Evacuation

Why does this always happen to me?

I've got my items and then the siren goes off and I have to put them down and evacuate as the shopping centre is having a fire drill.

Gingerbread cookies

Just found a good recipe for some Gingerbread cookies - thank God - as I want to make some for presents this year.  I have some festive cookie cutters, and will decorate them with Christmas cheer.

Fingers crossed that they turn out, and if this works... who knows, perhaps there's a gingerbread house in my future?

Great Recommendations for you

Hi there!

I've been getting back into my books lately, checking out the new library - don't ask, I'll just cry - and wishing for a second hand bookshop within an hours drive.  Thankfully, I still have Amazon and Book Depository.  I just don't know what I would have done if I had absolutely NO access to new reading materials. 


{... no books and no reading make me go something something...}

Anyhow, I've picked up two really good books in the past 3 weeks.  One I managed to fluke at the library, shock horror I know, and the other was an impulse purchase at Big W.

I want to say that I had seen this book ages ago when it was released in trade size, but I'm sick of them hogging space on the bookshelf, so I put it back and promptly forgot about it till 3 weeks ago.  I'm talking about Deborah Harkness' wonderful 'A Discovery of Witches'.

This book is a long read, but I got tangled up in it and couldn't put it down (there went the afternoon, oh well).  The story revolves around Diana Bishop, scholar, who turned her back on her witchy heritage as a child after her parents rather gruesome deaths.  While researching at Oxford's Bodleian Library she came across a long lost book that is desired by all the supernaturals... vampires, witches and even the daemons want to get their paws on it.  Realising that it is a magical book, she is drawn to it, but pushing that part of herself back, she returns it to the stacks.  Fortunately for Diana, the first supernatural to turn up Matthew Clairmont, vampire and professor.  He wants the book, but is drawn to the witch, and their illicit desire is the least of their troubles.

Set in the modern world, with flashbacks to times past, A Discovery of Witches is a fabulous read.  The first in a series, I would recommend it for anyone who enjoyed Gladiatrix, or Kylie Chan.

New Xmas Project

I have found a picture in an old Country Living magazine (October 2010 British edition) of a simple Christmas cushion.

I have the basic materials and all I have to do now is to download a template of the word I want to use.  Fingers crossed that I can knock out both cushions over the weekend. 

I want one to say NOEL and the other Je'taime in a lovely handwritten font.

Well, that's different?

Just finished shopping and thought that I'd share with you a picture of my morning tea.  I ordered a sausage roll, and that came out as expected, but the thickshake was brought out in a large ceramic ice cream cone! Definitely different, but darned good.

How to make a quilt?

I've been wanting to make a patchwork quilt for ages, but never had the room to spread out, let alone be able to leave my materials out.  Now I'm flying solo I have taken the first step towards making my first quilt.

Seeing how it's nearing Christmas, and I found the picture panels in a remnant box, I thought a simple design of squares surrounding the picture panels would be an appropriate place to begin.

Fingers crossed it'll be ready for Christmas!

Cheap decorations idea

Hi there,

I just thought that I'd share a pic of an easy decoration idea that won't hurt the budget.

Our local Aldi shop had some wall decals for $2.99 each.  I found the ones I liked and when I got home I decided the kitchen needed a lift.  They didn't take long to put up (they have instructions on the back) and they really brighten up the blank wall.

A great cheap and cheerful idea!

Why do authors do this?

Just a quite question.  I'm rereading Dark Slayer by Christine Feehan and find they way she uses the Carpathian language, followed by the translation in English, very, very annoying.  

Do authors think we're idiots and that they need to dumb it down for us?  As a long time Feehan reader, I find her recent use of this style off putting.

Seriously is it just me, or does it bug you too?

Christmas Overhall

Hi all!

I just thought that I'd give the blog a Christmas overhall.  I've been feeling very festive for the last week or so, and I thought to myself "... I really must change the look of my blog...", so - ta da!

Oh, I also enabled the mobile template for the blog.  I couldn't get the custom setting to go right.  The stupid background wouldn't scroll and I had a really icky colour pink as a background - and that's not even part of the template colour scheme!  So I chose a basic template and will work it out later.  Has anyone else had mobile template problems too?

Bookshelf space issues

It's been a little while since I've posted anything about the books I've read.  Well, in recent weeks I've read a few more reference books (19th Century clothing) and they were extremely helpful.  Darn sight cheaper from the UK than in Australia though!  Ignore that snipe - outrageous book prices in Australia is a pet peeve of mine. 

As for my usual genres?  I bought a few of the Lora Leigh "Elite Ops" series.  They are great, and I'm ever so grateful that there are only 6 of them.  I already have enough trouble trying to find spots for all the Dark-Hunter, Anita Blake, Stephanie Plum, Breeds, Dark (Feehan) and other series on my shelves.  Seriously, there are some series that I think I'll be following when I'm 60!

