I’m a sucker for a quiz meme
24 May 2012 Leave a Comment
in around the interwebs, blog love, books, its a list
I love an opportunity to talk about books, and this meme is courtesy of sarahcastically
These are the rules, because Myspace surveys always have rules:
1. Post these rules
2. Post a photo of your favorite book cover
3. Answer the questions below
4. Tag a few people to pass the Q&A on to: Well if you want to continue it, go forth!
Favorite book cover:
I know I’ve spoken about this book before, but it’s influence on my life was so profound.
And it really does have a great cover.
It sums up this book so well.
What are you reading right now?
I’m still trying to read the Sweetheart Season by Karen Joy Fowler.
I’ve started it so many times, but each time I get to the end and have no idea what has happened.
Do you have any idea what you’ll read when you’re done with that?
I have a lot of books which need a first read but I’ll probably end up reading Persuasion again. It’s such a comfort book, which starts calling to me in winter.
What 5 books have you always wanted to read but haven’t got round to?
On my shelf I have Game of Thrones by George R Martin, The Red Queen and The White Queen by Phillipa Gregory, The Captive Queen by Alison Weir, and The Restaurant at the End of the Universe by Douglas Adams, all sitting on my shelf waiting to be read.
What magazines do you have in your bathroom/lounge right now?
I have a readers digest knitting pattern book. I don’t really buy print magazines much, I prefer to read them on my iPad (love Mollie Makes).
I do have a fishing magazine and some Simpsons comics, but they’re not exactly my taste.
What’s the worst book you’ve ever read?
There’s only about 3 books that I’ve taken back to the second hand bookshop, and none of them I really remember their names.
There was one i think called 20 times a lady, who had made a pact with herself to never sleep with more than 20 men, and when she gets to her 19th she figures she should have found her ‘soulmate’ by now and so hunts them all down.
It’s a flimsy premise, but the narrative style and writing style were horrible. As well as it having a really predictable ending.
What book seemed really popular but you actually hated?
Wuthering Heights. I really didn’t get that.
What’s the one book you always recommend to just about everyone?
I want to be really profound and say some classic book but Milk Run by Sarah Mlynowski gets recommended the most in real life.
It’s a chick flick waiting to happen.
But seriously everyone should read Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy – its wonderful.
What are your 3 favorite poems?
I tried to like Walt Whitman in high school. Song of Myself I can still quote parts of. But the only poetry I’ve really read was in Lord of the Rings.
Where do you usually get your books?
I have a second hand book exchange love and hate within walking distance of my house.
But I recently bought my first ebook for my ipad (the latest Sophie Kinsella), which wasn’t as painful as I thought it would be.
Where do you usually read your books?
The couch, in bed, in the sunshine on the banana lounge, at the dinner table, doing the dishes… If I’m in the middle of a book just try and make me out it down, I dare you.
When you were little, did you have any particular reading habits?
“Just one more chapter!” And then 5 chapters later, “just one more chapter”, until mum or dad had to put the light out, and I would read under the covers, usually until I tried to fall asleep with a book in my hands (it sounded so romantic in books, but never worked in practice), or I just couldn’t keep my eyes open.
What’s the last thing you stayed up half the night reading because it was so good you couldn’t put it down?
I read the Deathly Hallows twice in one day when it came out. I read all three of the Hunger Games within a week, and I’ll devour any Sophie Kinsella or Maggie Alderson novels when they come out.
Have you ever “faked” reading a book?
Not really. I’ve faked reading a book before seeing the movie, but I’m always scared someone will ask me how did you like ‘this part of the book the movie left out’.
Have you ever bought a book just because you liked the cover?
Not just because of the cover, but I have hunted a particular version of a book to match a set.
What was your favorite book when you were a child?
Anything by Enid Blyton, particularly the naughtiest girl in the school series, or cherry tree farm series, or the faraway tree series.
Then later Guitar Highway Rose (above) and The Wind Blows Backwards by Mary Downing Hahn
What book changed your life?
I’d say without The Famous Five books my childhood would have been a lot more dull.
What is your favorite passage from a book?
The last line of Northanger Abbey.
That book is so full of wit and catchy one liners.
Who are your top five favorite authors?
1. Jane Austen
2. Enid Blyton
3. Sophie Kinsella
4. Maggie Alderson
5. Lauren Weisberger
What book has no one heard about but should read?
