Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas,

I love a Christmas when all I have to do is what I and Michael want. This year we didn't have to spend hours in the car and stuff endless amounts off food in our bellies.

We went for a ride this morning and a breakfast at Michael's mum, then we stopped at my dad's for a lunchtime beer and we were done. Now we are going to have a catch up sleep and a small dinner with freshly baked banana cake.

Yum,

Enjoy your day and for those that Christmas hasn't arrived to yet,I hope you have a great one.

I love to bake.

I do love to bake, I like to taste the mix or batter and when it is cooked a have a small test and love to give it away. Most of it goes to Michael.  But I caught some snowflakes in a jar today for young Maya and Bond.
I love the idea of baking for christmas and give it as gifts but where do people find the energy and time.  I have tired for the last three days, the flour was in a bowl for 2 as I get to bake at work but the last christmas shoppers have been keeping me very busy.  The next day I had butter in a bowl and sugar measured out. Day three I finally got to mix the two together and bake these.

I tied a bow around the jar and presto snowflakes in a jar with snow.

So I had our second family early christmas tonight and it was alot of fun, I really enjoyed it.

Macarons.

I have never tired making macaroons and have only eaten one ever. They do interest me which brings me to show you this.

How amazing is this? It was made by a company called Cacao they are based in Melbourne and won the Melbourne Macaron Competiton. I am not a big tomato fan but I do love the unusual.  

ALL FINISHED

It is all done and after wrapping the presents I started to delete the photos and realised I hadn't download the photos.  I wasn't happy I will have to take a photo tomorrow after it is opened. I did save one photo from destruction.

I also made my brothers birthday cake as it is his birthday tomorrow.  I must say it looks rather good.  But when I woke up this morning some of the ganache has gone a light brown colour Damn humidity I am guessing as I have made this ganache before and that has never happened.  Lucky I got photos of that before it turned bad. It is still edible.  It is only my second decorated cake so I feel good about it anyway.

I got asked for chocolate so chocolate he got, it is a mud cake with chocolate butter cream then layered with chocolate fondant with a chocolate ganache.  I also made fudge and put them in a mould and poured chocolate on top. Also the big pieces of chocolate is fudge dipped in you guessed it chocolate.

I thought I should write happy birthday as well, so he knows I made it for this birthday and not our christmas get together.

 I cut out fondant hearts and piped ganache around the edge.

Anyway that is about it. Christmas comes early tomorrow, yum good food and family laughs.

Ribbons and more ribbons.

 I have (had) a big stash of ribbons and it is a stash as most of it is hidden.  So it came out of hiding and I started a project.  I thought why not wrap the girls presents in something other then gift wrap so I started to cut ribbon for a different approach to wrapping.

 A couple of bags for the girls to use after the clothes I made are pulled out.  It took a few more hours then I thought it would, but once I figured out how to sew them on I was away.  Simple and because I am only making them for the bigger girls I only have to make one more.

I have cut out the last two skirts and I am half way thru the second bag.  i am keeping myself busy, as well as playing Angry Birds on the Ipad.

14 two more to go!

Wow I have sewn up 14 pieces for my 4 little nieces, it seems alot but when you divide them up it looks like I should make more.  I will see how I feel.

Anyway I had finished up the last dress for baby Ella and cut the fabric whilst trimming away the seam, damn wasn't the word I used, up it was only the lining on the bodice so I think it will be okay.

So here they are.

                      I just loved this yellow and blue fabric, it was a quilting fabric from spotlight.

 I went to Fabric and pretty things by Trelise Cooper and brought the stripe and check fabric, it is the first time I have mixed a pattern I am pretty happy with it, I just need to put something on the bodice to finish it.

Inspiration

What can I say but what an inspiring experience this world of Internet has for me.  I get so inspired by other people's creations that I just have to share it. Today it is this bakerella and because it is Christmas time I am sharing this.

super cute she has instructions on her site how to create it.

Also something that I saw yesterday , that she does too it is called a cake pop. Oh my I need to try these so many different ones to do. Such a great idea too. Yum little treats and you don't feel like you have eaten a whole fat piece of cake.

So make sure you visit her site hours of fun to be had.

Oh The Magic.

I love christmas lights at christmas and fairy lights at the right party, normally an outside party and as I don't have outside parties; christmas is it.  Last year I wasn't feeling the christmas love so I did not put them up, when I look back if I had maybe christmas would have shown up. I only have a few lights as you don't see much of our house from the road.

Two trees, A reindeer and a shooting star.

I spent almost 3 hours on these, but it looks great and it is a shame that we only get to see them for a short time as it gets dark around 8.30ish and we go to bed most nights by 9.30.  It makes me happy thinking they are outside doing their christmas joy thing.
Back to cutting more fabric tomorrow, putting out the christmas lights has got me bushed.

