I feel like I'm moving into a new phase with my clothing. Most of my clothes are really old and ready to throw out, so while I'm pregnant I'm taking the time to think about what I want to wear when I get back into regular clothes and sewing/shopping accordingly. I don't think I've bought clothes for at least 2 years...that's pretty bad! Like most crafters, it's rare that I ...
Archives for January 2013
Pan Coat Cake Release – my Baking Secret
I first learnt about this stuff years ago. As a teenager, I was a bit obsessed with wedding cakes (I have no idea why) and borrowed all the books in the library to do with cake decorating. I'd flick through the pages for hours looking at the pretty cakes and how to make the little sugar flowers. I can't remember where I first came across the idea of 'Pan Coat' but I feel like ...
A Whale of a Time!
I belong to a Facebook Group called 'The Sewing Library'. It is full of members from all over the world, although I think most of them are from Australia. It is one serious collective of knowledge...got a sewing question? Someone on there will know the answer! The group is currently running a soft toy drive. Crafters have been lovingly creating girl dollies, boy dolls, ...
Snickers Ice Cream
I've always wondered why anyone would buy a Mars Bar when a Snickers is soooo much better. Unless of course you are allergic to nuts. Anyway... peanuts, caramel and chocolate make a great flavour combination for Ice Cream, not just chocolate bars. Here's my recipe for Snickers in Ice Cream form! It's a pimped-up version of my Peanut Butter Ice Cream with Oreo Chunks This ...
It’s a Boy!
That's right, there's going to be a new pooping and screaming bundle of joy here soon! I'm about 21 weeks, so just past the half way mark... Boy has it gone quickly! We found out last week that the new bub is a boy, so hubby and I can stop thinking about a possible name change for the blog and start thinking of names for the baby! We were in total crisis mode for a while! ...
Adding a Divider Pocket to the Big Tote Bag
Have you ever made a hand-made gift for someone and wished that you could keep it? Well, that's the case for me with this version of The Big Tote Bag! Last time I saw my friend's knitting, it was living in an old plastic bag. So, I decided that for Christmas she could do with a gorgeous new knitting bag so that her projects would have a happy home! I'm so pleased with the ...
Cherry Frozen Yogurt
I have had this recipe book-marked for a very long time, I'm guessing about 5 years, so it was about time I actually made it! This is based on the recipe for Coconut Pinkcherry Yogurt from Smitten Kitchen. The only thing I've really changed is to use Coconut Cream instead of Coconut Milk because I didn't have any on hand. It doesn't really add any coconut flavour just a ...
How to Finish Seams with your Serger/Overlocker
I've been asked how to do this by a few people so I thought it was about time I took a few pictures and made up a tutorial. Overlockers are great for seams, especially on knits, but if you don't secure your threads, they can come undone. There are a few different ways of doing this, one of which is to thread your chain through a needle and then work it through your stitches. ...
Fun with Softies!
I recently decided to have a go at making softies, and boy is it fun! I think I'm hooked. The hardest part is deciding on the face, but once you stitch it on, they really come to life! I made a doll for my best friend's daughter's First Birthday and had so much fun making it that I decided to make up a boy version for Roman! I top-stitched little pockets and a fly onto his ...
Broccoli Pasta
It sounds weird if you've never tried it, but broccoli is great with pasta. I quite like broccoli and we eat it a fair bit, with hubby, Roman and I all fighting over who gets to eat the raw 'trunk'. This is a great pantry dinner as I usually have all the ingredients lying about. I like using wholemeal spiral pasta for this because it cooks really fast, but it also works with ...