Bonus Home Day - YAY!

Some of you who have been visiting my blog for a while know that, apart from my pattern design business, I have a day job four half days a week. I call it my "grown up" job because I have to be on someone else's timetable & it involves a certain amount of responsibility. I like my grown up job ... Most days. 😜 But there is nothing quite as enjoyable as a day at home on a usually-scheduled work day, when you have the freedom to set your own schedule. That's me today. 😁

I've had a bit of a sleep in, did a bit of tidying/cleaning, had a cuppa with a lovely friend & her gorgeous granddaughter & I'm now feeling like I have the energy & concentration (that's the bit that goes missing when I'm tired or stressed! 😜) to tackle some Christmas sewing. But first, I think I need to fuel up with something yummy for lunch ... & I thought I'd share my new fave lunch recipe with you. 😁 I struggle to find a good balance between yummy & healthy for lunch options ... It's often mid afternoon by the time I have a chance to eat, so I'm VERY hungry & want something quick to prepare. Why is it that so many 'quick' food options aren't as healthy for us?! 😜 I'm also a savoury-craving gal, as opposed to sweets. So on the weekend I experimented a bit with some flavours & healthy ingredients & came up with a delicious & pretty healthy savoury muffin recipe ...

MMMMMMMMM! Cheese & Chorizo Savoury Muffins. 😍 They're made with wholemeal flour (which you could switch for GF flour), almond milk & olive oil with flavoursome chorizo, chutney, tasty cheese, halloumi cheese, onion, mushrooms & herbs to make your tastebuds dance. 😉 I'm a bit naughty & serve mine with a favourite chutney & dollop of sour cream, but they'd be great with a ewe-gurt or labneh. They're DEEEEEEE-LICIOUS straight out of the oven, but almost as good reheated in the microwave for 40 seconds or so. They keep in an airtight container for at least three days ... They may last another day or two, but we'd eaten them all by then. 😝 They would also freeze well, I think, if you wanted to make a batch on the weekend to take a couple out each day for the next week's lunches. 

Enough teasing ... Here's the recipe ... ENJOY! 😁

Cheese & Chorizo Muffins

* 1 1/2 cups whole meal flour

* Salt, pepper, herbs (I used a dried Italian herb mix because I was too lazy ... Er ... Hungry 😜 to pick fresh herbs)

* 1 cup grated tasty cheese

* 4-6 diced mushrooms (depending on size)

* 1 small diced onion

* Chorizo, diced

* 180g Halloumi cheese, cut into 1/4" cubes

* Grated medium zucchini

* 3/4 cup almond milk

* 1 egg

* 1/4 cup chutney

* 1/4 olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees.

2. Place diced chorizo, mushrooms & onion in small pan & sauté until onions are translucent. Cool a little.

3. In large bowl combine flour, salt, pepper, herbs, grated cheese, diced halloumi, grated zucchini & mix through. Add chorizo, mushrooms & onions & combine.

4. In separate jug/bowl combine almond milk, egg & chutney & whisk together before adding to flour mixture along with olive oil & mix until just combined.

5. Line 10x3/4 cup ramekins with baking paper & divide muffin mixture between them.

6. Place ramekins on baking tray to make handling easier & cook for 15-20 minutes until firm to touch or a toothpick stuck into muffins comes out clean.

7. Cool for 10 minutes & serve with chutney & sour cream.

Let me know how you like my muffins if you make them. Bon appetite! 😉

And on that note ... I'm off to warm up a couple of muffins for my lazy-day lunch before getting stuck into some sewing thus afternoon. Til next time ...

BEAR HUGS!

CHEERS!

KRIS

Catching Up ... AGAIN!!

Hello to all my lovely cyber buddies! I hope this hot, dry Monday (well ... It is in our corner of SE QLD. 😜) finds you well. I'm popping in to play catchup ... AGAIN! Catchup seems to be my default setting at the moment. 😜 The year has not only been odd, topsy-turvy, unsettled & muddly, it's flown by so jolly quickly that I think I'm just hanging on by my fingertips! 😳 Still ... The main reason I'm playing catchup this time is for a fun reason ... I spent a couple of days at the bottom of the 'hill' helping my Bestest-Buddy-Since-We-Were-Nine Lynette celebrate her half century. If you say it like that, it sounds like we're cricket lovers rather than middle-aged mischief-makers! Tee! Hee! Hee!

Lynette gathered a few of her tribe together to enjoy a birthday high tea at Dinmore Cottage ... & what a great time we had! I love that, as well as being best buds, Lynette & I kind of slide right in amongst each others' friends & never have a problem finding something & someone to chat about & to ... If you follow me! 😜 so ... Here's the group of us ...

Look at us all gussied up playing ladies! 😄 Well ... some of us had to pretend harder than others that we're ladies! Tee! Hee! Hee!

