Another baby shower gift

I am for sure all our friends and family are having babies in the same 12 month period. This time is it my cousin in Brisbane, so instead of the my usual sewing gift I decided this time, as we are coming into winter, to get the needles out and knit away. I used a very neutral tan colour, as we don't what she is having! I nearly didn't part with the vest I fell in love with it, and it's soooo easy to knit up.

Here all the links for the patterns for you to create your own masterpieces. Beanie pattern, booties pattern, and vest pattern all are free. I used Bendigo Woollen Mills 8ply rustic wool, so soft and warm.

I've been cut!

Not from a job list or the like, just my wrist. I had a cyst removed a week or so ago and it has really been pretty straight forward - but I have to say I can't wait for the stitches to come out on Tuesday so everything can really get back to normal.

I was naughty I was meant to leave all the dressings on till I went back but they had to come off I was SOOOO itchy!!!!! Look at how good the wound is - sorry had to share :)

Busy, Busy , Busy!!!!!!!

Do you that moment when you suddenly get a moment when you think 'My God, how did life get so busy?' Well, that is exactly the moment I am having - between full time uni, the newish crazy we will call you when we need you job, hockey and some exciting news I am about to tell you about - I am, well, busy!!!!!

Uni is going well and so is the job, oh and we won our first game of the winter season of hockey 10-2 so that is off to a flying start!!!!! So what exciting news has led to life been even busier - www.quitewrite.com.au My partners new business venture and I am the one behind getting the website off the ground (plus making posters and flyers to handout!).

If you need someone to write an article for you, or website content, or proofread what you hope is an award winning, money earning manuscript she is the girl! So check out her website and 'like' her page on Facebook you won't be disappointed!!!!

And so it begins......

Uni that is :)

I am now two weeks in and feel like I have never left!!!! Trying to get my head around it all again has taken some time, as well as learning a new job. But after a bit of a bad week (we had a death in the family) I think I am finally across it all, ready to finish my first assignment due next Tuesday (I am yet to start actually lol).

The funniest part of uni so far has been the fact I had to have a twitter account for one of my subjects - interesting development, can't say I am across the twitter world, but I am getting there!!!!!.

The new library

Hoping to get some new recipes up on here soon!

Satay Chicken

Thought I would post a recipe, since I do love to cook. This is probably one of the easiest and most flavoursome dishes I cook. There is times I won't cook it for ages and then I do, I think, why don't I make it more often!!!! It ticks all the right boxes - low in fat & calories (yep not kidding), colourful, full of veggies and of course yummy!!!!! So here it is, my Satay Chicken for 2.

Satay Chicken*

Serves 2-3

Vegetable oil
1 chicken breast fillet (about 250g) diced
1/2 zucchini cut into strips
1 carrot sliced
1/2 red capsicum cut into chunks
1/2 onion diced
1 clove of garlic crushed
1/4 cup crunchy peanut butter
1 tbs soy sauce
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp chilli powder (add more if you like heat)
1 can coconut flavoured evaporated milk (or light coconut milk)

1. In a hot wok (or frypan) add a dash of oil and chicken. Brown. Once cooked through remove from wok.
2. Reoil wok and saute onion and garlic until soften. Add vegetables and cook for 3mins.
3. Return chicken to wok and all other ingredients, adjusting amount of coconut milk to the consistency desired (I usually use about 1/2 -3/4 of a can). Turn heat down. Cook until all combined and heated through (About 2mins). Serve with rice.

NOTE: DO NOT LET COCONUT FLAVOURED EVAPORATED MILK BOIL IT WILL SEPARATE AND LOOK CURDLED! Also don't use reduced fat/salt/sugar peanut butter. Did that once and it tasted like glue!!!

To cook for 4 people use two chicken breast fillets and double the vegetables and add a bit more peanut butter and most of the can of coconut milk. You shouldn't need to change the other ingredients. The flavour goes a long way :) 

*Based on recipe from Symply too Good to be True.

A Completed Quilt!!!

I DID IT!!!!! It only took about 3 years but a quilt I started way back then, I finally finished, well yesterday all in time to gift it to my partner for Valentine's Day as you saw yesterday :)

I thought I would share with you a couple of pic's of just the quilt.I have to say I am pretty proud of it. I have no walking foot or the like and thought hell with the hand quilting and just sewed it on the machine. I like how it looks :)

 Now I can't believe I am saying this but I am thinking of doing another one. Crazy I am aware since this one was 3 years in the pipeline!!!!

Happy Valentine's Day!!!!!!!

Ok, so essentially this a day made to make Hallmark an even wealthier company, but since I am resourceful and was not spending a cent on the love season I was happy to indulge in a little Valentine's Day hype.

Since it fell on a Tuesday I really wasn't keen on getting up at, like, 5am in order to make my partner breakfast in bed......so I did that on Sunday morning. Made some pancakes for breakfast, then headed to The Entrance to bop in the water. Bliss! The water was soooooooo clear!

So today was a lonnnnnngggg day in order to have my partner's gift ready for when she got home from work. But alas I prevailed and got it done with about 10mins to spare :)

Why was it a long day? I did all the hand stitching of the binding today!!!!!!! But it was worth it. One completed quilt, a little heart gardland and a handmade card :) SHE LOVED IT!!!!!!!!!!

Hope you all had a fantastic Valentine's Day!!!!!