Oat Dear it's Autumn!

Autumn brings many gorgeous seasonal changes.  Sadly, I have learned over the years that my body doesn't like autumn and I seem to suffer from Seasonal Affect Disorder.  May be not this year as I am pregnant and SAD passed me over when I was pregnant with K.  Nevertheless,  oat recipes and doses of oats are added to everything - with their nutty flavour, iron giving properties and SAD combatting, nourishing goodness.

K and I tucked into porridge with honey and almonds. Yum.

Then we whipped up a batch of Blueberry, Oat and Chocolate Chip cookies. This recipe was an adapted version of this apricot and oat recipe from the Australian Taste website.  Super yum.

And then because our weather is rainy and dreary, and we had friends and their moving house team to nourish we made bagels with an oat and seed topping!

Our friends have successfully moved in and while they unwrap and unpack we will head back into the kitchen to make them some casserole love!

I would love to know your favourite oat recipe x

Personal note - must work on my photography!!

Crochet Fairy Set

My second crochet star-to-wand attempt is another gift for a very sparkly friend of K's.  This little friend is very special to K and I decided to extend on the wand idea for her.  Using Tangled Happy's original pattern  I embroidered an "L" onto this one to personalise it for Missy Moo.  Every sparkly fairy needs a pouch for fairy dust.  The pouch pattern I found online and was originally created as an apple cozy ( designed by Kristen TenDyke)...classic!  I loved the shape.  To complete the trio a puff stitch flower secured to a head band, as modeled by my gorgeousaur below.  

I am really enjoying my adventures in crochet and have to say another big thank you to Tangled Happy for the tantalising motivation.  Find the puff flower pattern at Easy by Tara - crochet extraordinaire!

Now, off to wrap the gift for the fairy - and begin my daughters set....which she keeps asking about! x

My Creative Space - retro, garden and camo cake!

Well I have been in awe of many creative bloggers this year.  Intrigued to by their "Creative Space" posts. So this week I am being brave and entering the connected creative space world!!

In amongst my menagerie of creative moments and projects I enjoy cake making and creating.  Here are a few of my cake creations.

A camo wedding cake for a paintball themed wedding- with 75 cupcakes!  The wedding theme was beautifully and delicately woven into  the day.  The most remarkable bridal party bouquets of flowers surrounding a paintball gun I have or will ever see!

My daughter's first birthday cake creation for the theme of a "Garden" - her most favourite place.  This one was a collaborative effort between my sister and I.  She made the glorious butterfly biscuits.  As K is a mid winter baby I dressed the table with a spring time vintage theme to brighten and lighten the season.

 

My nephew's second birthday cake - for his real birthday.  His favourite insect.  His Mum made him a police car for his party the following day.  It was magnificent.

A retro caravan for the most amazing and dear friend ever.  This one was quite a challenge to give, as she is the queen of the most delicious birthday cakes ever and the cake itself was not as grand as the icing!


I am already looking forward to the next creative cake opportunity...yum x

Proud Scone Maker

From complete tangled mess to tangled happy success!

About a two months ago I crashed with the most severe chest infection I have ever experienced. Hating the compulsory rest I set about keeping my hands busy after being inspired by crochet bloggers.  I taught myself how to crochet.  At first I just made knots and tangled messes.  I had some "success" when I accidently created I pixie hat for a large big toe!

Please excuse the "just in from the playground toes"

From that point on I had learned enough from my mistakes and a few online tutorials later and a "star" was born!

Thank you to the wonderful Sara at Tangled Happy and her pattern I managed to finish my first crochet project - a wand!

The wand became a gift for my Ks little friend Mia who recently turned two.  I am so excited, because since this venture I have been keeping my hands busy creating handmade gifts for birthdays - inspired again by another Kiwi Mummy Blogger  at Fountain Head Inc .  I am relishing meeting my personal goals and have so many more crafty projects to share with you.  However, my hands are so busy that they don't seem to get time to be online!!  If you knew me, you would know that that is quite a miracle and a very good thing!

Stay tuned for an extended version of the wand, comets and a bunny!  Thanks so much to the mummy bloggers above x

Rolling, pushing, pulling, cooking.

Extending on her role play K has discovered and loves using the oven to bake her play dough creations.  Today she baked a cake and made mallows for her fluffy!    She is making more connections with other children now that she is becoming more familiar with the environment and has noticed that other children interact with her too - very exciting.

Discovering Role Play at Playcentre

Another busy morning! K not only discovered she could be a Dr, but that another little person enjoyed that too.  Magic to see her begin to "notice" new friends.