[caA ption id="attachment_8795" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="The story behind Flat Stanley"][/caption]

…that this day last year, I had left Shinagawa on the Shinkasen Bullet train for the journey to Takayama via Nagoya.

O to be back in the highlands for the Autumn colours…..and that yummy Boulangerie with the most decadent pastries and croissants.

As for Takayama..if you ever get the opportunity to visit,grab the opportunity with both hands!

The blend of the ancient with the modern is well done…..and the people! so friendly…….especially when you attempt to speak their language.

Last Christmas,I even received a card from a wife & husband where we had many of our meals.

 

When your daughter phones you, and says “she needs a BIG favour”??
If you’re a dummy like me,you say “OK baby” and then ask for the details………..

Today,Colleen was driving down a major roadway,when she saw “FOUND”
Being my darling girl,she couldn’t leave “Found/Rescued” where he was at risk, could she………

THEN when he was safely in her car…..practicality kicked in……..she couldn’t take him home,because Bella the German Shepherd would reduce him to mince-meat.
She didnt want to overburden the RSPCA,because they had just seized some 200 dogs & puppies from a puppy farm…… .Peninsula Animal Aid was closed………..

O GOOD ol’Mum is a soft touch……………nuff said!!

Maybe “overnight” might change my mind…if he whinges a lot…..
but he is one sweet baby (so far)

I have left details with the RSPCA as a “FOUND”
Tomorrow ,when the office opens,I’ll contact Moreton Bay Council for details of his registration….and see if I can contact his humans…….

Colleen……I hate to admit it honey……but I hope I cant find his humans……

As I said…overnight behaviour might change my thinking………..

BUT
he is one sweet baby!

(Watch this space)

 

If all goes to plan ,today will finally see my twelve “Sunrise/Sunset” themed postcards for Postmark’dArt Round 9 being completed.
Shown here,are six of them; the others just need the finishing around their edges.
I leave it to you to decide which represent the two varying times.

For some crazy reason,all the time I’ve been playing with this theme,the song sung by the character Tevye in “Fiddler on the Roof” kept haunting me—-

So in order to lay that ghost to rest,I have an idea for a mini quilt …..when my committments to Round Nine are in the mail.

Back now to complete the other six cards. Ciao!

I need now to produce twelve fabric/fibre postcards with a Sunrise/sunset theme.
As I hate producing a series of the same view ad nauseum,I’m hoping to have some variation to the theme.

These first two used the same fabric for the evening sky.
Using a stencil I painted the sun’s rays with Lumiere brand “Sunset gold” paint,then appliqued orange cotton covered with organza as the actual body.
Differing fabrics were then applied to provide the shadowed valleys

100 2873

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All you see below are cakes that are completely edible No plastics or any other artificial stuff is being used – everything can be eaten. All these cakes by Zhanna from St. Petersburg. att00034 att00037 att00040 att00043 att00046 att00049 att00052 att00055 att00058 att00061 att00064 att00067 att00070 att00073 att00076 att00079 att00082 att00085 att00088 att00091 att00094 att00097 att00100 att00103 att00106

 The team
 Red Velvet cupcakes
 Red Velvet with cream-cheese frosting and Marzipan hearts
 Marshmallow daisies adorn these cakes

August 17 was designated RSPCA Cupcake Day and several women from a certain government department decided to do their bit for the cause.
Accordingly,last Sunday they got together for a group bakeoff at one of their homes.
(I was the designated photographer for the day,and the above photos illustrate that it was not all work.

Yesterday I learned that the fantastic four had raised (Au) $350………not bad for an afternoon’s effort.

Already they are focussing on the next “cause”…….

“Go bananas for Orangutans” WSPA World Animal Week 4-10 October

Will it be a BANANA CAKE BAKE-OFF
a BANANARAMA Karoke session
or a Banana boat  race??????

You can be sure that these gals will have FUN raising funds

 

 

Boom’s Red velvet cupcakes

(Makes 24)  and probably should not be served to hyperactive people!

 

• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour (312 g)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened (113g)
• 1 ½ cups sugar (340g)
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 2 ounces water (60ml)
• 2 ounces red food colouring (60ml)
• 1 cup buttermilk (235 ml)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda

 

Cream cheese frosting

• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened (226g)
• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened (113g)
• 1 ½ cups powdered sugar (187g)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (I use a double batch of frosting for big swirls)

 

Preheat the oven to 180 deg C. 

 

1. Grease 24 cupcake cups or line with paper liners.

1. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy.
2. Add eggs and blend well.
3. Make a paste of cocoa and food colouring and add to the butter mixture.
4. Sift flour and salt together into this mixture.
5. One at a time, add the following ingredients: buttermilk, vanilla, and water.
6. In a small bowl, combine the vinegar and the baking soda.
7. Fold it into the cake batter. Make sure it’s incorporated, but don’t beat it.
8. Pour the batter into the cupcake cups.
9. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the cake springs back when touched.
10. Remove from oven and let cool for about 10 minutes, then turn out of pan and onto a rack to finish cooling completely.

 

Cream Cheese Frosting

1. Blend together the following:

• 230 gm package cream cheese, softened,
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened,
• 1-1/2 cups powdered sugar,
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.

1. Blend until smooth.

 

As promised…..view of reverse of Janice’s card

 

This is blogged to show Belle that I am still playing with wool!
Back in 2006 Belle and I attended a workshop on needle felting..and attempting to make figures.
Not long after I received from Belle a n/f postcard featuring a frangipani.
Using a totally different and not at all natural colours,this is my attempt.

Memo to self: it is much easier to use commercially made felt for the background,than hand felting blanks.
Actually the background had been felted for my sunrise/sunset theme,but somewhere along the way…………..