T-SHIRT QUILT

If you are like me and can't bear to part with those mountains of clothes your little Mr or Miss wore - now you don't need to.. go ahead and make a quilt!  At least you have an excuse to keep them all now :)

I saw one similar on pinterest just after Christmas last year and fell in love with it so thought I would make one each for my boys for the next Christmas.  I started off with good intentions in January and cut out one row of  T-shirts and sewed them together.  I thought I will be super organised and not have to rush to finish it however I didn't touch it again until a week before Christmas when I thought I would never get them finished.  But guess what.... I did!

I just love how they turned out (and so did the recipients!)  They loved them so much they insisted on taking them to every function we had to attend on Christmas Day - and snuggle up in the sweltering mid summer heat! They thought it was pretty cool I used their old t-shirts!   And the told me that night how much they love their blankets!  Actually I didn't only use t-shirts - I used onesies they wore when they were a baby, jeans, taggy blankets and pyjamas!

Now just to clarify I am by no means a great sewer (or even a good sewer) so if I can do it... so can you!

I actually didn't even measure anything so just winged it and cut them slightly larger than the size I wanted them, sewed together row by row.  The one I saw previously on pinterest actually had no border but I liked the idea of including the tshirts in a plain border (with a pattern here and there).

I then sewed the border and sewed that to the completed panel.  For the backing - after a mad dash to Spotlight and not finding the fleece fabric I was after I ended up picking up a really nice super fluffy and super soft throw and cut that to size.  I used a lightweight batting on the inside and once it was all sewn together I sewed around the panel and the edges are almost like a pillow - love it!

Taggy Rag!

Super soft backing

Even some patched up jeans <3

I used different coloured throws for each quilt

Just had to include a onesie

You Only LIVE once, LICK the bowl

It wouldn't be a birthday without cake and cupcakes now would it?  Here are some ideas which aren't that difficult or time consuming to do.

For the rose lover.  Perfect for mothers day.

                                   

 

Simple Scrapbooking Pages

Questions of a 4 year old <3

Wild about you

Enjoy the little things

While you were 4

Summertime

Can't reach that moon!

He is like a sunny day <3

Snuggle bugs

Brothers

To the world you're just one person, but to one person you are the world

How lightbulbs are made

A perfect memory

He makes the world a better place

Questions of a 3 year old!

Wild Thing <3

Easy Christmas Ideas

1:  STRAWBERRY SANTAS

Ok so I stole this idea from an awesome lady friend of mine.  Mine were the somewhat lazy version... I made them to take for my little big boys last day at daycare and couldn't find my piping bag so whacked that cream on with a knife instead.  Could have been a bit tidier but according to my little food connoisseur and his bestie they were yum!

Pretty sure the pic is self explanatory... strawberries... cream.... choc chippies.... done.

2:  XMAS GOODIE BAGS

A quick an easy gift for the kids to make.  I found these cute bags at Whitcoulls.  Fill with your fav treats and give them to someone you love :)  We put xmas shortbread (recipe below) and reindeer bark.


3:  XMAS FAIRY SPRINKLE SHORTBREAD

175g softened butter

1/2 cup icing sugar

1 1/4 cup flour

1/2 cup cornflour

pinch salt

sprinkles

Preheat oven to 150 degrees C.  In a bowl beat together butter and icing sugar until fluffy.  Add sprinkles and sift in flour, cornflour and salt.  Knead together and roll out on floured surface.  Use cookie cutters to cut into shapes and bake for approx 25 - 30 mins.  YUM.

4:  MAGIC REINDEER TREATS

Every little Santa believer will love these reindeer treats to sprinkle on the lawn on Christmas eve!  I used this awesome design I found over at Kate Hadfield Designs.  Add a spoonful of oats and sprinkle in some glitter and the reindeer won't go hungry when they stop by!

