April Showers Quilt and April 2018

Back in April I finished this Quilt named April Showers for my DD

the back, all umbrellas

I had some blocks leftover so I made a little bag to put it in

This Quilt was such a joy to make!!!

I obtained permission from birdsnest which is a clothing store in the Alpine Village of Cooma in the Snowy Mountains of New South Wales to photograph the Quilt on the red bike out the front

I had a Birthday and JoJo make a beaded Eiffel Tower for me on a white tile

Good Job JoJo

I even get to make my own cake on my Birthday lol

This little chook was part of a Quilt for Chookyblue

My Chooky is on the second row number 6

Whilst I was working on the Quilt on a Saturday evening My Armchair brought in a glass of red wine for me

And check this out

I saw this on the net

a perfect drink holder on the sewing table lol!!!

Whilst driving around in the Mountains I saw this Pie Shop at Nimmitabel

Mountain scenery on the way  home

and back at the beach

Its going to be a challenge to leave here if we do but hey maybe we are ready for a new adventure!!!

2016......the ones that got away

Welcome 2017......let's hope this year doesn't fly by like the last one!!!

I like to do a catch up post in January of the previous years' photos that just didn't make it on to the blog for one reason or another.....

To kick off January I had a go a making some Mozarella Cheese and it turned out really well

We were all really happy with it!

Just need more practice at making smooth round balls!

February sees me going up the Hill to the National Gallery Canberra 

to view Australian Artist Tom Robert's Exhibition

Oh my how stunning it was!

Artwork is 'The Golden Fleece' painted at Newstead North Station, near Inverell, New South Wales and Sydney 1894

Oil on Canvas......purchased 1894

My Friend has a Tapestry of this and it is just beautiful

The further away you stand from it the further into the Shed you go!

I made this little cushion 10 years ago for my Sister and finally took a photo of it

It's being used as a little brooch holder

Original design by Cathy Penton

April sees me off to a Book Signing with Fleur McDonald and Josephine Moon
Fleur writes about Rural Fiction and Jo writes Foodie Fiction
Pic here with Fleur but the one with Josephine has vanished and luckily it did make it to Instagram at the time.
 Im having Lots of trouble here with the photos......
Blogger won't talk to my Photo Library here and I think the Photo Library keeps changing the photos around!

In May we were still getting Cherry Tomaotes from our garden

In June I was lucky enough to win this Book hosted by Gail Pan Designs

Thank You Gail!

In July I was the first to finish a Book Challenge hosted by our local Bookshop

August sees JoJo's Birthday......the day she waits all year for

Here she is with a John Farnham cake

In September I was reminiscing about my Paris trip and how I scored a visit into the Kitchen of 

Alain Ducasses's Jules Verne Restaurant in the Eiffel Tower

Oh my....................

In October I went to Manu Fieldel's Book Signing

Here I am with him......sigh

November saw Mr Armchair cook a meal from a recipe

Beef Sirloin Steak with Rocket Salad and Balsamic Onions

Very delicious too!

And Christmas December 2016 saw a Spit in the Backyard

Here we have JoJo's Sister Jacqueline and her little one Lidija

So ends a quick trip through 2016

Wishing everyone a Happy, Content and Peaceful 2017

Dzintra xo

~Cook Up for my Dad~

It's been ages since I've done a Cook Up

This time I did one last night for my dear Dad/mīļš Papiņš

 who is no longer here on Earth with us

It just felt the right thing to do and complete with a Birthday Cake to boot

But first, and very important...which Apron to use

Just this week I received this apron from Trish who recently went over to Provence, France

I already had bought one from there but of course I needed another lol

I also used a Tea Towel with Provence embroidered on it that I purchased whilst over there

Thanks so much Trish......much appreciated!!!

I chose the brown one to use on this Cook Up

My Menu from donna hay magazine Issue 87 Jun/July 2016

(this is why I needed the Quince Paste Annette (no blog))!

Pork and Sauerkraut Meatballs with Quince Glaze 

Savoy Colcannon

Marble Chai Bundt Cake with Maple Syrup

Mr Armchair set the Wine scene

Adding Sauerkraut to the Meatballs gave a real depth of flavour

Next time I'd like to double the Glaze......it was delicious

I'm a bit like Manu Fieldel (French Chef in Australia) and love my Glazes/Sauces lol

The Meatballs here with the Colcannon

Colcannon (Irish: cál ceannann, meaning "white-headed cabbage") is a traditional Irish dish mainly consisting of mashed potatoes with kale or cabbage. It is also the name of a song about the dish.

(from Wikipedia)

In this dish I used Savoy Cabbage, Leek and Pure Jersey Cream from Tilba

And here is part of the verse.......

Did you ever eat Colcannon, made from lovely pickled cream?

With the greens and scallions mingled like a picture in a dream.........

(Wikipedia)

It was very delicious.......together a lovely tasty combination

I ground up Spices for Chai Tea to put into the Cake

And here 'tis

Happy Birthday mils Papins/loving Dad

And to top it off.......Warm Maple Syrup

Also ideal to have with some Cream, Custard or even Ice Cream if you so wish

Recipe for Marble Chai Bundt Cake with Maple Syrup over here

And to keep it all real

Mr Armchair as I sat down took a photo

no make up, no hair neatly done lol!!!!

