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Sunday, December 31, 2023

2024 January

 

So it's the same old song... I'm going to try and keep my blog current!

I know I say the same thing year after year.... but you never know I might just keep it up this year! ROFL

Still don't do New Year's resolutions.... but I try to pick a "theme" for the year.

I felt so adrift last year, I'm going to try to focus on getting things completed!  


I need to make a start and see a job/project/task finished! 


Happy New Year!



Friday, December 29, 2023

2023

The last 6 months of 2023 have not been great for us as we lost my beloved father-in-law, Alan....and sadly as is often the case, family problems came to a head, and 1 BIL decided to step away from the family instead of coming together. And I'm happy to live with his decision......

And then, about 2 months later our little dog Bailey got sick and passed.

Gary and I had a Singapore holiday planned for the 1st week of December, so it was nice to get away and relax a bit before Christmas.

This year, we had a more subtle Christmas with minimal decorations and a candle display instead of the Christmas village.

Every year I took a photo of Bailey and Ethan in front of the tree with Santa hats on.
Taking this photo without Bailey was hard.....

Our tree Red Gold and Green


LED candles.  Most for the candle holders I found hidden at the back of cupboards, and some I purchased via Marketplace

With just the 5 of us for Christmas lunch, I did a hot lunch for the first time in about 15 years! 
Roasted turkey and ham, with roasted garlic potatoes, roasted carrots, cauliflower cheese, (with homemade cheese sauce) and peas & corn.




I took the year off scrapping to sort out my office and craft space... I did not achieve that goal...

Ethan bought his first car in July... And started his first job on May 25th at Superfit.



Tuesday, January 24, 2023

2023.....

 Our birthday season is over.....

Family wise from November to mid-January is incredibly busy!  Now that my birthday is done I can re-group and think about starting the new year!

My word for this year is.....



I feel like everything just got away from me last year..... So the first step was to add another member to Mystical DT to myself a break from scrapping deadlines for a bit.

This week's task is to finish clearing away Christmas! 

Tuesday, October 18, 2022

 

Baileys coffee cake

Baileys coffee cake

  • sy
  •  
  • 0:10 Prep
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  • 0:35 Cook
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  • 10 Servings


This delicious loaf cake has a double hit of coffee and Baileys for an indulgent, grown-up afternoon tea treat.- Greer Worsley

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp instant coffee
  • 200g unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/2 cup Baileys Irish cream
  • 2 cups self-raising flour


FOR ICING

  • 80g unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 cups icing sugar
  • 2 tbsp Baileys Irish cream

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 180C. Grease and line a 14cm x 24cm loaf tin.
  2. Dissolve instant coffee in 1/4 cup boiling water. In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Alternatively, you can use hand-held beaters. Add eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition. Add coffee mixture and Baileys and beat to combine. Add flour and fold through until just combined. Pour into prepared tin, smoothing the top. Bake for 35-40 minutes until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Allow to cool.
  3. To make icing, combine ingredients until smooth. Spread over cooled cake. Slice and serve.

Wednesday, April 7, 2021

A sad Easter....

Just before Easter my Uncle Ronnie died... it was a sudden but maybe not unexpected death.

I'm not sure I know the exact details, but he has a pain in his back...been to see the Dr's a few time got no real help or answers, a few months later we hear his in hospital... turns out that has Gold Staph infection.

Was placed in a medical coma, and put on kidney dialysis....after a few more test they discovered the infection was in his spine... then he just slipped away....

Today you are laid to rest, and my heart aches...

It's hard to be close when we live on different sides of the country, but Uncle Ronnie, you always had a special place in my heart.  Full of beans all the time, typical small-town boy, full of stories, friend to all, grew up to own the local pub... Moved to Dubbo and brought the caravan park, then Coffs Harbour where they owned a self-storage business.

Rest in peace Uncle Ronnie....



Sunday, January 31, 2021

New gig!

 Well, it's now the end of January 2021...and true to form I didn't get into the habit of update my blog regularly like I want to...

One reason is,  I started a part-time job, merchanding for Hallmark

Which I love, but after having a desk job with Mystical Scrapbooks since 2008... being on my feet nearly killed me!!  I started in November 2020 and it took a good month before my poor, tired, and unfit body started getting used to it!

I now only ache in a manageable way....

So scrapping has been a no-go while I try and meld the two jobs together.. Mystical and Hallmark, I think I'm starting to get it together ( Touching wood while saying 3 Hail Mary's)

The idea is to work 3 1/2 days Tue- Wed- Thurs, leaving the afternoon evenings for Mystical.... and I'm sure I will get faster and actually manage to get home just after lunch at some stage!!  

Some highlights of the last few months...

I held a Halloween lunch birthday for Sue and Yvonne on the 1st of November.  And had such fun creating the decorations.


I made Vampire teeth napkin holders


Found these stunning candle holders on FB marketplace


Gary help me hand witch's hats and brooms from the patio roof


The gang...

 
I made a birthday cake, layers of white chocolate and mud chocolate.


The Menu:
Gravestone Sandwiches - Cucumber  & cream cheese
Monkey Brains - Meatballs in an onion gravy, served in a pita cup
Devil Eggs
Intestines - Long homemade sausage roll, with dollops of tomato sauce
Shrunken heads - Jacket baby potatoes with faces carved in them, oven-roasted and served with avocado, sour cream and garlic dip
Roast chicken and salad
Mini quiches 
and I'm sure there was something else, but I didn't take many photos of the food so I can't remember! 

I even found a fogger on eBay to create a witch cauldron

Our Sister Witches 

I brought in some new Halloween papers, but I've not scrapped these yet!

Then it was time to decorate for Christmas....




Wednesday, October 28, 2020

Soul Scrappers October

 I've been playing along with Soul Scrappers year-long competition "Soul Survivor"  and I've been loving it!

I've got later and later each month uploading my page, but haven't missed a month yet!

And here's my October page...

This month's brief was Fish, Sand & Shells.  Pick 1 or all 3.  Depending on how you look at it I have all 3 if you count the photo.

Shells - chipboard shells with a bit of Wink of Stella sparkle.

Sand - actual beach sand from Esperance, it's the most super fine white sand you will ever see!

Fish - in the photo! 


I've used the gorgeous Seaside Serenity range from Studio 73.  You can find it here


Shells from Memory Maze and beach sand from Esperance.

I had lots of fun fussy cutting and layering.

Thanks for stopping by...