Australia!

We have been enjoying a bush creek

in the lovely sunshine.

I love those chubby little feet, and that orange blur is a butterfly we were rescuing from the water.

In anticipation of Australia Day, I tried out a recipe for Anzac Biscuits. 

I used a recipe originally published  in "The Australian Women's Weekly - Sweet Old-fashioned Favourites", but made a few changes (put half the sugar, double the golden syrup, and left out the coconut, I know its traditional, but I don't eat it!), and ended up with the following:

Screamstress' Anzacs

Combine 1 1/4 cups rolled oats (traditional not quick)

1 1/4 cups plain flour

1/2 cup sugar (white, but you could use brown)

Melt 125g butter (I actually always use dairy-free canola based spread)and 2 tbs golden syrup in a saucepan.

Combine 1 tsp baking soda with 2 tbs boiling water, add to the butter mixture, and then add the lot to the dry ingredients and stir around quickly.

Form small biscuits, quite flat as they don't spread much, and place on a baking tray.

Bake at about 160 degrees centigrade for about 20 minutes or until golden.

Yum!  I love them nice and crunchy, and next time I think I may even add some dried apricots too. 

Happy (Early) Australia Day!

A Day (or few) in the Life

I have been...

 hanging out at home

 decorating a birthday cake for my 5yr old baby boy

playing silly home made games with friends and family

 relishing a big stack of vintage fabrics I got given for my birthday

 designing a beanstalk

 to applique on some derby shorts for the "BeanStalker"

 sneakily adding a 'daddy' figure to a kinder souvenir plate.  Big S said "I ran out of room", but the Panda would be shattered to find out he wasn't included.  Can you tell which one it is?  Far right, with flames coming out of his feet.  I'm hoping he won't notice unless he puts his dis-used glasses on.

 turning squashy bananas into the Best Ever Banana Muffins.  (I only use 1/2 cup of sugar though)

and making biscuits for the teachers.  Apparently it is not a good photo unless it has someones head in it!

Sometimes all the clamour of life seems unbearable, and at other times it seems almost perfect.

Smiling Politely

 Guess which child dressed themself?

 I'll give you a clue.  They've chosen frog toe-socks teamed with sandals.  And topped it off with red gingham pants, pink floral t-shirt, rainbow hoody.  What else to accessorize with than pink princess sunglasses and a black and white hat?

 The thing is, I didn't realize until AFTER  we returned from the shops that I had on my pirate skate t-shirt.

I love my little Team Nutbag!

Matching!

Spawnette loves matching at the moment, so I thought a nice gift idea for her friend's birthday would be matching skirts.  Annie the Cat had to be included too, of course!

I used some nice bright fabric scraps, made big pockets for 3yr old essentials like rocks and hankies.  One skirt has a yoke because I didn't have enough fabric.

As with most of my sewing projects I completed them at night when everyone was sleeping, so first thing in the morning we raced out to take some photos.  You can see my photo-taking shadow on the left, and on the right the tyre swing!

The only drawback is that until I made Annie the Cat a t-shirt, Spawnette is insisting on going topless so that she matches!

They'll Curse Me When They're Older

The only thing harder to find in a sunshine busy weekend playground than a little boy in a red t-shirt, is a little girl in a pink t-shirt.

So, $1 revolting fluro singlet + two old stained singlets = Ta da!

Hi-vis vests for the playground!

 And see how the children love them!

Four Things

I have enjoyed reading everyone's responses to Chunkychooky's meme, that I'm going to join in too.

4 Things I always carry

1. Handkerchief
2. Earrings
3. Mobile Phone
4. Muesli Bar

4 Things I have in my bedroom

1. Sewing Machine
2. Pile of To-Do sewing and craft projects
3. Half read book on the night stand
4. Mess which is Panda's fault

4 Things I would like to do but haven't

1. Make a fabulous quilt just for myself
2. Gain a sense of peace and stability about my financial situation
3. Show the kids Australia
4. Write a magnificent epic rivalling Dr. Zhivago or Anna Karenina

4 Things I often wonder

1. What my life would be like if I was folding a different man's underpants
2. If my children will be happy and successful
3. If the neighbours can really hear me when I scream at the kids
4. If I will be able to enjoy good health long enough to do and see the things I have dreamed of

So thats that.  Hope you enjoy reading!

