Lemon Impossible Pie

Image: Flickr

Well it is cold and rainy and delicious here.  The house is warm and cosy and the candles are lit.  The little buttons are asleep in their beds and the whole weekend stretches before us.  Life is good, isn't it?

Here is a lovely, simple, no fail recipe, that you might like to try this weekend.  The finished product is not dissimilar to the middle layer of a lemon meringue.  There's a nice lemony custard taste to it and the coconut makes a crunchy crust on top.  It is a big hit served warm with ice cream in our house but, some members of the family also like it as a cold mid morning snack!

Lemon Impossible Pie 

1 cup         Desiccated coconut
½ cup       Plain flour
1 cup         Castor sugar
1 Tbsp  Lemon rind
4           Eggs
½  cups      Lemon juice
1-1/2 c  Milk
40 g      Butter - melted

METHOD

1. PREHEAT oven to 18o c
   
2. COMBINE dry ingredients into a bowl
   
3. ADD wet ingedients and whisk with a stick mixer to combine
   
4. POUR into a greased pie dish
   
5. BAKE for 40 minutes or until set
   

If you have any lemons left over, cut one in half and pop it in your dishwasher.  Fresh smell and super clean dishwasher all for the cost of a lemon.  Have a great weekend!

Thought for Thursday

I've learned that even

when I have pains,

I don't have to be one.

Maya Angelou

Maya Angelou is one of those amazing, inspiring women who seems to write prose that says all those things we're thinking but in a much better way! She has so many beautiful and uplifting

thoughts to share that it is hard to choose just one. Perhaps I'll share some more of her prose over the coming weeks.

I'm trying to keep this thought in mind over the next few weeks. There are so many challenges in life and I am going to handle them graciously. Just watch me!

The beaut May Giveaway is making it a little easier to be gracious at the moment. I'm having a lovely time visiting new blogs and entering. A big welcome and many thanks to the followers who have joined Cute as Buttons. If you're stopping by, we'd love you to stay and play. Just click on the Follow button to the right of the posts. Remember the competition closes at midnight on the 31st May.

Now, yesterday, I told you I was working on some yo yos to use in a little outfit for Miss Molly. I have some photos of the finished project to share. She is going to wear a little pair of pink leggings under the Bubba Chenille skirt that match it perfectly. I tried to get a shot of the hair tie in situ but didn't have much success! The lace is vintage - my Mum used it on my First Communion dress! The pink fabric is from my Aunty Marg's stash which she has gifted to me and I think it comes together beautifully. One photo is the jumbo yo yo I stitched on the shirt. I liked seeing the shirt and hair tie side by side and Princess Molly's head is the best shot I could manage of the hair tie in action.

SewMamaSew's great May Giveaway Day has finally started and I think the blogs are going to experience heavy traffic!  I'm keeping my post brief so I can go and enter some more giveaways! 

The first picture is a cute little giveaway over at edward and lilly which comprises 2 little brooches and some treasures from the stash.  Leave a comment on the post for one entry and blog about it for two.  

Perhaps you'd like to win the vintage tea towel apron over at Curly Pops.  I think it is too pretty to mess up with cooking spills.  So I might keep it for good.

The other thing I am going to do is work on a hair tie for my baby girl and some sort of yo yo arrangement to go on a shirt.  I bought her a skirt from Bubba Chenille a couple of weeks ago and also purchased the self covered buttons that match the trim.  I am going to use the buttons to pull the whole outfit together.  I love my boys to bits but I have to admit that having Miss Molly is a bit like having a real live Barbie doll to play with.  She lets me dress her up and play with her hair and she always looks delightful!  I'll post a photo of the finished ensemble tomorrow.  

May Giveaway Day

Fancy that!  We've just finished one giveaway and now, here is another.  This one is even more exciting.  If you click on the link to the left of the post, you will go to Sew Mama Sew.  They are co-ordinating a massive giveaway.  When I last checked,there were over 100 responses.  By visiting their blog on May 27, you'll have access to any of the giveaways you want to enter.  Great idea and what a way to cruise around some really fabulous blogs. 

