Chef: Pineapple crush tart

Pineapple crush tart

1 packet crushed Tennis biscuits or biscuits of your choice

approximately 125 g melted butter or  baking margarine

Combine the above ingredients to make the crust in a round pie plate.

I bake the crust for 10 minutes at 180 so that it does not crumble so easily. Place it in the fridge once it has cooled and let it settle for approximately 30 minutes.

Filling

295 g tin of pineapple crush

295 g tin condensed milk

1 pineapple jelly

Dissolve jelly in half a cup of boiling water. Cool slightly.

Add pineapple and juice to jelly and stir well.

Add condensed milk and stir very well until mixture is well combined.

Pour mixture into the crust.

Put in the fridge to set.

Serve with cream or ice cream.

Entertainer: A personalised tea gathering with friends

Personalise your next tea party for your precious friends. You can set a place for each friend, matching their likes or personalities or just set a unique place for each one of them. I found this great fun to do.

Make your table centre with as many interesting things you find in your home as well as flowers from your garden. I used empty Bovril bottles, a decorated jam bottle as well as an empty Baking powder tin to put flowers into. The sugar was put into a small old biscuit tin. A teapot was also part of the decor.

Here are a few of the individual place settings. I had different tea cups, teaspoons and cake forks that 

matched type of setting, different serviettes, little milk jugs, flowers, teapots etc. Make use of all the special little items you have. Find interesting things you have available.

                            

Now just use what you've got plus a lot of imagination and enjoy yourselves.

HAVE FUN, PLAY!
Life is way too short to miss out on having a good time with your friends.

When a friend offers to bring something to eat, say yes. Variety is the spice of life.

Crafter: My "Spread the Love" shaggy quilt

I made this shaggy quilt for my son and daughter in law.
Their wedding invitation was a bottle of jam and on the label it said, 'Spread the Love.' My quilt was to spread my love with them  in creating something that they could use in their new home.Their guest bedroom is decorated in purples and white and is decorated with relics of their very special wedding.

I used the fabric that they used on top of the bottle to form part of the quilt.

I will take you through the process of making a shaggy quilt.

Firstly you design the quilt drawing a plan on square paper and making sure that you have enough fabric to cut the squares out of.

Be sure to make a 'key' so that you know what each of your pictures mean.Take into account that the quilt is going to 'shrink' once you stitch the pieces together. Insure that your quilt is the correct size or you will be very disappointed. I made this one big enough for a double bed, including an overhang. Rather too big than too small.

You need your selected 100% cotton fabric, good quality batting and whatever fabric you need for the backing: I used a good quality unbleached calico. None of your fabric needs to be washed before making your quilt.Do not use anything but cotton or else you will be disappointed and your hard work will be spoilt. Shwe Shwe does work. Cut all the fabric first and make sure that you have enough squares to match your design.I cut  1 350 squares to construct this quilt!

Now stitch the three layers together, going from corner to corner and forming an X across each square. Sew all of the squares like this first. Count that you have prepared enough squares. 

I laid the finished pieces out on the lounge floor, pinned them together and numbered the rows. Do this to check whether you have all the pieces you need.

Next you pin your squares together and be sure to NUMBER each row, THIS IS A MUST! Sew your strips together.

Now join three rows of strips at a time together, but you need to have the seams in a particular pattern. If you would like to make a quilt you can contact me and I will explain this very carefully.Be sure that your numbered rows are correct and check that the pattern is correct and fix any errors you may have made.

Your quilt looks a bit tatty but don't stress, it's going to be fabulous!You now sew all the strips of three rows together. 
Just be warned, this part is hard as the quilt will become heavier and a little tricky to keep straight. Just take your time and work carefully.

Once all the pieces are joined into one complete piece you need to start cutting around the edges. This takes LONGGGGGG and must be done with a very sharp pair of scissors. You must NOT cut into the seams. Approximately 20 cuts per edge are required. I keep a 'time log' for this part... I cut for 14 hours in total! 

There will be threads all over the place so put something over your clothes and the floor around you.

When every edge is cut place your quilt in the washing machine. There will be threads galore in your machine. Be sure to clean out your filter. Shake quilt and get as many loose threads out as possible. There will be LOADS of threads to sweep up. Hang quilt up to dry. Once dry shake quilt out .... more threads all over the place. Wash again and repeat procedure. Wash a third time, adding a softener. Shake out, hang up, shake again. Trim off all cotton threads that may be sticking up. Brush as many loose threads away as possible. Now you are ready to enjoy the quilt on your bed.By this stage it should be soft. The more you wash it the softer it will become and the more the edges will curl: thus a shaggy edge and look.

Well here is the final work of love! The true colours do not really show up well in the photographs.I can't wait to see it on the bed where it is meant to be. 

