It's been a long, long time

The very shaggy dog taking up half a queen-size bed!

I started this blog last year and then in the haze of working nearly full time and raising a rambunctious two-year old it got left by the wayside. I kept telling myself I would get back to it once she was sleeping through the night and guess what? She isn't. 

We've now moved to a big girl bed and last night I found her curled up at the base of the armchair, crying. Fantastic.

In the last twelve months we've been busy. We've gone to France and the UK with an 18-month old. We've gone to Melbourne for our lovely friends' wedding, with no 22-month old. Oh the joy. I've taken up craft again and have made three patchwork quilts, wings, tutus and a play kitchen. We've cooked, we've cleaned, we've gardened. We've had our share of heartache with the passing of Nanna and our share of joy with close friends giving birth to delightful little boys. It's the circle of the life.

I'm posting some pics of my craft and cooking - these are the little things that drive me forward through my sleep deprived fog.

Coconut macaroons

Pasta making with bubba

Advent calendar - shocking photo!

Hattie's tutu - wonderful 2nd birthday present crafted by me and left glitter everywhere

Overwhelmed and then sane again

You know those weeks when everything just builds, and builds and finally pop you're ready to explode and some lucky SOB is in your way and they cop it. This week I feel like I've been building but no pop! I'm hoping that my inner tension has been relieved by a merry night of eating and drinking with the Mums at the newish Boulvevard Hotel. Much champagne was drunk and I devoured a tasty Pork Cotoletta with coleslaw and rosemary potatoes, mmm yummy.

I've actually been inspired to cook recently and I attempted to take photos but my skills are definitely lacking in that department. I think the desire to cook again comes out of a need to reclaim some of my pre-bambino life.

So out of my very, very small kitchen (less than one metre of benchspace) has come: homemade digestives (no chocolate, not quite McVities), bacon, spinach & tomato quiche inspired by Jude Blereau who has the best recipe for savoury custard, roast pork and trimmings, Donna Hay's chocolate and caramel puddings, mini pear and raspberry muffins, Italian beef casserole, roasted pumpkin and garlic soup, carmelised pears with butterscotch sauce and these divine cookies from Heidi Swanson's 101 Cookbooks, http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/toasted-almond-sables-recipe.html, mine are always stars but I'm now on the hunt for gorgeous mini cookie cutters.

Image from Heidi Swanson 101 Cookbooks

Whilst I'm on the subject of Heidi Swanson I am anxiously awaiting delivery of her new book. She has combined her two profound talents - cooking and photography - into a fabulous book. Well, I'm sure it is fabulous, come on Amazon!

So hopefully my inner tension has eased, and sanity has been restored. I think I still have a long way to go in creating balance in my life. I know it's an ideal that we all strive for but one day I'll get there.
Have a wonderful weekend!