Bali Villa

Our Villa was all open air apart from the bedroom and bathroom, which could be locked for security, and had air conditioning.

The pool area was divine.

I spent most of my time laying flat out on that daybed behind the tree.

The most enormous bed. Please excuse the Bombay Saphire bottle!!!!

This bath tub was huge too. Didnt use it though...too hot.

This was by far my favourite spot!

Bali Food

Welcome drinks arrived to our villa with in minutes of our arrival.

A delicious spread arrived each morning at your specified time. Juice,fresh fruit, muslie and yoghurt, eggs of your choice (these were benedict), toast or muffins or danish or waffles or banana pancakes! And washed down with real coffee.

My favourite way to have the eggs was the omelette with baby spinach, garlic mushrooms and goats cheese. Divine.

We went to a (relativly) traditional Indonesian restaurant, and had these lovely vegetable Lumpia, Gado Gado and chilli chicken with cashew nut.

This was by far my favourite restaurant, Sardine. Set amongst its own rice paddy. You dont get much better than this!!

I had baramundi with roast vegetable cous cous, and a basil infused oil.

Melt in your mouth deliciousness!

My Mate had balckened Mahi Mahi fillet with baby vegetables and mango salsa.

But this little baby, was the softest, smoothest and most delicious of the lot.

Heaven!!

Young coconut panna cotta with mango.

Man, Im going to have to learn how to make this, It was sooo good.

After a big night of Bar hopping drinking several of thost cocktails pictured yesterday, we ended up at Sarong. Run by an Australian Chef, It also was unreal.

This is was the state of the food when I remembered to take a photo!!

Pork Belly,Prawn dumplings, salt and pepper squid, stir fried broccoli and rice.

Ryoshi is one of our favourite japanese restaurants. It just happens to be in Bali. We ate here several times on our first visit to Bali in 1997. And true to form, ate here 2 days in a row this time as well.

Mixed tempura, sushi, udon noodle soup, gyozas. Yum.

So its not unusual to get home after eating out for lunch and dinner for 7 nights and crave some simple, basic, just like Grandma used to make, food.

Miss E and I had morning tea in the sun on the front porch. Pikelets, coffee and a hot chocolate.

This scene lasted for about 4.5 seconds, when the hot chocolate was spilt and my serenity broken.

Nothing a quick hose down couldnt fix!!

A remake of the hot chocolate.

A drying of the tears.

And start again!

Anyone for cocktails?

When you are lucky enough to be in this position without your 3 children............
Really what else is there to do???

But have a cocktail....

Or two

Or perhaps three

Or four or five....

Or is that six or seven??

We really did have a great holiday.

Food to come tomorrow, then more on the Villa.

A little Bali snippet

My Mate and I had a fantastic trip to Bali.
All over too quickly really.
Come on in to our Villa.

Perhaps you would like a dip in our pool?

Or then again you may enjoy a cocktail or 2 with us at Kudeta?

Im off...

My best Mate and I are jetsetting off to Bali in the morning.
Taking a week to ourselves!!!
Cant wait.

Ill be sure to tell you all about it when I get Home.
We are not taking a laptop with us....will I survive????


YEP, Ill be too busy reading, eating, sleeping, shopping and relaxing by the pool!!

Good bye winter....

Travel wallet

I made this travel wallet using a tutorial from The Cottage Home. And it has worked out perfectly. Just right to hold my passport and boarding pass on the plane. Ill use the note pad to write down the prices of thing I have bought, because the bartering can be fierce in Bali.

So many friends have given me great contacts and info for our trip.

We have been there before in 1997, we are expecting huge changes to the quality of shopping and eating there.

Im really just looking forward to lying on the daybed next to our private pool for hours on end!!!

My gorgeous friend Kerry gave me a new magazine and novel to take with me. Cant wait to get started on both.

Starting to pack, feels wierd getting the shorts and dresses out, when its so cold here.

Hope that volcanic ash is out of the way before Sunday!!!

Stripemania

Stripemania is being held over at decor8 . It seems all bloggers wear the uniform of stripes, so pop over there and join yourself in the fun. Be quick...it finishes today.

