Some mothers do have them!

And I am so jealous!  Carol from Turramurra Quilteres - one of the infamous Turramurra Twins is really lucky!  She has not one, but two daughters who are now learning to quilt!  Jealous Much!  You betcha!

If you follow my other blog, Aussie Hero Quilts you will have seen a Tetris quilt that Carol's daughter Kirsten not only designed but also sewed and quilted. 

Well now here is Carol's other daughter Fiona.  She has recently made not one, but two, children's quilts with Cat in the Hat fabric.  Don't they look great.  both Disappearing Nine Patch quilts, almost the same fabric for both but both coming out so different.

 And can I say that I really love that fair-isle fabric. 

I would never think of buying it but now I want some! 

Now, where can I find me a daughter?

Till next time...........happy stitching!

How do I know when my hubby is home!

How do i know when my hubby is home from a trip?

That is easy - when my darling hubby comes home he "tidies" the cuttlery drawer!  

Seriously!  

He likes all the skinny long handled spoons to be together at the top and all the short rounder spoons to be at the bottom.  

Pretty funny huh!

 It would be even funnier if I could show you a picture of the perpetual mess that is his home office - it is a sign of my deep love for him that I don't!  

(that and the fact that he would kill me!)

He has just been away for a month for work - he has window shopped down Rodeo Drive, had drinks at the IVY in Beverly Hills - saw Paris Hilton there!  

He even got to cruise along the Seine - poor baby.  

Imagine his delight at coming home and finding one and a half  tonne of firewood which needed to be stacked.

Before!

 After!  Look how neatly it is stacked!  

And not one complaint either! 

 We do love our fire in this house.  With my arthritis the fire keeps the chill off the house and that makes life so much easier for me.  That door to the right of the fire leads straight into my sewing room and just outside the sewing room is the cutting designing table.   

I have to say I am not the only one who likes it. 

Oh it is such a tough life in this house for a dog! 

Lucky she is cute.

My hubby travels a lot for work and usually I get along just fine - you can usually count on a light globe blowing as soon as he leaves, the roof will leak, the kids will get sick, some appliance will break etc  - all good fun!

But this time we had a tragedy - 

well, okay maybe a minor one - 

oh alright perhaps tragedy is too strong a word 

but whatever you call it I am not happy!!!

My salt shaker from my favourite every day set is broken!  

:-(

When I travel I like to collect souvenirs that I can use - bowls, small plates, spoons, that sort of thing.   I bought these P&S shakers last time I went to my home town of Perth!

Not happy!!! 

After my hubby told me about Rodeo Drive  and the IVY etc I decided he could get me a replacement set.  I tasked him with the "don't come home without" requirement and LOOK!

He came through!

CUTE!!!

 He did well!  I love them!

I also collect fridge magnets.  He visited some markets in NY - can you tell?

 And check out these cute ones!

and finally he bought me a FROG! 

 This is pretty funny actually.  You hold it by its back legs and stoke it along the ridges with the wooden thingy and it sounds like it is saying "RIBBIT!"

Funny!!

But the best thing my lovely hubby brought me home - was himself.  He is still the nicest gift he has ever given me!

And I know this is a really bad photo but see that sweatshirt he is wearing?

I made that about 16 years ago!  And he still wears it!

Welcome home honey!

MWAH!!!

Till next time..............happy stitching!

Layered!!!

Tarja and Jess came over today.  While Jess sifted though all my fabric and button collections to find just the right bits and pieces for her Year 11 Textile and Design Project

Tarja helped me work on some Aussie Hero Quilts.   She ironed the two Ocean Dreaming Quilt tops 

 while I pinned the RAEME quilt.  Then she helped me mark this one with tape so that I can quilt it. 

 Next we moved on to quilting the Ocean Dreaming ones.  This is the Chaplain's quilt. 

 This one is for the other Navy fellow.  Living these colours.  Just as well these needed the quilting and binding as I think Tarja might have tried to pinch one otherwise. 

 Love this whale block.  Those must be mighty big fish though!

We managed to layer two other quilts as well but I forgot to photograph them!

 Tarja and Jess are coming back again on Monday and we will be able to layer the last four quilts that are waiting and Jess can pick up any bits and pieces she still finds she needs.

