Holiday Roundup

So I haven't burnt the dinner, overflowed the bath or left the kids behind at the shops for a while (I've never actually done the last one, just fantasised about it).  I figure I'm over my jetlag.  And I worked a night shift on Thursday night and managed to not drop any babies, even a slippery new born one!  I'm patting myself on the back.

The reason I'm supposedly jetlagged is because I flew to Brisbane and stayed for two weeks to help my brother and beautiful sister-in-law, as they were having their second child.  Their first boy is only 22 months old and they had only just moved to Australia a few months ago, so they haven't really established support networks yet.  And I had an ulterior motive - I wanted to be the first Aunty to hold the baby!

The quilt I was hurrying to finish before I left was for the new baby and I did manage to get it all done bar the label.  I'm glad I didn't do the label as they decide to swap the order of her names after the first day or two!  I used a light cotton batting as I thought they might get more use out of it that way, Brisbane is rather warm most of the year.

I had more of a holiday than I thought I'd get.  The toddler was almost angelic and easily amused by playing outside.  I was a bit leary of all the insects and I thought I saw a snake once, but it turned out to be a big brown lizard instead!

My sister and my self holding the angelic toddler.

My sister flew up from Sydney for a few nights and my Dad, Stepmum and baby brother visited a couple of times - they live about an hour and half away from Brisbane.  I got to explore the local walkways and parks.  We visited Southbank where they have created an artificial beach next to the river.  It also has a great area full of fountains for kids.  I explored a few shops and ate more than a few goodies!

During my stay I managed to get down to Sydney for a night to see a friend.  She is a brave and beautiful young woman who is battling cancer.  It was good to share a hug.  I was really impressed with the public transport in both Brisbane and Sydney.  I was able to make my way there and back totally unaided.  Easy and efficient.

I took hand sewing in case I needed something to do and I got a bit done here and there.  I used up some paper pieced squares I had leftover from another project and sewed them up into some little pincushions.  I also hand stitched a curtain for my brother and SIL - I'm pretty good at hand sewing a blind hem now ;).

My brother even kindly took me to a quilting store, but I only bought a half metre of a red batik.  I was a little overwhelmed by the selection and had visions of not being able to stop once I started.  Then I found a place called simply 'The Fabric Store' in Fortitude Valley.  It was filled with the most beautiful silks and linens and I took away a lovely piece of indigo coloured, striped linen.  We also visited Ikea.  I've wanted to for ages to find out what it's all about, but we don't have one in NZ. Wow - what an experience!  It's huge and very cleverly set out.  I was especially impressed by their clever designs for storage.  And I couldn't resist a lovely heavy cotton fabric - I took three out of the four colour ways available!

I was glad to be heading home after two weeks.  My brother kindly woke me up at 4.30am when I missed my alarm, I had the quickest shower I've ever had and didn't miss my taxi.  Thanks bro - lucky their wee babe decided she needed a feed just at the right time!

The travel home was uneventful, just long and boring.  I was positive I was going to be in for an excess baggage charge but according to the scales I was lighter than when I left NZ.  My kids gave me the biggest hug and then demanded to know what I'd brought back for them.  Hubby was also very glad to see me - he's told me next time we'll have to get a nanny!  It's nice to be appreciated.

And to finish up, here's a pic of  what my house looked like the night I came home.  It took me about three days to get it in order.  It was an impressive mess!

School Holidays

Not much gets done on the quilting front round here during school holidays.  The kids see me sewing and find a million things they need help with urgently, or they decide they are hungry, or - and this is the worst insult of all - they decide THEY want to sew ;)

But I've managed to fit in a few other things.  We've had the nieces visiting for a few days and they joined in the birthday afternoon tea that my boy had for his seventh birthday.  Lots of running around was had after the treats and then we had the cake.

For those of you who can't decipher what it is - it's meant to be a chocolate pinata cake.  You make a cake, ice it and top it with goodies, then make a chocolate shell in another bowl and drop it over the top.  Birthday boy gets to smash it with a toy hammer to get to the goodies underneath.  Well.  Let's just say it was a learning experience!  And he wasn't too disappointed that it was already broken when he got to it.  If you ever want to make one of these - practice first.

