Easter Lilies

One of our favorite recipes to bake and eat during Easter are Easter Lilies. In fact, we don't always wait till Easter to eat these; they also make a great Sunday afternoon snack:

These beautiful soft cakes are rolled into lilies and generously filled with jam and whipped cream and trust me, they are hard to resist. They could also be filled with jelly, if you prefer but we love ours filled with blackberry jam.

This is my great grandmothers recipe and its quick and easy to make but make sure you cook the cakes in batches so you have time to roll and secure them into shape, while they are still warm.
Its a great recipe to have on hand for when unexpected visitors pop in over the Easter period or you just feel like something special while your relaxing with a cup of coffee or tea.

To grab the recipe for these Easter Lilies, either right click and save the image above or you can download the PDF recipe, HERE.
I hope you enjoy them ;)

Juicy Fruits and Whipped Creme Blanket

Earlier this week, I started working on a new crocheted blanket. This one is for Maddi, who wanted a blanket crocheted in stripes, like my Cosy CAL or Cohen's Coastal Ripple. We had a look at a few different patterns and this is the one she fell in love with:

This is a free pattern called Juicy Fruits and Whipped Creme (pattern can be found HERE). The pattern is for a throw size but I added some more stitches to the width and I will add more rows to the length, to make it a generous single bed size.
She chose just a few of her favorite shades of purple and we teamed them with a soft off white and so far it is looking lovely and she is very happy.

I love how the scallops and cross stitches combine; they almost look like little love hearts. The pattern took me a little while to get the hang of but now its growing slowly and lots of fun to crochet.

At this stage, its still quite portable and I can crochet in the car, whilst waiting at school etc. but before long it will be big enough to snuggle under as I work. The nights are getting colder so I'm looking forward to it growing and keeping me warm and toasty.

Free April 2015 Calendar

Easter is drawing nearer and our house is decorated, the menu's are planned and we are all ready to enjoy a small holiday and eat tonnes of chocolate :) Its also time for your free April calendar:

April gives us a lot to celebrate but also lots to remember. For Australians, we pay tribute to our past and present soldiers on Anzac Day, April 25th. This months quote is a for all to those brave men and women, we will always remember.
This months featured pattern is Potpourri:

This is a gorgeous scrappy quilt and all you need is a pretty Jelly Roll, some white homespun and two solids to complete the quilt top. From today until the end of April, PDF patterns of Potpourri will be available at the discounted price of $6.95 and are available in my store, HERE.
To read more about this months quilt, just visit HERE.
To download and print your free April 2015 calendar, just visit HERE.
I hope April is another wonderful month for you and your family and that you too, get to spend some quality time with family and friends during the Easter break :)

Wintervale

As I mentioned yesterday, I have a new mini quilt design and its an illustration of adapting block patterns, using the basic structure and transforming it into something different. When I first saw the Starry Cross block, I saw little houses in the side units and then I imagined trees in the corner units. A little more tweaking and I had designed a little village, complete with a town square or meeting place. Introducing, Wintervale:

This design reminds me of the little town, Cornwall, where my great grandparents lived. Simple, yet inviting houses circling the unnamed, yet assumed "meeting place" where conversations were held, recipes shared, plans organised and homegrown produce traded.
The women would congregate with their hair in "pins", their brightly coloured aprons tied tightly around their waists and they always seemed to be holding a tea towel :) Knowledge was gained from these little meetings;from how to burp a baby to how to grow the perfect lemons.

The fire was always burning in these little homes. It provided warmth and cooked most of the food consumed during the day; seriously, nothing tasted better than the stews these ladies cooked slowly in the embers. All day, smoke would swirl from the chimneys and at night, there was a lovely warm glow in each of the front windows.

It was a coal mining town, situated on a mountain and surrounded by wonderful untouched bush land. As kids, we built forts and tree houses and appreciated all the beauty and adventure that nature had to offer. Because it was near the eastern coastline, it didn't experience snow but during winter it was cold, wet and the fog didn't seem to lift all day.  I have incorporated snow into my design with a lovely spotted fabric, because snow would have been wonderful :)

When hubby retires and the kids have moved on with their own lives, we will be ready for a change. Les would prefer a "sea change" but I would enjoy a "country change". Maybe a little town similar to the one my great grandparents lived in would be a good compromise for us; a coastal country town, close to the ocean :)

I hope you like my interpretation of yesterdays block and the childhood memories that it evoked. The design measures approx. 18 1/2" square and would make a lovely wall hanging or a centerpiece for your dining table.
PDF patterns of the design, are available in my shop HERE.
Adapting blocks is fun and simple to do and is only limited by your imagination. Have fun playing and building your own designs by incorporating the basics and let your creativity flow :)

Chatelaine Free BOW Sampler Quilt Block 21

This weeks super pretty block is Starry Cross. I read quilt block reference books a lot and when I first saw this one, I knew it would make a lovely addition to our quilts but I also saw a few other things too, which sparked an idea for a new design; I wonder if you can see them as well.
Blocks can be interpreted in various ways and I think you are aware by now, just how much I love to tweak/add/enhance certain aspects of basic blocks and give them new life.
This particular block was the inspiration for a new mini quilt, which I will be releasing tomorrow (stay tuned). I hope it gives a good illustration of how blocks can be adapted to create something completely wonderful :)
To download this weeks free block pattern, just visit HERE.
I'll be back tomorrow with my new design :)

Homemade Tartare Sauce

There are many traditions associated with Good Friday but perhaps the most common custom is the eating of fish. When we think of condiments, to serve or garnish our fish there are many options but my favorite is a good squeeze of lemon juice and my Homemade Tartare Sauce:

I promise you, once you have made and tasted this sauce you will never buy ready made Tartare Sauce again. Its creamy and tasty and quite quick to make, so its perfect to throw together and chill just before you are ready to serve your Easter lunch.

