Ka-Ching!

Yum, Yum!

Since I cant upload my photos, for whatever blogger reason, I've decided to share something with you all...

For those of you who dont know me, let me tell you this....I am not the worlds greatest cook... Im not even creative in the kitchen (thank goodness for the DH there!) Im one of those people who need a recipe to follow, unless Ive cooked the same item so many times I dont need to check the written words.

In saying that I have come across some really easy recipes in my time, that are no fail - no matter what type of chef you are :)

So what I've decided to do (with my sisters urging) is post a recipe maybe every couple of months to share, and Im starting with the big guns - SWEETS!

This is so easy, but so yummy!

Easy Ice Cream Slice

Ingrediants;

1 tin of Condensed Milk
1 600ml of thickened Cream
2 pkts of Arnotts Malt Biscuits (or whatever you prefer as long as they are rectangle shaped)

and the piece of resistance...

2 large chocolate bars (I tend to go for the king size Crunchie bars as I love honeycomb!) that you smash the heck out of in whatever way you decide - as long as they become broken up and not too crumbly!

Method;

Beat your cream until it just starts to thicken up, and then slowly add the condensed milk to it (take note it may go really runny for a little while here). Once it starts to again thicken, add your smashed up chocolate bars to the mixture and let it go a few rounds in the mixer so the chocolate gets nicely folded in. The mixture should be (once your finished) nice and fluffy :) If it isnt - keep beating it!

Once done.. line a tin with alfoil, and place your biscuits along the bottom of the pan.
Add your mixture to the top and even out with a spatula.
Add another layer of biscuits to the top.
Cover again with alfoil
Place in freezer until set.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

These are the BEST ice cream slices!!! and the great thing is - all up it should only take you 15 - 20 minutes from start to finish :)

Enjoy - but dont count calories!!

Labels: recipes

Im Back!!

What an absolutely terrible two weeks I have had! It started with my video card on my computer - I turned it on, and all I got was lines across my screen that seemed to get worse - it made looking at the screen quite a chore I can tell you! So off went my trusty PC down to the repair shop thinking that I would only have to get a new card. No such luck! Whilst there it was discovered that one of the fans wasnt working, which in turn wasnt cooling down my system properly - no biggie I think - please fix and send it back to me. So as I am waiting for the return of my PC, I think great - stitching time!

It wasnt to be. My youngest had a accident at school, which resulted in her going for a CAT scan. Have you ever tried to get a five year old to be still whilst a noisy machine tries to take pictures of your head? After much cajoling, pleading, bribing and reassurance, she did manage to stay still long enough for the scan to be done - the whole thing nearly took four hours, with us trying to get her to be very still "like a statue". It was a relief to get the results and find out that she hadnt fractured her skull, or had any type of cranial injury. Poor baby actually wanted to go back to school, but we had to keep her home for a couple of days - just to keep an eye on her.

Then I got sick. It started off with a completely normal runny nose, and persistant cough which progressively became a hacking cough, wheezing breathe and hot and cold sweats. Off to the Doctors I go, because I know when I have trouble breathing or getting my breathe I need medicine! You would think that they would right me a script for antibiotics - but no I was basically told, drink lots of fluids, keep warm and rest!! Oh and that will be $45!! This was without checking my breathing, looking in my throat or asking me anything else!!

Will I still be able to breathe if I pay you your fee? Or is it an option that I have to pay more for? I asked.

I suppose in a way, going to an unknown doctor is like getting a lottery ticket - your numbers might come up and you find yourself with a person who asks about your background and takes notes..... or it can go the other way - where no numbers come up and the ticket gets thrown in the bin with no second chance given.

Getting back to it, I asked this person if I could see someone else... Someone a little bit more proficient - the Dr asked me "what did I mean?!!!" Ummers I said, you havent asked me anything about my medical history, you havent even asked me if I had been hospitalized for anything in the past couple of years (which I have!) Would you like to sit in the visitors chair, and give me your stethoscope so we can commence playing charades?