5:  REINDEER BARK

Perfect fun treat for kids (and Mums) and super easy to make.  (Apparantly Santa likes it too).  We made these and wrapped in little cellophane bags to add to the treat giftbags.  All you need is a block of white and a block of dark chocolate of your choice, a few candy canes (I put in a bag and gave it a slight beating with the hammer).   Break up chocolate in a bowl and pop in the microwave for around 30 secs to start with then give a stir and repeat until melted.  Line baking tray with baking paper and pour mixture on top.  Spread to desired thickness (I didn't make them too thick) and sprinkle the crushed candy canes on top.  Put in fridge until set and once done break up into pieces and enjoy :)  You could make your own variations for the topping like adding crushed Oreos etc!

6:  SNOWMAN SOUP

When it's so cold that you holler and whoop,

It's time to bring out the Snowman Soup!

Pour the packet in a mug, add marshmallows too,

And throw in these kisses that are special just for you,

Now add some hot water and use the cane to stir it,

Sip slowly and soon you'll feel the warm winter spirit!

Another awesome design from Kate Hadfield Designs.  In a cellophane bag add hot chocolate, a few marshmallows and hersheys kisses.

7:  FOR YOUR MISTLETOES

Fun and easy Christmas Gift to make for a special someone.  For these I used a coffee jar and put in a manicure set, fluffy socks and nailpolish.

Strawberry, Honey and Banana Mini Muffins

INGREDIENTS
3 ripe bananas
1/3 cup honey
1/2 cup chopped strawberries
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 egg
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup canola oil

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius.  Combine oil, egg, vanilla, mashed bananas, honey and strawberries.  Fold in dry ingredients until just combined.  Spoon into mini muffin cups until they are almost full.  Bake 15-20 mins.

Death By Chocolate - The BEST cookie recipe. Ever.

INGREDIENTS
200g butter cubed
2 generous cups chocolate chips (the big chunky ones are the best)
2 eggs
1 1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup cocoa powder
2 1/4 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius.  Grease baking tray or line with baking paper.  Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in eggs one at a time.  Throw everything else in and mix until well blended.  Roll into balls and flatten slightly.  Bake 15-20 mins and voila.  And yes you will need a glass of milk to wash these bad boys down.

Pumpkin Soup and Slowcooker Rosemary and Chive Bread

PUMPKIN SOUP

INGREDIENTS

1/2 of a pumpkin chopped

4 cloves garlic chopped

1 Tbsp curry powder

1 packet Maggi creme of chicken soup

small tub sour cream

1 onion diced

2 cups chicken stock

DIRECTIONS

You can either cook this in a large pot on the stovetop or chuck it all in the slowcooker - either way you can't go wrong (my type of recipe)!  I like to do it in the slow cooker - switch it on in the morning and its ready for lunch!  Chop pumpking, throw everything together in the slow cooker apart from the sour cream. 

Set on low and cook for 3 hours.  In the last ten minutes or so stir through the sour cream.  My boys like it quite spicy so I am generous with the curry powder, however tweak to your liking!  Once done I chuck it inthe blender for a few seconds (feel free to skip this step if you like a more homestyle texture!  Yum... now for a bread perfect for dipping in your soup.......

SLOWCOOKER ROSEMARY AND CHIVE BREAD

Super easy no knead bread in the slowcooker!  Ok so when I made this I had planned on making dinner rolls.  Long story short... too much dough ... small slowcooker...too lazy to wait for half to cook... just squashed that shit in and ended up with a loaf.  However a delicious loaf it was!  So for this recipe we will go with loaf.... however if you have a decent sized slowcooker unlike me and you want dinner rolls you will get around 6 really decent sized rolls from this recipe.  Anyhoo...

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cup warm water

3 1/2 cups flour

3/4 Tbsp yeast

3/4 Tbsp salt

Few Sprigs chopped rosemary

1/4 cup chopped fresh chives

Melted butter 

DIRECTIONS

Mix water, salt and yeast.  Combine yeast mixture with flour, rosemary and chives.  Cover dough for an hour or so or until it has approximately doubled in size.  Punch down and shape into a loaf. 

Line slowcooker and let cook for around 1 1/2 hours.  Once its done brush with butter and pop it under the grill to brown for a couple of minutes.  How easy is that!  Now go dip it in your pumpkin soup :)

Good Day Sir

and welcome to my blog.