Lifestyle – Page 2 – 3and3quarters

May 2nd: The World’s Most Delicious Banana Bread!

Here’s a fab little recipe to get your week on track!

Over the weekend, we had a very sad looking bunch of bananas that begun ripening way too quickly before we could even contemplate eating them! Boo!

So what better excuse than to use the best Banana Bread recipe that I’ve come across in years! (A highly subjective opinion of course!!) And big bonus: It tastes great too!! It’s super dense and moist, rich in flavour and colour and is surprising (and quite satisfyingly) crunchy around the edges!

This recipe has been sourced from one of my favourite baking books…

Baking Day by The Australian Women’s Weekly.

Here’s what you’ll need…

1 cup of mashed (overripe) banana (I used four smallish bananas but you can use two larger ones)

1 cup (220g) of brown sugar

2 eggs

40g (1.5 ounces) of melted butter

1/2 cup (125ml) of buttermilk (use full cream milk as an alternate)

1/4 cup (90g) of treacle (you can also use golden syrup or honey)

1.5 cups (225g) of plain/all-purpose flour

1 cup (150g) of self-raising flour

2 teaspoons of mixed spice

1 teaspoon of bi-carb soda (baking soda)

And now to make…

First, preheat your oven to 180C or 350F. Grease a 14cmx21cm (5.5″x8.5″) loaf tin and then line it with baking paper, extending it about 5cm (2″) over the sides.

Next, combine the mashed banana, brown sugar, both eggs, the melted butter and buttermilk as well as the treacle in a large bowl.

Gently sift both of the flours, the mixed spice and bi-carb soda over the wet ingredients and stir them together. Try not to over mix – the lumpier the better!

Carefully pour the batter into the pre-prepared tin and place it into the oven to bake for about 1 hour.

Leave the bread in the pan for about 10 minutes before turning it out onto a wire rack so that it can cool.

This hearty banana bread can be served as is or toasted with a dollop of butter and accompanied with a hot cup of tea!

Serves 10-12 (depending on how generous you cut your slices!)

Happy Baking, Friends!

May 1st: Welcome to ‘Everyday May’!

Hello friends!

Welcome to the first post in my Everyday May blog series!

The goal: to write and publish a new post every single day during the month of May!

It’s gonna be a real challenge, but I’m totally up for it!

I have lots of great things planned to write about and share with you over the next 31 days! Topics include lots of sewing room related chat, insider floristry know-how (a flower-crown tutorial is well over due me thinks!), some fun and oh-so delicious baking recipes as well as general day-to-day life living and shizz.

(And…there may also be a cheeky little giveaway closer to the end of month! 🙂 Shh!!)

But I still have a few days here and there where I don’t have anything dedicated to it! (Ahh!!) So if there is anything you would like me to write about, whether it be about sewing/quilting, floristry, life and family, other hobbies, baking – anything! – comment below with your suggestions and I’ll do my best to pencil them in!

So cheers to the first day of May and for a fun blogging month ahead!

Yay!

Happy Sunday, Friends! I’ll see ya tomorrow!

Tuesday Afternoon Procrastinating…

It’s a sunny Tuesday afternoon and I just simply felt like writing a blog post…

About nothing really… I have no clear objective of what I want to write or share with you.

Just procrastinate really.

Who knows what I write about in the next few paragraphs will actually be worth reading! 🙂

Hmm… So what can I write about…?

…….

Oh, I know! My new tutorial that came out over the weekend!

The X Plus Block!

Ooo, what a goodie of a block! Super simple. Quick. Brilliantly effective!

I had never made this block before doing this tutorial. I wish I had because it was so much easier to piece together than I though it would be. True that looks can be deceiving!

If you’re keen on making it, here’s how to it!

MEASUREMENT & CUTTING INFO:
From one main fabric cut,
x4: 4.5″ squares (mint)

From a background fabric cut,
x8: 2.5″ squares (white)

From a second main fabric cut,
x1: 2.5″x6.5″ rectangle (blue spot)
x2: 2.5″ squares (blue spot)

From a contrasting fabric cut,
x4: 2.5″ squares (mustard)

FINAL BLOCK SIZE: 10.5″ x10.5″ square

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Another thing.

I’m planning for the month of May to do the same type of thing I did in September last year where I wrote/published a blog post everyday.

I’m calling it: Everyday May!