Lab Apptit......Bon Appetit

Dzintra xo

~My Birthday Cake~

Even though my Birthday was quite a few weeks back now I feel like I have to blog  the delicious cake and recipe which I need to save here just in case it enters the World of Lost Recipes one day.

Introducing Flourless Almond Cake
Recipe given to me by Anne (no blog) some years ago now and it is well and truly used

I found this French Caster Sugar sourced from Champagne-Ardenne which was really sparkly (above and below) and whipped up beautifully. 

For information on French Caster Sugar go over here 

All stirred and whipped ready for the oven

And about ready to blow out the candles

Hip Hip Hooray

Note.....wearing Fat Quarter in hair by Anni Downs (range 'Kiss Under the Mistletoe')

I find fat 1/4's easier to wear than regular headbands as I usually have one to match

I just go to my stash lol!!!

**RECIPE**

Anne's Flourless Almond Cake

Mod oven 170c for 40 minutes

25cm Spring Tin

Vanilla

8 Egg Whites/Yolks

1 C Caster Sugar

Vanilla

200g Almond Meal or Ground Hazelnuts

Flaked Almonds

Icing Sugar for dusting

**METHOD **

Grease Tin

Whisk Egg Whites

Add Sugar and Vanilla

Gently fold in Yolks then Almond Meal

Sprinkle Flaked Almonds

Bake and then dust with Icing Sugar

Thanks so much Anne, I love this Recipe.......it is a real favourite!!!

Bon Appetit......Dzintra

~Fat 1/4 Birthday Club Gifts~

Phew, I finally been able to get around to blogging my received Fat 1/4's in the Fat Quarter Birthday Swap hosted by the lovely Chez

It's easy to play......once having joined up just specify what brand of fabric you would like to receive on your Birthday

Also one person is allocated another to make a special gift for!!!

This year I specified 'French General' fabric or Cream Tone-on-Tone

Here they all are after having come in

My Special Gift was from Chookyblue

This lovely Table Mat made from the French General range

How lovely is this!!!

The back

My Fat 1/4 along with a few extra goodies

Thank you so much dear Donna......just love it all!!!

Here are the Fats from dear Chez

these ones are 'Panier de Fleurs'

Thank you so much Chez aka Dory........they are perfect!!!

This one is Rouenneries Deux from my good friend Asta along with a very pretty strip of linen type fabric with fringing either side.....isn't it just lovely!!!

Thank you so much dear Asta

Next one is from Tarnyia along with a selection of Red DMC Threads

Thanks so much Tarnyia

This lovely one from Illene along with some DMC thread and Christmas Buttons

Thank you so much Illene!!!

 This one  'Rounneries' from Simone together with some cute little pegs

Thank you so much Simone......those pegs will surely come in handy!!!

This little bundle from Sweet Michelle 

The pink fabric is La Belle Fleur together with a surprise Eiffel Tower fabric, ribbon and pink DMC

Oh you know me too well lol

Thank you Michelle so much!!!

And last but not least this one from Julie who also included a hand-knitted face washer in a little embroidered bag and a hand-made card
Thank you Julie!!!

I love being in this Birthday Swap........thank you everyone for your gorgeous gifts
and a BIG Thank You Chez for hosting this fabulous Swap!!!

Just for fun here it is all together along with a few extras

At the back is a Christmas Stitchery Kit by Hatched and Patched entitled 'Father Christmas' from my dear Friend Geo (No blog) 

Thank you Dear Geo!!!!

JoJo loves to receive and give music/DVD's and I had put in a request for 

'A Place to Call Home' which used to be on regular TV but now on pay TVwhich we don't have

I really enjoyed this Series so now I can catch up on it

Thank You so much Darling JoJo 

And from my lovely Friend Marianela a little Concertina of France together with a Doodle Paris book

How cool is this.....

Thank you so much Marianela.....lots of fun ahead!!!

Couldn't resist showing off this lovely gift bag from Mr Armchair!!!

Thank you!!!!

And I had to make my own Gluten Free Birthday Cake

This one is a Hazelnut Flourless Cake........and very delicious too!!!

Blowing it all out

My Dear Travelling Companion Son took me out for Dinner last week and this was my Dessert complete with a Birthday Candle

What an awesome Dinner this was.......Thank you so much Darling One!!!!!!

And my Birthday is still going

Asta and I went out yesterday afternoon and had a little Happy Hour and I received this gorgeous Mug Rug with a Gossip in the Garden Stitchery on it (Hatched and Patched) and a beautiful mug

My very first Mug Rug.........and I'm going to make one for Asta for her Birthday as she doesn't have one either!!!

Thank You so much Asta........I always enjoy our Catch Ups

Tomorrow is Mother's Day

So here's to all the Mums out there

Thinking of my Mum as she has been in Hospital for about a Month now getting over some leg problems

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

love Dzintra

*********