A Collection of Thoughts

Day Two Reorganising

Our plans for taking a leisurely time reorganizing our home went into a tailspin yesterday afternoon when our lovely friends who take our girls for a sleepover when we need to get things done without little helpers  rang to say the only time they could manage was today!  agggh. Of course we said fabulous but it did mean a late night getting things sorted so we could spend the day traveling to ikea and assembling. Those are the things we find hard to do with little helpers!  So a quick call and we were able to hire a ute from 12.30.

By the time I went to bed last night I had totally cleared the space we were working with - and by cleared I mean had sorted everything into  bin re organized and donate - so not just pile into another space lol

When the girls got up this morning this is what they woke to.-- Vastly different.

I love this picture I didn’t realise when I took it but it says so much - You can see Tals reflected in the  TV doing the breakfast dishes - and Richards PC was left on - Sof had been playing her favourite Barbie game and its still on screen.

Normally we have covers on our couches and they are duck feathers poking through not dirt LOL

 

 This is where Richards office will go

 

 part way through :)

and this is as far as we got - downed tools and went out to eat :) Child free bliss!

 We will just be getting it into working order for tomorrow - Friends for New Years Eve dinner -and the TV cabinet we wanted isn't due back in stock until Saturday - but that will fit in the car so won't be so tricky.

 I'm loving the way it has come together - I 'll share the final pictures when we are all done.

 Tamar x

 

Found Stuff

Today we started getting sorted out for our new furniture and rearrangements at home. While I wasn't keen to see the Christmas tree come down I compromised and took it down and put the christmas decorations in the family room away but I still have Christmas happening in the loungeroom :)

I also instigated a TV free day from 8am - 6pm I am so tired of the drone of the cricket - and Sonny with a Chance!  I wasn't very popular let me tell you but I feel all the better for it - and am threatening to make any day that ends with a Y a TV free day LOL.

So in our sorting out we found some interesting things - some good some not so good. In no particular order we found

 

Two Scientists

Making bath stuff from a kit they received from Nanna Eve- they loved this so much that I have now added it into our hip hip hooray planning later next week - a non kit version :) Which I think they  (and you will love ! )

 

1 spider missing 3 legs!!!

How incredible is that ? I'm not sure if he was born like that or he had an accident and survived - Either way pretty cool- He was creeping around behind the TV cabinet - so we transplanted him outside.

 

 Water Damage on our Kitchen ceiling

-sigh not good - there has been so much rain  but if that's all we have to complain about I really can't complain.

 

A late parcel arrived from Japan today

from our lovely Japanese exchange student Mikuni - they have the BEST christmas cards . We are now thinking about what to send her for new year.

A creepy something

We ave no idea what this is - found on our bathroom door does anyone know ? We had a google for insects to see if we could match it up but had no luck

A lost present

I had asked Richard to buy this little cute indulgence for me from Sarah when she twittered about them some time back. And when I got to the end of my gifts it wasn't there. I asked Richard and he couldn't even remember it ..sigh boys!  I said yes remember it arrived in an overnight bag red and grey - oh yes he said  hhhmm no idea.  We searched high and low - found the packaging empty but still no gift . Did you wrap it  I asked? I don't know he said. You must have I said. I don't know maybe it got thrown out in the  rubbish he said. 

So sad  - and then imagine my delight when we took down the tree and there it was hidden under the tree skirt - all wrapped waiting.

So so sweet :)

 Tamar x

 

 

 

The Mum and The Chef- Strawberries

 

Last month I joined  with some other foodie bloggers in the Mum and The Chef Challenge and I'm continuing on. Its fun and makes me think and try something I wouldn't normally,

Katrina from Windsor Deli in Melbourne and  Mish Lilley who is working on a series of her own cookbooks - came up with the idea of this challenge once a fortnight or to take a seasonal fresh ingredient and put your spin on it.

