Knotted Plant Holder

Hey Guys!!

                                                                             

It's a new week...soon - as in tomorrow - to be a new month AAAANND a new season...

SPRING!!!

Woo. Hoo.

Meanwhile...I have been going knotty...in a totally good way I might add...

                                                                               

If you follow along over on Instagram...awhitestyle over there kids....you will have seen I had a major light bulb moment the other week...no actual light or bulb involved...just an OH!!! moment whilst in my bathroom...as you do...

I have a rather bare white wall right in the corner and next to a window which I realised was positively screeeeaammming at me to hang some type of plant hang-y knotted type thing...

Of course macrame, knots, etc are pretty much everywhere at the mo...but as per usual I had set myself the challenge to whip one up myself...even despite the fact I literally walked right on past a few off-white knotted-in-rope very pretty looking hangers in the very shop I was striding through on my mission to purchase some materials to whip one up...of the off-white rope variety type.....

I know...

But anyone else of the hands-on, creative, slightly demented and determined nature is hearin' me here, am I right??!?

                                                                                   

Right...so...rope and key ring in hand I strode right back past the already assembled and selling for a very reasonable price pretty off-white roped hangers and headed home to google...easy knotted plant holders...

And voila...I came across this marvellous little tutorial...there are absolutely HEAPS of different types of knots, holders, tutes available out there in the big wide google world but this one was one of the easiest and quite frankly one of the first ones I came across...I am SO happy with how my little knotted plant holder turned out...this one is only a practice run...it's made with some left over cotton yarn I had laying about the place and is actually way too small to hang in the bathroom where I need it but I have my rope all ready to whip up another giant version of this...itching to start!! In the meantime this miniature one is swinging away happily in the kitchen...

                                                                                   

This sport of knotting is very deceiving really...so relaxing...unless you realise halfway through that you've made a mistake about 20 knots back and have to pull out all those 20 or so knots to get back to where you made the original mistake....BUT apart from that type of thing it really is quite cathartic and...I can see already...holds the potential for total addiction!!

Have you given any type of macrame-ish projects a go??  I remember...vaguely...knotting up a storm with my sister back in the...gulp...late seventies/eighties...but have not done anything remotely like it again until now...and it's FUN!!!

Definitely give it a go if you are even remotely considering it...or just pop on down to your local shops and you'll no doubt find a plant holder or something already assembled and just waiting for you to take it home......hhmmmm......

                                                                                   

Now go forth and have a fab week folks!!!

See you soon....



                                                                                      Janelle xx

 

Keepin' things simple......

Hello out there lovely people!!

Just a few simple pics today........

                                                                                 

                           

of a few simple blossoms......


                                                                               

 propped up in my little simple kitchen...

                                                                               

I kind of like simplicity...can you tell?! ;))

Tell you what else I DO like....and that's a polkadot or ten...and if we're talking black and white polkadots...which we indeed are...then I think we might be heading into LOVE territory...


                                                                                   

Yeeeeppppp.......


                                                                               

So I hope you are having a good week this week...we are pottering along nicely here on this end...could do with a few extra hours here and there...and everywhere...but that's always gonna be the case really isn't it?! I'm also determined to do some de-cluttering...and by some I mean culling the crap out of every nook and cranny in the house...it's quite daunting though really isn't it? Though I KNOW the satisfaction and benefits will so so SO be worth it...who's in with me?? My plan of attack at this point is to start at one end of the house and just steamroll my way through to the other...and pray I don't run out of steam half way through!!!


                                                                                     

Ok...with that in depth plan...and my simple blooms...I shall be off...

Garbage bags...and strong coffee...in hand...

                                                                                 

Take care pretty peeps...


                                                                            Janelle xx

Chat Sesh........

Hey Hey!!

                                                                                 

So another week is slowly...in a ridiculously fast kind of way...rolling on...hope it's been kind to you...

                                                                                   

Things have been pretty good around here...I seem to be FINALLY kicking this man-flu type cold/virus thing I think I've had for about 2 months now...honestly...it's been bad... as in I could not seem to shake it and...worse still...simply could not stop whinging about it...to everyone...anyone I came into contact with...friends...family...the lovely lady serving me coffee in the mornings...whoever was standing in front of me for long enough...ie 2.5 seconds...I was whinging..snivelling...coughing up phlem to...I KNOW!!!!!!! So when it got to the point of my husband telling me in no uncertain terms to shut the heck up maybe refrain from mentioning said illness every 5 or so minutes of the day  I realised it was time to man up (HA!!!) and just quietly let this all pass graciously...

