You've heard it all before.

 I've promised to try to be here more. Give you more posts. More free tutorials. More of me....

I haven't delivered and up till right now to be honest it has been a little bit of a source of stress. I keep just popping by, checking out the stats, seeing what's still of interest and wishing I had more to give, more time and just a bit more of everything really....

*Insert random photo (because photo's make me happy, they make blog posts look pretty and really, this whole big, wide world truly is beautiful! This is a SOOC - a phone camera too, mind you - shot of the beach where the family and I have just returned from holidaying... is it not BEAUTIFUL!)

But here's the thing, I don't want to be stressed about something I actually love doing - creating, sewing, delivering tutes and telling you about my day to day. Today I think I realised that what is stressing me is not any stress created by not blogging but perhaps the stress of not having an outlet... you see it's really quite cathartic and self-satisfying to get on here and just type and share. I love that so many of you have popped by my little blog and had a read, left a comment and even used a tute or two.

I'm de-stressing and it feels good. I want to really thank each and every reader who stops by here... it's nice to feel like I'm actually typing/talking/sharing with more than just myself.... maybe I've been gone and sporadic of late for too long to actually have many of you still popping by... maybe I am now just rambling to myself... still cathartic though! But for those that are here, popping by, I really do appreciate it... I know I will get out of this blogging funk one way or another... there's a whole lot of ideas upstairs that are busting to get on the screen... but in the meantime I thought I'd give a quick recap on my past top 3 posts - all tutorials, so I guess without asking it's safe to assume that's what a lot of you want to see more of.... (wish me creativity and time and I will produce!!!! ☺) 

The number one post to date, with close to 12,000 views - I know, small fish in the big scale of this massive blog-o-sphere but BIG FISH to me and my little ditty amongst it plus this little fact also for some silly reason gives me... BIG SMILES ☺☺☺.

THE 50c THRIFTY REFASHION

A very close second is:

A TIERED RUFFLE REFASHION

and coming in third from back in December 2010

THE DOUBLE LAYER TWIRLY SKIRT

And you know what? I just looked to the right sidebar and see that, yep, I have previously put a widget on there that actually already lists the most popular 10 posts from my blog... hmmm... I always discover these kind of things afterwards! So there you go! Check out the other seven too!

I'd love to know what brought you by here today... enlighten me, if you will... let me know about your blog so I can stop by and say hi... follow my blog if you like and let me know... check out my Pinterest boards... tell me about yours... What do you do to get out of a blogging rut?

Putting a call out for some virtual interaction of the bloggy, friendly, crafty sort!

☺

PART 1: It all started with a pin...

Pinterest... It's been an addiction for some time now - there's almost always a tab up the top of my screen with it open and ready for some random browsing, pinning, wishing and dreaming!

So many pins so little time... You can find all my pins by clicking the above tab, check them out - and I'd love if you liked what you saw enough to follow along!

I thought I'd do a bit of a showcase series of sorts and show you a few of the things that all started with a pin....

I'll be doing a few more posts on other themed pinterest inspired projects over the next few weeks...

Today, here's a few of the food type ones...

I love cake decorating... you will find some examples of my earlier cakes HERE... but then I saw this fabulous fondant quilled cake on pinterest:

Source: mycakeschool.com via Spangler on Pinterest

And this one....

Source: redoncakes.com via Spangler on Pinterest

And so I had to give it a go... and so was born my first Quilled Fondant Cake:

Source: thequickunpick.blogspot.com via Spangler on Pinterest

 

This rainbow icing pin...

Source: raspberrytart.tumblr.com via Spangler on Pinterest

...inspired this... oh and the cake pops were an idea garnished from the wonderful world of pinterest too!

My cookie monster cakes were born of a pin seen and loved...

Source: thequickunpick.blogspot.com via Spangler on Pinterest

And then because my girl LOVES pink at her request we came up with and made... Conchita - Cookie Monsters long lost cousin!

Source: thequickunpick.blogspot.com via Spangler on Pinterest

In my search for a cake theme for Big Little Miss M's Birthday last year I came across this:

Source: howsweetbakery.com via Spangler on Pinterest

This was my result:

Source: thequickunpick.blogspot.com via Spangler on Pinterest

Source: howsweetbakery.com via Spangler on Pinterest

I used this idea to package up some homemade cookies for my mother-in-law as a gift from my girls...

