Banana Pudding

We had friends and family over last weekend and Banana Pudding was one of the desserts I made.

This is my go to easiest dessert recipe. 

Its a no rule recipe you can change it up to suit yourself or to what ever you have on hand.

We pretty much always have bananas in our house so that's why its called Banana Pudding and not Fruit Pudding.

Bananas are the first ingredient and the second would have to be some sort of cake or biscuit.

The cup cakes below were ones I made using those pretty patty pans for the first time, some over flow occurred as I filled them a little too full. These weren't used at the time as they are ugly and someone broke off bits to eat, i'm not naming names but it could have been me.

Any way all the experiments went into the freezer for just this recipe.

Ingredients :

Bananas - sliced

Cake - sliced

Custard

Cream - whipped

Chocolate - grated or shaved

To make this delicious dessert you layer cake, custard, chocolate and then bananas nearly all the way to the top of your bowl. Depending on the size of your bowl and how many people you have to feed that's how many layers you will use. For mine it was two of each. End with bananas and then I like to mix a little cream with the custard and spread that on top and finish with chocolate shavings. 

Cake, Custard, Banana

As this is a quick recipe you can use custard powder to make your custard the day before or you can use pre made custard or you could go all out and make Homemade Custard , for this one I used custard powder and made it the night before.

You are not limited to bananas, I have also made this with stewed apples, and cinnamon instead of chocolate. 

You can also use lady finger biscuits instead of cake or any other sweet biscuit.

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R&R Wednesday # 82

Back Yard Farming # 109

Homestead hop # 8

Homemaking Party

Motivation Monday # 120

From the Farm Hop

New Adventures part 2

New Adventures part 1

To do list number 2

1. Paper work from solicitor / conveyancer - Check

2. Have photos taken for the magazine and web sites - Check

3. Get the house listed - Check

We chose Alan and Marlene Thompson to list our home, they were the ones we purchased it through in 2009. Finding a real estate you like can be stressful, there are so many who want to list it cheep so they can get a quick sale. That was just not on.

It is listed at
RealEstate
ThompsonRealEstate
Domain

We have had one couple through on the weekend and another scheduled this week, not too bad to say it went up at the end of last week.

Now i guess the hard work begins,

4. Keeping the house and yard clean and tidy - Check
5. Find a property -
6. Packing - now i'm on the box hunt Grrrr -
7. Removals -
8. Mail redirected -
9. Finding work -

Our gas bottle ran out so getting a new one delivered tomorrow, i was hoping for it to last a few more weeks but its always the way.
My new business is off to a good start. I have come up with a name and logo and had some stamps made. And started a face book page, Hopefully i can get my web site up and running by the new year.
Here is the link to Early Bird Kids face book page.
I have now had two parties and the feedback and results have been awesome, I couldn't be more pleased.


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Home Making Mondays
Motivation Monday # 120
Say G'day Saturday # 116

New Adventures part 1

Everyone's life is like a book to be read with different chapters and sub chapters documenting their life. We have lived in the Blue Mountains for 20 years and for the last 5 in our own home. When we purchased our home in 2009 we had no idea that after living in the mountains for 20 years we would be going after a new adventure. 

 This is the top orchid

 Back of the house

Earlier this year Andrew and I decided that we wanted something different a new chapter. That something different i guess we have been working towards for a long time but never really new it.

Now that our boys are grown we are free to go and do as we please, they are both welcome to come with us but they have chosen not too.

So our adventures in the Blue Mountains will soon be over, this is exciting and at the same time a little scary. (who am i kidding a lot scary). 

To start a new adventure there are a few things that needed to be ticked off the long list of to do's.

1. Finish off all the small jobs in the house - Check

2. Get the real estate out to give us a price - Check

As most of you know neither Andrew or I drive so  

3. on the list was Andrew got his licence - Check

4. Buy a ute - Check

Here she is, a Mazda BT50 dual cab diesel ute. Andrew like's to call her a truck and as yet has no name. I'm just glad I get to sit in the front :o)

5. Pick an area to move to, this was easy the Far South Coast - Check

The far south coast of NSW is a very big area so we had to narrow it down.

