Oh Hai!

It seems I have finally emerged from my creative hibernation - with a record 3 projects completed this weekend!

Firstly - the finishing of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Admittedly not strictly my project per se - but as fellow gentle readers shall attest, it has been a commitment spanning several years. In many respects, as I had enjoyed the story so much, I was not looking forward to the final installment - the end of a fantastical journey filled with real tears and laughter. Not to mention nights cuddled up with my best beloved hanging off his every word. Yes I am the luckiest 32 yr old alive to still be read aloud to - he even does voices. But it is, or was, a privilege reserved only for the Potter series. No more arguments about pronunciation - cries of that's not Hagrid's voice - and the once surreal experience of discovering a small bat flying about the house during a particularly chilling chapter.

But without spoiling a thing for those who have not yet read - I am actually somewhat relieved now that it is over. Too many sleepless nights spent worrying about the emotional and physical wellbeing of a fictional teenage boy.

As a side note: the subsequent hysteria and caterwauling associated with the harm of actual people I know is a force to be reckoned with. And a warning to all vets: I am without doubt the most inept and appallingly behaved pet owner you could ever wish to deal with. Fortunately my brother is a vet, so you may be spared the indignity. Besides, years of abuse as my younger sibling has numbed him to all pain.

I digress. So the Potter saga is over - and while I may miss the thrill of the unknown ending, I am perfectly content in its conclusion and any pangs of longing I have for the exquisite world of Hogwart's can be instantaneously quenched by the opening of a book. Just as Narnia, Middle Earth and other such places will always exist on my bookshelf waiting to tempt an idle afternoon.

Second on my list of accomplishments is I have FINALLY put the binding on my quilt. Hurrah. Now I can rankle over what I wish I did differently and inevitably start collecting fabric for the next one. The sun even came out momentarily for a picture. Excuse the overly verdant garden but I also had to take a picture of my new sneakers. Not quite ruby slippers but just as magical (hey - they can put a smile on my face instantly - and I have been known to sing songs about them) I wonder if that's how it started for Imeda. First purple now silver. I have forewarned jms that this may become a problem. For him.

And finally the third project to have its eyes dotted and nose stitched - indeed the little face heading this post. Sometime this week M & J's new bub a.k.a. 'cashew nut' shall be making an appearance - so Aunty Cato had to extractus digitus and make a softie suitable for a lil 'un.






















Possibly a little too "if Jimi Hendrix made plush toys" yet for some reason this fabric always spoke to me of giraffes gone wild. Hopefully an ideal size for tiny grasping hands and a wee face ripe for sucking on. Partly "Splendid Toy Book" with a large shout out to julie giraffe, a treasured gift from Miss Red. And check out her sweet hiney.

Quick... look like you've been busy

Yay ! Only one more sleeps till jms gets home (assuming he's on the plane). Anyways - no cake this time but don't you think every good boy deserves bunting?

WIP update: I still haven't managed to bind my quilt that I picked up nearly 3 weeks ago - but this is slowly turning into this. Nevermind that it is supposed to be a birthday present for Gem (the party was only 2 weeks ago). Quite frankly its been too cold to sew (well my sewing machine doesn't fit under the doona I've taken to wearing around the house). So there. Hey - I made bunting!

The Crafter's Way

Read this. Found via My Little Mochi. Couldn't have said it better myself. Thankyou Poppalina.

Rogaliki with Rose

After waiting so long to get my recipe translated - it seems somewhat remiss of me to not pass it on. So here it is - enjoy!

Rogaliki półfrancuskie z różą (Polish Rose Crescents)

600 grams (3 cups) flour
1 cup cream (I used double - its much nicer than the thickened stuff and easier to mix in)
Pinch salt
250 grams unsalted butter, cubed at room temperature
Dash of oil
1 tablespoon sugar
Rose jam or paste
1 egg white (glaze)
Crystalised sugar for sprinkling

Cream butter, oil and flour (by hand or if your lucky enough to own a Kitchenaid make yourself a cuppa and watch as it does all the hardwork). Carefully mix in cream, salt and sugar. Refrigerate the shortbread for at least 30 mins, wrapped tightly in cling film.

