Saturday 24 December 2011

THIS MAGICAL EVE.....


Wishing you all a very
Happy Christmas!

Thank you for your visits
and for your sweet comments.

I've made some wonderful
friendships during the year
and I've enjoyed visiting
your amazing blogs.

Christmas Blessings
hugs

Shane

(images of my Nativity set
taken this evening)

Friday 16 December 2011

Advent, preparation, expectation


I love tradition
and the Advent Wreath
has always been symbolic of
our Christmas preparations.


When our children were small
we made a big event
of choosing the
greenery, pine cones
and candles to make our wreath.


Our advent wreath sat
in the middle of our dining table
and each evening
we lit the appropriate
number of candles,

 We re-told the story of the
first Christmas.

Our children were aware
that Christmas
was not only about Santa Clause.



The first week in December
we bought our Christmas tree.


Then we all decorated
the tree together -
it was such a precious time!

I hope you're all enjoying
the lead up to Christmas day.

Please give a thought

for families with young children
and especially those who are
struggling to meet
their children's expectations
of what Santa
will bring them this year.

Thank you my dear friends for visiting my blog.
I will enjoy catching up with you all
and visiting your blogs very soon.
Be kind to one another

Shane x

Tuesday 13 December 2011

LOVE THESE BAGS


Hello dear friends!

I've been such a
 neglectful blogger....
please forgive me!


All of a sudden
Christmas is almost here again
and I had promised
myself last year
that things would be different
for Christmas 2011!!!


I even had a reminder in
my diary...
October - make the Christmas cakes!

One for my daughter and family
in France,
and of course one for us
in New Zealand!


I was going to be so
prepared...

* make Christmas stockings for
my grand daughters
(not finished)

* also make pretty Christmas dolls
for the girls
(not even started, but I do
have the pattern - doesn't really count!)

* make cards for my dear blogging friends
who have been so kind to me,
sending me beautiful gifts,
doing blog posts,
leaving sweet messages here,
when I broke my hand....

(this is a small piece from some exquisite
french lace given to me by Barbara -
do pop in and say hello)

With all my good intentions
I've failed miserably....

 and I don't know why,
but I can't seem to get going
(no excuse I know)


..... until this week..

when all of a sudden,
I've been all of a flurry,
making and creating little cards,
baking Christmas goodies,
decorating the house
and
finally getting that
wonderful
Christmas spirit!



I'm hoping some of you
might feel just like me....

but I'm guessing you've all
been very disciplined
and are completely
organised,
and can now
sit back
and enjoy some Christmas cheer!!!!



The photos are of a
bag and goodies
I made for my lovely
blogging friend Carole.

We finally met earlier
in the year, when she
came to Auckland for
the Vintage Textile Fair!

Thank you my dear friends for visiting my blog.
I will enjoy catching up with you all
and visiting your blogs very soon.
Be kind to one another
Shane


Wednesday 23 November 2011

YUMMY RASPBERRY FRIANDS


Every now and then I
have a game of
Mahjong
with friends.

Part of the fun is in
playing ladies
and indulging ourselves
in a delicious
afternoon tea!!!


Last time we played,
I made a plate of
Raspberry & Coconut Friands
(recipe as follows)

Image from here
Ingredients
125g unsalted butter
½ cup self-raising flour
1 ⅔ cups icing sugar
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ cup ground almonds (almond meal)
¾ cup fine dessicated coconut
5 large egg whites
oil for greasing Friand tins
12 raspberries (I used frozen)
icing sugar to serve

Method
Preheat oven to 175˚C (330˚F)
Melt the butter and leave to cool

until just warm.
Sift together the flour,
icing sugar and baking powder
then stir in the ground almonds
and coconut.
Whisk the egg whites until
fluffy - but not stiff.
Fold into the dry ingredients,
then fold in the melted butter
and set the mixture aside
for 10 minutes.
Spray or brush friand moulds with oil.
Pour the mixture in,
add a raspberry to the centre
of each (don't push down as they sink)
Bake 20 minutes.

Cool on a rack
before tipping out of the moulds.

Dust with icing sugar
from a height to give
a fine dusting.

Bon Appétit

Thank you my dear friends for visiting my blog.
I will enjoy catching up with you all
and visiting your blogs very soon.
Be kind to one another
Shane

Sunday 20 November 2011

Je revien!!!


Bonjour dear friends!!
if any of you are still out there -
however, I won't be at all
surprised
if you've given up on me!


I would love you to stay
for a cup of tea
and a nice chat,
we've got lots to catch up on!


Do you have milk in your tea?
It's just been sooo long
I can't remember!

Let's get started!
Now tell me all your news
and don't miss out
a single detail please...
You've been on my mind
and I've thought about
you such a lot in
the last two months.


I've had the plaster removed -
what a relief that was!
And now I can drive again,
I'm no longer trapped
waiting for one of my dear friends
to call and take me out!

I'm now as free as a bird
it is just the most
wonderful feeling in the world!


This sweet miniature tea set
was my mothers
and she passed it on to me.

She loved beautiful china
and had some lovely
tea and coffee sets
which I'll show you another day.


Next time I'll share
a recipe for one of
my favourite cakes!


Thank you my dear friends for visiting my blog.
I will enjoy catching up with you all
and visiting your blogs  very soon.
Be kind to one another
Shane






Tuesday 25 October 2011

ALL BLACK CHAMPIONS!!!


Over the last 8 weeks
New Zealand has hosted the
2011 Rugby World Cup
tournament.

On Sunday our team
the All Blacks
beat France
in a nail biting final
to become
WORLD CHAMPIONS!!!!


This is the illustrious trophy
the Webb Ellis Gold Cup.
It will stay in New Zealand
until the next event in
four years time in
LONDON 2015!!


Huge celebrations and
our time to party!!


Auckland celebrated
with a wonderful
ticker tape parade

When the All Blacks
play an international game
it is preceded with
their tradition
HAKA!!!
(a Maori war dance intended to
frighten the opposition!)



The supporters all entered into
the spirit of the occasion.
Many New Zealand faces were
painted black and white!!


The French supporters
were out in force too!!

It has been a wonderful
8 weeks, with so many
visitors here from all over
the world.
New Zealand enjoyed hosting
everyone who made the
long journey to our
little corner of the world!!

Thank you my dear friends for visiting my blog.
The plaster has now gone - Yea!!!
I will enjoy catching up with you all again very soon.
Be kind to one another
Shane

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