Milk Run.
Why it’s not a movie already I don’t know. Maybe because I’ve been reading and re-reading it since I was in high school I overrate it, but I still relate to it and keep finding that it strikes that balance between funny, and romantic.
It would make a great chick flick.
What are your favorite books by a first-time author?
Is this debut novels? I don’t know.
What 3 books are you an “evangelist” for?
I think everyone should read Anne of Green Gables. It’s such a wonderful series, and I’m always sad when I meet someone who has only read the first one, or hasn’t even read that. So everyone should read Anne of Green Gables, Anne of Avonlea, and Anne of the Island.
You don’t get the full Anne and Gilbert story otherwise.
And the read Rilla because it’s so full of romance against a hideous backdrop.
What is your favorite classic book?
I think I’ve mentioned two of the 6 Austen’s by name, but Persuasion, and Northanger Abbey are special friends.
Pride & Prejudice because everyone needs some Darcy in their life.
Sense and Sensibility, I swing back and forth who to relate to.
Mansfield Park gets a little squicky and as for Emma, I’d rather watch Clueless.
5 other notable mentions?
1. Mad About The Boy – Maggie Alderson, I still remember reading the first chapter in the book store and laughing hysterically. This started me on the Maggie bandwagon
2. Twenties Girl – Sophie Kinsella, I know I’ve mentioned Sophie before but I never really read the shopaholic series. But I have got 4 of her others, and I think this is my favourite. It really made me laugh, and reminds me of holidays.
3. Chasing Harry Winston – Lauren Wiesberger. It has a chapter title ‘panties is a vile word’
4. Ethel Turner – Seven Little Australians. It’s an Australian classic and one of the first books to make me cry
5. The Constant Princess – Philippa Gregory. Apparently it’s the most fictionalised of the Tudor novels, but I like the story and it’s got me more interested in historical fiction, which I never was previously. But mostly I like the story, even if it isn’t true to history.
Well that’s a bit of a walk through my bookshelf. It’s been pretty culled over the years and it’s not as diverse as I would like, but I do tend to gravitate towards easy reads. And I do love a good romance story.
Stuck in my head – Crush
23 May 2012 Leave a Comment
in 15yearoldsparkles, music, passion pop wednesday, song of the week
I actually have had a different song stuck in my head all morning. However when I went to research it (Tokyo Ghetto Pussy – Kiss Your Lips) it reminded me of an even awesomer song from the exact time frame.
Allow me to reveal my age. I recorded this off the radio, from Bad Boy Ben and the Vixen’s top 40 show.
I listened to that tape for ages. Alanis Morisette’s Ironic was number 1 and I loved that song.
I had another Alanis single (on cassette!) but not that, so I taped it from the radio.
I still remember some of the commentary. Bad Boy Ben and The Vixen had a tendency to sing along at the end of songs. They also had a little jingle for song 23 which I sang constantly at the age of 23.
But this was an age before iTunes (in case the cassette tapes didn’t give that away) and so the countdowns seemed important to me. I was that girl with the TV Hits magazines posters of my favourite girl singers Alanis, Jewel, as well as JTT and Devon Sawyer (all the teen heartthrobs). It was a far cry from the impeccable music taste I have now. But there are some songs which I do remember fondly.
So here is Crush – Jellyhead.
Somehow I still remember every word, probably from dancing in front of the mirror with a hairbrush. Yeh I was that girl.
Cooking with lavender – pancakes
22 May 2012 3 Comments
in apartment, breakfast, dessert, domestic bliss, food glorious food, real life, recipe
I have a lovely lavender plant in my garden. It’s one of the few plants that survived me.
We don’t get many hours of sunlight, but it thrives in the shade.
But after visiting Bridgetown and all the lavender inspired soaps, and oils I’ve been thinking about how I can get more use out of it.
Currently we use it as a mosquito repellant, there’s always some hanging on our outside light.
I’m a mosquito magnet and I notice the difference.
I’ve tried those yellow mosquito lights but they don’t do anything.
Unfortunately I really don’t like the smell of lavender. My hay fever reacts badly to it, and it reminds me of old lady potpourri. So I’m not likely to have it inside the house.
I enjoy citrus fragrances a lot more and the only time my house smells of flowers it’s not by my choice.
But I did a bit of research which is opening my eyes to cooking with lavender.
