Weekly Bake...Chocolate Chip Biscuits

Last night I decided to bake the kiddies some of their very favourite Chocolate Chip Biscuits.  I get asked to make these all the time by the kids, and when the kids have friends over it's always my go to recipe for a morning or afternoon treat and is always a hit!

I have been using this recipe forever, as have my parents, and my nanna.  The recipe is from my Nanna's Edmonds cookbook which was passed down to me, with the first edition published in 1907!  I love this recipe because it is a basic biscuit recipe and from there you can add whatever you'd like, I usually make a triple chocolate chip version using the Basic Biscuit recipe below, and add about 1/2 to 3/4 cup total of white, milk and dark chocolate, I usually eyeball it...you'll know when there is enough chocolate chips in there...can there ever be to much chocolate!?  I have also made the lemon and orange version which are so yummy too! I also make a version with nuts and sultanas, the sky really is the limit with this recipe.
 

Basic Biscuit Recipe

Ingredients

125 g butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 egg
2 cups plain baking flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2cup to 3/4cup chocolate chips (for chocolate chip biscuits)

Method
Cream butter, sugar and vanilla together until light and fluffy
Add egg, beating well
Sift flour and baking powder into creamed mixture (I add the chocolate chips here)
Mix well (mixture will look crumbly, this is okay)
Roll and push together heaped teaspoonsful of mixture into balls
Place on a greased/lined oven tray and flatten balls down slightly
Bake at 190°C for 12-15 minutes or until pale golden

Chocolate Biscuits
Add 2 tablespoons cocoa when sifting flour

Orange Biscuits

Omit vanilla essence and add 1 tablespoon grated orange rind to creamed mixture

Lemon Biscuits

Omit vanilla essence add 2 teaspoons grated lemon rind to creamed mixture

Happy baking xx

 

 

 

Monday Inspiration...DIY Gold Mug

This morning was crazy in our household as the kids headed back to school.  I like to think I am organised, but somehow regardless of how early I get up or how organised I am, I feel like our school/work mornings are rushed, and always like I have forgotten to do something!

 

As I've mentioned before on a Monday morning I like to set myself up for the week, and this morning after I arrived at work, coffee in hand it was especially nice to just sit and exhale.  I sipped my coffee and went over my big list and to do lists, setting myself up for the week ahead (I always feel so much better after I have done this!).  As I finished off my to do list, I decided I wanted to add a little something pretty to make this week, and thought some gorgeous DIY gold mugs would be perfect!

 

I love all things metallic in finish...with gold and copper on trend at the moment, I think I will definitely try a couple of different colours and finishes.  I can't wait to give this one a try, and internet willing I will have another post up in coming days showing how I went! 

  

DIY Gold mug...both images via Pinterest

 

 Hope your Monday has been a great one! xx

DIY Sisal Rope Bowls...

I apologise for the late post, I was unable to upload on the weekend.  Unfortunately after a year in our home we still struggle with a decent Internet connection or any Internet connection at all...so frustrating!

Last Monday I posted my Pinspiration for the week DIY sisal rope bowls, and the verdict is...I loved this DIY project!! It was a super easy DIY and I love how they turned out.  Below is a little step by step on how I made my rope bowl...

 

 What you'll need...

-  Bowl, jar, container...really the sky's the limit and you can really use whatever you'd like

-  Hot Glue Gun

-  Glue Sticks (I used around 10 sticks in total)

-  Sisal Rope (I picked up mine from the hardware store and used 8mm and 10mm, I purchased 10m of each size and still have some left over)

How I did it...

 1. Start with the handles.  Begin by gluing down the end of your rope to the bottom of the handle.

 

2. Continue wrapping the rope around the handle, popping a little hot glue down as you go (I glued every second wrap).  Be sure to pull and hold quite firmly each time you wrap the rope around.

 

3. Once your handles are both complete, you are now going to start on the bowl.  I started by gluing down the end of the rope at the top of the handle.  Start working your way around the top edge of the bowl, gluing as you go. Once you get to where you started, place a drop of glue a to start point, holding the two lines of rope together firmly. 

