Hey Cuz

Rachael Wiseman [6 months]
Adelaide Schultz [18 months] & Clementine Schultz [2 months]

This week we're in Ballarat for my niece's Christening. Its the first time this little gang of girl cousins have played together and they were all very cute - but it did end in tears as these things tend to do. 

She's 18 months old already.

Perhaps the past 18 months have gone by slowly, or even at regular speed for you, but for me they have zoomed past me and I'm left grabbing at the memories!  18 months ago I became a mother for the first time when Adelaide Margaret was born.

I sung happy birthday to her this morning and she brushed me off so she could go into her castle and read books.  We went to a brand new playgroup today, and my big-little girl walked herself the whole way from the car to the hall. Then as I was introducing myself to the lady running the group she took off and begun painting a picture. She didn't need mummy's help at all, though she was still happy to have me there [that is nice, I dread the day I become obsolete].

My one-time baby now walks, talks, talks back, sings, jumps, dances and spends WAY too much time looking at herself in the mirror. She has picked up a habit of saying "no" while gesturing with her index finger, and doing the same when we say no to her. She is insanely stubborn, at least as funny as she thinks she is and so much fun to have around.

I love how she comes over to look at her little sister, shoves Tiny's dummy in her mouth whether she wants it or not, asks for cuddle from her sister and gives her lots of big loud *mwah* kisses.

I'm trying to remember all the beautiful little things that she does because I know I'll blink and she'll be 18 years, instead of 18 months.

Can YOU look super cool with paint on your face,
playing with dirt, in a paint smock? Thought not.

Paint a pretty picture then cover it in red.
Also paint the concrete, yourself
and the plastic car.

Playing with the chickpeas she repeatedly stole from the pantry.

A little Holly Hobby

Just really cute

Caged Birds.

This weekend I did something that I've been thinking about for a year or so. I've had this bottomless cage hanging around [another thing Andrew shook his head at, but thankfully he indulges me despite thinking that I keep really stupid things], and I wanted to put a bird in it. The pic here is dodgy thanks to Addie smearing the camera lens so you can't see the bird well, but go over here and you'll see the original birds and a link to the pattern I used. Its been really popular around the place - and I'm sure that I'm not the first to put one in a cage, but there you go. To see what otehr people have done with the birds, check out the spoolbird flickr group.

The cage needed a bottom, so I painted a piece of cardboard black and sewed it to the cage. Andrew suggested a seed treat too, just to make it look like a real bird. I have another cage now, and grand plans to make these birds on a smaller scale and populate the new cage with tiny stuffed birds. 

It was a little risky giving this as a birthday gift, but it was received well, which is awesome because I would love it if someone gave me one!!

No Need To Knead

Freeform Boule

Recently I stumbled across a recipe for "Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day". It has been around for a few years, so I'm a bit slow on the uptake. Pretty much, you make this dough which only has water, flour, yeast and salt and let it rise, put it in the fridge and leave it there. When you want bread, you pull some out, shape and rest it then bake. It doesn't need to be kneaded, and the uncooked dough lasts up to 2 weeks in the fridge. It can take on a sourdough like taste as it ages and seems to require no skill at all! 

To find the recipe, go to this article written by the creators of the recipe. I've ordered the official UK edition of their book and I can't wait to get it!! Just note, that the recipes on their website are written in US measurements which are NOT the same as Australian cups and spoons, so you need to allow for that.

Dinner Rolls

Not only does the recipe make loaves, it is also good for crusty dinner rolls, and naan bread. I forgot to photograph the naan because I was too busy eating it! A cast iron skillet [which I don't have] is recommended for cooking naan, but I used the BBQ and it did the job much better than the oven [lots of naan recipes use the oven]. Addie is loving the fresh bread too, she gets way too excited when she sees me get out the bread knife.

What was my 2litre pyrex dish. RIP dear dish.

This bread making gig has seen me go through a LOT of plain flour in the past two weeks, and it also claimed my pyrex dish as victim. Apparently glass pyrex is NOT suitable for pouring hot water into in the oven. Of course, I read a warning to that effect on the bread in 5 minutes website about 1/2 hour after I shattered my handy 2.1 litre pyrex dish. Other handy tips about making this bread are found here.

Sunbeam Bakehouse $5

All this bread has made me hungry for more bready type things and I thought that a breadmaker would be lovely for helping me mix up doughs, but I told myself that I could not justify another appliance, plus it was not a priority financially. As I resigned my arms to getting a work-out mixing up dough and kneading it, fate showed me that I'm not always as clever as I think. At the tip-shop this morning I stumbled across this Sunbeam Bakehouse from the glorious 90's. I supposed it was missing something and was surprised to see it looking quite shiny inside, and in possession of the tin, mixing paddle and instruction booklet!! I asked the money-lady for a quote and she said $5.  My heart skipped a couple of beats, I shoved $5 into her hand and yelled for Andrew to "quick put it in the car before someone else tries to get it!". I felt some scepticism in his body language [feel free to correct me Andrew!] but he complied. I have a feeling that tonight when he comes home from work his tune will change because....

Hot Crossed Buns cooling on the tray

I used it to make Hot Crossed Buns!! The machine mixed, kneaded and did the first rise for me in about 1.5 hrs. I then had to knead [it was fun] shape and rise the buns for another 30 min, decorate them with crosses and bake for 30 min, and lastly glaze them when cooling**. Mmmm, these taste good!!! 

**I had a giggle when reading the recipe for the HCBs because the direction reads "spread glaze on hot buns". Its funny no? 

Castle Schultz

I was so lucky to have my two BFFs visit me last weekend.  Kelly, I have known since I was 10 - making this year 20 years of being BFFs. Heather we met when we were 16, and so she's been in the mix the past 14 years. In the next few months Kel is jetsetting off to England and Heather is having a little baby so life will never be the same!

While they were here got my grabby little hands on a really cool cardboard box. A friend of mine owns a    fantastic business called Bells MilkBar, and some equipment had been delivered to them in this box but they no longer needed it so it ended up at my place yeah! For a day or so Addie was entertained by running in and out of the plain four sided box but I knew we needed to pimp it big time!!

Bienvenue à Châtaeu Schultz! 

What do you think? It features arched windows, curtains, an impressive front entrance and a post box.

Kelly painted the bricks with a sponge, and she did the creeping vine freehand. I was responsible for designing and cutting out the windows and doors and making requests of the exterior decorator. 

I was responsible for interior decoration also, hot gluing one of my great vintage mesh curtains to the door and windows. It gives the castle a romantic feel, gives Addie something to "hide" behind, and me something to see through! 

Inside I mitred the corners of the bottom flaps, so it makes a kind of floor that stabilises the whole thing and doesn't become a tripping hazard. It also helps the walls stay at the angle which we've arranged them in.

The finished castle houses Addie's bookshelf, a couple of toy teacups and her couch. In the days since we made her the castle I've seen her wander in there so many times, choose a book, sit on her couch and come out when she's done.  She also goes in there to poke her head out of the windows, draw on books where I can't see her, and throw tantrums. Lucky for both of us I can't "see" her when she's in there so the tantrums are wasted but they must make her feel better.

It takes up a good deal of our living room - but whats the point of having space if you just look at it. right?  I totally love our castle - hopefully it lasts us for quite some time and both the girls can play in it/