Rainbow cake

Yesterday, we made cake.

Rainbow cake!

   

After being inspired by

which is in my Yum Yum board on pinterest.

Miss Georgia made this cake (with only a little help from me)

We just used 2 buttercake mixes (the no name brand).

Made both cake mixes in one bowl according to the directions on the packet.

Put one cup of cake batter into several bowls & added a different food colouring to each.
You can't have a cake without a chocolate layer so we added cocoa to one of the bowls.

I had 2 cake tins that are the same size so it was a little time consuming in the cooking. I think I will need to buy 2 more the same size as this would make a fabulous birthday cake.

I made sure to line the tins with baking paper, & poured the batter in & cooked for around 10 minutes on 170 degrees.

Allow the layers of the cake to cool completely before icing.

I just used a basic buttercream icing.

Place the first layer of cake on to the serving tray (there is no moving this cake once made so make it on the serving tray). Layer on the icing then repeat until the layers are all used.

Fill in the sides with icing.

Then cover the top & smooth the sides with more icing.

And there you have it…..

I think I will be asking for one of these for my birthday! But I think I want mine to be alternating layers of chocolate & pink!!

Festive Friday, #5

Today I am going to do a Christmas gift that requires no sewing.

You can make it in a couple of minutes & it is the perfect gift.

Peppermint sugar scrub for hands & feet!

My daughters love to have a foot pamper evening & this would have to be their favourite scrub to make & use.

It smells just like candy canes!

You just mix 1/2 cup of sugar, about 10 drops of peppermint essential oil & enough good quality olive oil to make a scrub. Do not make it too runny.

This makes enough to fill a small jar. If you want to make more, just double or triple the ingredients.

Make sure that you use a clean jar with a firm fitting lid.

Tie a ribbon around the top & put a festive sticker or make a label & you have a lovely gift.

The chickadees & I love to rub this scrub all over our feet then let them soak in a warm foot bath.

Ahhhhh, heaven!

Why not make some for yourself?

If you are going to make it as a gift, make it the day before giving it so it is at it is best!

A simple sun shade

After being inspired by a photo on Pinterest, I made one of these groovy sunshades to take to Double Island with us the other day.

I was inspired by this photo

The one that I made is the size of a double bed sheet. I used some sheeting that I had brought way too much of for Georgia’s room.

I just sewed ties on both long sides at the half way & quarter marks.

Sew some loops on the 4 corners.

We just used some poles that we use for camping, a spreader bar & 2 upright poles, 4 sand pegs & ropes, & there you have it!

We went to Double Island on a 30 degree day & this was certainly a lot cooler to sit under than a tarp.

Hmmmmmm, maybe I need one in every colour!

Free Babushka pattern and tutorial

Let me introduce you to the newest members of our family,

Isabella, Sophia & Amelia.

They are 3 sleeping Babushka sisters.

You too can make these with this free pattern.

(you would be surprised how many cups & saucers were traced around to get this pattern!)

This pattern is for personal use only & not to be used for profit. If you use it for your own blog, please link back to this blog. Thank you.

Just right click on the above picture & select print.

This is an A4 sized pattern so make sure to fit it to page when printing.

Cut 2 pieces of fabric for each Babushka.

Try to keep the material similar for each doll. I used the same print but in a different colour so that they match .

Sew some lace & rick rack on to the front piece of each Babushka as an apron.

Using brown felt, cut out the face using the circle from the Babushka pattern as a template.

Pin the face onto the doll. Either hand or machine sew it on. I chose to slowly machine sew it on.

  

Using chalk or a lead pencil, draw the features of the face onto the felt. Hand stitch the dolls face with sleeping eyelids & lips.

  

  

Place the back of the doll on top of the front with right side facing.

Pin around the outside.

Sew around the outside, leaving an opening at the bottom so that you can pull the doll in the right way.

Clip around the rounded edges but do not cut through the stitching.

Turn the dolls in the right way.

Fill the dolls with stuffing, make sure they are nice & plump but not too full or they will pop a seam.

*UPDATE!!! One of my lovely readers sugested putting in a little lavender in the middle. You could put a couple of drops of any essential oil that you like on a little bit of the stuffing. You could also scale the pattern down & use them for heat packs as shown here 
Lavender wheat bags

Hand sew the opening at the bottom closed with a very small stitch.

And then you are ready to introduce your 3 sleeping Babushka sisters to your family!

These would make a great Christmas gifts!

They would make a lovely addition to any little girls bedroom!

These ones are going to be right at home in Miss Georgia’s shabby chic bedroom.

**These are not intended to be toys for anyone under the age of 3yrs.**

Homemade chicken schnitzels, quick & easy

I love chicken schnitzels but I am sick of buying ones from the supermarket or butchers that just don’t taste right.

So, I have made my own for the first time & I will never buy store brought ones again!

We had our chicken schnitzels on a homemade chicken & bacon burger & oh my, they were delicious!

There are 4 people that I made these burgers for & only needed 1 chicken breast.

Not only is it better to make your own but it is cheap too!

You just have to place the chicken breast in between 2 freezer bags & pound it flat with a meat mallet.

 

In a food processor, put some bread in it & blitz till it makes fine breadcrumbs.

Set up 3 shallow dishes.

The first one with 1/2 cup of plain flour.

The second with 2 eggs & a dash of milk whisked together.

In the last one, put a cup of breadcrumbs.

Cut the flattened chicken breast into 4 pieces.

Coat each piece with flour….

Then the egg wash….

And lastly the breadcrumbs (make sure you pat the breadcrumbs in so they stick)

Heat up some olive oil in a fry pan (about1cm high of oil).

Cook the chicken on each side for about 2 minutes.

 

Serve with vegies, chips, salad, or as we did, on a burger..

I just toasted some Turkish bread & cooked some bacon.

The burger was layered with lettuce, mayo, onion, tomato, cheese, chicken schnitzel, bbq sauce & Australian mustard.

Oh, it was delicious!

Well, I am off to get my hair cut today. It is a great start to the week, a new do!

Whatever you are up to this week, make time to do something for yourself, even if it is just a haircut or a bubble bath. Do something that makes you smile & feel happy!

Later on this week, I will be posting a free Babushka doll pattern & tutorial that I know you are going to love! Make sure to tell all of your firends about this site so thay can join in the

Sew, cook, laugh & live GIVEAWAY!