I can also do spots......this was my Dinner table last night.

Tiramisu

Tiramisu is on the menu for my Dinner Party tomorrow night.
Coffee, marsala,mascarpone......Yum!
And clearly I do love to serve food in individual portions. This only slightly more sophisticated than last weeks jelly and custard!
Easy to make, but does create a lot of washing up.
And most adults seem to like it.
I know I do...and thats why Im off to snuggle on the lounge with my Mate and share some of the extras I wont need tomorrow night.

More fabric

My friend chose the pink make-up bag. I thought she would.

Bought some more fabric today with my next little project in mind.
And a make-up bag each for my sister-in-laws who both have a Birthday in June.
Wanting to get these things done before next week as MIL arrives to mind the kids whilst we are away.

Plus there is the hair cut, waxing, fake tan and packing etc etc.......

Pretty in pink

I made another make-up bag today. I really like this fabric. It was just one of those fat quarters from spotlight, but the colours are lovely.

I have made it with my friend in mind. But Im going to let her choose between the 2, and have the one she likes best.

Just look at that hand sewn detail on the flower. Can you even see that in this crap photo??

I only have a point and shoot camera. Might have to learn a few things about photography. That is abismal!!

Next thing on the list to sew is a travel type wallet to hold my passport and boarding pass etc. I found a great tutorial today. Im off to spotlight tomorrow for some interesting fabric and more interfacing and zips. Ill show you tomorrow.

Make-up bag

Found time to make myself something else to take on our holiday.
A new make-up bag. I used noodleheads tutorial for the scrappy make-up pouch.

It was a dream to sew, really quick, easy and you end up with something you can use every day.

I hand-embroided some detail on the front.

Im really happy with it.

I have a friend who is going on hoilday next week, if I find time tomorrow I might wizz her up one too. Im off to choose the fabric in some colours she will like.

Lemon Butter

I love homemade lemon butter, but dont make it nearly as much as I should. The lemon tree is full of lemons. So I whipped up a bowl full this afternoon. Oh man, I cant wait until tomorrow morning to have it on hot buttered toast. Yum

Whilst I had the custard powder out, I made a glam dessert of jelly and custard.

Put it in fancy glasses and the kids think its so special. It was yum, only problem is its all gone and Ill have to make more tomorrow.

Travel diary

I love to keep a record of my travels in a diary. Many years ago...pre-marriage... my best mate and I, quit our jobs and travelled around the world for 9 months. We had the time of our lives.


I wrote a diary every day and recorded where we went, what we ate, what we saw, how we travelled and how much it all cost. Great to look back on now and if anyone asks where to stay whilst on their trip... Im sure to have the buisness card of the place we stayed in.

So, we are heading of an a little trip together in a few weeks. I will be needing a travel diary of course. Picked this one up....even though it does have a tropical feel to it....you and I know it just wont do!!

Out with a cute piece of fabric and the spray glue. And there you have my new improved travel diary ready and waiting.

Thrifted skirt

Miss E proudly "modelling" her new doily top.

I was a recipient of a random act of kindness today.
Popped over to K-mart.... I know always in the cheap shops!!
On our way out a lady stopped me and asked if Miss E would like to go on the Merry-go-round with her daughter. She said, "It seems such a waste if only one child enjoys it."
I thanked her and of course who wouldnt like a free ride on the Merry-go-round!
So round they went and she said she loved the doily top and did I make it?
The ride stopped and we spent the next few minutes chatting about sewing and fabric. I bet she is off to the Op-shop to buy some doilys, or ringing her Mother or Grandma to see if they have any they dont want anymore.
Love it when you accidently meet someone with similar interests.
Now, this skirt I thrifted last winter, in hope of cutting it down and making a skirt for one of my girls. It is navy Corduroy, with a lovely ribbon detail on the hem.

Had a few minutes spare today,

so chopped it up,

cut out the seams,

overlocked the sideseams,

sewed the casing for the elastic,

threaded the elastic.

And in about 37 minutes have 2 new skirts for my girls.

Excuse the skirt over jeans look!