croquets Portuguese style

Every once in awhile, our meat leftovers get to be enough to make croquets. It's a treat to have this Portuguese tradition when my husband makes them.

We grind the meats, in this case, pork tenderloin and a nice pot roast. And don't forget the chourizo. It adds great flavour. Hand grinding makes it that much closer to the rustic days.

Add some kind of oil/ fat to the mixture. this time it was olive oil, but next time, it will be lard. It was kind of dry. 3 eggs for this amount, salt, pepper and some bread crumbs to hold it together.

Here's the shaping...

And rolling it in more bread crumbs.

then comes the deep frying part. I forgot to take pictures at this point, as there were some ready to be eaten. Distractions. Anyhow, here is the presentation picture of the leftovers. Not much. Many consumed at the table with coleslaw and polenta shaped in bricks and pan fried. The parmasean cheese melted deliciously.


have a good one,
Amanda

wet felted heart soaps and a bit of a how to....

Keep reading, I've added a bit of a tutorial.
Rushing out the door for kid pick up, but wanted to leave you with some eye candy. Actually, wet felted goodness... all the same isn't it?


K, I'm back. I like the rhythm that comes from wet felting. First I needle felt the shape. Then to boil the kettle, take the projects to the sink, getting the tray with window screen on it. I once used bubble wrap, but prefer the non-metal window screen. Pour a bowl of cold water and one of hot water and put them in the sink. I use at least one rubber glove (the kind for washing dishes)so I don't burn my hand with the hot water. ( you only need to learn that lesson once)

With just a dab of soap on my finger tip, I put it on the wool and then drip a bit of hot water from my fingers and pat the soapy part. Rub with my hands for a little and then get it wetter and rub it on the window screen. After the wool starts to take a bit of shape, usually it feels like it's getting bigger, and soapy from the soap, I dunk it in the bowl of cold water to shock it and then back into the hot. A few rounds of that and some rubbing on the screen in between. It really starts to mold to the shape of the soap by now. When I am satisfied, a rinse under the tap finishes it off and a wrap in a towel to absorb some of the water. If you rinse the soap and then squeeze that water out, you get more soapy water. i've learned to just give up trying to wash the soap out and let it be. After all, it is soap. I put it on top of our hot water radiator to dry overnight. I'm always surprised how light the soap is after it's all dry.


This time, I used a glycerin soap by Dial. It is cranberry scented, nice for Valentine's day. I did buy some olive oil soap from Palestine at our church. It is all natural, but I think I'm just going to use it in the shower rather than as a hand soap. It really is lovely.
Oh, yes, I suggest using roving that has not been dyed. The white is natural, I also use grey and put on white embellishment. The pink dye does not run and I'm thinking the light blue will not either. The bold, intense colours that I have do run, so are not suggested for wet felted soap. Unless, you want to see the dye in the water when you wash your hands. Not me.

Thanks for looking,
Amanda

Owl softie

DO NOT ADJUST YOUR SCREENS. BLURRY PHOTOS BELOW!
Geesh, I don't know if my lens is all gungked up or my vision is really off today. Nothing is in focus. But here goes the post.

Here's another go at the owl softie I did here from More Softies Only a Mother Could Love

I tried to use the close zigzag stitch around the belly. Not bad for a first try.

This is my 3rd owl. i made one out of light grey linen with red teeny polka dot fabric as the accent and it was scooped up by a friend.


So this is what I woke up to this morning....

Fava Beans I think? I haven't asked the mad kitchen scientist yet.
These are the olives he started from fresh back in the fall. It made great presents to give to people.

In our pantry, we have jars of home made pesto, marmalade, dill pickles, olives, lupini beans, vanilla and now a batch of fava beans. Yum. I like my kitchen experimenting husband.

Cheers,
Amanda

lunch bag? Wine bag?

Neve got a wonderful owl backpack for Christmas. So I felt she needed a wonderful lunch sack to go with it. As I was blurfing (blog surfing, it is a word isn't it?) i came across a lunch bag that had this same kind of closure on it.

So that's what I wanted to focus on. Unfortunately, I can't find the site anywhere. The person who made the bag from a pattern she found from someone else in oranges made it for her daughter and decided to keep it for herself. Anyone come across it in your travels? I want to give credit and have another look. Maybe order the pattern myself?

Because as you can see, I didn't quite make a good choice on the dimensions. lol

I was having fun making it, so I continued ahead anyway. Even serging the insides.


Yep, not sure what it's function will be. but it sure looks purdy!

thanks for looking,
Amanda

bit of a feast

Well, with New Year's we wanted to shake things up a bit. Not overindulging for Christmas makes it permissible to do it for the New Year.
yesterday, we had raclette. yum. DH prepared and cooked the food first so we could just warm it up and get the cheese melted.

In Sweden, it is common to make a dish of all the things and then shave the raclette cheese on top of that. here, we make little pans of it and put under the element.

roasted, toasted, cheesy goodness.


Because we ate a bit last night, we didn't get to have the fruit I intended as dessert. So today, we had chocolate Fondue. The quickest way to get fruit into the kids!

Like, it was half gone by the time I got my camera.

This guy had no part in it! No, he didn't like it at all. :}

And while we were overdosing on chocolate, DH had a loaf of bread in the oven. So after it cooled off enough to cut, we had a feast of lassy bread! This is a common way to eat homemade bread in Newfoundland, where I grew up. I remember visiting my grandmother in late summer and sneaking the warm bread with molasses on it so my mother wouldn't see. My grandmother would be in on it. That made it more special.
There is great debate on whether you should put the butter on first or the molasses. This piece has the lassy on first so it can soak into the bread and the butter on top so the lassy doesn't slide off. it's a science I tell ya.


