A Collection of Thoughts

Visiting Space - again

As many of my regular readers would know my girls moved schools this term. It seems primary schools have a theme each term. (I  am little clueless on the primary curriculum ) so when they started at their new school and we were told the theme was space - I thought oh no we've done that - does this mean they will miss out on something else??and I am dreading the we have to make a solar system assignment which I just threw out in the holidays LOL. Anyhow it is what it is !

Tonight Tals came home on a mission to find some fun videos to share on fun friday - with a space theme. So we had a google for a very long time.

I learnt stuff - It was cool -   this  video is particularly neat - starts out a little slow but really - stay with it - I was amazed - and totally clueless

The Size of All Planets Are Relative -

and so we were just going to show that but then

we found a whole series called Space School Musical

Hannah is trying to finish her science project - a model of the solar system.  But there’s a problem: it’s due tomorrow, she’s not finished yet, and it’s past her bedtime. How will she get it done? With a little help from her friends – the most talented troupe in the Milky Way!Join Hannah on a trip through the solar system in this ultra-cool edu-tainment “hip-hopera” that is out of this world!  Move and groove along with the planets, moons, meteors, comets, asteroids and even some rockin’ scientists as they sing, dance and serve up the freshest facts in the galaxy.  Space is definitely one cool place.

Source

It covers different aspects of space set to music -trendy songs and fun costumes - the words for each song comes up on screen and there are downloads of the lyrics available on the website too.

We watched each section and Talia decided which ones she wanted downloaded. We left out a comedy one which wasn't very funny and just a bit silly. Also the teacher speaking about how the musical came together -she didn’t think was very interesting ( I did LOL ) .

This is one of our favourite ones - so fun! So we burnt them all to  CD and Tals is hoping her idea gets chosen to show.  It wasn't an assignment just something to share.

 

 Happy night :)

PS I hope to be back later tonight with some Teapot news!!! Our template is ready to go we have just heard! YAY

 

Mollie Makes

You may have noticed in my post yesterday that I had found a real paper version of Mollie Makes at my newsagent

I have to say I didn't think twice about grabbing it - until I reached the checkout and was given the price -eeeeek. Still it's totally totally lovely and I have to confess I used to be a regular buyer of mags and I dont buy any these days. Plus I was in a rebel mood and bought a number of things yesterday that I normally wouldn't lol

 So here is a little peek inside.

A lovely long article on Dottie Angel- one of my absolute blog crushes

I loved the styling  throughout - so homey and well crafty I guess. These Happy Little garlands gave me a nice idea for something in our family room. If I ever cave out the time to do it.

I'm suffering a time crush issue at the moment

One of the great things about a physical mag is the inclusion on the front of a little felt kit for this sweet mobile phone case or coin purse.

but really I just totally enjoyed all the articles - there wasn't one where I went meh  not so interesting - I loved these retro aprons.

So I had a search on prices - to buy a sub international is FAR cheaper than over the counter  works out ot be about $103 for a year - My counter cost  was $15.95

But I'm going to get a digital subscription from the next issue. I love reading on my ipad and it makes it easy to keep all the lovely ideas all in one spot. It works out to be about  $56 and you have  choice of buying a sub or just buying per month. The details for digi are here and paper for international are here.

Speaking of digi mags  I'm in my second month of buying SFI on my ipad - Im totally in love with it - remind me to tell you why soon :)

PS I'm behind on emails and blog comments - please do comment I love to hear from you I just don't always get a chance to reply.

PPS I loved Downton Abbey - loved it - can't wait until next week looks like its going to get spicy.

 

Downton Abbey

There is no shortage of good drama on at the moment - I thoroughly enjoyed the Kennedy's last week and I'm looking forward to it continuing.

But tonight marks the debut of a new British drama which has some excellent write ups too-  Downton Abbey.

