Great Giveaways....

As part of the Thanksgiving season there are some great giveaways all over blog land. Be sure to visit ....

The Brocantess:

Bluebird Notes:

Look what I won.....

One of my French blogging friends, Helene, from Fee un voeu, had a fairy giveaway at her blog.....I wished with all my heart that I would win this, as I totally love the magical things she creates for little girls....and "big" little girls.......

Thanks for this treat Helene and be assured, this will be treasured in this house...there is a lot of "little" and "big little" girls here, that will enjoy it

Please enjoy her blog and her stunning creations.........

7 Random facts about me.....

Carol from Raised in Cotton tagged me to name 7 random facts about myself......in a previous tag I named 7 weird facts........so here goes:

1. If I`m tired I can go to sleep for 10 minutes......get up and be refreshed...and I fall asleep immediately if I do that


2. My husband always tells everyone that I`m driving as slow as an old woman....but I get at least two speeding tickets a month....


3. I`m 80 percent deaf in my left ear and 20 percent in my right ear...sometimes that is really a challenge......


4. When I do the dishes it is quite a process of sorting....I sort glasses, plates, cutlery....everything apart and then I`ll wash....been doing this since I was a little girl....


5. I still refuse to wear my glasses permanently, although I can barely see most of the time and always irritates everyone including myself...especially in shops when I can`t read the labels or prices and need help......and I totally, totally refuse to wear that thingy-around-the-neck...


6. I still love toys and children's books and will think nothing of it to buy them for myself..or get them as gifts...my 14 year old bought me the nicest purple gypsy Brat, that is standing on my table in the office...and she is definitely not the only toy there....


7. Quite a lot of frames in my house is empty....(I get a lot of "when are you going to put.....).......but a secret is that I love the frames and the moment I put a picture in it --everyone look at the picture and not the frame......I love the frames...ok , maybe that should rather be with the 7 weird one`s

I tag the following 7 people to name their random facts .........

1. Lady Lavender


2. Indigi Girl


3. Nunu Pixi


4. Vivacious Violet


5. Deep Purple


6. Purple Syndrome


7. Purple Heart

Long weekend treats......

I promised to show some of my weekend finds......we visited malls, plaza`s, flea markets, markets and an antique fair.......lot`s of driving....lot`s of fun...just us girls......

Let`s Party

Wow......we had a blast....and enjoyed every moment........

It was a fancy dress......you had to dress as someone or something beginning with a M......as it was Megan`s party.......her 14th.....and yes, she`s officially a teenager now.....

The birthday girl dressed as a Medieval Princess and her beau as a Medieval Archer....we had Mickey and Minnie, Old MacDonald, Mrs McGregor, Morticia, a musician, Maid Marian, the Mafia, Monica Lewinsky and a whole bunch of other "M"`s

Everything was a huge success...except for....the cake......

For the first time in my life, I tried to decorate with marzipan......never realising that a chocolate cake won`t do the thing....... Why can`t I be like normal people ......no...for a first try, it had to be a 3 layered one....with the first layer a chocolate cake...oh dear......everything was stunning and very, very pretty and IndigoGirl and myself, were very proud of ourselves........until we saw the cake the next morning.........talk about disappointment.

The top 2 layers gently glided off the chocolate pink "joker" layer and greeted us almost top down ....it was hilarious. We could "almost" salvage the top 2 layers and pasted butterflies and flowers and tried to camouflage all the holes and imperfections

We didn`t have a perfect cake....but we had loads of fun......and it was yummy......see some more pics on IndigoGirl`s blog

I will post the "almost finished" room a bit later.........

Thinking Blogger Award

How strange....I took some "thinking-time" off and disappeared for a few days...........on my return I discovered I have been nominated for the Thinking Bloggers Award by Carolina from Neovamp Jewellery and Mary from Oh Merci

Wow.......I truly appreciate this, as one of the things on my "thinking agenda", while brainstorming with myself this past week, was......am I just showing pretty pictures, or is what I`m doing here actually worth a teensy weensy bit to someone else out there....I know that the friends I`ve made in the Blogger world means a lot to me, and many a day I open a blog and THERE....there is my answer or the inspiration I`ve been waiting for, but am I doing the same.........so thank you for this.........

