February 2016

I'm glad to see the back of you February!

I started the month with a lovely case of flu that made me take to my bed for a whole week! My brave little Bobby was bitten on the neck & needed veterinary treatment. I went to hospital for my long awaited scan & was diagnosed with gallstones! 

I also celebrated Hugo's first birthday, did lots of knitting, enjoyed spring daffodils, spent a day cooking, finally finished my hexagon blanket & started my blue bird cardigan!

Phew...... that's a lot in one month!

Cupcakes

Hello...... over a week ago I treated myself to this! 

I know what you're thinking..... what a waste of money, why doesn't she use the cooker??

It cost so much to use our big oven so I haven't made cakes for years. This little gadget is great & it was on offer!

It taken a while to get use to the mixture..... I followed the recipe in the book but it made 21 cakes! As the machine only makes 6 it took forever. 

I was making cakes for the Make, Do and Mend's 2nd birthday so it was ok..... I made plan (I had planned to ice them but OH forgot to order icing sugar on our Sainsbury's shop!) & coffee & walnut..... my fave!

The tin was full so they must have been good!!!

Today I halved the ingredients & made 12 apple cakes..... they're not very big (I have 2 at a time!) but they're handy for my lunch box & saves me popping to the bakery around the corner!

We also brought a Panini maker which has been very good..... I love toasted sandwiches :)

Next on my list is a pie maker...... anyone got one?

I've been so busy making for the big vintage fair in March...... must crack on!!!

Spicy Lunch

oohhh get me doing 2 posts in one week!!!!

Since I started in Laura Ashley I find I'm hungry all the time! In Habitat a sandwich would fill me up but now I find myself wanting something hot for lunch..... maybe it's all the stairs I have to tackle.

I'm not a great lover of soup,  reminds me of the 0 points soup I used to make when I was on WW..... dull & tasteless. So I brought a few Innocent veg pots, I find them really yummy & filling ,they're great when I'm going out straight from work...... I don't have time to eat before Make, Do and Mend!.... but at nearly £4 a time it ain't cheap!

Yesterday I found a recipe in the November County Living for kale, chorizo & butter bean soup, as I love all these things I gave it a go.....

I had a small bowl for lunch & it was lovely..... I'm rubbish in the kitchen but I can say this is one of the best things I've made.

I still had enough for 4 lunches...... all that for under £4! I've frozen 2 for next week, I just hope they taste as nice de frosted.

I's easy peasy if you want to give it a go

The County Living photo is better then mine!!

Enjoy!

Snowy day & Christmas gifts.............

Hello, Like everyone we had snow yesterday....yippee!!!!
I'm sure you all remember me telling you how much I love snow...... This photo was taken about 6am..... I think the passing cars thought I was crazy in my front garden in my Pj's!
In true British style we couldn't cope.................. the buses stopped running until 9.30, lucky it was my day off! The schools all closed but that didn't stop the kids from hanging around the streets all day throwing snowballs etc. I bet there's so older folks out there that could tell us how to cope in the snow........even in my day you still had to go to school even if it meant everyone in one room with one teacher!! Health & safety.......blah I hate it!!!!

So back to the point......with Britain at a stand still I stopped too..... I found it really hard to do anything yesterday so I just sat in my chair looking out the window. Please tell me I wasn't the only one?
The pussy cats were all tucked up in bed for most of the day, when Nanny finally dragged himself out of bed he popped out to see what all the fuss was about......

He was trying to get to me in this photo without getting his paws too cold!

At last I'll show you my Christmas gifts, so I can put them away......

Some lovely books from my wish list, as you can see I've already started 'Keeping Mum' & very good it is too.

And everything else...... you see that's the trouble with not giving very many presents....you don't get many back :(
I love the Kitsch craft book... I would love to learn how to Macrame again, it does show you in here but only a pot hanger, I would like to make a wall hanging. The same friend also gave my the Union jack goodies!

Did you see the tea towel??

From my nephew..... I love it but it's far too nice to use!

I've also been off today as I'm working all weekend.....it's going so fast :(
I've had a very thrifty day....I've been cooking all morning....soup with left over veg for my lunch box & a lasagne for tomorrow using left overs.
The only trouble is my soup is very thick...... as you all know I'm rubbish at cooking...yes even soup!! So come on ladies what can I do??? Shall I just add a little hot water before heating it up???

We have more snow forecasted for the weekend....I'm keeping my fingers crossed it comes......maybe I could have a snow day :) Keep warm everyone.

New toys & kind friends...........

Hello everyone, I'm tempting you with this yummy apple crumble..... I made this a few days ago & wanted to share it because it's the first time I used my spotty dish. I wish I had another one today............ I could just eat that now.