Our giveaway is a towel set in any one of our designs.  The set includes a washer, handtowel and full sized bath towel.  They are a perfect gift for a newborn or as a birthday gift for someone a little older.  My 3 buttons each have a different design on their towel and I always know whose wet towel is on the floor after bathtime!  Our towels are a beautiful fluffy cotton and are designed to be washed and washed and washed!  They keep their whiteness really well and the appliques cope with liberal soaking in Napi San and Sard soaker and are not adverse to being tumble dried when you don't have a chance to peg up the washing!  I am also going to include a handful of buttons from our button stash and some trims because it is fun to be surprised!

To win, you need to leave a comment letting us know your best bathroom cleaning tip.  We'll do a random draw to select the winner and just think of all the great cleaning tips you'll be reading!  The competition closes at midnight on May 31 and we'll publish the winner's name on June 1st.  If you are not an Australian visitor you can still enter as we will be happy to ship internationally.  

I'll start the ball rolling with my cleaning tip, which, incidentally was passed onto me by my partner in buttons, Sharon.  Bicarb soda is the best shower/bath cleaner around and is cheap as chips.  Use a good handful on a cloth and rub it over surfaces and watch them gleam.  Start thinking and have fun entering!

Time to announce a winner

Well, after a visit to random.org, we have a winner for our Dressing Boys competition.  The winner was entry number 8....Jody from Stick 'n' Giggle.  Congratulations Jody and many thanks to all of you who entered and gave such great suggestions for our boys range.  Sharon and I are busy sketching and chatting and hope to have some of your suggestions ready to launch at our June markets.  Jody will be able to choose from one of our existing designs or, she might like to wait and see what goodies we have to share in June!

Now, if you didn't win this time, why not enter our button swap where everyone is a winner? If you want to be a part of it, just let me know and then I will send you the name of someone to whom you can send 25 lovely buttons and someone else will send you 25 lovely buttons. You can use them to make something marvellous and tell us all about it in your blog, or email me photos and I'll tell everyone about you!  Leave a comment before Friday 29 May to be in the swap.  One lucky button lover will receive a button bonus from me - just to make it more exciting!  

I have to take my little girl back to the hospital tomorrow due to some complications from her recent surgery.  Hopefully, it will be a day trip and we'll be back tomorrow night.  If the blog goes quiet, you'll know that we had to stay a bit longer.  I'm not too sure how her twin brother will take the separation!  His Dad might be in for a rough day with him, tomorrow.  Prayers and good thoughts much appreciated!

Have you heard the news?

Well, after a long wait, it is now official, the Designers Emporium is about to be reborn as the Boutique Markets at Portside Wharf in Hamilton, Brisbane.  The markets will be held on the 2nd Sunday of each month and will run from 8am-1pm.  Rachael and Leasl pride themselves on gathering the best local talent in art, craft and design.  They carefull vet all applications and maintain a high level of quality control to ensure a unique and pleasurable shopping experience.  Click here to visit the new website and here to visit the blog which is a plethora of information and featured artists.  The markets will relaunch on June 14, so mark the date on your calendar and start saving your pennies!  

Before I forget, tomorrow is the closing date for our tshirt giveaway.  To enter, you needed to leave a comment and let us know what designs you want to see on your little men.  If you post about the giveaway on your blog, let us know and you will receive two entries.  Competition closes at midnight tomorrow, Saturday, and I'll let you know the winner on Monday.  While you are posting a comment, join our button swap, we all love presents, don't we?

Thought for Thursday

I always do the best I can

and when I know better, I do better!

Apologies for the Thursday thought not appearing until Friday! My Dear One was travelling for work and came home last night. I thought he might feel a bit miffed if I started blogging and didn't take time out to do some hand holding.

I don't really remember where this quote came from. I think it was some sort of self esteem programme and I always displayed it in the classroom when I was teaching. I think it is important for kids to know and believe that they are wise and wonderful and that we are always learning, striving and improving the way we do things.

It occurred to me that this sentiment has great application for us as wives, mothers, domestic goddesses, friends, crafters, designers, business women...whatever hat you may be wearing at the moment. We are great at second guessing ourselves and our decisions and, sometimes, that can be an unkind thing to do to ourselves. So, be kind to yourself. Accept that you are doing the best you can and, for now, that is enough!

