Zucchini and Carrot Fritters

These fritters are really easy to make. I just grated zucchini and carrot whisked an egg, added the other ingredients and spooned the mixture straight into the pan. Lightly press the mixture, leave for 2 minutes flip, leave for 2 minutes then serve. Easy :)
Please note that I have cooked my fritters in a mini pan.

Preparation time - 10 minutes
Cooking time - 20 minutes
Makes - 7 burger bun sized fritters

What you need:
3 Zucchini's
2 Carrots
Pinch Salt
1/4 Cup All Purpose Flour
1 teaspoon Crushed Garlic
1/4 Red Capsicum finely chopped
1/5 Cup Parmesan
1 Whisked Egg
1 teaspoon Coconut Oil- or Olive Oil

Instructions:
Place grated Zucchini and Carrot into a container add a pinch of salt and mix together.
Add the Flour Garlic, Red Capsicum, Parmesan and Egg and combine.
You can season with salt and pepper to taste, if you like.
Heat Coconut Oil to a pan over medium to hot heat. Place mixture for each fritter into the pan and flatten with a spatula. Cook the fritter for a couple of minutes or until golden brown.
Flip the fritter over and cook the other side.

Eat them all up :) You could eat them as is, make a vegetarian burger or serve them with a side salad!

DIY Recipe Clipboard

We all know how quickly our recipe collections can get out of control! especially if you have family members or friends who are keen to share their recipes. So why not make a simple clipboard to keep those recipes organised! It's more fun to look at and it has a big clip which really does become useful when reading a recipe!

What I used to create my recipe clipboard: (All items were purchased at Warehouse Stationery)
Grace Taylor Happy Days Scrapbook kit
Rosie's Studio Sticker Book of Fonts
Rosie's Studio Easy Cardmaking Pad
A Black Pen
My X-ACTO knife (craft knife)
Cutting Mat
Paint brush (or foam brush)
AND... My favourite craft item at the moment Mod Podge (matte)(I love, love, love this stuff)

Step 1:
Choose the paper that you would like to use to cover your clipboard. 
Use the guide I have made to cut out a space for the clip on the clipboard. (click the word 'guide' to view it)

- Use the clip to hold the cut out paper into place and flip the clipboard over. On a Cutting Mat, run your X-ACTO (or craft knife) down the edge of the clipboard to cut off the excess paper.

Step 2:
Choose the paper that you want to use for the recipe pocket and cut along the 12 inch paper to make a 14cm strip.
-Keep the off cuts to cover the bottom of the clipboard
-so when the pocket is opened you will still see pretty paper (if you are as fussy as me)

Step 3:
Use a paint brush or foam brush to apply the Mod Podge to the clipboard (not the paper!). Placing the main paper sheet down around the clip is the hardest step- after this it's a home run! Do not fully stick the main paper on! we are going to be sneaky and stick about a third of the sheet down then curve the paper and use the clip to keep it out of the way. (It sounds so complex writing this down I hope you are still with me?) Use your hands to gently smooth the paper down.
--Mod Podge works as a glue and looks white when you apply it but trust me it dries clear.--

Step 4:
We are now going to apply the left over scrap paper (so it's still pretty when you open the pocket)
Don't bother cutting the paper down to size, we want to leave extra paper at the bottom so we can fold it up for the pocket.

Simply stick the paper to the clipboard using Mod Podge and leave the extra paper at the bottom. Don't bother waiting for it to dry, (I didn't as I am an impatient crafter...) use the bottom of the clipboard and fold the paper on the edge back up to the clipboard to form the bottom of the pocket. Turn the clipboard over and use the edge of the board to trim off the extra paper on the sides.


Step 5:
Mod Podge the (now paper covered) clipboard thinly (Do not Mod Podge the pocket flap). We are doing a layer now so that the inside of the pocket is protected and nice and smooth.

Step 6:
Wait for it to dry it should only take 5 minutes.
Place the paper that you cut out earlier for your pocket (pocket front), into place (without Mod Podging it!) and dent the paper along both sides of the clipboard. The dented sides will become the side flaps to adhere the pocket onto.

Step 7:
Mod Podge the pocket flap which is attached to the clipboard and stick to the bottom of your pocket front. Then apply Mod Podge to the side flaps of the pocket front and fold it into place, apply pressure to the sides.

Step 8:
Decorate the front of the pocket.
I used stickers from the Happy Days Scrapbook Kit and lettering from Rosie's Sticker Book of fonts.

Step 9:
Mod Podge the pocket (Make sure you don't stick the pocket closed!) you can apply more mod Podge to the clipboard if you wish :)
Once it has dried you can start placing recipe cutouts into the pocket.

The Cardmaking Pad is a really quick and easy way to make recipe cards.
If you have a long recipe you can leave the card open or you can stick the card closed and place the recipe on the back (like a postcard). It's really up to you.

Laminating these would be a great idea so they last longer. Of course you could always use Mod Podge instead :)

These are so easy to make and would make great gifts. Just change the design around to make any sort of clipboard. 
I Hope you enjoyed this tutorial, and I would love to see any creations made with the same process.

Modern Christmas table runner

 Well after giving my first table runner away to my auntie I knew that I had to make something special for my mum :) And does she love the Christmas season or what!! she always seems to have her biggest smiles at Christmas so I knew a Christmas gift was the way to go. After browsing through the internet and not finding anything quite right I headed for the library and found a great pattern in "A Quilting life" called Christmas star runner. I adapted the pattern slightly and found the instructions in the book very easy to follow.

Dr Suess Baby quilt for a wonderful baby boy

When I heard that Braden's sister Hayley and her partner Adrian were having a baby I just had to make them a baby quilt. I remembered Adrian picking up a Dr Suess book at a bookshop so when I spotted the fabric in Palmerston north I knew that it was meant to be.
This is my first baby quilt and it took me a long time to design the pattern not to mention tackle the courage to cut into the fabric! I am so pleased with it and happy that I managed to find more of the red and white fabric for the bunting. (Turned out I didn't get enough and they had sold out! long story but I found it eventually).
I was very excited to finally meet baby Leon at Christmas and give him his new quilt, he is such a little cutie!! I even got to baby sit :)