2nd attempt at beef bourguignon

I had a crack at the Julia Child's Beef Bourguignon last winter and goodness me it was extremely rich, beautiful but rich.  It was too much for me I ended up giving it to my mum - you know she loved it.  

Well Rachel Khoo did a version last week on her BBC TV show - cooking her modern day French food in her little restaurant/flat in Paris.  So I thought I would have another go.  Yum Yum Yum - Totally delicious on this particularly chilly Sunday.  

The latest #scrappytripalong I've been adding to it slowly.  It is coming together..  My sisters fabric has slipped in nicely you can't and has given it a different dimension.  I think i may have another 3 - 6 to go.

Have a great week all.

Kath x

Family affair of sorts....

Winter my style.  You wouldn't believe it was May.

Early morning walk - just wonderful.  Sun on my skin just to warm up a bit.

My sister sent me a little parcel last week of 
2 1/2 inch strips to add into this #scraptripalong.  

It just amazes me what you can sneak into it.  

It was great to have someone else's scraps. She chooses different fabrics to me batiks and a few  brights. This will tweak the overall look of the quilt.  

Not to mention that she had them all cut at the 2 1/2 inches for me. Thanks Sis.

3 blocks done, 10 more in progress.  

I might have to start cutting into some fat quarters to bulk it out a bit.  Or maybe just a big border of some sorts.  Will just have to wait and see.

My brother and his girlfriend went to Japan recently. Lucky for me they just happened along a trash and treasure market (LOL as one does). Some of what they managed to find for me.  Bless them. Nice huh. I really like the top one.  

Oh to go to Japan... November - Yokohama quilt show..... Could I get there.
I have had a little change to my plans for the year. I've missed uni for this session class was booked out. So I have a couple of weeks to fill up with what ever I like. 

Which means my last subject will just be finishing up in the week in November for when the show is planned. Oh well. I will just have to wait and see what I can get organised.

Anyway that's about it.  Happy sewing/stitching and crafting..  

Kath x x x x
  

Wedding shananigans

Another wedding this year.  I'm loving sharing friends special days.  

Purple everywhere.  
Gosh it was chilly on the beach.

The Derby Girl got her man.. . . . . 

Not a dry eye from all those gathered. The recognition of love and shared moments in ones life.

Skating into the reception the Bride and Groom had a great night and partied on with friends and family.

Vamped up - and looking beautiful as only she can.

Love you both
Kath x x x 

instagram competition - trees

Ahhh....  such a beautiful morning for a walk.  I spotted instagram having a competition on #WHPthroughthetrees and thought I would send in a couple from my neck of the woods (world).  

Have a great Sunday
K x 

Hooky for the day

I've had my head in a text book for the past week.  

Today....   I just needed a  break and to get out for a coffee and do something different.

So I took off to the shops and thought I would have a little trawl through a couple of Op-Shops.  

My stash - the shoes are Kumfs and hardly worn & a couple of dress patterns all in my size. Cant go wrong with that.

The cotton fabric is lovely about 2 meters - I might have a crack at making a blouse.  

I'm all inspired after watching the Great British Sewing Bee.  I'm sharing the link, just in case you don't know how to find it on you tube.




Reality TV love it or hate it?  But this one is about something i'm interested in, oh and the people involved in the program are talented and it's relatively short - 4 episodes.  No dragging on for weeks on end...  

I love that one of the contestants was 81 years old and the rest all in between and they show you what they are up to after the show.  

Did I mention I really enjoyed it?  LOL 

So as I said.....  I thought I might have a crack at sewing something other then a quilt or patchworky stuff..  if that makes sense.  So fingers crossed.  I have a little collection of different fabrics happening and now some patterns.  

Anywhoo back to the books tomorrow.  Exam on Monday. Bring it on.   

Happy sewing and crafting or whatever else you are doing.

K x 



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Back to the #scrappytripalong

I took a little time out today to hit the sewing room and get back to my #scrappytripalong the one I started earlier in the year.  It has been way too long since I've even been in the craft room let alone sewn anything..... so fabulous just to have a little play and I love how the colours just blend in.  There seems to be a green & pink theme happening naturally as it wasn't planned.  

I'm looking forward to getting the next couple cracking which I've already started to cut out.  I  might have to have a dig through the cupboard and see what I can find to pop into it as I'm running out of scraps.  

I had the most grandiose of plans this morning.  But my bed called and I just wanted the rest.  It has been a little crazy in my neck of the woods lately.  

