OPPS!! I did it again....

I have been a very good girl and made the effort to finish all my projects I had laying around before my fabrics arrive. As you can imagine, I will be super busy marketing my first range so I don’t want to have ‘unfinished business’ in the way.
But the problem is, I feel bored not having new things to create and even though I already crave more hours in the day for the essential things in life, I feel the need to start something new. I can hear you all shouting at me ‘crazy woman’ but I can’t help myself! So.... I did it again! I have started another quilt from a lonely jelly roll sitting in my stash whispering ‘make me’ every time I walk past. Yes if you neglect your fabric long enough, it will start to talk to you.... It doesn’t like to be forgotten about (a bit like husbands).
BUT, then came the problem I have with each project needing a purpose. I can’t seem to make something with passion unless it has a purpose, someone to give it to or a use for my family. So as I was ironing out the 40 strips in the jelly roll, I was feeling a little flat because I didn’t have someone to give this quilt to....and then it came to me! I have decided to make this quilt for my grandmother in Victoria. I would have to say I am the worst granddaughter in the world, so slack! My grandma sends us money for every birthday and Christmas and up until Ryan’s birthday in September last year, I have always sent her a card or given her a call. Well you’re going to hang your head in shame but I didn’t even ring her at Christmas time or in February for the money she sent for Nathans birthday. It’s terrible and I feel so guilty. I will totally understand if she has deleted me out of the will (if I was even in it lol). I kept meaning to ring her but every time I got the chance to talk to her at night, I always felt it was too late with daylight savings and time just got away from me. I really have no excuse so I thought by surprising her with a quilt in the mail, I might be able to make it up to her.
In saying this, I am really excited to start making this quilt now it has a purpose. I can’t wait to give it to her!

Yummy Scones

This is for everyone wanting this recipe

Wholemeal Cranberry and White chocolate Scones
2 cups S.R Flour
1 cup Wholemeal S.R Flour
¼ cup cranberries
¼ cup white chocolate bits
1 cup Buttermilk
1 cup lemonade (I used just under a cup)

Preheat oven to 200 degrees
Mix flours, cranberries and chocolate bits in a bowl. Make a well in the centre and add buttermilk and lemonade. Fold in flour until just combined. Transfer to floured board and ever so lightly knead into a ball. It should be light fluffy dough. Roll out dough and cut out your scones. Place on a baking tray with baking paper and a sprinkle of flour. Bake for 15-18 mins.
Makes 12 good size scones
Serve hot from the oven with an undisclosed amount of butter and enjoy
Best made on days hubby is home so he can clean up as a thank you for all your hard efforts.
I didn’t take this recipe from another site or book, I just made it this morning but I’m sure there would be similar recipes out there. It’s quite a wet mixture so you will need to flour your hands and dough as you kneed it. Just don’t over knead it or you will end up with rock cakes
If you are like me and you scone cutter is in the play dough box, than just use a glass. Also make sure your rolling pin is free of any traces of old play dough, especially if you are making them for guests.
You can make these preservative free using the right brands of ingredients too!

Blah Blah Blah!

I'm not sure what my problem is today.... I have been sitting here staring at the wall for the last hour knowing I have so much to do but I just cant get off my arse and do it! Ryan is asleep and Nathan is at his nannies so I should be in go mode but I cant flick the switch. Maybe I just have too much on my mind.... we are thinking of selling the house in a dead market yes/no?? My husband wants to move back down south yes/no??? Getting my fabrics ready for release... Holy crap! alot of work behind the scenes, its not all just gorgeous fabrics. Trying to keep to an advertising budget...HA! Some days its just too much to think about. I also need to sleep... a definite yes but not as easy as it sounds:( I have to hit the kitchen and make endless amounts of food to find things my fussy eater will eat which is just so frustrating. I could make five different things and he may like one!! GRR!!
So my conclusion for today is, wait until 3pm and open a bottle of wine:P
Maybe I can find the words to write later in the week......

It's FINISHED!!!

