My Creative Space

Mysterious quinces, how I love you!

Yesterday I chopped and boiled a big pile of quinces, and ruined the first batch of jelly with an accidental baking soda incident. Oops. So I chopped and boiled again and was left with a big bowl of watermelon coloured syrup.

And after adding sugar and boiling some more it magically became jelly. Not the kind of wibbly wobbly party jelly that kids love but delicious,

sweet, rose coloured jam like jelly.

And now I have twelve jars to keep & share. Twelve jars lined up on the window ledge,

like shiny jewels, and all from our beautiful old quince tree that keeps on

giving, year after year.

I've been baking & cooking a lot this week. It's so satisfying :)

Today I sent off a box of Anzac biccies to Charlotte in Melbourne,

(I hope she likes them. I  wonder if she found the whole lot of mumma love

I sent too, can you feel it Char?) The last lot of biccies I sent weren't the best but

  I've been perfecting the recipe and I think

I've got it right! Can't have the oven on too hot or they are too dry.

Go on, give them a try!

Anzac's

1 cup of rolled oats

1 cup of castor sugar

1 cup plain flour

1 cup of desicatted coconut

125 grams of butter

2 tablespoons of golden syrup

2 tble spoons of boiling water

1 teaspoon of baking soda

handful of choc chips (optional)

Pre heat oven to 180 for normal oven or 160 for fanforced. 

Mix all dry ingredients together while melting butter & golden syrup in a pan, gently.

Add baking soda to boiling water, pour into butter mixture and mix thoroughly.

Combine mixtures and stir. Add choc chips.

Make little ball of mixture and put onto baking tray, not too close together. Cook until golden brown,

about 10 or so minutes. Cool on a wire rack and then eat two with a nice cup of tea!

Yum!

Let me know how you go.

What's happening in your space today?

See you soon xo

Home day

Ok so I'm in de-cluttering mode and it's kind of a case of one step forward, two steps back.Yesterday I unearthed my rather large snow dome collection, thinking that I would

clean them up and sell them on ebay.

Guess what?

It didn't happen. When I got all 40 plus of them out of the dusty old box they brought back so many happy memories, and besides that I just love them! Is this crazy? I don't have room to display them really, and they could be loved by someone else. Anyway, they went back in the box to be dealt with another day. Have you got a collection hidden away somewhere? Could you let it go?

I'm sure most people who are in decluttering mode don't even THINK about going into an op shop unless they are donating. I have no excuses, I'm obviously a lost cause. But hey! I found this lovely navy lacy ribbony skein of prettiness that will be great for the girls to wear in their hair to school!

And this rather sweet size 6 Sportsgirl blazer for Lucy, who is finding it hard to find clothes that she likes lately. Being a bigger 10 year old can be tricky. She isn't really into 'younger' girls clothes anymore and doesn't quite fit into teen clothes yet. 

Today I'm having a home day. A pottering around catching up on things kind of day. 

Earlier I scooted around roosters, random chooks,

 & the odd, extremely helpful cocker spaniel to collect quinces to  make jelly.

Quince jelly is the most delicious thing to have on toast on a cold winters morning. Mmmmm. Quinces are so old fashioned and magical. From this funny looking fruit that smells like autumn comes such gorgeous amber coloured sweetness.

I've been outside checking on the ducklings too, who are learning to swim. Unfortunately we lost one yesterday as it couldn't get out of the pool. So sad.  I think it was the one who was born with a wonky leg, which is even sadder as it kept up so well with the others and had such spirit. Goodbye darling ducky.

Speaking of spirit I'm constantly amazed lately at my little prep girl. She is so happy at the moment, so full of life and excitement & fun. She is the Cartwheel Queen, the singer of songs, a shopkeeper, cuddler supreme and the happiest girl in the world on Icy Pole Day. She is learning to read, to do handstands and ride her bike. What a wonderful age 5 is, so many things to discover and with such delight. Yes, she still can be cranky at times, and quite loud about it, but less these days.

Tomorrow is a curriculam day at school so we will all be home which will be fun. I can finish my jelly and hopefully work on Sunday's quilt. What are you up to? Hope it's a lovely day wherever you are, see you soon xo

Duck love

All week I have been happily distracted by a big family. A lovely fluffy family who have filled my week with smiles.

Each little duck is so dear and special,

and each parent is playing an important part in bringing them up. Mumma is so attentive and protective, she watches each baby every minute while they are on their daily trek around the garden. Keeping an eye on them until they are safely inside their pen, away from prying humans and potential danger. Quacking loudly when she thinks I'm too close. Waiting for the last little slow duckie to waddle in the gate.

