the weekend {& cake}

Oh the weekend is here...Hooray!  I love the approach of Friday afternoon, the cheerfulness that only Friday afternoon school pick up in imminent rain cannot diminish because it's that time that the weekend truely begins.  Two little days that bring so much joy, and the night before that is even considered part of the weekend for the hair gets let down, the kids are allowed to stay up a little later having learnt the term "not a school night"....

...Not much is planned for the weekend, we'll do a lazy Saturday breakfast, head out and about! Oh we have tickets for Jesus Christ Superstar Spectacular and I'm kinda excited about a night out sans kids with my man.  Sunday is free as a bird and that's how I like it.

What are you up to this weekend?

Oh here's a fabulous cake recipe...I never thought of mixing carrots with lime.  Turns out to be quite the surprise combination!  It's a winner in my book.

What you need....


200 g butter, softened
240 g caster sugar
4 eggs
180 g self raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
200 g carrot, grated (that’s 2 medium carrots)
60 g coconut, shredded
60 g walnuts, crushed
zest and juice of one orange (or lemon)

Icing:
200g cream cheese
100g icing sugar
juice one lime (more if your icing needs more liquid)

Preheat the oven to 170 degrees. Grease and line a 23cm springform cake tin. Place butter and sugar in a large bowl and beat with an electric beater until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Sift in flour and baking powder then mix to combine. Add carrots, coconut, zest, walnuts and orange juice. Mix to combine and pour into cake pan. Bake for 40 - 50 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean. Let cool in the tin for 10 minutes then move to a rack. Let the cake cool completely

To make the icing combine the softened cream cheese, icing sugar and lime juice and spread over cake.

Enjoy
xx

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back to basics

Husband and I have never had a weekend sans children.  Not for nearly seven years have we scurried off on a dirty weekend, or boarded a flight just for two, or even bunkered down at home without them.  Just hasn't been our thing.  That is until now.  And it's all in the name of education and learning for our future.

We've packed our bags, but not for a romantic getaway.  Oh no.  We're going back to basics and joining Rohan in his first workshop as he teaches us about foraging for wild mushrooms, cooking techniques, skinning rabbits, and dispatching chooks.  Not everyones ideal weekend, but we cannot wait.  As we venture closer to our dream of living a more simple, sustainable lifestyle we realised we had to practice what we hope to be preaching.  No good talking the talk if you can't walk the walk so they say.

I'm a little nervous about the whole killing a chicken thing, but I eat them and cook them for my family, therefore I should be brave enough to learn how to dispatch them myself.

My camera is packed, our warm winter woolies, boots and some homemade produce for the hosts.  Oh and we are staying in the most glorious homestead to lay our weary heads!  


Wish me luck x

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Weekend jam packed with lots of adventures, the sun was shining, and we thought we'd make the most of it.

 I thought I would share just a few photos with you.....

A yummy picnic in Gisborne with the kids and gorgeous hubby.....

Spray painting some sticks - All will be revealed tomorrow what they are for.... and making some paper bunting cards....

And today I got the chance to meet two of my fav bloggers at a little market.  Lou from Buttons by Lou Lou was there selling her gorgeous hand made items and Emma from Frog, Goose and Bear selling her clever creations.  I bought this delightful ring and some alfalfa seeds to grow myself in this kit with instructions and jar!

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend!

Sunday, happy Sunday

It's a been a delightful weekend and I'm a bit sad that it's coming to an end.  The boys were away (husband and son) so that left the girls (me and my daughter) to play - and play we did.  Her playing and mine - which meant cooking (us), drawing (her), playing with her brothers train set without protest (her again....shhhh dont tell), buying fabric (me), reading (both of us), endless cups of tea (me and her finishing off the reset) and just a tad of housework (me, of course with my little helper to hand me pegs or assist with sponge or broom).

It's lovely just to spend some one on one time with my youngest, as she never got that alone time I did with my first born.  She has relished my attention and soaked up the idea that she can have free-rein of the toys without dispute, argument, negotiation and compromise!  Ah bliss.

And heres a sneak at what I got up to whilst she was having some shut-eye.

A bit of reading - real living mag, material obsession book (bought at social club book club for $12) and book lovers book journal (mother's day pressie) which is to record books I've read and my thoughts about them! 

Worked on a few cot quilts (after perusing Material Obsession) how could one not want to make a quilt?

Amazingly I finished one!  It's a small cot quilt or baby play mat.  I used a screen printed panel and then just created the rest by adding different colours and patterns including stripes and oriental inspired fabric. I only top stitched a small section as I didn't want to detract from the overall look of the quilt.  

Now the house smells of roasting vegies and rosemary and the boys have just arrived home - so I'm off to get updated about their adventures, share mine and get some cuddles as well. 

Hope you all had a great weekend...xx