The latest books to go on my wishlist are:

Lawe's Justice - Lora Leigh
Smokin' Seventeen - Evanovich
Wicked Appetite - Evanovich
No Mercy - Kenyon
Retribution - Kenyon
One Silent Night - Kenyon
The Guardian - Kenyon
Cast in Ruin - Michelle Sargara


I've already made a list for late Dec/Jan to take advantage of pre-sale prices. 
They include:

Death Magic - Eileen Wilks
Fair Game - Patricia Briggs
Spirit Bound - Christine Feehan
Angel's Flight - Nalini Singh

plus later in the year I simply MUST order the new Kate Daniels book.

It seems that everytime I make out a list of books, and get them, the author's decide to torture us all by announcing the next book in the series - that doesn't come out till next year!  It's a never ending cycle I tell you.

Hopefully this year Santa will be feeling generous, but I think I should really ask him for a huge new bookshelf before I buy anymore books.  Santa? ... are you listening? 

As it is, I've already filled up all the bookshelves I brought with me in the move - as well as the large one my mother and Aunt bought me as a 'house warming' gift.  I tell you, its insane.  I still have over 5 big boxes of books at my mum's house that still have to make the trip over here... and that doesn't even include the boxed up books from my childhood.  If I don't have over 5000 books, then I just can't count properly! 

I did do a little searching online for some interesting bookshelves and found some fabulous (and weird) ones.  Hmmm, maybe something like this perhaps :)

I could really enjoy filling all these shelves.  They just might hold all my books!


Update: my Salt Dough ornaments are nearly ready for painting. They have completely dried, and I've given them an undercoat to prepare them for the paints. Pics will be posted after the messy job I promise.

Salt Dough Ornaments, Part 1

Okay, this was quite a project. The recipe was simple enough:

1cup salt
2 cups plain flour
1 cup water
3 tsp lemon juice

Once mixed, the dough is rough, but kneading for a while makes it more pliable.  It rolls out well, and cookie cutters work really well on this dough.

Keep some excess flour on hand to dip cookie cutters into, and to dust rolling pin, bench, etc.

I put them on some baking paper, and will put them in a warm sunny spot to air dry for 2 days (if you want to speed it up, place in oven for a couple of hours @ 120°c).

Remember, before drying (or baking), to put holes in the tops for your ribbon to thread through if you want to hang them on the tree when finished.

Once dry I'll paint them up in Christmas designs.

Oh P.S, leftover dough can be wrapped in cling wrap and put in fridge.

Looky what I made!

I just finished my first ever patchwork item. It's only a little pincushion, but I'm darn proud of it!

I think I'll get some nicer material (this was made with scrap stuff), and perhaps make one for mum? She loves handmade gifts.

Only in the country...

Just heard a news update and had to share. 

Apparently, 3 guys are in hospital with burns to their butts.  Intrigued, I put down my book to listen.  The idiots had been drinking around a campfire, and drunk, had branded each other on the bum with a poker! ... Ouch!

It's THAT time of year again...

Yes, it's heading towards Christmas time my dears.  The time of year where you spend too much money on stuff you really don't need - and lets face it, a lot of its a little tacky these days - to make your house look pretty!  This is my first year away from home and friends and family, so I have to buy a tree - oh, God!

Since making the big move I'm a little strapped for cash this yuletide season.  So I put my thinking cap on and decided to d.i.y this year.  That's right ladies and gentlemen, I'm going to toss my tiara into the ring and make things!

I've found a great recipe for salt dough, which will become tree ornaments and possibly some room ornaments, which will be painted in festive colours (watch this space...).  I've delved into my craft and home decoration magazine piles to find some simple, yet inexpensive and quite fabulous looking projects that I hope to complete before my visitors arrive to spend the Christmas with me.

Looking into my remnants bag, I've got some festive coloured material, so it's bunting for me, baby.  I'm thinking of making some NOEL cushions (just red and white fabric), perhaps a Joyeux as well.  Some paper cut/lace decorations.  I found a great one for a fancy reindeer... a gift tag perhaps?

As I make these fabulous wonders, I'll blog about them - even if they sucked and were a complete failure.  Perhaps someone else can learn from my mistakes :-P

Wish me luck, and fingers crossed that it turns out okay....

RIP DVD

Well, after 12 years, my cheap DVD player has finally gone to silicon heaven.  I put in the first disc of season 3 Big Bang Theory, and as I picked up the remote to press play there was a loud *POP * and the horrible smell of frying electronics.

I then had to pull it apart to get the disc out. There was a black mark where it had fried itself too.  God, I do hate the smell of fried wires.

Good thing Big W is having a special on TVs and other AV goods.  Now I can get a blu-ray player - yeah!