I have just uncovered my "to be framed" pile of photos in the cupboard that has been accumulating for about 10 years! It is a rather large pile and with the amount of wall space we have and the number of frames needed, it never would have happened. So for maximum bang for my photo displaying buck, I made this photo wheel. Materials 2 wire coat hangers 1-2 meters of fabric (can be 1-2 inches wide and can be a few smaller lengths) Wire cutters Flat nose pliers Teeny tiny clothes pegs (found at the $2 store) 1. Cut the... Continue reading

After a busy bee at our girls primary school on Saturday, the students were all set to meet today for their first Garden Club session. Along with implementing a gardening program at the school, the brilliant mum helming this ship has come up with some fantastic recycled art installations that has the kids and me very excited. The first crop to be planted has yet to be decided, however there is a plethora of upcycled ideas to keep the kids busy - forever. Hub caps, fan grates and salad spinners were sprayed in bright colours. Cellophane, Caution tape and pink... Continue reading

We are experiencing an Indian Summer here in Perth and it's dang hot - still. I am at the point, 30 odd days into Autumn, where I look into my wardrobe each morning with a 'nothing to wear' sigh. Like the heat has some how scorched my summer wardrobe to nothingness leaving only layers and jeans to taunt me. Yes, I know, and if you were here mum, you could slap me. BUT having the foresight to know that within six weeks I will most likey be groaning about the cold, I thought I should toast the end of this... Continue reading

We made it for the final day of Sculptures by the Sea at Cottesloe beach today. Little did we know we had a very educated tour guide in our midst. Piper who is in year 2 has been studying the sculptures and their artists in Art Appreciation at school which she announced only as we arrived at the beach. Nice. As we passed each one she gave a little spiel, some background information and announced a few must sees. And here I thought we were exposing the kids to something new. Double nice. Here are a few highlights. It is... Continue reading

Many years ago now, my Auntie Shrew took my not yet husband and I to the famous Dinosaur Bar B Que Roadhouse in Syracuse N.Y. It's a wondrous place where locals tourists and bikers stand in a queue lined with Harleys to wait for a table. Families with small children stand nestled between big burly leather clad folk covered in tattoos. It's fantastic! Once inside you order let's say, a rack of ribs, which comes with none other than three sides, everything comes with 3 sides. It's the thing. Your meal arrives at the table with what looks like the... Continue reading

Our girls have just celebrated their birthdays and they seem significantly older this time around - just like that! With the beginning of each new year I have this overwhelming urge to purge and rearrange. In with the new sort of thing. In the midst of all the culling we brought up the cubby house with the girls. It hadn't had much attention for sometime so we suggested that the chickens move in. Luckily that idea was met by resistance, so we decided to keep it as is but move it around the back. I stumbled across these photos of... Continue reading

Inspired by a Swedish layered sandwich and spurred on by my desire to practice my vegetable carving skills I learned in Thailand this year :) the triple decker savoury cake was born. A friend and I made made this for our sugar intolerant friend for her 40th last month. Little did we know she had never had a birthday cake that she could actually eat before. She cried. It was awesome. Savoury cake 1-2 round sourdough loaves, crust removed and sliced into three layers 1-2 dips of your choice to ice each layer 1 pack of cream cheese whipped with... Continue reading

I still get that 'schools out for summer' thrill at the end of every school year, even though it's been many years since my own. We are only 2 days into the holidays. The backpacks are still lying on the floor where they were dropped a couple of days ago, and the last minute Christmas prep is still lingering. In spirit though, we are already south for the holidays. Watching the girls do laps of the caravan park and chatting with 'Jeff and Sue' from Whatchacallit swapping camp stories. Ahhh, summer!! The girls are one year older. They have reached... Continue reading

My children have discovered pumpkin pie. I have discovered that being 85% health food (not an official stat, just my opinion) it's the perfect dinner! It's like a spinach milkshake decanted into a MacDonald's cup... or something. The following is a recipe for a whinge free dinner. Pastry Recipe found here Filling 1 cup brown sugar 1 tbl cornstarch 1/2 tsp salt 1 tsp ground ginger 1 tsp cinnamon 1/8 tsp ground cloves 1 1/2 cup pureed pumpkin 3 eggs, beaten 1 1/2 cup evaporated milk Pre heat oven to 425 degrees (210) Line pie plate with crust. Chill the... Continue reading

Oh how I love October. The weather is warming up, the birds are full of song... and it's (was) my birthday! I found myself pondering life a bit when I hit my birthday this year. Where I have been, what I want to do, where I'd like to go etc etc. when it dawned on me that I have lived in my home country for as long as I haven't! I was shocked when I came to that conclusion and perhaps a wee bit sad. This time of year has me longing for home the most. A beautiful changing season,... Continue reading

This glorious weather has had us out in the garden a fair bit this week. We had quite a surprise yesterday to find two ducks having a little paddle in the pool. Perhaps it needs a clean. Rowen decided to keep an eye on the ducks and have a dig in the dirt when she discovered our compost is home to some lovely slimy worms. I can hear my grandmother squealing in horror as I type this. Anyhow, she quickly scooped them up, named them and asked if they could sleep in her bed that night. Once the disappointment subsided,... Continue reading

