Tuesday, December 11, 2012

MORE ON THE GNOMES




This is the update on the Gnomes post. I have put the finishing touches on Maurice and Mathilda and their little gnome house. This set is available in my Etsy Shop. The designs are made for the big 200 x 300 hoops. ( When Christmas is finished with, I hope to have it available in a couple of smaller sizes). The Gnome cottage is completed in three parts. The garden, the base of the house and finally the roof. There is a little wiggle room on the house and the roof - it is "wonky" house after all.     If you have any questions drop me a line - my contact details are in the side bar.







The clouds are polar fleece which gives a lovely fluffy texture and great dimension.
 
 
 
 
 
MALTESER CHEESECAKE
 
 

 Do not judge a cheesecake by the plastic cup it is served in.    These chocolaty malty taste sensations look fantastic served individually in nice glasses  but if you are asked to "bring something" then a throw away container is the easiest and you don't have to worry about losing your best glasses or plates!    I used these drink cups because they were all I could get a hold of but there are some nice fancy plastic drink cups around.    Another idea would be to buy some odd glasses from your local thrift shop, you can leave them behind with the host at the end of the function.   Making individual servings saves a lot of mess in dishing up; imagine individual trifles, cheesecakes of any flavour, meringues with cream and fruit all layered  and ready to place on the buffet table.      

So chocolate fiends of the world, here is the recipe:   


FOR THE BASE

1 Packet Chocolate Ripple Biscuits - crushed
150 grams Maltesers - crushed
125grams butter - melted

Mix the butter and the chocolate biscuits together as if you were making a single cheesecake.   Divide the mixture between the serving containers.   (This will do about 8 x 250ml).    Don't press down just leave loose (it would be impossible to get out of the glass if it is pressed)   Now sprinkle with the Maltesers and refrigerate whilst making the filling.

FOR THE CHEESECAKE

3 teaspoons of gelatin
1/4 cup of water
500 grams of cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup of caster sugar
1/2 cup of powdered malt
1 cup of thickened cream - whipped
2 eggs - separated
100 grams dark eating chocolate - I used 70%  - it is not as sweet - melted
Extra Maltesers for decoration
Cream if you think it needs it!

Sprinkle gelatin over the water in a small heatproof jug.  Stand the jug in a small saucepan of simmering water.  Stir until the gelatin dissolves.   Cool for 5 minutes.

Beat the cream cheese, sugar and malt in a medium bowl with electric mixer until smooth.  I nuked the cream cheese in short burst in the microwave to soften it!   Beat in the cream and egg yolks.  Stir in the gelatin mixture and then the chocolate. 

Beat egg whites in a small bowl with the electric mixer until firm peaks form.   Fold into the chocolate mixture.

Divide filling between your glasses, decorate with extra Maltesers and refrigerate until set or your can't stand it anymore and you have to eat one!!  Add a dollop of whipped cream if you think it needs it.  

Give it a fancy name like "deconstructed cheesecake" and you are on a winner.    Try putting  some cheesecake mixture in the bottom, then the biscuits and Maltesers and another layer of cheesecake followed by more Maltesers.   What is not too like I ask! 

It goes without saying that if you prefer your cheesecake whole - do that as well.


 
Have a great week.
Sue xxx
 

Sunday, December 9, 2012

GNOMES

Just a little sneak peak at something I have been working on.    Introducing Maurice and Mathilda. 


Anyone who has created a design for the embroidery machine knows that the stitchouts seem to grow with each little adjustment made.   These two are the earliest versions of Maurice and Mathilda.   Maurice now looks like he is wearing pants.   I thought I would give making them in to  "Softees" a go.   These two are  embroidered  cotton on the front, and I have made the backs out of plain polar fleece.   The shoes came about because I am an idiot and didn't leave a lot of fabric to tuck in and stitch after stuffing.   Not happy with the seam line, I decided to try shoes.   They work.   Good result.  Hopefully these two gnomes embroideries and their home and garden will be up for sale on Etsy in the next day or two.   TV viewing in Melbourne is the pits this week so I think I will be spending a lot of time up in my room stitching up a storm.

See you soon
Sue xxx

Monday, November 26, 2012

SHEEP

Fluffing around with fluffy sheep.   I finished a small baby blanket just in time for a quilters meeting.   I bound it more than once, let's just say it was a tad smaller finished the second time around!







The baby rug/mini quilt was constructed using flannelet for the front with a polar fleece backing.  The sheep are appliqued using more polar fleece giving them a fluffy look.    I found some lace daisies in the stash and scattered them around.   I thought the quilting would be a quick project, good gravy was I wrong!   I bought myself a new machine (Bernina - 780 -  code name Bernice) and I think I have to actually read the instructions when it comes to the BSR, otherwise we could come to blows.......

