Mieke at four months

I had Mieke for the day on friday. It was lovely going out in the Pram with a little baby. Everyone oohing and aahhing and exclaiming about how quickly I got my figure back!! We went to Steff's to drop off some stuff and Mieke got a lovely buzy bee toy from her. These photos were from afternoon playtime. Full of smiles, looking at Morris and chatting to me while I folded the washing. I had some other photos but they were a bit rude to put up on the blog.

Wearable Arts

The school's end of the year art programme this year was wearable arts. We had a proper catwalk set up, funky music and each class complete their outfit according to a theme. Eli's class theme was "the Nutcracker Ballet". So he dressed as one of the toy soldiers. It was a fantastic show. Eli got to bring his costume home.

He was very particular about the moustache

Recycle me

I knew that I wanted a white peasant shirt but when I went to buy a pattern in the shop it was $16!!!

So I cut an old shirt I had to make a pattern. Then I went to the op shop and bought a size 22 ladies shirt for $2. It had long sleeves and business collar but a nice cotton material and I needed a bit of width to make a peasant shirt.

Here is the result of my $2 shirt. plus I know that I have a pattern that works for making other shirts. I quite like the fact that I have left the buttons and not sewn the front together. Am thinking of leaving the top as it is. I was going to put a big button or something but when I wore it today I decided that I liked it as is.

Doing it this way is no less sewing that starting from scratch with a piece of material but it is satisfying, recycling totally and cheap.

Have you ever seen a real car that is a patchwork quilt??

Well now you have. We spent show weekend at Geraldine. It is the best place to be. A market day with the streets closed and shops everywhere. Bands playing on all the village greens, It was very hot though - 29 deg C. 

And the most fabulous hanging basket I have ever seen. All the shops had competitions as to who could do the best hanging basket. This was the man from the post shop. Amazing.

Recreating - thanks Alison

A while ago my cousin gave me a circular table cloth. It was lovely but she could not think what to do with it. Well it has taken me a while, but finally I worked out a solution. My mother had asked for another apron as I make slightly oversized ones. So thinking of Christmas I started working. All I had to do was cut the apron shape, iron it carefully and overstitch and add some ties. It is so smart as the scalloped edge remains the bottom of the apron, nice shape and lovely finish. It is crisp and clean and white and looks 1920's ish when on. I want to keep it!!!

So thanks for the challenge Alison. I hate throwing things out and am thrilled with the result.

Look at the new blog - Recycle Me NZ

My sister and I have started a new blog together looking at all things that can be recycled, reused, remade, rehomed etc. Recyclemenz.blogspot.com

The end of the Broad Beans

Today I pulled out all the broadbeans, the plants were starting to get rust on them. We had a pretty good run with them. I planted them in April and we have been eating them since September. The earliest ever.
Now there is one big batch left to freeze.

I obviously was not thinking a lot though as I did not leave any plants in for seeds for next year. I know how disappointed Aaron will be!!! (NOT). I love this variety as they do not go grey when cooked but stay a bright green colour. But I have found that Kings Seeds have this in their seed stock, so we are on for next year!!

Summer is here - Strawberries from the garden

 This is the third picking of strawberries from the garden. The lovely hot weather has them ripening fast. A good bowl full every 2-3 days. This morning I got up at about 8.30am - went outside and picked strawberries - then came inside and made american pancakes. Topped it with Maple syrup and strawberries picked only 1/2 hour ago. What a fantastic fresh tasting breakfast.

American Pancake recipe

Feeds two in our house:

1 C Flour

1/2 t salt

add 2 egg yolks and 1 C milk. Mix well and ensure there are no lumps.

Whip the two egg whites to stiff and fold into the above batter. Heat heavy fry pan or gridle. Put a nob of butter on and a soup ladle of mixture. Wait for bubbles to pop and then turn over. Remove onto serving plate, add a knob of butter and a drizzle of real maple syrup. Top with as many sliced Strawberries as you can pick from the garden.

Eat immediately.

What to do on a hot day

 Lovely 26 deg C day. Eli is at a party and Jakob was out in the hammock, under the apricot tree, reading his first ever Famous Five book. Just to top it off he had a bundaberg apple ale - yum.

Retromummy.blogspot.com

If you have not already viewed this person's site - Retro Mummy - then this is the one for you. Funky knitting, hassles with kids, amazing material, great ideas - you name it. I have this site as a favourite. you should too.
She has a great competition going at the moment for some new fabrics by Rosalie - one of the ladies who took the course I did earlier this year.

My amazing 5 year old cooked his first proper dinner

I was making Green Thai Curry for dinner and Eli decided he did not want that. He wanted stir fry dinnner with rice and special sauce. His instructions were. Mum you cook the rice.

We picked a pile of gorgeously fresh veges from the garden "Yes I actually managed to grow a brassica. It is a broccoliflower.

Eli chopped all his veges and had to sit around for me to get my dinner ready so he chopped my veges too. I have noticed that if he makes food he eats all the vege!!

Then he put a bit of oil in the pan and the sliced chicken. Cooked it. Added the veges and stirred until cooked. Put the rice in a bowl, then the vege and then the special sauce (soya sauce) and he and Jakob ate the lot. I did not have my dinner finished cooking for another 15 mins!!! Things are definitely looking up in the kitchen to the day when I will be able to roster the cooking. Yipee.

But I am just so proud of him.