Hobbies.

You know you do these hobbies, mostly in my case, to connect with people. Being a Gemini and all I don't really like doing anything on my own, least of all crafty pursuits, which I view as purely an excuse to socialise with a few layouts completed as a by product.

So it is quite disappointing really to realise that a UFO (unfinished object), in this case a layout I started the last time I scrapped with a 'friend' is still sitting in my lounge room.

It sits in a scrap frame, taunting me, a reminder. That particular layout has sat there for about a year now and every time I eat a meal or have a cuppa it is 'there', in that space... unfinished. I am going to finish it this weekend, probably on my own, reflect on whether this hobby still makes me happy and why I choose to spend time scrapbooking. Because realistically I haven't for a long time now.

It's Funny How Things Work Out.

I bought this panel of jungle print quilting blocks when Squealy was a newborn and tucked it away carefully into my stash. Well Squealy is now heading for his 4th birthday in October and it's time to make his very own telly quilt for the lounge room.

While looking through my local Op Shop I was lucky enough to find a stack of quilting magazines and I flicked through and found this pattern in Country Favourites by Natalie Bird.

The best bit is it requires 16 blocks to make the square in a square blocks of which there are in the original fabric purchased!

They also need to measure 3 1/2 inches, which they do!!

Doing the happy dance today. So I figure it is just meant to be. I have a really good feeling about this quilt.

Am now off to equilter to see what I can find in tonal prints to match the fabric I already have. I'll also have to come up with a jungle pattern for the applique in the centre.

Lisa's Pikelets

Lisa's Pikelets

3 cups self raising flour
3/4 cup sugar
3 cups milk
3 eggs
1 teaspoon baking powder

1) Mix all ingredients together to form a smooth batter (add milk slowly!)
2) Heat frying pan and cook spoonfuls over a moderate-low heat until they form bubbles, then flip.
3) Serve.

SuzyBoo Notes:

This recipe makes a truck load of pikletes, far too many for our family, but they freeze really well.

Reduce the recipe as follows:
* 1 cup SR flour, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 cup milk, 1 egg, 1/4 teaspoon baking powder.
or
* 2 cups SR flour, 2/4 cup sugar, 2 cups milk, 2 eggs, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder.

We have been using this recipe for years now and have worked out some different toppings. Husband Deluxe loves his with corn kernels (I buy the little tins of the super sweet stuff). String Bean likes hers with a sprinkle of grated cheese (put onto the raw side, flip and cook till the cheese is crispy).

Someone was over Sydney!

hehehehe it was cold, wet, miserable and busy. True Sydney yesterday and String Bean really *really* had had enough by this point.

But we were stuck trying to avoid driving out in peak hour traffic in the rain.

So what's a girl to do? Set up a girl cave :-)

Huggle Time.

He is so hard to pin down for huggles. Still racing around like he's stuck his finger in a power socket most of the time... but oh so cute!!!

Can you build with bubblegum?

Is the question posed to Fuzzy's Kindergarten class in the Unit Of Inquiry they have been studying.

As you can clearly see the answer is YES!!!

What a superb model. Fuzzy has used pasta, marshmallows, m & m's, sugar cubes and other assorted food stuffs to create this.

He is so very proud of it.

Not sure how we are going to store this little gem once it comes home though? I suspect the ants will have a field day with this :-)

Zucchini & Walnut Cake

My zucchini loaf!

Zucchini and Walnut Cake

1 1/2 cups plain flour
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp bicarb
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup soft brown sugar
1 small zucchini, grated
1/2 cup pitted dates, chopped
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
2/3 cup vegetable oil, I used canola
2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 180d.
2. Line a loaf pan with baking paper.
3. Chuck in all the dry ingredients and mix.
4. Add all the wet ingredients and lightly mix with a wooden spoon.
5. Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 55 minutes.

Serve in slices with butter. Serve warm from the oven with 'real' butter... delicious. The boys loved this. An easy and sneaky way to get veggies into the tots.

I've blogged this as Simon thought you couldn't make a 'zucchini cake'... umm yes you can & for Tim who thought it tasted like carrot cake! :-)