Dry and Warm

Image: Flickr

The rain is softly falling on my tin roof tonight.  For most of the day it has been so loud that it has been hard to hear each other speak.  The small fry are tucked up in bed, our night time jobs are done and all is right in my world.  I hope you too are safe and dry and that the rain is not causing you hardship.  

Rainy days always make me want to bake.  Perhaps it is a memory of my childhood when Mum would always have warm cocoa and fresh pikelets waiting for us when we came home from school on a rainy day.  Maybe it is because baking makes me feel like I am taking care of my family and soothes the wannabe Domestic Goddess within.  

We enjoyed this dessert slice after dinner tonight with ice cream.  It is also really yummy served cold as a morning tea slice.  The original recipe uses pie apples and can be found in the second 4 Ingredients cookbook by Kim Mc Cosker and Rachael Bermingham.  I like this variation because it is not quite as heavy and a little less sweet.  Hope you enjoy!

Peach Slice

INGREDIENTS

1 vanilla buttercake packet mix

125g butter, melted

1 400g tin of sliced peaches in natural juice

300ml of sour cream

Nutmeg

METHOD

COMBINE melted butter and cake mix.

PRESS into a slice tin lined with baking paper.

BAKE at 180C for 15 min or until golden brown on top.

DRAIN peaches and reserve 2tblspn of the juice.

SLICE peaches in half lengthwise.

COMBINE peaches, sour cream and reserved juice in a bowl and

POUR over top of cooked base.

SPRINKLE with nutmeg.

BAKE for a further 15min.

SERVE hot with ice cream as a dessert or allow to cool and cut into slices.

Button Envy

The other day I was visiting Clare's Craftroom and catching up on her news. Her post was a great one all about buttons and the joy they give her. Click here to read the full post. This was a topic close to my heart as Sharon and I LOVE buttons...hence the name - Cute as Buttons. We spend hours sourcing our buttons and even more hours choosing which button to place on our creations. I literally have drawers of buttons and Sharon is the same. When we were making our business sign, my eldest son and his Nan selected and placed each of the buttons in the lettering. He shares my childlike fascination for buttons. My Nin (my Mum's mum) had buckets and buckets of buttons which I think came from a lifetime of recycling and probably from some of her CWL friends. When she died, the buttons were shared amongst her seven daughters and when I have a really special project, this is the button box I go to. This is a wall quilt I made a few years back and I managed to use some of my favourite buttons in the heart. I think of my Nin and Mum whenever I look at it and makes me happy!

When I read Clare's post and the comments, I started to think how much fun it would be to organise a button swap. We select 25 buttons from our collection and send them to someone on the list. Then we could post photos of our creations or just save them for a rainy day. You could do a colour collection, texture collection, crazy collection or just a lucky dip. So, if you'd like to receive a parcel of buttons in the post, leave a comment and I'll start organising. If you want to send and receive more than one parcel of buttons, let me know the number of parcels you are preparing. It will feel like Christmas!

Weekend Wrap Up

Well, we were blessed with a beautiful day on Sunday.  Sharon met a steady flow of people throughout the day and it was great to catch up with people who had been to the show and came along to Woodlands to have a closer look at the lovely handmade goodies on offer.  

Sharon was running the show solo this weekend.  I was at the hospital with one of my little ones who had to have unexpected surgery.  She has recovered well and was beautifully cared for by the hospital staff.  It is a horrible thing to see a little person going through something traumatic and I feel sorry for the children and families who have been in the hospital for a long stay and are uncertain of when they will be able to go home.

The Designers Emporium has proudly supported the Royal Children's Hospital Foundation through fundraising and special 'kid friendly' market days.  We are happy to be associated with these efforts and will continue to find ways to help fundraise and raise the profile of the good work done by this charity.  

Cute as Buttons began at the Designers Emporium markets at the Everton Park Hotel.  The girls behind the markets have spent the past six months scouring Brisbane for a new venue and will be relaunching the markets with a new name in their new home on June 14.  Pop along to the blog or website so you can be sure to hear any further announcements.  We wait with anxious anticipation!    

