Pilgrims Rest visit...

  

About a month ago, we visitited hubby for the weekend and we went to explore Pilgrims Rest.  On our way there, we saw this huge shoe, we stopped to have a look.  The shoe was build by Ron van Zyl, when you enter the shoe, you also enter underground caves. BUT this is not all, it is a Spiritual journey through the caves, Ron created these caves to tell people about God, how we can get closer to Him and he also tells you about a life without fear. For me this was amazing.

                             Hubby having a smokey, before leaving...grrrrr. I wish he would stop smoking.
               
                                                         

                                    And how cute is this?? look at the hats!

                                     All the houses in the main street look like this one.

At this little shop and restaurant I had the most amazing cappuccino and of course a pancake or two, pancakes are my favorite in winter:)

Some of these shops sells the most beautiful handmade crafts, lamps, pottery, clothing,etc.

Some of the local craftsmen and woman's art displayed in one of the gardens, these are made of beads!

We wanted to overnight at the Royal Hotel, but it was fully booked that weekend,lovely old  place.

I still find it very hard, with my husband far away, but each and every weekend that we spent over there is a new adventure, we see and go to places that I have never seen before.
Hope you had a wonderful weekend.

My Crochet Tale {and a recipe share}

Again...long time no blogging. But at least this time I was keeping myself busy! With crochet. I told you a while ago that I was going for this crochet lessons at a local Coffee Shop. We were 3 ladies for the morning,which I thought was a beginners class, since I don't know anything about crochet. The one lady finished the tasks quite quick and easy,but ME!! My word, what a struggle, I couldn't keep the wool in my fingers, when I thought now I am starting off nicely, the wool would split...so for the morning I made this funny pinkish pig tail thingie!!lol!! After the class,I was off to my husband, with a crochet hook and wool, the whole of that weekend I practiced, but produced nothing more than pinkish pig tails! 

The next week, I went again, this time the auntie had a little cloth for me, which I had to crochet a border for. I also struggled, but succeeded, but after 3 hours only. But I had it done!! I was very proud of this!lol!!

Then...this was my main focus!! To be able to crochet flowers! So in my third class, she taught me these little flowers, when I managed these, I couldn't stop!! By now, I have a plastic bag filled with flowers. I made some of wool and then the others out of cotton.

I then tried my luck at some headbands,by myself, made 3, but the third one I gave away already.

I am already buying wool by the dozens! As with the scrap booking goodies! I love all the colours and different textures.

Finally I decided to start a blanket, it started with a small Granny square, I thought I would do it square by square, but I know myself, I want to see the progress, so decided to do it all as one big square, it is now about 1meter in square.

Last but not least, I made this little black purse for Megan,embellished it with little flowers and some easy embroidery stitches.

I am really enjoying this, it is very relaxing and these days it is not old ladies that do this anymore, it is a modern craft again!

I have been wanting to share this recipe for a while, but keep on forgetting and since it is winter these BROWNIES are a real comfort treat:)Yummy!!

I actually have two... but I am a big fan of Eric Lanlard! He is a Master Pâtissier! I love his baking and his recipes are always foolproof!!

So HELEN!! This one is for you:

Double Chocolate Pecan Brownies

These lovely, rich , nutty and chewy brownies are an ideal indulgent snack, as well as making the perfect dinner-party dessert.  Served with your favourite ice-cream, of course!

Makes 12 Brownies

Preparation time: 45minutes

Baking time: 25 minutes

185g Unsalted Butter, plus extra for greasing.

185g Good Quality dark chocolate, broken into pieces.

85g Plain flour

40g Pure cocoa powder

50g White Chocolate

50g Milk Chocolate

3 large eggs

275g Golden Castor Sugar

100g Pecan halves, chopped.

Preheat the oven to 170deg C. Fan oven 150deg C and gas at 325F.

Grease a shallow brownie tray or regular square tin(22cm) with extra butter, and line with baking paper.

Cut the butter into cubes and tip into a medium heatproof bowl along with the dark chocolate pieces.  Sit the bowl over a pan of gently simmering water(the base of the bowl must not touch the water) and leave over a low heat until the butter and chocolate have melted, stirring occasionally to mix them.  Remove the bowl from the pan and allow to cool a little.

