Author Archives: mlwilkie

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About mlwilkie

Software Developer, Mother, Wife with keen interest in art, design and crafts of all kinds.

Liebster Award

liebster

I just was nominated for my first blog award. I am honored and excited for this recognition of my blog. Thank you, Anthea from Quilting Antics.

To accept the award there are a few rules to follow:

  • The Liebster Award is given by bloggers to bloggers who have less than 200 followers.
  • Each blogger should answer the questions the tagger has set for you.
  • Choose eleven new bloggers to pass the award on to and link them in your post.
  • Create eleven new questions for the chosen bloggers.
  • Go back to their page and tell them about the award.
  • Each blogger should post eleven random facts about themselves.
  • No Tag Backs!!!

Here are the questions that Anthea gave me.

1. What was your greatest adventure and why?
This was one of the harder questions, I have done a lot that I would consider in this category – I suppose the biggest adventure I have had, was when I moved from Australia to Germany for my job. I did it on my own at 27, and did not really know anyone when I arrived in Germany. I also hardly spoke any German at the time.

2. What is your favourite colour and why?
I don’t have a permanent favorite colors. I would say at the moment it would have to be the teal/aqua color. I love the fabrics that are currently available at the moment. 

3. What would be your dessert island disk?
Hmm. I like such a range of music and it varies depending on my mood…..I would have to take Best of (David) Bowie or Foo Fighters Greatest Hits.

4. Which event has been the most profound of your life?
Having my son 

5. If you could go back in time where would you go to?
Probably medieval England/Scotland….I was always interested in stories of King Arthur, Robin Hood and William Wallace

6. If you could have been born into another culture which one would it be and why?
I wouldn’t want to be born into any other culture than the one I was born into. I am a proud kiwi and couldn’t image being anything else.

7. Are you mummy’s girl or daddy’s girl? (boy if your male)
I think I was, and still am a little of both

8. What is your earliest memory?
My earliest memory would be getting my tonsils out at the hospital when I was four, and getting a ride in the ambulance to go to the theatre for surgery.

9. What is your favourite board game?
Trivial Pursuit or Chess

10. What is your favourite season?
Spring – the excitement of everything new and able to get out and about after the winter (I wish our spring would get here already)

11. Who was your best friend at school?
In primary school – Vivienne W., High School was Nikki B./Valerie D.

These are the 11 blogs that I would like to nominate:

  1. WIP in Progress Girl
  2. A Little Bird Made me
  3. The Original Thread
  4. Under the Maple Canopy
  5. Little and Lots
  6. Sew. Knit. Grow
  7. Wombat Quilts
  8. L. White Limited
  9. 3 and 3 quarters
  10. Jeanne’s Blog
  11. Sew French

My 11 questions to you are:

  1. What is your favorite memory from childhood?
  2. What is your favorite city you have visited?
  3. What item that you have made are you most proud of?
  4. What was your nickname in school?
  5. What would you like to see change in the world?
  6. What is your dream job?
  7. What do you like to eat for breakfast?
  8. What was your favorite class/subject in high school?
  9. Who inspired you most growing up?
  10. What is your favorite book?
  11. What fat-quarter bundle would you like to win at the moment?

Finally, 11 facts you may not know about me:

I love the all blacks rugby team
My favorite cities in Europe are Lisbon, Prague and Rome
My husband and I honeymooned in the Cook Islands and Tahiti
My favorite “special occasion” restaurant is The Melting Pot
I am a night owl and love to sleep in, in the morning
My favorite books growing up were by Susan Cooper – The Dark is Rising Series
My favorite movies are Princess Bride and Highlander
I have a BSc in Statistics and Biology, an MSc in Marine Science
We are vacationing in New Zealand, Germany, and New York this year
If I did another job, it would either be a Physiotherapist or spend more time on my Etsy store
Bucket list places to visit: the Great Wall of China, the Rose-Red City of Petra, The top of the North Island , New Zealand (above Russell), Pompeii

WiP: Star Trek e-Reader cover

For Christmas, my mum got a e-reader. She loves Star Trek specifically Spock. Taking these two things guess what I am making her from Mother’s Day – yep, a Star Trek e-reader cover.

Pattern: I am using a pattern by Atkinson Designs – the Reader Wrap. It is pretty easy and quick to put together. You will probably have materials left over.
Material: Black Essex Linen for the spine. Two Star Trek themed Fabric from JoAnn. All material either had Pellon Shape Flex or Pellon Peltex Ultra Firm.

Inside CoverIMG_7030

Close-up of the e-Reader pocketIMG_7037

Outside Cover (sorry for the blurry photo, I will publish a better one for Friday)
IMG_7040

I only have the binding to go so I should have this done for Friday 😉

Linking up with Lee at Freshly Pieced:
WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced

Baking with Citrus: Orange Lightening Muffins + Lemon Buttermilk Pound Cake

This weekend,  I took two recipes I previously posted and made a couple of modifications. These modifications were so well received the boys have almost eaten it all in 24 hours.

Modification one was using the Orange lightening cake recipe and making Orange Lightening Muffins. I made the recipe exactly the same but instead of putting it in the cake tin, I placed it in a muffin tin. I baked them at the same temperature – 325 degrees F, for 30 minutes.

IMG_7017

The second modification was to the Vanilla buttermilk pound cake, making it a Lemon buttermilk pound cake. I switched out the vanilla essence using one lemon.

  • grated zest of 1 lemon
  • heat lemon for 10 seconds in the microwave and add to the mixture the juice from the squeezed lemon.

Everything else was the same including the Lemon icing.

IMG_7026