Over the past few months it’s really been weighing on my mind how much I’ve neglected my blog this year! (I think I can literally count on two hands how many posts I’ve written this year! Eek!) I have so much respect and love for my little space here… It’s where I first found the guts to share my quilting (My life. My inner thoughts. My dreams. My passions.) and to venture out of my little bubble and connect with other like-minded people!

So I really want to try again and dedicate my time and efforts in May to making my blog a loved and cherished one again!

Now, a shout out to you guys: Is there anything you would like me to write about, share, teach – anything! – with you during May? Let me know your thoughts, requests and/or ideas in the comments section below and I’ll get brainstorming on how to incorporate them into my daily posts!

TBH, I am a little worried I might be taking on too much… What with my Floristry course (you’d be surprised at just how much paper work is involved in a practical/hands-on course! Gah!!), getting content made for my YouTube channel (I always love that challenge!!) and then living my usual quiet life in-between! Oh, why am I complaining…? Life is good at the moment and I’m so grateful for what I have no matter how busy or crazy or intense or stressful it all seems to be! 🙂

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Ooo, and another thing!

Here are a few things that I’ve been loving recently!

(Think of it as a mid-month favourites video but in writing!)

Music: The Japanese House

Oh lordy are these EPs beautiful to listen to! So relaxing. Down to earth. Calming alternative.

I was listening to these guys all throughout editing my recent Sewing Room Tour video as well as the tutorial above.

This one is my favourite to listen to – I always put it on play first! It’s called ‘Letter by the Water’.

Geek: Disney Tsum Tsums!

I can’t help but simply do one of those inner squeals when I see these little guys! They’re just too stinkin’ cute! (I’m such a sucker for these types of things!)

I bought a few of the mini plushies from Target (Australia doesn’t have a Disney Store! Boo!) and of course Buzz had to be the first one in my collection! Since then I’ve begun collecting the little lucky-dip keyring packs they sell (similar concept to the LEGO mini figurine packs) as well as become terribly addicted to this app! Oh dear!

TV: Bargain Hunt!

Now this show has been a staple in our house for a good few years now! I find it so entertaining and I absolutely love the charisma of the host, Tim Wonnacott! (Although I’ve read that he’s only recently left the show! Oh no!)

It’s on every night at 6.30pm and like the granny I am, I get comfy on the lounge with a quilt, a hot cup of tea and a keen eagerness to see some bargain hunting!

I also just love seeing all the beautiful shots of the English country side and dreaming of the day I get to experience it all my self! (If you didn’t know, I’m a true Anglophile at heart!)

Surely I’m not the only one who loves watching…??

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Gold star to you if you got this far in reading this post! I really wasn’t all that sure if what I was to write about was worth reading at all! 😀

But alas, I think I’ve procrastinated enough for the afternoon.

Thanks for your company!

Festive White Chocolate Fudge | December Diary

Ooo, are you ready for a last-minute, deliciously sweet and naughty treat for your Christmas table?? I think I may just have the recipe that will top your day off! It’s simple. It’s easy. And it’s delicious!

This silky smooth fudge is packed full of juicy ruby-red cranberries, festively green pistachios and lashings of snowy white shredded coconut!

The ingredients:
400g of white chocolate
400g tin of sweetened condensed milk
150g of unsalted butter
1 cup of desiccated coconut
1 cup of shelled & chopped pistachios
1 cup of dried cranberries
1 teaspoon of vanilla essence

The making:
First, break up the chocolate into a large heat-proof bowl and then add the condensed milk, butter and vanilla.
Slowly melt this all together over a saucepan of gently simmering water.
Take the bowl off the heat and carefully stir in the coconut, pistachios and cranberries.
Pour the mixture into a paper-lined tin that measures 20cmx30cm (8″x12″) and then evenly smooth the top using a flat spatula.
Place the tin full of fudge into the fridge for about four hours (overnight is best!) to set.
Finally, remove the fudge from the fridge and cut it into small squares using a sharp knife.

Enjoy!!

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I wish you all a very happy and safe Christmas and hope you enjoy the day with family, friends and your community!

Thank you to each and everyone of you for your amazing support and lovely words when it has come to my blog and YouTube channel this year! You’ve made my year one that will always mean so much to me! I really couldn’t ask for better friends than what you all are to me!

Merry Christmas, Friends!!

Our Christmas Tree! | December Diary

I had a ‘moment’ the other day… A wash of dreaded panic swept over me as I realised that next week is Christmas! Eek!! Here I was, living in some weird dream land thinking that Christmas was still a few weeks away and that I still had loads of time to get things done, to make some fun Christmasy things to share with you and to go shopping for gifts! Well no. That wave of panic sure did slap me in the face and made me wake up to that fact that there are still so many things I want to do and share before the Festive Season is over for another year!