If you like the sheep, they are over at Etsy for $3 the set.   They are for the bigger hoops.
The ram measures 167mm x 164mm (6.56inches x 6.83inches), the doe measures 144mm x 149mm (5.67inches x 5.87inches) and the lamb measures 96mm x 116mm (3.75inches x 4.54inches) - I still don't 'get' the metric finish to imperial measurements but that is the figure that Embird produces - who am I to question it!!     There is also a sitting doe included in the set 144mm x 118mm (5.67 inches by 4.63 inches) - same doe, no legs!

If you have any questions, drop me a line here tiramisueatbigponddotcom.

I am back to stitching more sheep.  

Have a great week.
Sue xxx

Thursday, November 8, 2012

LET THEM EAT BIRTHDAY CAKE - THIS IS MINE!




Well the biggest baby in the house turned 2 on Tuesday.    He is a fine specimen of an Irish Wolfhound.    The elf and I decided to make him a cake.   Cake baked - cooling nicely on the rack.   I left the 'brains trust' keeping an eye on the dog who was in a deep coma on his mat.   Playing possum it would seem.    No sooner did I make it to the top of the stairs, than bang went the gate, clang went the cake rack.     Couldn't wait for cake apparently!!    Saved some of it although no longer suitable for human consumption!
 
 
So back to the cake making drawing board...... at least we had something for afternoon tea.
 
 
 
So we sang happy birthday, you will notice there are no candles - O'Reilly is fast, I was taking no chances.......



 Hurry up, I need cake
 
Your singing is horrible, hurry up....
 
Stop teasing me, I need cake......
 
 
now you see, now you don't....
 
 
HAPPY BIRTHDAY O'REILLY YOU ARE A HOOT!!
 
The husband was off work most of last week with some bacterial infection of the blood stream, he is fine now, after all he had O'Reilly keeping an eye on things whilst he slept the day away on the couch.
 
 
I ran a Mystery Quilt last week for my quilting group.     We made a Double Wedding Ring quilt top - my way.      Everyone seemed to have a good day - it is a long day, 10 am to 10 pm.   So hopefully next month I will have some finished quilt tops to show.   
 
 
I had a lovely note from a quilter who purchased a set of my African Masks.   She is faster than I am, and has produced an amazing quilt (mine is still being   'embellished" to death).   Go and have a look at her blog - Quiltaholic.     I am tickled pink to see my first set of designs sewn out, and, I get rave reviews.   
 
Have a great week.
 
Sue xxx
 


Monday, October 15, 2012

MUMMY MADNESS

"Mummy Pincushion"  not the most catchy name, but here's one I prepared earlier.....

"The Mummy" is available over on Etsy in either a machine embroidery format or in a sewing pattern.  Both will be sent via email and include all instructions for finishing.  There may also be a reference to an autopsy stuffing - I watch way too much crime on TV.   This is a fairly quick project, designed for the large embroidery field of  300 x 200.  I am working on a smaller one. 

You could make a whole string of them for Halloween, do the "elf on a shelf" thing with a Mummy, the possibilities are endless.

'Til next time.
Sue xxx

Thursday, October 11, 2012

NINJA PINCUSHION


The Babushka Pin Cushion post has been one of the most popular posts on my blog (its in the tutorial section on the side bar).    Now, here is "The Everso Slightly Chunky Ninja"!   The crew will be available on Etsy shortly or you can contact me here for details.
This one looks worried.
Back View - looks like he has a bit of a dowagers hump - never mind, more room to stick the pins in...
Here he is holding the quick unpick in a non threatening manner.
Unlike his mate, who looks like he would like to stab you in the eye with it!

The belt could be used to stash your needles, whilst the hands (a loose knot) can hold either his practice fighting stick (first pic) or one of your other sewing necessities.

Have a great weekend.
Sue xxx
PS  There is no extra charge for the fluff!!

Sunday, October 7, 2012

QUEEN OF OVER EMBELLISHMENT

Some time ago, our quilting group had a 20 x 20 inch challenge.  All our faces have been on display in a local cafe.  I got  it back just recently.  Here's  how she finished up.  
All finished and blinged up.  

I think one of the funniest moments of doing this piece occurred when I went to one of the local fabric shops looking for a couple of other bits and pieces.   I was showing one of the staff members who I chat to.   A lady wandered up to the counter and looked at my piece and looked at me and casually said something along the lines of - "isn't it funny how people make themselves better looking in their art than they do in real life".   Well, that can really deflate a girl's ego....and I had my face on and everything.   There's a word for people like that.........