There’s a chocolate lavender cake which I really want to try, but unfortunately couldn’t get the oven to light.
So instead I made the lavender sugar syrup by itself. Then Instead of putting it on an invisible chocolate cake, I put it on pancakes.
Inspired by that I made a lavender compound butter to go with it as well.
Absolutely delicious.
bek’s pantry pancakes
This is the ‘day before the food shopping’ pancakes, when you have run out of milk, eggs, and can’t be bothered popping to the shops just for that.
So I always have powdered eggs and powdered milk in the pantry. They don’t get used that often, but they’re good to take camping, and for when laziness strikes. Of course you can use 1 egg and 1 cup of milk but it really tastes pretty good for powder. I find it also makes it easier to get all the lumps out.
the ingredients
1 cup plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tablespoon egg powder
1/2 cup milk powder
Pinch of salt
1 cup water
the method
Mix all the dry ingredients together.
Add the water and mix until there are no lumps.
Add more water if necessary.
I always make it in a Pyrex jug, just because that way I can save on washing up.
lavender sugar syrup
the ingredients
1 cup of water
1 cup of sugar
1 sprig of lavender
the method
Combine all ingredients in a saucepan.
Bring to the boil.
Keep boiling until the sauce thickens.
Take off the heat and once it has cooled slightly (because it will be very hot), pour it through a sieve, and serve.
lavender compound butter
This was a whim. But melted on the pancakes it was a whim that payed off.
the ingredients/
butter
Lavender (cut into small pieces)
Lemon zest
Lemon juice
the method
Mix it all together.
It really comes down to eyeballing it, particularly when you only want a little bit.
I’m really not an authority on cooking pancakes. In fact I’m shocking at it. So bad that I’ve bought a crepe maker into my arsenal. It always heats to the right temperature and because it’s non-stick I don’t get those first pancake blues, where the first pancake is soaked in butter.
I do love my crepe maker.
I’m now going to be looking for more ways to use lavender in my cooking.
Like this:
A slice of organic life
21 May 2012 Leave a Comment
in apartment, books, domestic bliss, Finished Object, knitting, washcloth, weekends
I was given this book a few years ago now, and it’s since become a constant companion.
It’s quite light on, but it does give a nice overview about living organically.
It makes me day dream about keeping pigs, and making jam, and living more sustainable.
I’m quite glad that my Mister shares these dreams and aspirations (even if he day dreams of chickens, ducks, geese, and weiros, which would be slightly more useful, but not quite as relaxing for this bird-fearing girl).
Last Christmas I started a trend of all handmade gifts. This year I intend on continuing that, but I do want to diversify. I also want to have those ‘last minute gifts’ handy in the cupboard.
So I spent most of this weekend knitting up dishcloths.
I felt very proud of myself as they were wish homespun yarn from our recent Bridgetown Adventure.
At the time I felt a little disappointed with this yarn, because I just didn’t know what to do with it. It is quite coarse and doesn’t feel nice on your skin; it wouldn’t be good for clothing.
But it is knitting up into dishcloths quite nicely, and I can see them being quite good for exfoliating cloths.
This is why I started looking through that book. I think these would be lovely presents with a home made lavender soap.
I have a lovely lavendar plant in my garden, which is very underused.
Unfortunately this book didn’t have a recipe for soap, but I will make a carrot soup tonight.
Like this:
The rib goes marching two by two
18 May 2012 1 Comment
in Finished Object, FO - Friday, knitting, scarf
I really can’t tell you much about this one.
It’s made from gifted stash yarn, in 2×2 rib, until I used up the ball.
It is pretty though. And because the yarn changes weights it looks really specky.
But it’s a simple rib which took no time at all.
Just like this blog post.
Which is good because life has been manic this week and I’m out the door again!!!
Have a good weekend everyone!
Like this:
what’s in my wallet
17 May 2012 Leave a Comment
in etsy, extra special, iPhone, sewing, shopping, tips and tricks, whatIwore
Well I don’t carry a handbag. I’m a bit of a minimalist when it comes to going places.
I have a collection of totes from various gigs or online purchases, but if I’m just going to the pub, or out for an evening all I want is cash, cards, phone, keys, and lipbalm.
I’ve spend ages trying to find the perfect way to do this, and I think I’m pretty close.
Kitsch Devine make this gorgeous wallet.