I did have a wonderful brunch this morning such a treat on Sunday mornings.  Avocado & smoked salmon with sunny side up eggs with feta and chives.  Yummo it was delicious.  This breaky sits well with the IQS -  :).  Which I would like to say is still going well.  I'm loving the no up and down on the sugar spiral.  I've found it worth the effort.  But you know it really does take some effort to think of different things to eat.  Eg:  healthy things and taking the time to prepare real food and keep the sugar out.  It's not a bad thing, just effort and focus needed.  I'm still making the quinoa salad - baking pumpkin, beetroot and sun-dried tomatoes, olives and feta.  Which is sensational but I need to find some other stuff too.  Cause I've gone off some stuff and need to shake it up a little.  

Anywho have a great week.

Kath x 

#IQS - It's going to take some effort

I joined my sister on a little weight loss challenge and started by cutting out some sugar from my diet a couple of weeks ago.  We had talked about it on her last visit and she mentioned someone she worked with dropping around the 30-40 kilo mark and is happier with no sugar.  Done over time of course, not a flash in the pan diet fad.  
So I thought I'd give it a go with her and started cutting out anything heavily overladen with sugar. I felt the effects of going cold turkey immediately. Obviously getting rid of the stuff in your face that you cant miss like sugar in coffee, chocolate, biscuits and lollies.  

Coming home from work one day Sarah Wilson was on the radio sprouting how much sugar yadda yadda yadda. Buy 
my book and try it out for yourself.

So I did what most women would do. I went and grabbed a copy.  We all know about reaching the end of the family block of chocolate, sugar glaze  firmly intact and wondering where it all went.

#IQS - the first thing I tried the "meal-in-a-biscuit crackers" didn't work for me. But I got the flavour and the principle.  Now I just need to get the technique down pat. Very expensive to make so   not working out was really annoying. I will be doing some research online to find some tips for that one before I try it again.

Sunday brunch and for a couple of days into the week. The "bacon and egg cupcakes" really hit the spot.  Give the weeties a rest for a couple of days.

Even weeties have sugar in them. It is amazing exactly how much sugar is in everything. Add that up over a day or two.

#IQS is pretty full on.  I'm not sure how much of it I will take on long term but happy to try a couple of recipes. I just can't see myself turning into a health freak. :)  Drinking vegetable juice every second day and at the organic health food shop every third.  But in saying that you just never know.  

What I'm looking for is small sustainable changes - How long can a girl go without Cadbury's?  Especially when it is Easter next weekend.

I'm glad I'm in the  habit of prepping for the week on Sunday.  Means I can be organised and I'm not scruffing around trying to come up with something at mealtimes during the week.  

So I'm off to make up same salad boxes and quinoa salad.  I'm trying red quinoa this week.  

Have a great week all.

K x  

Reusing = cheap & cheerful

So I went digging through a box of scraps to see if I had any pieces large enough to pop into the scrappy trip along.  The scrap box is now half, a bag to go out (cant imagine using some of it) and a pile for this project.  

Amazing what gets shoved into the "scrap box".   When i'm in tidy up mode whatever is floating about is shoved in.  So there were a couple of surprises.  

$2.00 for 1/2 a meter of fabric at Spotlight?   Cant go wrong with that...   

Happy Birthday to me...  LOL Happy Birthday to meeee....  hehehehe....

My fabulous sister sent me the Sunday Morning quilts and a bag that she's made.  I cant get a good pic of the bag so i'm not sharing.      

My present to me is some of the Ghastlies fabric.  Im undecided as to what I love the most "Sebastian Ghastlie" or "Mildred, Magda or Minerva Grislie".  Now I know I wont be planning anything RIGHT NOW with it.  But you know.  I love this range and if I don't grab some then I miss out...  :)

             
Just touching back on last weeks organised salad boxes and veg bags....  Even thou I have been sick through the week it did actually work a treat.  No thought required.  Dinner all sorted.  

So one guess what I will be doing this afternoon.

Feels good to get some motivation back to get organised.  
Have a great week.

K x 

#scrappytripalong

What on earth is all the fuss about?  

Crafter's are going crazy on it globally...........  It has seriously gone viral.  If you haven't seen it then pop onto intsagram or just Google "#scrappytripalong" .   

i found a tutorial from Bonnie K Hunter scrappy-trips-around-world.  Bonnie has provided easy peasy instructions.  Cant go wrong on that one.  Well you could you need to pay attention when unpicking.  doh.

Ok well I get it now.  LOL I couldn't help myself....  

Another option of clearing out some of the scrap box.    Simple, effective and a breeze to whip up.  Thanks Bonnie.

Now I'm not saying I'm going to do up anything massive.  just clearing out some of the scrap box to get the pile down a tad. 

