My new favourite cake

I inherited my husband's grandmother's Women's Weekly "Cakes & Slices" cookbook last year. Have tried out a few cakes, and the choc orange marble cake is my new go-to cake. It makes 2 bar cakes- one to keep, one to give away! I don't bother with the orange rind, just make it up as a marble cake. Very easy and lovely and moist cake too! Made one to take to share with friends today for our kids play/ car afternoon catch up, and the second is to take to my sister in law's for a BBQ on Saturday. Too easy!


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Pom pom fun!

More pom pom making, but big ones this time. I had seen instructions on line & in craft magazines for big paper pom poms, made from tissue paper. They look lovely- especially outside- but what happens if it rains? Could you make weatherproof pom poms?



Yes you can! These are about 12/15 cm across, made from plastic tablecloths! I am going to do a lunchtime session at school next term to show the kids how to make them, then they can hang them up in the "friendship tree" at school. And not have to worry about the weather!

Random holiday musings...

Still not much crafting happening here, but I have been reading some craft mags and scribbling little note & sketches in my "ideas" book.  Playing around with cutting vinyl shapes with the sizing. Thinking about vinyl pencil cases with Minecraft "creeper" face on it....need to go to Rathdown Remnants to look for green vinyl.  Reading books & working on The Age mega crossword as a family activity. Contemplating life without Spotlight 5 mins down the road- might need to go & stock up on interfacing & craft bits& bobs soon. Especially annoying that GoLo closed in Cobug too, used o get lots of craft stuff there.  One good thing- NQR are opening at the GoLo site.
Lucky the local Janome shop sells thread & hobby supplies. Might need to check out some of the other little fabric shops in Sydney Rd. Like I need more fabric, really......

Happy New Year!

Good Morning! The boys have had a weekend with their grandparents & cousin on the other side of town, first time we have had a weekend without them EVER! We went out to dinner, and out to lunch twice while they were away, plus had a nice stroll down High St Northcote, wandering in & out of shops without having to drag the kids along! Should do this more often really....
They are back home now, and sitting in their jammies playing their new Dr Who monopoly game.  (and how BRILLIANT was the Christmas special, with the return of "souffle girl"!!!)
They let the bunny out for a run, but she kept trying to chew on the board & run off with cards & things, so she was  soon put back in her box again!

No major holiday plans - just lots of reading (bought "Just my type" in Northcote the other day, very amusing & fascinating history of fonts, their development & influence  etc.); catching up on recorded tv; hopefully some sewing!; hanging out with the family; SORTING LEGO & mega cleaning up our house!!! And going to Brickvention later in January of course!

There and back again...

Tried to post from the now up dated iPad, but still won't quite talk to blogger. Managed to get a heading & half a post written, but can't figure out how to get a photo off the iPad into the post. Found photos from my phone (? how does that work!) but not the iPad I was using. Then an error appeared & I gave up (yet again).
So fingers crossed this one might work, any ideas for posting from an iPad (esp. re:photos) greatly appreciated!!!

The school fete has taken over my life!!!

...and doing the roster is doing my head in!!! Normal transmission will resume AFTER THE FETE!
But please do come along - Sunday 25th November 10-4pm, Coburg West Primary School, Reynard St Coburg.

Cup day = craft day

Over the last couple of years  I have managed to do some sewing on Cup day, and had something new to wear to work the next day. Plans to make a skirt or too today, but haven't quite  got there yet.  Baked  a carrot cake in my dazzlingly shiny oven (my  wonderful husband had a day off yesterday and cleaned  the oven, can you believe it? I can actually see in the oven door now, for the first time in years! And the racks are actually silver, who would have known!)
I did manage to tidy up the one spot on the crowded shelf where my craft books are, and cut out some more zombie felt critters for the school fete ( which is so close now it is not funny). Cut out a couple of sets of bunting to decorate stalls at the fete but it is still sitting and waiting on the sewing machine.
The boys had a friend over, and they played around with the hama/meltable beads making "Minecraft" keyrings. Cool stuff -  if anyone is heading over to Ikea soon, let me know - they sell the  melty beads by the bucket apparently!

Have to make a Pokemon dress up outfit for an upcoming birthday party, and a birthday present for the birthday girl, planning on making another of these...

I have made about 6 of these drawing sets now, they make a great birthday present. With this one I also included a terrific "Paint your own babushka doll" set from blank. I love their stuff!  Bought some more lovely things from them at the Finders Keepers Market last month - end of year teacher's presents!

So now I will watch the Cup, and then maybe get to the sewing machine!