I was shown to the door but I didnt pay the bill. I am really grumpy when Im sick!!

What to do? I rang the hospital where I had been admitted last for pneumonia, told them what had happened and asked them to recommend a Doctor in my local area. They were absolutely great! Gave me someone to see and even faxed through my records from the last visit to hospital. I found a lovely lady Dr who has given me the relief I needed. I can breathe!! I ended up having to go on the ventalator twice for a dose of steriods aswell as ventalin, was given a nice injection into my behind as well being prescribed some oral antibiotics - but I can breathe!!!! I can breathe!!!

I can even drive my car without having a coughing fit! which is great because I was able to pick up my PC this morning which has been sitting there waiting for me patiently for over a week :)

You know I even managed to stitch my last exchange piece (so now they are both done except the finishing) and work on my beloved WG!

As this is a really long post, I will leave off my progress pics for another time!

Its good to be back! its even better being able to draw breath!!

Labels: life

Finished!

I was supposed to have six hours of stitching time this past Saturday - whilst I watched the AFL finals but I got so carried away cheering on my teams, that I think I only probably got in three hours at the most LOL!

I did however, finish stitching my needlework smalls piece for SBEBB exchange *does a happy dance* Im a tad nervous about the finishing though, as I have never ever done anything like this before - Its always been framing jobs. *biting fingernails*

Weekend Goals were;
Exchange SBEBB - finished!!
WG - nothing done!!
Needleroll SAL - not a thing stitched! Does kitting up the materials count?

Oh well.... Im determined to play catch up this week with both WG and the Needleroll SAL! Im itching to complete my thistles and reeds on WG, and I want to start my Shepherds Bush needleroll! I have a tentative plan to spend all day Sunday finishing my smalls piece - I have a feeling that its going to take me all day too!

On other news; will have some pictures to share this week, for I received my MB from Stitching Bits and Bobs as well as my FOTM from Silkweaver and my packages from Lois at Elegant Stitch :) Hopefully to top it off I will be able to post my WG update and needleroll to boot!

Happy Monday everyone *Rava waving to all*

Labels: exchanges, SAL

Stitching Sale

Ahhhh sad news :(

One of my ONS shops that I frequently purchase from - is closing down. It will be a shame to lose Georgia and Tim from Stitched from the Heart but its fully understandable why they have decided to shut their doors.

They are however, having a closing down sale and I received a newsletter from them this morning with the details. I thought I would post them here to my blog so my stitching friends could get some great deals.

Sept 11 - 17 = 10% off all items
Sept 18 - 24 = 20% off all items
Sept 25 - Oct 1 = 30% off all items
Oct 2 - 8 = 40% off all items
Oct 9 - 15 = 50% off all items
Oct 16 - 22 = 60% off all items
Oct 23 - 29 = 70% off all items

You can visit them from here; Stitched from the Heart

Help Please!

Au Fil des Rêves

I am looking to purchase some of Sylvies charts - but cant seem to find an english online shop to do so... Ive got no problems in ordering through a french ONS if anybody has some recommendations?

Thanks in advance, and hope everyone is having a great stitching weekend!

Edited to add:

Thanks Sharon and Cathymk for all your help!

Ssssh Secret Stitching!

Ive started my first exchange piece!

Its so exciting!!! Ive received my partner for the needlework smalls from Beckys SBEBB. Ive cruised my recipients blog over the last few days and feel like I have gotten to know her a little better - she seems like such a nice person!! Today after hours of torture (it felt like it anyhow) I was finally able to decide on what I was going to stitch - that was the hardest part you know? After making the decision, time really seemed to fly - and no frogging too, which of course I am taking as a good omen :) Im already 3/4's of the way finished and Ive marked out Saturday as my big stitching day this week.

Saturday goals are; to finish stitching my exchange piece - and to complete thistles on my beloved WG. I have six hours of AFL football finals to watch and as long as it doesnt get too exciting, I know I will be able to complete it all - bar the finishing of course!

On that note - Come on West Coast Eagles!!! (just couldnt help myself).

