Stitched Cuff Bracelet Swap Cont...

THIS SWAP IS CLOSED NOW. THANKS FOR YOUR INTEREST.

Thank you swappers for joining my Stitched Cuff Bracelet Swap, so happy to have you here. I thought I'd post a few more inspired ideas before allocating partners in case any one else wants to join us. It's not very hard to find many wonderful cuffs that have gone before! ...here are just a few more to get the ideas flowing.

Remember, Cuffs are not due in the post until 01 October, so you have plenty of time to sew up this little project. If you are unsure where to begin, the previous post has some free patterns you can follow...or just wing it;) Please leave a comment and e-mail addy below if you would like to join it.

Wrist Cuff by Grace Garton of Little Arty Crafty Crow Studio

Laced Up Cuff Bracelet Created by: Allison at The Good Karma Shop      

Pastel Posies Cuff Bracelet by Sara Field

Unique handmade cuff inspired by Steampunk-Upcycle-Romantic Style

by Lavart Fashion

Basic Kid Pants.

I'm a lil bit chuffed with my sewing this week. The middle two have their first school disco to attend this week and thus, the necessary disco attire has been fashioned!
I've made quite a few pairs of pants now but it wasn't until I was directed to 'made' that I found a pattern that really worked for me. Different front and back pieces has made the world of difference to the fit. These pants are awesome...(and FREE!!) and I have made them for kids 2, 3 and 4 just by altering the same pattern. Brilliant!

oh and did I mention, I lined them with flannelette? He's a tactile guy, and appreciates the extra softness. That's mummy love stitched right in there <3

...and before y'all point it out, I know now that I was meant to turn the lining seams out...seems so obvious now. oh well...

(Project: Food Budget) Week 42

Here's what we are eating this week...

Thursday - Scrambled Eggs & Baked Beans
Friday - Syrian Chicken
Saturday - Eating out:)
Sunday - Homemade Pizza
Monday - Tuna Mornay
Tuesday - Curried Red Lentil Soup
Wednesday - Easy Vegetable Rice


$200 budget, 6 grumbly tummies!
Oh...and it's my birthday this week and THIS is what I'm hoping DH will cook for me...I subtly e-mailed it to him last week, i'll let you know;)

Pop in on the others...

• Emily Levenson
• Dairy-Free Cooking
• Cook Write Heal
• Warm As Pie
• xox, b
• Project Food Budget 2.0
• That's Just Me
• Two Eggs Over Easy
• Eat Whole Be Vital
• Four Happy Violets
• Pgh Dad
• yogabeautylife
• naMAMAste
• Six Dollars a Day
• What da Health?
• French Press
• Veggie Meal Maker
• Eryn Says...
• Charmingly Modern

(Project: Food Budget) Week 41

This week I have switched to shopping twice a week, Sunday and Thursday. I have also been cooking during the day and reheating at night. It makes for a cleaner kitchen and less to do at witching hour! Obviously not everything can be prepared this way, but a lot can especially in Winter with slow cooked meals, soups, casseroles, curries and the like.
...I also plan to join the gym and hope to attend a couple of evenings...
There, I said it out loud...well almost. I think we can chalk that up as commitment!
The first shop this week came to $150 which left me wondering how I would survive the later part of the week with only $50 but turns out it was fine, just as long as I stick to my list and buy seasonal.
Something else new for this week...I have been trialing Plan to Eat. It's pretty easy and useful. You can import recipes, although that only works now and again it seems, or cut and paste them into a 'bulk' upload. It is pretty quick either way and I like that I get a shopping list ordered into categories. I even sent DH to the shop with a Plan to Eat list and it went pretty well:P

This weeks menu:
Thursday - Lentils with white wine, herb & tomatoes
Friday - Roast vegetables with couscous
Saturday - Layered Enchilada Casserole
Sunday - Home made pizza
Monday - Avocado Wraps
Tuesday - Creamy Chicken & Brown Rice Soup
Wednesday - leftovers:D

Pay a visit to the other bloggers this week...

• Emily Levenson
• Dairy-Free Cooking
• Cook Write Heal
• Warm As Pie
• xox, b
• Project Food Budget 2.0
• That's Just Me
• Two Eggs Over Easy
• Eat Whole Be Vital
• Four Happy Violets
• Pgh Dad
• yogabeautylife
• naMAMAste
• Six Dollars a Day
• What da Health?
• French Press
• Veggie Meal Maker
• Eryn Says...
• Charmingly Modern

(Project: Food Budget) Week 40

The winter illness got worse this week... hospitalized and all! blurgh!

For this reason, some of last weeks meals are still to be cooked as I'm sure DH and kids survived on take out and the kindness of others:D
...and yes, chicken was on a super special this week, $6.49kg breast fillets. What do you pay for meat in your part of the world?
Budget is $200. 3 adults / 3 kids - check out last weeks food requirement break down here.

This week we are eating:

Thursday - Chicken & Cashews
Friday - Aloo Gobi
Saturday - Apricot Chicken (risotto style)
Sunday - Homemade pizza
Monday - Butter Chicken
Tuesday - Chickpea & Leek Soup
Wednesday - leftovers...