Over the past week or so, I’ve been wanting to get my camera out and snap some fun little photos of our Christmas Tree to share with you! Having a real Pine Tree for a Christmas Tree isn’t that big of a tradition here in Australia. My brothers and I always grew up with a fake plastic tree, sitting proudly in a corner of our living room, decorated heavily with multi-coloured twinkling lights, thin and scratchy tinsel and ornaments that were about a gazillion years old! It was one of those trees that if you were to get too close, touch it slightly or even breathe the wrong way near it, it would topple over spewing baubles and fake pine needles all over the floor!

These days, our tree is a little bit more stable but just as fake and plastic. We’ve upgraded the ornaments over the years and added some new white-light twinkling lights and fluffier tinsel! It still stands in a corner in our front living room and is the Mecca for all the of the presents and related Christmas items to sit under and around!

We usually set aside the first day of December to set up the tree and hang the decorations around the house. This year we did it a few days earlier than usual and had a fabulous little helper in my five year old nephew, Ayden. With Christmas tunes playing in the background, he helped me put all of the baubles onto the tree, placed ornaments and other Christmasy decorations around the house all while wearing a darling Santa hat on his head! What a little legend!!

Here are a few of my favourite things that we have hanging on our tree…

The little glass Deer is a relative newcomer to our tree. I bought it last year from one of the big department stores we have here called Myer. I thought it was super cute and I loved how glittery and vintage-festive it was! The glass angel was a gift for my mum from one of her students when she was still teaching. It’s one of those legit glass ornaments that if your were to accidentally drop it, it would for sure break! Eek!

The red felt Christmas tree is another little treat I bought from Myer last year. I loved the ‘handmade’ look it had about it and gave me inspiration to make a few myself. (Which never happened!) Plus, I can never resist buying something like this when it’s covered in buttons and fun little pom-poms! And then there’s the classic golden bauble… Perfect to take those fun reflective type photos with! (Spot the blogger!)

The gorgeous Tonga Angel belongs to my parents. They visited the beautiful Pacific Island late last year and bought back this handmade treasure! I love it! Next to her on the tree, centre stage is an ornament I made a few years ago in a Christmas tutorial on my YouTube channel that features my beautiful Lucy. This darling pup died in April and it’ll be one my first ever Christmas’ without a pet by my side. I miss her dearly…

The pattern stag came in a packet of four from IKEA many years ago! I also have a packet of red ones too floating around the house somewhere… I liked the blue ones more at the time so I added them to our permanent collection! The Christmas tree is another Myer purchase from last year. I loved how solid and 3D it looked. And because the felt is so thick and the bell on the bottom so heavy and clunky, it weighs a small tonne making the bow it’s hung on literally bend in half! But no matter how impractical it is, I still love it!

What’s a Christmas Tree without a tacky ornament of Santa Claus?! I have no clue where this Santa has come from… I think it may’ve belonged to my dad’s parents who relished in plastic-y vintage-y decorations like this! I must admit, I really quite like it. I love it for it’s kitsch, old-school vibe and for the plethora of holly stuck on the back of his sleigh! He’s an oldie but a goodie!

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So that in a nutshell is our tree. It’s not fancy. It’s not real. It’s not colour coordinated or perfect. It’s simple, homey and lovely. And I wouldn’t want it any other way!

What’s your Christmas Tree like? I would love to know!

I hope you’re all having a wonderfully festive month wherever you are in the world!

Happy Sewing, Friends!

Amelia’s 1st Birthday! | December Diary

The first of many December birthdays has begun with the celebration of my niece’s 1st birthday yesterday!

Truly, my family and I cannot believe just how fast the year has flown by since that very special day she was born! It seems like only yesterday (weird concept as yesterday was her actual birthday), we heard about the amazing start she had in life – born early in the morning in the family car on the way to the hospital! (She sure knew how to make an entrance!) Then later that evening seeing her, my brother and sister-in-law along with her four big brothers on the 6pm News, where her adventurous start in life was reported to the nation! Gotta admit, it was a pretty awesome day in the lives of the Rolfe family (and extended family too!) and such a wonderful way to start the Christmas season off! 🙂

And now here she is, the big ONE, almost walking and taking in everything that life seems to bring – especially chocolate cake! (Good choice, my darling!)

Happy 1st Birthday Amelia!

