Things Ive taken photos of recently.

I've been taking a lot of photos recently. There just seems to be lots of things I'm loving and want to capture. I'm still using my phone, but looking at cameras on gumtree, so hopefully something comes up! I thought id share a few of my recent pics with you.

Tonight's pizza made with my favourite yoghurt pizza dough, fresh tomato sauce and homegrown olives(not mine).

My new favourite spot to sit. This tree is beautiful and the purple flowers have s lovely smell.

Colourful salads and this bowl, which was in a huge box full of opshopped goodies my friend dropped off for me.

Morning light

Watching Percy play

This display of cakes. I got to try some too!

Another dress ready for a customer. I am in love with this one.

Enjoying colouring in, especially while sitting on the swing under the tree.

Picnics with Percy and friends. These peanut butter biscuits are amazing. 

Enjoying these roses before they go. Given to me by a friend who picked them up on her walk.

Hope your all having a lovely week so far. I've got a wonderful weekend planned, so will have photos from that to show you I am sure!

Taz x

Out and About: Alfred Nicholas Memorial Gardens

Hello all,

back again. Today Percy and I went on our next outdoorsy explore and escape and relax outing. Ive started to write a list of places to go, and each friday we will jump in the car and go to one on the list. Todays was the Alfred Nicholas Memorial Gardens in the dandenongs. I felt like I was back in my childhood actually. My dad used to take us to all sorts of amazing gardens and reserves, wild life parks and hiking tracks that we would explore, and I want to pass that on to Percy. It was a beautiful day and I took some photos to show you!

Had a simple picnic for lunch. Boiled eggs, fresh bread and loads of butter.

Do you know of any places I should write on my list?

Taz xx

Happy Days

hello again,

it's sunday night and im tired. I think it's cos ive tried to do alot more this weekend than usual. I put my attention on doing rather than sitting, and put my attention on percy, rather than me, and put my attention onto other things rather than my usual go to, my phone.

I had a moment of realising, i hate having a phone. I hate having apps that are so great, they start to take up more of my day than I'd like. So I uninstalled those apps (instagram, facebook), which meant my phone has been used for photo taking (not for long, buying a camera, so my phone can just be a phone) and messaging family and friends about catching up, good stuff!

I'm not going cold turkey on social media, I have an ipad and laptop that I can access those parts of my life, but my phone was a whole new level. It was always on me, which meant i always had my head down in my phone. After every task around the house, id check whats new, whose posted what, and was not present in reality of my home, but instead in someones elses online. My eyes were getting sore and tired, headachy and a sore neck, yep its that bad for me. But this weekend, was great. I chose to use my phone less, but also fill my day more. Ive turned the ipad on in the evenings to check my social media pages, posted if I wanted then off again. Its enjoyable now, rather than quite boring and energy zapping. I found this weekend, when I finished a task, I would then find a new one, rather than sit to browse online, so I ended up finishing alot of things ive been needing to do a while now!
Each week, Percy and I, are also going to go on an adventure somewhere quiet. I have found im needing two things, less phone and more outside. We have a lovely garden here, but I find when im home, i will not relax outside, but find reasons why we need to be inside. Things to do etc, where as driving somewhere, im forced to enjoy, relax, explore and appreciate. I plan to write a list of locations, then go to one each week. The idea is nature, not built up busy areas, so near the country, sea, mountains etc.

For our first outting, we drove to St Andrews on friday. Pete was home, so he joined us.

This is the local sourdough bakery. 

Foraged onion weed for cooking.

I also finished off some orders, packaged them and sent them off. Such a good feeling!

Made a batch of chickpea and choc chip blondies to fill the tins. I think there is one left. They are good!

This afternoon was so warm, Percy and I jumped in the car, and headed to a favourite spot, Warrandyte. We had a piece of cake at Roundabout Cafe then walked along the river counting ducks.

We ended the weekend, both pretty tired, visiting grandma(my mum) for dinner then home to bed for Percy and now catching up online for me!

How was your weekend?

Go anywhere interesting?

Taz xx

My quiche recipe.

I made quiche for dinner tonight. One of my friends, Beth, asked if I could share the recipe, so here it is my love! And of course for the rest of you.

I love quiche. It's a perfect summer and winter meal. It's great for using weird veggies and using scraps of veggies you find in the bottom of the fridge at the end of the pay fortnight. It usually makes enough to be a meal or two the next day as well, so less cooking, hooray(although I love cooking, sometimes its nice to just eat or reheat rather than cook)!

