Showing posts with label baking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label baking. Show all posts

Monday, July 01, 2013

One time I made a wonky gingerbread house...

It may surprise you northern hemisphere folk, but down here in the southern hemisphere people tend to celebrate "midwinter Christmas" about this time of year. I guess it comes from the idea that in December its hot and you kind of don't feel like sitting around eating roasts and what not when its really weather for barbeques, ice cream and the beach. 

So sometimes folks get together in winter to celebrate midwinter Christmas and eat, drink and be merry!

Last Saturday I celebrated two midwinter Christmas' in one day - one with the Wellington sewing bloggers an one at my friend Matt's place. I only ate ONE Christmas dinner though (eating two would have been out of control!). 

I decided that I wanted to take gingerbread Christmas trees to the sewing bloggers meet up and an actual gingerbread house to Matt's party. I knew the house was ambitious, but it was on my to do list so I figure it was a good time to try. I know loads of people now by those pre-made gingerbread house kits, but I am crazy so I made mine from scratch. Also you aren't going to find a gingerbread house kit in June.








So the piping bag broke within minutes of me starting to ice the house - which made icing the darn thing pretty much impossible, hence the whole "rustic cottage" look. It did taste delicious though, I guess that's all that matters. 
Here's the Christmas trees - although not as ambitious as they house, they are completely adorable!

As you can tell my weekend was full of Christmas and gingerbread and although gingerbread is delicious, I don't want to see it again for a LONG time!

Sunday, November 18, 2012

Instagram week nine

Hello all! I am still alive and thanks to those of you who checked up on me, yes I am ok, my endometriosis has been pretty bad in the past week so I've been very tired and not had much energy for anything other than work and resting.

I've also recently got a new job - its still in the same government department I currently work for, but it is a permanent job and it is a totally new job. I've now given my four weeks notice and I'm starting there on 10 December so exciting times ahead and a new team and lots of new things to learn.

I thought I'd do a wee catch up post today of my instagram pictures - this is more than one week of pictures, but let's just pretend it's all week nine ok? 

First up is day 13 of my 13 days of Halloween swap with Vany - complete with "My Little zombie" which you've previously seen here.

Also the first picture of our "zombie snack" from Vany which you can see more photos of here - we had way too much fun with this!
I bought a new cardi a couple of weeks back - it has apples on it! I can't get enough of novelty prints.
I bought a pattern online for a Japanese style dress - I've cut out the pattern pieces of the dress. I just haven't had time to sew it up.
As you guys know, I went to Brownie camp a few weeks back - here was my "Kit List" (actually it was the girls kit list).
More zombie brain fun!
Just another day in paradise - the Wellington waterfront.
I got a lovely postcard from Miss V from her travels around New Zealand!
One day I turned up to work and my manager had bought us all muffins and left them on our desk.
I FINALLY won a blog giveaway from The Velvettes the prize was a $50 voucher to Wildfell Hall Vintage. It was a little hard to spend the voucher as there were so many lovely things in the Wildfell Hall Vintage store, but I decided upon a couple of lovely old brooches and a wee purse.
My tickets to the Toi Whakaari Costume Showcase - such a good night out.
Last weekend Rich decided he wanted to spend some time practicing some football stuff at our local field at Victoria University. I decided to go with him and read a book and enjoy the sunshine.

We have another new and fabulous sculpture down at the waterfront - this time a group of kina (I hear you call them sea urchins in the rest of the world).
Last weekend, Rich and I went to an annual book fair that we have over Wellington. It's a huge event over two days and pretty much everything is $2. Some of the more high end books have a bigger price tag and some of the magazine are a bit cheaper. I picked up a novel and a few old school sewing books, there first few photos here are from a book called "How to improve your dressmaking" dated 1972.


This one is from the second book I bought called "Dressmaking with Liberty" dated 1984 - I remember these kinds of prints from when I was a kid.
Last Sunday I decided to spend some time baking - it was a wet, cold, miserable day (sunshine one day, rain the next - typical Wellington spring!)

I took the finished cupcakes to work to announce to my workmates that I was moving teams - "sorry about the bad news guys, but here's some cupcakes".

I bought something from CB off esty for a Christmas present - she sent me a couple of pins and this adorable necklace as well. I LOVE this necklace.
Well - that's all for now - hopefully I shall be around a bit more in the next week.

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Instagram - Week Seven

It's time for another snapshot of a week in my life via instagram!

Jaimee gave us these chocolates for feeding Luca - they were pretty good.

My coaster at work - my workmate Sarah gave it to me.
I tried this yoghurt last week - so delicious. I don't think I'll have it again though - a lot of sugar and fat compared to my regular yoghurt.
My workmate Sarah bought me this squishy stress cupcake (rather than a stress ball)

They sell bias binding at my supermarket - I'm a sewing geek, so I was kind of exciting to know I have got somewhere to buy bias binding when the fabric shop is closed.
Day two of the thirteen days of Halloween swap - awesome printed "Frankie" scarf.


Another on of the "treats" in the thirteen days of halloween swap box - brain blasterz!
I bought tights for $2 a pair!
I started a quilt project with some "love darlek" fabric that Rich designed on spoonflower.

Day three of thirteen day of Halloween Swap - a skull wrist pincushion - I've used this a few times and have asked myself why I didn't buy a wrist pin cushion ages ago. It's the best thing EVER!

"Gum Powder" also came with day three of my swap package!
I did some sewing over the weekend using "Built By Wendy - Home Stretch".
Day four of the thirteen day of Halloween swap included vintage cookie cutters and also German icing supplies.



My finished dress - which I have since decided is too frumpy and I'll most likely never wear it! Well - its all practice sewing.
Day 5 of the Thirteen days of Halloween swap - handmade bat brooch and various other creepy bits of jewellery.
My outfit of primary colours today - yellow tights, blue petticoat and red skirt.