My 2nd Tree of Life canvas...

I am very happy with the results.

This canvas is meant to be a nighttime ALMOST mirror image of my 1st canvas.

Looking at the finished results I do wish I had've used more silver than gold. It was meant to have a luminous 'lit by the moon' appearance, but aside from that it is pretty much how I envisaged it.

I have thought about making these for sale but they are very time intensive (mostly at the moment because of the baby) and would also be expensive as they are materials heavy...

Enjoy :-)

Spaghetti Aglio Olio with Spinach & Fetta

I used 750g of spaghetti cooked as per the instructions. As my pasta drained I heated up a good serving of olive oil (between 1/2 & 1 cup) in a large pot. Meanwhile two packets of frozen spinach were warming in the microwave. To the hot oil I added 3 heaped tablespoons of minced garlic & a teaspoon of minced chilli (for more bite increase the amount of chilli; my pasta however was being prepared for children of varying ages). When the garlic is turning slightly brown add the spaghetti & mix through until coated with the sauce. Turn heat to low. Make sure there is no excess liquid in your spinach and add to pot stirring through. Take a block of smooth Fetta & crumble over the pasta before gently mixing through. Serve onto a plate. Depending on personal taste sprinkle either with grated mozzarella or grated Parmesan cheese. Season to taste & enjoy!!

Iced Cinnamon Cake

Getting prepared for the next school term with double batches of ALL THINGS YUMMY! ;-)

Recipe can be found here!

http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/25931/frosted+cinnamon+cake

SHIVER

In conjunction with the live performance of Shiver a few artists in town put exhibits together. One young girl was doing a video on Loss. Another artist named Rose, whom I met almost 20 yrs ago through my youth work, had the original idea of handing out clipboards to the public, with A4 sheets of paper on them & the heading LOST. The idea was to find at least 100 people in our community sharing their own unique perspective on what it means to have lost something.

My first thought was my Dad. But I also thought that's a journey we all pretty much take & the parts of my journey that make my story different to others felt a bit too personal to share in an art exhibit.

My second thought was lost innocence, something I experienced as a young teenager, but once again far too personal to share.

So as strange as it may seem to some the easiest story to share was a poem about the loss of my babies. I think because it is an experience with no real shame or blame attached to it. Also I guess because I'm happy that our family has now received its last addition, I am at peace with the path I took to get my children, a journey I'm confident God took with me.

Pregnancy is a part of life, part of Gods plan for marriage. Sometimes pregnancies don't make it the whole way to a healthy baby in our arms. It can be devastating. I take comfort in knowing that my lost babes are resting in the arms of Jesus. When I join them in Heaven it will be glorious to meet them. In fact I cannot find the words to describe how happy an occasion it will be. :-)

I should point out though this poem is from a long time ago, so I actually ummed & ahhed about whether to use it because I believe my babies are in Heaven & it is Jesus & the Holy Sprit who comfort me here on earth, not little angel babies. In the end I decided I would use as it brought me much comfort for that very first loss, as it was written & if people were going to judge me on it, well that was their issue. :-)

I also had to leave out the last few lines due to space restriction. They read;

"Now I have a treasure that I rate above all other, I have know true glory, I am still their Mother!"

And I leave you with this verse I found a few years ago, I'm not sure who wrote it;

Life is ETERNAL
Death an Horizon
Horizons are only the limit of our sight..

Gluten Free Chocolate Fudge Brownies

150g butter, chopped
300g dark chocolate, chopped
1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
3 eggs
3/4 cup hazelnut meal
1/2 cup buckwheat flour
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup cocoa powder

The original recipe calls for extra cocoa powder to dust but I make a combination of cocoa & icing sugar to dust with.

I also ground my own hazelnut meal this time ;-)

Preheat the oven to 180 (160 fan forced). Grease and line your slice pan.

Melt the butter & chocolate in a saucepan then add brown sugar. Stir for two mins, cool mix for 10 mins.

Transfer to a large bowl if needed, add the rest of the ingredients.

Spread mix in pan.

Bake for 45 mins. Cool in pan before cutting into squares.

Serve dusted.

I tend to make double batches of everything and freeze them until needed. These brownies freeze & thaw very well.