Our weekend in Ballarat

Wow..two blog posts in a row! Our computer is being silly. Past couple of days it didn't want to turn on and now its working fine. So may as well churn these posts out while I can!

On the weekend, the 3 of us packed our suitcases and drove to Ballarat for 3 nights. We stayed in the same very cute cottage as last time, Lalor Cottage Ballarat. I went with a good list of things I wanted to do, see and eat. I follow quite a few online people from their blogs to instagram and facebook, and had found some cute looking places that I knew I wanted to visit. The weekend did not disappoint. Cafes were delicious, opshops amazing, and the creative side of things...had no idea how many cute craft and handmade shops were about, so it left me feeling very motivated and inspired! Here are pics from our weekend.

Flowers and vintage teapot perfection at The Retro Church Cafe

Inside this building was an opshop!!!

Inside the retro church cafe. Met some delightful locals.

Cake from Cake Bake Shop

Homemade soup and irish soda bread still warm from the oven

Cute paper flowers I found at The Crafty Squirrel

Opshopped. Brand new. I am still in shock.

Bought some bits and pieces for a garland

Opshopped 20c teacups

I plan to make the middle dress in this opshopped fabric

Some lovely finds in Dayelsford

50c clothes

A bib I plan to attach as a pocket onto an item of clothes

Loved this the floral skirt. 

Have you been to Ballarat?

Hope you enjoyed the photos. See you soon.

Taz xx

Flourless Banana Cake with Vanilla Sour Cream icing.

I made this cake a couple of days ago and have had quite a few people ask for the recipe, so here it is. This is flourless because its made with besan flour. You can use regular flour, or follow this recipe for an almond meal base.

To make this cake, you will need:
3 very ripe bananas,3 tbs honey or rice malt syrup,1 1/2 cups besan flour(chickpea flour), 3 tsp baking powder, 1 1/2 tsp bicarb soda, 2 heaped tsp cinnamon, 1 egg, 50 ml melted butter or coconut oil, 1/2 cup milk, 3/4 cup good quality sour cream, 1/3 cup honey or rice malt syrup, vanilla.

Preheat oven to 180C and grease and line a large round cake tin. 

Mash the banana and honey well in a bowl. 

In another large bowl, sift the besan flour, baking powder, bicarb soda, cinnamon and a pinch of salt 3 times. Make a well in the centre. In a jug, mix the milk, egg and oil/melted butter. 

Pour this into the well along with the banana mixture.

Stir until combined, then pour into the tin. Smooth gently to make it even.

Bake for approx 30 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. 

Cool in the tin a couple of minutes, then transfer onto a wire rack to cool completely. 

Make the icing by mixing the sour cream, 1/3 cup honey/rice malt syrup and a good splash of vanilla. 

When the cake is cool, spread the icing onto one cake.

Enjoy with a cup of your favourite tea. Serves 12-16 slices.

Blog hops and getting nominated!

Hi everyone,

So Im having this battle in my head, that right now, as Percy is napping, I really should be cleaning the house, but I feel like catching up with blog stuff, and as you can see this is winning!

I really enjoy having this blog, and I love reading other people's blogs. Every now and then I think that my blog is not really important anymore, and that people have their interests elsewhere. So when you get two lovely bloggers telling you they would like you to take part in a blog share thing, it feels quite nice to know that this little buttery and bunting filled space is being appreciated!

So, I firstly heard from my sis in law Ash who writes The Squee, and she was taking part in a blog hop, and asked me to join. So here it goes..

What am I working on?

I have just finished making a whole heap of handmade bits and pieces for a market I did yesterday, so nothing at the moment in the sewing/making department. I think I will work on getting what didnt sell, sold online and of course, Im always working on my magazine Hundreds and Thousands with Mezz, whether its brainstorming ideas or sending orders! Oh, this is sounding very professional, soz!

Why do I do what I do?

I do what I do because why not! I really hope this does not come out sounding up myself or poor me, but I think I am good at what I do! I have finally found something that is mine. I married into a very talented, creative family where I didnt really have anything to share. They were all musical, and I cant really clap in time, so as much as it was wonderful to be around, I felt like a tag along. Now, im doing my own thing. Im out gigging(markets, blogger catchups, tea and cake dates) and I can do something that I can feel proud of and feel ok to show off in a non showing off way! So to answer that again, I do it because I can, because It keeps me busy physically and mentally and because its fun and makes me feel like i am contributing somehow!

How does my writing process work?

Obviously I am not a writer, that was the question for Ash. I will change it to my creating process. I dont know...when it comes to my handmade Butter and Buntings stuff, I dont have a process. Ideas will pop into my head and I will try them. I will make something for me, love it, and want to share it in my shop. I love trying to reuse materials and stuff that will otherwise get thrown out, so I make games in my head where I try think of what this thing could be turned into.

With magazine stuff, thats just a place where all my favourite things go! Its not hard actually. Its like a diary. Its a collection of my favourite images, people, places, things, colours, patterns all in a magazine. Mezz and I so far havnt clashed over our likes and dislikes, so its been easy and I think it will be, because there are alot of things that make me happy and thats where I put them on paper and print them out!