I thought I would share with you the finished product of I quilt I started making for myself more than a year ago! The thing is I had all these intentions to make the quilt into a pattern of tiny triangles...as you can see that never happened. Every time I start making something for myself, its never priority to finish it and it always gets put to the bottom of the pile but I really wanted to finish this for winter so I had a nice cosy blankie to cuddle up with on the lounge. One thing I can say is I can take the pledge of originality on this master piece lol. The joins are so uneven and the quilting is so wonky, I think the detail on this quilt is a one off!!! Its pretty bad:P For some reason when I work with precut packs, my joins are never as neat as when I cut my own fabrics. I have promised myself next time I make a quilt for myself, I will take as much care with it as if it was for someone else.
In case you are wondering, this is 3 moda charm packs stitched together, Its that simple! So go on, give it a go:)

What do you think???

I am making a basic quilt using just one main fabric as a trial for when my fabrics arrive. What do you think??? I think it looks quite effective:) My first release of fabrics are just individual main prints. I decided not to print coordinating prints in my first run so I could do more main prints (it’s a cash flow thing). I am going to use basics to showcase my fabrics to start with and I think it’s a good way to show you that you don’t have to use designer fabrics for everything. You can mix and match basics and get just as good a result and spend alot less. I have made this cot quilt as a trial, I just need to stitch the binding on and it’s finished. I will show you another pic later in the week (or next week, even the week after...) when it’s finished. I would love your feedback, good and bad :)

A gift from Saffron Craig

I am working on a basic quilt pattern using just one main fabric and I am going to trial it before my fabrics arrive. I will post a pic when its done and would love your feedback.
In the meantime....
 Look at the lovely gift Saffron Craig Fabrics has on her blog for all of us to download and use for mothers day:) The link to her website is above and follow the link to her blog from the top menu. Saffron has noted this download is for personal use only.  THANK YOU Saffron, My boys and I will have fun making cards with this beautiful design :)

Do I really need to go shopping?

Today I surprised myself.  The plan was to go and do a huge food shop because hubby was home and for me to take my boys shopping on my own I just about need a valium to survive.  My kids are just not born to shop on any scale.  So off we go and much to my disgust Woolworths was closed because it’s a public holiday in Queensland today.  I was so surprised, they normally only close on major public holidays but to spoil all my plans they were closed.  At this stage I was thinking: Oh shit the house is bare, what am I going to do now ‘WE HAVE NO FOOD!!’

Well I did what I use to do; I went home and had a big cook up.  I have become so moulded to convenience food over the years and since I have had Ryan and started my business, I am no saint in the kitchen. Martha Stewart would hang her head in shame.  I barely ever make fresh snack food anymore.  I have a pretty good stock of basics in the pantry, I always have but these days as soon as the ‘easy’ foods run out, my instant impression is we have no food, must go shopping.  Today I didn’t have a choice; the only thing open was the fruit shop and butcher so I grabbed some milk, eggs, a bit of fruit and veg and a bit of bacon from the butcher.  I’m not a fan of this particular butcher so bacon was as far as I was going in the meat dep.

Keep in mind my fridge and pantry are so empty it’s quite embarrassing but I surprised myself at what I came up with.  Once I started it was like a competition with myself to see how much I could make with next to nothing but I started running out of time and the novelty was wearing off fast. I need to wrap things up before the wiggles finished and the kids started climbing the walls. While in my Jamie Oliver mindset I realised I need to go back to having a big cook up once a week to fill the fridge with fresh cooked food.  I don’t really need to go shopping all the time to stock up on cheese sticks, muesli bars and squeeze yoghurts.  I just need to spend a bit more time back in the kitchen and meal plan like I use to.  I think I would save alot of money too!!

This is what I came up with. keep in mind I only cook what the kids will eat and I am no chef in the kitchen.  As you can see I had spring onions and chives lol J

Between all this cooking, I managed to stitch the binding on my quilt I'm trying to finish.  Some days I just outdo myself!! If only I was this productive everyday..........