back in the saddle

Getting my sewing mojo back.

One for the girls.

One for the boys. Find them for sale here.

wallpaper

The renovations here at home have reached the blank canvas stage. Time to start adding character and putting our stamp on the rooms. I've been recently searching for a black & white wallpaper for my bedroom and thought I'd share my favourites so far.

The above image comes from Scandinavian Wallpaper & Decor, the Australian online retailer for Decor Maison, a Swedish wallpaper brand. This design can be found in the DM Photo Collection.

I discovered the next 2 Danish designs over at Ferm Living Australia. Oh, I want them all! How about one for each wall?

Not for the bedroom but I just had to add these graphic designs by Tracy Kendall. She also creates a bespoke sequin range of 3D wallpapers based on a 1920's flapper dress. Her designs will change any preconceived ideas you may have about wallpaper.

gingerbread biscuits

Ok so here's one of the recipes I promised. It was handed down from my Mum. If you have the time and the patience the fun is in the icing. We created our own piping bags by cutting a hole in the corner of plastic zip-lock bags.


Eating these biscuits takes me back to the days of the Pizza Palace in the 1970's (Adelaide readers may remember this on Anzac Highway at Klemzig - it was taken over by Pizza Hut in 1978) where by the cash register they sold gingerbread biscuits coated in white icing sugar and sprinkles - it was such a special treat to take one home at the end of the night :)

Be warned! These biscuits are so good you will find yourself sneaking them when the little people are not looking. Our most recent batch didn't even make it to the icing stage!

125g butter

1/2 cup brown sugar (firmly packed)

1 egg yolk

2 1/2 cups plain flour

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

3 tsps ground ginger

2 1/2 tbsps golden syrup

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, add egg yolk and beat well. Gradually add sifted dry ingredients and syrup, mix well, knead lightly. Divide dough into six portions. Roll each portion between 2 sheets of greaseproof paper to 3mm thickness (I find the thinner the dough the crisper the biscuits).

Gently remove greaseproof paper from the top. Cutout gingerbread figures with biscuits shapes or cut around cardboard shapes (be creative) with a sharp knife. I cleaned and used the kids playdough tools. Remove any excess mixture around the cutout figures and roll again.

Lift gingerbread figure by the bottom sheet of greaseproof paper then turn onto greaseproof oven trays. Peel greaseproof paper away and cook in moderate oven for 10 minutes (about 180C). Cool on trays. Prepare icing and pipe on features/clothes.


Royal Icing

1 1/2 cups pure icing sugar

1 egg white

4 drops lemon juice

food colouring

Sift icing sugar. Beat egg white lightly in a small bowl, using a wooden spoon. Add icing sugar, one tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition. When icing reaches piping consistency (firm) beat in lemon juice and desired food colouring. Spoon royal icing into small plastic bag, snip off one corner to make a piping bag.

it's raining it's pouring

It's always hard to come back when it's been so long. Where do I start? Which bits should I share? I could start by saying my life is finally back to an enjoyable pace. After the crazy whirlwind of the past year it's time to smell the roses again.

Winter in Adelaide has been wonderfully wet wet wet. It's the most rain we've had in 20 or so years. Nothing beats being at home in a warm house with the rain beating on the tin roof. Plenty of time for cooking, baking, drawing, pasting, sewing, re-arranging, un-packing, sorting, organizing, puzzling and playing, all of which we have done plenty.

Oops, just looked at the clock and must dash for the pre-school pick-up.

I'll drop back in later to post the recipes for the gingerbread biscuits and marmalade.

Sorry about the poor quality of the photos - I think I've uploaded them strangely.... how quickly one forgets!!