Challenge One was Rhubarb and Two was Asparagus. You can see their ideas here and here.  Then I joined  the blog party and had fun with cherries here.

And this week its strawberries yum!

 

 

1. Strawberry Summer , 2. Strawberry Plant, 3. Fragole, 4. Strawberry Plant

 

Summer Fruits

• 2 punnets of strawberries sliced
• Cherries pitted
• Red Grapes
• Blue berries
• Watermelon
• 1 cup Maison ( non alcoholic sparkling wine ) or Champagne

Layer your fruit into a fluted glass bowl.

• Watermelon 
• Cherries
• Strawberries ( 1 punnet only )
• Blueberries
• Grapes 
• Strawberries

Just before serving pour your Maison ( or Champagne)  over the top

Almond Biscotti

 

• 2 eggs
• 1 cup castor sugar
• zest of a lemon
• 2 cups plain flour sifted
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 120gm blanched almonds

 

1. In an electric mixer mix sugar , eggs and zest until pale and fluffy
2. Fold in sifted flour and baking powder
3. Add the almonds
4. Form the dough into two logs and place on a baking tray lined with baking paper
5. Bake in a moderate oven for 20 minutes
6. Leave to cool for one hour
7. Cut the log on a diagonal into thin slices.
8. Lay the slices on to a lined baking tray and re bake for 15 minutes
9. Allow to cool before serving

To serve

• Greek style yoghurt
• Organic Honey
• Flaked almonds toasted
• Slices of Almond Biscotti

 
 Serve with  Greek style yoghurt swirled with organic honey and  toasted flaked almonds
 and chunks of almond biscotti

* This was my first time making biscotti - I know sheltered I am LOL - so simple and so good. So much yummier then the store bought stuff! You are supposed to use almonds with the skins still on but I only had blanched ones - turned out perfectly.

We all loved this recipe which I just kind of made up as I went along. The fruit was light and sweet with a touch of tang from the yoghurt and crunch from the biscotti.

Check out some of the other Mum and Chefs too

• Katrina Higham
• Michelle McKinnon
• Mish Lilley
• Gourmet Girlfriend
• Ani - Food Glorious Food

Thanks Katrina and Mish for another great challenge :)

 Tamar x

 

New Years Eve Plans

Ever since we had children our New years eve plans have been very simple. Before children my favourite thing to do was  go with a group of friends to a restaurant in broadbeach but with those days past instead for the last 5 years we have had some friends over. I cook something special for dinner, we play dramatic charades the board game and see the new year in with fireworks on TV.

It works for us.  I am currently in planning mode.

2011 the panetone colour of the year of honeysuckle - my decor and menu is going to reflect that. I do love the excuse to use pink so I'm going with it.

 

At BIg W  I found the perfect leftover Christmas ornaments to create my table setting at 50% off too - even better.

 Sharing the idea now before I have created it just in case you are looking for something too :)

Firstly this cute little bird and glitter house - will be part of the centre piece

as will this fun beaded trim - which I may also use part of to form some napkin rings - maybe ....

These  four black  sequin balls I am adding white foam number stickers to  2 0 1 1 and they will hang in the window in our dining area - along with some fairy lights

I also found these sparkly birds and some glitter ball stick things which I'm not sure how they will work - most likely in a vase with maybe some flowers on the side table but they looked lovely too at 50% off- They were from Bed Bath and Table - That sparkly deco in the front was from Big W and will go with my hanging balls.

I'm also going to add candles (of course ) and a plain white table cloth.

I am also thinking about a  quote to pop in a frame - something that have meaning to us and our friends wh who will share the night with us- perhaps this ...

 For last year's words belong to last year's language
And next year's words await another voice.
And to make an end is to make a beginning.
~T.S. Eliot, "Little Gidding"

If you are looking for charades because you don't have the board game I have just found a couple of websites  - some are dodgy but I think this one  is quite good - explain the rules here and has a good list of movies, books etc here - its not formatted so you would have to  cut and paste into a document, print and trim them into strips - but that's pretty easy to do! There are quite a few printable card sites ] as well but some ask you to download software which I don't like to do unless necessary.

