Continuing the photo a day challenge for January from Fat Mum Slim. These photos are from the past week.
22. My shoes
I have come to the realisation that as a Mum I can get away with just two pairs of shoes - one for warm weather and one for cold weather.
23. Something old
I have photographed and blogged about this before, but this old object is something that I truly treasure. This gorgeous leather bound book belonged to my grandmother and has her name hand written
in the front in her own writing. The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame was first printed in 1908. This is a 26th edition, printed in 1927.
24. Guilty pleasure
I'm sure that there are many who have a love for yarns of all types. This is just a small sample of the yarns that I have plans for - so much yarn, so little time! My pleasure is of course creating
something special from this pile of yarn, whilst my guilt is due to the amount of yarn on hand - but shhh... no-one else needs to know, right?
25. Something I made
My contribution to the Australia Day celebrations this year!
26. Colour
Beautiful rainbow bobbles from Red Bobble together with a gorgeous rainbow dress from Rainbows & Ringlets.
27. Lunch
Julia made rice paper rolls for her Gran's birthday this week.
28. Light
If it's still light outside, it can't be time for bed yet, can it? I'm too busy making soup!
Last week coming up, but I have enjoyed this so much that I may keep going with the February challenge!
Christine xx
I'm still keeping up with the photo a day challenge for January from Fat Mum Slim. These photos are from the past week.
15. Happiness
Happiness is chalk drawing with Miss 5 on a sunny day.
16. Morning
The morning sun peeking through the trees in my backyard.
17. Water
Julia has been taking extra swimming lessons this week for her school holiday activity and she swam like a fish - so well that she went up a grade!
18. Something I bought
Or at least something WE bought whilst in Disneyland. This is Captain Jack Sparrow's hat. It's essentially a totally useless souvenir but it truly is the best pirate hat ever.
19. Sweet
Homemade chocolate & choc chip ice cream - yum!
20. Someone I love
My two favourite people in all the world - Daddy and daughter playing side by side.
21. Reflection
Julia loves blowing bubbles! Sunlight and rainbows captured perfectly in these beautiful bubbles.
I have loved the challenge of week three - now on to week four!
Christine xx
Continuing with the photo a day challenge for January from Fat Mum Slim here are my photos from the past week.
8. Your sky
The most beautiful sunsets happen nightly just outside my own front door, but usually I'm too pre-occupied with making dinner or bathing the beauty that I forget to look.
9. Daily routine
Most mornings, Julia (Miss 5) creeps into bed with me and wakes me with a kiss. The mornings that she doesn't are the ones when we have to leave the house early (usually for school). So she wakes me when I could be sleeping in and I wake her when we don't have time to sleep in. Sleeping in is definitely a thing of the past.
10. Childhood
This is a picture of me taken on my 7th birthday. I went out to lunch with my grandparents as a birthday treat. It's even in the original frame.
11. Where I sleep
On my side of the bed is a bear that I was given for my first mother's day, before Julia was born. There is also a book which unfortunately hasn't been opened for quite a while. On my husband's side of the bed is a sculpture of a lighthouse made by Julia. Above the bed is a Norman Lindsay etching given to me by my father.
12. In my bag
I like to try to be organised. So in my bag is my wallet, keys, glasses and a pouch containing everything else like wipes, tissues, bandaids and a wonderful crayon wallet. My phone is in a pocket at the side of my bag. I bought this fabulous bag in San Diego last year.
13. Close-up
Julia has the bluest of blue eyes.
14. Something I'm reading
This is Julia's bookshelf. I don't have time to read - I'm too busy crocheting! So what I am reading at the moment is the Roald Dahl collection. Julia and I read a few chapters each night. At the moment we are reading The BFG.
Week two has been fun, but I've been looking ahead to week three... the challenge continues!
Christine xx
Welcome to 2012! I am ready for a challenge this year, and what better way to start than with a photo a day for January. Chantelle from Fat Mum Slim has created a fabulous challenge with a guide list to follow, so I have been snapping away each day. Here goes with the first week:
1. Me
Wrinkles and all.
2. Breakfast
For a house with just three people, we have a lot of choice when it comes to breakfast. However, the Rice Bubbles are rarely eaten for breakfast; more often they are used to make yummy slices. Also, the Coco Pops only make an appearance because we've just come back from a trip - I used to love having the special little cereal boxes when I went on holidays as a child.
3. Something I adore
It's not just my daughter that I adore in this photo, it's actually the fact that she is amusing herself quietly for a change, and not making a mess either!
4. Letterbox
Just the right height for a five year old to collect the mail.
5. Something I wore
This gorgeous pendant is from Swarovski in Austria - from the actual factory shop - and I wore it on my wedding day to a wonderful Austrian man. We visited Austria together the year before we were married, and chose this pendant especially for our big day.
6. Makes me smile
My kitchen and hallway are covered with drawings and crafts that Julia has created over the past three or so years. They make the room bright and make me smile every day. I am running out of room on the walls, but I find it very hard to take any of them down!
7. Favourite
Whilst I am not a fan of the summer heat, I love summer for wonderful cherries! These are my most favourite fruit of all.
Week one completed - bring on week two!
Christine xx
Here is the recipe for Vanilla Kipferl. I should perhaps have included the recipe in my last post, but I was so busy in the week leading up to Christmas! I hope you will enjoy these delicious traditional Austrian Christmas treats with your own families.
Vanilla Kipferl
Makes 36
1 vanilla bean, halved
250g unsalted butter, softened
1 cup icing sugar mixture, sifted
2 egg yolks
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups plain flour
3/4 cup almond meal (ground almonds)
1/2 cup caster sugar
1. Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan forced. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper.
2. Using a small sharp knife, scrape seeds from 1 half of vanilla bean. Set aside. Finely chop remaining bean half. Set aside.
3. Using an electric mixer, beat butter, vanilla seeds and 3/4 cup icing sugar mixture until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks. Beat to combine.
4. Sift salt and flour over butter mixture. Add almond meal. Using a wooden spoon, stir until just combined and a sticky dough forms. Turn out onto a floured surface. Knead gently until smooth. Using 1 tablespoon mixture at a time. roll into balls. Roll balls into 6cm logs with tapered edges. Shape into crescents. Place, 2cm apart, on prepared trays. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes or until firm and golden at edges. Cool on trays for 3 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, process caster sugar and reserved vanilla bean half until finely ground. Sift sugar mixture into a shallow bowl. Stir in remaining icing sugar mixture. Roll kipferls, one at a time, in sugar mixture. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Recipe from Super Food Ideas magazine.
Here is my secret to success - this is one of the few recipes for which I will always buy real vanilla beans!
Happy New Year to everyone!
Christine xx