                                                                                 

Fingers crossed that time has come.......

                                                                               

Aaanndd if you follow along on Instagram (awhitestyle over there!!) you will have notice over the past few days I cannot stop banging on about the sunshine...yep...if it's not my niggly throat and aching limbs it's the weather...oh yes.....I am a R.I.O.T...

                                                                                 

No in all honesty it has been soooo nice this week to experience a little sunshine here...whilst it may still be chilly the sun shining is most definitely welcome and so therapeutic...isn't it amazing how much better the world seems when the sun is doing it's magic thing?? Just shining and all that?? LOVE IT!!

                                                                                 

So just a few pics today of some sunny spots around about our little home...I swear I'm like the cats...just keep wandering from one sunny nook to  another...soaking it all up.....

                                                                               

And will continue to do so as long as this Spring-ish weather continues...

                                                                                   

I hope you all have a fab weekend...
                                                         
I have a new cookie recipe I'm itching to try out...fingers crossed for that to work...also have a kitchen chair or two to paint...a desk to finish DIYing...and a bedroom to paint...which I have to somehow figure out a way to execute without the long-suffering-from-too-many-past-paint-projects husb cottoning on to...which may prove a tad tricky...as it's our bedroom I'm honing in on...

Wish me luck PLEASE!!!

And I'll happily wish you a fantastic fun and somehow relaxing weekend!!!


                                                                               

Kiss kiss...cough cough...and all that.........


                                                                         
                                                                                            Janelle xx

DIY Knitted Wall Hanging

Hey Guys!!

Just enjoying a quiet Tuesday evening cosied up next to the fire... in front of the TV ... clicking away on a new knitting project...because we all know how much I need yet another project in my life...

Anyway...

Here's a little project I've been working on over the past week...you like?? I think I really really do!!

                                                                                     

If you fancy having a go at whipping up one of these little beauties yourself then you'll be wanting to head on over to my friends at Lincraft where I'm hanging out and throwing instructions at you all....

Love to see you over there!!

And would love even more to see any Wall Hangings you may be inclined to knit up!!!


                                                                               

Happy clicking.....


                                                                   
                                                                                 Janelle xx

Banana Choc Chip Muffins

Hello there!

Thanks for stopping by again...feeling hungry??

                                                                             

         

I'm always hungry. And always baking apparently. At least I'm sharing right??!!?

                                                                                 

I seem to be in a chop chip obsessed phase at the moment...I tend to blow through life in phases...kind of all in...then just as quickly all out...we could be talking all things coconut...or strawberry...or , and more than likely, chocolate by this time next week...who knows.....

Anyway...

Today we are talking easy peasy quick-as and really really tasty Banana CHOC CHIP Muffns...as in throw all ingredients into the bowl...whisk...scoop...and bake. Done.

                                                                             

Ready??......

                                                 Banana Choc Chip Muffins

Ingredients

2 cups SR Flour - sifted
1/4 cup raw sugar
1 egg - whisked - if you can be bothered - I couldn't
1/4 cup oil - I used olive oil - use vegetable..rice...whatever you like
1 cup milk
2 smashed (over ripe is best) bananas
All important Choc Chips - however many you like

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees

2. Throw all ingredients into a mixing bowl. And mix. I use a hand whisk.

3. Scoop mixture into a muffin tray...either grease your tray or line with muffin liners - I just make my own from baking paper - or use cupcake papers

4. Bake for around 20-25 minutes

5. Once cooked allow them to cool on cooling rack

6. You know what I'm going to say don't you...yep...you really must try these while still warm...the chocolate is still all warm and gooey...just way too good to wait around for....

                                                                               

I hope you like these...would love to hear if you try them...

Meanwhile....

                                                                               

Happy Baking!!!



                                                                                             Janelle xx

Friday Feels...........

Hey you!

How's Friday been treating you?? It's been the usual rush rush around here...until 3.30 ish and things get very quickly turned down a notch or six. Hopefully anyway.

                                                                                       

So just a few pics of my current fave things, moments, happy places......etc....etc......

Baking...cookies...ginger cookies.....with vanilla icing in the middle...'nough said I think......