Okay, now my fingernails never ever look that good. If you do stuff with your hands,  nails are never going to work, but in my imagining I have pretty pink nails.   I do however, in spite of less than glamorous nails, wear rings on most fingers, (although one is missing presently.  In one of those moments you see in cartoons, I went to pick it up, dropped it, where it then ricocheted off the side of a the bedside table and I heard it clink as it went down the ducted heating vent, from the top floor to the bottom, so when I can get somebody into the narrow under floor area, cuts will be made to the duct work and the "duct tape" will actually be put to the use it was designed for)......anyway, I wear big earrings and rings on my fingers although I stop at bells on my toes, and I have a head of large fluffy hair and some days I look pretty damn good for over 50!    And, I do wear glasses when I sew even though I am already wearing contact lenses...

Back to the piece,  here are some up close bits:







The hair has lots of my favourite things embroidered in.  I made a few fabric beads to add to the over embellishment theme.  The crown is from Embroidery Library and consists of scissors and spools of thread.

I have made a start on using the Nearly Tribal masks in a quilt.   I did a bit of reading via Mr Google and it was suggested that African Quilts had lots of changes in design to confuse evil spirits.   I am running with that theory - those pesky little evil spirits will be so confused on my quilt, they won't know in which direction to travel!

Here is a sneak peak. 




I am now working on some leaves and 3D bits oh and beads, lots of beads.  That would go without saying.  I love the leopard print fabric, it is cotton but looks almost like suede.  Norm is very happy with the quilt so far....and he will help with the keeping off of evil spirits.


We had another lovely week in Merimbula, so I have to add some photo's.  The weather was just beautiful and I got to drive the boat a lot - I do like driving boats - don't park em so well, but I am getting better.  My husband  and I are almost on talking terms now when I have to bring that sucker in to the trailer - usually there is a bit of screaming and a lot of swearing.   Here are some of the lucky fish that got caught - the first one is a Rockling - it is in the freezer and will be making it on to the dinner table this week:


I think this one is a Shovel Nosed Ray, he went back:


This one we argued about, once the fish get too big I start feeling sorry for them.   This is a Gummy Shark - I think.   He had the most amazing coloured eyes and his skin feels like soft leather.   This was the forth one that got caught, but the only one that made it in to the boat.   Some screaming was involved in landing this one - I was trying to take pictures, whilst my husband wanted me to get the net under it.   I nearly took a header in the process (this is a common occurrence - good job I wear a life jacket).  Anyway, we got it in the boat, I took a photo or two and one with his IPhone so he could send it to everybody on the phone list, and then it went back in the water, it just lay there (Al was holding the tail) and we thought it had suffered  an early demise.  We brought it back into the boat and put it in the tub - it was just playing possum (or is that shark).   After further discussion he went back in - the husband needs to study YouTube on how to fillet Gummy Shark, then all bets are off - these are, apparently, sensational eating. Have a look at that face!
   

In the foods highly recommended for breakfast department, check this out:
Pancakes with Nutella, bananas, cream and a delicate dusting of praline.  No wonder I am fluffy.   Dessert, not just for after dinner any more.

My husband and sister in law shared this seafood platter - this was for dinner whilst I wrestled with this lime, prawn dish.


Pelicans doing lazy circle work in the sky - this was a flock of about 30, thank heavens there was no pooping.  Remember earlier I mentioned nearly taking a header out the boat, this was another moment where Sue nearly went out the back - I was standing taking photos, he was driving the boat, there was a less than gentle take off - the only thing that stopped me an the camera going overboard was the bait table. 

 They love a snack, here they are at the cleaning station in the lake.
 One of the joys of being out in a boat, is that you get to see stuff up close that you don't normally know is there.   We were very fortunate on this trip, we came across dolphins in the Pambula River, then one day out fishing we saw some seals from a distance and this dolphin coming right in to the Merimbula Wharf.

The week of our holiday was the lead up to the Melbourne Grand Final, we left on the Friday because the husband and elf had tickets.  We got about an hour and a half into the journey to a little town called Genoa when we were stopped by the police - the road had been closed once again and could be shut for 24 hours or 3 days according to them.  We had to make some quick decisions, so in the middle of nowhere I booked the boys on to a flight later that afternoon.   I should mention that it was blowing an absolute gale, so both were a little tentative when we got to the airport and the trees where still leaning sideways....not to mention me, who was putting the family on a plane.   So O'Reilly and I had a couple of extra days by ourselves.  Whilst Melbourne was in the grips of wind and rain, O'Reilly and I enjoyed this:

Two o'clock on Saturday afternoon, you could have fired a canon and not hit a soul.    We did come across a couple walking their dog -  a large poodle, not a giant one, but a fair size.   I should say that O'Reilly did, he went off to greet the dog, it climbed up its owner, and wouldn't play.  Ooops!

A couple of evening shots:


And finally having a rest after a big week at the beach.   He loves the beach and we made it through the entire week without a trip to the vet, because he ate something he shouldn't - brilliant.
Hope everyone has a great week.   School is back tomorrow - doing the dance that mothers of teenage boys do!
Sue xxx