Hmm, now I'm hungry again.

thanks for looking,
Amanda

Happy New Year!

From a house full of nutters!


Staying home and having a feast of Raclette tonight with some friends. yum

wishing you and yours everything you desire for 2011!
Thank you for joining my crafty world and see you soon.

Amanda

Pin Head

So, my crafty friend of this origami star bulb and Eye Spy bulb fame has been busy with another kind of goodness..

Doncha just wanna eat it?


And then you need to put them in something, like a cupcake pin cushion of course!



And this is only the tip of the assortment that she has made. like toadstools, hedgies, teapots (to die for), snowmen, Christmas trees and more. If she would come over to visit with them, I could take a picture. :}


And what will I do with them? Well, I have a crafty niece who lives far from here. Who didn't get all of her Christmas present sent to her because her auntie is rather lax in that department. But she's an understanding niece. And she knows that the longer said auntie takes to mail the box, the larger and more full the box becomes. Yes, B, this one is for you! When I get around to it. Sooner rather than later I hope! hugs

Thanks for looking,
Amanda

book purchase

Well howdy!
Welcome back after the big few days. I'm finally staying close to home and beginning to relax.
But not before dashing out to Chapters to buy a few books with well intended Christmas money!

Here's what I bought after sitting on the floor of the book store for about an hour...
Sewing for Children
by Emma Hardy
Great little projects for boys and girls with a varied menu from softies, books, bags, dressing up time and fashion fun. They show kids sewing the projects themselves, but I'm looking forward to playing with the patterns myself. There is a template section in the back. Some items are to size and some need to be enlarged. this used to bother me, but I know how to work the scanner and print the appropriate size now. whew/.

Another purchase I've been eyeing for some time now
Craft Hope
I'm going to sit with this one in a quiet place with some hot beverage. So much to see, read and blogs to look up. yep, a treasure to be had for sure.

And the last book
Weave
Why buy a weaving book? Well, I did buy a like thistable loom a few months ago from Craigslist. It was $25 and when I looked it up, it costs $250 today! Even though I don't intend to start this venture soon, I had to have it for when my mind is ready. And for only $25 i couldn't resist. The book is very thorough. just the language and terminology is astounding. I can see myself doing this, but not right now. When i am ready, I'll have it. And I can buy the threads from Gemini Fibers. hooray.

So there you have it. My craft book purchase for the end of this year. Oh, I also got this great cookbook
Michael Smith, Chef at home he's a chef in Prince Edward Island, Canada and I love his show and easy approach to cooking. A little easy on the eyes too. :}

Sorry for all the links instead of photos. I'm not into taking photos in the dark or bad lighting in my house. It could be a long winter.

Have a good one,
Amanda

Merry Christmas!

Hoping you all had some family time, quiet time, eating time and what ever kind of time you needed today.
This guy made a visit to us and all are happy.

And I still get to sing some more for the baby Jesus tomorrow!

Have a good one!
Amanda

she found another!

Look what my amazing friend found to put in ....

Isn't it delightful! and Magical!

I'm off to sing 50 million hours today. Once for persons dining in a very top notch club, once for last minutes shoppers in the mall and once for the coming of Baby Jesus. Fairly rounded day/night don't you think?

Have a good one!
Amanda

a quick last minute, nice looking ornament

Compliments of Elsie Marley! Go take a look.
Here's my 1st version of it.

The rest i did had the dangly bit on the bottom. i preferred it that way, just hung better. Then I glued the tail pieces to make the loops. I gave them all away. Even the one in the picture above. Have to make some more I guess. I hang all my handmade ornaments on the tree. Then when I wrap a gift or have to make up a last minute gift, I go "shopping" on my tree. So easy to see and they are all in one place.

And here is what I added to my bluebird. An eye and another dangly. I love those danglies. I ran out and then tried to remember where I bought them last year. I was set to hit the dollar stores and ended up spying them from the checkout while at Fabricland! Score! I grabbed a pack and then found out they were on sale. 40% off. bigger score! I'm sure I would have been very frustrated on my quest otherwise.


Well, feeling much better here. The last day to relax before singing takes over the next 4 days. We may even get a skate in today. Come on Dec. 27th! :}

thanks for stopping by,
Amanda

eye spy christmas ornament!

Remember those clear balls that just beg to have something inside ? But the hole on top is tiny?
My friend found something! She made and eye spy ornament. Isn't it brilliant?

And hard to photograph! :}

I love it.

And for some more inspiration, go to Montessori Beginnings and her take on needle felted friends inside.

It's finally my turn to be under the weather. So what to do with the kids who are finally on the other side of it and have some energy back? A nice load of playdoh scented and coloured with jello.
yep, they are having a blast while I'm lying down. good move mama.
here is our recipe..

Playdoh

2.5 cups of flour
.5 cup salt
2 tsp cream of tartar
3 tblsp oil
2 cups boiling water
1 pkg of jello (your choice of flavour)

Mix flour, salt and cream of tartar.
Mix water, oil and jello and add to dry. ( i don't add all of the liquid. And I usually have to add more flour. SO, I should adjust the liquid amount, but that's to much for my brain. i just measure what it says and not add it all. Math wasn't my strong point in school)
Knead to desired consistency and store in a ziplock or plastic container.

Enjoy.

Off to have a snooze,
Amanda