Tote Bags

This long weekend has brought about a fair bit of sewing. I have a couple of Tote bags for sale if anyone is interested.

The sizes of the bags are:
Big (approx) $25 incl postage
Height: 33cm
Width: 36cm
Depth: 25cm

Small (approx) $15 incl postage
Height: 27cm
Width: 28cm
Depth: 22cm

I have 2 big and 1 small of the flowery one. I am in the process of making the stripped one so there should be 2 big and 2 small ones but if anyone wants smaller ones let me know.
If you would like to purchase any of these bags please leave me a message and I will contact you.

Hot Cross Buns & Pickled Cucumber

Well the weekend brought around some serious amounts of baking

Bread Machine Hot Cross Buns

1 cup Milk
1/4 cup Butter
1/3 cup Sugar
1 Egg (beaten)
1tsp Salt
3 3/4 cups Strong white bread flour
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Ground cloves
1/4 tsp Nutmeg
1 cup Raisins*
2 tsp Dry yeast
Use dough setting on Bread Machine

Method
Makes 12 Buns.
1. Measure ingredients into baking pan
2. Insert baking pan into bread machine
3. Use dough setting on bread machine
4. When finished, remove dough from pan and divide into 12 pieces
5. Shape into round, slightly flattened buns
6. Place 5cm (2") apart on greased baking sheets
7. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes or until doubled in size
8. Combine (and brush on buns) 1 slightly beaten egg with 1 tbsp water
9. Slash top of buns to form a cross
10. Bake at 190 deg cel (375F) gas mark 5 for 16-18 minutes
11. Drizzle 'cross', while hot, with icing sugar glaze consisting of:
3/4 cup icing sugar
1 tbsp milk
2 drops almond flavouring
*Add raisins approx 20 mins into the cycle (otherwise they become somewhat 'chopped')

They are somewhat misshaped but hubby assures me they taste just like bought hot cross buns..

Pickled Cucumber

3-4 cucumbers sliced
2 cups of malt vinegar
1 cup of sugar

Method
1. Bring to boil in a medium saucepan the malt vinegar and sugar.
2. Add sliced cucumber to saucepan
3. Simmer until cucumber just looses its colour
4. Remove cucmber from saucepan using a pair of tongs (you want to save the vinegar)
5. Once vinegar has cooled poor over cucumber and store in the fridge.

They are so easy to make and taste just like the shopped bought variety. My dad has put in his next order already. Thankfully my cucumber plant is producing nicely.

Project for 2009

Thought I would post some of the projects I would like to acheive around the garden this year... money premitting of course!!!

Hubby and I have been discussing getting another couple of water tanks. It would be nice if it were possible for us to completely take ourselves off the water grid but since we live in suburbia its not feasible. Our goal this year is to get 2 x 3000 litre tanks, this would then give us a total of 9000 litres and would allow us to connect the toilets and washing machine to the tanks.

I would like to add another 2 vegie garden beds along our fence. These last 6 months have taught us that vegies from our garden are far superior than those in the supermarkets and I am trying to get away from all those added ingredients in store bought products.

Fruit Trees are high up on the list this year, we currently have;
dwarf avocado, dwarf mango, lime, lemon, orange, mandarin and passionfruit.
I would like to get a couple of dwarf varieties of apples, a plum and a nectarine.

Last year I was desperately searching for a pressure canner, then the AUD dollar fell and alot of the overseas suppliers seemed to stop shipping to Australia or infact anywhere outside of there country. I am on a mission to obtain a pressure canner this year.

The List:
2 x 3000 litre tanks
2 x vegie beds
4 x fruit trees
1 x Pressure canner

I think it is important to set goals for the year, it feels great when you can acheive something you've set your mind to.

What are your projects / goals for 2009?

Happy New Year

Happy New Year

I hope everyone had a great Christmas and New Years. Heres hoping 2009 brings us all what we dream of.

I have had my first week off work in a year and I must say it has been great to be able to get some projects done that I have been wanting to do...

I was in a rather sewing mode this last week and have now made a couple of tote bags..

My lovely cat is indoors for most of the time and is only let out when hubby and I are home. We have put a fence on either side of the house so we can see him. Thank fully the kitty hasn't realised he can jump over the fence, the fence is only about waist high. He was helping me with the sewing during the week.

My lovely kitty above likes to chase the caine toads and green frogs in the garden and when he decides to chase them we bring him inside. Tonight there was a green frog on the patio and I even managed to get a pic this time.