Big hugs & kisses,

Love Auntie

‘Tis The Season! | December Diary

As I sit here, thinking of something fun and witty to write to begin this post, all I can think of is the scary thought of just how quick this year has flown by! Sure, we say it every year, but this time it feels slightly different for me… Perhaps it’s simply because I’ve had so much fun this year blogging and making stuff that time has simply slipped by without me noticing… Or maybe it’s due to my young-adult mind developing and maturing and taking more of a notice to these things… Ooo, I’m going a bit too deep in the thought process here… let’s rewind and get back onto the fun ‘It’s almost Christmas!’ bandwagon!

Yay!! It’s almost Christmas!! 😀

You know, I love this time of the year. (Minus the sweaty, humid heat! Yuck! Give me jeans-and-a-t-shirt kind of weather any day, thanks!) I love planning and making and wrapping and celebrating and eating and decorating and singing and eating and worshipping and shopping and eating and giving and being happy and being thankful and eating! Everything about it I love!!

As you may’ve already guessed, I live in Australia. And in Australia, Christmas equals Summer! It’s hot and dry, humid and sticky, windy and stormy, and the sun sets late into the night. So I thought that because the majority of people who read my blog live in the Northern Hemisphere where Christmas equals Winter, I would give you an insight into what an Australian Christmas is like in a thing I like to call my December Diary! Unlike what I did in September where I wrote a post everyday during the month, this time I would write a post every few days or so with all things Christmas, lifestyle, family, friends, tutorials and crafts and anything else that makes December in Australia a happy one!

Like many of us, December is a very busy month with lots of things happening: social events, family catch-ups, carol services, birthdays (three in my family alone!), crafting and sewing sessions (#HandmadeChristmas) and of course lots of afternoon swimming pool sessions! So as your December gets a bit crazy, a bit manic and a bit stressful, by all means take some time to chill and relax and perhaps use the time to catch-up on what’s happening on the other side of the world with me and my Aussie Christmas!

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So getting the ball rolling, so to speak, here’s my first bit of Christmas sewing to share with you!

This year on Instagram, I’ve signed up to be apart of an #AussieChristmasSwap where quilters, sewers and makers from all over Australia make or buy something special for their Aussie partner and send it off to them in the first week of December.

Amongst the other things I have to give, I made this sweet little Christmas Robin wallhanging/mini quilt using a foundation paper pieced pattern by Kristy from Quiet Play. As soon as I saw it I knew I had to make it – it’s so adorable!! And when I found out that my partner likes a lot of the Cotton+Steel ranges, I knew I had to use some of their Tinsel Christmas range that I recently received from Dayview Textiles! So with both of those elements combined along with a few matching spotties from my stash, this little beauty was made…

I quilted it in my usual vertical straight-line way but this time with the lines slightly closer together almost borderlining on matchstick quilting. Then once the binding was sewn into place, I stitched on a little button for the Robin’s eye which simply brought the whole thing to life! The hanger in the picture above isn’t the final one I’ll send it away with, I’ll buy a better looking one over the next day or so!

The final measurement of this gorgeous little mini is: 10&1/4″x10&1/4″! Super cute!!

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I’m so excited to get into and share with you all of my Christmas-y crafts and ideas that have been brewing in my mind over the past few weeks! And as we wrap up the final elements in my HST Sampler Quilt Along both here and on my YouTube channel, I’ll also be uploading all of my fun Christmas videos too! Yay!!

Sing with me now: ‘Tis the season to be jolly, fa-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la!!

Happy Sewing, Friends!

September 22nd: One Tired Auntie!

Here in Australia, it’s the first week of the school holidays! (Similar to a mid-semester break!) So today I took my two oldest nephews into the city to visit the Powerhouse Museum and to see a fun and interactive Minecraft World that they have there at the moment!

Both boys loved it, especially the oldest one, Caleb who likes to play Minecraft a lot! At the exhibition they had a room full of cardboard Minecraft blocks for the kids to stack and build their own worlds, colour-in stations, interactive game play, green-screen photo sessions and a petting zoo (full of the cardboard animal characters!). Even Steve was there!

Caleb with Steve/ Building Blocks/ The Petting Zoo!

While we were at the museum we also had a bit of a look at The Wiggles exhibition, a beautiful Jewellery display along with all of the other permanent favourites that are there like the big Spaceship, the old steam trains and interactive science labs. So much fun!

However, although the day was super fun, this poor Auntie is now struggling to keep her eyes open as she types this post out! Gee, I’m pretty sure as soon as my head hits the pillow, I’ll be out to it!