God's Child: Books, movie and message from Pastor Jentezen Franklin

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, so you think I’ve been hibernating? Well yes, but in that time I have been working on my patchwork quilt, stitching up knitted items, reading and watching a movie and going to listen to Pastor Jentezen Franklin from America.

Soon I will show you my completed quilt, my knitted head bands and how to make really yum, 

unusual pasta , but now I want to tell you about a movie I saw based on a book I read as well as pass on the message I heard from the pastor, plus refer to another book that links up with the same message.

If you haven’t seen Letters to God, please do so. It’s another true story of how the actions of a young boy dying from cancer changed the lives of many people and made a difference in the world. The movie is really worth seeing if you are unable to read the book, but if you have the time, do both!

I really believe that we are here to be God’s channel for the challenging world we live in. In Letters to God a little boy writes letters to God and God works through those letters. Just watch the movie and let it speak to you and see whether you agree with me or not. God uses His followers to do His will, but we need to be obedient. In this hectic world you may think you don’t have the time, that’s a lame excuse. Cut down on something less important!

 A few years ago I also wrote two letters to God and God answered those letters in an amazing way. When I read those letters I wrote I am so blessed by the way God replied. Perhaps you need to write a letter to God and see how He responds. I had to wait many years, but God worked in my life during those years and in His time answered me. The waiting is the hard part, but don’t give up.

I went to listen to Pastor Jentezen Franklin on Monday night. His message was JUST BE THERE. It echoed my belief that we need to be there for people. I have always had that philosophy in my life, that philosophy rules my life. Since I can remember I have believed that and wherever possible I have stood in the gap where I could. Sometimes it has only been in my prayers, but God works powerfully through prayers.

So often churches push people away when they have made mistakes, but that’s not what Jesus did. If you read the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John in The Bible you will find Jesus with sinners, turning their lives around. Are you there for someone who has fallen off the rails? Are you bringing them back to God or turning them against Him? Let’s all just BE THERE. You need to be in tune with God and allow Him to work through you.

In your own church, no matter how unimportant you feel, volunteer and BE THERE for God. If you feel you don’t pray so well, just carry on and BE THERE for others in prayer. Even if you feel you don’t want to go to church or church related activities, the Pastor said BE THERE because God will work in your life.

I’m busy reading Jesus, the Man Who Loved Women by Bruce Marchiano. In this book we read how Jesus was there for hurting women and how He changed their lives. Once again we are reminded that we too must BE THERE for one another, we mustn’t judge, but stand in the gap.

I have been greatly blessed by many people when I have been there for them. It’s a three way street actually: yours, God’s and the person you have stood with. Take the risk, it’s worth it.

Reader : Book review: An Invisible Thread by Laura Schroff and Alex Tresniowski

An Invisible Thread

The True Story of an 11 year old panhandler, a busy sales executive, and an unlikely meeting with destiny

by Laura Schroff and Alex Tresniowski

If you don’t believe that you can make a difference in someone’s life, befriend someone from another race and age group, then this story is for you.

Connecting with people is one of Christ’s teachings; He met with people and changed their lives despite their circumstances at the time. Invisible threads between humans can change and enrich lives and this story proves that.

Laura didn’t mean to get involved, she passed these begging children every day, but something made her turn back and this action turned her life around. This action bound her to Maurice. Their destinies were bound by an invisible thread. The thread became a lifeline!

Yes, one person can make a difference. Laura did!

Poet: Gates

Gates

Gates appear on each road of my journey

open gates, closed gates,

half open? half closed?

firmly locked ones

inviting ones, daunting ones

freshly painted gates, rusty ones, wooden ones, metal ones

wobbly ones, firm ones, creaky ones, buckled ones.

Each one opening up a new adventure

for me to experience life’s pathways,

unsure of what lies ahead,

but trusting in the plan for my life.

Some gates I open easily

moving forward confidently,

others I pass by

choosing not to open.

Some I open and then close again

as I see what lies ahead.

Some I open slowly

and make a decision whether to venture on the path I see clearly before me.

Some gates open onto hilly or rocky paths

the way ahead obscured.........

decisions, decisions!

 Poem and photographs by Heather Botha

Tom's Hat and Hats off to Debbie... Tom's painting of Debbie's photograph

My husband, Tom is an artist who does commissions for people in many art mediums. He also teaches art classes on Saturday mornings. Tom is a Master framer.

My friend Debbie is an avid photographer amongst other things ,and she took a photograph in the Kruger National Park which Tom painted in water colour.

Here is the photograph

Here is the painting

The colours are slightly different in these two photographs because I took the picture of the painting when it was framed behind glass, but if you see the two together they are practically exactly the same colours.

I am so proud of Tom's work!