Woodlands of Marburg and the Handmade Expo

Image: Flickr

I thought we'd finish the week by letting everyone know that we are heading off to the beautiful Woodlands of Marburg for the Ipswich Heritage Faire on Sunday, as part of the Handmade Expo. It is quite easy to find - you need to take the Seminary Rd exit off the Warrego H'way...it is the same exit as Warrego Wines. Follow the road 2 km's and Woodlands is at the end of the road. It is a beautiful setting and promises to be a lovely way to finish off the weekend with lots of entertainment for all the family.

We have recently sourced some new tshirt stock and will have some of them with us on Sunday. We think they are even better quality than our previous shirts and would love to know what you think of them, too. We'll also have some more long sleeve tees available for purchase.

We'd love to catch up with some of you so pop along between 10am and 3pm and come and say hello. While you are there, sign up for our quarterly email newsletter which we will be launching in June.

Off to finalise some sewing and play with some of our hair accessories which we debuted at Goondiwindi. We'll have some great ones available to purchase on Sunday. Photos to follow next week.

Thought for Thursday

Some people enter into our lives, leave footprints on our heart, and we are never the same, again.

Flavia.

Does anyone else remember the Flavia cards? For many years, this has been one of my favourite sayings and I often reflect on it when I meet new people and feel blessed that so many positive footprints are on my heart.

Dressing Boys

Image: Lisa Carter

Image: Taryn Newland



Image: Taryn Newland

I think it is fair to say that all Mums find it incredibly easy to find great things for their little princesses to wear. There is always a huge variety of styles and fabrics to choose from and loads of interesting trims and design features. Not so easy to find the same high standard of style and quality for the little men in our lives.

When Sharon and I started Cute as Buttons, we resolved to have an equal number of boys and girls designs and to make sure the quality and quirkiness came through in the clothing for our lads. Twelve months on we would have to say it is not as easy as it sounds! We have a list of girl designs as long as your arm and could come up with something new every week. To date, we have 3 designs in the boys line and are playing around with a couple more. As you can see from the pictures we have a car, a rocket and a dinosaur. We love all these designs and it seems that you like them too...although sometimes the rocket has been mistaken for a fish! We've dipped our toe in the water and made a little robot head who has yet to make his photographic debut but he is funky and fun. Our current project is increasing the boys range and we'd like your help. Can you tell us what you'd like to see on your little man? We'd love to hear any and all suggestions and we'll be sure to share our results with you.

I'm already excited at the prospect of playing with some new designs. In fact, I'm so excited I think we'll celebrate with a giveaway. If you leave a comment or email a comment to us about a design suggestion, you will be in the running to win one of our Cute as Buttons tees in your choice of design. If you post about our competition on your blog, you'll have two entries. Entries close on 23rd May and we'll make it a random selection. How does that sound? Start thinking!

Hello, Hello, Hello!

Well, I can't believe it has been almost two months since my last post. So many things have been happening- some exciting, some life changing and some have been a bit like biblical plagues. Like all of us, I usually do a pretty fair job of juggling family, home, friends, work, creating and all the things that crowd our days. I have to admit that over the past few weeks I had to drop something and unfortunately, the ball I dropped was the blog!

As they say, a journey begins with one small step. Tonight's post is my first step. This week I'll fill you in on the adventures of Cute as Buttons over the past few weeks and I hope to entice you to keep coming back with some lovely winter recipes. Somewhere in there I'll show you some of the new designs and products that have been keeping us busy.

Tonight's image is another one of Taryn Newland's. Her serene nature comes through in the way she photographs things and working with her is a dream. Our friend, Rachael Zelensky cropped some of the shots that Taryn took for us and we were amazed at the way the photos changed under her artist's eye and hand. Rachael is part of the Designers Emporium duo and at the moment she is keeping a secret from us. We keep visiting the Designers Emporium blog and hoping she'll let something slip! I've decided I'll also visit her other blog and see if something pops out when she is busy blogging over there.

I'm off to cuddle a sick boy in my bed. No, not my husband! He has been relegated to the single bed at the other end of the house so I can keep my darling 5 year old close and hopefully, we'll all manage a better nights sleep! I just have to fight for my spot in the bed amongst all the bears, dogs and aliens which are his essential sleeping companions. Beautiful boy!