this week

I've realised this week that I'm awfully forgetful at taking snapshots of my crafty projects.  Looking back at my weekly import of snaps, and lo and behold they are chock full of the kids and food.  Hmmmmm, perhaps due to the fact that the camera does a lot of sitting on the kitchen bench at my house.   Rest assured there are crafty projects happening in Casa MiraNarnie...they just aren't recorded here...perhaps next week.

1. making a pickle...and straining all those wonderful herbs and spices that make it so good
2. Oh my very dearest friend, her beautiful daughter and the son she is growing in her belly
3. Pancakes + weekends = match made in heaven and the best way to celebrate a Saturday morning
4. My newest purchase - a veggie cleaner.  It works so well you get all the dirt off and you needed even peel your carrots or potatoes!
5.  Those carrots...yum!  They were sliced straight after cleaning and devoured with hommus.
6.  Lazy weekends call for staying in your pj's all day and not brushing your hair.
7.  Wanting to take pictures and so much better than me at navigating her way through technology.

What did you get up to this week?  Joining in with Em @ The Shack 

xx

pictures of you...

You know one art that we are all apart of?  Portraiture.
If you've ever held a camera or phone at someone and taken a snap then you are a portrait photographer. This week I've taken the liberty of friendship to those close to me and asked a few to let me take some portraits of them.  In all sorts of light, in many different ways.
Oh and lets not forget the prop holders, those two wonderful girls were such fun 'on location' so they get an honourary mention.

I'm usually just a happy-go-lucky snap when I can kinda girl, so it was a challenge yet fun having some planning, thought and visualising going on for these images.  Whilst some were disasters, there were a few I really like.

Do you have willing friends to assist you with your crazy projects?
And can I ask, which image is your favourite?



xx

the important things.....

The floors not mopped, the shelves are still dusty.
I'll use the long life milk in the cupboard tomorrow
And hope the washing basket is not too full
With so much to do and so little time
Today was not the day of chores and boring
A mask was made to accompany his handmade creation for tomorrows exhibition
A birthday pressie was made* and delivered
We caught up with dear friends and exchanged homemade gifts
Some last minute baking for a special guest tomorrow
And what's Christmas preparations without a bit of brown paper and twine.

Oh Christmas is here!


How are you managing the lead up?  Do you let the boring jobs slide?  Oh...and last chance to enter my Christmas Giveaway....Ends tonight!

*more on this one later

I'm grateful for {inspiration}

This week I've come across some wonderful inspiration to be grateful for....

Gratefulness can't always come from within...perhaps sometimes it needs to be an external source that makes you take stock and go "gee...that made me think!"

A girlfriend stopped by earlier this week and provided the much needed friendly face, coffee and chat that we both needed.  A gentle reminder that friendship is so importnant. Value it, hold it and don't take it for granted.

I read this wonderful post, and my heart broke into a thousand pieces and made me want to rush and hug my children and whisper secretly in my mind that they would never experience this type of hardship but still be mindful that some are not so fortunant.

I found not one but a few lovely new(ish) blogs that I love exploring and feel the excitement I did when I first started blogging and finding kindred spirits in the blogging community.  This post made me value motherhood at its core and I really appreicated the honesty with which it was written and could relate on many levels.

So this week I'm grateful for inspriation from near and far.

Joining in here.

Happy days to you all

xx

I'm grateful for {girls}

I have a confession.  I've never been on a 'girls weekend'.  nope. never.

And it doesn't bother me.  I don't feel like I've missed out, it's just never held that much interest to me, even though I can see the appeal.

But this week saw me and my girlfriend pack the car and our respective daughters and headed off to a small country town for a sort of girls weekend (mid week and with children!).

There was giggling and dancing, laughing and playing. We had good old fashion fun, spent next to nothing and the girls were just delighted playing in knee high fields of grass.

This week I'm grateful for...

1. Girls - spending a few days with a houseful of girls is just awesome.  I love being a girl.  Gee we know how to have fun.

2. Toblerone - when the girls were off to the land of nod each night, we popped on Pride and Prejudice and got stuck into the toblerone.  Oh life is good.

3. Giggling - the sound of two little girls giggling will always be one of my favourite sounds.


Happy grateful day.

Join in at Village voices. 

a week of {labour} pain

Source: etsy.com via Brenda on Pinterest

What a week it's been, and quite frankly, I'd rather not have a week like that again.  Ever.

It all started last weekend, when I was excitedly looking forward to having friends over for dinner.  I ignored a slight little pangs of pain that was lurking all day thinking "I'll be fine".

Famous last words.

As I served up entree, I looked at my homemade gnocchi and turned to my friends and made some apologies and spent the rest of the night on the couch.  Pain increased and what can I say....It felt like I was having a baby.    I thought after a good lie down and I'd be fine.   Wrong again.

