Today I am grateful for...

There are a few things I am grateful for this week and the first is definitely YOU, I am grateful that you took the time to visit and leave a sweet word over my fuzziness. 

I really appreciate your advice and stories and I have been feeling better the last couple of days.

  

You made my heart feel as full as a yummy cookie jar

I am grateful for wonderful friends that calmly give haircuts in their backyard when a certain little boy refused to have a haircut and cried and cried until we mentioned donuts and Homer Simpson...

I am grateful that donuts are a rare treat and can be used as a way to make a certain little boy smile after his haircut

I am grateful that Amelie loves her kinder and is such a smiley happy girl when she is there

I am definitely grateful for cuddles

 

I am grateful for patient friends for opening up their hearts,  listening and hanging out with me and allowing me to forget about the stress and have a few giggles along the way.

One thing that I am not grateful for is that my camera is in camera hospital for the next week or so.  

I feel a bit lost*, unable to express myself...

Happy grateful weekend to YOU my sweet friends, pop round here for more gratefulness

♥

* all pics courtesy of my hardrive
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Fuzziness

I wake up with a headache most days and even though I wish I could go for a run in the park sometimes I just walk around in a haze of fuzziness.

I live day by day not knowing if today will be a clear headed day or not. Sometimes I wish I knew what it would be like to have a clear head.

I definitely know there are worse things out there, I have lived it and I know I am not the only one suffering but it makes it hard to function.

For those that don't know, they just don't understand why I seem so vague at times, I call it being hung over, that's what it feels like.

I have kids and sometimes they don't understand why I need some quiet time.

Sorry I haven't been around much, haven't blogged about things I should have. Thank you for understanding.

For now I need a teeny bit of a break and just as a show of empathy, my third baby (ms canon) has decided not to turn on, she needs a service. 
It's painful not to have her handy, but I know she needs a break as well.

thank you sweetness

I am still reading your news through google reader and will pop by when I can...♥

Wishing you a great end of October lovely friends ♥

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Friday

I haven't been around much, but I will make it up to you.

I'll be here tomorrow.

Happy day ♥
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Pink Cupcakes

I received this wonderful pink ribbon bracelet in the mail the other day all the way from a sweet, sweet friend in The Netherlands.

October is pink ribbon month so it got me thinking about what I could do, so I am dedicating these pink cupcakes for the cause. 

I plan to sell some at the Made n Thornbury market this Saturday and donate the profits to the NBCF. 

I'd like to share the recipe with you and hope that it gets you thinking as well about what you can do to help.  As they say, every little bit counts.

gorgeous cupcake wrappers from Cupcake Wrapper Co.

Pink Cupcakes

makes about 16

Ingredients 

• 150g strawberries
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 115g butter, room temperature 
• 225g caster sugar
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 150g self raising flour, sifted
• 125g plain flour, sifted 
• 125ml milk, room temperature

Method 

• Preheat oven to 180 C/160 C fan, line cupcake trays with papers 
• Cut strawberries in quarters and place in a small saucepan over a low heat for a couple of minutes until liquid starts being released. add the sugar and allow to cook for a few minutes until strawberries are soft
• Using a stick blender, process until smooth and allow to cook on low heat for about a minute, take off heat and allow to cool 
• Beat butter and sugar until mixture is pale and fluffy, add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition 
• Sift flours together in a separate bowl, add vanilla to milk 
• Add flour to the butter mixture in three batches alternating with the milk and ending with the flour until all added and mixed well 
• Reserve 1 cup of the cupcake mixture and add to half the strawberry puree 
• Spoon white cupcake mixture into cupcake papers 
• Divide strawberry mixture between cupcakes and using a skewer, swirl the mixture to create a marbled effect

• Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until lightly golden 
• Test by inserting a skewer, it should come out clean 
• Remove from oven and allow to stand for 10 minutes, then remove and place on a wire rack to cool 

Strawberry Butter cream Icing

Ingredients

• Strawberry puree
• 125g butter, room temperature
• 30ml milk, room temperature
• 500g icing sugar

Method

• Beat butter  for about a minute , add strawberry puree, milk and 1 cup of icing sugar and continue beating for a few minutes until smooth
• Continue adding remainder of the sugar and beat for a few minutes until light and fluffy

Thanks again lovely thoughtful Saskia for the sweet gift.

HUGS to you all and if you are free on Saturday hope you can pop by and say hello ♥

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Happy Friday

 

Thank you so very much for leaving such sweet words on my self portrait, I really, really appreciate your comments always and love that you liked the cake in progress as well.  

Sorry I didn't manage to reply personally to you but you all had me smiling with your sweetness.

 

I thought I'd share the finished cake with you, it was made for an order for a spaceship crazy 3 year old boy and inspired by this awesome illustration.  

I have been told the cake was delicious but you know that's all good to hear from the parents but what I absolutely loved was the look on this sweet little boys face when he saw it...priceless!

Hope you are enjoying your Friday, we have been enjoying the rain outside and hoping it will stop for the weekend festivities.

 

Hugs and thanks again for making me smile and hello to new friends that are joining along ♥
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Just me

It's just me, taken a few days ago but a self portrait opportunity appeared today and I wanted to share me.

Nothing glamorous, no make up, just me and my cake and what appears to be a deep look of concentration.

Want to peek at some actual lovely faces, pop by here and I hope that you will share you as well.

Have a great day ♥
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Hmmm

Okay!! no more photos!

 
what do they say about never working with kids or animals...

Hope you enjoyed your day today ♥

Happy 10.10.10
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Happy Saturday

Hope you have a wonderful day with your friends, family or just ignoring everyone and enjoying some you time.

I'm off to visit a market and may be back later to add my grateful list.

Happy day ♥
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Are you ok?

It's been a little hectic here, I haven't been around much, feels like I am swimming in a sea of swirls and although it looks pretty and sparkly it doesn't feel like it.  

In reality it's feeling more like this

and it's on days like today that we all need someone to just ask, "are you ok?"

I am ok, just a little down, headachey, over tired and not enough sleep but without love and support around I might not be.

Please show some loving, to a friend a family member or even if it's just a hello to a stranger on your way into the shops.

 

You never know how much just that little bit can do to lift someones day.

Are you OK?

Hugs ♥

* cupcakes were for loveliness over here

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Monday at our place

It's Monday, back to kinder this afternoon but we have had a busy morning.

soap making

chalk drawing

dirt shifting

clothes folding (technically not started yet)

Hope you are having a great Monday, I'm going to pop round and see what everyone else is up to.

♥
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Today I am grateful for...

newborns

new cousins

baking cupcakes

baking mud cakes (with fresh coriander of course)

creating sweet fondant smiles

Thank you for the sweet wishes, my sister thanks you and is enjoying her new baby boy and can now say she is surrounded by boys, three gorgeous little boys.

If you are in Australia you will definitely be enjoying this wonderful spring day and if not I hope you are keeping warm lovely friends. (edited to add that it may be raining elsewhere)

I'm off to bake some banana bread for my sister who will be going home from the hospital soon. 

Happy grateful weekend to you and hope you can share your grateful list too ♥

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