6. Road trip - Check

Last week we packed up our new truck and headed on down the coast. 

Our new truck and a trip, wow I feel like a grown up. For us who have only ever relied on public transport and my husbands father as modes of transport this is a very big thing. It still doesn't feel real.

 Our camp site at Pambula Beach

A two man tent, chairs and a camp stove, who could ask for more oh yes and the Beach.

 Pambula Beach

We have holidayed in Pambula before and it is beautiful, arrh feel the ocean breeze. It has been a few years since I have been to the beach, I had forgotten how much I miss it.

 Bombala

Cuttagee Lake

 Jersey Cows in the Bega Valley

Who doesn't love a river flat or curious cows. 

 

 Tathra Beach

Never ending beaches to get lost on.

 Tura Beach

The colours in the picture don't do it justice, it was dazzling and truly beautiful.

 Fishing Boats 

Don't you just love funny signs or for me all signs are great.

 We stayed two nights at Pambula Beach, the caravan park has a large family of kangaroos who live there, they come an go as they please and your not aloud to feed them. So no petting but they do like to have their photos taken, this is the large male in the family who decided that in front of our truck was the best shady spot.

 Dirt roads to properties and we have learned that if it the address says something Mountain Road then its gonna be a narrow winding steep dirt track.

 Lake George

I have never seen water in Lake George, its always just been grassy plains with fencing every time we have passed. How ever the wind turbines you can see in the distance are new to me and a very nice sight to see.

This little guy we came across when walking a property, every noise we made he burrowed in deeper, this is the first time i have seen an echidna in the wild, you defiantly can't count road kill.

 This huge gum tree was very beautiful, the bush has so much to offer.

You can't travel any where in Australia with out stopping at a country pub for a cold drink on the veranda.

We stayed 4 nights and travelled to Nimmitabel, Bombala, Cathcart, Pambula, Candelo, Bemboka, Bega, Wandella, Cobargo and so many other small towns.
We stayed at Pambula Beach two nights, one night at Handkerchief Beach at Narooma and one night at Burrill Lake near Ulladulla.
We also stopped at so many beaches I lost count.

This was a mission to find an area to start our new chapter however it was more than that it was also the first time Andrew and I had holidayed on our own, I think i can get use to just the two of us and of course our Sally Girl. I know I will miss our boys terribly but they have their own lives to lead.

7. Pick an area, The Bega Valley - Check
8. Pick a Real Estate agent - Check
9. Get the paper work ready to put the house on the market -
10. Get the house listed -

Only 2 things left to do on our fist 1 to 10 to do list.
The house should be on the market in two weeks just waiting on paper work.
To do list number 2 will be posted soon.

I think that I will start a You Tube Channel all about our new adventure.


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Homemaking Party
R&R Wednesday # 79
Motivation Monday #117
Homestead Barn Hop #185
Homemaking Mondays # 27
Wish Wednesday #27
Wonderful Wednesday #100

Sewing Up A Storm

I have been MIA for quite a few weeks and boy have i been busy. I have decided to start up a party plan business to sell all my hand made things. So for 3 weeks i have been sewing up a storm to get enough inventory for my first party.

Here is a peek at some of the things I had on offer. 

Every thing is made in the Blue Mountains by me. From bags, to wings, toys to decorator items and some things in between.

It has been fun making every thing, coming up with the ideas and making patterns. Long hours spent at the sewing machine (I think i'm going to have a permanent stoop).
I pretty much took over the dinning room and i'm sure my boys are glad that its all packed up and they don't have to share a small piece of the dinning room table just to eat dinner.

My beautiful sister Kasey helped me out when I needed it and my niece and nephew were willing participants with trying on and measuring up and of course playing.

My toys are educational, imaginative and of course lots of old fashioned fun. With not an electronic, TV, video game, or console in sight.

Ahoy ye scurvy land lubbers come aboard and sail the seven seas with me and me crew,  we be a treasure huntin. no parrot for this ship, we got us a fearsome hound dog, that be licking ya to death if ye come to close to me treasure.

