OPAM (One Project A Month) April...Progress on Bag...and a Surprise Card

For my OPAM this month I have done an appliqued tea towel...

All coming from this little basket of leftover bits...

Not a whole lot of stitching finished this month due to a birthday and Easter celebrations...but a bit happening in between but no other finishes!!!
The little heart on the basket fabric is from a little pram quilt made for little Lidija's arrival...
and the first and second pear are from Tilda fabrics sent to me by Simone!!!
OPAM is organized by Peg and Kris...thanks so much Gals...this inspires me to finish something each month!!!
If you get a chance do visit these blogs to be inspired and see all the other OPAMS!!!

Meanwhile, I have made a start on this pattern from Anni Downes ...

In the end I chose the variegated thread...

and doing it in Autumn colours!!!

Meanwhile a surprise card from Cattinka for my birthday...all the way from Germany!!!

Thank you Katrin...I did have a beautiful birthday!!!

With this full on Autumn weather I hope to get a bit further on with my bag...and hopefully try out my new oven which arrived on Wednesday...YAY!!!

I think morning tea will be on the go for tomorrow!!!

~Cook Up With Vicki...No 5~

My new cooking pot...and I'm going to have a lot of fun cooking in it after our new stove arrives tomorrow, YAY!!!

But first...before all the drama it was time to do another Cook Up with Vicki from the Feb/March 2010 issue of Donna Hay magazine...
Vicki and I do a cook up out of every magazine...
easy peasy...just pick a recipe from the latest issue (or any other)...cook it and blog it for us to see!!!
Anybody out there who would like to join us is more than welcome!!!

I have chosen this time...Basil, Lemon and Garlic Roasted Chicken...

for the recipe go over here to Donna's website...

followed by Ginger -Coconut Rice with Palm Sugar...

The last of Mr Armchair's little tomatoes..

Basil from the pot...

Zucchini (courgettes) ready to go...

Have decided to serve it with roast vegies...and added potato...pumpkin and one of my favourties...beetroot!!!

Basil...lemon zest...garlic and oil in the bowl...

Atop the chicken...

At this point Mr Armchair arrives home...sees that it's a cook up and heads to the wine cabinet...And it's a red tonight!!!

Thought I'd do Dessert too this time...rice on,

Nearly there...

Basil, Lemon and Garlic Roasted Chicken together with Vegetables...

Ginger-Coconut Rice with Palm Sugar!!!

I love doing these cook ups with Vicki...and it looks as though my Daughter Jacqueline will join us with the next issue!!!
It is Donna's 50th birthday issue and she is celebrating with an utterly decadent chocolate cake which is on the cover...

On seeing this Jacqueline fell in love with it and she's going to have a go!!!

And I know we're going to have such fun doing this!!!

A Birthday Weekend!!!

My birthday has come to an end...and we all enjoyed an easy day...

especially dear JoJo who loves all occasions!!!

Here I have bought flowers for myself...

My Dad always used to bring us breakfast in bed along with a flower in a vase...

Something I have never forgotten...
so when I saw this pretty bunch it brought back those wonderful memories!!!

A potholder here that my Friend Geo delivered to me not so long ago for my birthday along with a bookmark...
With this potholder you can play noughts and crosses on it with Sea Glass...

what a great idea...Thanks so much Geo!!!

We had our little Grandson overnight...with his Mum following in the morning...
and decided to go into town and have pancakes for breakfast!!!

Here is our view...

But, first a coffee...

Back home again to a surprise gift...check out the Eiffel Tower bag...how cool is that!!!
Thank you so much Dee!!!

We went to have some chicken 'n chips by the Clyde River...
looking across the River you can see a blue building...
this is the 'On The Pier' Restaurant...


Saw a pelican atop a pole...

and in the water...

Across to 'On The Pier' for afternoon tea...
a trio of home-made ice cream...sorbet...sauce!!!

Apple and Mint Sorbet...a slice...passionfruit curd...

