Óvens and plates

For over a month now I have been procrastinating about getting the oven fixed. Its not that I am unmotivated  but that I don't want to  re- employed the same person whom fixed my oven last time.
This particular person tried to swindle me out of an extra $30 because he bought an extra tradesman along to turn off the gas tap and hold the oven. Yeah right! I complained to the company that refer jobs on to him and they agreed that he was wrong to do this and gave me my money back, but it still leaves me very untrusting of this particular person and wondering how many people not so capable of speaking up for themselves have been cheated.
Any way today is D day and hopefully it will be fixed finally. I am definitely sick of  stove top cooking. Roast here we come!
After having called and booked my appointment" with said person - and we all know that tradesman never show up when they are supposed too- I was  feeling rather hot under the collar and could almost palpate my high blood pressure. I needed some diversional therapy and decided to go op shopping.
Well my day just went from antzy to very happy.
I found first a lovely glass spice rack which I am going to utilize to put my glass beading into -$5

And then wandering around the store and glancing down I spied some green dinner ware in my favourite shade- a bright emerald green - $8  for an incomplete set.  bargain! I turned the plate over and saw to my astonishment that the dinner set was an Alfred Meakin- love their stuff- I was just about jumping for joy

Dont you just love that shade of green?
I'm going to try to stay happy and calm and not let my temper get the better of me today and allow the technician to do his job unhindered by yours truly.
We didn't win the board competition but that's to be expected. Next time...

Daisy Style Crochet Baby Blanket

Its always a great feeling to complete a project knowing all the ends are tucked away and its ready to be packed and presented to its receiver. Baby blanket no.1 is done!

 Ruffled edge, simple but effective.

And the under side... not too bad if I say so myself. I absolutely hated sewing in the tail endings, couldn't possibly have anything to do with the horror head cold I've had. All is well now and it's finished.

Just have to set the crochet squares so it all sits nicely but I'll do that closer to present giving time. Have to add a few goodies for fun.
And now for baby blanket no.2 - A ripple blanket in brights is my next project as requested by mother to be Isabella. Looking forward to happy hooky colour changes..
Almost forgot to show you the entry  I put in for Berg Boards design  a board for Ali Day to use at the Aussie surf lifesaving titles.
Here it is

Do you recognize it? Its from my original oil painting (post number 1) Bluey burst... fingers crossed that its a winner.

A couple of nights ago burn off fires in Victoria caused hazy conditions in South Australia and a diffuse sunset.  It is a pity I didn't get there a minute earlier as the light was really shimmering across the water and no jet would have been screaming across the sky. It was a beautiful evening and my sister and I thoroughly enjoyed a walk along the beach.

Progress on the baby blanket.. I'm nearing the end.. yeh!  Just a couple of laps around the outside, anice border and then the cleanup of the tail endings. Yes!

Preparing for Easter.. I found some really cute egg cups for the nieces and nephews, made by Maxwell and Williams.

I thought I would crochet and egg snug  in the appropriate animal face.. see what time permits.
Well I'm off to pick up my son. See you soon.

Nature paints it own pictures

Saturday was a day where I spent time at one of my favourite beaches watching the Senior State Championships for the final surf life saving carnival of the year, which my 15 year old son was  a competitor. The carnival was held at Southport Beach, Noarlunga under the most ideal weather conditions, not too hot and lovely rolling waves peeling in on the beach. It is a spectacular beach which has ideal fishing, surfing, boogy boarding opportunity as well being very scenic and connects to the Onkaparinga river which is great for kayaking.

Under 17 ski event competitors preparing craft- Doesnt look like much of a crowd but there are hundreds on the beach.

Competitors at the ready for under 17 ski event.

They're off

Under 17 ski event returning to the beach.

Competitors cleaning up craft post race

My bronzed Aussie, Ben.

You can tell I love it. 

On a normal day (when no competitions are held) the beach is never over crowded. The walk over a boardwalk turns a great majority off of enjoying such a spectacular beach.

The view towards Southport Beach and cliff face

Dunes which the boardwalk passes through.

Looking towards Noarlunga Jetty

The Saturday carnival turns the normally limited parking along the cliff face into a premium and only the very eraly birds get a park nearby. Knowing this and arriving late we parked down near Noarlung jetty and walked the distance along the beach to the carnival - far more appealing than parking on the roadside and trekking with the traffic.

Whilst walking along the beach the tide made lovely erosion marks in the sand painting its own scene if you cared to stop and look. Lovely.

This  is the original orientation  with the water/ tide running back down the sand into the ocean  but flip it over and it appears as a grove of trees.

Nature paints its own pictures....

Nasi Goreng

I'm still without my oven! My brother whom is a gas fitter/ mechanic came over to install the gas burner for the oven. I was excited, the thought of caramelised, oven roasted and baked goodies filling the air with wonderful scents filled me with joy. But as it turns out the gas jets need cleaning???maybe, so I need to get in a technician.
Usually I just call the appropriate person but the people whom I am supposed to call charged me extra last time because he bought a long an extra workman, more like trainee, and charged me more money. I rang the company at the time and complained but still ended up paying him and being refunded by the company. Long story short I don't want to use this person and am too lazy to find another, but I will do it tomorrow.

