Lazy days...

This summery weather should bringing out the "get-up-and-go!" in me but its actually making me want to do nothing but chill out with all of the windows open letting the breeze in and catch up on some crochet and some of my favourite TV shows on DVD (One Tree Hill to be exact!! lol I love this show!)

Today on this lazy day, I whipped up this super cute coin purse thanks to Jodie's super easy to follow tutorial over at her blog! I love it! I used some gorgeous Debbie Bliss Eco-baby yarn that I got as a Secret Santa present this Chrissie and I think it turned out great!

Also this morning I harvested some more veggies from our patch... A very small and kind of twisted bunch or carrots!

I'm thinking that I want to use these to whip something special up before Roger gets home from the city... maybe a carrot cake? What can you really use carrots for other than just steaming or roasting them? Any suggestions??

Happy Monday! :o)

All things Merry and Christmasy!

Merry Christmas everyone!!

Gosh I love this time of year, and now that it is Boxing Day, I have to admit I am a little sad that it's all over for another year.

Yesterday was a great day spent with my gorgeous family, opening presents, laughing, relaxing and eating... LOTS of eating!

I was also very spoilt this year in the presents department! The biggest present that I received off my Mum and Dad was my very first Mix Master! I am soooo stoked! Its a gorgeous Sunbeam Cafe Series Mix Master. I LOVE it! It also made an appearance in the kitchen on Chrissie day when I attempted making my first ever Pavlova. After all, what time of Christmas would it be without a pav, right??!

I was sooo surprised with myself once I finished whipping up the pav from scratch and tasted it... it was a hit!!!

All of these years I have been thinking that pavlova's were hard to make, when in fact they're SUPER easy! Especially when you're lucky enough to have a snazzy new mix master to help you whip those egg whites!! hehe

Also on the Christmas front, I promised that I'd post about my Jellywares Christmas washer swap goodies, so here they are...

Firstly from Toni at The Red Boot Quilt Company I received this gorgeous red washer. It is sooo soft and beautifully made - perfect for the festive season!

Then I received this cute handmade soap holder, also in Christmas colours!

And inside was this neat bar of soap...

Also in my parcel of goodies was some very yummy chocolates (which I couldn't help myself with and ate already!) and some beautiful Chai tea and black tea... yummo!

Thank you so much for the goodies Toni! I love them all, it was such a nice early Christmas present to receive these in the mail!

In other news, today I strolled outside into our tiny backyard and noticed that I had 2 bright red and scrumptious looking tomato's hanging from my 2 tomato bushes! I was super happy to see these beauties as they're the first tomato's I've managed to harvest this season!

All in all, the last few days have been great and I'm looking forward to the next few off work! Ahh, holidays are so nice aren't they?!

I hope your Christmas day has been as relaxing and lovely as mine. Did Santa find you!?

Until my next post, enjoy the time off!

Hey Hello There Stranger!!!!

Hey hello there strangers!!

Its been a long time no speak, and for that I apologise, I have been out of the country gallivanting around the very gorgeous New Zealand with my equally as gorgeous boyfriend! (Sorry that's a bit too mushy!! LOL)

Well I'm back in town just in time for the CRAZINESS that Christmas time brings both at work and within our social lives. My bank account is looking very very sad but I've had such an amazing holiday I just can't help but want to share some of the beautiful moments with you!

To start.... the whole reason we took the trip to NZ was for Roger's cousins wedding.

* sigh *
Brooke and Felippe were married on the 10/12/2010 at The gorgeous Church of the Good Shepherd at Lake Takepo. Just check out the AMAZING view from inside the church above!! So beautiful and just breathtaking like many of the views around NZ.

Roger and I were lucky enough to rent a car and do some driving around the countryside and got to see some truly beautiful places. I think NZ is definitely the most beautiful place I've visited so far!!



Some of the scenery looks so enhanced and fake but it isn't!! Mother nature can only be given the credit for these gorgeous sights!

Roger and I got to do so many cool things over in NZ, waaaay too many pictures to share will you all (I'm talking like 750+ photos taken on my trusty DSL camera!!)

Now back to reality... and back to work! Arghhh!

Not long until Christmas (only 4 more sleeps to be exact!!!) My excitement is building and I'm anxious for another short holiday (I know I'm reaaaaaaally greedy!!!)

I hope you have all been well while I've been away! Maybe you've even been on a holiday, short, long or even just a quick day-dream holiday to your favourite destination!?

Stay tuned for my next post because as I arrived home this week sweetly waiting for me was a gorgeous little swap gift from my swap partner in the Jellywares Christmas washer swap!! I'll share all of my gorgeous treats with you in my next post.

Until then, I'm off to dream about traveling... ahhhh

Last Minute Rushing...

Today I'm doing a last minute dash to get organised. You see, this year has flown by so fast that I'm really not organised for a lot of stuff thats coming up in the next week.

Tomorrow I'll be heading off out of town and then out of the country (to NZ) for Roger's cousins wedding (which will be beautiful!), and of course I've known that the wedding was coming up all year, it isn't until the last minute that I'm actually getting organised!

There's just so much to do before I leave! I'm getting ready to rush to work, I'm about to scribble on some Chrissie cards to send to friends that I've been meaning to do for weeks and I'm throwing some clothes in the wash so I have stuff to wear over there! lol

So if you don't hear from me for nearly 2 weeks, I apologise, I'll be over in New Zealand taking in the sights! I'll be back just before Christmas and will definitely post about all of my adventures!