Source: southernliving.com via Spangler on Pinterest

These brilliant cupcakes baked directly in a wafer cone and the foil tray holder are fabulous...

Source: ohcupcakes.net via Spangler on Pinterest

And with that inspiration I made these:

Source: thequickunpick.blogspot.com via Spangler on Pinterest

I saw these...

Source: deliciousdeliciousdelicious.blogspot.com via Spangler on Pinterest

And just knew that my girls party candy buffet would not be complete without them....

This cake photo...

Source: foodgal.com via Spangler on Pinterest

...inspired my own Frangelico Imbibed nutella combo cake

Source: thequickunpick.blogspot.com via Spangler on Pinterest

Now here's some food pins I've road tested and Oh My Goodness... sinfully yummy food (that sadly does my diet no good!)

Magical Layered Brownies..... these are GOLD!

Source: melskitchencafe.com via Spangler on Pinterest

This pastry effect is easy and looks good too - was the perfect way to wrap my yummy apple strudel...

Source: eatliverun.com via Spangler on Pinterest

These Vanilla Pudding Cinnamon Rolls are pretty much perfect... quick, easy, oh so yummy, super light and fluffy!

Source: melskitchencafe.com via Spangler on Pinterest

These yummy cookies have been given a few runs at our house... they are the new go to cookie recipe for baking days with my girls...

Source: yammiesnoshery.com via Spangler on Pinterest

The girls claim this take on the old banana split as their new favourite:

Source: lickmyspoon.com via Spangler on Pinterest

This Turkish Semolina Cake has been made a few times now - I'm a sucker for semolina and more so for anything drizzled with copious amounts of gorgeous yummy homemade syrup

Source: tastespotting.com via Spangler on Pinterest

Well, I could go on and on - I haven't even included any savoury foods!!!
So if you're not on pinterest head on over - there's more things to try and experiment with than you'll ever have all the time to do but you will find some absolute gems that are sure to be long - time family favourites!

So, as much as Pinterest sucks the spare time out of your day, makes you wish for a bigger house with fantastical proportions and oozing charm of a H&G mag, and all the rest of it... it's all those projects, recipes, hints, tips, quotes to inspire and laugh and identify with that make the Pinterest experience so lovely and addictive.

So, tell me with a comment and a link - What is your favourite pin of all time? I'd love to check it out and have a sticky about your pinterest boards.... and while I'm at it stop by mine and tell me what you think!

Oh, and if you'd like to enter my current Facebook Giveaway, stop by at SPANGLE say g'day and to get your entry simply click the below link and LIKE the fitness comment I've left there - it's to help me win a small competition for some weight loss products (you can find out more about the product and my weight loss by following my FB page) and as a thank you one lucky liker of the comment will receive a gorgeous SpaNGle doll (doll design by Bit of Whimsy) OPEN for WORLDWIDE entry! 

Here's the link to enter CLICK HERE Like the comment and the winner liker will be decided via Random.org on 13th February - Good Luck

Be sure to stop by again soon to see what other pins have inspired me!

Cheers xo

QUICK SNAP GIVEAWAY...

WIN! WIN! WIN! Win your very own SpaNGle* hand made Bit of Whimsy Doll... especially made just for the little princess in your life.... Stop by my Facebook page: SpaNGle*  to find out how to enter!!!!

***UPDATE***: This giveway will be open until the 13th February and entry is as simple as clicking on this link: 

https://www.facebook.com/rapidchallenge/posts/354337331256774 

and LIKING my fitness tip comment... I will compile a list of all entrants on the 13th and assign each liker a number and then generate the winner via Random.org ...If you want to be extra nice and make me even happier why not stop by my FB page and like it too!!!

Cheers xo

Oh, and I so promise that very soon I will get back into the swing of regular blogging and more free tutorials ☺

Inspired…

Just popping by quickly (or so I originally thought anyhow)… I have been away visiting all three of my three brothers in the city and also my Grandma this past weekend (with my two lovely little ladies in tow) and I have returned home feeling re-energised and inspired.

In my mind I have a blueprint of the next tutorial I’m going to start for you all tomorrow… its going to be a super simple to follow winter tute (even though we’re sweltering here in Oz through mid summer) – how exciting to feel I’ve got a little creativity surging through the veins!

I just hope it lives up to all that my mind believes it is right now…

So, as for my couple of days away...

