.Citrus pOp - full to the brim!.

One of the things I worked on during my blogging absence last week was making some more hair pins for Citrus pOp. I'm in love with all of the new stock and am refraining myself from digging into the Citrus pOp box to steal all of the hair pins and hair clips for myself!!!! I especially dig wearing the alligator clips - they are great for holding a decent section of hair and I think they are super cute.

Some of my favs from batch #3:

Ballet Slippers:

Zingy Citrus:

Princess Satin:

Sun Day

Slight Envy

.Recipe Monday.

Mmm...this cheesecake is great. Light (in taste, not fat!) and not too sweet. Delicious end to a Sunday dinner :)

(I didn't bother with the crumble on top for the pictured cheesecake, but have done it before and it is yum.)

Apple Cinnamon Crumble Cheesecake
1 packet buttersnap biscuits
1/2 cup pecans
60g butter, melted
2 tsp gelatine
1/4 cup water
2 x 250g packets cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup caster sugar
2 Tbs lemon juice
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 x 425g can apple pie fruit
1 x 300ml carton thickened cream, whipped.

Process biscuits and nuts until finely crushed. Add butter and mix until just combined. Press two-thirds of the mixture over base of a greased 22cm spring-form tin; reserve remaining crumb mixture. Refrigerate base while preparing filling.
Sprinkle gelatine over water in a small heatproof jug; stand jug in a pan of simmering water. Stir until gelatine is dissolved; cool.
Beat cream cheese, sugar, juice and cinnamon in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Stir in gelatine and apple; fold in whipped cream.
Pour filling over biscuit base in tin; sprinkle reserved crumb mixture evenly over top. Cover; refrigerate overnight. Dust lightly with icing sugar before serving.

.Hello Blog.

I'm back! Last week I took an unplanned leave from the blog. I was having one of those "too much to do, too little time" weeks and decided to leave blogging out of the agenda for a bit.

Good news is that I managed to wipe a lot of jobs off my "to do" list...it isn't clear (I don't think it ever will be) but at least it is a little less daunting now!!

Today I managed to get some sewing done and have worked out a new project for a fun tutorial...will be posting it later on this week.

I'll leave you with a taste of the fabric I have been playing with today - I guess you could say I was feeling a little dotty ;)


SUPPLIES:
Michael Miller, Ta Dot - assorted colours

.Citrus pOp NECKLACES.

Citrus pOp has been stocked with beautiful floral necklaces!!

If you are looking for a unique item of jewellery full of colour and style, then these are for you. I get endless adoring comments when I wear mine and love that it can add extra zing to a basic outfit.

Here are a few of my favourites:

Natures Bloom:

Flower Basket:
Confetti Shower:

All Citrus pOp necklaces are one-of-a-kind, so once they are gone...they are gone!!

.Monster Truck PJs.

I'm having a little PJ sewing obsession at the moment. Last week I made my nephew in Sydney a pair of Slumber Party Jammies for his 4th birthday. I love these for a quick present and make sure I always keep a selection of boy-friendly prints in my stash ready to make a last minute gift. My sister-in-law told me that when he opened it he exclamed, "Look, Mum - Monster Trucks!!" - so cute!


SUPPLIES:
Make It Perfect, Slumber Party Jammies pattern
Michael Miller, Haul It in Spice
Denyse Schmidt, Katie Jump Rope, Basket Weave in blue

.#1 Smiley Boy!.

I know everyone says this when their child has a birthday - but seriously...where in the world has the last 12 months gone?!!! It seems like only a couple of months ago I was playing hide-and-seek as I was going into labour!

It was a slightly rocky start with the little Tom-boy, but he sorted himself out after the first 3 months and (I'm worried I am going to jinx myself but saying this...) has been quite angelic ever since.

We can't take Tommy out without having people comment on his infectious smile. He is overly-smiley and sometimes I am worried that his cheeks are going to split from all of the grinning he does! He is definitely the ray of sunshine in our home :)

Yesterday was his first birthday and he was unusually grumpy for most of the day. I'm putting it down to teeth with all the finger chewing a drooling he has been doing lately. He perked up when Grandma, Poppy and Ty came for dinner though and having "Happy Birthday" sung to him as he sat on the table trying with all his might to grab that candle in his little cupcake!

Love you little man! May your second year bring just as many smiles as your first :)
xxx

.Recipe Monday.

It has been forever since I last made Golden Syrup Dumplings. They were a popular dessert when we were kids, I love the simplicity of ingredients and preparation.

Golden Syrup Dumplings

3 cups water
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup golden syrup
75g butter
1 1/2 cups SR flour
50g butter, extra
3/4 cup milk

Combine water, brown sugar, golden syrup and 50g butter in large saucepan. Stir over low heat until melted.
Meanwhile, use your fingertips to rub in 50g butter into flour. Stir milk into flour mixture until well combined.
Bring the sauce to the boil then drop heaped dessert spoonfuls of the mixture into the sauce. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered for 15-20 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Serve with ice cream.

.Giveaway over at Prudent Baby.

Check out the cool giveaway happening over at Prudent Baby at the moment...enter to win a copy of About A Boy PLUS awesome Monaluna for Birch Fabrics Circa 50 fabric to make the entire set exactly as it is seen on the pattern cover!!!


Pattern and fabric courtesy of Fabric Worm.


Check out the rest of the Prudent Baby blog while you are there. I am finding WAY too many cool blogs lately - bad, bad, bad!!!

.Doilies to buy.

Are you sick of the doily posts?? This is the last one (for now)... I promise!!