I followed the lead on how this work and see I have to nominate 5 blogs that make me think. I know some of you have been nominated by someone else already, but I have to name the 5 that make me think, so here goes:

Corey from Tongue in Cheek........I think she`s been nominated many times, but how deserving.......Corey you`re my main pick-me-upper , make-me-thinker and I appreciate you for the extra mile, the honest motivation and the beautiful heart

Annie from Scenes from a Slow-moving Train........I just love Annie and her honesty.......but most of all....Annie, I love you for your good heart, that shows in your posts, your questions and your comments....thanks for being such an inspiration to me

Izabella from Izabella`s Blue..........dear Bella......how you inspire me and lead me to think about life, courage, art.........it was you and you alone with your wonderful inspiring art that got me back on the creativity road........and at that time we havn`t even "met".......I will always be thankful for that

Elizabeth from The Adventures of Elizabeth........always inspirational, motivational, visually inspiring and with a lot of style.......I learn a lot from you and can`t wait for your postings

Vanessa from A Fanciful Twist.........wow, so much energy....I just love it and tap from it and enjoy.......Vanessa you always make me feel that I have to get up and immediately do MORE.....what a joy you are.......

There are really way more than these 5 blogs that make me think and inspire me, but as per the rules, I will stop here

What to do if you have been chosen;
1. If you are tagged, write a post with links to 5 blogs that make you think
2. Link to this post so that people can find their way back to the origin of the meme
3. Display the Thinking Blogger Award

Virtual Potluck with Shabby in the city....

Shabby in the City called all Bloggers to have virtual potluck with her and share a recipe and dish from your part -of-wherever- you- live

As some of you know....I`m from South Africa and the dish I have chosen is a very traditional South African one........called Bobotie

No self respecting South African housewife will be caught without a favourite and treasured bobotie recipe.

Bobotie is like a shepherd's pie with personality. Minced beef is slow-cooked with curry powder and lots of aromatic spices such as turmeric, coriander, cloves, cumin and bay. Dried fruit - apricots and sultana's - and almonds are optional extras and give the bobotie a wonderful sweet and sour flavour. The mince mixture is placed in a bowl, topped with an egg custard and baked in the oven until the custard browns. Bobotie is almost always served with geelrys (rice cooked with turmeric, raisins and cloves) and accompanied by blatjang (fruit chutney)

For those of you interested...here is the recipe:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 onions, peeled and sliced
2 1/4 pounds good quality lean ground beef
1 thickish slice of white bread
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon medium curry powder (or hot for the hale and brave)
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt
freshly grated pepper (about a half teaspoon)
3/4 teaspoon turmeric
1 1/2 tablespoons malt vinegar
1/2 cup seedless raisins
2 tablespoons strong chutney
2 bay leaves (or fresh lemon leaves if available)
2 medium eggs

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Heat oil in medium sauté pan. Stir in onions. Cook over medium heat until transparent. Add ground beef. Cook until lightly browned and crumbly.
Soak bread in half the milk, squeeze out excess milk and mash with a fork - DON'T TOSS SQUEEZED OUT MILK! Pour it straight back into remaining milk. Set milk aside.
Add curry, sugar, salt, pepper, turmeric, vinegar, raisins, chutney to the beef mixture. Spoon the mixture into a greased baking dish, and place bay leaves on top.
Bake for 50-60 minutes in preheated 350°F oven.
Beat egg with remaining milk and pour over mixture approximately 25 - 30 minutes before end of baking time.
Serve with steamed rice (traditionally yellow!) and extra chutney.
Pure South African comfort food! Especially nice in winter, or cold with a salad in summer.

Serves: 6

And the winner is......Celestine....She who flies

Oh this was lovely...think I must make this a monthly thing....yes...I will......

How glad I was when the winner was drawn......Celestine !!!!!......she who flies....

Celestine has been one of my very "firstest" friends I met on Flickr....thanks my friend for all your encouraging comments and lovely words that always inspire me...it seems right that your name was drawn

For those of you that never met her: http://celestinemusings.blogspot.com

Some fun....for valentines

I saw this site via Vivacious Visions and had some fun http://vivaciousviolet.blogspot.com

This is a Dutch site...but these ladies know their audience...they reckon that men don`t remember valentines day anyway, so this year they focus on the ladies, will spend it with them and recon that you should target your friend your neighbor and of course yourself and treat all to their wares and a heart of chocolate and poetry

Have a look and chuckle with me.....