Till next time.............happy stitching!

Two new flimsies!

After a lot of this

I ended up with this - or these  - two new flimsies - both of my Ocean Dreaming Quilt Tops ready to be ironed and layered tomorrow.

This is for the Chaplain 

and this is the extra one which found a prospective home overnight with another Navy Officer.

Last night while reading blogs.....

I stumbled on a new blog that I find very inspiring and encouraging.   My personal belief is that everyone can "give back' and it just needs you to do what you are good at for someone else on whatever scale you can manage.  This whole blog is about giving but  this post is something special and I just had to share it with you.    Bev and her legacy are a great example of giving what you can.  I hope you enjoy the read.  I did.

Till next time...............happy stitching!

Pizza Scrolls Anyone?

Well I promised you that I would show you how to make the things that I made for the lovely warrant officer (Did you see his cute comment on last night's post by the way?)  

Told you he was a sweetie!  Posie is a lucky girl - but she knows it!

Anyway back to the the menu for tonight. 

Pizza Scrolls.  

These are so easy to make - a 16 year old gave me the idea.  (Not mine by the way!)

Take one or two sheets of puff pastry and smear it all over with pizza sauce.  Leave about 1cm (half and inch) clear around the edge.  

Then layer on thinly sliced ham.  I used to use diced ham or bacon but the thin slices make it so much easier to roll up.  

After this sprinkle on the grated cheese - you put most of the cheese on the ham and just a little on the top bit with the tomato paste on it.

Now roll up starting with the ham end.  Roll as firmly as you can - this is where you benefit from the sliced rather than the diced.

Wet the top edge just a little with water so that you can press it onto the roll to seal it.  

Grab a sharp knife and cut into slices about 1cm or half an inch thick.  Place on trays covered with baking paper and then I usually sprinkle on a little extra grated cheese.

Bake in the over for about 20 minutes - a little longer if needed as you want the pastry to be nice and golden.

 I made these ones for Fly Boy to snack on when he got home late last night (yes, he is spoilt!) but he also took some in his lunch box today (he is attending a conference this week)

How is that for super Easy!

I happen to know that the lovely warrant officer and Posie were giving these a go tonight.  

Their gorgeous children enjoyed them on Sunday.

No sewing for me today or tonight.  Gumnuts met today and we worked on our string blocks.  They all needed trimming down and then we counted them up and worked out that we need another 22 to complete our desired Double Bed size quilt with 110 blocks.  It will be raffled by the local Fire Brigade.  Other Gumnuts are working on the remaining blocks and we will put the top together next meeting!

As for me, tonight I am going to be folding and sorting fabric.  I have had about three donations, including Posie's huge donation on Sunday and I am slowly working on getting it all folded and put away - NEATLY!

That might keep me off the sewing machine for a few evenings to come and that is when I normally do my Cherry Red sewing!

Till next time.................happy stitching!

When one becomes two - OOPS!

Sometimes, as I am sure we all know, it is hard to work out exactly how much fabric you might need to cut to make a quilt that is in your head and not in the pattern books.  And sometimes you might end up with a weeny bit more than you actually need!  

And sometimes you end up with a lot more than you actually need.

In my case that means twice as much as you need!  

So here we have "Ocean Dreaming Mk1" 

And "Ocean Dreaming Mk2'"

Hmm, hope the Navy Chaplain has a mate who might like one!  LOL!

 Now when it comes to quantities for baking I am generally much better with my accuracy!

I promised you some of the recipes from Sunday's morning tea and here they are.

First up Lemon Slice!  If you like lemon flavour you will love this 

 LEMON SLICE

150g (1 cup) SR flour

85g ( 1 cup) desiccated coconut

100g (1/2 cup) caster sugar

100g butter melted

1 x 395g can sweetened condensed milk

125ml (1/2cup) fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 180°C.  Brush a 16 x 26cm slab pan with melted butter to lightly grease.  Line the base and two long sides with non-stick baking paper, allowing the sides to overhang.

Use a wooden spoon to combine the flour, coconut, sugar and butter in a large bowl.  Transfer to the prepared pan.  Use a metal spoon to press firmly over the base.  Bake for 12 minutes or until light golden.  Set aside to cool.  Reduce oven temperature to 150°C. 

