30 March 2012

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savour and remember.

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

. . . . . . . .


23 March 2012

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savour and remember.

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

16 March 2012

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savour and remember.

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

15 March 2012

I must do this more often.

Blog about clothes makeovers that is.  I've done quite a bit of it lately and don't have any photos to show for it.  Naughty me.  So here's a fresh start -
A nice little op shop (thrift) find.  An older girls' hipster skirt in little girls' colours.  I knew I'd regret it if I didn't fork out the $2, and felt confident I could convert it into a dress for my girl (I had already taken out the side zip when I took this photo).
I thought I could do enough shirring on the yoke to bring it down to size enough but I think there was too much bulk, and I didn't want to start cutting bits out of it to make the shirring work.  It needed to be simple.  Luckily the skirt was lined, which meant I could sew a few parallel lines of stitching and thread hat elastic through.  Easy peasy, and has also given it a lovely fulness.  Sorry it's not the best photo, we've had a dull rainy day here today and this was the only photo where she kept still.  Although I do like this photo as well -
She's a very busy girl you know......

Oh and that footstool she's leaning against.  That's on the makeover list too.

09 March 2012

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savour and remember.

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

07 March 2012

Post 203

Instead of a giveaway, which I really don't have time for, I thought I'd give you a recipe instead.  I've been making bread for years but have never had a great deal of success.  I knew it was in the second rising and despite trying different techniques of kneading, rising, baking times and temperatures it just wouldn't work.

And then Margaret Fulton came to my rescue.

I guess Margaret Fulton is the original celebrity Australian chef, and her cookbooks are much coveted.  So when I found a small volume in amongst Ant's recipe books I was pleasantly surprised, especially when I came across her recipe for a single rise brown bread.  And it works.  Beautifully.  Every time.

I've adjusted ingredients, measurements and method enough to feel that I can safely publish it here.  The original recipe was also for two loaves and I've changed it to one.

One-Rise Brown Bread

2 tbs             fresh yeast
1 tbs              castor sugar
2 ¼                cups warm water
375g             wholewheat flour
375g             white bread flour
2 tsp             salt
2 tbs             vegetable oil
1 tbs             honey
 
Place yeast, sugar and warm water in a small bowl, and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the remaining ingredients and make a well in the centre.  Add the yeast mixture once it has activated and gently stir to combine.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and need for 10 minutes, until it is smooth and springy.  Place inside your greased loaf tin.  Cover with a piece of oiled plastic wrap and leave to rise in a warm place for about an hour until it’s doubled in size.  Brush the top with a little water and sprinkle on poppy seeds (or sesame seeds, or whatever takes your fancy).

Bake in a preheated hot oven, 230˚c (450˚F) for 10 minutes, then lower the heat to 200˚c (400˚F), and bake for a further 30 minutes or until the loaf sounds hollow when tapped.  Turn onto a wire rack to cool.

02 March 2012

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savour and remember.

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.