It’s a fabric wallet, and I really want this cat print one!
But I am so happy with mine.
So here’s what I carry everywhere…
Obviously my phone is conspicuously absent – but it fits in their perfectly, even with a case on. So many iphone wallets fit an iphone but only if they dont have a case.
This one fits my phone whether it’s wearing polka-dots, flowers, or the little mermaid (I have a mild iphone case obsession).
Lip balm is essential. Chapstick is always on sale so I usually have dozens of them but can never find one when I need one.
Endless receipts. I don’t know why I keep receipts as I tend to do my account keeping using my bank statements, but I still always end up with receipts.
Emergency panty liner. Learnt from experience.
Cards. The usual drivers licence, bank card, medicare card.
Special cards include my RTR fm subscribers card, spotlight card, and entertainment book card. Yay for discounts!
Business cards. Does anyone else have business cards for their blog? I find they’re really useful when I want to give someone my details, but I don’t want to give them my mobile number. Instead they have my url, email, and twitter handle. I always have a few handy.
Post It Notes. Because they’re really useful.
The heart shaped carabina is there because I sometimes attach my keys to it. It’s not the best solution, but it works.
Noticeably absent -
Bobby pins, usually I have a few tucked away in my wallet.
Money, I’m hopeless when it comes to keeping cash
Pen, I’m probably being optimistic, but I think having a pen tucked in there would be really useful.
So there you go. A little insight into my essentials.
(And check out Kitsch Designs – there’s so many cute things)
Like this:
Stuck in my head – I heart Hiroshima
16 May 2012 Leave a Comment
in made in australia, music, passion pop wednesday, song of the week
Like this:
That’s the thing about football
14 May 2012 Leave a Comment
in afl, extra special, instagram, the thing about footbal, up next in sport, we are port adelaide, weekends
Sometimes it goes your way, sometimes it doesn’t.
The only thing we can do as supporters is go to the games, support our club, and cheer on our side. And have a great time doing it.
The moral of this story is the point we hope we’ve made
11 May 2012 1 Comment
in Finished Object, frogged, knitting, ravelry, socks
Reading a knitting chart after 3 white wines is never advisable.
Not the first time you read it, nor the second, and you should know better by the third.
Well I do know better now it’s the third but, this riff sock has had be confounded.
Obviously after a few white wines I don’t know my left from right, or my
Because I’ve done this twice now.
The first time I persisted, mainly because I was driving (passenger seat) and naively assumed that the pattern would eventually ‘make sense’. Well it did, but only when I read it correctly.
I eventually persisted and ended up with my laughing stock socks.
These were a failure from start to finish.
The second time was me being careless. I forgot about the previous failure (I don’t quite know how as they were quite literally on the Mr’s feet in front of me) and I didn’t double check the pattern properly.
Needless to say this time I frogged them and have since started again.
The other ones weren’t quite so lucky.
I made them on 3.5 mm needles. Which was too big for the sock pattern but too small for the yarn. So they are huge. Too big even for the Mr’s size 12 man-feet.
Then there was the pattern error at the beginning of the sock, but also at the cuff section.
And then I was so sick of them instead of fixing them I just finished the round of pattern and started the rib.
So they don’t fit properly around the heel.
So they’re my laughing stock socks.
Although I will say one thing about them, they’re nice and squidgy. And the pattern does look ok if you follow it properly.
So I’m casting on again. Let’s see if I can learn from my mistakes.
I didn’t have the heart to take more photos.
And if you’re wondering about the title of this post??? It’s the last line of this video.
I made cushions!!
10 May 2012 Leave a Comment
in apartment, DIY, domestic bliss, Finished Object, real life, sewing
I can make cushion covers.
I can sew straight seams. Ok well it took me a little while and a I had to unpick a couple, but I got there in the end.
When Spotlight recently had a 30% off everything sale I picked up some quilting flats. They’re 40×40 cm squares and pretty much made for cushion making.
Its all straight seams with an opening to put the inserts in.
Pretty easy and ended up less than $10 for two.
(I know that there’s a pretty black polka-dot fabric in there, but I don’t want to talk about it – there was a cushion disaster)
Totally cute and I can’t wait to make more to shake things up. Maybe next time I’ll get a little more adventurous like these gorgeous ones by .
And here’s me trying out spin cam…
http://spincam.net/s/ghpu/i