More coffee...Hot Chocolate and an Affogatto
An affogato (Italian, "drowned") is a coffee-based beverage or dessert. It usually takes the form of a scoop of vanilla gelato or ice cream topped with a shot of hot espresso and a shot of Amaretto .

Back home for cake...
Seeing we have a busted oven at the moment I went and ordered a Gluten Free White Chocolate on Fig and Cointreau cake from North Street Cafe and Bar...
for a recipe for a White Chocolate on Fig cake have a look here
This is one of many recipes sent to me by Laura...Thank you so much Pooch!!!



Another surprise gift from Margaret, this gorgeous Table Runner...
Thank you Margaret!!!

And then from Natima the most beautiful, smoothest chocolate...

Nat recently returned from a trip to Japan...

and brought back this paper-made colourful little bowl...

and a needlecase...

And then another gift during the week from Andrea

Thank you so much Andrea...I love it!!!

We had a great day...Thank you so much everyone...especially to my wonderful Family!!!

And in this post I'd like to wish Anita a very Happy Birthday...have a great one!!!

Hop on over to Anita's blog if you get a chance...you will be in for a real treat!!!

Graduation...and a Celebration Dinner at Tyler's Kitchen!!!

Yay....I finally graduated from my TAFE Course...

nearly 2 years worth...surgery in between...caring for a daughter with a disability...

looking back I sometimes wonder how I did it all!!!

For the 'big day' Mr Armchair brought me home this gorgeous bunch of flowers...

My dear friend Geo (no blog) sent me this fabric...

and this pattern from Anni Downs ...
Geo has already made this pattern...now it's my turn!!!
Thank you so much dear Geo!!!

Off now to the Graduation...the sign greeting us at the door...

Tourism and Hospitality tables for the Graduates of 2009...

Cara and Lyn with me...Cheers to us!!!
Lyn together with our fellow student Rob run a delightful Bed and Breakfast...
to which we were invited to a meal...more on this another time...

JoJo looking engrossed in my Certificate...

then with yours truly and Mr Armchair...

One of the teachers Debbie insisted I have a pic taken with my family to put on the blog!!!

'The Certificate'

And then unbeknown to me JoJo brought home the balloon from our table!!!
A great night...and even though it was a bit harder than I thought it would be I'm going to miss these classes...

To see some of the cooking from the classes hop on over to my other blog My Dolce Vita

To celebrate the 2 of us...with JoJo at respite care...went out for dinner...
Here we are outside Tyler's Kitchen across from the beach...

On entering there is this fabulous print hanging...

the Restaurant...

A huge blackboard filled by enthusiastic patrons...
Tyler's has a modern European Menu changing daily and has just been written up in delicious magazine!!! Go Tyler!!!

The crustiest bread rolls served with Unsalted Butter...see the little flakes of Sea Salt atop the butter...

Roast Loin of Rabbit...braised leg meat...honey noodle...grilled apricot...pistachio

Grilled Scallops...pea veloute...crisp proscuitto

Pan Fried Atlantic Salmon...local bug cigar...snowpeas...asparagus...black cream...chervil

Pan Roasted Duck Breast...australian lentils...baby turnips...cauliflower puree...jus gras

Almond Mousse...fresh figs...rhubarb...chocolate...strawberry

Selection of Cheeses served with bread...wafers and muscatels...
The one on the left is Brique D'Affinois...
On the right is Brillat Savarin Triple Cream...
followed by St Agur Blue Cheese...
All these cheeses are from France...and they were so creamy and just delicious!!!

All followed by some dark chocolate...

It can't get much better than this!!!

Thank you so much Tyler's Kitchen...

I have thoroughly enjoyed my course and look forward to trying out new recipes here at home...maybe even doing a 'Julie and Julia' and blogging my way through a cook book!!!

Our oven here at home has died...my birthday on the weekend and I was hoping to make a gluten free cake...so I had the idea to ask a local cafe/restaurant here that makes a lot of gluten free food if they could make me one...blow me down they said yes...

and I have ordered a White Chocolate and Fig cake...figs are soaked in Cointreau...

and I am so looking forward to this!!!