Bits and Bobs

Good evening! How has your day been? I hope it has been splendid and filled with super smiles and great conversations to begin the working week.

My day was a little on the stressful side... and so I bring you todays post about some little things that make days a little bit sweeter.

Coming from Northern NSW I have always had the pleasure of waking up (when I got up early enough) to see the sunrise over the ocean. During the easter break this year Mark and I ventured down to Adelaide where we camped and had the pleasure to see the sun set over the ocean. This is one of my favourite photos from 2012. 

This one I am sharing with you from my teenage years in 2005 (15ish). It was such a beautiful moment to have a butterfly simply land on my finger (and being teenagers we had the camera at the ready); Simple beauty.

Last snap for the night is this man here. Gosh, he makes the worse days the best days by him simply just being around. This is us in New Zealand 2010. 

It has been a long and big day and whilst I had other things I wanted to share with you... A little flash back makes sleep come easier. Take time to enjoy your memories.

Take care, sweet dreams and see you tomorrow

xx

Gabs

Little Red Riding Hood.

Hello :) How are you? I hope your weekend has been splendid. I have had a wonderful weekend filled with delicious home made food, wine, coffee and spending a some time catching up with my beautiful boy.

Yesterday we did some errands around Mildura. We made a trip to Bunnings to get some boxes for our move (Yipiee - we are moving to Buronga, which is closer to Mildura!). I ventured into spotlight on a mission for a new skirt, we bought a new grinder for our coffee machine, did the groceries and picked up some bits and bobs from Kmart. What did you get up to?

So I guess the main idea of this post is to share my creative skills with you! Whilst in Spotlight I managed to locate a skirt pattern ( I was after an A line skirt pattern, but ended up with a high wasted pattern). I then located the sweetest of sweet Little Riding Hood material. Little Red Riding Hood is one of my favourite stories and I know where I can get the cutest brooch, earrings or even hair clips to match my creation.

Red Riding Hood Brooch set from Made by White @ www.madebywhite.com.au (Free shipping in Australia!!!)



So I spent last night cutting out my skirt pattern and material, pinning the darts and getting ready to get start sewing this morning.

Here is the material...

Super Cute!

And of course the finished product (and me!)

xx Gabs

Morning!

Hello, how are you? Saturday morning is here and it cannot get any sweeter. I was up and about at 7.30 this morning - hanging washing and cleaning. Now I am snuggled up in bed with the curtains opened wide, Angus Stone playing and a pile of marking to complete...

I made myself a coffee and porridge and shall begin - only after I say hello to you. What are your plans for today? Perhaps you are having breakfast in bed, or are planning a holiday. Whatever it is that you up to I would love to know. Enjoy

xxx Gabs

Thoughts?

Wowza...what a week is has been. I was unable to post the last few days due to being at the snow.  I am back now safe and sound -  a few bruises and minimal sleep but I had a ball which is the main point right?

I am fighting to stay awake instead of sleeping all day so that I don't become a night owl tonight. I have some gorgeous smelling green curry in the slow cooker and the washing is airing in the washing machine. 

A while back I bought a dresser from a little (well its actually quite big) place in Mildura called Round Again. Around again is attached to the tip and collect furniture and goods that can be recycled instead of being thrown out. Having moved down to Wentworth with no furniture I had been looking around for the perfect dresser for months! 

I found one - I am not ready to put a photo up of it yet and I am thinking I might do it when I've finished my creation.

This afternoon I am on the hunt for some little draw handles for my little dresser! I would love some sweet little glass ones, but will settle for plastic (if they are super cute). I am still unsure what colour I am going to paint it either (I was originally thinking a nice bright orange... but the pastels are enticing me at the moment (but could that be a little bland?)

I've made a board on Pintrest for my finds so far! Let me know what you think!!!
I've attached a link to my pintrest below!

Pintrest Handle Hunt


love love xxx

A Little journey!

Monday is here and it is filled with adventure for me in my own little part of the world- today I am on the way to the snow ( on a bus with about 50 school kids). As we travel a few hundred Kms I am pretty excited to see the beautiful white fields tomorrow!

How has your day been?
Xxx

The Junction

Wow! Sunday, where have you gone? The weekend is over for me - but not for all. But that is ok because I really had a beautiful weekend, especially today. What did you get up to?

I spent the morning watching my lovely boy playing soccer, I snuggled up in the car with my rainbow socks and my knitting (I also had some marking to do... I got a little bit done).

They had a good game and won in the end. Yipeee!

This afternoon we spent down at our favourite place - the junction (where the Murray and the Darling Rivers meet). I had to try out my new beanie that I HAD to buy because I am going on a snow camp tomorrow with school. I am totally disorganised ( don't have goggles... oops).

The Junction is a special little place for us; just 2 minute walk from our little unit, we can unwind and relax and simply just enjoy each others company and the wildlife. Of course we have our friend who we like to visit as well:

I hope your weekend has been splendid!

xx

Saturday

So the weekend is finally here! Wow it has been quite a crazy week. It was so nice to wake up this morning and realise I had no where to be and could do whatever I pleased with my day.

