Best Ever Scone Recipe

This is a bold statement I know, but as someone who has been a failed scone maker for many years I feel qualified to make this statement.

This recipe NEVER goes wrong, they are super easy to make and everyone likes them.

4 cups self raising flour
Pinch of salt
300 mls cream*
300 mls water

Pre heat oven to 200 degrees celsius. Sift flour and salt into a bowl, pour in cream and water together and mix.  Place dough on lightly floured flat surface and shape.  Cut out scones and place on tray with baking paper.  Bake for 10-12 minutes.

Serve with jam a nd cream - diet food!  YUM.

*  I know you can get different types of cream overseas - for any overseas readers this cream is liquid but can be whipped (I hope this makes sense).

kids art and sew 12

I love kids art, they have no inhibitions and I love their enthusiasm.  I would like to know when we start to lose that?  When do we start editing and become worried about what we produce?  If we could identify that then maybe we could stop it.

Miss M loves all things arty and is doing Clay Sculpting classes this term with my friend Nicki at The Clay Penguin.  This week she brought home this guy...

 He sits on his own chair

I think he is gorgeous.

I have also been a joiner this week, a first for me.  I have been feeling as though I have lost my sewing groove lately, everyday life has been getting in the way of sitting down and just making.  (Also most probably too much time looking at blogs....hmmmm).  So I have decided to join in the Sew 12 organised by the lovely Juliette at Chickpea Sewing Studio

The pledge is that for 12 months, 12 days a month, I will sew for 1 hour.   Well it is out there now, I will just have to do it!  Anybody else want to join in?

 

what the ?

Hmmm did not turn out quite the way I intended!

That's better.

The idea was to make a reversible pinafore size 0-1.  Now the pattern was not made to be reversible but I just thought it would be nice to do.  I discovered sewing around the inner and outer dress fabric right sides together and then turning it the right way out through a sneaky wee hole does not work, no matter how many times you try and what bad words you say.

Now this is only "blog finished". I still have the all important decision regarding buttons or snap fasteners?

P.S. I used the Kokka Farm Girl fabric for this dress, just in case you are interested.

thrifted and gifted

thrifted

love, love, love Marcel Marlier's illustrations.

Gifted to me from Nancy's as a Birthday pressie.

I don't mind the stains on the doilies, they may come out with a bit of nappy san but if not they will work well in a quilt. 

Living in a Parallel Universe

Well I am back home after a very topsy turvy 9 days.  I am pleased to say my Dad is out of any immediate danger and is recovering. I came home briefly (1 night) to repack my bags and head off to Auckland  and the Crafternoon Tea market on Saturday which was great.  It was lovely to meet people who have stopped by on my blog and website and meet the real people behind some lovely blogs I read.

It felt weird being away from my "real life" for so long.  It certainly was not planned for and it felt like I was living in some parrallel universe, with my real life carrying on somewhere else.  It was also an emotional roller coaster, thank goodness Jane, one of my sisters was with me! 

Mr S was very pleased to see me home he had had enough of being taxi driver, chef, launderer, procurement specialist, cleaner...

At Crafternoon Tea on Saturday I was very fortunate to be next to the lovely Jennie of A Little Vintage.  Jennie makes the most incredible dolls...

This lovely lady was there on Saturday.  Jennie also custom makes dolls using your own child's special clothes and will make the dolls to resemble their new adoptive "parent".  She does beautiful work.

I am really looking forward to doing some crafting of my own this week.

Hope your week is going well and happy stitching.

Happy Mothers' Day

Today feels surreal as it is not about Mothers' Day for me but about my Dad.  He is in hospital in Timaru and I am down here to be with him.  He is 84 and lives alone.  I am lucky that my eldest sister, Jane has also come down as well so we can support him, as well as each other.

It is a special time.

So happy mothers' day everyone, but more importantly love and cherish your families.

check it out!

Woohoo - next week I am going to Auckland to do some wholesale visits and also to got to tea - Crafternoon Tea.

And look who they asked to do a bit of freelance modelling:

The Ric Rac Modelling Agency of course had to agree a modelling fee ;)

The Crafternoon-Tea market will be held on Saturday 15th of May 2010, from 10am-3pm at the Trinity Methodist Church - which is on the corner of Sandringham and New North Roads in Crafty Kingsland.

You can also check out Luisa's blog to find out all the cool crafty people who will be there.

Can't wait!

And another check it out - Melinda is hosting a fabulous giveaway over at her Every Spare Minute.  Although why I am telling you this I don't know because it decreases my chances of winning that beautiful fabric.  So no, don't check it out, you will hate it, YEAH RIGHT!

free or $50?

Melinda left a very kind comment on my last blog admiring my free motion quilting.  Now I could sit back and say thank you, you are very kind, but I would be lying!  I SUCK at free motion quilting! 

I have been to the classes, I have done the practice pieces and I have even done some small quilts.  (Don't look too closely at those baby quilts Aunty Sooz - luckily the wrinkles hide alot).

BUT....it just never looks quite right.  I get sore shoulders doing it, I think because I am tense and worried about getting it to look right and if I take a break, well, it's game over, who knows what size those loopedy loops are going to be when I go back to it.

So to save sore shoulders and reduce the swearing, I pay the lovely Sue B in Island Bay to do the quilting for me.  I think the $50 she charged for the owl quilt is well worth it.  She does a lovely job.  Sue does quilting for people from all around the world so if you would like her details please contact me, I can highly recommend her.

If you would like to see something really great check out Melinda's ballet bag she made for her daughter.  She has even very kindly provided the link to the free tutorial!

finished

The front...

The back

I kept the writing on the selvedge visible.