One Dollar Friday

I love $1 Fridays!  Anyone who wants the address of my favourite everything $1 opshop is more than welcome to e-mail me.

 Today I have scored a rainbow dress for Spawnette, a cute 'Roxy' t-shirt which just so happens to be in one of my rollerderby league's team colour, an embroidered silk dupion handbag, and a revolting fluro singlet.
Why the revolting singlet?  Ha ha, check back with me in a day or two and all will be revealed!

Where Have You Been?

A few people have noticed I have been a bit lax with my posting lately.  Where have you been Screamstress?

Out fighting crime, naturally!

Fighting the avalanche of washing waiting to be folded/washed/dried, and that threatens to overtake most of the floor space.

Fighting the urge to feed the spawn 2 minute noodles for dinner (again).

Battling with my cryptonite enemy, Oestrogen, which every so often weakens me and renders me unable to perform simple arithmetic or see the sense in anyone else's point of view.

I love to know I've been missed, so keep watching the skies (or the kitchen sink, which is my superhero hangout most of the time!) xo Screamstress

Feeling Hopeful

I went down to the city on the weekend with a few of my - I was going to say 'girlfriends', but it doesn't do them justice, hmmnn... lets start again.
  I went down to the city on the weekend with a few mighty women I love for their resilience and intelligence, for some op-shopping and lunch.
It was a lovely day, and when I reviewed my haul in the evening I felt hopeful.

Hopeful that I will be able to forego TV and use my quiet evenings alone reading a beautiful story I have been wanting to read for a while.
Hopeful that the sun will soon be shining and I will be able to wear my new cute ($2!) sandals.
Hopeful that my black rice will be delicious, and I will be able to make my own version of my favourite multigrain rice (the shop that stocked it closed down :( )

We also have a caravan and annex on our front yard!  We have the use of Mum and Dad's caravan now, and I am hopeful of happy sunny family holidays.  Just seeing that rolled up annex door is a picture of happiness for me.  Summer holidays with family and friends are some of my warmest carefree memories, and putting all the worry aside, that is one thing that I would like to give my children.
  

Sunny Days

 The weather is slowly improving, and the grass is soooo green!  The White Cloud entertains the spawn old-school style, which I love (and so do they).

 

Big S loves his 'Lightning McQueen' jumper, which cost his Nona $30, and he is forever trying to pick it out of the washing.  When I found this plain black jumper for $3.50 I had the idea to applique it with some offcuts from the quilt I made for him, and Voila!  A second favourite jumper. 

 I tried to get a good picture, but everyone had to get in on the action, as usual!

When I have a scattered brain, I find a good rummage soothing.  It must be the primal drive to forage and gather, but it does help me chill out when I have too much on my mind.  I'm lucky that the op-shop down the road has everything $1 in big bins, perfect for rummaging.

 Today I got a green top, and Astro Boy t-shirt, and a 100% wool hand crocheted retro poncho.  I don't know where I would ever wear it, but I couldn't resist all that hard work for only $1!  I might find a friend who would like it.  I also got a big bag of covered coathangers for $2, I'm not sure why.

Derby Family Camping

Kids

Dogs

Campfire

 

You get the feeling that this is the way it was supposed to be, best weekend ever!

The Panda is Back!

 The Panda is back!  After four weeks absence, it is wonderful to have our family back together.  Something has to 'give' when he is away, and computer time is it. 

I have also really taken to heart Clutterpunk's montasking ethos, and have tried to give up feeling like I should be doing something else, or just more.  So, this is what I have been enjoying lately...