Quiche is also great with or without pastry, obviously I choose the pastry option most of the time as it makes the meal go further and who doesn't like shortcrust pastry! But when you don't have time to make pastry, its still seriously delicious as is. Or you could buy the pastry. I've also used mountain bread successfully, just layer a few on top of each other.

Tonight's quiche was not made at the end of the pay fortnight but I still threw in veggie scraps, fresh veggies and weird ones. Its delicious, and you can add any veggies you want, every quiche I make has a different veggie combo and it works every time. Tonight's does not have asparagus or potato, but I highly recommend those veggies along with your others! Your quiche can also be made with or without meat. I love bacon, chicken or sausage in mine, but vegetarian is great, with feta or smoked salmon.

Ok, time for tonight's quiche!

For the pastry:
1 cup wholemeal/spelt flour
60 gm cold butter
2-3 tbs cold water
pinch salt

In a food processor, process the flour, salt and butter until it resembles bread crumbs. Then, slowly drizzle in the water until it forms a ball. Place this in the fridge to harden up a little if the weather is warm, otherwise, roll out on a floured surface until it is the size of your baking tin. For a quiche with pastry, I use a round spring form cake tin. For a quiche with no pastry, I use a rectangle slice tin/glass baking tray.

Grease your tin/tray and line with the pastry, making sure it goes up the sides as well. I always seem to tear and break pastry, but don't worry, just paste and squish it all together like play dough. It doesn't matter! Place this in the fridge until you need it.

For the filling:
7 eggs
1 1/2 cups of full fat milk
1 large carrot, chopped finely
1 large zucchini, chopped finely
a large handful of mushrooms, chopped finely
1 cup of shredded silver beet (this was 2 giant leaves)
a piece of pumpkin (same size as carrot/zucchini), chopped finely
1 large radish, chopped finely
a good handful of chopped fresh parsley plus extra to throw on top for serving
2 giant cloves of garlic, sliced finely or minced
1 tomato, sliced
1 cup of cheese, grated
a good handful of leftover chicken, shredded(you can just fry some up for this, but have it already cooked before putting in the quiche)

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs. Pour in the milk with some salt and pepper and stir. Now just add your chicken and veggies, except the tomato.

Mix all of this well, then pour into your pastry lined tin. Spread out the mixture so its an even height. Lay the slices of tomato on top, then top that with the grated cheese.

You can always put more grated cheese through the mixture if you don't have meat or feta.

If your using a spring form pan, place this on a baking tray as sometimes there can be leakage through the gaps. Bake in a preheated 190C fan forced oven.

I opened my oven a number of times to check as I was impatient. I wasn't taking note to see how long it took, but was waiting for the top to be golden and when a knife inserted, for it to a little wet with out dripping. A little wobble is what you want, but if its seems to have too much liquid in the centre, keep baking. I think it took in my oven around 30-40 minutes.

Once ready, remove the outer ring of the spring form pan. Slice and serve. Can be enjoyed hot or cold.

Hope you enjoy this as much as we do.

Taz xx

Vintage Pattern Love!

Hi lovely readers,

Hope you had a great weekend. It felt like summer yesterday here in Melbourne which was great. Today though, back to 15 degrees and quite chilly. Blogging and sending magazine orders is on my to do list for today's cold weather.

I don't think I am the only one who loves vintage sewing patterns. In fact I know I'm not the only one. There are some incredibly talented sewers out there who take their love to the next step, and actually use them to make clothes. I sadly cannot understand the patterns. I've probably not bothered to try hard enough, but all the lines and numbers confuse me. I might force my mum to teach me. She likes to remind me every now and then that she used to sew. She taught me how to gather my skirts and dresses, but I don't think she knows that!! Now you do!! Anyway,  one day I hope to use them, cos then Id be able to re create some of the stunning dresses and skirts. Until then, I do collect the patterns found at opshops and fairs, to use for inspiration and ideas, great for gift wrapping, and some to hang as decorations on my wall. Have a look at these ones in my collection, I just love them.

So sad, the pattern for the shorts were missing!

This dress, just shorter I think would be very cute.

I really like the red polka dot dress.

THAT BROWN DRESS/HAIR/BROOCH!!!

Love the simple blue skirt. In fact that girls whole outfit is great!

Anyone else collect patterns? Do you know how to use them? 

Will be back soon, I have some pics from my Fabric tape workshops I have been running. If your interested in taking part, the next one is this thursday the 16th.

Taz xx