**GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED** Maddabling Mother's Day Giveaway

**GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED**

Hello dear readers, I hope you are having a wonderful Sunday! As promised, Maddabling is holding a little giveaway to celebrate the milestone of 750 Lovely Maddabling Likers on Facebook. I want to take the opportunity to thank you for taking the time to support the Maddabling Facebook Page, to read my blog and most importantly, for the sweet comments that you leave for me to read. It really means so much to me and I do enjoy spreading the handmade love! I sincerely hope that you continue to enjoy my blogging journey with me.

So I hear you ask, what is the prize pack that is up for grabs ? 

There are two divine bath tea bags

a cute mothers day card 

 a sweet flower and key necklace with matching earrings

and a set of three pretty hair pins. 

All in all, a beautiful set of handmade Mother's Day treats ready for giving! Note: The bath tea bags are single use only; the bath tea itself is made with beautiful soap making grade botanicals and ground oatmeal. 

How to enter the Giveaway - rules, terms and conditions:
1. Be a fan on Facebook and let me know in a comment here that you are AND 
2. In the same comment, for an additional bonus entry, let me know if you are follower of the Maddabling blog 
AND
3. In the same comment, for an additional bonus entry, tell me why your mum (or mother figure i.e. grandma, aunt, stepmother) is so special to you? 

The all important fine print : 
1. The Giveaway is only open to Australian Residents this time around.
Giveaway Entries will close at 7pm West Australian Time on Wednesday 1st May 2013. 
2. I will draw the lucky winner using random.org. 
3. The winner will be announced on the Maddabling Blog by 8pm Wednesday 1st May 2013. 
4. A link to the blogpost will be placed on the Maddabling Facebook Page and the winner MUST contact Maddabling by 8pm West Australian Time on Thursday 2nd May 2013 to claim their prize. If contact is not made, a new winner will be drawn.

As I am promoting this on the Maddabling Facebook Page, the Facebook Promotion Guidelines state that I must make the following disclaimers :
1. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook. You are providing your information to Maddabling and not to Facebook. The information you provide will only be used for this giveaway.
2. In the promotion's rules 
(a) A complete release of Facebook by each entrant or participant. 
(b)Acknowledgement that the promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook.
(c.)    Disclosure that the participant is providing information to [disclose recipient(s) of information] and not to Facebook.

Wishing each one of you the best of luck for the giveaway - let the fun begin !

Art in the Park 2013

Hey lovely Maddabling blog readers, I hope you are having the most excellent weekend. I want to share with you another of the fine exhibitions we had the pleasure to visit over the Easter weekend. It was a beautiful clear Autumn day, the perfect opportunity to go for a drive through the countryside, and to meander through Art in the Park. 

Art in the Park is set in the day use area of Castle Rock, in the ancient Porongurup National Park. There were lots of sculptures to discover and admire. 

I particulary loved these entries from the Youth Section - Ebony Taylor with her "Lasting Lilies' made from recyc. plastic and wire 

and Kieran Taylor with his "There was a redback on the toilet seat" made from Recycled Metal and Plastic.

Here are some other pieces that caught my attention, how amazing are they?

There was even several thoughtfully placed "park benches" to sit on and enjoy the surroundings from. 

This fellow was spotted on the way back to the carpark and posed long enough for a happy snap. 

We really did see some lovely scenery on the drive, picture perfect in fact. 

A small indulgence on the way home with a stop at the Porogurup Shop and Tearooms, such a gorgeous spot to sit and have a coffee. 

Well, coffee and a delicious devonshire tea complete with lashings of apricot jam and cream AND still warm scones. Oh my! 

All in all it was a perfect way to spend the day and enjoy everything our corner of the world has to offer.

c is for oh my cookie goodness!

Maddabling recently spied this recipe in STM magazine and had to try it! 

Maddabling faithfully followed the recipe and promises you that it was worth every chocolatey step.

Here it is lovely readers so you can try it for yourself. This is a Donna Hay recipe: http://www.donnahay.com.au/

and there is another variation on this recipe on the Donna Hay website too! 

http://www.donnahay.com.au/recipes/breakfast-and-lunch/brownie-cookies-with-peanut-butter-frosting

Happy Baking and bon appétit!

SALTED CARAMEL BROWNIE SANDWICH COOKIES

Ingredients:

350g Dark Chocolate, chopped

40g Unsalted butter

2 eggs

⅔ cup (150g) caster sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ (35g) cup plain flour, sifted

¼ teaspoon baking powder, sifted

Salted Caramel Frosting

¾ cup (165g) caster sugar

¼ cup (60ml) water

½ cup single (pouring) cream

150g unsalted butter, chopped

Sea Salt Flakes for sprinkling

Method: (makes 12)

1. Preheat oven to 180C

2. Place 200g of the chocolate and the butter in a small saucepan over low heat and cook,  stirring frequently, until melted and smooth. Set aside.

3. Place the eggs, sugar and vanilla in an electric mixer and whisk for 15 minutes or until pale and creamy.

4. Stir through the flour, baking powder, chocolate mixture and remaining chocolate and allow to stand for 10 minutes.

5. Drop tablespoonsful of the mixture on to baking trays lined with non stick baking paper, allowing room to spread, and bake for 8-10 minutes or until completely puffed and cracked.  Allow to cool completely on the trays.

6. To make the salted caramel icing, put the sugar and water in a medium saucepan over low heat and stir with a metal spoon until the sugar is dissolved. Increase heat to medium, bring to the boil and cook, without stirring, for 8-9 minutes or until golden.

7. Remove from the heat and carefully add the cream and butter.

8. Return the saucepan to the heat and stir until the mixture is smooth.

9.  Refrigerate until completely cool.

10. Using a hand-held electric whisk, whisk the mixture until soft peaks form.

11. Spread half the cookies with the icing, sprinkle with the salt and sandwich with the remaining cookies.

New Year, New Leaf, New Growth - Wednesday Wishes

It's a New Year, time to turn over a new leaf and allow yourselves new growth; whether spiritually,creatively or whichever path you decide your New Years resolutions need to take you. I hope you enjoy the first of the Wednesday Wishes compilation for 2013 xo 

 

New Growth -  8x12 Print, Portrait Photo Art by caryn drexl

New Sprout necklace  by Constant Baubling

Turning Over A New Leaf hand stamped Spoon 

Garden Art by Vintage Garden Art

All Natural Bath Salts Jasmine Bergamot Violet Leaf in 

 recycled glass bottle by Garden Apothecary

Unfurl Earrings in Sterling Silver by Full Spiral