Happy Halloween

If you celebrate it, if you don't hope you're having a lovely weekend! After the past week of baking my batooie off, I thought it would be ions before I even considered making a cupcake, let alone make a few! Knocked these up this morning - double chocolate mini-cupcakes with ghosts and cobwebs.  We live in a community of mostly families,...

Pretty in pink

It was a lovely day today at the pink ribbon breakfast I co-hosted.  Venue, company and lots of yummy treats.  Pink champagne at 10am!  I am pretty tired now - hubby and I were up until the wee hours making 5 dozen cupcakes and 7 dozen variety of biscuits... up this morning early to make fresh mini-quiches and pink popcorn... Doesn't...

My motivation for pink ribbon day

Today I'm off co-hosting a pink ribbon breakfast.... that might explain why my blog's been a bit bare yesterday and today. I'm really pleased to say that I've raised $275.00 from online donations, and tomorrow hopefully we can raise more. To me, pink ribbon day used to be a charity that I would support in a small way - buy a badge, pen,...

The afternoon that made me change my mind about the food I eat..

This is a long post.  But bear with me, please! Recently I had the most enlightening afternoon.  It was a Sunday, and my hubby and frills dropped me down to Manly Wharf... I embarked on my ferry journey, Sushi in one hand, Sun Herald in the other and sat in silence reading the paper uninterrupted, taking in Sydneys' sights - the...

BlogThis Challenge: $200 to spend on Etsy, what to buy?

I used to frequent Etsy quite regularly but to be honest, I can't remember the last time I bought something!  I bought a few decals from there - I have Christmas decals on my front door from last year (I know, bad, but they're so pretty - promise I'll take them down this new year!) So here they are!  I actually struggled, isn't...

Top Five Tuesday: Places to go within 10km radius - play along!

This may take a little bit of thinking but it doesn't have to be somewhere exotic, it can be in your house! Here's mine: 1. In my garden  or my kitchen on a spring day just relaxing 2. In bed watching a movie.. or reading.. without interruptions 3. Bayview with the kids in summer - we go swmming, it's a kid-friendly inland beach 4....

Make it from Scratch Carnival #139 - Return to Oz Halloween Style

I'm so very pleased to be hosting this weeks' make it from scratch carnival! It's a special Halloween edition this week with so many Halloween contributions!  Here in Australia Halloween isn't as widely observed, but I personally would love to visit the US or Canada to have much more fun with it!   I'll be reading many blogs in...

We have an Opera House in our garden!

Well, it's been busy times in the vegetable garden, many transplants from the baby garden for a start. (more) tomatoes, (more)  lettuce, celery, (more) rhubarb, climbing beans...  we've also been planting more marigolds but we are finding the white moths are loving the lettuces and we're not wanting to use too much pesticide, decided...

Mondayitis Cooking : Oven Baked Risotto

I've loved this recipe since I learned of it at Lorraines' Blog Not Quite Nigella.  Hers is a cheese risotto and it's yummy, don't get me wrong, but you must know by now I love to tweak!  So I have many variations as I encourage you to also, it's fun!  The great thing about this is not only is it cheaty -  but it's also...

Pink Ribbon Day! We've got a fantastic giveaway!

Although it's officially pink ribbon month, today is also the heralded day to 'think pink'.  I myself will be celebrating pink ribbon day by cooking for the pink ribbon breakfast I have helped organise this Thursday... there's still plenty of time to decide to fundraise or hold a pink ribbon morning tea you know!  Just visit http://www.pinkribbonday.com.au or http://www.pinkribbonbreakfast.org.au/ Breast cancer is one...

Sunday Baking Project: Carrot Cake Cupcakes with cream cheese frosting

I like to shake it up a bit and divert from your usual butter cupcakes, and a great excuse to dig up some of our gorgeous sweet carrots from the garden.  These are moist and lovely for a rainy afternoons with a cup of tea... today is pretty wet here in the Hills, and this has sent the most beautiful aroma through the house... We'll be...