                                                                             

Cosy knitted socks and good reads...

                                                                               

I have a friend who literally forced this book - Gone Girl - upon me and strongly suggested I put aside all my current reads to focus on this one......I usually do as I'm told.....and needless to say she was right...as per usual...you know "those" friends??...yep...we all need them...anyways...fab read...can't wait to jump into bed and continue reading.....LOVE that!!

Aaaannd of course in between baking cookies and getting lost in un-put-downable (yep....totally a real word) books there will always be my old faithful knitting needles and beloved chunky wool...make it a deliciously dark charcoal coloured wool and I am happy AS......

                                                                                 

                                                                                       

It's always the simple things in life right??

Yep.

On that note I'm off to jump between the pages and enjoy what's left of this Friday evening..........

Have a FAB weekend please peeps...whatever you may be up to......

.................

                                                                                                  Janelle xx

Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

Hey!! What's news? What's up?? More importantly...what's cooking????

It's cupcakes on this side of the screen...it's very often cupcakes on this side of the screen...and rightly so I say...quick...easy...tasty...no other reason needed right?!?

                                                                                   

So, this afternoon, with school pickup looming in on me, and after school activities rearing their ugly head up too, it seemed we were lacking a few items in the pantry...namely food. How the heck this is constantly happening I have absolutely no idea as I'm pretty much a full time tenant in the local supermarkets these days yet are way too frequently told "THERE'S NOTHING TO EAT!!!"

Anyhoo...where was I???

                                                                                 

Cupcakes. So.....with not much time to spare I called on my tried and tested never-fail-me cupcake recipe...quick and easy at the best of times but I have recently been cutting back on time and effort even more and pretty much just standing in the kitchen, flinging the ingredients in the mixing bowl, scooping said mixed ingredients into pretty papers and tossing in the oven. All up I think it takes me around 5 minutes. When I have the luxury of time and feel rather goddess-baker-in-the-kitchen type thing I will still abide by the rules and cream my butter and sugar, fold in my flour, and pamper my mixture but really...the old bang it all in and throw towards the stove pretty much does the same thing.

                                                                               

Today I made the executive decision to add in some dark choc chips just before spooning mixture into the papers...my main reason being I wasn't going to have time to ice these babies before racing in to pick my other babies up from school so I figured the added treat of chocolate would more than make up for any lack-of-icing type disappointment.

Apparently it did.

Thought I may as well share this basic recipe with you guys...think I may have before....waaaaay before....but one can never have enough cake recipes on repeat within one's blog I find...don't you??

Right...let's go.......

                                                                                 

                                                  Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

Ingredients

115grams butter - almost melted
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
teasp vanilla
1 3/4 cups SR flour - sifted
1/2 (a big 1/2) cup milk
choc chips - however much you like!!

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 170-180 degrees

2. In your mixing bowl throw in all your ingredients - except the choc chips - and beat for a couple of minutes until your mixture is all delicious and pale and creamy

3. Stir through the choc chips

4. Scoop up a finger full of mixture, making sure to grab some choc chips, and lick

5. Wash hands

6. Scoop spoonfuls of  mixture into your papers

7. Bake for approx 12-15 minutes

8. Allow to cool on cooling racks

9. Or eat whilst still warm and chocolate is still mouth watering gooey

                                                                               

Aaaannndd that's it from me for now.

Let me know how you go if you try these...or better yet let me know what other fab things we should be adding to our humble cupcakes...love to hear!!!

                                                                                 

Happy happy baking peeps!!!


                                                                            Janelle  xx

Just life......

Evening all.....

How's your week been treating you?? Seems...as always...to be in an awful rush don'tcha think??

Just sharing a few snaps from out and about the house...nothing out of the ordinary...just life...you know...

Like way too many cuppas...

                                                                             

...and way too many pretty mags....

.....

Clocks....new clocks....new timber clocks....

                                                                                 

Uuuhhh huh!!
 Actually I've been in a slight clock purchasing frenzy of late...not sure what that's all about...apart from the fact that it's pretty ironic as I tend to err on the late-ish side of things more often than not....

.....


Kitty cats....always kitty cats....

                                                                             

Even naughty stinky kitty cats who poop on the kitchen floor after stealing food from other kitty cats....

                                                                               

....hhhmmmmm.....

............

Pretty kitchen greenery basking in the late afternoon sunshine.......

                                                                                 

..........

