A Break from Baking and a Chocolate Thick shake

At the moment it’s school holidays so I’ve got a glorious six weeks off work.  I thought I would get a lot of baking done, but I haven’t.  There has been trips to the beach, visiting friends and having BBQ’s, snorkelling at Goat Island and Christmas all mixed into my days.  When I have had some down time to myself I have been getting crafty and watching movies (seen 10 this year already).  Here’s some stuff I have made recently:

Presents for Courtenay’s bun in the oven; baby Max.

 Owls for my little cousins.

Sock monkeys and presents for baby Matthew McDonald.

I even set myself up a shop on felt, which I don’t see doing much, but it was fun sticking stuff up.  Yesterday, being a lady of leisure, I zoomed around Auckland stopping in at little shops I have wanted to check out.  It was so much fun that I wanted to share it with you, despite there being no baking being made on my behalf.  I just thought my day summed up what I have been up to lately.

The first stop of my day was in Point Chevalier.  I went to a bead shop - ‘The Bead Hold’.

Where, after spending ages ogling their vast selection, I purchased a few beads which I am going to turn into earrings.

Next, I wandered down the road into this place; ‘Organic World ’:

 
I bought a Tomato and Lentil pie.  It was one of the ugliest pies I have ever eaten, yet one of the tastiest.

 
Then, just a little bit further down the road I stopped into The Little Craft Store.

Going here was the main reason for my trip.  I’m glad I went too – it is such a cute little shop; the owners is lovely, the fabrics are so pretty and I got myself a sewing pattern to make a birdie pillow (there’s a picture of it further down the post).

While out I decided a stop in at Icing on the Cake was in order, so I could pick up some cupcakes for Simon and I to eat later on, as we had planned on watching Black Swan.

These were delicious, but I didn’t get to eat them until 9pm-ish, as Simon decided we were going mountain biking (where I almost died) after he finished work, before watching the movie!

Also on my tour around some of Auckland’s little shops I stopped in at Bread and Butter on New North Road.  It has only been open a week – stocks some cute crafty items and vintage clothing.  I felt a little out of place as I was the only one not in a vintage dress – I love them, but I don’t think I can pull them off :(

I made a quick dash into Flotsam and Jetsam too because I wanted to get an old milk bottle to use as a vase for some pom pom flowers I had made.

 
When I got home I was mega thirsty as I hadn’t had a thing to drink all day, and all I had eaten was that pie, so I made myself one of the bestest chocolate thick shakes.

 
If you want to make one you will need:

1 tablespoon sugar
3 – 4 heaped tablespoons Milo
5 – 6 massive scoops of vanilla ice cream
1 x 150g pottle of chocolate yoghurt
1 cup milk

Mix it all in a blender until you get your desired consistency.  Makes 2 large glasses.

After indulging in a glass of thick shake I got to work on my latest project.  I’ve just started making a large striped crochet blanket and I’m loving all the different colours of wool I’ve got waiting to be used!  Now, don’t freak out that I am abandoning baking – I promise I will have made something by the end of next week.