This blog is all about me......I come here for respite in between caring for JoJo (our Daughter who has Special Needs)......I am addicted to starting new projects......I am becoming a fabric-a-holic... I love to try out recipes... take a beach walk and breathe in that salty blue air......love to have coffee...sip a glass of champagne......read a book......I am Queen of the Armchair and am inspired by all the wonderful blogs out there!!!

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

New Charm Pack...New Books.. A Swap and Food!!!



I haven't really participated in many Swaps but have seen this one around...
and one day a couple of weeks ago Chookyblue emailed me about the Secret Santa Christmas Swap...
after a little (not too much) thinking I signed up for it...and I'm feeling a little nervous and excited by it all!!! 

The brief is make something beautiful that you would like to receive yourself...
and most importantly...make it with Love!!!

Not much stitching here lately except for trying to do a little of "A Gardener's Journal" every day...


But I did manage to do a bit of shopping!!!
 This gorgeous Charm Pack Pom Pom de Paris by Moda...
just too pretty to leave in the shop there!!!


And a couple of new books...
Simplify by Camille Roskelley...


and a new novel by Susan Duncan...

 Today Susan lives with her second husband, Bob, on the shores of Pittwater at Tarrangaua, the beautiful home built for poet Dorothea Mackellar in 1925. 


I was lucky enough to meet Susan when she came down here to do a talk on one of her other books...and she is the most charming wonderful lady...full of inspiration after all that she has been through...


And I have gone back to my roots here for an old Latvian favourite...
 Sauteed Red Cabbage in this book 'Latvian Cooking'...  
Recipe Collection from a Baltic Cuisine...




Served with Garlic Mashed Potato...Peas...and Pork Spare Ribs...nice'n'eay!!!
For the recipe visit my other blog  here...


And in Australian Gourmet Traveller the most delicious Cauliflower and Cheese...
for the recipe visit my food blog My Dolce Vita


All ready for the oven...



and just delicious!!!


From the ever popular Donna Hay magazine...


My Daughter made this fabulous...gluten free...
~Chocolate Mousse Meringue Cake~
for a similar recipe for this cake by Donna go over here


complete with candle wax on top!!!



Very very tasty...and moorish at that!!!



And here is my little Grandie Lidija showing off her new gum boots!!!

Happy Stitching...and Bon Appetit...Dzintra

13 comments:

aussiequilter said...

love your new fabric ! Oh your cooking looks sooo good! How's life going for you? Are you going to the South Australian Quilt and Craft fair? I'm so excited as I'm coming down for it cheers Teri

Jeni said...

Love reading your Blog
on my way for Dinner

Nat Palaskas said...

You are very busy today with food. Good thing I can't reach in and help myself. They're all look yummy - Hugs Nat

Simone de Klerk said...

What a happy and beautiful post! I have the Simplify book too. Love it!
Never heard of the other author.
What great cooking and baking and such a proud granddaughter. I think she will go into the theatre too one day, just like her grandma (o:

rosie said...

Now you've made me hungry!!! That GF choccie cake looks incredible.. I love that pic of your little grand daughter...

Castles Crowns and Cottages said...

OK , you have some magnificent things here dearest....cauliflower, gum boots, fun swaps and love.....love for friends and family.

You are a blessing, Dzintra!! Anita

Rachaeldaisy said...

You'll have fun in the Christmas swap. Pom pom de Paris is sooo pretty!! All that food has made me very hungry!! I was thinking the other day that it would be nice to have a cauliflower cheese while our nights are still chilly. Ill have a go with your recipe, I bet it's delicious!

Fer said...

Chocolate mousse meringue cake? Coor blimey!!

Zuly said...

Dzintra Hello!
How beautiful is your blog ... I enjoy when I visit your blog.
Books, food, cloths and your granddaughter is beautiful.
How to cook? Sure delicious!
A big hug from Costa Rica,

Zuly Castillo U. - Costa Rica

DAWNIE said...

Am so proud of you that you are motoring along with your GJ journal you will be so glad you persisted when it is all finished. You will also love the SSSC swapit is nice to know everyone puts the effort in.

Chookyblue...... said...

welcome to the SSCS........keep plugging away on the GJ.......you'll love it once your finished.........

Vicki's Bit-o-earth said...

You are definitely a kindred spirit in so many ways Dzintra! Fabric, cooking, grandbabies, books... the list goes on!

Lidija is so adorable!!!

And Donna Hay... sigh... my subscription has run out again, and its so expensive to re-subscribe. I may have to buy the ones I like most off the shelf at the bookstore.

So glad your weather is warming up. We never really got a summer here this year. Foggy all summer, and still is.
Have a great week~

Castles Crowns and Cottages said...

Oh Dzintra,

What a sweet visit from you and I need to locate that INCREDIBLE quote you mentioned; how TRUE THAT IS that when you are FAR AWAY and have to communicate without SEEING the person, you actually SEE them better....hmmmmmm.....I think I may have to consider that as a blog post sometime!!!!

MANY THANKS for that thought and have a lovely, lovely day my friend! Anita

Welcome To My World

Hello, my name is Dzintra Ingrid ... have been known as Ingrid and since our Sea Change I have started to use Dzintra ... pronounced without the D ... (but still known as Ingrid, I know, it's confusing ...)

Welcome to my world ... a journal of our Sea Change ... Mum to three wonderful children ... bringing up a daughter with a disability and seeing life through her eyes ... being a new Nanna ... photos ... inspiring quotes ... taking on a cookery course ... the odd recipe ... and trying to get some stitching done amongst all this ...