Hours past and I could see the worry on my husbands face.

He called the ambulance.  The rest of the week has been spent in a blur of tests, scans, morphine (oh bless that morphine), a discharge, a re-addmition, more tests, anaesthetic and finally I'm home.  And it seems I'm not the only one who's had some medical emergency! 

I won't bore you with the gory details, but it seems my women's bits and my digestive bits were having issues which was causing excruciating labour-like pains.

But one thing I was grateful for, was the rally of support.  Family, friends and school mums, phoned, emailed and dropped by cooked dinners all week.  Girlfriends ensured my magazine and toiletries supplies were up to date.  It meant this stay-at-home mumma could rest (drugged up on morphine reading the last two Fifty Shades books) and indulge in getting better.  

look how far we've come baby!

This is me and my bestie...Nicki.

We grew up together because our mum's were besties.  That's me in the hand knitted pink jumper and the blonde is my mate Nicki.  We grew up together but went to different schools then moved further away from each other, but no matter what we had the foundations of a solid friendship. One that endures months without even a phone call, but then nights spent laughing hysterically and doing all things together.   She is the Godmother to my first born.

The other day we were off on an impromptu visit to the Finder's Keepers Market.  There was loads of traffic.  It took me an hour to drive 7kms!  So we chatted... about my kids, her niece and nephew, my husband, her partner, my job, her job, my family, her family and then she dropped a bombshell.  My mate Nicki bought her first house!!!!  A real house, with a backyard, a bungalow, and cute little lace curtains.....and only a few minutes from mine!  We've already allocated a craft room!

Wow...baby....Look how far we've come!

It's gone from a childhood friendship to so much more. And it's moments like these that I realise we're totally grown up now.

When did you realise that you were all grown up?

I'm grateful for...{a good catch up}

Source: google.com via Brenda on Pinterest

Wow - Grateful Day already!!!  How did that happen....where did the week go?  Are you back yet Bron??  We miss you!  Anyway...I'm not complaining...I love a good excuse to shout out some gratefuls and here are mine for this week.

Today I'm Grateful For...

1. A catch up - this weekend hubby and I are heading out and catching up with some old friends.  As the planning was taking place, more and more friends became aware so our smallish group just became a whole lot bigger.  It's so nice to look forward to catching up with a great group of friends, to celebrate...well, friendship!

2. School holidays - I'm a mother with smallish children, so I haven't yet got tired of school holidays, so to me, I love that we can make plans, go to new places, meet up with friends and have no routine to bother us!

3. Projects - I love a good project....something to sink my teeth into, be a craft, diy, decorating, or planning a bit of a re-vamp....I'm a busy little bee and I think I always have to have something on the go.

What about you?  Grateful?  We're linking up with Sonia at Lioness Lady....so if you have something to say....  Share it here!

xx

Rose's upside down pear & almond cake

You know I love to bake....and I'm slowly getting back into baking since being on holidays and NOT baking a thing.....I don't even think I had withdrawals....what with all the eating I was doing to keep me busy....

....anyway, when I had friends and family coming around last weekend my mind was thinking of which cake to bake and I remembered a gorgeous cake my friend Rose had made for me a while back when I went to visit.  I loved it so much, I insisted I have a copy of the recipe....

...now about 6 months later, I finally got to making it myself and blogging the recipe so you all can make it...and it's unbelievably easy for such a show stopping cake!

Ingredients
1 tbs brown sugar
200g unsalted butter, softened
200g caster sugar
3 large eggs, lightly whisked
200g almond meal
2 tbs self-raising flour
2 tbs blanched almonds
1 large pear, skin on
custard, cream or ice-cream to serve.

What to do...
1. Pre-heat your oven to 180 degrees
2. Line a 23cm round springform cake tine with baking paper and sprinkle the brown sugar over the base.
3. Beat the soft butter and sugar until pale (you can use beaters or a kitchen aid).  Then add the eggs, one at a time until all incorporated.
4. Stir in the almond meal and flour and set the bowl aside.
5. Cut the pear lengthways into 1cm thick slices and leave the stalk attached.  Arrange the pears over the brown sugar and spinkly the blanched almonds in the gap.
6.  Spoon the cake mixture ever so gentley  over the pears and then spread with a spatula making sure your not dislodging your beautifully arranged pears.
7. bake in the oven for about 40-45 minutes and set aside for 15minutes before turning  upside down on a plate.


Serve warm or cold with custard, cream or ice-cream or if you are wicked all three!

There is something a bit retro about an upside cake, dont you think??  goes perfect with my thrifted tablecloth I scored for $1!