Don't forget to check out the other awesome bloggers this week:

• Emily Levenson
• Dairy-Free Cooking
• Cook Write Heal
• Warm As Pie
• xox, b
• Project Food Budget 2.0
• That's Just Me
• Two Eggs Over Easy
• Eat Whole Be Vital
• Four Happy Violets
• Pgh Dad
• yogabeautylife
• naMAMAste
• Six Dollars a Day
• What da Health?
• French Press
• Veggie Meal Maker
• Eryn Says...
• Charmingly Modern

Stitched Cuff Bracelet Swap

THIS SWAP IS CLOSED NOW. THANKS FOR YOUR INTEREST.
I like sewing a little something for someone. Nothing too complicated but with loads of aesthetic choices to make...
I'm thinking a Stitched Cuff Bracelet Swap. It would go something like this: a little back and forth with your allocated swap partner...you know, style likes / dislikes, colour favs, genre preferences and the like, nothing too fussy because well, you get what your given and all...
Make 1 or a few and post them to 1 person who will in return post theirs to you. This would be an international swap so please do not join unless you are willing to post internationally. e-mail addy's would be exchanged, so your correspondence would be primarily with your swap partner, with the odd reminder e-mail from yours truly. Cuffs postal by 01 October.
If you would like to join, please leave a comment with your e-mail. Swap sign up open until 31 July after which time, I will delete the comments and correspond via e-mail.
Here is some inspiration! Yay!

From Team EcoEtsy This one has a tutorial.

From Karla M Curry

...and here is the free PDF pattern from JCasa *handmade

What a beauty from Altered Bits Blog.

What about an Edwardian inspired cuff? From Chic Steals with tutorial!

...and I could go on...

anywho, sign up?

(Project: Food Budget) Week 39

...have been a bit absent. winter sickness got the better of us all! so here's to better health.


While I haven't blogged my thoughts of late, I have been jotting ideas on paper and rolling ideas around in my head during night feeds. My food budget is a numbers game in more ways than just $$$. I'm constantly reminding myself how many sandwiches, how many muffins, how many bananas etc are required for a week. Basically it goes something like this:
1 week = 42 serves breakfast, 18 sandwiches (take out) 18 muffins / bars (take out) 18 pieces fruit (take out) 42 serves dinner, 24 serves home lunches, 37 afternoon snacks, 22 morning snacks and COUNTLESS adolescent munch outs!
Phew, I'm tired even thinking about it...
Sometimes, it is just too much FOOD to get my head around. I'm wondering if I should menu plan in blocks of 3 and 4 days to see me through the week. Perhaps that might be easier??


anywho...my budget remains at $200 for 6, at least for the short term.


I have just begun a Pinterest board for 'Winter Foods'
If you clicked on that link you would have seen that I'm just getting started. The idea is to collate some recipes that are seasonally relevant to where I live. That's gotta help the budget right? ...and who doesn't want to make the most of fresh and budget friendly produce?

Here is my seasonal list:

Foods in season throughout the year.

Summer	Autumn	Winter	Spring
Apricots	Avocado (Fuerte)	Beetroots	Asparagus
Beans	Cabbage (& Brussels Sprouts)	Broccoli	Avocado (Hass)
Berries & Currants	Cauliflower	Cabbage (& Brussels Sprouts)	Beetroots
Celery	Celery	Cauliflowers	Berries & currants
Cherries	Chestnuts	Celery	Broccoli
Corn	Cumquats	Cumquats	Cabbage (& Brussels Sprouts)
Cucumber	Figs	Fennel	Corn
Eggplants	Ginger	Ginger	Cucumbers
Figs	Leeks	Jerusalem Artichokes	Fennel
Green pea	Melons	Lemons & Limes	Green, Snap & Snow pea,
Leeks	Olives	Olives	Leeks
Melon	Parsnips	Parsnips	Lemon & Lime
Pears	Pears	Rhubarb	Peppers & chillies
Peppers (& Chillies)	Quinces	Sweet Potatoes	Rhubarb
Tomatoes	Sweet Potatoes	Turnips & swedes	Zucchini & Squash
Zucchini & Squash	Tomatoes

 (Southern Australian emphasis)

It is from here.

...and so to this weeks menu:
Thursday - Aubergine & Sweet Potato Stew (Thai style)
Friday - Harvest Vegetable & Lentil Casserole
Saturday - Chickpea & Leek Soup
Sunday - Home made pizza
Monday - Aloo Gobi & rice
Tuesday - Scalloped Cabbage with Fennel and Cranberries

Wednesday - leftovers:P

Be sure to check out the other Project: Food Budget blogs this week.

Participating blogs:

• Dairy-Free Cooking
• Cook Write Heal
• Warm As Pie
• xox, b
• Project Food Budget 2.0
• That’s Just Me
• Two Eggs Over Easy
• Eat Whole Be Vital
• Four Happy Violets
• Pgh Dad
• yogabeautylife
• naMAMAste
• Six Dollars a Day
• What da Health?
• French Press
• Veggie Meal Maker
• Eryn Says…