A little more Christmas craft........

Well Good Afternoon there!! It's Friday (yay!) and I can feel a little more craft coming on. Christmas craft that is.  A little knitting project to be exact.....

                                                                             

I knitted up one of these little Christmas trees a week or so ago and now cannot seem to stop!!

                                                                                 

They are so quick and easy, perfect for whipping up in a matter of hours and then sitting back to admire your handy work with an over-inflated feeling of smug self-satisfaction!! Love it.

                                                                                 

I don't feel I can really post the pattern on here as it isn't mine but it is, once again, taken from the beautiful book "The Knitter's Year" by Debbie Bliss. Obviously I am very much loving this book at the moment! These trees are simply 3 seperate pieces which are a kind of rectangle shape which you stitch up into triangles then just thread the ribbon through the 3 pieces to join them and make your Christmas tree. So simple and so cute!!

                                                                                 

I'm thinking I need a few more and then will hang them on our Christmas tree.

                                                                                   

I am loving the Christmas craft this year! Just call me Martha!!

Or not.

Have a fab weekend folks......


                                                           Janelle  xx                                                                                    

Christmas Craft Fun........

Hello there!! Not a great deal to report today but how's about a little show and tell??

                                                                                 

I've been getting my Christmas craft on lately and the latest project being this quite fabulous Xmas stocking. I have to say this is actually pretty simple to do, just takes a little concentration to keep track with the pattern. It is from the gorgeous super-styled book "The Knitter's Year" by Debbie Bliss. Highly recommend!!

                                                                                   

So how about you guys?? Are you up to your eyebrows in Christmas craft or going the see and buy way this year?? I'm somewhere in between......

                                                                                   

Enjoy the rest of your Wednesday won't you?!!



                                                             Janelle  xx                                                                              

Ginger Kisses......

Hello there!! Fancy a little weekend baking? On a Tuesday?? Of course you do...come on in......

                                                                                   

So today I thought we could start tip-toeing into the Christmas baking arena. Game?!?? Of course these biscuits are meant to be, and indeed should be, baked and scoffed at any time of the year but the fact that they are ginger and I have shoved a bright red towel underneath them I figured that this made for the perfect addition to our Christmas recipe book. Because we all have one of those don't we? Ahem.....

                                                                                 

I came across this recipe whilst visiting my sister recently. She was busy mixing, scooping and cooking while I was chatting and eyeing off all that was being mixed, scooped and cooked. And it looked good. So good that I promptly copied out that recipe, checked we had all the necessary ingredients in the pantry, then set about whipping up a batch myself. Success!!!

                                                                               

What I love most about these cookies is that not only are they delicious, easy to bake, my children love them and they are that perfect texture sitting somewhere between a cake and a cookie BUT the recipe makes so many!! So at least once you have gone to the effort (which seriously isn't much!) and made up a batch then  iced the two biscuits together you are still left with a very decent amount of cookies. Always a good thing around here.....

                                                                               

Okay.....let's get on with the all important recipe shall we?? Yes, I think we shall......

                                                                 Ginger Kisses    
Ingredients

225 grams butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar (I used less, about 1/2?)
1 egg
1 tablspn golden syrup
2 1/2 cups plain flour
2 teaspn ginger powder
1 heaped teaspn bi-carb soda

Method

1. Pre-heat oven to 160 degrees

2. In a bowl place the butter and sugar and beat until pale and creamy

3. Add the egg and golden syrup and beat some more

4. Now sift and fold in the remaining dry ingredients

5. Scoop a heaped teaspoon  of mixture onto a greased or lined baking tray. I kind of then squished them into a roundish shape with my hands.

6. Throw them in the oven for approx 10 minutes

7. When they are out and completely cool ice together with vanilla icing

8. That. is. it.

                                                                               

Easy as pie. Well, easIER than pie really aren't they....

                                                                                 

When I bake these again I think I'll dust the top of them with a little icing sugar to pretty them up a tad but honestly, they really don't need much messing about with....they are pretty damn good as they are!!

                                                                                 

And with that I must get flying out the door. How ridiculous is this time of year???!!? A good ridiculous though. Most of the time....

Take care and let me know if you have a go at these. And you really should have a go you know!!?!

Enjoy!!


                                             Janelle  xx                                                                

Friday Flowers..........

Good morning!!

                                                                                 

And hello pretty pink roses......

                                                                                 

A few Friday flowers just for you........

                                                                                 

                                                                                 

Home grown and given with love!!

                                                                                 

Have a fantastic weekend won't you?!!!

See you soon............



                                                                    Janelle  xx                                                                                  

A White Rose......

Hey there!! How's the day been treating you?? I've having a bit of a start. stop. start. stop. kind of one. I'm in a stop stage at the minute. So....fancy some roses? White roses? White climbing out of control roses???

                                                                                 

So this is what the front area of our house is looking like at the moment. Very white. Very 'rosey'....

                                                                                 

                                                                                 

And I'm kind of liking it like that.

                                                                                   

And in amongst it all.....my fave bench seat. This area always catches the morning sun and it is really lovely to sit here on a Summer's morning, catching a few rays, cuppa in hand, of course.

                                                                             

The dappled shade it creates is perfect.

                                                                                 

Now we just need a little more sun so I can enjoy the 'dapple'!!!

                                                                                   

I'm off to wait........

and wait......

Have a fab day wherever you are..........



                                               Janelle  xx                                                                                                                                                                

Did someone say.....Christmas...???.........

And it's Hello Tuesday!! Not quite sure what happened to Monday?? Or the past year for that matter. Today I have finally succumbed to the...wait for it....yes....Xmas fever. I KNOW!!!!! I haven't really felt any twitches or twinges so far, regardless of walking past the red and white decorations with my shopping trolley since about September? Hhhmmmm.....
Anyway, the first ounce of excitement for me always starts with the good old Mags. Once they start bringing out those gorgeous creative covers around this time of year I just get sucked right in. Every time.
As yet I have resisted actually bringing any of these beauties home. I'm sure that will read differently by oh...next week probably. In the meantime I have pulled down the old mags from the past few years, just to get the ball, or should that be sparkly bauble?, rolling.......

                                                                                     

                                                                                       
I love everything in these pics, particularly the rustic and raw against a backdrop of clean white and of course the Christmas red.

And just check out this wreath will you......

                                                                               

A crafty Christmas?? Well yes please!!! I can already feel that I am going to HAVE to give this painted pinecone wreath a whirl. What do you think though.....red or.....white?????

And speaking of white..... I think this pic may have just sealed the colour theme for the tree this year. White and shiny silver. Classic.

                                                                                   

Love love love these little trees on the mantle. And that star?.....my fingers are already twitching to get making a few of those!!......

                                                                                 

And last but of course not least is the wrapping. I am not ashamed to admit I am possibly the worst gift wrapper in the world but I will never let that stop me from enjoying the whole ritual and, more importantly, standing back on Christmas Eve to admire the colour co-ordinated papers and ribbons sitting in all their slightly wonky glory.....

                                                                               

All these pics are from past issues of Real Living and Australian Home Beautiful. And if you are looking for heaps more Christmas inspiration pop over to visit Sarah who I will gladly credit with firing the first Christmas spark for me this year.....now it's fired it may quickly get out of control. Next step for me is to start gathering a pile, the larger the better, of delicious Christmassy recipes. Will get sharing some with you ASAP!!

In the meantime.....

Enjoy your day...............


                                                        Janelle  xx

                                                                            

Monday wishes......

Happy Monday guys!!!

                                                                                 

Have a fab and fun week ok??!!!

See you soon.............



                                           Janelle  xx