December Reflections - Day 2. Gold

 

I made this as part of a costume for a "rainbow party". 

I went as the pot of gold. 

Zxx

#decemberreflections

 

BEDM - Day 9 "Secret Talent"

 A little 'Art Therapy' project that I took upon myself to carry out.

 

 

Made with bits and pieces found around the home, years ago, I thought I'd make a fly screen curtain for the back door. The nylon cord came from a kite that my dad made me when I was about 9. The kite got trashed almost on its' first outing, but its' line was on a wooden kite reel that dad had made as well and that got kept...because one day, 'it would come in handy'. The brown plastic spacers I cut from the outer casing from copper wire that I had stripped out, (and probably had used for something else!). The leaves were stripped off fake rose stems used to make the bouquets that were handed out to Roxy and Velma in the original London production of Chicago.

Nothing goes to waste in this household!!!

 

 

I was just going to blog about my sewing and millinery, but Mr B said to use these two different items.

So, my second piece is a watercolour, again, done many years ago. I nearly always pack my tiny watercolour paints tin, boards and a pencil when I go away. But this has been the only time I have ever really done anything with them.

I used my make-up brushes to actually paint with! 

 

 

And the real view...

 



Thank Heavens For James Martin

My mum was born in Bradford, so it has always irked me somewhat that I have trouble making Yorkshire Puddings.

 

 

Toad-in-the-hole ...nice sausages, shame about the stodge! Etc etc...

 

A 3-egg mix, Trex rather than cooking oil, (my bottle of aforementioned oil, oh, about 18 months out of date!), and these take my taste buds right back to being a kid and the Sunday Lunch.

 

2015? I'm cracking it already!

Zxx

PS James Martin is a Yorkshire man and a chef!



& Modern

 

Our Christmas pressie from one of Mr Bs' past "angels", Chlo-Ro.

 

A pretty bauble found last year at Homesense.

 

Ditto the owl; but I daren't take him out of his case to hang on the tree, so this year he's on the window sill.

 

So, Christmas Eve tomorrow. Nearly done everything. Fresh produce and turkey crown to get tomorrow and my fave stuffing to make - sausage meat, prune and sherry. Oh yummy!

And mustn't forget to whip up some brandy butter.

Then ...done!

 (Or, is that all done in?!)

Zxx 

 



Stir Up Sunday, er no, Mix It Monday

Oh my goodness; what a palaver!

 

 

Got Mr B to 'shake' the festive mix bag of fruit and nuts from Aldi for a mini version of Stir Up Sunday as I hadn't measured out the ingredients to make my Christmas cake yesterday.

 

 

It was a bit of a shame I hadn't checked my cupboards because come yesterday I only had about a third of the dried fruit that I needed!

Arrgh!

 

Had a look through my large recipe collection in the hope of finding something I could do to salvage what I had already measured out.

Step up a print-out from Kirstie & Phils' Chrimbo programme, which was along the lines of x amount of dried fruit of any type and so forth, so that I could get the wet/dry/fat mix OK.

A very large amount of cherries, the remains of the mixed peel, some old dried apricots and even older crystallised ginger and 'hey presto' enough mixture to make a cake!

 



 

This was the final piece of last years. It was the Marion Keyes recipe, which, although very nice, was much too sweet for me.

What's the betting that this years' cake is the best ever and I won't ever be able to replicate it???

 

Zxx

A Skeleton Is For Life, Not Just Halloween



A favourite bracelet that hasn't had an airing for a while and has never been photo'd for my blog.



 



 

A Butler & Wilson piece of art, in my book!

  

 

You can't beat a bit of 'skull-duggery', can you?!

 

Twisted in with my homemade bracelet.



 

Such a wild necklace by Kreepsville 666, (check out that coffin-shaped name tag!), bought from Rockers England in Manchester.

 

Have a ghoulishly lovely weekend!