Beta Blogger...

Ahhh I felt like I was doing such a wonderful thing by taking my account over and all was good until I couldnt comment anymore. Yah go me! I took Andies advice (thanks Andie and thanks Leslie too!) and actually opened up another blog account so I could go back to commenting on all the blogs I enjoy and who that havent made the switch as yet. So if another Rava on your blog shows up with a different profile, yeppers its probably me.

Keeping my fingers crossed that Beta Blogger will soon have all the kinks ironed out!

Frustrated!

With beta blogger!

I have been trying to leave comments, and now for some reason it wont let me!! I know my account has been merged, but why was I able to post comments before today?

Does anybody have any ideas on how I can get around this?

With the rant out of the way, I just wanted to say "Happy Fathers Day" to all the DH here in Australia.

I hope you enjoy your day Dads :)

Goals for September

Firstly the SBQ - and again Im late with responding (sorry Renee!) but as the saying goes, better late than never - well I hope thats right.

The question was suggested by Carol and is;

How do you share your finished pieces with others? Do you frame them,
scan and/or photograph them, or do you have another method that you
would like to share?

Actually this is really a great question!

For the pieces I have done that have been gifts - they have all been framed, and for sharing my progress through my blog they are photographed. Im actually interested to see if a scanner would show the pieces differently - so I might give it a whirl in the future.

But getting back to *finishing* I want to start doing different things - especially a pinkeep! So many bloggers who are such wonderful stitchers have inspired me to try different techniques. I figure a pinkeep should be pretty safe to attempt first and I am so eager that I cant wait to complete a quick stitch so that I can finish it.

For something different...

Stitching Goals

Alot of the blogs I follow and enjoy start with stitching goals at the beginning of the month, and then post a review of their accomplishments at the end. I think this is a great way to keep on track and have decided to take the plunge and do the same.

I want to center alot of my goals around finishing. I havent done alot in this area, but all your wonderful blogs have inspired me to try and I'm really eager to see how I go :)

So lets begin...

Personal Stitching

~ Watergarden - to finish all thistles and reeds and to at least get three of the four silk blocks stitched.
~ To make a pin keep.
~ To make a flat fold.

Exchange Stitching:

~ Scissor Fob
~ Needlework Small

Compared to all you wonderful, talented stitchers out there I know it doesnt look like much, but as I recently told a new friend "baby steps" is a good way to start :)

Because I think this is such a good idea, I am going to set some "personal" goals as well. Lets take the plunge!

Personal Goals

~I really want to lose three kilos this month. Seven weeks ago, our family changed our diet. We decided to follow the CSIRO lifestyle change - and its bought us great success. For me personally as I am overweight I have managed to lose 6 kilos in the seven weeks. The last couple of weeks have seen us veer off course with fast food being the main problem, and with the kiddies sick, gym hasnt come into it either. Can you guess what the second goal is? I bet you can...

~To go to the gym at least three times a week.

~ To review our budget and to file paperwork. I have just been putting this off so much and its something that really needs to be completed and dealt with.

~ Last and not least I want to set up a schedule. We have just recently purchased a whiteboard which even now is hanging up in our kitchen. So what I am going to do, is schedule my everyday things into it, all the mundane things like washing, ironing and everything I can think of - and then do my best to adhere to it.

I dont think I am being unreasonalbe with the goals I have set, and I want to try and keep them being attainable. Sometimes I feel you can set your sights too high, and when you dont accomplish what you set out, its a blow to your confidence. So with that in mind, Ive kept my goals as being attainable, so that I can build up confidence in myself.

In Conclusion...

Writing down the above feels really good. I've never been one NOT to meet committments to others, but I have been lacking in meeting goals that are or have been, directly related to changing myself. I'm guilty that I can sometimes put things back on the too hard shelf, and then make excuse after excuse not to try again. Spring is here, a new season of growth, and its definitely time that I took a step up that ladder so that I can personally bloom along with my garden.

Labels: exchanges, goals, life