06 November, 2009

Creative Space Thursday

Oh, what a mess! But this was my only creative outlet yesterday...

It's been a bit frantic around here this week, so this is how it really was last night - no styling, no tidying, no time! I had to make 2 dozen muffins for the school swimming carnival, plus I had a need to try cooking granola, plus dinner was underway, and this was just how it was. And I would have posted it on Thursday (as it is Kootooyoo's 'creative space Thursday' after all), but we had a big storm and no internet, hence the delay.But I felt ok, because I was wearing my special 'Prints Charming' apron...
And the muffins turned out ok (chocolate and banana cinnamon).
And the granola - oh, delicious! Thanks so much to Mel for the recipe!Will be loading some new paintings onto the site tonight. Stay tuned. Bub's crying, got to run!

02 November, 2009

Afternoon Tea ideas please?

This afternoon I made Mini Croissants for afternoon tea. Based on what I could remember from Cathie's blog recipe here, I did apple/chocolate and mango/chocolate combos, and they were VERY simple.

Firstly cut up the pastry sheet into 4 triangles.


Then add the filling and roll it up. Here's the mango/choc combo.


And here's the apple/choc combo. It's fresh granny smith apple, just chopped up.

Then just roll them up like croissants. And brush with milk - I could have sprinkled sugar on top here, but I forgot.

And bake at 180 degrees celcius for about 25 mins or until nicely browned.

Serve with icecream or something equally yummy.

I love to bake, so I always think of cakes, biccies and sweets for afternoon tea. This is pretty much a dessert, so it was a very special afternoon.

I also did a Vegemite Cheese Twist with the 3rd sheet of pastry that I defrosted. It's equally simple.

Just spread puff pastry sheet with Vegemite and sprinkle with grated cheese, then fold in half.Chop up into slices - about 2-3 cm wide.


Twist and flatten just a bit, then brush with milk.


Bake for about 20 mins at 180 degrees celcius and voila!


Now, these are so simple I'm almost embarrassed to have posted so many photos. And how can anyone really go wrong with puff pastry. But I know they shouldn't be an everyday item.

Do you have any ideas for simple HEALTHY afternoon teas that I could feed hungry boys? I need a refresher and I'd love to know!

01 November, 2009

We don't do Halloween here

After years of telling my boys that we don't do Halloween, circumstances conspired that little J was to have some friends over for a backyard campout, and that their parents may as well stay for dinner, and would you know it, it happens to be Halloween.

So in some sort of insane idea about adding atmosphere, I attempted to make these beautiful 'Spider Bites' as per Bakerella's instructions here.


Needless to say, she probably didn't have toddlers with fevers, babies with snuffles so that I allow myself to be a human dummy, and a need for speed. Not that sort of speed, just that anything I make these days has to be quick. Or I'll get distracted and forget vital ingredients (like sugar) or that it's in the oven (hmmm, what's that smell?), or the microwave (a little surprise when you open the door the next day) ...

So, I thought I'd save time and bought some mini muffin things to use as the cakey insides of the spiders (I've gone so off packet mixes and premade stuff lately that it was a big thing to give in to time constraints), dipped them in melted chocolate and made do with Australian lollies that I thought would do the trick, and this is what happened...

...

...

...

...

Ta dah!


Definitely going with a 'horror' theme. Without Bakerella's to compare them to, they were fun, but won't be done again. I made about 11 and had had enough. So the remaining balls became hairy eyeballs or something equally scary. My hat is off to people with the patience for this sort of thing, and superior photography skills, who inspire the rest of us to attempt bizarre leaps of the finger food sort.

Now, little J and his mates did sleep out the back (eventually) and then made it known that they were awake at about 5am, so J has just had a FOUR HOUR afternoon sleep. Incredible. But boy, did he need it. And S decided she was sick and asked to put her pyjamas back on, and B is still totally clingy and snuffly, but they still photograph well (those are ink stamps on S's face). Lovely things.

Now, if you want to read a little about an inspirational artist, there's info about Susan King here. I can't seem to get onto her website, but I've just seen some of her work on Sunday Arts and it's fantastic.

29 October, 2009

My Creative Space


I've just joined this list and so took pics of my two 'creative spaces' today - the kitchen where I'm experimenting with cookie cutters and pineapple slices (fun) while sneaking glances at this beautiful book my husband bought me FOR NO REASON (very impressed) yesterday - I love this guy's art!
And here is my table in my temporary art space - geared up for one handed painting of canvas bags (the other hand cradles my beautifully contented baby), which will be this month's artistic achievement. Yesterday I was also heatsetting them with the iron, totally one handed, after making a sandwich - you guessed it - one handed. Actually, I'm typing this one-handed too! Ah, but she's so darn CUDDLY right now! I can't keep my hands off her!
To see more creative spaces pop over to Kootoyoo.

New handpainted totes now available

I've just completed these four handpainted bags and listed them in the online shop. I'm delighted with the way they turned out - and they're double sided. We use this size bag for beach and park trips and for fitting in the gear required for two little ones for a full day outing. Hope you like!

28 October, 2009

Dressed to impress

Today's ensemble - top by Target, bloomers by Kmart, shoes from my room, styled by the big brother who was home 'on strike' like his teachers. Hmmm. The pup was enamoured.

25 October, 2009

Wish this would happen at our shops!

I found this video on http://colormekatie.blogspot.com/
and hope it makes you laugh out loud like I did.
Love it!

Pot pot pot

So, the Eco Potmaker kit arrived.

And it's very easy.

And very addictive.

We (well, ok, I) made A LOT of cute, little, newspaper pots.

And filled them with seed raising mix, planted the seeds, sprayed water on them, and are now eagerly waiting for them to sprout! I'm a proud mumma so there will be pictures I'm afraid. Once they're sprouted we can plant them straight into the ground and the newspaper will biodegrade. Sounds neat.

Loved this kit though. Will use it for parties too, I think, to make little pots for lollies or nuts with strips of coloured paper.

Get Eco Potmaker from REMO General Store

Pinktober

A dear friend organised a breast cancer fundraising event that's being run today called 'Pedal in Pinktober' and I donated a lucky door prize. This handpainted 'Pinktober' bag, a pink Coffee & Cake teatowel and some other goodies. LOVED painting this tote and got a bit carried away and have started painting four more, which will show up very soon in the shop!

23 October, 2009

Dribble solution

There are some artistic things happening here, late at night, in an effort to have some new, original, special things to announce in the next Shiny Happy Newsletter (join the list here) and send off around the country for Christmas. This is a glimpse into some particularly special little panels that will look wonderful when they're finished (well, at least they look wonderful inside my head, at the moment!).
And I know I could have made this, but I have just one space for sewing and painting at the moment, so while I was ordering our new wall calendar on the Remo website I just went and did it and I'm so happy I did. These little dribble bandanas even cover the stains from previous dribbly bubbies while preventing stains from this dribbly bubbie. We went for a hot pink one and this blue one and I think B is enjoying her new, jaunty look. For more info, you can click this box below (and no, I don't work for Remo!).
Get RIC Baby from REMO General Store
Rellies on their way to visit now, so a bit of picking up to do!