In my last post I told you all about a bargain I had found...........
Well to be honest I didn't hang about to read many of your comments because I had to work & just before I left I decided I wanted it................so I got it!!!
It was only £69.99 reduced from £199 so it was a real bargain! Regular readers will know I don't do technology........OH took his old camera back & took the lovely picture of Nanny in my new header picture. I think he wanted to prove that you could take close ups with it if you knew how to use it! Today has been the first time I've had chance to play & it's great!! I like the fact it tells you what to do on the screen...... an idiot could use it so there's hope for me!!

Here's Nanny yet again...........


I seen black & white photo's on other blogs & been very impressed.............hey now I can do it & it's so easy!!! I'm chuffed to bits :)

Now onto some serious stuff.............last year I brought this little fella from Michelle........

I fell in love with him & just like all my deers he stays out all year. I've been telling you all week about my goodies that I order this year so here they are...............


Fantastic!!!!....... I was so happy when I opened the box........... We used to have a Santa just like this & every year it was my job to find him in the box of decorations. I could never understand why he had to go away in January. I asked my mum only a few weeks ago where ours went & then I spotted this on Michele's blog............ but will he go away in January???
My deer collection is growing quickly & I've just placed an order with Jayne :)

Couldn't resist these cards, so much better then the tacky ones in the shops.

Yesterday I had a visit from Sal, I'm sure you'll remember how fed up I was about working on the day of the Vintage & Handmade fair............ I did moan just a little bit!!!
Sal had a lovely gift for me to make up for not going.........


Thank you so much Sal, you said it wasn't much!............I couldn't believe how much you gave me. It's all great....fabric, lavender bag, heart, cards & more!
Now I feel like I went to the fair :)

The last few photo's have been taken with the new camera........... if you can see a difference please let me know............ if you can't see a difference please keep quiet!!!!!

I'll be back with more deers soon. In the meantime if you would like to donate money to the poor people who have lost everything in floods you can do it here...... I worked out if I didn't treat myself to coffee & the odd cake this week I could give. My heart goes out to them, I only wish I could do more.

Have a good week :)

Strange week....

Well my holiday is over & what a strange week it's been..... I've been feeling odd all week but can't put my finger on what it is. I've done nothing, some days not even getting dress!!!
Yesterday I was home alone & felt like I was going to pass out every time I moved.... I've been sleeping loads but not doing anything to get tried. I've gone right off food...... which for me is a good things.... & had to force down toast some days just so I was eating.

Today I tried to pull myself together & I must admit I feel a bit better. I went to the shop this morning to get some proper food & I think the fresh air did me good. I also spent some time in the garden. Running in & out between the heavy showers :(

What do you think of my harvest???
Not much is it!!! I've never grown beetroot so I've been looking in my 'cook your own veg' book to find out how to cook it. I was planning on making my fave pasta dish this week with the courgettes but some how I don't think it's worth it. I've been checking them everyday & they keep on going slimy.... what gone wrong??? The flower at the end dies but doesn't drop off, it just goes to mush & rots the courgettes.
I'm just grateful to have any peas as this is my 3rd year of trying but I think I may need to mix them in a stir fry.

I'm wondering what's going wrong this year as I'm not having a good time with my veg.... as I said before my lettuces just keeps dying & even radishes aren't growing any more!

I was going through my photo's from last summer.......

My grapes..... I think they're doing better this year.

My main bed last year.....beans, courgettes & tomatoes. I try to improve every year but I'm still making mistakes.... like what do I grow courgettes in??? They get so big the block everything. Any ideas for next year.

This is the garden this year..... it's all a bit wind swept as the weather has been terrible this week. My arch is now broken so it sways in the breeze!!! The cat mint is now flatten & all & all it's looking a sorry state! I'm trying to keep on top of weeding but they come up so fast.

Brownies has now finished for the summer & I'm thinking should I return..... I want to join the WI, is anyone a member?
I'm also launching my web site in the next week..... hope I can get myself motivated to do this! I can even be bothered to crochet.

Hope to be back soon with some thing a little bit more interesting & my 100th post giveaway.

Brownies part 2

I thought I would keep you updated with my Brownie adventure, as you know I recently found out the pack I help is the worst in the area. After reading all your comments on my last post I felt I needed to make a change. I feel so bad that the parents are paying £25 a term for their children to run wild playing tag etc....... they could play that for free in the street!!!

One of the reasons I joined was to wear this lovely uniform....