The babies huddle together to keep warm, they nuzzle each other so sweetly,

I just can't get enough of them!  Ducks are the most wonderful creatures. So elegant and beautiful and wise. So loyal and brave & funny.

I love the way Freddie & Venus work together as a team. She is the brains & beauty, the loving heart of the family while Freddie keeps her warm at night and watches over them all during the day. (He is also a bit inclined to accidentally stand on the ducklings, who squeak loudly until he removes his large orange foot from their tiny fluffy heads. Ouch! He's become a loveable and reliable father, quite amazing really as he was once a crazy stalker, yes it's true, ducks can change! Perhaps he is more fulfilled now. (Jess is probably nodding her head at this bit, she always knew he was good guy!)

Is there anything cuter than watching this adorable family shuffling around the garden? Learning to look for snails and slugs,

& playing in the chook water, getting muddy and having fun, they're really off to a good start!! I know we will have to say goodbye to the ducklings when they are ready for new homes, but in the meantime I'm going to enjoy every minute. How lucky we are to have this opportunity to watch these babies grow from eggs to the dear little duckies they are now. I'm feeling pretty grateful tonight, living in the country has given me so much joy!

And so do my own little duckies!

I took three of them out to dinner tonight for a special treat,

and it was fun & silly & delicious!

Are you playing along with Maxabella this week?

I bet you have a lot to be grateful for too,

have a happy weekend, 

lovely friends xo

My weekend

My weekend was a full weekend. A happy weekend, a shiny, sweet strawberry kind of weekend.

We had tart tartin, made by my gorgeous Honey.  It was pretty yummy, oh boy!

Kate, Pepper & Jazzy popped in, so fun to have the girls together & to chat with Kate.

Rosie & Pepper found a caterpillar, Betty, who has since

spun herself a cocoon. I wonder what Rosie will be 

taking for show & tell on Thursday?

We went to the very lovely Dharma school autumn equinox fair where the girls had their faces painted like butterflies and unicorns. We saw the Foxs Lane family, swapped clothes & bunnies, got sunburnt, chatted with friends and had fun. 

At home I collected quinces and added the making of quince jelly to my long, long mental list. There just aren't enough hours in the day!

I washed & hung out piles of clothes and worked out I wash 42 pairs of undies every week.

It's a good thing I don't mind doing laundry! 

We went for a walk, passing Jack's painted door on the way.

Where black cockatoo's soar over Wombat HIll.

 And came home to find eggs were hatching..

and now we have baby ducks!!

It's so exciting, wow! There are three yellow and three browny coloured babies, all so cute! Mad Freddie has been such a good fella and had been very attentive to his partner. And Mumma is so protective of her babies, she doesn't like us to get too close. Babies all around us at the moment, just lovely.

Today I'm sitting in the chaos left from a busy weekend, dishes, clothes, toys, guitars, newsletters, Barbie shoes, sewing, newspapers....you know what it's like! But I'm feeling good and so happy at the start of this new week. A storm is brewing outside and I think it's going to rain all week but life is good and I'm feeling lucky & smiily today, hope you are too. See you soon xo

Grateful Saturday

Today I am grateful for beauty and love and friendship.

For the pleasure our animal friends bring to our family,

for the opportunity to be part of a life, however small.

Today I am grateful for the food that we eat, fresh from the garden,

and for the fun that the children bring into my life.

Today I am grateful for the opportunity to catch up with an old mate, 

for the love & companionship of good friends,

for this sunshiney weekend,

for sleeping in and reading the papers in bed. Today I am grateful for my loving partner,

for our beautiful kids,

for a good life.

Hope you weekend is a happy & loving one, see you soon xo

My Creative Space

What's happening in your space today? I'm finishing off a couple of things and tweaking others. I'm feeling happy about my newest bunny and am more relaxed about the no clothes factor. What do you think?  I like idea of a slightly worn and much loved bunny being carried around and snuggled, clothes or no clothes. There's nothing better than seeing a little one carrying a Dandelion bunny, it makes me feel so good!

This week I finished a little cot sized quilt,

as well as starting on Sunday's quilt cover. Max thinks the whole thing is a bit of a yawn, bring on the chook scraps and hurry up, ok??

But Sunday likes the randomness of her new vintage linen doona cover, and doesn't seem to mind the inevitable.....

wonkiness.

Which is just as well as I noticed I put two of the same pieces of fabric too close together. Oh well, she's happy and that's all that matters.

And I'm happy that I finally have put a new bunny in the shop! Meet Clementine, above. And also that I am back into sewing again. Life is busy and there is so much to do all the time, it's nice to have some time away to sew and dream and create. Now I'm off to see what's happening in your space, see you soon xo