I'll be back in the next day or so with the menu :)

Happy New Years Eve Planning!

 Tamar x

 

Decluttering - Reorganising

We have been spending some time getting organised at home - which means decluttering and reorganising. I am well on the way but with lots lots lots more to do.

2011 brings lots of changes to our home with the major one being that Richard will be working from home. He has been fortunate enough to be recruited by a major company as a workforce planner after suddenly learning his position had been made redundant in early December.  Their offices are based in Sydney and Wellington -and while a move to NZ - (hey Rach, Nic and Jo) - is not an option for us he will work from home and just commute when needed.

This means lots of great things in terms of no travel time - bedroom to loungeroom!  Instead of  2.5 hrs on a train each day which was his only other option :) So we are of course thrilled and relieved :) It also means the girls can travel home by bus now and he will be home to meet them - so that also cuts out an hour and half a day in the car for me too and a limited amount of after school care YAY :)  There is always a silver lining and we have so much to be grateful for.

We do have to reshuffle our home considerably and take into account every-ones needs. A separate room for an office isn't an option - and while we considered it realistically it wouldn't suit Richard's work style. So we are looking at rejigging the lounge family area to provide him with a work area separate from the family area. This means downsizing the family room furniture and while we can re-purpose some bits to the girls room and our room other things will have to go. We have until the second week of January to get everything sorted -which is when the cabling has been booked for.

So I have spent MANY hours back and forth on the Ikea site playing with different configurations and  measuring things. In a  few hours we will head up there to see if what I see on screen is the same as in reality - you know how its sometime very different LOL.

I would totally love a series of furniture -called liatorp which is very Rachel Ashwell shabby chic-ish  but with the coffee table at  $479 its no point even thinking about it ( thought I did for a little minute - in my next life)  - Instead I'm working with a $59 option. The couches we already have.

 

 

I have an expediet and love the storage - and now there is a desk that attaches so that is what we are going to use. With the expediet part  separating the work area from the  lounge area and we will share the storage both sides. I think the white will keep the space open we currently have a mix of birch and wood stained. I'm sad to see our great big coffee table go which we have had for 15 years- the girls eat /snack from it and do a vast majority of their craft on it but there is no room to keep it.  I am determined once we get this sorted to actually hang some pictures on the wall too. No more bare walls for us! It's an ambitious plan - the no bare walls I mean. I am currently working on the kitchen - and reorganising cupboards - my rule is if we haven't used it in the last 12 months then it's being donated. The family area and kitchen is all in one in our house.

 Tamar x

 

 

A post christmas treat

 I read this idea somewhere -online and I just tried it

 Oh yes its very very good LOL

 

 

 

Make yourself a coffee - with  lots of yummy foam - Pop it into your favourite christmas cup ( make use of them before it's time to put them away for another year. Take out your bowl of lindt chocolates - I know you have some! - and pop it right in 

 

Stir it round and drink it up

 So yummy!

 Tamar x

 

Gifts

I have to say this year I was beyond spoilt - some from my hubby but lots from my sweet friends who know me just too well.

Here are my fav fav goodies and I'm so looking forward to diving in and using them :)

A cute cute  diary from kikki - and yes its really called the cute range -all rainbowy inside too

Totally squealled with delight when I opened this from one of my beautiful online friends

Much coveted :) and now proudly sat on the bench ready with my measuring cups

admittedly purchased by me for my husband to give me - but I was very good and barely looked at it when it arrived LOL

 

  A new calendar to keep us organised

Yes can you believe it -  A Jo Totes  bag to carry my camera gear in - it's so fantastic and while I had it on my wishpot list I never imagined Richard would actually buy it - YAY  Richard - I'm yet to set it up but on the first couple of inspections I think its totally worth the $ - I did quite a bit of research before deciding on this one and in comparison to some other similar products out there this company is reasonably priced.

and finally Richard also gave me a gift voucher for coles myer that he had received for long service.  :) He  is a good husband - and  I was allowed to buy anything I wanted with it in the sales- So I bought an electric frypan to replace our one that cuts in and out and short circuits the house  - exciting huh ?

but idid also buy some rosewater by jurlique. I love their products and have been having a nightmare with my skin lately.