 



4. Continue to wrap the rope around, under your top line of rope, gluing and slightly pushing the two rows of rope together.  Continue until you reach the bottom.  Once you reach the bottom, cut the end of the rope on an angle, and then and push the angled end of rope firmly on the rope row before it.  You can trim the end of the rope once glued, you want to try and make it as flat and level as you can to the last row of rope.

 

I also tried this technique out on a glass coffee jar and also wrapping the rope around itself to make a bowl, and they were just as easy...I think wrapping the rope onto itself to make a bowl was the easiest of all of them to make.

 

Have I mentioned how much I love the look of these, and how easy they are!  If you have any questions or comments, I would love to hear from you!  If you do give this little DIY a try I would love to see your finished product...if you have an Instagram account you can tag me on Instagram, or head over to my Facebook to share! Enjoy xx

Monday Inspiration...DIY Sisal Rope Bowl

I love Mondays, there is just something about a Monday that makes me happy!  It's a fresh start, kind of like a New Year but on a weekly basis!

Monday mornings I like to set myself up for the week, for both work and home.  It helps to set the tone for my week ahead, I spend maybe half an hour in the morning going over my to do lists and my big list.  I love to add a little project or new recipe on a Monday to my weekly to do, it inspires me for the week...I love ending the week knowing I have completed and tried something new!

I love Pinterest and it is always a source of inspiration for me! I thought I'd share with you each Monday, a little something that I have added to my list to do or try, and during the week I'll show you how I went...because we all know there are plenty of Pinterest fails!

My pinspiration this week are these sisal rope pretties (all pictures via Pinterest, however where possible I have tried to link directly to original blog)...

Sisal Rope Bowl

 

Sisal Rope Bowl via Pinterest

 

Sisal Rope Containers via Pinterest

 

I love sisal, and woven textures...I spotted these cute little DIYs using sisal rope, and thought I could definitely find a spot in my home for these pretties! I am going to attempt a couple of these, and the beauty of it is I only need to pick up some sisal rope from the hardware store, everything else I have at home, nothing better than a cheap and cheerful project!

Happy Monday xx

Happy Easter!...

Happy Easter my lovelies!!! I hope you and your families have a wonderful, blessed and safe Easter! xx

DIY Easter gifts...

I love all holidays, and Easter is one of my favourites! Perhaps it's all the chocolate involved, or the gorgeous colours I see when I think Easter decorating.  I love to make little Easter gifts each year for the kids to take along to school, for their teachers and classmates.  This year I decided on a simple Easter Bunny chocolate for the teachers and a little gift bag for classmates, these turned out perfectly, and are a sweet little gift and best of all didn't cost a fortune!

 Easter Egg Gift Bags

1. What you'll need -
Mini eggs - I used Cadbury mini solid Easter eggs
Fabric Washi tape - I purchased these pretties in a pack from Kmart
Stapler
Cellophane bags - I purchased a pack of these from the two dollar shop (these are actually cakepop bags)

2. What I did -
I place three eggs in each bag (3 looked cute...I just wanted a little treat for Eva to give her friends)
Fold over the top of the bag slightly and staple close to the top.
Measure the Washi tape, you want enough to wrap around the bag front to back.
Cut and fold tape around bag front to back.

3.  Finished Product - How cute are these! With around 25 to make I wanted a small little gift for Eva to give out to her classmates, but didn't want to spend a fortune and I think these turned out 
perfectly!

Teacher's Gift

1. What you'll need -
An Easter Bunny egg, I used a Cadbury Bunny (she was pretty cute)
Gift tag - I purchased a pack of gift tags from Kmart with came with white and kraft gift tags
Fabric Washi tape - I purchased these pretties in a pack from Kmart
Ribbon
Pens (I used gel glitter pens)

2. What I did -
I started with the gift tag, I measured and cut the washi tape to size and stuck the tape down leaving just a slight space from the edge of the tag.
Write your message.  Our message read 'Dear Miss....Thank you for being an Eggcellent teacher!!! Love....'
Cut a length of ribbon, enough to wrap around your bunny and tie a bow.
Thread your ribbon through the gift tag, and tie the ribbon around your bunny into a bow.

3.  Finished Product - How cute is she! I think it is the perfect little sweet gift for your kiddies to give their teachers.