Downton Abbey is a British television period drama series set in the fictional Downton Abbey, stately home of the Earl and Countess of Grantham, and follows the lives of the aristocratic Crawley family and their servants early in the reign of King George V. The series spans the two years prior to the Great War, commencing with news of the sinking of the Titanic, an event that triggers much of the plot.

source

We have been negotiating the TV's in our house -because Richard loves the mentalist too. Lucky there is iview which takes care of the Kennedy's for me.

Here is the trailer

I love a good drama especially one with gorgeous fashion. :-)

Around our home

It's been forever since I have done a quick snapshot share of what's happening at home...

I like to have the record - nice to look back on

We have been on a really strict budget for a LONG time with the rule of NO non compulsory buying ( though Richards and my version of compulsory does vary LOL) and so I was very self indulgent this weekend with three buys -  My copy of Exhibition 36  a paper version of Molie Makes -it's so so fabulous I love it and some new shoes  Mollie makes - eeek crazy cover price of $15.95 Ill be switching to digi but more on that later . Sadly I think that's the end of the splurging and it's back to budget again.

This is my lounge room right now - yes the Easter decorations are still up. I must take them down but the tree looks pretty. I have a new idea for it for the girls party coming up for their confirmation but I may not have the time to execute it - we will see.

By my bed is this book - its been on my read list since Christmas when I nabbed it in the throw out bin at Borders for $5 - So this weekend I got started - really enjoying it so far and was very tempted to spend some time on the couch this afternoon with it but resisted - just.

Instead the girls talked me into a  Uno flash marathon. This truly is the best game - if you love uno you'll love uno flash - it makes your turns random - you only need two to play but three is better :) For the record I won three games Sof won two and Talia won two with a new record of Talia having to pick up 12 cards at once when we all had Pick up 4 cards :) She was not happy -and needless to say she didn't win that game.

We were excited to see this little compendium in along with the Sunday Mail this week - I think you have to collect coupons and then pay $2 a week for the rest of the little books - we are totally into this sort of thing in our house :)

I am clueless as to what is going on here - but it's happening in a few corners of the house - and we had to get some balloons and straws with the grocery shopping to make it happen - some sort of science experiment around rockets apparently.

My new shoes - from Novo - aren't they so lovely? I tend to be a one pair of shoes girl for work - at the moment they are black boots - but I have a lovely navy spotty dress with a red belt and red cardigan and I really wanted some red shoes to go with it - I have been looking for ages and then today I spied these. They weren't on special - I was really hesitant about that - I don't think I have paid full price for clothes or shoes in a long long long time.

We visited spotlight today to see what ideas we could gather for the girls communion party in a few weeks time - we settled on some balloons and these little table weights. The were having some awesome specials I was very keen to get some cute as owl fabric but I didn't.

Yesterday we went to Jill's for a special photo shoot for a new project I have coming up - and she surprised me with not one but two beautiful beautiful hand crafted pieces of jewelery - Totally my style she knows me too well.  I was so surprised and touched. She will no doubt be horrified by my dodgy photo - but they are so so pretty I can't wait to wear them.

Jilly's Jonah introduced my girls to Moshi monsters - well apparently they already knew about them and had been bugging me for ever to get one  but I hadn't been listening - who knew?  So yesterday we made two new accounts and they both have a little monster. Super cute - I am yet to cave into the membership which is $6.95 a month I am told - how do they know all this stuff?  I'm waiting to see how hooked they get before I make the commitment. Oh and yes you guessed it I am the meanest Mumma in the whole world again.

So that's our home - how is yours?? Don't you just love my new shoes ? sigh In my next life I will wear a different pair of shoes every day of the week.

 Happy Sunday Night

 

 

 

 

 

Rain

via pinterest.com

This afternoon the girls and I headed down to the park to play at the outdoor basketball hoop. The sky had been threatening for some time and after about half an hour the rain really started so we had to head home. I said oh that's a shame.

Sofia said - Don't be sad Mumma think of it as a free drink from the sky

Talia said - We can play a game - try and dodge the raindrop it can be just as much fun

I had to laugh - They certainly have my glass is half full philosophy for life:)

Even bettter Richard came out searching for us and I think it must be time for a hot tea.

