Baking & Creating

Welcome,

I hope you had a wonderful week.

What a week it was.....My eldest son Gabriel turned 12....Wow, where did all those years go?!   I can't believe next year he will be a teenager!!

For Gabriel's birthday he asked if I could make his favourite, Lemon Slice, to share with his class mates, and of course, his wonderful teacher.  I also made a batch of our favourite chocolate fudge brownies.  Gabriel had Food Technology last term and these brownies were one of the recipes they used.  They are divine, if you love sweet things.

Finally, of course, the birthday cake!!  Oh, and not forgetting there was craft bundled into the week as well.

Lemon Slice

Makes 12 pieces (or more if cut smaller)

Ingredients:

½ cup condensed milk
100g butter
200g Granita biscuits
1 cup desiccated coconut
1 lemon, rind finely grated
Lemon Icing:
2 cups icing sugar mixture
40g butter, softened
1 lemon, juiced

Grease and line a 3cm-deep, 15.5cm x 25cm* (base) slab pan.
Place condensed milk and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Cook, stirring, until butter has melted.

Place biscuits in a food processor and process to fine crumbs.  Combine coconut and lemon rind in a bowl.  Add hot butter mixture and stir until well combined.

Press biscuit mixture into prepared pan.  Refrigerate for 1½hours or until firm.

Lemon Icing:
Place icing sugar mixture, butter and 2½ tablespoons lemon juice in a bowl.  Beat with a wooden spoon until smooth.  Spread icing over firm slice.  Refrigerate for a further 30 minutes or until icing has set.  Cut into pieces.  Serve and Enjoy!

Chocolate Fudge Brownies

Makes 12 pieces (or more if cut smaller)

Ingredients:
125g butter
1 cup Caster sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cups plain flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
½ tsp vanilla essence

Preheat oven to 180°C.  Line a 20cm x 30cm* (base) slab pan with non-stick baking paper.

Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat.  Remove from heat. (I used a microwave safe bowl and melted the butter in the microwave).  
Stir in the sugar.  Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and stir until mixture is thick and glossy.  Add vanilla essence and stir.

In a second bowl, sift the flour and cocoa powder.
Add flour mixture to butter mixture and stir until well combined.  
Spread over the base of the prepared pan.

Bake for 20 minutes.  Mixture will be crusty on top, but still slightly moist in centre. Remove from oven and allow to cool in pan completely. Cut into pieces and enjoy!!

I serve ours with a dollop of whipped cream.

***

*I use the same size slab pan for both recipes and they work out fine.

I hope you enjoy these recipes as much as we do!

***

My girlfriend asked if I could make a male Confirmation card for her.  Of course I could, and did.

I must give credit to a lady named Narelle who posted her card onto Pinterest.  Narelle's design gave me the inspiration for the card.  What do you think?

I've also been kept busy with beyond the page crafting.  Below is a set of drawers I have finally finished.  A LOT of work went into the finished product, and was worth it.  What do you think?  If you would like to learn how to make them, shoot me an email.

....and of course more card making...

Finally to sign off are photos of the cake I made to celebrate Gabriel's 12th Birthday.  His request was for a butter cake with chocolate icing....Yummy!



What have you been up to last week?

Have a wonderful day, take care, stay safe and thank you for stopping by.

 Carolyn

Beyond the Page

Welcome,

I would like to thank my dear Facebook friends, and Tracy, a fellow blogger, for their humbling comments regarding my last post.

Today the sun is shining, the breeze moderately warm for this time of year -  it's a glorious autumn day.  With a top of 22°C, it's a wonderful way to start the week! What more could we ask for?
I know myself, when the sun is out and filling the house with its warmth, doors open to let in the breeze and air the house out, I tend to feel more motivated than on cloudy, cold, dark days.  It seems to put an extra spring in my step!

Owen is sick at home with a stomach bug, poor boy is in bed missing out on this glorious day.  I am hoping he's on the mend.

In the past I have been making cards, cards and more cards.  However, my love of craft has been nagging me to take it up a notch.  So thought I would start attending classes at a local craft store to learn the basics of  'Beyond the Page' projects.  I must say I love the classes...and the wonderful teachers.  Not only do they teach you how to make the project, they also teach you money saving tips, as craft can be a very expensive hobby!

Here are some of the creations that I have made in class and some that I created at home on my own utilising the hints and tips provided.


The canvas above has one of my photos taken at Lerderderg State Park, such a beautiful place to visit.  The canvas has such a calming feel to it.
The printer's tray was such a joy to make. Being able to express yourself in craft is refreshing!

The 3D-Love Always Wall Art was finished off with one of my favourite photos of Brad and I, taken at Sorrento Beach. Gabriel, my eldest, took the photo - he's such a great photographer!
The canvas was my first made in class using gesso, paint and ink sprays.  Of course being a girl, I do like pretty little things.

Above are two canvases utilising the MDF Craftwood butterflies I had in my stash of craft.
There are so many ways of creating a different look.  I find designing the hardest part, however, after I have the design set out, it all seems to flow.

The canvas above was made for my mum on Mother's Day along with a matching card.  She absolutely loved them both and has been showing them off to her neighbours.  

The Sympathy card I made for a dear friend who recently lost her father.  The Birthday card was made for my Father-in-Law for his birthday.  
I've taken some ideas from the canvases I've made and have been putting them onto cards.  What do you think?

I have some good news, one of my mum's neighbours has commissioned me to make a canvas for them!  This is where many home based businesses start - word of mouth....So spread the word!!  