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Tomorrow is back to normal for this quilter! I’ll be uploading my Mountain Block tutorial for you to watch (the edit has taken so much longer than usual!) and I’ll reunite myself with my sewing machine and get the inspirational juices flowing again! Yay!

But first, sleep!

Goodnight, friends!

September 21st: Three Simple Things

It’s been a quiet ol’ Monday here in the sewing room. To be honest, I actually found myself struggling to find something to write about today as it’s just been all editing and no play!

But there are three simple things that have made this day a good one. Three simple things that have been my favourites from the day…

No.1

I figured out how to make my beloved manky old Mickey Mouse watch to work again! After buying it on eBay years ago, I only recently had a new battery placed in it. The watch worked beautifully for a few weeks after and then I noticed it slowing down very, very gradually! Boo!! Then today, I saw something that made me think that perhaps it’s one of those watches that needs to be wound every now and then to keep it on time… So I put the watch back to the proper time and then gave the dial on the side a real good wind… And 8 hours later, the time is still absolutely perfect! Yay! So hopefully I’ve now figured out how to keep this watch working properly so that I can wear it again! Fingers crossed!

No.2

This beautiful new song by my favourite singer/songwriter, Passenger has completely made my day! It’s called Restless Wind and I’m pretty sure I’ve played it near one hundred times today! (Well, perhaps not that many times!) All of his songs always, so simply, make me feel more calm and grounded whenever I feel anxious or stressed while also having this ability to pick me up and make me feel happy! (Even the sad, heartbreaking songs!) I am always blown away at how melodic and soul-touching Mike’s lyrics and cords are each time I hear a new song from him! If you’ve never heard his stuff before, you can check out his music on his YouTube channel! (May I recommend this one: Hearts on Fire w/Ed Sheeran… Oh, the harmonies!!)

No. 3

Last night I received this lovely book called ‘Be Brave. Be Bold.’ (from Kikki.K) from one of my dearest friends, Sam for my birthday. It’s full of wonderful quotes and words of inspiration and encouragement that I’ve absolutely loved reading over today. For such a little book, it packs a punch in getting you back into the right frame of mind to get shiz done and not give up! Love it!!

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Those are my three simple things that have made this day a good one. What are your three simple things that have made your day a good one? Let me know!

September 20th: A Family Day!

Happy Sunday!

Today was spent celebrating the lives of my nephew Xavier and niece Amelia at their Christening Day! The ceremony was lovely, very hands on and inclusive with their older brothers, godparents and grandparents.

Both kiddies were dressed beautifully, with Xavier sporting a darling suit vest and collared shirt and Amelia wearing a darling white dress with purple flowers and shiny white Mary-Janes! Oh so cute!

Here are a few of my favourite photos from the day…

The joys of photographing little people! One's blowing a raspberry and the other is looking at anything but the camera! — The joys of photographing little people! One’s blowing a raspberry and the other is looking at anything but the camera!

My eldest brother Kevin and his beautiful family!

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So on the to-do list this week in my sewing room is:

Get the Mountain Block tutorial finalised and uploaded for you to enjoy!

Finish my Notting Hill House Mini Quilt so that I can hang it on the wall and swoon all over it!

Re-think the ‘Wildwood’ Quilt…

The initial idea I had in my head to make with those gorgeous Cloud9 fabrics I keep going on about, hasn’t been sitting right with me all week. I’ve sort of got half way through piecing together the quilt top and realised I’m just really not feeling it…

Hmm...Perhaps I need to re-jig the layout to get the excitement back for this quilt...? — Hmm…Perhaps I need to re-jig the layout to get the excitement back for this quilt…?

What I’ve done so far just doesn’t excite me, resulting in me losing interest and motivation to get it finished. Boo! So, I’m gonna have a bit of a re-think about, scrap the idea I’ve already begun and start a fresh! Last night I came up with the idea of perhaps re-visiting the Spinning Stars pattern by Anna Maria Horner or even trying out that Octo pattern by Zen Chic I bought the other week from FQS! Hmm, it’s definitely back to the drawing board with this quilt and fabrics. I’m determined to get a beautiful quilt out of them one way or another!

I’ll be sure to keep you updated!

Enjoy the week ahead friends!

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(And…there may also be a cheeky little giveaway closer to the end of month! 🙂 Shh!!)

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Music: The Japanese House

Geek: Disney Tsum Tsums!

TV: Bargain Hunt!

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No.1

No.2

No. 3

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