Thankyou Rose for sharing this delicious recipe with me!

xx

I'm grateful for....{great book and nights out}

Well,  hello lovely bloggy friends.  Yes, been a little quiet here this week with a two little sickies mid-week but happy to say all is fine and well as we approach the weekend.

Joining in with the ever so adorable Maxabella Loves on this day to be grateful!

Today, I'm grateful for...

1.  Good books - Whilst the kiddies were sick, and resting up on the couch this week I took the opportunity to get some day time reading done.  With kids heads on my lap or curled up beside me offering comfort when they needed, I took time out and read Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen.  Wow - amazing book.

2. Night out - so in order to recharge I set off with my gorgeous friend from down the road and we hit the busy streets of Carlton to enjoy the movie - and it totally lived up to my expectations.

3. A treat -  and of course we enjoyed some delectable goodies at Brunetti's afterwards.  Lovely way to end the week.

I hope your weekend is wonderful and Happy Grateful Day!  Link up here and join in the fun.

xx

I'm grateful for....meeting bloggers

I know this post is a long time coming!   I've been meaning to post for it for a while, and then have a missed a few Gratefuls....so

Today, I'm grateful for.....

1.  Meeting bloggers in real life.

During the school holidays I got the chance to arrange a little catch up with Kymmie from Day in the Life of Us and Cate from Keep Cate Busy!

Wow - what a whirlwind of a morning with the three of us (and a combined seven children!)  and Cate having to overcome a flat tyre and long wait for the RACV.  And what lovely ladies they are in real life. I'm grateful that through blogging, I've been able to meet some wonderful, inspirational and truely talented folk, that I otherwise would not have had the privilege of knowing.

It was like we were already acquainted (well, in the virtual sense) and we just picked up conversation like old friends, shared breakfast, helped each others kids with what ever it is they were requesting, and had a good belly laugh!

I'm lucky I even have these snaps, as it wasn't until I was leaving that it dawned on me, that not one single photo was taken!  I quickly shoved the camera into my son's hand.....

and this is what he produced.....

Kymmie and I were like a giggling pack of school girls, for he was trying so hard to get a picture of our heads.  I resorted to trying to take the picture myself, but we couldn't control the laughter!  Lucky he had taken the very first picture perfectly and I didn't realise till i got home.

Thanks lovely ladies, for making meeting bloggers so much fun!

Join in with this special blogger (whom I'd also love to meet in real life) as she has her own meeting bloggers story to tell!


xx

up up and away........

Little boys love to dream they can fly.....like superman!  And I'm sure they'd all be good superhero's and protect their toys from villains and baddies.

Well, I'm lucky enough to know a little Super-hero that just celebrated his 2nd Birthday and with a little discussion with his gorgeous mumma prior, we came up with a little idea that I could make for him.

So with a little help from my friend Tar-get, a bit more help from other friend Spotlight and of course lets not forget my newest and dearest partner in crime, Ms Janome, we set off to work on this super inspired but not too outlandish that mumma will cringe if he wants to wear it day-in-day out!

Once I made one for him, i couldn't help but think he needed to have a superhero mate, a side-kick, so i quickly whipped up another for his big brother!

Quite a simple design really.  I  chose to attach the cape to the t-shirt with vintage buttons rather than permanently sew it on.  These super-heros need breaks too you know!

Have fun flying around the neighbourhood boys! 

Happy Birthday Billy

Love your mates down the road

xx

fancy pants - Brunch anyone?

A special little outing this morning for the whole family - we were invited over for brunch at a friends place.  A lovely mother and her daughter whom I meet whilst we were at swimming lessons with our children.  We bonded instantly, and have since become lovely friends...

...so it was time for our husbands to meet.  Is it just me, or is that a time where you nervously wait to see if they'll get along (hoping?) - no need to worry, they bonded too and before long they were talking like old friends!

We were spoilt with delicious breakfast of bacon, eggs, toast, coffee and treats. I baked a walnut coffee cake and our kids were excited about playing with their new friend.  

Melbourne has put on a typically miserable day today and I hate to think Summer is truely over (boo hoo!).  I still needed to feel as I was dressing for summer, so choose this summery dress, but of course added some layers to keep me warm.

These are the only shoes I've bought this season, and I love them.  The neutral colour means they go with everything and the height is just perfect (ie, not too high!!).  I also got some pink Clinique lippy from a friend that I wasn't sure was my kind of colour - but I tried it out and I really like the soft girly pink.

Linking up with this fancy gal - join us!


wearing
dress - gift from my Nonna (she bought it on her last trip to Italy)
cardi - oh it's so old i can't remember!
tights - target
shoes - betts
earrings - sportgirl
bangles - tilkah
lippy - clinique - kissfit