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!!!

Cuppitt's Winery...with a touch of France!!!

A couple of weeks ago JoJo went out with her Peer Support group for a good part of a Saturday...

so we thought we'd visit a Winery not too far away from us for lunch...

The Winery being Cuppitt's ...

here is a view through the sweetest little window from the old Creamery now Tasting Room...

But first things first...breakfast...
Here is Mr Armchair's (a new name for Hubby given to him by Fer, thanks Jen...I love it)

And a nice hearty brekky for me too!!!

Upon arrival at the Winery we happened upon Ben (one of Chefs there) in the vegie patch...

to the right of the vegie patch follow the path and turn right for the Old Creamery which is now a Tasting Room...

turn left for this setting...

across from the Tasting Room...

through this door for the tasting...

continuing down and turning left is the Restaurant with a lake in front...

view towards the right...

see how the vines are grown acrossways...something which is also often done in France, as we were told...

The country side at the moment is just so green and luscious...

Rosie Cupitt, the winemaker, has studied at Charles Sturt University and has more than a decade of vintage experience including vintages in France and liasons with Italian winemakers to further her wine knowledge. Her philosophy with the wines is to make wines that go well with food and to let the grapes dictate the final wine style with each variety.

Unfortunately all booked out for lunch...but we were made very welcome by the staff there...

There are 3 French Waiters here and one of them offered to take a photo of us here...

Menu for Dessert...

View from inside the Restaurant...

Outside scenes...

We were shown the grapes and some equipment outside by our Host...

And of course we had to have a taste...
seeing we couldn't get in for lunch this time we took some bottles back home with us...
and vowed to return again when we can get some respite care for JoJo!!!
It was a great day...beautiful views...great menu...and very helpful staff...

and we'll be back soon!!!

OPAM March 2010...and a new project!!!

My third OPAM (One Project A Month) for 2010!!!

What a great way to achieve a finished project every month...thank you to Peg for organizing this!!!

These Tilda fabrics received from Simone...
(I decided to use a variegated thread in shades of pink)

along with this stitchery...now complete!!!

Along the way Simone sent 2 more fabrics that just had to be included...
you can see them at the left hand side...cupcakes with hints of gold in them!!!

Attaching fabrics around the stitchery...and the layout...

here is the back all stitched together...

and completed...
A perfect Recipe Journal for desserts and cakes...
Thank You so much Simone for organizing this stitchery for 'us' to do...
and I'm looking forward to our next project!!!

Meanwhile...I bought this Hatched and Patched pattern a little while ago...
and I'm going to use it to make a little bag for a birthday gift for someone's special birthday gift...

I have chosen these fabrics...

Not sure whether to use the variegated thread for the stitchery...

or individual colours...
Guess I'll have to go and stare at it a bit longer!!!

Meanwhile...wishing everybody a safe, happy and Blessed Easter...Dzintra

A refreshing drink...and my 20 year quilt project washed!!!

We on the Coast here are having the most glorious sunshiney warm days...

water temperature 25c!!! It can't get much better than that...

We were given some lemonade limes...I had never heard of these...

instructions to use them were squeeze the juice out...

add some sugar for sweetness...
pour in some soda water...I used mineral water...

add a twist of lime...some lemon balm...
and you get the most refreshing 'lemonade' I have ever tasted!!!

Just delicious...I think I'm hooked!!!

Amidst all this beautiful weather a bumper crop of roses...

it is our third summer here and the best they have been!!!

Meanwhile...back to my 20 year old quilt...that's right,

this quilt took 20 years to make...thought I would do a little patchwork course and made 6 blocks...then we moved to some small acres...

it was put down for some years while we reared some animals...

the children were growing up...

we had a daughter with a disability...

but finally...it was completed!!!

To read more about this quilt, go over here...

I thought it was about time I gave it a wash...

the lady who quilted it said when washed it will sort of crinkle up and get that antiquey look...

so wash it I did...

the back of it...

and here it is all washed and hanging...

and I fell in love with it all over again!!!

I'm hoping that my next quilt doesn't take this long to finish!!!

This weekend will be perfect for hitting that beach...

and drinking a home made lemonade!!!

Have a great weekend...and Happy Quilting...Dzintra♥x