Its not ideal for storing, so the recipe serves about 6 people and don't worry about leftovers, there wont be any :) I love the flavor that the grapeseed oil and white wine vinegar bring to the mayonnaise and I cut my capers and cornichons quite rustic to give it a nice texture.
To download and print the recipe, just visit HERE.
I'm sure this Homemade Tartare Sauce will be a favorite at your table, just like it is at ours. Enjoy..... and your welcome :)

"Winter Is Coming"

I have lots to share with you over the next few days and first up I wanted to show you what I've been crocheting. Last year I crocheted lots of scarves but 2015 is destined to be the year of the wrist warmers I think:

I found a few beautiful free patterns on Pinterest but the first one I tried gave me so many headaches that I ended up playing around with a few patterns and came up with my own version. These will be great for me because I hate wearing gloves and they become a nuisance when your shopping or driving. I'll be able to wear these without taking them off to open my purse etc.

Maddi loves them as well; she divides her time between Uni and her part time job at Sanity, so she will still be able to work/study while keeping her hands warm and toasty. They are quick and easy to crochet and they are a great portable project for me while I'm waiting to pick up Cohen from school or after school activities.

Over the weekend I did try something a little different by changing the cuff and adding a crocheted flower and I love how they turned out. Now that I have worked out a basic structure of the pattern, I can change the row pattern or add embellishments to make them different.
You can find the pattern for the flower HERE, it would look great on a scarf, hat or bag as well. As for the wrist warmers, I have a few pinned to my Pinterest board that may help or inspire you too :)

Toasted Coconut Macaroon Nests

You have probably seen the Noodle Nests made with Chinese Noodles and melted marshmallows; well I'm not a fan of them but I do love the idea and they look really cute. I am however, I huge fan of Toasted Coconut Macaroons and I was minding my youngest niece the other day and we decided to give them a try as little egg nests, too:

We used my "go to" recipe and just before baking, we made an indent at the top of the macaroon, to house those lovely speckled M&M eggs. You could add some melted chocolate or some chocolate sauce to the indent, to hold the eggs in place, but we chose to simply drizzle them with a little melted chocolate.

There are several ways to make macaroons and because I prefer them golden and toasty, I do toast the shredded coconut prior to making my macaroons but if you prefer a lighter version, you can omit this step and then remove them from the oven just as they start to brown slightly.

You could also add more shredded coconut, for a lighter option or you could substitute honey and a little coconut oil for the sweetened condensed milk, for a healthier option. The choice is yours.
To make these even prettier, we made some cute little toppers, which we glued to some coloured cardboard, stuck to a toothpick and added a pretty ribbon. I have a PDF file for the toppers, HERE if you would like to use them for any of your Easter cooking.

To download the recipe for the Toasted Coconut Macaroons, just visit HERE.

It really is a great recipe to make with the kids and my niece, loved shaping the nests and drizzling the chocolate (and sneaking M&M's as we cooked). She proudly took her batch home to share with her family and they were a huge hit...... a fun and successful cooking day and a very happy niece!
Happy baking :)

Chatelaine- Free BOW Sampler Quilt Block 20

This weeks gorgeous block is Fair And Square. There are a few variations of this particular block and you will find many of them in Amish quilts. I love the two toned frame of this variation, which surrounds the block, and I think it will look gorgeous in our quilts.
This is another quick and easy block to sew and I'm certain you will have fun with this one and love it as much as I do :)
To download this weeks free block, just visit HERE.
Don't forgot to use the hashtag #chatelainebow to share your blocks on Instagram or email me some pictures and I will share them here......I love looking at your blocks; they inspire me and others who are also working on this quilt :)

March's Fun Free Projects

Today I'm sharing this months fun free projects. I have been vigilant in making each project within a day or two of them being released so I don't fall behind and so far I'm keeping up. First up is this months free Snapshots Quilt block:

This is the super adorable "Put the Kettle On" and I was really looking forward to making this one. It's so cute and lots of fun and I'm considering making another one to use as a mini quilt for my kitchen.
This block reminds me of coming home from school each afternoon and sitting with mum and sharing the stories of our days over a cup of coffee. It was probably the only "one on one" time I had with mum before the everyone came home and dinner needed to be organised :)
And my second monthly project is, the March Snow Happy Heart from Bunny Hill Designs:

Isn't it adorable? I love the little sheep. I do seem to struggle with the expressions on the faces of these little snowmen and I have deviated from the pattern each time to get them looking right, but I think he's cute :)
To find the original links to these free projects, visit my original blog post HERE.
I hope you are keeping up with your BOM's this year too :)

Easter Chocolate Tart

I have mentioned before, how much we look forward to our an annual Easter Egg Hunt with friends in the neighbourhood on Easter Saturday night. The mums always bake something yummy to share with the adults over coffee or a glass of wine, once the kids are busy sharing their bounty and eating chocolate. This year I will be taking an Easter Chocolate Tart:

This is a lovely light dessert with a gorgeous fluffy and velvety textured filling, encased in a sweet, short pastry casing. Its quite easy to make and if your short on time or if you don't want to make your own pastry, you could always buy a ready made tart case and fill it with the chocolate filling (although this pastry is nice and easy).

Dusted with some cocoa and a sprinkling of chocolate eggs, that the adults wont have to hunt for, I think it will be perfect. I used my oblong fluted tin, because I can cut lovely finger slices to share but it works just as well in a round flan tin, if you prefer more of a pie.

We are looking forward to a night of fun with lovely people and I'm sure there will be no shortage of chocolate. This has been a wonderful tradition for us, for many years and one I hope we keep for many more to come.
You can download and print the recipe for this Easter Chocolate Tart, HERE.
Hope you enjoy :)