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Pizza Perfection

Pizza Perfection

bottega-rotolo-logoBarb (my mother-in-law) and I went to a Pizza Perfection class last Thursday evening at Bottega Rotolo in Hobart.

This great hands-on class is always a hit!  This course is for those who have a passion for freshly baked pizza and the taste of handmade pizza. Learn the secrets to making the perfect pizza dough, the importance of yeast and choosing the right toppings.

Regardless of your current skill level, this course will instil confidence & inspiration in the kitchen.

I was out the door in mid witching hour at 6:15 pm, leaving Poppy and James in the safe hands of their Dad and off to blaze the pizza-making-trail!

On arrival there was the obligatory awkward chit-chat with fellow pizza lovers but by the end of the class, conversations were flowing as we shared kneading know-how, glasses of bubbles and our home-made pizzas – made to perfection!

Pizza Perfection

Pizza Perfection

Pizza Perfection

Pizza Perfection

Pizza Perfection

Pizza Perfection

Pizza Perfection

Pizza Perfection

Bottega Rotolo

Pizza Perfection

Pizza Perfection

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What do you think?

Over the past six months I have been contacted by numerous companies and organisations with proposals to advertise on The Poppy Files.  I have been in two minds about this for some time and wondered what my devoted readers think?

MedelaMenu Log

Adinkum Logo

Cupo Nation

Firstly, the primary function of the The Poppy Files is my creative outlet.  It is also a family memento as we watch our children evolve each day and an account of our life here in Hobart.  I love that the blog is clean and free from flashing advertising trying to compete for your eye and eventually a click to convert unsuspecting readers into thinking they ‘need’ a product or service.

Adversely it continues to surprise me how many of you visit The Poppy Files – I receive an average of 50 visitors a day from all over the world, which is a pittance compared to other blogs but it is humbling to know that people are interested in my account of our life in Tasmania.

So – what do I do?  Part of me is attracted to the idea of monetising my blog if I can, but would I be selling out?  What do you think:

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Yum : Lolly Banana Slice

I have just bought ingredients to make this Lolly Banana Slice again. I first published this recipe in November 2012 and it has been my most popular post. Yum!

Larni Davies's avatarThe Poppy Files

This slice is incredibly rich, but oh so yummy.  Anna N. gave this recipe to me last year and I don’t make it very often, as it is far too tempting to have in the house:

Lolly Banana Slice

  • 1 packet Marie biscuits – crushed
  • 1 packet lolly bananas
  • 60 g butter
  • 3/4 tin condensed milk
  • Chocolate – white or milk
Method
  • Place biscuits and chopped bananas in a bowl
  • Pour in melted butter and then condensed milk – mix well
  • Press into a tin and spread with melted chocolate (white or milk)
  • Chill and cut into small squares

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Mother and Child ♥

Mother and Child - Gustav Klimt

I have always loved Gustav Klimt’s painting Mother and Child which is part of a larger painting called the Three Ages of Woman:

Three Ages of Woman

The mother with the child in the middle of the group represents beauty and the way she lovingly cradles the baby is a representation of the unconditional love of a mother.  See how she rests her head on the head of the child.  She is the personification of contentment and this look of contentment is mirrored in the face of the baby as she peacefully sleeps in the knowledge that the arms that hold him and the sound of his mother’s heartbeat offer him safety and affection.

I love how the above review has beautifully used the description: ‘personification of contentment’ because when I am cuddling our little snugglies in bed, that is exactly how I feel.  Xx

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Winter

Lisa Bengstsson Print

Winter is officially here in Hobart and I have been hibernating … hence my lack of posts.  I am however loving a good winter roll-neck as Petter is modelling here – they always look so dapper.

Here is my ‘go to’ winter woolley at the moment:

Country Road Jumper

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International Blog Swap Day

IBSDToday I have the privilege of sharing my blog with Annwen from Ramblings Of A Suburban Mummy in England as part of International Blog Swap Day:

Digital Parents are excited to have teamed up with Tots100, UK’s most exciting network for Mum and Dad bloggers to create the first ever International Blog Swap Day – a fab opportunity for Digital Parent bloggers to step into the shoes of a UK blogger for a day – and host a UK blogger on your own blog.

I am thrilled to host Annwen’s post with you all today.  Enjoy …


Hi, I’m Annwen,  I’m visiting from Ramblings Of A Suburban Mummy blog in the depths of Yorkshire in the UK.

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I’m featuring here on The Poppy Files as part of the International Blog Swap Day event. My blog tells tales from suburbia, I like to describe it as almost but not quite living the suburban dream. We live in a beautiful village near enough to big towns but still enjoying lots of countryside – for me it’s the best balance of both, I wouldn’t want to live somewhere too rural because I like having access to good nights out and shopping too much but I love that we can walk out of our front door and be in fields within two minutes.

Ramblings Of A Suburban Mummy BlogOur family consists of myself, Annwen, I’m an Office Manager in a teacher training office, I work part-time so I still have lots of time with the kids. I work because I like my independence and I need to be challenged. Being at home with the children is fantastic but I love my job and can’t imagine not working. I do find the balance of working, running a home and raising a family can be tough but I think I muddle through ok most of the time!

My husband, known as R, is a Bank Manager, he works really hard to look after our family and is my best friend. We’ve been married nearly 8 years now and it’s flown by, we got married in Orlando, Florida and it’s one of our favourite places in the world. I can’t wait until the children are old enough to take them for a visit!

We have two children, C, our son, is 5. He is a very loving child, always thinking of others and putting people before himself. He loves to be outdoors and will happily play in the garden for hours on end. He loves Angry Birds, Lego and sticker books, give him anything to do with those things and he would be happy for hours! Our main trouble with C at the moment is that if he could he would play on the iPad all day long, we’ve had to ration him to half an hour at most because otherwise we’d never see him! Summer time helps with that because he’d much rather be playing in the garden and he forgets about the TV or iPad when he can spend time outdoors!

LissyLou is our 3yr old. She is the bossy one of the family. She likes things done her way and will tell you very quickly if you get it wrong. She is also a sweetheart, cute as a button and she wraps her Daddy around her little finger. She recently started Ballet Lessons and I love how hard she is working to practice her steps and moves. It’s very sweet watching her dance with her teacher, Miss Ruth, she loves her and always behaves beautifully at ballet class. She is madly in love with Harry from One Direction and can spot pictures of him from miles away, it’s a strange obsession for one so small but it only seems to grow!

If you would like to know more about our lives, our ups, downs and all the in-betweens I hope you will visit over at Ramblings Of A Suburban Mummy (www.realsuburbanmummy.com)

Annwen xx

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Cosy Conversation

Table

I’m re-posting my Instagram photo from Sunday because I just love the low Autumn light across the table.

Nick was away boating over the weekend and so my sister Cath and dear friend Depha, joined me for dinner on Saturday evening.

I lit the fire, cooked up a big Coq Au Vin and settled in for a cosy night of conversation. Xx

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Bright and Dreary?

Warwick Fabric

Another wet and dreary Hobart day.  Another load of washing.  Another sleepless baby.

Lucky for these beautiful colours from a Warwick fabric sample to bring some cheer to my day.

Washing

Warwick

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Lest We Forget

Poppy Illustration

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Upright

James Upright

Crawling one week – cruising upright the next.  Wooah!  Slow down baby … you’re growing up too fast!

Upright

Upright

Here is a photo of Poppy at the same stage:

Poppy