 

and my final win from the sales was some mineral make up. I have been wanting to make the switch for some time and last night Margie recommended Bare Minerals which she swears by.  When I hit the cosmetic counter today at myers I couldn't believe my luck -they had starter packs at 50% off but only in limited colours ( two actually ) I thought no way will my colour be there and no way will they make time to colour match me now. But the sweet girl did . She was so lovely  and spent ages explaining the pack and deciding on the  best colour for me - which was on the reduced pile! I was so so thrilled because she could easily have said no we dont have anythign or no I'm way too busy. Totally my lucky day and I am so grateful.

So now for the next three weeks I think it would be safer not to wish for anything or even leave the house I have certainly had my beyond my share of happiness and luck over the last two days and do not intend to jinx it.

 Tamar x

 

Secret Santa

I am about to share some personal highlights for me this year about christmas  they are totally indulgent posts - so please forgive me in advance :)

One of my favourite things around christmas is the gifts - the giving and the receiving  (be crazy not to love receiving right ?)

One thing we do with the Tari girls is a secret santa swap-  We have no rules around what we send just something indulgent that we think the other person would like and we often try to make it crafty if time permits.

 This year the lovely lovely Reach was my secret Santa -and she is so incredibly organised her parcel arrived in  the first week in dec  and sat waiting patiently on my sideboard and then eventually under my tree - I saved it for the last pressie to open because I knew it would be totally fabulous. and it was.

I wish I had taken photos as I was opening - but I was also flipping profftjes and trying to think a name for a blythe doll or two at the same time LOL.

Inside a shoe box was layers and layers of tissue and in each layer was something more and more fabulous.

Here it is all spread out - but each little parcel was wrapped with seam binding and  machine stitched with labels and stamping - totally divine

this is one of the little bags that some goodies were nestled in

This is almost my fav thing I think - a package of vintage seam binding and trims and hankies  I adore it sooo much

and one  of her beautiful bon bons filled with my favourite ferrero rocher chocolates of which I had not received one -so I was so excited to see these.

This divinely made toadstool pincushion and teeny scissors complete with a velvet strawberry

and this cutest ever little notebook which I have  already popped in my handbag for my carry around notes/ideas.

If you have a crafty friend - or even if you aren't crafty ( though I know most who read my blog are ) perhaps now while its fresh in your mind send them an email and suggest that you do a secret santa swap at christmas -I highly recommend it. Its so fun to think of nice things to make and prepare for them  and its wonderful receiving it too.

 Thank you to my  gorgeous secret santa I adore everything :)

 Tamar x

 

Christmas 2010 as it was

Today was truly a magical day - the kind that you just hope it will be and rarely is. After an absolutely horrendous year our worst ever this was just the medicine we needed.

Our morning started early at 6.30 with gifts and proffetjes - so yummy

 

Talia received a much wanted series of books - The Minivers  and disappeared straight away to get the missing one to add to her gift and of course they both received their much longed for blythe. Neither of them can believe it still and it was the last thing they whispered about as they feel asleep tonight. They are so so very happy. Sof hassled me to text Aunty Jill to see if she will change eye chips for us - Luckily Jilly loves a good dolly adventure so has already agreed :) The girls iced a fresh batch of cupcakes to take with us on our outings for the day - we remembered them the first time and forgot them the second time - eeeek sorry Uncle Phil!

