Busy Busy

First up, the Homemade Dishwashing Powder is unreal.
Not only is it a 1 minute job to make, but it cleans the dishes as well, if not better than the comercial powder.
I will be sticking with this one.


Knee deep in Party preparation here at Number 6.
The youngest, but by no means the quietest of our Family has turned 5 and is SUPER excited.

There has been a surprise arrival of Nana from Sydney, a family birthday dinner with ice-cream cake, and a party is planned with 12 little 3-5 year old munchkins and an unreal face-painter.
The level of excitement has reached fever pitch and is about to boil over in a sugar induced meltdown any time now.
Ive had these pinned on pinterest from cutefoodforkids.com

Too easy to make, taste great, and look good on a huge white plate.

The kids dont care what it looks like.... but I do.
the fact that they taste great is a massive bonus.

I will be arrainging them on the large white platter, maybe in rainbow order of course, in all my spare time between now and the party!!

Dishwasher Powder and Liquid Hand Soap

I made the Dishwasher Powder today.
recipe from onegoodthingbyjillee
1 cup washing soda
1 cup borax
1/4 cup salt
1/4 cup citric acid
Mix it all together in an air tight container.

Cost = $3.87 for 625g
Not too bad I dont think.
I have'nt used it yet, but will be putting a load on tonight to test it out.
Hope the DW does'nt spontaneously combust!!

I also made some liquid hand soap.
recipe from homesteadrevival
225g soap
3.8L water
2tbs glycerine

Cost $4.50 for 3.8L
Now that is 0.30c for 250ml
Total winner.

Its good, but it doesnt lather up as much as the store bought variety, but I think that may have something to do with the soap I used.
For the price Im really happy.
Grate the soap.
Mix it into your water, add the glycerine and mix over medium heat to melt.

It thickens up over a few hours as it cools.
My kids loved stirring it and watching it.
When cool, fill up all your soap dispensers and store the rest.

Wall Art

I bought this IKEA fabric ages ago with this project in mind.

I was de-cluttering my magazine collection.
I have Real-living since its inception in 2007!
I have always kept them for their good ideas....but never seem to have looked at them since.
So, Im going through them and tearing out the ideas I like and making a sort of design folder.
Pinterest in hard copy if you like!
Because hours spent on Pinterest are just not enough!!
When I saw this I knew I should get on with it and give it a go.

Off to the local discount art supplier for a canvas.
I bought a 91.4cm square one, $35. ( really 91.4!!!! couldn't possibly make it 1m??)

I ironed the fabric.
Already had my own staple gun.
The rest is history.



Hall way BEFORE


AFTER

Laundry Powder

Ive been thinking about making my own laundry powder for a while now.
Being down to the last few scoops of commercial powder was just the push I needed.
I bought all the supplies from my local Foodland supermarket.

There are hundreds of recipes out there.
I settled on the one on the Borax container!
1 bar velvet soap 4pk 500g $3.03 - 1 bar 0.75c
1 cup washing soda 1kg $3.15 - 1 cup 0.78c
1 cup borax 500g $3.99 - 1 cup $1.99
Total $3.52 for 600g
1 tbs per load = 0.11c

I grated the soap on a fine greater.
Really easy, I thought this was going to be areal chore.

Mixed it all together and gecided to run it all through the food processor to get a finer crumb.

looks like real washing powder!

I been using it for 3 weeks now and am really happy.
Smells great, I really love the lemon smell of the velvet soap.
Id also like to make my own dishwasher powder and liquid hand soap.

Caramel Swirl Blondies.

This post should come with a warning: do not even bother reading if you are at all health conscious or watching your weight.

Caramel Swirl Blondies
recipe from recipes+ magazine september 2011
150g butter
150g white choccolate
1tsp vanilla
1cup caster sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cup plain flour
1/2 cup SR flour
380g can Top 'n' Fill caramel

Oven 160C
Line a 20x30cm slice pan with baking paper.
Place butter and chocolate in a heat proof bowl over a pan of simmering water, stir until smooth. (I actually zapped mine in the microwave)
Stir in vanilla, sugar, egg and flours.
Spoon into slice pan and level top.
Drop small spoonfuls of caramel on top of mixture.(I only used half the tin)
Swirl with a butter knife.
Bake 35 min (mine needed 40 min)
Cool in pan.
Slice to serve.

Prettiest purple

Im in a bit of a Blogging Funk!
Not really got anything to say.
Nothing much to share.
Just plodding along.
Same old thing.

But, Master J hid my iPad from me on Tuesday night.
On purpose.
I didnt think he was that smart!
Normally I would read some blogs or surf Pinterest in the evening, but I had a headache, so I went to bed early with a book.

So Wednesday comes along.
Drop 2 kids off at school.
One home with me.
"Im just going to check my emails"

The iPad was not in its usual spot.
I knew Master J had used it last because he was making a video of this Lego figures.
Searched his room.
Nothing.

Searched all the usual hiding spots in the office (My Mate regularly hides it from Me too, says its the denegration of society and families!!)
Whatever!!!!!
Send My Mate a text asking where he hid the iPad.
He said, "He hadnt seen it"

Well this sent me into a searching frenzy!
I turned the place upside down.
I was like an addict looking for money for my next hit.
It was embarrassing!!
Im hooked.

Anyway.....it was'nt until 9pm when Master J returned from Cub Scouts, that he burst into laughter and told me where it was.
He thought he was quite hilarious!!
Me.....not so much!!
It was funny, and perhaps he is smarter than he looks??

It is my time waster.
But I really enjoy it too.
So many ideas, just wish I could get them all out of my head and into reality.
I am a bit of a dreamer, not so much a do-er(is that a word?)

Im dreaming of a farm.
A more simple life, with fresh air, veggie patch, chickens and an orchard.
I watched 20 episodes of Gourmet Farmer!
That might have something to do with it!!

Enough rambling, I did make something today.
This pretty purple top is going to a special little girl this Sunday, for her Birthday.

A little ray of sunshine......

Im usually a red girl....

But these were calling my name yesterday!