But alas, I cannot avoid work on the weekend being a school teacher so I spent the morning marking students papers, knitting 5 rows in between each paper (I am knitting myself a patchwork wool rug) and made myself a coffee.

My beautiful boyfriend was out for the morning and start of the afternoon doing his own thing and brought me home this beautiful bunch of flowers to make up for not spending the morning with me! How cute is he? Lily's too! My favourite!

I have had my slow cooker on today with Chili Con Carne simmering away all day filling the house with a beautiful smell. So late afternoon has arrived so quickly and I couldn't resist baking up some choc chip cookies! ( can't wait to munch on them for dessert :) )

What have you been up to this beautiful Saturday?

xx

Dinner

Tonight we arrived home late — 7pm so we decided to cook Risotto for dinner.
Risotto for us is a simple, easy meal that always fills us up. The added bonus is that we are also able to make a double batch and freeze it for another night in the week!

Tonights Risotto was a Butternut pumpkin, pea, bacon and tomato Risotto.

Ingredients:

One Large Onion

Half a small Butternut Pumpkin

One cup of peas

One tin of diced tomatoes 

100g of Bacon

Aborio Rice

Stock

Garlic

1. Cook the onion in a small amount of oil until soft, place the chopped up pumpkin into the pan.

2. Place rice into pan with onions ( the amount of rice you use is up to how many people you are serving). As you are placing the  rice into the pan you need to add a cup of stock. 

4. Place the bacon into the pan and stir into the rice

3. Over the time of the dish cooking you need to consistently place a cup of stock into the pan (make sure this is when all the previous batch of stock has been absorbed).

4. As the rice is absorbing and cooking add herbs of your choice to the pan.

5. Instead of your last cup of stock use a can of diced tomatoes to add to the flavour.

6. When the rice has 5 minutes left to cook, add beans, mushrooms, peas and a handful of cheese.

7. Garnish with cheese.

There are plenty of recipes for Risotto online and in cook books, I don't use a recipe for my risotto so I know my directions can be a bit sketchy! If you do wish to make one please consult a recipe :)

Afternoon on the Murray-Darling

This afternoon saw us (Ruth, Paul, Mark and I) take a cruise down the Murray-Darling. We ventured down the Wentworth Wharf and were greeted by the Wentworth riverboat.

We spent the next hour floating up the Darling river, the scenery from the water was amazing, they were so many people out along the banks of the river relaxing and spending the afternoon with their families.

I quite enjoyed the change of landscapes – we went from populated, green river banks to flat land with only small bunches of tress and a small about of shrubbery behind the trees.

We turned around and began our journey back down the Darling river towards the centre of Wentworth, coming out at the Junction which is located about 500 metres from our place.

We turned as we approached Lock 10 and turned to have a fantastic view of Junction Island. Junction Island is the small island that separates the Murray and the Darling. 

To the left is the Darling and to the right is the Murray

We travelled down the Murray a small distance then retured to Wentworth Wharf.

Coffee by the River

This morning we ventured down to the Lovely Artback Gallery in Wentworth (located on Adelaide Street).

It was another beautiful morning in Wentworth and the Sunraysia region in general.





(View from our seats — overlooking the Darling River)

The Artback cafe is a real gem in Wentworth, friendly staff and a large area so one does not feel crowded nor have to listen to the chatter of other people that are around other tables. The coffee is simply divine — and affordable at $3.50 a cup.

The coffee is the brand FX which boasts a beautiful aromatic flavour, leaving a gentle flavour in your mouth. 

 Mark ordered a soy latte' that came in the most interesting glass (see above).

 An information board from the Wentworth Historical Society - located halfway down the main street of Wentworth.

 

This photo above is looking down the main street of Wentworth towards the post office.

This photo (above) is looking towards the Wentworth Caravan Park - that overlooks the river.

This photo is looking down Adelaide street, the Artback gallery is on the left hand side (but is not featured in this photo)

Beautiful start to a Sunday morning, with Mark and Ruth walking down the main street of Wentworth.

The Sea of People

Tonight we ventured into Mildura to see the Marti Gra parade take place to be followed by fireworks.

The afternoon was divine — the sun was shining and the streets were full of life. It was a side of Mildura that we had not seen.

As we walked across the pavement and down the stairway that leads into Jaycee park we were met by a sea of people all looking at the parade.

Cars, vans, semi-trailors and the like pushed slowly after one another down the crowd filled road way of the park. There was a prominent honking of horns as the vintage fire trucks crawled along, there was even one float (a boat) that had 'pirates' aboard - fashioning some very well polished plastic silver swords.

We followed the plentitude of people who seemed to be heading further towards the ampi-theatre and were met by a stage set for music and the grass in front was fast filling up with a patchwork of different rugs and people.

We made our way back towards the town to greet the ending of the afternoon. Smiling kindly on us as it protruded into the horizon, leaving the light colours of dusk to whisk us into the evening.