Until then, stay well and happy crafting!

On the 4th day of Christmas...

On the 4th day of Christmas ... I finished my crochet zippered purse!!

After a lonnnnng night last night at the infamous bush Tilpa Hotel on the Darling River for our work Chrissie party, I managed to crawl from my bed (after only a couple of hours sleep) to get down to Jellywares for a very "relaxed" crochet class.

(Roger out the front of the pub)

Jode had also been at Tilpa last night so we were both keen for a slow class and I managed to finish off my zippered purse and I LOVE IT!!

It's a perfect size to fit some coins, some notes, probably a lip gloss or keys. I think I might take this little cutie out to the markets tonight!

There wasn't too much to this purse and I'm thinking that I'd love to make another, for the next one I could make it a little bigger so it could hold a little more stuff, but this little one will suit for now!

Such a cool little project starting out as a "Mystery"! Can't wait for the December mystery project!!

How has your weekend been so far? I hope that wherever you are, you're not getting washed away with all of this crazy rain!! It's raining here this afternoon, its definitely snuggle up on the couch weather!!

Happy crafting :o)

My creative space - Ooh la la recipes

I'm a bit early this week with "My creative space", but I thought it wouldn't hurt posting a little early for once! *wink*

This week, my creative space has been in the kitchen!! I love to cook and only about 2 and a bit years ago, I could hardly cook a thing! When I first met Rog, I was a terrible cook! He did most of the cooking and I didn't mind it at all!! hehe

After a while I started to enjoy trying out new recipes to make for him and since then I've just kept going and now I love to cook!

This week I've tried out 2 new recipes and they have both been a hit!

Firstly Rog found the web site Gourmet Traveller and we sifted through the recipes for something garlic-y and we came across this one. (Garlic Chicken with 40 cloves of garlic!!!)

(The chicken ready for the oven!)

When I read that the recipe said 40 cloves of garlic, I was like... What the?!!? But after I read on I realized that the cloves were to be cooked unpeeled making the flavour a little more subtle and not as full on. Once the chicken was cooked, the garlic cloves can be squeezed out of their skin and eaten and if you're a garlic lover... they were de-lish!!

(The finished product straight from the oven... MMMMM yummo!)

Teamed with a swag of steamed veggies... this recipe was a winner!!

Now... for dessert! I had a quick flick through Donna Hay's latest magazine for some inspiration and as soon as I made it to her "homemade ice cream" page I was hooked! I am the BIGGEST sucker for ice cream and would eat it all day everyday if it didn't make my clothes too tight for my body! lol

I tried her caramel flavoured ice cream recipe and you know what? Donna Hay... you bloody genius! YUMMMM!!

I'd definitely recommend to check her latest mag edition out, if you do - try the ice cream recipes and tell me how you go! I'm thinking I'm going to go a little further with this basic cream/caramel combo and add some grated up peppermint chocolates, or maybe some honeycomb and other sweets for different flavours!

All this talk about food is making me hungry! I think it's time for dinner!!

Whats on the menu at your place tonight??

Feeling Festive!

Christmas is my FAVOURITE time of year! I love it!! I've already put up my chrissie tree and some deco's in our house! (I know its suppose to be bad luck to put up decos early or something but I'm not really thinking of bad luck around this festive time!)

On Saturday in crochet class we started on a Christmas inspired bunting/garland (which ever you like to call it) and I'm feeling more festive than ever!

These little granny-ish style stars will eventually adjoin a crocheted chain to make a long garland to hang on our wall. You can see what the finished project should look like over at Jodie's place!

These cute stars are quite addictive to make, and very quick too! I managed to make my first one in about 15 mins! The rest took a little longer because I got distracted chatting to friends over cups of tea and crochet!! hehe

So easy and quick, I'm hoping to have this garland done long before Santa arrives!!!

In other crochet news, I've started the second half of my "Mystery crochet project" (purse). I've only just started it but I'm so excited to get it finished!

I hope your Sunday has treated you well. Roger and I are trying out a new recipe for dinner (it is smelling delish in the oven!!) and if all turns out well I'll post about it soon! :o)

Enjoy the last few hours of the weekend, I know I am going to... Ahhh I love weekends!

My creative space...

Mystery Crochet!!!

Lately I've been working on a "mystery crochet project" by Jodie and it's looking fab!! A little strange but cute at the same time!!

A few crochet classes a go Jodie picked all the colours and bits and pieces that we'd need to make our first mystery project. It was exciting to get into class not knowing what was in store!!

So far I've only done the first major part and we've worked out that this little "mystery" is a cute little zippered pouch!

I can't wait to finish it. I LOVE the colours that Jodie picked (olive-y green and pastel pink!), she was so spot on picking the colours cause they're SO me!!

More creative spaces over here.

Photography fun...

Before I was working as a Property Manager and an Equine Science student I was studying photography... Sometimes when I play around with my camera I wish I had finished my degree in stead of changing my mind (as I constantly do over and over!)

I don't really think its a regret for not sticking with it because I don't like to think that I have any real regrets because things so far have worked out the way I think they were suppose to, but every now and then I like to prance around my house pretending that I learnt something from my short time studying photography and I take piccies of anything I think may be interesting or pretty... Some times the pictures turn out nicely, other times they turn out blurry or looking silly but I enjoy it none the less.

Tonight I thought I'd have a play around with my trusty camera and made a few edits that I thought I'd share....