 

Lots of rain, and I have resigned myself to repeatedly fetching towels and putting clothes in the washing machine.

 

I have continued to entertain myself with painting names and graphics on things to skate in (nobody does THAT much skating though!)

 

I'm quilting the worst kept secret quilt in the world.

 

The quilt of disarray stalled for a while, until I figured out the problem- it was all too neat, the leaves too flat and perfect.  So I shoved  them in a sock and put them through the wash. Now they are slightly frayed, slightly crumpled and crunchy looking - perfect!

How'dya Like This Apple?

Hello Everyone!  Thankyou everyone for the ideas for delicious cracker flavours, I will definitely be trying lots of different varieties.  I have been a little quiet for a few reasons, as you know Panda is away so I am parenting (and indeed doing lots of things) alone.  It is times like these that the effort I have put into building relationships and becoming part of different communities really makes a difference.  Even though I do get lonely, the support I receive from friends and family is sometimes the only thing that keeps me moving forward.

In the past week one pair of pyjamas had a hole cut in, one tape measure got hacked up (to 'share'), and a monkey got a haircut.  I have lots of things like scissors and tape measures that the spawn find irresistably interesting.  So, inspired by this project over at my new favourite blog, I thought I would spend a quiet moment making a keepsafe jar.

Essentially it is a coffee jar with a felt circle 3cm bigger than the lid, gathered with a running stitch, stuffed and glued on top.  I sat it upside down to hold it on whilst gluing.

 

It looked like a jar wearing a shower cap, so I glued a leaf on the top, and some bright fabric around the base.  I think it turned out quite cute, although I have inadvertently created something ELSE to attract the spawns attention.  Have a great week!

Crackalacking Baby!

I have been entertaining myself playing around with combinations and flavours of homemade crackers, and have had some interest, so I'm putting all the info in the same place in a special 'cracker' post.

 It all begins with this recipe.  Which is basically 1 cup of plain flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 80ml water and 40ml olive oil.  Mixed, kneaded, rolled as thin as you can (in this case, the thinner the better).  Then baked at 200 degrees celsius for about 15 minutes.  When it comes out of the oven, crack it into pieces.  If it doesn't crack, it needs more time in the oven.
  The variations I have tried so far are:

Sesame, my all time favourite so far.  I used 1 cup plain white flour, and 2 tablespoons of sesame seeds (as well as the water oil and salt.)

Caraway, adults liked them, spawn not so much.  This one has 1/3 cup self raising wholemeal flour, 2/3 cup plain white flour, and 1 tablespoon of caraway seeds (as well as the water oil and salt.)

Mexican, lovely dipped in salsa or cream cheese!  I used 1/2 cup self raising wholemeal flour, 1/2 cup plain white flour, and 1 teaspoon of medium mexican chilli powder (as well as the water oil and salt.)

Garlic and Parsley, a hit!  This one had 1/2 cup self raising wholemeal flour, 1/2 cup plain white flour, 1 teaspoon dried parsley, 1 teaspoon dried garlic powder (as well as the... you get the drift by now!)
  So now I'm putting out a challenge - I'd like to hear your ideas for some wonderful flavours, and I'd LOVE to see everyones photos of their efforts.  So off you go, get Cracking!  (Sorry terrible pun, couldn't help myself!)

Love and Loss

I have finished the applique on the last block of the quilt I have been making for my mother.
This quilt includes pieces of all the other quilts I have made, as well as donations of fabric left over from my sisters' craft projects, and some fabric from my late father's shirt.

I miss my Dad.
I miss my Panda.  (Who is going away for three weeks to the middle of outback Queensland.)
I miss my first love, my friends who moved, my friends I don't see often enough.
I miss all those I've lost, forgotten, ignored, and neglected.

I love my spawn. (Showing off our table centrepieces depicting members of our family.)

I love sesame crackers, just about to be pounced upon from the corners of the frame.

I love skating.