But tomorrow morning I'm hosting my Friday Group of quilters here so I might get a bit of sewing done then.  And very soon I'm off on Retreat.  A three day quilt-till-you-drop experience that we hold a few times a year through our guild.  I haven't decided what projects I will take, but rest assured I will have something completed by the end of it!

Happy school hols everyone - only a few more days and it's all over.

Still catching up.

So after the wee winter camping holiday there was still a week of school holidays left.  And no time to take a breath because the Hamilton cousins descended on us.  That is my Sister in Law and her three girls aged 8, 6 and 6.  She also brought her Japanese Au Pair with her.  So for the next week we had fluctuating numbers of houseguests as the kids all took turns staying at their Grandparents.

Next bit of chaos was my daughter's fourth birthday.  My little nine pound baby is four years old and I'm having trouble believing it!


Four days old and getting some big brother love.



And now four years old and getting some plastic fantastic Barbie love.



A whale cake for Daycare.



And a fairy toadstool cake for home.

 "What? Two cakes? Are you crazy?" I hear you ask.  Nope, I'm smart.  Having a cake at Daycare constituted a party in her eyes, which lets me off from having a number of small excited children hooning round my house expecting party games! 

It was always a tradition in my family that we got to pick our favourite meal for dinner and I've carried this on with my kids.  Miss Four's pick?  Mince and pasta :-) Gotta love it!

Anyway, after that little busy patch was over I had my own birthday to contend with.  No baking my own cakes or choosing my own special dinner - instead I hightailed it out of there and holed up in a cabin at Camp Waipu Cove for the weekend.  I took a good book, my sewing machine and quilting projects, a bottle of wine and some yummy food.

I walked on the beach each day and spent the rest of my time sewing and reading.  And I felt really refreshed when it was time to come home - my own little retreat.

Today, however, I'm on an enforced go-slow - hence the extra long blog post.  I had day surgery yesterday (don't worry, it was minor, elective girly stuff) but it still required a general anaesthetic (blurg) and I'm a bit sore.  I'm pottering around with the quilting projects I was working on on the weekend and hopefully I'll get some photos to show you where I'm up to.

Ciao for now.

Yummiest Mud Cake...

I've ever made.  This isn't saying that much, 'cause I've never really made a mudcake before.  But I tell you, I'll be making a few more now.


This cake is so good that it gets better over time.  Seriously!  Most cakes get drier and you end up feeding the dregs to the chooks or serving it up with custard.  But we've just finished this one four days after making it and the last of it was like eating chocolate fudge.

Chocolate Mud Cake

250g chopped butter

 170g chopped dark chocolate

1 cup white sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1 1/3 cups water

2 cups plain flour

1 heaped tsp baking powder

1/4 cup cocoa powder

3 duck eggs (hen would be fine) lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract

In a large saucepan melt the first five ingredients and stir over a low heat until the sugar is dissolved.  Then cool down for a short while.

Sift in the plain flour, baking powder and cocoa, add the eggs and vanilla and beat gently till combined.

Pour into a well lined cake tin about 20 cms square.

Bake for 1 to 1 & 1/2 hours on 150 Celsius.

I doubled this recipe and poured it into two cake tins.  Then I made a frosting recipe and layered the cake with it in between and covered the whole cake with a thin layer of the frosting.  Then I made a ganache recipe and covered the top of the cake thickly.  I melted some white chocolate and poured it on top of the ganache and artfully swirled it with a fork (looks real fancy!) into the ganache.  Then I shaved bits of white choc with a potato peeler onto the edge of the cake and added a sliced strawberry for colour.

Frosting

1/2 cup of cream

1/4 cup of brown sugar

1/2 tsp of vanilla extract

3 tbsps of cocoa powder

Whip the cream then beat in the sugar, vanilla and cocoa until stiff.  Done.

Ganache

8 ounces of dark chocolate, chopped

1 cup of cream

Heat cream until it just boils.  Pour over the chocolate and whisk until smooth.  I wanted a much thicker brew than this as I knew I was transporting the cake and it would be warm so I added about a cup and a half of icing sugar and beat until thick and smooth.

These recipes were all taken from the net, unfortunately I can't remember exactly where from as I wasn't planning to post them here.  So apologies to the original chefs - you have my undying thanks for the best birthday cake ever!  I have altered the recipes here and there to suit me and what I had available at the time.