Tip the flour and cocoa powder into a sieve held over a medium bowl.  With a large sharp knife, chop the white and milk chocolate into chunks on a board.

Break the eggs into a large bowl and tip in the sugar.  With an electric mixer at max speed, whisk the eggs and sugar until they look thick and creamy.  You'll know it's ready when the mixture becomes really pakles and about double its original volume.

Pour the cooled chocolate mixture over the eggy mousse, then gently fold together with a rubber spatula.  Add the sifted flour and cocoa mixture, and gently fold in using a large metal spoon.  Finally stir in the white and milk chocolate chunks and chopped pecans until they're dotted evenly throughout the mixture.

Pour the mixture into the prepared tin.  Bake in the preheated oven for 25min. the brownies are cooked when you get a nice cracked and crunchy crust on the top, but still wiht a wet fudgy middle.

Leave the whole thing in the tin until completely cold, then remove, peel away the paper and cut into squares using a sharp knife.

I played: The Colorroom #64 Sweetheart Keep on Smiling

Hallo Everybody!!

Finally, I made this layout and also uploaded it at the Color room! I registered on this site many moons ago, but never posted anything! 

Well, I did need some soap and water to get into my scrap room, that is how long I have not scrapped!! 

So today, I printed these photos from my little Selphy and created this "stick and go" layout.LOL!!

Since there is not much of techniques used, I called it stick and go.

I used:

Paper from Echo Park's Spring Collection,

Lace from the habby shop,

Petal from Bo Bunny and

lettering from Bo Bunny and Echo Park.

The weather on this side of the country is VERY cold, we are not use to freezing temperatures like this.  Hubby was home this weekend, we just chilled. Megan packed and left for Sodwana, she is having a wonderful time, playing on the beach, running and the WEATHER IS GREAT!!

I am off...maybe to do  another page:){i should be rolling up the socks}

A Monday Post and {Megan's American Landscapes}

Hallo Everybody!!

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend and that you spoiled the dads rotten.  We went to visit hubby and enjoyed the weekend with him, we left after lunch yesterday and arrived safely yesterday afternoon.  I went through Megan's thousand's of photos of her trip to America and picked a few landscapes that I liked, so these are all from her camera just as it was. I love all the contrasting colours and can't believe that snow and winter can make a place look so grim at some times.

I came home to a half empty spinning class this morning, can't believe that the cold can make people sooo lazy, but anyhow, I will have another class this afternoon at least:)

I have to help Megan to do a project for Art and Design again, she always leave until the last minute!! She made the plans and drew up the shopping list, I must go and buy the material and then we must start,today!! She must hand it in on Thursday!!

Friday evening, they are leaving for Sodwana, they are going on a church camp, the grade elevens.  They are so looking forward to this adventure and for sure there are some kids that can do with some conversation with God, really. I don't know where some kids are going.  I know of so many sad stories that happened this term, it is scary!!

I am busy cleaning and washing, then the ton of ironing awaits me:( The work of a housewife really is a never ending cycle.

I linked up with a few old school friends the past month or so, it is wonderful to see them and how they have changed and the families they have, some are really happy and then some of them already went through the staged of divorce too and to my surprise some of them are not married at all!! oh my!!lol!!

This weekend, while at my husband, we took a trip to Dullstroom, have you ever been there?? Do yourself and Google this little place, it is BEAUTIFUL. It was my second time to visit there, and I just LOVE it,really. Very cold, but all the houses are build country style and have fireplaces and the whole tootie! And the little shops are divine, expensive, but worth shopping with the eyes too! I forgot to take my camera, as it was in my car and we left with my husbands car. But next time...

I told in my previous post that I have done some scrappy shopping, it is all still in the bags, waiting to be unpacked, I will do that!! And of course show you, but I think in your eyes it will already be "OLD STOCK" lol!! I am very behind when it comes to scrapbooking.

                                              This coming weekend hubby is coming home,
                                                          it is also my dad's birthday.

                 
                                                      OK, enough chatting, I must move!!
                                                     things to do and places to go!!lol!!