Roll out to about ½ cm thickness. Cut into 6cm x 8cm rectangles. Spread jam along long edge. Roll into a tube. Slash tube along one side repeatedly and then twist into crescent shape (with cuts to outer edge. Alternatively cut into squares and make little danish style shapes with jam in the middle. As I did here. Glaze and sprinkle with sugar.

Place on lined baking sheet and cook in a hot oven for 15- 20 mins.

Note. try to use a thick jam - because once it's hot the jam will liquefy and dribble out. Not necessarily a cardinal sin - but its more likely to burn if it does.

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

I can't call it workaholism - but all I seam to do is work and sleep. It's like a pendulum - bleary eyed stumbling off to work and then when the sun goes down I get home, crumble in a heap - maybe eat something and then go to bed, to repeat the cycle again.

The weekends are a befuddled mix of the realisation that OMG the only time I have to do the grocery shopping is Saturday morning along with every other person on the planet. AND I've turned into one of those delightful customers who seems to take an inordinate amount of time to locate their purse despite having 20 mins of queuing time to ready herself, manage to drop all my green bags on the floor (especially after the attendant has already packed the shopping) and can't seem to muster anything more intelligible than a grunt when spoken to.

The rest of the weekend is then spent wondering if I really do only have 3 black socks, despite countless searches and only discover the answer to this conundrum on Sunday night when I follow that strange smell and uncover all my underwear, socks and work clothes have gone mouldy from being left wet in the washing machine for too long. God help me if I decide to have children. I guarantee they'd be the ones living off spoonfuls of peanut butter and wearing garments fashioned from pillowcases.

But it's not all bad. It's just cold, and Jms has gone away and I feel a little unsettled because my Virgo self has yet to find a routine. In fact, this week highlights a marked improvement. I no longer have the startled bunny caught in the headlights look at work. I am vaguely competent and don't try and hide under a pile of t-shirts each time the phone rings anymore. There's been some really stressful things happening - completely outside our control - but nevertheless as the middle men it's our head on the block. Yet everyone still makes jokes and laughs (somewhat maniacally admittedly) and it is on the whole a very nice place to work. Which makes bitching about work seam quite unfair, because I am actually really enjoying my work - its just the bit outside it seems to be lacking in substance.

But its on the improve - I actually managed a cooked meal yesterday. Because Jms is away - I guess I'm having a bit of a meat fest. My cockles obviously needed some warming because I've been craving hearty fare. I made Beef Stroganoff last night. My one concession to my vague ideals of healthy living was to have it with wild rice. I usually make a vegetarian mushroom version, that to be honest is completely superior. But its the principle of the thing. While the vegetarian is away the carnivore shall play.

Tonight I went back to an old favourite - Osso bucco with gremolata and pappardelle. Unfortunately I misread Miss Stephanie's directions. Not 45 minutes cooking time but two 45 minute stewing sessions with an extra 30 mins to be sure. It really has been a while since I've made it. Needless to say, I'm not waiting till 10pm tonight to eat. So it's a cheese sandwich and a glass of red (I don't normally drink - but I bought some for the stew and well, its open now so I might as well). Time to fall asleep now in front of the teev.

Lunch tomorrow will be fantastic.

Nesting

My yoga teacher emphasised that at this time of year we are meant to hibernate - to take it easy and nourish ourselves.

I was bone tired this weekend, in spite of the short working week, so after my morning yoga class today I spat the dummy and "hibernated".

It was late afternoon before I emerged from my many layers of doonas, blankets and cats. Not wanting to tackle dishes or washing, I indulged my inner child a bit more and finally pulled open my Splendid soft toy book. After all, all work and no play is pretty uninspiring.

Although I had earmarked the giraffe, I instead took a little detour from these guys, and fashioned a nesting doll of sorts. I love matryoshka, and am always looking for an excuse to draw them. I'm pretty sure everyone I know has at least one birthday card from me decorated with them.

I've been wanting to make a softie version that nests as well - but I haven't been able to get my head around the physics of it all. Now that this little lass is complete I think I might just have the answer.

So I guess that technically makes this, a work in progress.

I (heart) this song...

The Knife has finally been given reprieve - I have a new obsession. Listening to this song, loudly, on repeat with a hairbrush microphone (of course).

Perhaps wearing my purple boots...