Zxx

Sock It To Me

In what alternative Universe was I in, when I thought buying this book, (a bargainous £3.99 from TK Maxx), and having a go at knitting Japanese stitch inspired socks?

Knitted Socks East and West by Judy Sumner

 I am knitting the socks on the cover, 'Fuji', specifically because they were designed to be worn when doing a pedicure.

 

One of the 2 things that I kept doing all the time I was at my lowest ebb, (very low for a very long time!), I painted my toenails. I may not have bathed for a week or washed my hair forever, but my toenails where always dapper.

(The other thing was keeping all 'the paperwork' in order...bills, bank statements etc, all filed and tickety-boo.)

 

 

But I just can't get the 'hang' of this at all. Even when I hit a 'respite row' of just knitting every stitch, it drives me nuts!

 

To start with there are 4 needles, then you go down to 3. I bought a new set for the size and thought "what'll hold a lot, will hold a little". Big mistake as Julia Roberts says in Pretty Woman. Big, big mistake. Too much needle length. But having said that, when using two shorty needles from my stash, I am forever losing stitches off one end or the other.

 

You can see how thin the needles are next to the pencil above.

 

Also, I can't see the stitches very well with my varifocal specs, so when they drop off I just watch the rows unravel before my very eyes!

There IS a stitch pattern, but I've got to the point of if there is the right amount of stitches on each needle at the end of a row I'm happy.

 

Regia Design Line Ombre Stripe 4 Ply - Frost Colour (04480)bought from deramores

But, it is very beautiful yarn.

Designed by my beloved Kaffe Fassett.

 I am wondering, as the yarn is so lovely, that I should bypass the stitch pattern and just knit it up

 in plain knitting.

 

What do you think? Any ideas, please.

Zxx

 



Get Yer Baps Out!

Following on from the 'bra post', how could I resist?
(When does a roll become a bap?)

flour-dusted, pine nuts, sunflower & pumpkin seeds toppings

mini loaves ready to bake

ready to eat



 I am still loving my bread maker and this is the first 'brown' bread I've made and is definitely my favourite.

 

It was just the recipe on the flour bag, so nothing fancy.

Just delicious! 

Simple Wholemeal Rolls makes 8

500g Waitrose Organic Strong Wholemeal Bread Flour

7g sachet easy-blend dried yeast

1 1/2 tsp sea salt

175 ml tepid milk, plus extra to glaze

175 ml tepid water

 

Make however you usually do - by hand or in a bread maker

 

Bake at 220C, gas mark 7 for 12-15 minutes.

 

They seem to last for several days, (I was on my own at the time of baking), or they will freeze for a month.

 

Mind you, if there's more than one of you, I don't see them kicking around long!

Enjoy!

Zxx



Ice Ice Baby

Continuing on the home made front...

 

 

The best dessert in the world (probably)

 

 

Strawberry ice cream.

 

Made in the second of my 'new birthday toys', an ice cream maker from Aldi.

Bloomin' lovely!

Z xx

A Bun In The Oven (edited version)

Well, technically a loaf.

 

 

In my new bread maker!

(from Aldi)
 



 

In a little over 3 hours I should, with luck, be tucking into homemade fresh bread.

Yum!

 

Will pop up a post on finished loaf later.

 *****

14:00 EDIT...now with added bun! 

Don't know what Picasa is playing at with my text - this is the 4th attempt. I give up!

So, here is my first loaf. Pretty good I'd say. This is the medium crust setting; I just used the Quick Start recipe. It tastes a bit 'yeasty' but that may be because I didn't stop to let it cool; I think it would be good with some added flavour and seeds/nuts etc.

But for my first attempt I am well chuffed.

 Zxx

I Made This

When I was in Plymouth I did my little foray to Dunelm Mill. We don't have one near us at home so it's like a little treat for me which takes a couple of buses to get to. There is a Hobbycraft next door so I have to have a little snoop around there too! Which is where I found these Jesse James beads. I was so wanting to make them into a bracelet and picked out findings, thread and some extra beads that I put in a pot. But, no, you can't buy just a few beads....you have to buy a pot-full that starts at £4.99 - £7.99.