The girls hadn’t seen their Great-Grandma (Mamma) for some time so it was nice to get down to visit her… she’s still seems so fit and well, even if her memory (early stages of dementia) and confusion at times clouds the conversation… it is sad to learn how much she is forgetting or rather how much of life has slipped into closed parts of her minds memory.

I look at the above photo and for the first time I’m struck with some of the resemblances Little Little Miss M has of my Mamma… I don’t know if I’m the only one that would think this or can you see it too???

Catching up with my brothers is always so nice… even more so when I manage to see all three of them in one trip!

My older brother lives in a unit with quite a small courtyard for an backyard area but gee my girls and I were so jealous of his little garden. Over the past year or so he really has become quite the organic gardener! Check out how lush his planter boxes and vegetable plants look… I wish I took more photo’s of the other side of his courtyard where he had all his salad plants and herbs. Big Little Miss M thought it was the most amazing ‘garden jungle’.

Today before heading home we made it to one of the city markets too which was nice… it had been about 9 years since I’d been to this particular one (and in honesty it hadn’t changed very much at all). My younger brother took the girls for a ride on the train that goes around a huge lake there and they loved it…  and I’d really love to know what is going on inside their heads at times… Little Little Miss M often gazes off beyond the distance, deep in thought.

But now I really should be catching up on some sleep… especially if I’m going to get this tutorial underway…

Oh… and a totally random observation – it’s the middle of the night here (almost 2am in fact) and I’ve just realised that I can hear what sounds like a whole flock of galahs going crazy screeching and squawking outside… I wonder what’s up because I didn’t think birds got noisy like that in the middle of the night … hmmm strange!

Anyhow, I best be catching those zzzzz’s …

Until next time…

Easing into 2012…

Well, it’s one day short of a week into the new year and I’m already thinking it’s going fast!

Here at The Quick Unpick we’ve been lazily enjoying just easing into 2012.

Big Little Miss M is 4 1/2 and eagerly awaiting the start of 4 year old kinder (she’s got a few more weeks of holidays.

And Little Little Miss M who is 2 1/2 seems to think she’s off to school this year… unfortunately she misses the cut off for three year old kinder this year by 28 days so she’ll be still home with me (which I’m quietly pretty pleased about – it will be nice to have a couple days a week with my little bubba all to myself… or rather for her to have me all to herself).

The girls and I have FINALLY gotten our act together and put one of the raised garden beds together. Here’s what we have growing…

We have a mixture of bought seedling and some free growing ones that have sprouted from the home compost. Speaking of free growing and seeding, check out these sneaky ones….

These free seeding pumpkins seemed to shoot up overnight… there is so many of them that sadly many are going to have to be pulled up (I think they’re all going to have to come out of this garden bed but a few will be transplanted to a quiet back corner where hopefully they’ll happily take over and produce some nice home-grown pumpkins!).

Now, I’ve never been known for my gardening skills… I’m definitely no green thumb and most plants within  short order succumb to my plant murdering ways.

Take note of the girls once thriving strawberry plants…

Yep, I don’t think these sweet babes can be saved!

We’ve also planted some quick growing pittosporum silver sheen along our back fence line in hopes of growing a nice lush hedge… it’s not looking so good.

We’ve had a week of super hot, dry weather… one day hitting over 41C… so maybe I didn’t pick the right time to put them in (plus the back iron fence I think has assisted in baking them.)

They started looking like this in the pots…

And a mere three days later they are turning into crispy, curly things…

Hmmm… will have to put up some shade screening I think. Hopefully they can be saved!

There are some things that are growing… mostly plants that don’t need too much attention, love or care…

Oh and there’s this lovely potted peach tree. It had so, so many gorgeous looking baby peaches growing… and then one day after my terrorising 2 year old got out there, I discovered that she’d managed to pick EVERY. SINGLE. REACHABLE. not ready to be picked peach… Only one escaped here clutches…

Anyhow, a garden oriented post is a little different from me, but that’s been filling our first week of the new year. The little break from sewing has been nice and felt needed… I think it’s assisted in refocussing and hopefully getting a bit more of a creative mojo going on – I’m hankering for a refashioning tutorial!

We’ve done a lot of cloud gazing too… it reminds me of childhood and I think one day it will for my girls too – we all just lay on the trampoline and marvel at the sky and the pretty colours and nature…

So, I hope you are all getting some time to just ease into the year and laze about sky gazing and marvelling at the wonder of this place!

Till next time…