Here's the birthday girl ready to enjoy delicious treats ... & they certainly were DEEEEEE-LICEOUS! I confess, we all waddled away from the table. 😝

And yet somehow we all found room for birthday cake. 😜

Uh! Oh! They let her have a sharp implement! 😂 It was fantastic to help Lynette celebrate her special birthday, but even more special to realise we've helped each other celebrate 41 birthdays during our friendship. We've gone quite different directions in life, but whenever we get together time, distance & differences disappear. I feel pretty blessed to have someone in my life that knows all about me ... & sticks around anyway! 😜 She may not be my sister by blood, but she's definitely my sister by heart. ♥️ Our goal is to cause mischief together in the nursing home when we celebrate our centenarians. Half way there! 😂

And in other news ... All of that sugar must have sent my sewing mojo into a hyperactive spin, cos I actually managed a finish yesterday ... YAY! Remember a while back I showed you this pic ...

And I told you I was planning to make a new sample of this pattern ...

...my "Vintage Diva Backpack"? Well ...

Here is the new version ... It just needs drawstrings, which I forgot to get from the Marvellous Marion & Stupendous Steph when I picked up my supplies. Not a great pic as it was taken at night, but it gives you a good idea of the finished look. It just shows how a change of fabrics can completely change the look of a project to help you individualise it. On this new version, the stitchery has been swapped to a focus panel ... A great way to showcase your fave larger print fabric. Patterns & kits for this fun, handy & quick-to-make project can be found on the Quilters Angel online store site HERE  Don't forget ... If you're a Toowoomba/Highfields local, or passing through, you can save on postage & coordinate an order pickup with the lovely Angels. Just ring or drop them an email to coordinate.

And now ... I think I hear the kettle playing my song. 😜 Whatever you're up to this week, stay safe, keep stitching & keep smiling! 😁 Til next time ...

BEAR HUGS!

CHEERS!

KRIS 

Catching Up!

You know ... I think I spend most of my life 'catching up'. I'm not sure I ever actually manage it & I often feel like the hamster in a clip I've seen who is running his little legs off, stops for a second to catch his breath & finds himself spun round & round before being flung out of the wheel. 😜 But ... Here I am, trying to catch up again. 😝 How have you all been? Well, I hope & staying positive in this topsy-turvy year. 

I'd love to show you all some sewing pics ... But I've been a bit of a slacker, with only a bit of machine sewing happening towards making a new sample for a pattern. But ... I CAN share a photo of a new pattern that I finished in September, but didn't have a chance to share ...

Ta da! This pattern is called "Champage Is Always A Good Idea" & includes instructions for two projects: a round-based drawstring wine bottle bag featuring the Champage stitchery, & a simple glass protector pouch with Suffolk puff flowers. Pop a bottle of bubbles & a pretty glass in the bags & you have a lovely giftie for a friend. Or ... Pack that glass & bubbly into a picnic basket with some yummy treats & enjoy a relaxing picnic. The pattern is available on The Quilters Angel online store HERE. Looking for Christmas giftie or Secret Santa ideas? Here you go. 😁 The Marvellous Marion & Stupendous Steph can also do up a kit for you to make your version of this fun set, or to gift to a friend. 😁

And speaking of picnics ... I toodled down our 'hill' last week for a play date with my Bestest-Buddy-Since-We-Were-Nine Lynette & while we didn't pack bubbles (both driving & being responsible grown ups! 😜) we did enjoy a picnic ...

YUMMO! Lots of tasty treats (that's kombucha in the glass, by the way, which technically does have bubbles. 😜) & ...

... Lovely surroundings. We were at the Roma Street gardens in Brisbane, a peaceful oasis amidst the busy city.

Here we are! Do you know how challenging it is to get a selfie when one of you is height-challenged?! Tee! Hee! Hee! Such a relaxing day of catching up with my bestie. 😊

For those of you who HAVE been sewing rather than picnicing ... I've finally finished the OPAM blog-hopping to update the spreadsheet for October. There are so many gorgeous projects being finished amongst you all! Well done to those with finishes this month & kudos to those of you stitching along on longer term projects, too. As I hopped around I saw progress shots of knitting, crochet, weaving, cross stitch, embroidery, paper piecing & more. What a lot of clever clogs you are! 😉 Our tally for October was ...

72 FINISHES!

And the winner of the random draw prize of a PDF pattern is ...

SUSAN W

Congrats, Susan! Drop me an email so I can send your prize.

And that's about it from me for now. I think it's time for a quick cup of tea before tackling dinner . Whatever you have planned for the weekend, stay safe, stay well, keep stitching & keep smiling! 😊 Til next time ...

BEAR HUGS!

CHEERS!

KRIS