I was never in the Brownies as a child, can't remember why now.....did I not want to go or did mum not want us to?? My oldest sister was in the Guides for years & even went to rangers....

So now I've finally joined I see the uniform has changed quite a lot.... I hate it!!! Who chose those's colours...yuk!! I'm wondering if I could get away with the brown leggings

LOL!!!!!

We will be moving sometime in May because we only have 9 girls & no one wants to come to this pack because the area I live is a bit rough!!!! There is a waiting list for the other packs nearby so we will be moving to another church hall, this is about 15 -20 mins walk from my home so not great...the church now is less then 5 mins. It's a shame because the girls who live near me may not come with us & it them we really need to help..... the regional person doesn't understand that not everyone has cars.

On Tuesday we had a planning meeting & I wanted to give them one more chance to change before moving on..... I wanted to join the WI but don't have enough time to do both, I chose Brownies because I felt I may be doing some good. At the meeting I used all my skills learnt from many a management course... glad they came in useful!!..... to get them to change their ways.

Anyway we now have 4 weeks planned & they sounds pretty exciting....

Next week will shall be working towards the 'cook' badge, the first badge we've done since I joined in January!

They didn't seem to know how to plan anything so I suggested that we do this over 2 weeks for full impact. So next week we will be making place mats & shopping lists. We will be making mini pizzas & smoothies the following week . By planning ahead we can get everything we need & get the girls excited about coming the following week. I've also suggested that we split the girls into 3 teams as we have one leader & 2 helpers, this means we only have 3 girls each which I think will work so much better because when it's a large group they all mess around & talk.

I'm really looking forward to this & just to keep it on track I've asked for a meeting at the end of each session so we can keep to the plan....the leader likes to change things, so I'm told......& also to see what works & what doesn't!!

They started a knitting project before Christmas but it's been forgotten about until now.... you all know how much I love knitting!! They were knitting squares but with no end result so I suggested we start a competition to see which group can knit the most squares then we can sew them together to make 3 blankets to go to the local animal rescue centre.

I'll let you know next week how it went.... I'm feeling more positive now.

Don't forget Cath tonight.

Mother's day gifts

Hope you're all enjoying the lovely sunny weather..... I can't believe how lucky I've been.... next week it's going to rain in the southwest so it's a good job I'll be back at work.

I thought I would share the mother's day gifts I made........

A crocheted vase plus of course a flower brooch.... not sure if mum will wear this but it looks nice on the vase......... some cheap & cheerful daffodils.......in my last post I showed you the crocheted flowers I had been fiddling with.....

I had an idea to make a card but it kept changing..... what do you think??? A bit fiddly as I had to hand stitch it onto the card but it didn't take that long to make... I'm thinking of entering CK make your own mother's day card competition..... you never know I could win...LOL!!!!

I also made these this morning........




Traditional fairy cakes, lemon iced cakes & plain icing with green & black chocolate flakes. I made them instead of the biscuits because I had everything I needed in the cupboard so the cost...... Zero, just my time. I made them because a couple of years ago my mum saw on the TV a company that made cupcakes for mother's day.... priced at about £7 per cake!!! She thought this was really funny so I'm hoping I can pretend that I brought them......(I don't think so!!!)



Sorry the picture is rubbish.....my camera was running out of juice so I couldn't take another. No sooner have I changed the battery then they go again..... I can take about 8 photo's before they need changing. I've tried rechargeable ones but they don't even power it up.... hate using so many batteries.... not very green!

Have a good weekend

Gardening & crocheting

I survived St Patrick's day...just in case you were wondering!!! It was a bit rubbish & I ended up being home at 5pm....watching Emmerdale & Eastenders!!

Yesterday the glaziers came & fitted the new window.... at last!!! Look how clean it is.....well this saved me a job!!!

I've been out in the front garden today because it was starting to look a right mess..... for some reason loads of rubbish blows in. Now I've checked next door's gardens & they don't seem to have any so why does it come in to ours???? (I've never seen them picking up rubbish) We're the only ones who still have a front garden everyone else has drives..... does this mean the roads are clear??? No they all have 2 cars!!!

I'll be seeing my parents on Sunday so I had to clear it.... I feel so guilty that my dad at the age on 67 has been in the garden nearly everyday this week from sun up to sun down!!!

I even swept the path!!!!

These arrived on Tuesday......

The whole set for just under £12 including postage. I can't believe so many of you like Miss Read books, I've never met anyone who's even heard of them.

Today I've been fiddling with theses.......




They're for my Mother's day card but then I had another idea so out came the hook again.....

I'll show you when I've finished. I make mother's day gifts every year because I think it's a bit of a con..... I've had so many emails offering flowers starting at £35..... my mum would have a fit if I spent that much!!!