So, I just kept these and finally, with a few bits from my stash I made this. 

I used earring wires and cut and twisted them into 'links', joining the next one before closing the loop. I'm really chuffed how it worked; so much so I never took it off the first night I mad it!!

How many of you remember this, from the end credits of the TV version of the X Files?

One of those 'bits' we would always join in with.

Now it's The Big Bang Theory theme song and I'm looking forward to a double bill tonight!

(Hope the neighbours can't hear me!)

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

to all my American readers.

Z xx

Today I...

 

Today I was going to go to the Fair and my local butchers' and greengrocers'.

But I didn't.

 

Instead, I made our Christmas cake, which is cooking away as I type.

 

 

 

I wore my new Christmas Cats apron. I do believe that Santa has found a matching mug and coaster set; guess I know what I'll be drinking my festive hot drinks in!!!

 

Having popped the cake in the oven and done a mountain of washing up I had a sit down with a coffee and a couple of slices of this Weetabix cake, which I bought from the Village Fair last Saturday.

I was a tad unsure, I mean, Weetabix cake? But so pleased I took the plunge...it is totally yummy. A dense, filled with fruit tea loaf with no hint of the breakfast cereal.

I've been have a slice as my 'breakfast' each morning. A pretty good way to start the day!

 

Right, I'm off to have a gawp at my cake.

Have a great weekend!

Z xx

A Nifty Thrifty Idea

Now that there is a chill in the air, it is time for me to swap to 'winter curtain mode'.

 

The long mustard velvet curtains go up in the bedroom and thermal linings are attached too!

 

The last couple of years I have tacked in these...

 



 

 ...an unused quilted mattress cover, cut in half and just caught in with tacking along the curtain tape.

 

But this year, after a trip to Abakhan in Manchester, I upgraded them with bias tape to finish the edges and some lightweight slotted tape at the top.

 

Simple, cosy and a lot more professional looking in the front room!

Just right!

 And not costing a lot of pennies or time.

Z xx 

Pearl Shots - the firework



 

This is what we found in our £4.99 bargain box from Aldi. I have written a 'Post for Pearl', but now I've found a firework too! 



 

 Me and Mr B had a little party for 2 with homemade potato salad and coleslaw.

 

 

Everyones' favourite...cheese and pineapple on sticks!

(Check out my groovy salad servers too!)

Carry on Camping beakers. (That's a pound, Mr Fiddler)

Plus the obligatory mini sausage rolls from Iceland.

 

Extra fireworks enjoyed via The Saints Rugby Ground! Hurrah!

Zxx



Oaty Goodness

 

My fave 'oaty ' recipe from Lucy at Attic 24.

(And check out all her beauteous creations and colour-loveliness while you're there)

 

 

With added almond slivers and coconut shavings. Which I toasted beforehand in a skillet. Makes them so much more tasty.

 

 

A rather solid slab of flapjack!

 

 

Could find my usual recipe, which, really, I should know by heart. So, I tried one from Anthea Turner's "The Perfect Christmas" (The most pretentious video ever...worth watching for the 'curl-up-with-embarrassment' factor, but quite a nice book really!); a bargain find at TK Maxx ages ago.

 

This had shredded coconut in which is okay but with no timings given it was a bit-play-it-by-ear; I think if I'd put it into 2 baking dishes rather than the 8" one suggested, making it thinner, it would've been so much nicer. But it won't go to waste...these are the only ways you'll get me to eat porridge oats, so it's a pretty good breakfast meal!

 

I've been rather unsociable blog-wise recently. Stinky cold-type thing and feeling as though I've fallen at the third hurdle of my CBT, so not been in the best of places since coming home.

 

But...cooking, at least that's a start!

Z xx