Of course I had to do an Etsy search on "doilies" and these are a few of the awesome handmade goods I came across:

If I had my ears pierced, I would be wearing these for sure! At the moment, hoop earrings are just about pushing me over the edge to get them pierced!


Lovin' this doily-embellished tote:


Cool doily-framed silhouette:


Almost can't resist this coin purse:



And thinking I need to make one of my zippered pouches using some natural fabrics and doilies like this one:


Paper doilies are totally in again ;)


And I had to save my VERY favourite till last....How awesome is this doily clock???? I want one for my studio SO BAD!

.Doily creations to make.

I'm almost done with the doily posts :)

Check out this cool doily cushion tutorial here


A doily pinchushion here


Paper doily wrapping paper here

A BOWL made out of a doily here


Paper doily dress cards here

.Doilies to wear.

Sharing some more doily*love today. Totally inspired by doily-embellished clothing - a great way to add a bit of detail to solid fabrics:

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.DOILY Love!.

Somebody...please stop me! My latest little obsession is....DOILIES!!!

This kinda makes me laugh actually because once upon a time I was anit-doily. Couldn't stand them. Now I can't get enough!

I happened to find Fresh Vintage Crafts - another Aussie on Etsy and have been eyeing off her goods for awhile. She updates her shop once a month(ish) and her hand-dyed doilies sell FAST!! So I was lucky to snag up the ones that I got...






I LOVE LOVE LOVE them!! Not really sure what I am going to do with them yet...I have used them as little "props" in my Citrus pOp hairpin photos though! I keep getting them out of the cupboard and looking at them, stacking them up, spreading them out :) Imagining wall art, clothing decoration, pin cushions... but not able to commit to doing anything with them just yet!!!


My purchase from Fresh Vintage Crafts has inspired me to head into the opp-shops (if you know me well enough, you will know that I DO NOT "do" opp-shops!!!) and I have come away with a great collection of doilies and table runners to cut up into smaller doilies. So now I have a heap of white/cream ones to play with too!




This post was going to be REALLY long...I've got a heap of doily-love links and ideas I wanted to share but will save them for another day (or two!)

.Online.

I've had a few cool online sightings and links over the last week or so...

I'm guest blogging over at the Oz Material Girl's blog - they asked me if I had any tips or tricks to share regarding my patterns and I've written a tutorial to show you how to avoid puckers and create perfectly shaped hats. If you have had difficulties with joining the circular pieces of your About A Boy or Lazy Day Hats or if you are scared of sewing circles - head on over for some pointers!!

The Oz Material Girls are also giving away a copy of About A Boy or Lazy Day Hat so make sure you leave a comment to win a free pattern!



My Zippered Pouch Tutorial was featured on Sew Much Ado's "We Did It! Wednesday!" Thanks so much!!! If you are visiting from Sew Much Ado - welcome :)


My cousin, Lisa calls herself an "amateur" photographer - pfft!!! We spent the morning together at my house catching up with our other cousin, Penny who made a quick visit home for Nan's funeral. I have always declared Lil impossible to photograph, but she was working the camera today!! How cute is this pic that Lisa captured of her? Check out Lisa's photography blog - she is awesome!!!


Citrus pOp made it to the front page of Etsy on the weekend!!! I was a bit excited :) The Mandarin Grove hairpins sold shortly after. I've got some beautiful necklaces in the making that I will be adding very soon - will keep you posted. Remember, free postage offer is still happening until tomorrow...write "blogspecial" in the comments after you have purchased and I will refund the postage amount.

.She sleeps with flowers on her bed.

Lil exclaimed, "Mum! Nan's asleep with flowers all over her bed!!" as Nan's coffin was wheeled into the chapel ready for the funeral service.

It made me smile.

Nan was an avid gardener and I know that she would have been more than happy with the vibrant arrangement of pink flowers that adorned her coffin.


In January we lost our Pop and while we were happy that he had moved onto bigger and better things we all felt sad for Nan. Sad that she had lost her companion of almost 67 years of marriage. Nan suffered a stroke a little over a year ago and hasn't been able to walk or talk since. I felt so sad when I would see her...she was always such a chatter box and we knew she had so much that she wanted to say but couldn't get out. Although Nan seemed to be in good health and spirits since Pop passed away, it is obvious that they weren't meant to be apart for long and she quietly slipped away to be with him again last week. This year, I have had quite a few people comment that my family deals with death in such a positive way. Of course we are sad and will really miss our grandparents, but there is joy and hope in knowing that we will be together again and it is a wonderful to know that Nan and Pop are free from their physical ailments now.

Nan's funeral service was just beautiful. Just as she would have wanted it, I'm sure. She had requested for all of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren to sing "I Am A Child Of God" during the service. It was a very emotional moment for us all, not only because we were remembering Nan but I also felt such power standing there with over 40 of my cousins and second-cousins who would not be here if it wasn't for our heroic grandparents.


It started raining when we were at the grave site - Nan would have thought it perfect for the garden :) She had planned her funeral a few years ago and asked that her five sons and son-in-law carry her coffin. I can only imagine how they must have felt, laying their Mother to rest and am so grateful for each of them and the wonderful example they are to me.

One of the things I really love about my family are the little children (and there are always a lot of them!) They were all so facinated with Nan's grave and had a great time throwing roses and flower petals and talking about Nan sleeping in her bed :)



I love you Nan and until we meet again, will hold your memories close to my heart.


(Oh, and for the record...I think I may be the only person in the family who actually LIKED Nan's orange jelly with grated carrot - served as a side with cold roast meat and boiled new potatoes!!!)