Cake Bake and Sweet Show

Last Sunday I went to the Cake Bake and Sweets show at Sydney Olympic Park with my girl and one of her friends.  I am not a cake decorator but I love baking and I was hoping to pick up a few tips.

The girls went their own way and I went in the opposite direction to have a look at what was on offer.  Megan and I were huge fans of the show The Great Australian Bakeoff  and I knew Maria Vella was doing a presentation so I went to the stage and settled in to watch Maria show us how to bake her Snickerz Sponge roll. I was delighted to see that Monique Bowley was the compere for the day and the girls kept us laughing and entertained.  After the presentation I hung around and met both of these lovely ladies and had a photo and chat with each of them.

I also managed to meet the macaron king Adriano Zumbo! He was so nice and tall!  And of course I bought some macarons to take home to my boys.

Duff from Ace of Cakes was also doing a presentation on the main stage, so I sat with the girls to watch him. He made ice cream and sorbet using dragon fruit and duran (?) and used liquid nitrogen to freeze them.  There was much laughter as Duff is quite a character.

We all purchased a new cook book each and had lots of fun trying new things and checking out all of the cake decorating tools.

I think its safe to say I will be heading back next year.

bye for now
Deb x

Life

Hello! Yes I am still here!

When I lost my job just before Christmas, I felt like my whole world had fallen apart. I was given no opportunity to say goodbye to the children I had formed relationships with, the staff or any of my volunteers. It was awful. I cried for days. And if I ran into anyone attached to the school I would go home and cry. How was I going to pay for my counsellor visits? you know the story wah wah wah.

I decided it was a good time to do Ali Edwards One Little Word workshop and chose my word - COURAGE.  I have had that word in my head like a chanted mantra. "have courage Deb" "remember to live courageously"

In January I attended a Project Life scrap night and I knew no one, definitely living up to my word.

I  also told my friends about my ongoing battle with depression and anxiety - definitely took courage.

Last week I had a stall at a local craft market, a long time dream of mine, and you know what? I'm okay if I decide not to do it again. I did it.

I also went to have morning tea with a lovely lady I met through social media and made a new friend.

Over the last couple of days I have realised that losing my job was a blessing. I am no longer stressed. I am doing some casual typing for a friend. I have energy.  I really dont miss most of the people I mixed with at work and I realise that the friends I have are the ones I need. They support me so much that I feel blessed to know them.

Way back when I was 15 I wanted to be a teacher but unfortunate family events meant that this was not possible, and as the years went on I loset my confidence and never felt able to do any further study.  Well, I have just enrolled to study for a Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care!  I am so excited to embark on this.  We have been rearranging study areas as Mr16 is in year 11 and needs an area to study aswell, so he and Miss18 will be sharing our second living area as a study and my craft room will become a study for MrWonderful and myself and double as a craft area. Phew its a lot of work getting it set up but it will be worth it in the end.

I am off to have a cuppa,
Deb

Turning off

Does anyone else have trouble turning off their thoughts? Does it stop you from making a simple decision?

I am over it. I go to bed, read for an hour, turn off the light and Bam! Here come all of the negative thoughts, and not so negative thoughts. The next thing I know is its 3 am and I am wide awake.

This year I decided to do Ali Edwards One Little Word class. Do you think I can settle on a word? Of course not! I think I have changed words 3 times and it's only the first month.

Before Christmas I was fired from my casual position for no reason. I had worked there for over 2 years and was devastated to be told I wasn't needed anymore. Yep, you guessed it, every night I go over everything I said or did trying to figure out why I was fired.

Deep down I know worrying is not going to change anything, but I can't help it.

I worry about my girl and her life. I worry about my husband who is having blood pressure issues. I worry about my mum and her health. I worry about what people think of me.

I am going crazy!

It's all about baby steps, and I try to keep occupied during the day so the thoughts don't creep in. It's the night that is doing me in.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Bye for now,
Deb x

Floor Rug

Earlier this year I purchased a roll of t-shirt yarn from Spotlight. There was only 1 roll left and it was white and $5.00.  I had to buy it. It then sat in my craft room until Boxing Day when I decided to make a rug for Megan's floor.

I tried making up a pattern as I went, but it ended up looking frilly, so I pulled it apart and rerolled the ball and started over, this time following a pattern from Dandelion Day. I managed to finish the whole project in roughly 3 hours. So I am over the moon at completing another project.

Now comes the hard part. Miss Indecisive wants to ombré dye it.



Bye for now
Debbie

Introductions

Ten random facts about me -

1. I love Christmas and struggle a lot with the changes having older children bring.

2. I read every single day.  I have been known to read with a torch whilst camping in the days before Kindles.

3. I love baking and my shiny red mixer.

4. I am a technology geek.  I love my iPad.

5. My great aunt taught me to crochet when I was 13, but my passion for crocheting has only returned recently as I thought it was a daggy hobby.

6. I love the colour of my walls so much that this is the second home we have painted this colour.

7. I didn't finish school, so I will do anything g humanly possible to make sure my children do.

8. I have been living with my husband Len for 30 years!

9. My children are my world.

10. One day I would like to go to Europe.

Bye for now,
Debbie

Things I have learnt

Lately I have been doing a bit of soul searching and here are a few things I am learning -

1 - Anti depressants are not a miracle cure for depression

2 - I am an introvert and that is ok

3 - Not everyone needs to like everyone

4 - I am far too dependent on my daughter

5 - Marriage  is hard work

6 - Making friends when you are older is hard work

Is anyone else on a steep learning curve too?

Deb

On my lap today 19/11/13

I have been rethinking my handmade Christmas plans and changed a few ideas. My friend Leoni from Kiwi at Heart recently posted a photo on Instagram of some Infinity Scarves she had made for gifts. A light bulb lit up in my head! I can make those too! So off I went to Spotlight and purchased some pretty fabrics ready to go.  Unfortunately, I wont be able to share much about them until after Christmas :(

I am knitting 2 beannies at once, please don't ask why as I don't think I could answer that question. I went to my local wool shop to buy myself a Symfonie crochet hook as my friend Tammy from Girlswearbluetoo had bought herself a couple for her birthday recently and they looked so pretty.  I didnt purchase any hooks (yes they had them in stock) but I did buy a set of pressure gloves to help with the pain in my hands.

Finally, I have taught myself how to link to other web sites :) so I am very proud of myself.

Bye for now
Debbie