Bedside Table

This two draw bedside table i purchased at a furniture store that was closing down it was $65 but i got it for $40. I picked it up after work & carried it all the way up Katoomba Street, on the train & home. It may be small but boy did it get heavy real quick.

Here it is in the shed ready for some paint & as its raw pine i did not have to do anything to it first. don't know why the picture kept loading sideways.

The paint was left over from my sons room it a Dulux colour called Zunni. a real nice dark aqua colour.
Left it to dry for a few days & then dry brushed flat white over the top.

Then just a light hand sand & a coat of varnish.

The knobs i got at the Antique store in Blackheath Victory Theatre Antique Centre. You cant see it but they have a star burst pattern on them. I also add wheels to the legs.

Here it is in my newly renovated bedroom [more on that another day]. The chair i purchased from one of those linen/home-wares stores it was quite expensive at $69, but after 3 weeks of thinking about it, i just had to have it for my new room so i saved up for it. It came as a set but luckily you could purchase it separate. 

Linked here at be different act normal 

Sweet & Sour Chicken

Last nights tea was Sweet & Sour Chicken with Naan Bread

Sweet & Sour Chicken

6 Chicken Thighs
Salt & Pepper
1 cup Flour or Cornflour
1 or 2 Eggs whisked
1 tsp Olive Oil

Chop up your chicken however you like it chunks or strips, in a tupperware container season the flour with salt & pepper. add chicken & shake container to coat.In a bowl whisk your eggs. Heat your fry pan with a little oil. coat your chicken pieces in egg & fry until golden on each side. Place in a baking dish & fry off the rest of the chicken. I like a glass or ceramic baking dish.

Sauce

3/4 cup White Sugar
1/2 cup Tomato Sauce
1/2 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
1Tbs Soy Sauce
1tsp Garlic Salt

Whisk & then pour over the chicken & mix through.
180 degrees C for 30 mins stirring half way.

*You can use Chicken Breast but i prefer thighs because they have a bit of fat on them & it stops them from drying out. Also great served with rice.

Naan Bread


1/4 cup Warm Water
3/4 tsp Yeast
1 Tbl Sugar
4 cups Bread Flour
1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Baking Soda
3/4 cup Warm Milk
1 cup Greek Yoghurt
Melted Butter for brushing the bread

In a jug dissolve sugar in the water & add the Yeast, set aside for 10 mins.
In a large mixing bowl add flour baking powder & soda, mix.
Add warm milk & yoghurt to yeast & then pour into flour. Mix until dough comes together, it should be a little sticky.
leave in the bowl & cover with a tea-towel let rise for about an hour. when your ready to cook cut into eight pieces & lightly roll flat. the shape does not matter. melt some butter & brush one side of each bread. heat the fry pan to very hot. add any seasoning to the top of breads. place bread top side down in fry pan & brush the other side with butter. cook for one to two mins & flip.

*You can use any type of season you like, we use:
Mixed Herds
Garlic Salt
Parmesan Cheese
or just plain

* This is the best sweet & sour chicken i have ever tasted & its in my fortnightly meal plan rotation.
let me know if you give it a try & what you think of it.

Mobile Chook House

Every few weeks the girls get to go up to the veggie yard for a couple of days running to scratch around the old beds or unused areas. the first time i herded them up there it was like a comedy show & i ended up chasing them all over the place for about half an hour until i finally got them all in the yard. after 3 trips they knew exactly where they were headed, now i only have to leave the gate open & off they run. Miss Black is always the first & the most bossy. Miss Grey is always last for everything, the last to get off the perch & out of the shed in the morning & the last when i call.

after the first couple of times hunting for eggs i decided to build them a mobile nest house to lay their eggs

everything to build this came from the shed or under the house

i put in a moveable perch so if need be it could double as temporary housing

after two build days this is how it turned out. i was going to put mower wheels on it but i probably wont bother until winter when i have a bit more time.

Miss Black liked it so much she laid me an egg within 20 mins. i told ya, the first to do everything.

Building a Greenhouse

I can't believe it has been more than a year since i last posted, time really does fly by when your busy.

House renovations, gardening & work make Nicole a very tired person who would really love a get away to the sea to recharge my batteries, but alas no matter how much gardening i do i still cant find that money tree.

in 2012 my wonderful husband used his tax refund & purchased this for me a 6x3 Greenhouse.

after some thinking & rethinking we finally found a home for the new house. the boys had to dig quite a lot of dirt to level it up.

it took a few weekends to get this baby from the box to the finished house.

the directions were really difficult to understand (few words & fewer pictures), i think they were written for the person who has put one of these up at least a dozen times. we spent a lot of time undoing & adding more bolts sliding things around.

until finally our little house was finished.

all the staging & racks were purchased separate (still have 2 more in their boxes). added newspaper & cardboard to the floor & a couple of weeks after that wood shavings on top.

a few seeds in & we're under way. growing by seed is very rewarding, i know exactly what i'm getting with no chemicals or other sprays that you would normally get when buying seedlings from a nursery or hardware store & not to mention a lot cheaper.

i have just been reading a book called "New Plants From Old" by Jackie French & i have been inspired. Jackie talks about propagating plants that you pick up on your travels, walking about the neighbour hood or from friends & family. just pop it in a pot water & see what happens :o)

something else she talks about is, if it tastes good then pop the seed in a pot & see what comes up. 

this has been very successful for me & very exciting as i have had quite a few fruit seeds germinate & some that are ready to be taken out of the grow pots & potted up.

i find myself spending a few hours every week in the greenhouse its very relaxing & Sally Girl keeps me company. 

  Linked here: Frugal Days Sustainable Ways