So I'm still cooking on the gas top cooker.
Nasi Goreng was the order of the day last night and I took a few snaps as I went. My mother taught me this recipe, she is of Dutch heritage and her parents lived in Indonesia when they were younger. I'm not sure how authentic it is but it tastes good and is easy to make.

Ingredients
Conimex nasi goreng dried spices
1 bunch spring onions
1 red capsicum
2eggs plus extra to serve
basmati  or long grain rice 2 cups
500-600 grams chicken or pork diced
sambal olelek if you like a little heat
Ketchup Manis - a sweet indonesian soy sauce
prawn crackers to serve, make ahead of time before cooking nasi goreng

Bring water to boil
Dice pork chicken to one inch / 1.5 cm cubes (roughly)

Dice spring onion , use the entire vegetable except withered bits

Dice capsicum

Add rice and cook according to directioons, sont over cook rice or nasi goreng will be gluggy
Add small amount of boiling water to conimex dried spices just enough to wet them to swell and rehydrate

Fry up spring onion till just soft and add capsicum cook further minute and set aside
Fry up meat until brown lightly
Add conmiex spices cook further minute then add vegetable and set aside
Cook and egg omlete in a seperate fry pan and chop up to small pieces to mix through nasi goreng when combined
Drain rice when cooked, add above ingredients without reheating as rice will bring temperature back up, give a good mix.
Add soy sauce to taste or allow individuals to add at table.

 Serve with a fried egg, cucumber and yoghurt salad and prawn crackers.
Add sambal oelek for heat to the rice if desired.

Scoop rice onto prawn cracker and eat..mmm.

Progress Baby quilt no 1 - Daisy crochet blanket

Since taking this photo 2 days ago I have done another 7 squares, almost half way there ! I have to purchase some more green wool.. Back to the chevrons, really should finish what I started.
See you next time, Keep happy and eat heartily

Oops!

Last night I was crocheting in bed just before going to sleep. I just wanted to get a quick row in before turning off the lights and when finnished placed my crochet bag next to the bed so I could hook up again in the morning.

I love getting up in the morning and having a cup of tea in bed and a little crochet time.
Well this morning I made my cup of tea after David and the boys went off to surf lifesaving trials and settled down to enjoy my cuppa. I put my cup down and went to reach for something and threw the cup all over my crochet which was still lying next to my bed, half in and half out of the bag. Disaster! You've never seen me move so quickly. I tidied off the end and whipped it in for a wash, pronto. Hopefully it wont have tea stains all over it.

Well I settled back down for a new cup of tea and decided to commence one of four baby blankets for the pregnant girls at work. Seems to be a rush to get out of that place, cant think of a nicer way of doing it. I don't know whether I will have enough time to make all four blankets but I'll try. If not I can always go shopping.
Leah presented first with her pregnancy and I anticipated commencing  her blanket soon .. At least she has a definite colour choice - green - so it made it easy to decide what type of blanket to make her. I don't particularly want to work in one solid colour - yawn - although that does make it quicker to complete, but decided on a daisy/ flower based pattern with green background. Really fresh don't you think?

Now I have to change and wash my sheets - yawn!!!

Chevron On

I've been busy on my days off, hooking away. I spent a lot of time resting my laurels not doing any of the things that might be expected of me as wife and mother... so sue me! My hooky interest came with me  every where, even on 37 degree days when it is already too toasty warm to be sitting under a crotchet blanket and swelter all in the name of progress. Sometimes things go too slow for me, I just want too get it done. I think I have a little of the mad determination that my mother has and can get carried away with whatever project is my current interest.

People often ask me how I manage to have the time to pursue craft and my answer to that is that it interests me and that I do a little bit at a time, regularly. Nothing will ever convince me, other than complete desperation, to give up my Thursday coffee and craft morning. Coffee to catch up with my very dear friends and craft to quilt and chat. That way no matter whatever else life throws at me I will always get a little done each week. If I don't make it to craft (due to sick children) I'll set aside time during the week just for me. Love being a little bit selfish, but we all should set aside some me time to do the things we love or desire to do.

Self love makes me happy and then I'm more likely to share the love..

I recently have taken a liking to Rob Ryan's fabulous paper cut work. He's obviously has way too much time on his hands. imagine all the work that goes into cutting scenes in whole pieces, let alone designing and evolving concepts to carve. Clever stuff. I was in spired and bought the book of "This Is For You". Besides being a beautiful keepsake, his message was relevant whilst I was writing a letter to my son and also influenced the presentation of the letter to him .. it became more of a collage of thoughts, drawings and feelings. I had to hand it in (I was really late) and havn't photographed it, but will share parts that arent of too personal a nature later.
Anyway enjoy a snippet of Rob Ryans book...
(my apologies for the camera work)

These terraced houses remind me of the dutch apartments sandwiched together along the canals...my dutch heritage sneaking in.

What lovely whimsy and joy in discovering oneself.  You can find Robs web page here: http://www.misterrob.co.uk/