How does it differ from others in my genre?

I wont lie, I dont even know how to pronounce the word genre. 

Meet my friends!

The next little nomination thing, kinda ties in with this bit. Tagging some bloggers who you love! So I will do a couple here and a couple down below. You can choose which thing to be part of and thats only if you want to..otherwise just see your names here as a sign that I love your blog!

The Bush Crafter

Scrumdillydilly 

Lovely Simone from With Vintage and Me told me she has nominated me for the Versatile Blogger Award. I didnt know what this was, but the fact I'd been nominated was soo nice! The idea behind this is is that you nominate bloggers who's blog you just love reading. You also share 7 things about yourself that no one knows....I talk alot, so there's a chance people do know these things, but I will try..

1. I eat cheese EVERYDAY
2. Snakes..seeing a picture or worse, the real thing will always make me feel ill!
3. I love hidden camera shows
4. In winter I wear a nightie tucked into my pj pants which are tucked into thick socks, then a             jumper over the top. As well as all this, I usually have a hot water bottle in there somewhere!
5. When I get hungry, I can be quite mean.
6. I used to VOLUNTEER to cut and file my grandmas toe nails when I was little!!!!!????
7. We are currently browsing real estate websites looking to move.

I'd love to nominate
Lucy Violet Vintage
Dear Olive

Ok lovely readers,

I will be back soon with snaps from my most recent market and pics of recent makes!

Taz xx

Hundreds and Thousands Magazine.

Hello lovely ones,

It's a bit cold and miserable here in melbourne. Our electricity has been out, so the oven has been our heater. This is not great. But I did not come here to make you feel even more cold (thats's if your going through winter), I came to tell you issue two of my magazine is out now!

For more info and pretty pics, head to the blog, and to purchase it, go here.

I would love to know if you have read any of the other issues.

See you soon,

Taz 

My new winter coat.

So I made myself a coat. It's been something I have wanted to do for a while now, and after making Percy's coat, I knew I needed to try making mine finally!

Im pretty happy with this. It's not perfect. But its a handmade coat!!! Made by me!!! Two needles snapped...blankets are hard to sew with.
I used a $1 woolen blanket and lined it with some very pretty opshopped quilted material for extra warmth. The buttons were opshopped too, I think they were once on a couch. Here's some pics...

Here's Percy in his new coat. It fits perfectly.

It feels pretty good ticking sewing goals off my list. Anything you've tried making that has been a goal of yours for a while?

See you soon,

Taz

Percy's new winter coat.

I've just finished sewing Percy this winter coat, and am pretty happy with it. I've been doing a bit of sewing lately for the Handmade Kids Clothing Swap 2014, and while making clothes for Alyna kids, I felt Percy needed something too! So I decided a winter coat would be a good idea. I snapped one sewing needle, and had a small moment of panic that my machine was dead, but I ended up sorting myself out, and getting it finished. I plan to work on one for myself now. Here's some pics..

I used a opshopped vintage woolen blanket and lined it with some very cute retro kids fabric. The buttons were from a cardi of mine I chucked out ages ago. 

How are you keeping warm this winter???

See you soon, hopefully with a pic of Percy in his new coat.

Taz xx

Weekend Baking:Coconut and Jam Slice

Hi there,

As it is now the weekend, if you are anything like me, my head goes straight to the eating side of things. The weekend brings opportunitues to make and share food, so I thought I would share a recipe perfect for afternoon tea. Or morning tea. Or breakfast. Lunch. Or dinner.

The original recipe was for Raspberry and Coconut Slice, taken from my Womens Weekly Baking Day cookbook(I LOVE this book). But I changed it. And I used homemade chia seed jam.

The jam was a recipe from Petite Kitchen Cookbook. Its so quick and easy, and perfect for baking with.

For the jam, you will need:
250gm berries of your choice
60ml water
2tbs honey/rice malt syrup
1/4 cup chia seeds

In a blender or food processor, blend the berries, water and honey. Stir in the chia seeds then put in glass jars, and set in fridge for an hour. The jam will keep 2-3 weeks refrigerated.

For the slice you will need:
90 gm butter, softened
1/2 cup coconut sugar
1 egg
1/3 cup self raising flour
2/3 cup spelt flour
1/2-3/4 cup chia seed jam

Coconut topping:
2 eggs
1/3 cup coconut sugar
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup almond meal

Preheat oven to 180C and line a 19x29 cm slice tin with baking paper.
In a bowl, beat butter, egg and coconut sugar until light and fluffy.
Stir in the flours in two batches.
Spread mixture over base of tin. Spread jam evenly over the top.
Make the coconut topping by beating the eggs, then adding the coconut and coconut sugar. Spread on top of jam.
Bake for 30min. Cool in pan, then slice into 18 slices.

Store in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Enjoy, with tea!

Are you doing any baking this weekend? If you make this, i'd love to know! Tomorrow, I plan to bake my mum's Orange Cake. The recipe was featured in the starter issue of Hundreds and Thousands Magazine, (a magazine I make) and the recipe is available on the blog here.

Hope your all having a great weekend so far,

Taz xx