And quirky thrift shop finds that I absolutely love.....like this timber dressmakers ruler that's kind of missing pieces.....

                                                                               

....at least I'm presuming that's what it is....

.......

Aaaannnd of course a crafty project thrown in for good measure...coz what's life without a few hundred  craft projects....

                                                                               

 

.....I mean really.....

....more on these babies a little later down the track...love!!

And that's a wrap from me guys......

As you were....


                                                                                               Janelle  xx                          

Thumbprint Sprinkle Biscuits

So Good Afternoon lovely people!!

                                                                             

It's Sunday arvo here...we had a late start to the day..after a late - for me - end to yesterday...so it seems we've kind of been playing catch up all day...and the day is now almost over!!?! Anyone else always dream/promise themselves that Sunday WILL be the day of rest..the day for snuggling in front of the fire..on the sofa...pjs still firmly on...cuppa even more firmly in hands..indulging in endless piles of books, mags, craft, sleeps...just moving only when absolutely necessary and then only as far as the kitchen to grab more snacks..and cuppas...possibly wine??!?

AND YET!!! This NEVER seems to happen!!! Well...certainly not around this house anyway....

However...I'm honestly not complaining...well...not very much at least...we usually do get to all hang out together as a fam and...noise, arguments, whining etc etc aside..generally do take things at a slightly slower pace..amongst catching up on washing..organising for the coming week...trying to find some floor space amongst the chaos.....you know...the usual usual....

                                                                                 

Aaaaannnyway.....the main reason I have popped in here today is to share a quick easy TASTY..of course ;)...cookie recipe with you guys. The original source of these little babies is a fab Donna Hay cookbook for kids "Cool Kids Cook" which my kids' pulled out and flicked through whilst on their recent school hols. There I was...busy in the lounge sweating grunting gasping for air in front of the TV trying to keep up with a Ricky Martin sounding Brazilian who has promised to make my butt look better than I can ever imagine...???!!!....yep......when they decided to start chatting to me about what they might feel like baking....to which my barely audible response was something along the lines of ANYTHING!!!

So. Before I know it I have an extremely sore buttocks and they have finished baking a batch of Thumbprint Cookies. Apparently there was a little miscommunication regarding the amounts and types of flours used but all credit due...they turned out really tasty biscuits!! Which is when...once the blood had been restored back to my brain...I thought of you lovely folks and that maybe you could do with what is a fantastic plain basic easy-as cookie recipe to have up your sleeves.

Of course I couldn't leave things too simple so I have adjusted the original recipe and added, subtracted, messed about with measurements and ingredients and as of our last batch things are tasting pretty damn GOOOOOOD!!!!

Goodness...this has all been a little long-winded hasn't it?! If you've actually gotten this far into the post then you pretty much deserve to have these baked and served up to you...but hows about I just start by giving you the recipe?? Yep? Ok......let's go.....

                                                                                     

 Yep....had to mess about with the name too.....

                                      
                                                            Thumbprint Sprinkles

Ingredients

180 grams butter - softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup Pl flour - sifted
3/4 cup SR flour - sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla
Sprinkles - lots of

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees - probs more like 160 degrees if fan-forced

2. Beat together the butter and sugar until all pale and creamy

3. Throw in the egg and vanilla and continue to beat for abit

4. Now stir in your sifted flours and the mixture turns into a dough.

5. Grab your lined baking trays and roll dough into balls - roughly a good tablspn size - flatten slightly with your hand and then poke your thumb in the centre - don't go right through the bottom though

6. Fill the hole with sprinkles

7. Ignore sprinkles that are quite likely rolling all about your benchtop and floor

8. Pop in the oven for approx 10-12 minutes

9. Once cooked take them out of the oven and let cool slightly on their trays before popping them onto your cooling rack to cool completely

10. Although I must recommend scoffing a few whilst they're still warm...DELISH!!

                                                                               

So there we have it...biscuits, sprinkles, scoffing....what more could we ask for late on a Sunday afternoon...or any afternoon really...even if that afternoon was morning...just go into your kitchen now and whip up a batch...then you'll catch my drift....

Hope you all have a fab week...let me know if you try these...or even send me a pic on Instagram (awhitestyle over there) I love seeing pics of my recipes baked up...the BEST!!!

                                                                             

Happy Baking...and catch ya soon....


                                                                                                     Janelle xx