Kainga, where Roses bloom, life is lived at a gentler pace.Living Simply, doing all those good things like stitching, gardening, cooking and reading.

Monday, February 27, 2012

"Seriously, it is a Happy Monday."

Hello and a super Happy Monday to you.

Wow doesn't the weather being cooler make you happy. It certainly does for me. I feel as if I can get things done. We have been super busy here at Kainga.
Planting perenials, a Raspberry Bush,restoring some old chairs, reading lots and lots,brick paving ,baking bread and cakes etc just to name a few.


Last Friday we had our first monthly sewing day for the year. I started a new project. I found a packet of 144 of these bright squares brand new never been opened in Good Sammys the week prior for a few dollars. I will show more when it is finished. Getting a bargain and a day with like minded people makes me happy.


I didn't do a posting last Monday because quite simply I had the house to myself. The first time in months so spent the day cross stitching and reading. A computer free day which was so relaxing. I was planning to post about the cross stitch pattern I received from The Prairie Grove Peddler and the lovely pink box Lucy made for me while she was in New Zealand many years ago. So it is being showcased today. Lucy with the help of her Aunty Chris decorated the box and filled it will shells they found on the beach and inside as well was some Bath Bombs. You can see I kept one,the little pink one at the front.

Bath Bombs.

1.5 cups bicarb soda
half cup citric acid
1 tspt lavender oil
4 tsp almond oil
food colouring
dried flower petals,can use fresh lavender and rose petals.

Combine the 2 dry ingredients, add oils and colouring. Add the flowers. Mix with your fingers into the shapes you want. Wrap in cling wrap. Leave them for a day in the cling wraps, then for another day with the wrap removed.

Place in bath and sit back and relax.



I had a walk around the garden this morning and picked some roses. They smell divine. I have missed the perfume of roses. Look what will be waiting for Ian when he gets home from work today. A Banana cake. I haven't cooked one of these at all last year because of the high cost of bananas. So with them in plentiful supply and very reasonably priced. I even managed to pick them up for 99 cents a kilo the other Sunday in our local supermarket.

I found this recipe in the Bream Bay cook book.

Banana Cake.

2 cups sugar
8 ozs butter (250g)
2 cups hot water
Melt together and cool.
Mash 2 to 3 bananas.
Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons baking soda.
Mix together and add to above.
Beat in 2 eggs.
Add 4 cups flour and 4 teasppons baking powder.

Put mix into greased 9 inch round tin.
Bake 160 degrees C, for 50 minutes.

Now I found out after pouring in the mix that my tin was slighly smaller so added the left over mix into 7 muffin tins so I basically got two cakes for the price of one. We will eat the cake now and the muffins can go in the freezer for later on in the week.

The bell has just gone of on the oven. Buns made with Chia seeds and Quinoa Grain. Later on today I plan to make some Pumpkin soup. We were given a pumpkin on Friday. I will be trying a new recipe,the one that is in this weeks Seven Days tv magazine. You roast the pumpkin  garlic etc in the oven then blend them together. It sounds yummy and will be the perfect accompiant to the buns.

I am pretty exicited to be having a go at something new this week. I have been to the Chemist to order some Alum for the project. Of course the staff didn't know what I was talking about so I asked them to ask the Chemist. The one that is not a local didn't have a clue to what I was talking about. Luckily the hometown Chemist knew straight away what it was. Fingers crossed the Alum will be here in a few days.

Happy Monday
Bev C

15 comments:

Queen Of The Armchair aka Dzintra Stitcheries said...

What a great post Bev...will have to check out the cross stitch link...love the bath bomb recipe too!!!

Kelli Fannin Quilts said...

Your "alone" day sounds heavenly! As does your day sewing with like-minded friends, your bath bombs, and your banana cake. Thanks for the recipes! I hope my Monday (tomorrow) is as happy as yours. :o)
xo

Maria said...

WOW you get some great Stuff At your Good Sammy's.
Can't wait to see waht you make out of the squares....

Anonymous said...

what a fantastic post today Bev,lots of interesting reading,thankyou.xx

Fiona said...

I think I should find a way of getting over that side quick for some tea .... great bargain at Good Sammies...
Hugz

Michelle Ridgway said...

Lovely post Bev. Your roses are just devine and all that yummy baking sounds delicious. I love the weather when it is a bit cooler too.

marina said...

Those blocks were a great buy!
Soundslike you have been very, very busy! Save me some banana cake I will be there in a flash.
Lovely little cross stitch too.

Simone de Klerk said...

Happy Monday - happy post! I love roses that smell. Not many left in this world, I think.
I am ignoring the recipe to the banana cake. Need to loose just a bit of weight.

CJ STITCHING AND BLOOMS said...

Good Day Bev. All your bright color fabrics look wonderful and a great deal indeed. Oh, how I love looking at your beautiful roses. I am sure they smell heavenly. Your banana cake looked very yummie. thanks for the recipe. Have a lovely relaxing day. Hugs Judy

Bobbie Lynn said...

Hi Bev,
Wow, this morning I was thinking that I'm going to make some banana bread looking at the ripe ones on my counter and then opening your blog, there you have a receipt for banana bread! Just feels like a baking day for me. We are back to very cold days here. Love the pretty little box that Lucy made. Very sweet memento. Thanks for all the lovely photos.
Have a beautiful day and I hope you get to do some paper crafting too. : )

Sue said...

Great post Bev. You've been so busy I'm exhausted just reading it all and might just have a nap!

Michelle said...

A very inspirational post and thanks for the recipes...

Lynda said...

Those lovely bright fabrics would make anyone happy on a Monday.

Terriaw said...

Wow, you have been super busy! Love those brightly colors fabric squares. Looks like a fun project to work on. I've never tried a bath bomb, probably because I take showers instead. But they always smell so good. That banana cake looks delish! I made banana bread recently - such a yummy snack. Oh Happy Day!

Cubby House Crafts said...

The banana cake looks so yummy! I love the apricot and pink rose together!