Are you an organised person mid week?  

Generally speaking I tend to not be as organised at home as what I could be.  

This week I've got it in the bag.  Lunches all sorted for the week.  :)  

Salad boxes made up for work and bags of veg's to steam for dinner with protein serves.  Done and dusted.  Lets see how I go with this one.

Have a great week everyone.

I might try and squeeze in a couple more blocks for the scrappy trip along.

K x 

Back to life as we know it . . . . .

Well 5 weeks of holiday came and went in the blink of an eye.

So good just to have a rest and re focus on whats important.  Set a few goals for the year and remind myself that there is light at the end of the tunnel for uni days.  2 more subjects and Im done.  This semester Marketing Management.  Sounds interesting huh.  

Amazing when you start out on something it all just looks so big, daunting and scary.  But when you start chipping away at it it becomes achievable.  I'm looking forward to personally acknowledging my efforts and celebrating my end results.

I've been looking for some inspiration for some sewing...  I want to start something new......  

Image borrowed from Hancocks Paducah fabric catalog..  How fabulous does it look.  

I'm in love with the Ghastlies range from Alexander Henry.  But i'm trying my hardest to be good and use some of what is shoved in the cupboard......  and save my pennies for when I actually have time to sew.

there is a '4' in my years now...  LOL amazing that I can actually read again...  :)  See text messages and read on the screen...  

Miss S having a wonderful play at the park and on the waters edge.  So wonderful to see her happy and having a visit with us in Wollongong.

That's about it for the time being.  I will have my head buried in a textbook from next week for a couple of months.  Fingers crossed I can find some time for some sewing...

Keep an eye out for me..

K x 

Scrap box days

 

 It has been a scrap box day today.  Everything used in this quilt-as-you-go floor/bathroom mat is from the scrap box ONLY.  Nothing snagged out of the cupboard to add to it.  That was my challenge.  Wadding and all.  

I started out pretty roughly.  A largish piece of backing fabric face down, then the wading on the backing centered top and bottom, left to right or as near as you can get it.  Don't get to finicky .  I picked some different toned scraps selecting my initial start out piece and point on the wading then sewed the randomly spaced lines. 

For each new piece I did the quarter inch seem,  then  finger pressed the piece over, and then the lines up and down again.  The lines are random widths - I didn't want it to look that accurate.  Jigsawed the different pieces to add on with ease.  The straighter the lines the better the effect.  It does use up tonnes of thread thou so keep that one in mind as you are sewing.

For the binding, I rolled the backing fabric to the front and pinned it as you would normal binding cutting off any excess as I went.  A quick zigzag on the machine and its done.  

Into the washer and see how it comes out tomorrow.  

Lessons learnt with the project?  Try and miter the corners more so its not so bulky for the machine.
Practice straight line sewing....  :)

K x x x 

Shenanigans in Sydney

Oh my they have been few and far between of late.  I spent a couple of days catching up with friends in Sydney recently.  So good to have some time to catch up, and celebrate the new year with some more bubbles and snacks & do some fun stuff.  

J says come to Anish Kapoor with me...  Who?  Anish Kapoor who's that?  sorry textbook brain.  

Off we went to the Anish Kapoor exhibit - if you have time get along to it.  Very interesting to say the least.  

this is the first piece that's me in the reflection on the right....  and it is at the entry of the museum.

 This was really interesting.  It was moving collecting the wax as it went.  The colour amazing and full of depth.

Please turn off your flash.  Doh - how do you do that?   How great does this look.    Our reflection in the image is inverted. Oh and I did manage to turn the flash off.

This ones depth as you walk past it gives you this look that it is hollow.

Massive.  Took up the whole room.

Fascinating my total recommendation for a visit.  

Don't forget to turn your flash off if you want pics :) 

Pitt Street Mall.  Busy as ever - But renovations have happened everywhere.  Centrepoint is now a Westfield - It has been years since I have been wandering through the city.  

Obviously something I need to do more of.

Gorgeous Pete with me.  We were ready for some Yum Cha having some happy snaps.  

Imagine waking up to this view every day?  Not too shabby.

& these guys?  Loved the light and expression on their faces.  

Not to mention the party hats.  

Maybe they are all partied out after the new year celebrations - they just all look so cheeky.

Its been disgustingly hot here today.  Well over 40 degrees.  If you are elsewhere in the world where it is a bit chiller lucky you.  Waiting on a cool change to blow on through.  Fingers crossed for some sleep tonight.

Too hot to be in the sewing room.  Fingers crossed for tomorrow.
I have things to do.

K x x x x