Thank you for stopping by.... enjoy the rest of this glorious day!

 Carolyn

Cool Change

Welcome,

Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful mums out there!  I hope you all enjoyed your day of appreciation, and, of course got very, very spoilt!

Some people have asked me, why the name Cool Change Creations...well obvious to those who know me, I love being creative....I find craft inspiring and challenging...and its also the name of my favourite song 'Cool Change' by the Little River Band, released in 1979. 
 I have cried during this song, and have been elated as well.

Why it means so much to me....

A while ago I separated from my husband, and life was turned upside down, not only for me and the boys but for my ex-husband as well.  Not long after our separation I started a relationship with a man I had known for at least 20 years, we were good friends, and didn't see what was to come...
This man, in the time we were together he had destroyed any confidence and self worth I had for myself.  This man abused me, not only physically, but emotionally and financially.  I can understand why some women stay with men like this, they draw you in with their 'caring and concerned' personality, promise you the world when all seems lost.
When they have you in hook, line and sinker their claws start to come out. Bit by bit they begin to destroy you from the inside out, so much so, that by the end you are left feeling that if you don't have them, you have, and are nothing, worthless.
Men like this break you....they make it so hard to see that you ARE strong and ARE worth something.

That is what happened to me, he was the nicest person in the beginning which attracted me to him, then as he slowly destroyed me I saw no way out, I was stuck. We began a business together, I put so much of my own finances in constantly being assured by him that "I would get it all back", and never did, there was always an excuse...not putting in the effort he should have to help make the business a success.   I couldn't tell him what to do, as, according to him I knew nothing and was told to keep my mouth shut.  If I tried to stand up for myself, he would threaten to kill himself and do it in front of the boys and I, so I succumbed....and I stayed.... There were times he would fly off the rails for no apparent reason and the boys and I had to stay with our neighbours across the road.  He was also an alcoholic, drinking during the day on the job, (was advised not to) then at least another 10 beers each and every night....he couldn't see he has a problem....maybe part of me stayed to help him... I now realise he wasn't the one who needed help, I was.  This is just who he is and will always be.  He simply doesn't care.  I did find out later that he also left a path of destruction with his ex-wife and her family, leaving them bankrupt.  They ended up moving interstate to be as far away from him as they could.
Believe me, there is so much more I could write...I simply can't express the amount of pain this man inflicted on me emotionally.

The relationship finally come to a head when he tried to end my life.  It was late at night, I was having a discussion with him about how he no longer showed me affection or cared, it got heated and ended in him getting on top of me to hold me down whilst he punched me in the face then tried to choke me whilst saying 'I'll end this now'.  All I could think of was my two boys.  
He eventually let me go and I locked myself in the bathroom, crying....then he ever so nicely apologised... I didn't call the police, I was so scared of him...I was broken.
During the commotion that night there was a thunderstorm with very loud cracks of thunder and I remember thinking that if the boys didn't hear the thunder, then they wouldn't have heard their mother breaking. 

This man took everything from me...

I eventually ended up taking him to court and got an intervention order against him.

I put the company into liquidation.  Knowing you have lost everything you worked hard for is like falling into a hole of never ending darkness and endless despair.  It was a very dark period of my life.

I, however, unlike so many had the support of a great friend. She tried to get me to see what he was really like, but I was looking through rose-coloured glasses and couldn't see what she and many others saw. 
Some friends would have given up, but she didn't, she stood by me and gave the boys and I a place to escape - we were to live with her and her two children until I found a place of our own. She not only gave us a place to stay, but a place to begin the healing process. I am humbled and will be forever grateful for her support.

My family were also a great support when I made the decision to leave.

After a while I was able to find a place for the boys and I to move into.  Finally, our lives were getting back on track. My healing still ongoing.

I believe in fate and believe that people come into our lives to either teach us a lesson (one I have learnt the hard way) or to help us heal.

Not long after, I met Brad, the man who I believe was sent from above to me.  Most men would have left, as I was still going through the healing process and sometimes a complete wreck.  He obviously saw something in me I didn't at the time.  To myself, I thought I didn't deserve anything.... he slowly, and very gently began to change my thought process....and to heal me.  Brad is the most amazing person and is my best friend.  He has taught me how to laugh, love and live again.  He has been my rock and my safe haven.  He loves my boys as if they were his own and they love him too.  He has taught me how a woman is to be treated, with respect, love, comfort, support and confidence.  I don't think that he will ever understand how much abundance he has brought into not only my life, but the boys too.  I ask him every so often what I did to deserve such a beautiful person as him to come into my life...his response, 'I thank you for coming into my life'.  I think we have healed each other.

Sometimes I still wake up crying over the past, but when I wipe the tears away I see my future laying right next to me and know it'll be a bright one!

Brad is my life's Cool Change. 

My ex-husband and his new wife are now good friends with Brad and I.

If you haven't heard it, please listen, it's such a beautiful song.



Have a wonderful day and thank you for stopping by.

 Carolyn

It's been a while...

Welcome,

It has a while between blog posts.... Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, Happy Valentine's Day & Happy Easter to everyone!!   I hope you all enjoyed these breaks and special moments with family and friends.  

To quickly update you, here are photos of some of what I have been up to: 


The following are a few of the gift-card holders I've also made. 

Phew!...There are many more.  I have enjoyed making the above, being creative is so good for the soul. 

What are some of your creations? 

Thank you for stopping by.

 Carolyn