meet our friend Jet

AGE: 7 months old

WHERE DO YOU LIVE AND WHO WITH: Omokoroa, Bay of Plenty with his mum Holly

FAVOURITE COLOUR: he is a bit too young yet, but I would say orange

FAVOURITE FOOD: fresh avocado

FAVORITE TOY: right now it is his ride-on bike

FAVOURITE PLACE: Jet's favourite place to be is outside and under the trees. Whether it be a walk with his stroller, or sitting on a blanket with toys.

FAVOURITE GAME TO PLAY: hand-held walking is his favourite activity. Add some peek-a-boo at the same time and he's week at the knees with laughter!

FAVOURITE OUTFIT: Jet's not a fan of getting dressed unfortunately, though any outfit topped off with sunglasses is very exciting for him! 

DIY : doll face purse

You will need:
felt - hair, skin and eyes
ribbon for strap
thread - edge of hair, black crosses on eyes, lips
glue
scissors
needle
pins
sewing machine

1. Glue the bottom edge of the 'hair' felt piece to the top edge of the 'skin' felt piece.

2. Do a decorative running stitch along the join, this will also reenforce it.

3. On the front, stitch a small curve for the lips.
4. Glue on the two blue diamonds for eyes.

5. Stitch a black cross on each eye.

6. To attach the strap, lay the back flat then create a large loop with the ribbon, let the two ends overlap and run in opposite directions (these end will be the tie closer).

7. Stitch the strap in place.

8. Lay the front over the back and pin together. Sew up the sides and bottom edge.

tea with the queen

Hope you all had a lovely long Queen's BIrthday weekend. We spent ours relaxing and eating yummy food with friends. Oh and Moo went to see Disney on Ice with her Nana!

We had tea with the Queen.... hehe and scones with cream and homemade plum jam made by a friend's mum. The friend who just happens to share the Queen's actual birthday. Cheers.

crazy weet-bix cookies : for moo

Yesterday we made some Crazy Weet-bix Cookies, it's based on a traditional afghan cookie but I have always preferred to use Weet-bix instead of Cornflakes.

CRAZY WEET-BIX COOKIES

Ingredients:
200grams butter
½ cup Sugar
1 ¼  cups flour
¼ cocoa
4 Weet-bix broken up
½ cup coconut flakes or shredded
½ cup mini marshmallows

Method:
Preheat oven to 180°c. Cream butter and sugar together. Sift if flour and cocoa into butter mixture. Stir in Weet-bix, coconut and marshmallows. Using your hands work into balls and flatten slightly on tray. Bake for 15mins.

The girls at work sure appreciated them and perfect for a little lunchbox treat for Moo. 

DIY : ribbon wand

Ribbon wands- so good for indoor play on raining days and homemade birthday presents.

You'll Need:
10mm dowel 
25mm  ribbon
15mm split ring
Small ring screw
Washi tape

Method:
Cut your dowel into wand lengths using a little saw - the standard length from hardware store is 1.8m, which makes into 4 x 45cm wands.
Sand the ends so they are nice and smooth.
Screw your ring screw into one end of the dowel - the dowel is soft so this is very easy.
Decorate your wand if you wish - this time I have used some cute washi tape my friend gifted me from a recent trip to Japan. I have also dip painted wand or left plain.
Cut a 2.5m length of ribbon, fold in half and thread through your split ring, create a loop and stitch in place. 
We''re ready for play!

DIY : rainbow badge

This super simple badge is the perfect accessory for any little girl. Everyone I have made them for LOVES them.

You will need:
fimo - I choose to use four colours
badge back
grease proof paper
hot glue gun
oven
knife
rolling pin
a hard surface to work on, I used a plastic chopping board

1. First place one colour of the fimo between grease proof paper and roll into a snake, repeat for each colour.

2. Starting with the darkest colour create a narrow arch, then working darkest to lightest place the other coloured fimo snakes around the outside of this arch to create a rainbow.

3. Cover with grease proof paper and gently roll with the rolling pin.
4. Then using a knife cut the uneven ends off.
5. Bake using manufacturers instructions to harden.

6. Finally hot glue gun the badge in place on the back of the rainbow.

carrots

It is getting towards the end of my current veg growing season in the garden. So I thought I would up date you on what has happened.
It was a long dry summer and we had mixed success. 
The positives were the greens and herbs (I can't recommend growing these enough!), tomatoes especially the cherry ones which Mima ate straight off the plant and carrots. 
I was so excited to pull up these rainbow carrots the other day. 

I have never grown carrots before, but decided to give them ago and grew them from seed. Mima helped water and harvest the carrots, the process gave Miffy's Garden, which is about growing carrots, a new importance, this weeks favourite book. 

We used them to make the Petite Kitchen lamb shanks stew totally delicious!

The disasters were courgettes, sadly our plant got powdery mildew and gave it to our corn. Check out the POD gardening page if you are interested in knowing more.
Over winter we will continue to grow herbs and greens. So far I have planted seedlings (kale, spinach, swiss chard, parsley) but will add some seeds in the next week or two.