One of my SIL's signature treats is her Skor bars. She first made them for us when she and my brother came to live with us in Australia for a year. Every time there was a function with my husbands family during that time, Skor bars were requested. My niece turns 21 today, and now 8 years since we all first tasted the this recipe, her only request - Skor bars. Andrea is not here to make them :( but has left me with the recipe. So delicious, it tastes like the real deal. Skor bars recipe 1. Pre heat... Continue reading

With Canada Day now 2 days behind us, I still have the spicy cheese injected gorge fest lingering and quite frankly - I want more! We had an impromptu celebration with a few families and a trailer load of Canadian comfort food. I spent the night before preparing a few things I missed from home and found myself blitzing, pulsing and blending everything from jalapeno popper dip and blue cheese dip for wings to pumpkin pie and butter tarts (amazing recipe found here) After a week of cold wet weather we had the perfect sunny winters day for our Canadian... Continue reading

A few snaps from the weekend... Our friend Francesca turned 4 this weekend. Her parents threw her a pirate party. The setting was storybook, the tree house was straight out of a homes and gardens mag and all the pirates were edible in their unplanned matching navy red and white stripes. I had to exercise restraint with my camera. They visited the pirate tattoo parlour, searched for buried (chocolate coin) treasure and walked the plank. Thank you for having us matey. Happy Birthday Frankie. Continue reading

When was the last time you not only splashed in puddles but really got in there and rolled around in the mud as well? Honestly, I can't remember the last time, if ever, this nature lovin' girl has let her kids play with complete abandon in the stuff. That was of course until today! Our wonderful and slightly mad with hind sight friend invited us up the hill to her block for some wild mud fun. Nature Play Solutions came with a trailer of special clay dirt and a pile of buckets. The children with water and no rules piled,... Continue reading

Four months with my mum has quickly come to an end. A nice chunk of time like four months let's you settle in to the groove of daily happenings. We thoroughly enjoyed a laze around together and I was able to steal some time for myself. She was here for many firsts. First books read. First tooth lost. First ride without training wheels. I was so glad she was here for those milestones when she lives so darn far away. Today on this slightly overcast Mother's Day we all are enjoying the cosy little places she has left for us.... Continue reading

Inspired by a tromp through the bush, here is an easy, inexpensive family craft that gets you out there in the elements. Easy enough to whip up in time for Easter this weekend. Head out to your nearest park or bushland. Collect dry grass and reeds and any other small treasures suitable to feather your nest with. Get nesting. To make nest 1) Make a solution from white craft glue and water. This is not an exact science. The consistency needs to be not as thick as glue, not as thin as water. 2) Cut grass down to pieces a... Continue reading

I usually run out of steam by the time Rowen's birthday rolls around, just 6 weeks after Piper's. Piper usually has elaborate ideas for her party and with it being almost a year since the last one, I'm always up for the madness. I think I actually create most of it. With Rowen's this year and most years really, it was all rather simple, subdued and really rather enjoyable. Funny that. This year Rowen just wanted to be a Queen. Pink, sparkly and regal. I made a few party suggestions that she liked and with a handful of friends very... Continue reading

I love trees Continue reading

A little update on our suburban farm The lovely ladies out the back are struggling a bit with this sweltering summer. They are off the lay a little and one hen is a bit broody, just waiting for a non existent chick to hatch. The poor thing is off food and looking rather pathetic. I wasn't really prepared for this aspect of "farm" life. The watermelon patch that threatens to swallow up our back garden is producing melons at an amazing rate. If you sit very still, I swear you can watch them growing. Homemade pesto is a new favorite.... Continue reading

We awoke, a little groggy from late night party prep, to a 42 degree party day. Whoa. Our very excited party girl was dressed (sweating) and ready by about 8am. 10am, the guests arrived, looking fabulous. with sequins and rhinestones to pearls and mohawks. Who wouldn't want to go all out in this heat? The stage was set for our 15 VIP guests to rock out. Song requests had been emailed to us during the week so everyone had a song to sing. As the morning sweltered along, we amped up the music to get everyone in the mood. Did... Continue reading

A forgotten post from last week but an evening I wanted to remember. Savouring the last of the summer holidays, we headed to the river with a few families and a couple of kayaks in search of dinner. We gathered, scraped and scrubbed approximately 2 billion and 3 mussels. Gorging ourselves on creamy wine, thai and chili mussels until the sun went down. Ahhh holidays. Continue reading

Our eldest daughter will be turning 6 in a couple of days. The last twelve months have seen her go from adoring pink to loving black. From wearing dress ups to wanting a bra - seriously. From wanting to be a Snow Princess to wanting to be a Rock Star. I wasn't expecting the 'maturity' level to progress so quickly! Oh dear. I am usually fairly prepared when a birthday approaches but this heat, oh the heat, has made it hard to get my rear in gear. Thankfully my mother arrived from Canada just in time to help with the... Continue reading

My loss of sleep over the well being of our seedlings was unnecessary not to mention slightly crazy. Our veggie patch is actually producing food and we have even managed a watermelon! The kids are loving collecting their dinner from our garden. Our meals are becoming more simplistic and better appreciated by the picky eaters. Hmmm "they" were right! It's amazing what a bit of TLC not to mention reticulation on a timer can do. Favorite salad of the summer Roasted beetroot Rocket Feta Toasted pine nuts or almonds Toss with freshly cracked salt and pepper, olive oil and lime... Continue reading