Recipe Monday

Yes, I do suck. But to make up for it, here's the best Sticky Date Pudding Recipe ever!

Ingredients:

2 cups dates, chopped
1 1/2 tsp bi carb soda
90g, butter
1 cup caster sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 cup self raising flour
1 tsp each of ginger and mixed spice

Method:

Put the dates in a pan with 1 3/4 cups of water. Bring to the boil and then remove fro the heat. Stir in the bi carb and spices and then set aside for 5 minutes. Meanwhile cream the butter and sugar. Then stir in the eggs one at a time, mixing well in between each addition. Fold in the flour and the date mixture until smooth. Pour into a well greased springform tin and cook for 1 hour at 180c.

To make butterscotch sauce combine 150g butter, 1 cup of brown sugar, 1/3 cup golden syrup and 3/4 cup cream in a pan and stir over a low heat until combined and thickened slightly.

Now, don't eat too much at once! It gave me a tummy ache this Saturday!

-Jemma

My Creative Space

I have some important birthdays coming up in the next few weeks. This is freestyle blanket thing that I'm making up. It a pieced top sewn onto a polar fleece back, then I'm quilting the two together. So kind of a cheater quilt? There's no binding at least! On the polar fleece back I had a go at machine applique for the first time with the blanket stitch on the new machine. Good right?

For more creative spaces head over to Kootoyoo!

-Jemma

I've been having a ball!

My first attempt at paper piecing. And a puzzle ball which I just thought looked like fun. (It was!) To say that the soccer ball was biting off a little more than I could chew would be an understatement. For starters, who knew that a soccer ball was hexagons AND pentagons. I didn't so I tried to make it with all hexagons first. Also, a soccer ball has a lot of seams. That need to be hand sewn. Tough! But a good result in the end I think?



In unrelated news. There was a shetland pony grazing on a nature strip down the road from my Auntie's house on Sunday. Yes, I did pull over to take a photo. Cool though, right?


-Jemma

Purchased

From Threadless. A bargain at only $15 each! (American).

-Jemma

My Creative Space

Today we had a house inspection, which is always terrifying no matter if you're not doing anything wrong! But in between all of my frantic vacuuming I had a little bit of time to whip this up! It's the "Cute-as-a-button clutch" from the Mike's book. It's not just a clever name! It was super easy to make, which is nice and really like it. I think that I make some more for my friend in a few different fabrics.

Now to go and start the Obi and skirt/halter top. I think. Not sure what it is really. Maybe some googling is in order first.

For more spaces, head over to Kirst!

-Jemma

It's Tuesday and I can't wait to....

Go to Dressmaking class on Saturday!

It's so much fun. I was a little bit aprehensive after that first class. Everything seemed to be a bit simple in terms of the sewing and things. I didn't really need to watch the teacher thread the sewing machine for 45 minutes. But honestly, it's getting better every week! Last Saturday I started on a new project. I've finished the skirt that we all had to make for our first thing. A simple pattern that my teacher Sue chose that wouldn't overwhelm us, and even though I think it's a bit ugly and I'll most likely never wear it. I'm still proud as punch of how it turned out, and I learnt how to take in skirts while I was making it. A skill that I used this past weekend. So there you go.



This is the dress that I'm making now. The yellow one with the pink sash. First I have to make it in calico, to make sure that the fit is perfect and then I can get started on the real thing. Any suggestions on what kind of fabric to use? I'm thinking a light weight tweed kind of thing. To make it very Jackie O. But I really have no idea, and fabric names mean absolutely nothing to me. What the heck is damask?! Hopefully I'll learn that one soon too!

For more "Tuesday" head over to Buttons by LouLou!

-Jemma

Recipe Monday

So, sorry for the continual suckage of Recipe Monday. I had a good excuse last week, it was my Birthday so I gave myself the day off. And then today. I made the awful discovery that my work has blocked blogger.com. So now I can't post, but I can't leave you guys comments either! Boo.

But anyway. I make my triumphant return with a very nice recipe. This one makes 16 cookies.

Toblerone Cookies

Ingredients:
175 g self-raising white flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
75 g brown sugar
50 g butter
3 tbs golden syrup
1 whole whole egg, lightly beaten
100 g Toblerone Original Toblerone, roughly chopped

Method:
Preheat oven to 180C. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper.

Sift flour and baking powder together into a large bowl and stir in sugar.

Melt butter and golden syrup in a small saucepan over medium heat. Allow to cool for 5 minutes, then add to flour and egg. Beat to a stiff dough, then add Toblerone pieces and mix well to combine.

Place 16 well-spaced tablespoons of mixture on trays and bake for approximately 15 minutes, or until golden. Allow to cool on trays for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack once cool.

Yummy! So, I'm putting in a Mr.Linky. Even if no one has remembered this shambolic mess. But, I promise that I'll post this on SUNDAY next week. Promise!

-Jemma

On the weekend.

I finished this quilt!

Woohoo! I got the fabrics on the front ages ago. They were the first jelly roll type thing that I ever bought, so fun. I'm not really in love with the quilt itself, for in my house. But I really like it, and I decided that it'll make a great 30th Birthday present for my sister in law. It'll look great on their grey suede couch!



