Online Quilting Class

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Gift Ideas from The Us of A

Ultimate-Gift-You-Tube

Hey wooah check this out!!

Self-Esteem-Is-The-Key

The greatest Gift you can share with your child is healthy self-esteem. Children who feel valuable, and who trust themselves have positive self esteem. You can help your child feel valuable by spending quality time, playing games, reading stories, or by simply listening.
Help your children feel valuable by helping children discover and become the person they want to be. Success follows people who genuinely like who they are.

But Happiness is more than just being successful. Helping your child gain the self-trust needed to deal with the failure, shame, loss, defeat and difficulty of life is as important than being best or coming first.

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Gourmet Hampers Australia: Gift-Basket-Lover-Elton-John-Rocks!

Gourmet Hampers Australia: Gift-Basket-Lover-Elton-John-Rocks!

Get Crafty Today

Please welcome a posting from a fellow blogger at http://toneko-therapy-centre.net
Crafts are more popular than ever. But some people shy away from taking up a crafty hobby because they don’t think they have enough time to learn something new and don’t really know where to start. You could always spend some time at the library reading about your chosen field, or you could do it the easy way. Pick up a craft kit and start crafting right away.

If you’re looking to learn a new skill or take up a new hobby, a craft kit is a great first step. You get to test the waters so to speak without investing a lot of time and money in something that might not be fro you. If you decide that you don’t like your new hobby, no big deal. You won’t end up with lots of money invested and a garage full of equipment you’ll never use again.

I doesn’t matter what craft you want to try out, chances are you’ll find a kit just for you. There are sewing kits, needlepoint, macramé, woodworking, candle making, ceramic kits, and more than I can go into here. What all the kits have in common, is that you get everything you need for a project. Kits not only include all the supplies you’ll need like cloth, thread, or patterns, but you’ll also get any special equipment you might need to complete your project. Depending on the kit, the tools you get may not be the highest quality, but until you decide to peruse your new hobby further, you may not want the best most expensive tools. The best part about crafting from a kit, is you get simple step by step instructions.

Even if you’re not looking to take up a new pastime, a craft kit can make addition to family nights. You hear so many people talking about never having enough family time these days. A kit you and your kids can work on together can be a great solution. Much better than sitting in front of the TV and not talking. The best part is you get to keep the finished product. Unlike a jigsaw puzzle that goes back into the box when you’re finished, you can keep your craft for years as a wonderful reminder of time spent with the ones you love. Craft kits are also a great way to keep kids occupied when they’re out of school.

Don’t forget about craft kits when it comes time to give gifts either. I’m not talking about just giving someone a kit, but using the kit yourself to make a handmade gift. Gifts you make yourself are incredibly personal and can show that special someone just how much you care. If you’re not exactly crafty but want to experience giving a handmade gift, just pick up a craft kit.

No more excuses, if you’ve been wanting to try out something new, pick up a craft kit today. You’ll find all kinds at your local craft store from starter kits to more complex kits. Find one that’s right for you and get crafty today.
Copyright 2007 Marge Snow

Monday, April 26, 2010

Newcastle Promotion Vision

Is this enough? If it aint I guess you should GF?



or a not so successful us movie?



Your thoughts?
and another local favourite...


tell me what?
Here is the Newcastle Earthquake at 10.28am on 28 December? 5.5








Newcastle Fruit Baskets?
http://www.huntervalleyhampers.com.au/

Newcastle Musicians at Civic Theatre

Inspirational, take a moment and a deep inhale..



and the utterly powerful

Where to do Yoga in Newcastle

Here we have started a list of Yoga Practitioners in Newcastle.  I just picked up a few flyers at Merewether Beach.  Let us know if you want to be included on the list at merewether-life.

Yoga at The Beach with Maryann
http://www.yogamary.com.au/

Ashtanga Yoga Newcastle
http://www.ashtangayoganewcastle.com/

Yoga Bones - nice site
http://www.yogabones.org/

Hot Power Yoga
http://www.hotpoweryoga.com.au/
Also note the New Moon and the Full Moon
http://www.ashtangayoganewcastle.com/moondays.html/

