~Past Times....A Quilt Workshop~

I've signed up to do a workshop in September at Step's at Moruya.  It's been a while since I've done one and now I think I will aim for one a year!

I have 25 fat quarters here from my stash......the required amount is 22

All set to make this quilt named 'Past Times' designed by Lynne Wilson

I'm loving the darker colours in it and it just looks so warm and happy!!!

Talking about warm, yesterday we had a slow combustion wood fire installed and now it's toasty warm here...

I'll be back with pics to show it off!!!

Tonight it's the last night of the Melodrama so it's going to be fun, fun, fun!!!

~Melodrama at Mogo~

I'm currently in a Melodrama ... a Melodrama exaggerates the plot and characters in order to appeal to the emotions......typically there is a Hero......Heroine.....and a Villain

This is currently playing at The Gold Rush Colony at Mogo to a sell out house

It's title is 'The Wake of Joseph Flanagan' and done in good ol' Irish style

along with lots of Singalongs!!!

Written by Jopeph Quigley and directed by Barb Gellatly

And I am having soooooo much fun as a Waitress......Singalongs with the Audience  Mourners and a little fun duet with Maddie and I singing 'Daddy Wouldn't Buy Me a Bow Wow'

Daddy Wouldn’t Buy Me a Bow Wow" is a song written in 1892 by prolific English songwriter 

Joseph Tabrar.  It was written for, and first performed in 1892 by, Vesta Victoria at the South London Palace, holding a kitten.

 In 1895 Toulouse-Lautrec painted May Belfort singing it. 

Some of the costumes of the Bushrangers above

Barb brought in some pics of dress at the time

The setting.......Diggers Rest Tavern at the Gold Rush Colony

Chris aka Bushranger singing "The Gypsy Rover'

Florence aka Flo played by Robbie

Me and Maddie rehearsing Bow Wow

We actually pretend to hold a kitten and pat it whilst singing

We play nervous, twitty, shy girls running up to the stage and only do the first verse speaking style and then lead the Audience Mourners into the main chorus

F U N   F U N   F U N

'The stage area known as 'The Snug'

And I couldn't resist a pic by the fire

Dressed all ready to serve......in green of course!!!

Colin aka Gular......

All the towns mentioned in the Melodrama are real places on the South Coast

Final scene of main cast at the end of the Melodrama

Jeremy aka Captain Foxlow (Villain.....hissssss)

and Steph aka Mrs Malone

Greg aka Smithy (hero!!!)

Brian (Cowboy) aka Dan Murphy......me and fellow Waitress Monica

All set in the Theme Park of The Gold Rush Colony which has buildings portraying life in Australia in the Gold Rush Days

Even the Chinese were involved

A Church also

And The Tavern just before the first show

I'm having an absolute ball doing this and 3 years ago would never dreamt of having so much fun doing something I had not done before!!!

A Candle Warning

Yesterday evening I got the shock of my life!  

Lucky I was in my sewing room near a coffee table upstairs outside the bathroom.

I looked out of the doorway and thought it looked a bit bright so I had a look and blow me down I had a little mini fire atop my candle.

It's one off those that house a tee light and then above that in a little bowl you add some wax.

Well somehow wax caught fire!!!!  I just stared at it!!!

Thank goodness the bathroom was there and I poured 2 cups of water on it which put it out.

And oh dear a little shaken about this...especially since my beautiful topper is ruined and it was a birthday gift from Friends in Stitching this year...

Below left is the candle holder......even the remote copped it......and my little phone cover as well is singed! 

The biggest lesson here for me is to keep an eye out when a candle is alight......lucky I was right there

Christmas in June With A Cook Up With Donna Hay No 23

We recently had our Christmas in July dinner in June as I am in a Melodrama every weekend at Gold Rush Colony

JoJo brought out her cardboard Christmas tree

I put on the DVD with an open fire playing on the tv

JoJo bought bon-bons in January specifically for this

Menu is from donna hay magazine Issue 68 April/May 2013

Basic Meatloaf with a Twist

Mixed Mushroom and Almond Milk Risotto with Crispy Sage

Sauerkraut (from Issue 62 April/May 2012)

Dark Chocolate Coconut Cheesecakes with Pomegranate Syrup

I started by making the bases for the cheesecakes 

how excellent were these......all gluten free made with 

shredded coconut......sugar......egg whites and melted butter

I think I will make these more often!!!

Next I lined the baking dish in preparation for the pork and veal mince with prosciutto

The recipe specified pancetta but the butcher had run out of this 

When doing a Cook Up I try and stay as close to the recipe and ingredients as I can

Bacon would also work just as well with this

The mince just about covered

Mr Armchair suggested this pic as he liked the look of what was happening!!!

The mince all covered now and ready for the oven

I then started the sauerkraut

The meatloaf out of the oven

It looked absolutely delicious!!!

Sliced meatloaf

and the meal all together now

That risotto must be the creamiest risotto I have ever tasted!!!

I bought 'real' organic chocolate from Rustic Pantry (no additives.....read gluten LOL) chunks for the cheesecakes below

and boy were they good

Light too made with the addition of cream cheese and ricotta

I just love pomegranate seeds

I did make the syrup but turned away from it whilst cooking......

But wait there's more

A gluten free fruit cake by a lovely lady from Braidwood that was delivered to me after Christmas so I put it away for our mid year Christmas dinner

This cake was not a heavy cake and honestly you couldn't tell that it was gluten free

It was just delicious

Thank you so much Trish for this unexpected delivery!!!

JoJo was happy with fruit cake and goat's milk custard (she's dairy free) while we enjoyed the cheesecakes and had the fruit cake the next evening

And to top it all off a joke from one of the bon bons

Why did the golfer wear an extra pair of trousers?

Answer:  In case he got a hole in one!!!  

I like the jokes from bon bons even though they are silly they are a lot of fun!!!

Bon Appetit......Dzintra

~OPAM...One Project A Month......and Mogo Melodrama~

Just a little item this month for OPAM

Above are fabrics JoJo chose together with a Santa button to make the pattern below

'The Christmas Goose' by Anni Downs of Hatched and Patched

She specified just the Santa......no ric rac but Christmas ribbon was okay and the lining the same as the outside

All filled with treats for our Christmas in July dinner that we had last weekend in June!!!

And the reason not much stitching happening and the Christmas in June dinner

I'm involved in a Melodrama at Gold Rush Colony in Mogo

The Gold Rush Colony is a fabulous 1850's  Theme Park depicting life as it was in the early Australian Gold Rush Days and I just love going there!!!

Here I am above warming up by the huge open fireplace there

Flyer for the Melodrama

Did Joe Flanagan hit the jackpot?

Lots of Sing-a-longs......and it's all so much fun!!!

The Melodrama opens this Saturday and for the next 2 Saturdays for a matinee and then a final performance on Saturday 27th July in the evening

All held in the Digger's Rest Tavern

I'd swear you were back in the Wild West