Use a balloon whisk to mix together  the condensed milk, lemon juice in a large bowl until smooth and well combined.  Pour into the pan and spread evenly over the base.  Bake in oven for 15 minutes til just firm to touch.  Set aside to cool completely.  Cut into slices to serve.

And now for the most dangerous slice known to man!  Chocolate Caramel Slice!  Seriously yum!  I never used to make this because I couldn't stand having to thicken up the caramel on the stove - that would be the time the kids would start a fight etc.  But then I found out that a certain Lovely Warrant Officer is rather partial to it so I decided to try and find a good recipe.  Away from my blogs, where he and his wife wouldn't see it, I put out a call to various friends who bake and asked for their best version of this recipe.  Then I started trying them out - I have made more Chocolate Caramel Slice in the last month that I think I have made since I had kids.  And I found it!  The perfect recipe!  Now the basis of the recipe came from Marg from WA - and Aussie Hero Friend - but I tweaked it just a little.  I exchanged copha for butter in the chocolate on the top as it gives a smoother more even finish and I just melt the chocolate and copha together in a saucepan over a low heat.  Works a treat.  Now be warned!  This is very MOOORE-ISH!

CHOCOLATE CARAMEL SLICE 

(From expert cook - Marg W from WA)

Base

1 cup plain flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup desiccated coconut

125g butter melted

Caramel Filling

60g butter

2 tablespoons of golden syrup

400g condensed milk

Chocolate Topping

125g cooking chocolate

60g copha

Combine sifted flour, sugar and coconut in a bowl.  Mix in melted butter.  Press into a greased 28x18cm shallow oblong baking tin.  Bake at 180C for 25-30 minutes or until golden- do not over bake.  To make filling, melt butter over a low heat and then stir in golden syrup and condensed milk and mix well.  Pour over cooked base and bake for 20 minutes.  Set aside to cool.   To make topping, melt copha in a saucepan over a low heat and then add in chocolate and stir till melted.  Pour over caramel and place in fridge to set.  Cut when firm and store in an airtight container.

And don't say you weren't warned.  This is deadly!

Till next time................happy stitching!

Visitors and the design wall stage

Yesterday I had the most AWESOME DAY.  Eight and a half months after I first wrote to the lovely warrant officer's wife to ask if there was any thing I could do for her hubby while he was in Afghanistan I finally got to meet them!  

They came for morning tea and I laid the table with lots of the things that I know he likes - chocolate caramel slice, Camembert with french bread sticks, Caramello Bears, smarties and then I threw in some pizza scrolls and ribbon sandwiches and a lemon slice.   I nearly bought real ginger ale and squeezed fresh orange juice but I thought that might be going too far!  Honestly - I had so much fun!  So much fun in fact that I forgot to take a photo of the table!  I was going to take pics of the food too so that I could share the recipes - forgot that too!  But, I promise to cook all those goodies again during the next few weeks and this time I will take pics.  

I can't show you pics - not allowed to show you one of him because of his job though I think the true reason is that his wife just doesn't want to share his handsome face.  If you read her blog you will know that she calls him "the handsome soldier" and she is right!  He is handsome 

(and he just blushed!  Hee Hee)

I can now tell you that this quilt was for him and he liked it.  I wanted him to have a nice quilt - one that commemorated the fact that he is the first AUSSIE HERO and I chose this country manor fabric because he and his lovely wife are planning to move onto acreage and have their own animals in the coming years.  

Oh and I also have to say that they have the four most gorgeous children - three beautiful girls and one adorable little mini him!  Dimples!  Oh my goodness!  Yep, I had a lovely day yesterday!

They didn't come empty handed either.  Four huge, really huge bags of fabric came with them for Aussie Heroes!

And today was pretty cool too.  I received lots of Aussie Hero mail - some beautiful quilts - had beautifully sewn laundry bags left on my front door and picked up a huge amount of donated fabric!  

And finally tonight I managed to cut my blocks for the watery quilt which I think I will call "Ocean Dreaming" and then got them arranged on the design wall for me to live with for a couple of days.  What do you think?

Till next time...........happy stitching!