Fast approaching.

Christmas, it is coming.  Earlier for me as our Families are splitting this year which is kind of good news as Michael and I end up spending all day in the car. So we are celebrating on the 18th which means I had to get sewing and I did. Here are some more skirts for my gorgeous little girls. (nieces) These are all a size 1 which I had to adjust pattern as it starts from a size 2.

 I made these two skirts from a cotton sack that I got when a brought some linen from Wallace Cotton I cut this skirt then I just hemmed the bottom skirt and put pretty lilac ribbon in the waist perfect and cheap (kind of).

And I had a small amount of time before dinner to make these, Bananna and coffee icing.

Lorna and I will be starting our christmas baking at work so be watching.

Weekend at Taupo

What a great weekend I had, we went to Taupo for the Contact Taupo cycle challenge it was great weather and the event was awesome for those riding. I took the support role again not sure if cycling 160kms is my idea of fun on a saturday morning. I also saw my friend Rita's new home, it was nice seeing her again and where she is.

Lake Taupo

Michael did an awesome job on his ride, he was looking for sub 4.30 and got a 4.24 time, that is hours and minutes. So after the ride we swam and ate then off to drinks with the GMC Team. It was a great weekend and I always liked it in Taupo, it has a great feel about it especially when it is sunny and warm.

Michael after 160kms on the bike.

T-Shirts from GMC.

Some of the GMC Team.

I also took my old school SLR with me and it was awesome to get a photo that is on film but after seeing digital photos for so long it is hard to get use to the grainy look. But there is something special about them.

Elite Men's (start)

I'm Back.

Well I have had an eventful weekend with another eventful weekend coming up. I have been in the Goldcoast which  I renamed while I was there to Coldcoast, then when I got back it was cold here. I really miss warm weather I hope I get to see some soon.

On a happier note I had to have a cupcake this morning Petal Cupcakes, they are delicious only problem is that they are right across the road from my work calling me everyday. Which I am good, I only go for a pick me up once in every few weeks. So if you are in Newmarket you must try them my favourite is Golden Syrup they taste like the best Caramel I have never made.

I just love these photos as the cupcakes look like roses.

I haven't had with tea but they are great with coffee. Just beautiful.

Eclairs! Eclairs!

Oh how we love thee, all the choc and cream heaven, Well it is hitting big time in Harrods with these little numbers.

Butter Scotch Toffee

Blueberry Violet.

 And Pistachio Raspberry, they look so delicious.  Anyway so Lorna and I decided to try it. It isn't a master piece, our first try.

Slightly different shape and our icing was a little thick but they taste so good. I made a candied lemon zest and filled them with cream and lemon curd.
Keep watching as we will make them again.

K1/K2

What a great day it was in Tairua, the sun was bright and the water looked inviting.  I didn't try it as I only like swimming in cold water when I am boiling.

It was a long drive from Napier but well worth it, we went out for dinner at Mannia (I think it was called) and it was beautiful.  The next day was all on as it was the start point of K1.

Michael and Mark before the start, which the rain made the day look like it was good to spoil the day.  It didn't last long. Michael had a good finish with a 2nd for his age group and 32nd overall.

Beautiful New Zealand

It is easy to forget what a great country you may live in until you go up a mountain like this one!

Te Mata Peak in Hastings, It was nearly the only thing I saw as I had work the next day, then we drove out on the Friday. Hawkes Bay is known for it's sunshine and the wineries (that will have to be on the next visit.

Michael decided that he would ride up and seeing the other people that he past he made it look easy.

I also thought that the port of Napier was pretty cool, it is logging season (I think) as we saw many trucks and then when you go look down at the port it has rows and rows of logs.

We left Napier for Tairua, but I think I will leave that trip for tomorrow.

Happy Birthday Miss Rita.

It is nice when someone admires your work, so much so that they want what you have, alas mine is a one of a kind, Lucky for Miss Rita I had more fabric in a different colour.
So it was a nice gift to whip up another laminated fabric bag.

Anyway Rita loves it.

Domestic Owl

How cute are these? I just loved this little owl in her apron and when I saw the back it just had to go up.  It is from an artist called Lauren Alane check out her Esty shop.

Little People Dresses

I am off to Hamilton in 2 days, very excitied as I get to spend time with my brothers family. I don't get to see them much so when I do it is a special time.  So after making all the dresses for christmas I really wanted to give them one, so I download the copy of the summer dress Corrie from RetroMummy posted on her blog and hey presto I have two new little dresses. They are matching in a way I have used both fabrics for each dress.

I also added a little hand sewing on Sophia's dress as it was quite plain I thought it could use some detail.  Anyway off to bake as the cupcakes I made this morning turned into little volancoes halfway thru cooking, and as I make these all the time I was gutted.  Michael was pleased as he now gets to eat the
whole lot.