Had a pretty fun day yesterday at my first party, which included afternoon tea of tiny sandwiches with the crusts cut off, lemon cupcakes, scones with jam and cream and a refreshing fruit punch.
Sales were pretty good for the amount of people and I have one party booking.
I think this is going to be a fun new adventure.

Christmas is fast approaching, if you would like to book a party please contact me at 30nicole@gmail.com

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Say G'Day #112

Fairy House

This is for my beautiful niece who turned a BIG 5 today. 

Happy Birthday Belladonna.

These are so easy to make and only take a couple of sittings to do the stitching. To start off you draw up your picture on the centre piece the add all the fabric strips, i don't really measure anything so they are a little off but thats half the charm. Then add some thin batting to the back and do all your stitching. Now you just have to add the backing fabric and the binding.

If this seems too big a project then start off with something small like a coaster or two, as you can see below it doesn't have to be complicated.

Here is Talons Placemat i made him this year and the Placemats i made a few years ago.

Jean Repairs

In line with my Sewing Know How this is post # 4.
Today i am going to show you how to repair the butt in a pair of jeans. Now kids wear out the knees in jeans but men wear out the butt and crutch, i guess its all that scratching.

These jeans were just at the stage where they were not quite holes and this is the time to catch them as it makes it easy to repair.
I don't throw jeans away as they have so many other uses and one of them is repairing holes to give your jeans a longer life span.
The thread colour you use will be determined by the colour of your jeans and ill tell ya sometimes its hard to match. As these were pretty faded i went with a grey thread.
You will also need a denim needle or as large a needle as you have on hand.

Cut up your patches from another pair of jeans, make sure the pieces are not from a well worn part of the jean. Make the patch larger by 1/2 again so the worn part is well covered. Pin in place. 

Using a small straight stitch, go around the patch close to the edge, if you need to go over a thick seem then go slow or hand wind the needle through as this is a place that will break your needle if your not careful. Remove the pins and check the outside to make sure you have covered the whole area with the patch.

Now turn your jeans right side out and you are going to use a small zigzag and go over all of the worn spots.

In the picture below i did one side with blue on the bobbin so you could see it.

I only sewed on the warn parts not all over the patch.

Turned right side out and you can barely see the repair and because of where it is you can't see it at all when worn.

Denim is one of the hardest fabrics to sew as its so thick and you can break a few needles but the results are well worth it especially if you can get another 6 to 12 months wear from your jeans.

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Homestead Barn Hop # 177

Homemaking Mondays # 19

From the Farm Hop

Homemade Monday # 99

happiness is Homemade # 38

Homemaking party

What you Wish Wednesday # 17
R&R Wednesday #71

Bowl Covers

In line with my Sewing Know How , this is post #3.

From the leftover Table Cloths i made these bowl covers.

You will need leftover fabric i used my table cloths and i also used some leftover duck cloth and some drill from another project. Furnishing fabrics work great as will any medium to heavy weight cotton cloth. Your sewing machine will come in handy as will some matching thread or just use white thread. The last item you will need is some thin elastic.

Old Table Cloths

In line with my Sewing know How , this is post # 2. Today its all about straight lines and re-purposing / recycling.

My cupboard was overflowing with table linen, there were a few that either did not fit our table or were damaged. The solution was to turn them into something new.

In the above washing basket are the ones that are to be made new again.

There was one vintage cloth [below] that had a few holes that were too large to repair so i ripped it up and made 4 food covers, i will use them for cooling bread or pies. I don't recommend ripping up vintage table linen as its hard to come by these days. This one was one of my favourite cloths, but at the same time i still wanted to use it so came up with this idea.

Happenings in the Greenhouse

At the end of summer i took cuttings from some of my fruit trees to see if i could get them to root over winter in the greenhouse. I removed the bottom leaves, soaked the stems in water for a few mins and then dipped each one in rooting hormone and popped them into the grow pots.

Strawberry Lemon Cake

This was originally a muffin recipe but i prefer it as a cake.

 I don't make a lot of cakes, i prefer to make biscuits, cookies or slices, and as i'm the one who bakes i get to choose.