                                     YOU ALL HAVE A BEAUTIFUL DAY!!

Must show you this!!

Hallo you all!!
This is what I want to show you...this is our first project as a quilting group.  We will be starting this within the next 3 weeks. Our teacher is going to Cape Town on a course and it also gives us the time to get our materials in order. I must drive all the way to Pretoria to get some lovely material, same as with the scrapbooking. I want the same colours or at least similar to the original.  It is called Autumn House and designed by Bunny Hill designs. We are done with our beginners class and all the other ladies are stitching their blocks together now, but I decided not to that, since all the designs was not in my taste. Other than scrapbooking, I must admit I found my style in quilting within the first three lessons, I am a traditional quilter and I LOVE the applique and paper piecing the most!! The three dimensional stars and things....not me;)

So I have my little bag packed!!lol!! One needle and a 20g 4 thread ball of wool, for tomorrow's crochet class. I did not tell hubby that I was going for this class, I want to spook him with my end result, when we visit him this weekend.
Oh, and did I tell you my laptop is broken?? Seems as though I might be able to claim from my insurance,lets hold the thumbs!!
Sweet dreams:)
xxx

The Sun IS SHINING!!

Ok, so I am feeling bit better today!! yay!! Thanks to some comments you left, I am feeling better!!
Had a great spinning workout yesterday and this morning, my friend presented the class and it was a blast!! This afternoon it is my turn for class, I am going to compile a new cd today, need some gooood music!!
I took this photo from the Olifants Camp in the Kruger Park, last weekend, when we went for another visit with my  husband, this Megan was also with us, so she could enjoy it too. I think I could go there another 10 times or maybe more?lol!! On our way back, I stopped at a scrapbooking shop and did some shopping, that also felt sooo good.  So, I will be taking some photos of that this afternoon.
Last night i started sorting my magazines!! What do you do with mags piled up from the past 8-10 years?? I packed it all into boxes and shuffed it into hubbies storeroom;) Hope he wont mind.xx
I mean it is all types of magazines, scrapbooking, fitness and health, home, garden, do one just throw them away or what??
This is really an addiction, magazines, the cover usually does it for me!! then i just grab it!! Oh and cooking and baking magazines, I LOVE them.
I made a TO DO list for today, i NEED to focus on that and get the things done!! I know by keeping busy it is good for the soul:)
Tomorrow I am going to my quilting group in Hartebeespoortdam, yes all the way from Rustenburg to quilt, but they are a lovely group of ladies:) and our teacher is GREAT!! Then on Thursday, now don't laugh, I am going to a crochet class, yes, R60 bucks to get somebody to teach me that!! I WANT TO!! And then the afternoon, Megan and the team is playing a hockey match at the school and then on Friday, we are going to HUBS!xx Another roadtrip me and Megs;)
So you have a beautiful day,speak to you all sooooon!!

Just didn't want to bore you>

So I have not been blogging.
I have not been Scrapping.
No mosaicing.
Only a little bit of quilting.
Took hold of my camera a week ago for the first time in a long time.
I am exercising very half hearted, the same in cleaning the house, so I am also picking up the kilo's!
Why??? For the first time in my life, I can actually say I am in a hole and I know what it feels like.
So I thought why bore you with my everyday of doing NOTHING??
I never thought this thing with my husband working away from home, would make me feel this way, I mean so many people are doing it and are coping really well. Are we so tied to the hip, that I can't go without him at all?? Or am I just feeling sorry for myself? Or maybe feeling sorry for him more, knowing that he is ALL by himself during the evening, at least I have my parents and my daughter.  But still I have this feeling of NOTHING inside of me. I get up every morning with the intention to grab the day!! Doing everything! When I find myself I am sitting, sulking,doing NOTHING.
To top it all... my best friend and I had huge fight, caused by somebody else, but still I felt betrayed and I want her to take my side, she didn't.
What else??
My computer broke! I must have closed the screen onto something, so the screen cracked!! Great,huh??
Megan is busy writing exams,she is studying very hard, shame poor child, here I am complaining about EVERYTHING!!
So, as I told dear Helen, I am still alive, I just need to get grip on myself!!
Have yourself a wonderful evening:)