 

Pinterest Linkys {5}

Have I found the best thing ever - and I'm so excited to share it with you. I was intrigued by this pin on pinterest - hence it falls into my pinterest linkys series:)

 

Caramel in a tin or Dulche de leche. Now I have always known about the pop it in a pot to boil for many hours re topping the water watching and hoping it doesn't explode -and worrying about the pot boiling dry. But this method uses your crockpot. Pop your tins in the crockpot and leave on for 8 hours and voila rich delicious caramel.

The original came from here along with a detailed blog post.

I read the comments and thought I should dig a bit deeper- I checked out a year of slow cooking recipes and found this one too - and I read all their comments

and then I decided for research purposes only I should try it myself

One pot of nestle condensed milk ( and I used the pull ring tins - is there any other sort these days?) In my Kambrook slow cooker - on low  - filed with water - label removed -  popped it in at 8.30pm and turned it off at 6.00am. I left it in the water to cool all day and opened it up.

 Totally divine.

I made these. Shop bought cases and a dollop of cream.

There was no mad boiling with the tin popping up and down the way it does in the pot of boiling water and although it takes time - it's simple- just pop in set and forget.

I'm thinking a couple of tins next time :) Now if you are stuck for ideas on how to use all that yummy caramel -a quick search on taste.com unearthed

these little caramel and chocolate pots

 OMG - this caramel with strawberries for dipping

this chocolate pound cake and icecream with a caramel topping

and these apple cakes with caramel.

If you are new to my blog welcome - this is a series I write regularly on interesting links I have found via pinterest. You can catch up on this series over here

Exhibition 36

  I was fascinated by Jenny Doh's review on Exhibition 36

 which then led me to read for a while over on Susan Tuttle's blog

A divine mix of photography. I am sad her online classes are closed at the moment.

So I headed to Book Depository

and found this description

Within the pages of "Exhibition 36", the reader enters a virtual art exhibit featuring 36 mixed-media artists whose collage, digital, assemblage, altered and repurposed art adorn the walls and pedestals of the gallery.The artists are 'present' with the reader, available to talk about their work and share their techniques and creative processes. The reader attends presentations by well-know artists such as Jonathan Talbot, listen in on a question-and-answer sessions with popular crafters such as Claudine Hellmuth, and peek in on demos by mixed-media authors and artists such as Suzanne Simanaitis.Before heading out the door, the reader will receive a gift for attending: collage sheets containing donated imagery from the artists themselves for use in the reader's own art.

and so I pressed buy.

Now waiting not so patiently for it to arrive.

What's your latest online buy ?

 

 

Rhonna DESIGNS: Pretty Frames

via rhonnadesigns.blogspot.com

New lovely digi from Rhonna
Tamar x

Etzcetera Magazine

via kimarcher.typepad.com

I'm so so so excited to be able to share this news! The fabulously creative Kim Archer and her  crafty band of helpers have been working very hard to bring a brand new magazine to life. I have been fortunate enough to have had a peek into the behind scenes production and I can say without doubt it will be fantastic. It's bringing together all the crafty goodness that we love into one magazine.

 You can read about Kim's vision over here - and more importantly sign up here :)

 

Kennedy Mini Series

There is too much good on TV this week with Cloud Street starting -  I have just conned Richard into adding Showtime to our Austar for a month so I can watch.  But I'm also keen to see The Kennedy Mini series. It has a controversial write up here which just makes me want to watch it even more.

source

and of course I'm watching for the clothes

 as I read in this article

More than 60 outfits, including suits, dresses and evening gowns, were created for the mini-series. All are hand-made reproductions of clothing Jackie wore and were created by costume designer Christopher Hargadon and his team.

"Jackie chose classic, perfect lines that still work today," Holmes says.

"She had great style. She never had the dress wear her; she wore the dress and knew what looked good on her.

"She really understood the power of elegance."

I'm interested to see how Katie Holmes portrays her.

  Are you going to watch??