Saturday 1 May 2010

Smash the Stash

It's no secret I have tooooooo much yarn....so much yarn that if I didn't buy anymore I'd probably still not get through all I have! Rav is telling me I have 149 things in my stash at the moment and over 95km's worth!

Sooooo, I've decided to pull finger, purchase as little as possible (except for a planned project I'll be needing some more Bendi for AND my Knitabulous yarn club) and knit like a demon!....I'm starting off easy and am working on a couple of worsted weight cardis....which will knock off about 1.8kms from the stash and seeing as the weather's turning faster that my needles can click, they'll be welcome additions to the wardrobe!

I'm attacking some huge 200g balls of Bendi yarn first, I think that'll spur me on, so I'll be all encouraged by the large gaps the drawers / tubs / bags of yarn!

Saturday 10 April 2010

Happy Birthday Boo!!!

I know mummy is a bit late posting this, but....


Happy First Birthday Beautiful Boy, you're mummy and daddy's world and we couldn't imagine it without you....we had no idea you would be so wonderful xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

And here's my first attempt at a first birthday cake!....it's supposed to be the very hungry caterpillar....didn't turn out too badly....sort of.

mmm...

Back at work, busy, busy, busy....no time, etc....I won't bore you with it all, because I'm sure a lot of you know how it is....instead I'll share my super easy Spag Bol sauce.

It's seriously just a chuck in the pot jobby, set and sort of forget....I even throw the mince in still frozen.

So take...
about 500g mince
2 tins diced tomatoes
4 tablespoons tomato paste
enough red wine to fill and rinse out the tins....then add more wine just for good measure.
a zuchini, onion and garlic, finely chopped
a good handful of dried red lentils
teaspoon or two of powdered beef stock
big slosh of balsamic vinegar
dried thyme, rosemary and oregano (to taste) and a couple of bay leaves
chopped mushrooms, which get chucked in toward the end.

bring everything to the boil and then let simmer for a while, till it reduces down and thickens and smells yummy....I just stir it occasionally, breaking up the frozen mince.

And don't freak out about the lentils, they turn to mush so no one knows they're in there and help thicken the sauce.

Seriously, this amount makes about 4-5 meals worth....so I just bag it up and freeze it

Saturday 27 February 2010

ergh....

Why is it when I should be finishing off a shawl to send to one of Paul's aunts in Derry, I'm sitting here swatching 2 cardigans and have suddenly decided to start up an old project that's been dormant for at least 18 months!!

BAD ME.

And on a crapper note....I'm going back to work on Monday....the ONLY thing I'm looking forward to is the extra cash, so I can buy more yarn.

I'm going to miss my lil monkey sooooooo much.

Wednesday 17 February 2010

Hi....

I'm an AWESOME beetle....mind if I take a stroll around your non-lawn?




Sometimes looking down is a good thing.

Tuesday 2 February 2010

Bloody Hell!


Well, it's been a LOT longer than a month this time....I've been meaning to sit down and blog, I swear....but as Niblet's getting bigger and more mobile, he's even more demanding of my time....it's play, play, play ALL the time!....and resucing him from potentially precarious situations....not that I'm really complaining that much....it's been so lovely being at home with him.

So much has happened since the last post....in the last few months we've gone from sitting to crawling to standing to almost walking....also lots of conversing in jibbersh....Hugh's just a bit over 10 months....which means it's only a couple of weeks till I'm back at work full time.

The thought of leaving him 5 days of the week is so awful I can't stand it, but I also know I have to get back into the real world....it's a pretty insular world being a stay at home mum, even though we go out lots and see lots of people, there are some weeks when you think crap, I haven't left the house for 3 days....although, I'm very proud of the fact I always managed to be showered and dressed before lunch time, even on the worst days.

My huge to do list has hardly been touched, no surprise there....I've been chugging along with the knitting and I managed the christmas dress sewing....the one thing I have done though is gotten a bit more interesting with my cooking....made a quinoa veggie curry the other week....YUM....and there have been some great pantry raids, chuck it in the pot sort of dinners....like, lamb fillet, tin of toms, potatoes and onion, with a handful of fresh herbs....bubble away, worked a treat.

There have been many treats courtesy of the Domestic Goddess cookbook, I think the absolute gem was the fresh gingerbread with lemon icing....sorry, no photos, it all got eaten.

Anyway, I still find it amazing that this little guy:


Has grown up into this not as little guy:


Now all I have to do is sort out his First Birthday party!