NIKKI-SHELL

Back in the kitchen

In the last months of my pregnancy Kev did the majority of the cooking since i had no energy or interest in doing it myself.  I've started to spend more time in the kitchen this past week, not just to wash the endless amount of dishes or to clean out the disgusting oven (oh yes i did!) and cupboards but to cook and bake too.
Last Thursday night i watched Jamie Oliver's program on tv and drooled over his onion soup.  Luckily i had everything needed to make it myself (except sage) so yesterday afternoon i made up a big pot.  I also made some bagels for the very first time.  I made the dough and shaped them yesterday then boiled and baked them this morning.  It's a long process but so worth it, they turned out a little flat but they taste delicious and chewy.  I'm thinking a little extra yeast in the next batch may plump them up a little.

I've also made cupcakes with pink icing, scones (topped with jam and cream), pancakes, burgers, pizza and Eve's pudding.  Now, what should i make next? 

You can find the onion soup recipe here and the bagel recipe here.

Oh and did i tell you i have a 'thing' for Gordon Ramsay at the moment?  We love watching Kitchen Nightmare's on tv and have recently finished watching the first series of 'The F Word' and loved it!  Now we're hanging out to watch the second series but it's not available on dvd here yet :(  I also want to read his biography, anyone have it and want to do a swap?

Time

Heidi is now 5 weeks old and she has grown so much, time is flying by.  Now rather than time dragging by like towards the end of my pregnancy my weeks seem to go by in a flash, usually with me accomplishing only half the things i've wanted to.  I promised myself that i would take some time out once Heidi had arrived and for the past 5 weeks i've been trying to get back into a routine and seeing what works for me and for us as a family.  Kev has started back at work with odd hours and I have come to the realisation that i have too much on the go and for now i need to cut back a little.  So, I've decided to take a break from BurdaStyle, mainly because it's so time consuming.  I love working on BurdaStyle and have done so for over a year now!  But, it takes up a lot of my time, i spend hours sewing and then 2 evenings a week writing and editing my posts which leaves little time for anything else.  I like to think that i will go back to working on BurdaStyle but i don't know when, i'll know when the time is right.  I will still be participating over there by posting my creations and taking part in the forum and sewalongs, i just won't be sewing to a deadline and writing on the blog. 

My problem is I have a list that goes to the moon and back with things on it that i want or need to do for myself and my family but not enough time to do them all, things such as:

• Make girls clothes
• Make Kev pj's
• Make myself clothes from some of the patterns i have piling up
• Finish quilts
• Knit socks, hats, slippers, etc
• Make things at my own pace to sell in my online shop (yet to have anything in it)
• bake/cook more (i made pizza, garlic bread and an Eve's pudding last night)
• Craft/play with my girls more
• Get fit
• Continue making Mixtape Zine
• Keep my house relatively clean and tidy
• RELAX/CHILL OUT!!

and there are many more things on the list.  Basically i'm getting back to basics and making time for the small things and doing them at my own pace.  Now i just need to get back into the swing of things and have a regular routine to work around.  It's getting there!

PS. I'm aching after my Burlesque Beat class, maybe that hard butt isn't such a dream after all!

Getting down and dirty

Saturday morning's at 9:30 i go to the gym but not to lift weights or run on the treadmill, oh no, i go to the burlesque beat class and dance dirty like Christina Aguilera!!  Well, i like to think i do, in reality i look more like a robot jerking all over the place trying my best to be all sexy and coordinated.  Ha ha!  The instructor assured us that if we attend regularly we too will have a butt as hard as his, will be wearing hot pants and fishnets and able to do the routines wearing 6 inch heels.  Somehow i don't think so but i am dreaming of having the butt along with a stomach to match, must loose that mummy tummy.
The gym is very new, it only opened 3 weeks ago and they're slowly adding classes to the timetable.  I've requested more burlesque beat early in the morning, yoga, pilates and i'm thinking of adding pole dancing to my requests, what do you think?

I wonder how many people Google the title and end up here?  I can't imagine anyone searching 'Getting down and dirty' are expecting to end up at a craft blog! 

Made with love

My wonderful friend Justine stitched this beautiful quilt for Heidi Boo. 

She spends heaps of time on it and there's lots of leg and arm action involved, plus a little dribble now and then!

Instructions?

UPDATE:  Thanks everyone for your suggestions.  I now have the instruction manual, Catherine found it along with other machine knitting books lurking under her stash :)  Speaking of Catherine, she has opened an Etsy store selling her hand dyed yarns, go check it out!!

Does anyone have an Empisal knitting machine like this one?




Do you have the instruction book and if you do would you be willing to share a copy of them with me?  Or any tips as to how to work the bloody thing? 
Thanks :)

In the news!!

Yesterday the Herald Sun did a little article on me!  Welcome to those of you visiting my blog for the first time.  You can find Wardrobe Refashion here.

I was interviewed and photographed for this last year.  Thanks to Kylie :)

Make a tailor's ham

Pressing seams is very important when sewing if you want your garment to look great.  Make yourself a tailor's pressing ham using my how-to on BurdaStyle to make the job a little easier.

Oh and check out these fantastic buttons i scored at my local op shop! 

The best part?  The lady gave them to me!  Oh happy happy me :)

Slowly but surely

I spent some time at Amitie the other day choosing fabrics for my black and white quilt.  The 72 blocks have been complete for some time, now it's time for the sashing.  I decided on the green you see in the picture below.

I will eventually back the quilt with the black and white fan fabric and hand quilt with the grey perle thread.  This quilt is already a year old and nowhere near finished.  Slowly but surely.  It will be worth it.

Blogmeet 2008!

ALL FULL!!  Thanks :)

Well, well, well.  It's been a long time between meets but Justine and I are back on board and have gone into overdrive mode.  This blogmeet will have 10 bloggers (including Justine and I ).
The theme is "Using What You Have".  That means no buying AT ALL you must only use what you have in your stash for the blogmeet gift.

Each blogger will make one gift and then we pop them all into a big basket and play lucky dip! The item to be made is a bag of some sort which you can fill with what ever takes your fancy, but keeping in with "using what you have". 

The first 8 peeps to email us at mixtapezine@gmail.com are in, in the subject line put BLOGMEET 2008 .  We will confirm your place via email.

Date: Sat May 31 4pm-6.30pm

There you are!!

Finally i have found my blog, it seems i forgot where it was this past week!  I had lots of good intentions to post but you know how it is, other stuff gets in the way like a cute little baby to look after and cuddle, two other small children to chase after while my husband does a training course for a new job (he got the job btw, YAY!), a meet up with these crafty ladies and our kids, a trip to the City, a birthday to celebrate (Kev) and all the other stuff that just happens in between.  I've actually managed a few outings on my own with all three girls without getting stressed and losing my temper!  Anyway, here are the gorgeous gifts that Heidi has received which i promised to show you.

A gorgeous pink knitted blanket from Martine of Green Olive.

A cute little screen printed owl onesie from Suzy at 'Floating World Views'

Leslie of 'One Girl' sent a beautiful Fleur

Amelia knit this beautiful cardigan from recycled yarn

and Catherine delivered a lovely little handknit outfit this week

Thanks so much to all who sent gifts :)  and thanks again for the comments and emails i have received about Heidi.  I can't believe it's only been 3 weeks since she was born, it seems like so much longer!

Now, i'm off to feed Heidi then hopefully have a little nap.