it up and take it to its intended recipient     and……
2. add it to my list of OPAM finishes for 2011….my first for September!

Have a wonderful Fathers’ Day wherever you are. Sugary hugs X Wendy  :O)

Fathers’ Day Finish

Today, the first Sunday in September, is the date we commemorate Fathers’ Day here in Australia.   A day to celebrate our Dads, Stepdads, Grandads, Nonnos, Pa’s, Daddys, Pappys, Papas, Padres, Pops or whichever name you’d like to call your Father or significant man in your life!

I designed this “Good Things” stitchery (which, btw,  you can download for free for your own use from my sidebar!) to celebrate my Father In Law, a strong Italian man who loves both his garden and his fishing (not to mention his food and wine….and family!).

Now my FIL, who is in his late 70’s, has had a stroke quite a few years ago, and his memory is not like it used to be.  He is always referring to his “Brainbox” as he calls it……his diary, where he writes every little detail down in case he forgets. He brought out his little diary the other day to refer to some notes he took down about a joke he just HAD to tell me, but thought he might forget the details of….and promptly couldn’t find the notes as he’d written them on a piece of paper and stuck them randomly in the pages…..he was so relieved when he found them!!!! He even writes on backs of envelopes stapled together, and puts them ‘somewhere safe’  but forgets where he’s put them when he’s looking for them later! 

So I thought I’d put my stitchery to good use and created a notebook cover for a notepad where he could jot down all his thoughts and have them all in the one place.

There’s a holder for his pen so he doesn’t lose it and the ‘button’ to close it, is even a sinker!

Inside, there’s a pocket,

and a ribbon to hold his place.

I used Alexander Henry “Caitlin Stripe” on the cover because I thought it looked just like the waves, and  Henry Glass “Daisies and Dots” for the lining and pocket because, well…..they just looked like his sinkers!!!

I must give credit to Craft Passion for the notebook cover tutorial and pattern.  I did make some modifications as I used a different type and size of notebook and my cover design was different but basically, it was the same.

Now, all that’s left to do is:

1.   wrap it up and take it to its intended recipient     and……
2. add it to my list of OPAM finishes for 2011….my first for September!

Have a wonderful Fathers’ Day wherever you are.

Sugary hugs

X Wendy  :O)