Talking of Mother's day I need your help..........

Does anyone know a good biscuit recipe?????

It has to be cheap, easy & quick......... last year I made mum a fruit cake but it needed to be in the oven for about 45 mins so it ended up costing more then a shop brought one.

Please remember I'm not very good at baking.

Hope you're all enjoying the lovely weather...... maybe a long hot summer is on the cards.

Nearly there......

It's nearly time for us to put our feet up & relax until next year.
I had a lovely surprise when I got home today........

My giveaway gift from Vanessa at Just Original .... I won this box of goodies for doing 'Jamie Oliver's pass it on'....... remember???? I made the mackerel pate. Anyway I know that Vanessa's taken a break from blogging until the new year so I had forgotten about the giveaway. Look at all the things in the box......... I'm saving them until 'the big day' as this now doubles my presents!! I also have my swap gift that I haven't opened.... aren't I good!!! I was planning on opening that on Sunday but the day ran away..... I know it was the shortest day but that was just damn silly!!

I had to work early today (up since 5am!) but I did get home just after 5pm which was very nice.For the last few days I've been thinking about my late nan, at Christmas she used to make us all sausage rolls..... we used to laugh about how many she made. The pastry was a little heavy during her last few years but I always loved them. This is the 2nd Christmas without her & I would now give anything for one of Nanny M's sausages rolls........... so today I had a thought....if I can't have a Nanny M's I'll have a Josie-Mary's!!! And here they are.........

They taste damn fine.... hot straight from the oven.....mmmmmmmmm.......

I made some to take to work with me tomorrow along with the mince pies I made on Sunday. The rest I will have at tea time on Christmas day with some homemade pickled onions...... may be I'm turning into my nan!!!!!

Busy week.....

I guess like most people I've been very busy this week. It must be getting nearer as it's gone very quiet in 'blogland'!!! What with all the Christmas preparations & the terrible bugs that are going around no one has time to blog. I hope all you poorly people out there get better soon. As yet I've managed to escape it but we're dropping like flies at work so I hope it's not a matter of time.... after the year I've had I bet I get it for Christmas!!!




As you all know I went to see the pogues on Tuesday......it's was very good but packed to the rafters... very dangerous at a pogues gig!!! You couldn't move...the stairs going up & down were all full... I think the health & safety men would've had a field day. I was stood on tip top through out just to see the tops of their heads!!! They did all the old favourites including some very old ones that I haven't heard live before. They finished with 'Fairytale of NY' as always.... everyone is very drunk by this point so you just have to sing along & give a very big cheer when the snow comes down & Shane does his dance. Love it!! I didn't have that much to drink as you couldn't get to the bar & I hadn't had that much before we went in (I've done that before!!) However I did make up for it on the way home the next day!



So the rest of the week went by so fast.... the normal thing... work/bed/work/bed!!

It's now my last day off before Christmas & I'm trying really hard to get things done..... I've had to finish last minute presents & do loads of housework as I haven't been here all week. See what happens when you go out & enjoy yourself!!




I've made 30 mince pies.... don't look as well as I thought but they taste good.... well I had to try some!!!



Still need to wrap my gifts.... I hate that job!!!


I've decided not to decorate the house this year, it'll be the first time I've not done it. I always think it's a bit of a waste of time as we don't have visitors over so it's just us that sees it. It puts a lot of pressure on you to get the right tree, make sure it's up in time, make sure it's down in time etc. I'm not missing it until I see all your loving decorations.


Back to work tomorrow...... late nights this week to set the shop up for sale.... it starts on Boxing day this year so on Christmas eve we can't leave the store until it's all ready.... we close at 4pm & then rush like hell to get it done. Every year I say this will be my last in retail but I can't really do anything else so I guess I'll be saying the same thing next year. I have 2 days off for Christmas, going back on the Saturday then working until new year.... it's really sad that we have to do housework over Christmas but to me it's a normal day off......... Oh but I forgot you do get yummy turkey with pigs in blankets & bread sauce...... my favourite!!


I'm looking forward to starting work on things for myself now all the gifts have been done.... I've starting thinking of all the things I can make.... I'm getting a sewing machine from mum & dad & the crochet flower book from a friend....... I need to finish my granny square blanket that I started in March..... aahhhhhh so many things to do! I'm also thinking of selling somethings as I keep being asked, maybe this will be my ticket out of retail........ sitting at home knitting with my cats .... bliss!!!


I plan to be back before Christmas....... hope you're nearly done with the shopping etc & you can all put your feet up & relax... yeah right!!!