I also used my new sewing machine to take in a skit this morning. It went really well, and it fits good now. And I got the chance to use the "overcasting" foot on my sewing machine. Which does the same as an overlocker, but without the cutty bit.

Because you haven't seen Amity in a while!

Aaand. Today I went to Harris Scarfe and they had a Singer overlocker for $300, save $299. I was sorely tempted to at least layby it. But I decided to wait till they open their store at Knox City, just incase they have an even crazier sale! Fingers crossed!

Anything exciting happen to anything else this weekend?

- Jemma

My Creative Space

This is a stamp that someone actually ordered from me! Exciting right! I've also sold another one, but it hasn't arrived at it's new home. So I won't do the big reveal yet. But I'm super proud of it!

I also got a new camera today. An Olympus digital SLR. I'm planning on doing a little photo shoot tomorrow night to show off some of my presents and things that I've done with the new machine. And several other things!

Head over to Kirst for more spaces!

-Jemma

It was my Birthday.

So, it's been a week since I posted last. It was nice to have a little break after the "every day in May" madness. But to be honest I was starting to have some withdrawal symptoms this last day or 2!

Just a quick post tonight. Then I'll be back tomorrow to post My Creative Space, and then I'll be sure to have Recipe Monday back again next week! Just thought I'd share some pictures from my Birthday Party.


Me with my new baby. She's an excellent one, I've already gotten lots of use out of her.


My excellent Birthday Cake bought for me by my best friend Bec.


My pretty dress (and Damien)

-Jemma

Hand Made Birdie

Just added this stamp to my Etsy store. Amigumuri Alec not included!

-Jemma

Tag! Eight things...

Kirstie tagged me for this Eight Things game. So here we go!

8 things I am looking forward to:

- My birthday! And associated partying
- Getting my new sewing machine. Soon, soon!
- Is it too early to say Summer? I'm sick of cold hands
- The cruise I'm going on at the end of this year !
- The Stitches and Craft Show, take 2.
- Meeting Amy, maybe. (As in I might be meeting her, not that I am maybe excited.)
- Long weekend, made double good because of my Birthday.
- Starting my new project at my dress making class. Cute dress, here I come!

8 Things I did yesterday:

- Brown Owls! Hoot!
- Had dinner at a restaurant by myself. Love it.
- Did a lot of things at work. Busy!
- Made some nice progress on the jumper that never ends.
- Emailed Fii about the Stitches and Craft Show in August.
- Tried to draw some new things for some stamps. Did not go too well.
- Met some nice Owl girls, and re met some and then actually learnt their names!
- Bought a cute hanky off Pip to embroider with some Sublime Stitching

8 Things I wish I could do:

- Crochet well. This means Amigumuri!
- Paint/draw.
- Pattern drafting and clothing design.
- Better cutting when I'm doing stuff for quilt tops. More symmetry!
- Keep my house clean.
- Hang things on the walls of my house, damn renting.
- Write, as in well. Like journalist style. Just for leisure. But I'd still like to be better.
- Get a good nights sleep!

8 Shows I watch:

- Fringe, my new favourite. In no small part because it has Pacey from Dawson's Creek in it. He's so dreamy!
- Reaper. As mentioned previously.
- 30 Rock. So hilarious!
- Gossip Girl
- Dawson's Creek (ashamed of these last 2, but not really)
- Supernatural, just the right amount of scary and fun.
- American Dad/Family Guy/South Park, I'm juvenile
- It's always sunny in Philadelphia. This is a new one to me. It's so, so, so funny. I highly recommend it!

So, has everyone learnt something about me? Maily that I love watching T.V.


THE RULES:

Here's the rules, just in case you want to follow them:.
1. Mention the name of the person who tagged you.
2. Do the lists of 8.
3. Tag 8 bloggers of your choice.
4. Let them know that they have been tagged!

I don't really tag people that much. So if you're reading this. Consider yourself tagged! Let me know if you decide to play, so I can come and have a look-see.

-Jemma

P.S. Have you gotten any mail off me this week? I'm getting paranoid!

Recipe Monday

I actually already posted this recipe before. But since that was when no one read Amityville, and the recipe is so delicious. It's ok to do it again !

Old Fashioned Raisin Square

Preheat your oven to 190 Celsius and grease and line your favourite slice pan, square or rectangle. It doesn't matter!

Ingredients:

1 cup of Raisins, Chopped
1 cup of water
125 grams of butter
3/4 cup of caster sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon of bi carb
1 teaspoon of all spice (or nutmeg or cinnamon or something similar)
1 3/4 cups of plain flour

Method:

Put the water and raisins into a large saucepan and bring to the boil. Stir in the butter and allow to cool slightly. When it is cooled, beat in the egg. Make sure to do it quickly or your egg will cook a little.

Sift in all of your dry ingredients and mix thoroughly until it is nice and smooth. Pour evenly into a greased pan and cook for 40 minutes.

Take out of the oven and allow it to cool completely, if you take it out of the pan too soon it will fall apart. I like to dust it with icing sugar too.

My suggestions for serving is with an afternoon tea, it goes perfectly with a cuppa! Or for something slightly more decadent, put one of the bars in the microwave for about 30 seconds and then put a big scoop of vanilla ice cream over the top! Yummy!

I really hope that someone in blogland will give this a try and see how delicious it is!

Don't forget to add your link if you're playing along!

-Jemma