Anzac Day Weekend

Enjoyed a great outdoorsy Anzac Day long weekend.  Saturday was 29C and we were fortunate to share an intimate Engagement Party at Dixon Park, lying on the grass as the sun set and drinking sparkling wine. 
Sunday was raining, and after taking the time to acknowledge the Anzac fallen, we lounged around the house and indulged in an afternoon nap.  Then to friends house for a lamb loin roast with red cabbage, carrots and potato bake, and a glass of cab-merlot.
Monday, off to walk the Fernleigh Track, a gentle incline from Bailey Street to well beyond the tunnel.  Unfortunately no images to share as I left the camera at home recharging. 
Back home to change and then down to Merewether park for frisbee, softball practice and a no-plates-bbq.  Really relaxed and plenty of running and at times, falling over.
At time of writing the girls are sleeping and we have a mussaman beef curry in the slow cooker.  The house reeks of that inviting curry aroma.
Followed a recipe from Slow Cooking, which has some great spice additives.  Here it is

Mussaman Curry
800gm chuck steak, diced 2cm
2 cinnamon sticks
10 cardamon pods
5 cloves
2 tblspn mussaman curry paste
440ml can coconut milk
6-8 chat potatoes, halved
ginger 2cm peeled
60ml fish sauce
60gm palm sugar
cup roasted peanuts
3 tblspns tamarind puree

Add beef, cinnamon sticks, cardamon, cloves, curry paste, coconut milk, potato, ginger, fish sauce, sugar, peanuts (save some for garnish) and tamarind to the slow cooker.

Cook on low heat for 6 hours.  Garnish with a few chopped peanuts, serve into bowls with a half cup of steamed rice in the base.  Enjoy!

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Successful Garage Sale Tips in Newcastle

After hosting a successful Garage Sale in Newcastle today, at merewether-life we have learned some great tips and tricks to make your next garage sale or yard sale a success.  On offer - a household full of clothes, furniture, electrical goods and various what-nots and bric-a-brac (don't you just love that term?) all with a distinct must-sell-today point.  You see, an acquaintance has a tenant who suddenly abandoned the premises and left the house full of goods, with unpaid rent and assorted damages.  The garage sale was the first way to recover costs.

3 Steps to Garage Sale Badda-Bing-Ka-Ching!
1. Location Location Location The Site of the Garage Sale
 
Hosting a successful garage sale is dependent on where you actually host the garage sale.  Ideally, as we experienced today, plan your garage sale for a busy main road link to the CBD of the city.  In today's case we are talking a major arterial road a kilometre or so from the CBD, ensuring guaranteed traffic, easy sign posting and convenient parking.

Now you have plenty of casual "maybe" visitors who most likely would not have dropped by if you had placed the sale in some suburban subdivision cul de sac. 

Have some chocolate involved somewhere along the line, it always helps...

2. Money Handling and Price Points
 
Everyone wants to spend some cash and before you know it someone will be in front of you blinking
"So how much is the orange ashtray set?"  You look around and gulp.
"Um, its nine dollars"
OR
"Um its one dollar"
And depending on how quickly you close the sale, or by the nodding silence and slinking away of the prospect, you will soon learn of the power of little stickers with $1 $2 $3 $4 $5 $6 etc on them.  By saving the punter the effort of enquiry, you will gain many a sale.
Oh, and have a bag that you regularly empty the cash from to a safe place - AND DON'T leave it out where someone will buy it for a buck.

3. An End Point
 
Be aware that the finest of garage sales does not ever lurch into twilight.  Sooner you close the cash cow the sooner you can buy some sushi and have a shower and start counting the cash.
So hustle in the moring to avoid the bustle in the afternoon.

Any tips or comments - lets hear, there is so much to share,

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Empire-Park-Skate-Park

Skate Park to be excavated next to 3 km stretch of beach with strict timeframe otherwise funding expires.

"Lets rush it to approval regardless of the details, we need to develop our green parks"
OR
"Why the hurry?  Lets have another six or eight years of consultation like cutting the railway to Newcastle, or building an Adamstown crossing."

Please submit your comment

Sunday, April 4, 2010

Guest Post featuring a Hunter Valley boutique Beef Grower





Stay tuned for an update and posting from our highly regarded local beef producer who manages these beasts for local organic beef consumption.

Gravlax-Atlantic-Salmon-Farmed-in-Tasmania

Gravlax is a cured fresh fish eaten uncooked.

Home-Made-Gourmet-Pizza

Home Made Gourmet Pizza with fresh ingredients and just-kneaded pizza dough is a simple pleasure and an easy weeknight meal once you master the art of making dough. 

Here is one of our efforts topped with chrizo, caramelised capsicum and cheese.  We had a glut of capsicum after having bought too many from the markets and had to find new ways to keep using them.

After prepping the capsicum they were roasted on a griddle for a few minutes so they caramelised and then made a sweet ingredient for the pizza.

Everyone loves Chorizo and a spray of fresh herbs (parsley and basil) made for a quick, simple meal that we ate outside on the deck. 
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