A giveaway to end Blogtoberfest

Well as you would have all noticed I have managed to fail Blogtoberfest this year in a big way.  What can I say,  School holidays and two weeks away did not help me in this cause.

Better luck next year.

As a thank you to those that visited and those of you that did such a great job in following along, joining in and the like I am celebrating for all of you with a little giveaway.

Just leave a comment before next Monday (November 7th) and I will draw it randomly (with the help of the little people in the house.

The prize, now that would be handy to know.  If you are a knitter (or crocheter) than I will send you 1 ball of Mini Mochi Intense Rainbow Yarn and some super cute buttons.

If you aren't of the yarny crafts then I will knit it into a Rainbow scarf for you (and the buttons).  Let me know in your comments what you would prefer.

A Slice of Paradise

A slice of Paradise, on our back door...

A slice of Paradise, that we took two years to find...

A slice of Paradise, that has made us fall back in love with Queensland a little bit more

and wishing that we weren't leaving so soon.

 
Heading back to paradise next weekend to see the whales and ticking off some more of that bucket list.

A Silky Worm

We have eight little friends living happily at our house at the moment. 

They eat and eat and eat and have started to spin the yellowest of yellow thread.

The kids are amazed and I can not stop checking on them everytime I walk past.

I hope you have all had an enjoyable weekend.

On the Shelf...

It appears that I have fallen off Blogtoberfest with a thud.

Life here has managed to get crazy busy again here (sorry if I am meant to have sent you back an email - I am hoping to get to it tonight)  I have managed to catch up with a few friends this week and am attempting to get organised to go on a little family holiday, all I have packed so far is my knitting and crochet, that is acceptable behaviour for us crafty folk isn't it?

I have been stir, stir, stirring a great big pot and turned 11kg of tomatoes into Special Sauce*.  Another crazy thing to do just before moving.  Never mind, there is always ways around moving things (trust me, after 8 moves in 9 years I know ALL the tricks)

Special Tomato Sauce

11 kg of tomatoes
1.5kg sliced brown onions
2kg granny smith apples, sliced
100g garlic cloves, peeled and minced
2kg sugar
500g salt
40g all spice
40g whole ginger, sliced
10g Cayenne
40 g cloves
5 cups of brown vinegar

Boil unpeeled tomatoes, onions, apples and garlic slowly for 3 hours (depends on how thick you like your sauce)  Remove skins that are floating on the surface.
With a bar mix or blender (I used the thermomix) Puree, blend in sugar and salt
Place spices, ginger, cayenne and cloves into a muslin bag and secure.Place in the pot of sauce mix and stir in vinegar.
Boil gently for 2 hours, stirring occasionally and be careful not to catch the bottom (burnt sauce isn't good)
Remove spice bag. Pour into sterilised bottles and seal firmly.

We now have a nice little stock pile of 18 bottles of sauce sitting on the shelf.  This will last us a year and is used in everything from pasta, spaghetti and shepherds pie and of course on top of steak and pies.
* Baden calls this his special sauce as it is the only sauce that isn't naughty and cause a rash on his face.

Joining in with Vic's Meme this week.  She has it back in her hot little hands and is a little excited to say the least.  Why don't you pop by and say hi.

Sunday Snippets {Blogtoberfest Day 9}

Joining in with Tinniegirl's Sunday Snippets this Sunday.

A quick photo at a playcentre during a birthday celebration

 A painting on a wall at the local cafe. 

 Face painted after a trip to Bunnings

Riding the bike without training wheels (and racing Dad to the finish line)

Hope that you have all had a lovely, relaxing weekend and ready for another week.

Going Short...

My hair needs a good cut every few years.  So what else does one do when she has finally found an awesome hairdresser and is about to move???

Get it all lopped off of course. 

It will possibly take me the next two years to find another great hairdresser.  I wonder if a flight from Melbourne to Brisbane is budgetable for haircuts?  Don't like my chances.

 A week into Blogtoberfest and still going strong - yay.

Happiness...{this moment}

 is a girl with cupcakes.

I fail with this no word, one photo thing.
The girl took in cupcakes this week to share with her friends at school.
I also nailed the icing - thanks heaps Lesley for your help and recipe.

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.-soulemama