Standard fuchsia update

This is an update on the standard fuchsia I was attempting to train. I planted it from a few neglected cuttings and this is the result so far. I was excited to see leaves growing then this happened!!

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I'm looking forward to getting some growth I can train. May take a while but I'm really excited about this project now it has flowered! 

Baby cardigan

I haven't posted for a while. But I have been busy crafting away.

This is my latest project from Knitsofact design called Demne, a vintage inspired baby cardigan. I am finding the pattern a little bit challenging, however the actual knitting is quite simple. I'm still a beginner to intermediate knitter and am experimenting with a few more challenging patterns to improve my skills. I am so inspired by the elderly ladies I grew up with who could knit really quickly. Hopefully I'll be as skilled one day.

 I'm not sure about my colour selection, I was going for a unisex colour and trying to use what I have however the wool is a really nice quality. It's Cleckheaton country 8ply. 100% wool and nice and soft and I'm guessing it will be warm!

baby booties

Gone booties nuts lately!!

I found some easy patterns on line and I had to try them. This pattern was really easy. I made pair in only a few hours. The blue and grey booties are from Ooo Baby knits. I made some modifications. When is says to switch to smaller needles I kept using the same size because my first attempt the top of the booties was so narrow I could imagine fitting baby foot in it.

The needle size only gives the size not metric measurements so I kinda guessed the size with the help of a converter still not aware if it was a US size or a UK size. Might be where I went wrong and please read all the comments because they will make your life much easier because they go over a few miss understandings in the pattern. Very easy, quick pattern.

The greeny/blue booties are called Sweet Baby Booties. Another very easy pattern. I intent to make this one again in a chunkier wool. I like to see quick results!

Oh and the material under the booties, that's the matching pillow slip to my baby quilt. Still needs to be completed!

Chinese dim sims

What a busy week. It was so nice to have a fabulous night in with my partner.

 Together we made dim sims and rice paper rolls. The time spent together was one of those priceless occasions. I would definitely do it again!

The dim sims were so yum!

We sat in the kitchen on high stools as if at a teppanyaki bar and ate the food as it was freshly cooked. Delightful!

We had never made rice paper rolls before. Better warm we thought. Takes a bit to get used to wrapping them and learning what to put in them. We found they need plenty of flavour.

We used carrot, cooked pork and prawns, lettuce, been shoots, spring onions and vermicelli noodles and dipped them in hoisin, sweet chili or soy sauce. They tasted fresh but much nicer when we tried them steamed.

Rabbit Baby Booties

This is a pattern from Debbie Bliss Farm Yard Knits.

I was in the mood for quick and easy baby booties. I searched every where to find the right pattern.

Then I found this one!! They are so cute!!

And these are mine!!

 

Just before I had sewn the eyes on.

  

So cute.

 My seems are not great but I still think they look nice. They took me longer than expected to knit as they are doubled over and line with another colour wool and then the layers are sewn together.

 I used a cheep acrylic wool which wasn't very soft and was difficult to knit with.

 If I made them again I would use a soft baby wool. This project was a more time consuming than I was expecting it to be.

 They are a lot nicer even with the acrylic wool than I was expecting.

And here my partner is modelling them for me on his big toe!! Lovely!

These might be another keeper. Don't think I can part with them!! I have that odd seem as a good excuse. Yay! Might have to have a baby one day.

Corned Beef

Last night I had a go at making corned beef using the recipe from

Donna Hay's cook book "A Cook's Guide". I bought it a few months ago and I finally have had time to try a few recipes out.

 I love the big clear pictures of each recipe.

So this is what it is supposed to look like. Yum huh.

And this is what mine looks like.

 The carrots.

And on the plate

With gravy

But here you can tell a little more.

Bugger.

Where is that moist looking meat? Unfortunately it had an odd taste and was dry.

 At least the gravy hid the taste!!

Well I think I know what went wrong and it was completely my fault for listening to other peoples advise instead of following the recipe as it is written. Make sure you use all the correct ingredients!! I substituted my vinegar because I didn't have malted vinegar and I knew the whole time this was a bad idea but I still did it!!

And to top it off I cooked it for way too long. The recipe said the skewer would come out easily when it was ready but at no time did this happen. I think there was a bit of gristle I was not aware of each time I tested it.

 The good news is the potato and the broccoli tasted beautiful!!

Time to try something else!!

Cooking Day - Caramel Slice

Today was a cooking day.

I had the whole day to my self and was supposed to be sick with a horrid cold I just can't kick, but I can't sit still. So much to do when I have the place to myself!!

I bought this book a few months ago and it was time to finally try out a few recipes.

Yum Caramel Slice!!

So I made the base and put it in the oven. Now it was time to make the caramel while the base cooks.

The caramel took a bit longer than expected to thicken. I halved the caramel quantities because caramel slice is so rich and I find it's hard to eat.

If you follow the recipe correctly the caramel will be a lot thicker.

The base cooked perfectly on time

Then I add the caramel.

That spoon on the base - Bad idea. The base stuck to the spoon but no big disaster, easily fixed. It was soon to be covered in caramel.

This is the caramel covered base completely cooked. Now I have to wait for it to cool before adding the chocolate.

My chocolate ready to go. I recommend not mixing varieties like I did as above. They don't all melt at the same heat. I had lumps which I had to remove and replace with more chocolate. I find using a good quality chocolate will makes life easier and is worth the extra expense.

This is my chocolate melting. You can see the choc bit lumps which I had to remove.

Finally my melted chocolate on top and in the fridge to cool.

At last!! Set hard and ready to cut.

Can't wait to see what it looks like inside!

Yum! this is completely evil!!

So Yummy.

I thought I had cut it small enough being so rich but I think I should probably cut it smaller now!!!

While I waited for the caramel slice to cool I made some bread for lunches next week. Tastes awesome with cheese and ham toasted.

Yum! Can't wait to eat this one. I just love the way a baked loaf looks especially when they brown nicely like this one. And there are no extras (preservatives, colours etc) in this loaf that I don't know about!

I also baked an easy packet cake for desert tonight! If you look carefully you can see I pinched a piece of chocolate off the top of the cake and it left a hole. Whoops! I had to test it to see if it was still yummy!! Of course!

I'm hopeing to try the recipe for corned beef tomorrow. I've never made it before but it looks so good. Might have home made bread with corned beef, cheese, and chutney for lunches next week. Yum!

Time to rest now! An exhausting but rewarding day!!