 8.45am and we were off to my grandfathers - who we call Great - The girls Great Grandfather

Uncle Dean -  ( yes my Uncle yes younger than me )  had to work today - he is a policeman and I think in his 5 years of service he is yet to have a christmas day off. He finished at 12.00am  Christmas Eve and was back patrolling the highways yes in our dreadful weather from 2.00pm today -so a huge shout out these men and women who work so hard to keep our communities safe. Sofia  Jaine -waiting for breakkie,  Richard  telling stories as usual Tals head in a book - colouring one this time  Mia - or  Mi Mi who is an artist in the making  and my girls think she is their missing triplet - Talia Sofia Mia  -  Joey with his much coveted Ben 10 Skateboard - apparently he wasn't happy this morning when he hadn't received it - despite his other gifts.  But I really wanted one Mummy he said woefully - Lucky we had bought it for him and all was smiles again :)

and of course Great - not really as stern as that - cook extraordinaire who was up from 4.30am cooking pancakes and prepping food .

Nanna Eve  goes to so much trouble with the decorations and has all manner of cool christmas paraphernalia.   Richard and Dean took forever to work out how to make the flat frisbee thingy that turn into a ball in the air work - then they read the instructions. Sof won  $20!!!!! on a $2 scratchie - I have tried to convince her she needs to spend it on coffee for Daddy and I but she's not buying into it LOL. The ham was to die for - so so yummy. We headed home at 11.30 for a little nap and a tidy up and then a change of clothes and on the road to Brisbane.

 

We spent the afternoon and evening at our friends Margie and Phil (and my godson Ryan )who we haven't been able to schedule a christmas with for many many years so I was really thrilled when it all fell into place.

The kids played with Phils? new xbox thingy -which was really fun to watch - such clever technology and we sat and drank alot of champagne :) :) 

Margie went to so much trouble with all the table decorations - delicious salads  and warm turkey. I just had to bring the ham - Bless you Margie for doing it all I tell ya it was a joy not to be organising food this year :) - Unlike the beautiful one Great prepared my prep was to go to Coles and buy it . One year I'll tackle the whole decorating baking ham thing. My favourite salad was a cranberry one.

Baby Spinach, Cranberrys, Red Onion - then a dressing of bacon honey  olive oil - Really really yummy

And that dessert - totally divine- From a coles recipe book a few years back apparently - but its chocolate ice cream on the bottom then cookies and cream ice cream and then berry sorbet  - frozen into a  spring form pan and then topped with strawberries and white chocolate.  Fabulous! Margie used Sara Lee Ice cream which was so so good.

So now we are home girls are tucked up Richards watching the news updates and I wanted to get the day documented in some form. I'll be back in the next few days with a few more christmas stories :)

Tomorrow I'm heading to the boxing day sales with my  BF'sF  and a gift voucher from my lovely husband. It's an all day affair starting at 7.30 with breakfast at a coffee shop, Pac Fair then Robina Town Centre. Excited! Feelign so calm and blessed.

 Hope your day was all you wished for.

 Tamar x

Christmas Recipe -Day Twenty Five

Merry Christmas !

I've ducked away from the washing up :)  to load this last recipe for you all.  We had these for breakfast this morning YUM YUM YUM

 

I had seen the profftjes makers come through my wrapping queues and asked about them - Kmart $12 - Bargain I thought. So I kept it a secret from the family and then just before bed last night I put it out on the kitchen bench along with the dry ingredients already mixed to make the morning prep easier. The girls were so excited when they saw it - They thought santa had left it especially for me LOL

So we have gone with tthat theory - It also helps that I kept the box and it had a hold ticket on it 24/12 Bostock  so the girls thought Santa had definitely wanted us to have it.

More importantly they are simple to use and they are really yummy little morsels. We love having these when we go to Eumundi Markets - Now we can have them at home and the price of 2 plates of them at the markets covers the cost of the maker.

Download Recipe25

Enjoy your christmas day!