New Challenge........WW1

The March challenge at WW1 ( only just managed to squeeze it in ) is........ white + bright pink + an artisan shape or product. Pink is probably not one of my favourite colours but thats why we do these challenges. I have used the beautiful Pinkpaislee resist paper and the artisan elements. 

Lets Get Shabby...Challenge #22

The next challenge is up at Lets Get Shabby and it is all about Beatrix Potter, her characters and beautiful illustrations. It could also be representative of Easter or Spring. Please visit the Lets Get Shabby blog to see the gorgeous examples done by the other design team girls for inspiration, check out the beautiful prize and get the details on how to play. Carol from Tattered Inspirations is our kind and very generous sponsor this month......she has beautiful things in her shop.

I made 2 little tag books.....one with clues in it for an Easter egg hunt in the garden made using Graphic 45 paper, and the other one with Spring quotes, made with beautiful Websters pages.

March 123 challenge

Here is a page I have done for the March 123 Challenge and for the Color rooms # 50 Palette. The March 123 Challenge is :

                                       Colour = Light / Medium Blue

                                       Word = To / Too / Two 

                                       Technique / Product = Doilies

The photo is of my 2 daughters on the rare occasion when their hair was the same colour. One is naturally blonde, the other naturally brunette. Over the years there have been times when the blonde was a brunette, the brunette was a blonde, both blonde for a time and of course all lengths and shades in between. I certainly have my preferences, but as their mum they are always beautiful to me.   

The blues that I used just happened to be the same palette over at the Color room this week. They are celebrating 50 different palettes. I take my hat off to any one who has completed all of them: this would have to be one of my favourites. 

Tea By The Sea.....

Today for tea I am taking you on a walk, one of my favourites around Horseshoe Bay. We walk along the cliff top past Lady Bay and onto Knights Beach, then back to the cafe. I feel so lucky to live in such a beautiful part of the world, and am grateful every day for the wonder that surrounds me.

This is where I end up for my tea or coffee............. the Flying Fish Cafe at beautiful Horseshoe Bay.

If you would like to join us for Tea on Tuesday visit Art in Red Wagons here for the details.

There's a nip in the air................

With the first month of Autumn arrived I have decided to make a quilt. It's not an  " arty " quilt, its a hand pieced, old fashioned scrap quilt. These Moroccan tea glasses were the inspiration for my colours. For me, the colours of Autumn  seem to be warmer and richer, as the harsh Summer heat seems to  bleach all the colour out of every thing. 

These are my fabrics......pinks for the stars and tulips and blue/greens for the background.

The pattern I have chosen is called Cottage Tulips. Each block is made up of an 8 pointed star in the middle and 8 tulips around the edge.

Once you have made the 8 pointed star and the 8 tulips you sew the blue background to the stars and then the tulips to the blue background. You end up with a circular block which you then applique onto a 12 inch square of cream background.

Wish me luck with it's completion....... I have started quilts before and have not finished them....... note to self,     'finish off the 3 quilts at bottom of sewing cupboard  !! ' 

New Challenge at Lets Get Shabby.

The new challenge is up at Lets Get Shabby and it is ......"denim and lace ." What springs to mind when you think of these two things together ? For me they are almost opposites.........grungy but pretty

                          some attitude with a softer side

                          my daughter 

If you would like to have a go at this challenge, hop on over to Lets Get Shabby for all the details.

Tea On Tuesday..........Red Plums and Yellow Peaches

The stone fruit that has come our way this year, from friends' trees and our own has been so abundant that I am running out of ways to use it up...there is only so much stewing, jam making, pickling,and sauce making one is up for. Any way I have talked about this delicious plum cake before, I have made it so many times this year, thought I would pass on the recipe and hope you enjoy it too. To join us for Tea, visit here.

Nigel Slater's Plum Cake  

                                                                                                                         

150g unrefined caster sugar

150 g room temp. butter

3 large eggs

                              75 g plain flour                                           

                                          1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder                

                                  100 g ground almonds                           

                50 g walnuts, chopped                                             

                                                       16 or so plums, stones removed and cut into quarters 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

You will need a 20cm. square or 23cm. round cake tin about 6 cm. deep. Line with baking paper. Preheat oven to 180 degrees C.   With electric mixer beat butter and sugar until very pale and fluffy. ( about 5-7 min. ) Break eggs into a jug and lightly beat. With mixer on medium speed, gradually pour the egg into the butter sugar mix. Add a spoonful of  flour between each addition of egg. Sift remaining flour and baking powder over the bowl and carefully fold into the batter with a metal spoon. Then fold in the almonds and walnuts. Scrape mixture into prepared tin and place plums close together all over the top. Bake for about 45 min. Test with a skewer in middle of cake, if there is no mixture stuck to it then it's cooked.   

                                                                    

Another colourful recipe you might like to try comes from the lovely Sophie at The Invisible Cookbook...........she has a recipe for Chocolate Beetroot Cupcakes.

 and speaking of baking and colour......
is'nt this the most beautiful KitchenAid you have ever seen ! Photo by Ree Drummond at The Pioneer Woman.

White With 1.. February Challenge.

I really like the challenge blog White With 1. Here you can use only a colour scheme of white + 1 other colour, + 1 other requirement, such as an element,a technique, a product type etc. The challenge for February was:                                                                                                 WHITE +BROWN + A VINTAGE ITEM (S )                                                                                        I have  used a vintage photo of me and my ( much older ) brother. I'm not going to tell you when it was taken because that would just be giving too much away lol. Other vintage items used are some old lace, book page, bookplate and photo corner.       w

Altered Book....some more

These next two pages are what I've called the "Luuuuve " pages, this month being February and every thing. Some stencilling, inking, misting ,stamping etc. I have also cut into a big wad of pages and embedded a small heart made of shell, I then secured it with gold metallic thread. Added random bits of lace, pearls and some satin ribbon tied through the pages to keep them together.

Thanks for visiting and have a great weekend everyone. xx