Anyone for a raid?

I've started a night school course in cake decorating and tonight we were modelling a Viking. Not sure I'll ever be called to make one again. Nevertheless it was good fun and he's currently drying out in the kitchen.

Sadly his helmet started to crack but truth be told I didn't have quite enough sugar paste for it and had to fashion it best I could. Man handling it meant it started to dry out and cracks appear! Lets pass it off as battle damage ;)

I think he's rather sweet although I suspect any self respecting Viking would curse at that description. A bit of raiding and pillaging anyone??

I wonder how long it will be before the pups start asking to touch him and then inevitably to eat him....

2190

A week today Pup1 will be 2190 days old (give or take one due to the leap year). Or 42 in dog years. A big 6 in human years. Either way it's that time again. Yep you guessed it......it's cake time.
Of late Pup1 has been slightly obsessed with the Toy Story trilogy so I had a look for some inspiration and the workers co-operative of myself and my mum set to work.

Can you guess what it is yet? <said in the style of Rolf Harris>

That was my very first attempt at piping. And I had to do it free hand!! Quite nerve wracking and has a slight upward slant due to my left handedness. The pics aren't quite as good due to being taken in artificial light but you get the gist.
Pup1 is having a party on Sunday at an indoor play centre (thank goodness no major home party prep this time) so the cake is for then. I am afraid I will probably resort to a supermarket cake on his actual birthday. Not even I have enough time to make two cakes in a week.

Me and mum did have a good giggle whilst making it today. At one point I was convinced that Buzz looked a bit like this

Marty Feldman in Young Frankenstein. OK I think you needed to be there at the time to see it ;)

A quick card......

It's my mums birthday after the weekend and it co-incides with pup1's birthday party (not being held at home thank goodness). We are making another birthday cake (pics will follow when it's been made) so I thought for once I'd be organised and made her birthday card last night.

My mum loves lavender and I had a backing sheet perfect for this card hanging around. I wrapped some organza (from a pack from the wonderful Poundland) round some silver card and then layered some more lavender paper on top. The tags were pre cut and I just added the ribbon. I hope she likes it, only took me about half an hour (factoring in pups interruptions) and the best thing is I am not panicking like a headless chicken about making one this weekend when I will already be up to my eyeballs in more cake making.

Mind you my mum deserves it look what she bought me.

Sorry the picture is a bit dark, it was this morning when I needed my miners helmet on!
I had a jam jar with coins in labelled mortgage overpayment fund. My mum thought that this money box was nicer. I am inclined to agree with her.

Sick and tired of sick and tired.

This week I've felt a bit out of sorts. Not unwell but a general malaise. Feeling a tad overwhelmed with all the things I want to change, personally and just generally. Having trouble knowing where to prioritise and then just not achieving anything.
This has coincided with what I like to refer to as FUgly days. Clearly you can probably guess what the F stands for when combined with ugly. Rather sums up nicely my internal mood, gremlins call them what you will.


I am struggling this week with permamently lifting my mood (it keeps fluctuating up and down), issues at home with one of the pups doesn't help so chuck that on the bonfire of discontent and here we come November 5th. I don't deliberately avoid negative stuff on my blog but I do generally prefer to focus on the positive. Am failing miserably with this at the moment.*

During the course of this week I stumbled across a rather sweet little gem of a blog . I don't "do" fashion but her blog appeals to my latent girlie girl inside (you know the one that's buried beneath my tomboy-ish exterior). I love how she puts herself firmly in the frame. Oh how I wish I had the confidence, might kick the Fugly days to the kerb. The only photo's I consider myself to be vaguely photogenic in are my wedding ones which leaves an awful lot of other pictures to loathe! So I was thinking in the vein of self improvement that I ought to step out of my comfort zone and start putting myself "out" there. Hmmmm brave words you might say. Part of my Fugly days is feeling a tad frumpy, well not exactly frumpy but I need to step away from living in jeans. This blog has kinda made me long for some style rather than just comfort.
Now I just need the funds to purchase a new stylish wardrobe. Well after I work out what exactly that stylish new wardrobe will be.
Apologies if todays post reads a little dis-jointed. Head is a bit of a jumble of thoughts and trying to write them down and make them coherent is proving trickier than I thought.

*This is not a gratuitous attempt at a sympathy plug so hugs and good wishes are not needed. I just need to pick myself up and plod, plod, plod.

Things from my childhood.

During a bout of decluttering-come-tidying in Pup2's bedroom I came across a few of my childhood treasures I'd put in her room with the idea of her using/playing with them. Neither of that has happened so I am going to put them away for safe keeping. Clutter? No these are a few of my precious treasures so doesn't count ;)

A couple of dolls. the one in the green dress is Amy who if memory serves was Holly Hobby's best friend. I am gutted I can't find Holly herself or Johnny who I also had. The doll in pink is the inspiration behind my MSE name and general avatar (on blogger too). She's nearly as old as me as she was a gift to me when I was a babe in arms. I had a bright pink babygro similar to the one she's wearing and thus my beloved late nan nicknamed me Bitsy Beans.  The actual doll is called Bitty Beans but aside from the sentimental reasons I prefer Bitsy (Little Britain and David Walliams saying "bitty" anyone LOL).

A blanket which I remember using with my minature Silver Cross pram and doll (which I confess I didn't play with as much as I ought to, especially since the pram was extremely expensive gift). My other gran crocheted this blanket and backed it with cotton. There are a few pulls in places but I rather love the retro flower design, shows me to be a child of the mid 70's.

A knitted or crocheted poncho. There is a picture of me wearing this, aged 18 months with a massive terry nappy and rubber pants peeping out of the bottom. Unfortunately this picture isn't to hand so can't share it with you.

I haven't even got started on the assorted stuffed toys I have kept as they are buried in the loft. Maybe when I get started on decluttering up there I'll make a post just about them.
Have you kept any items from your childhood?

Nearly Free Food?

Not 100% having paid for food items in the first place but getting something extra from leftovers. Having hung around the OS boards on Moneysavingexpert for a while now I realise I am not quite as OS hardcore as I like to think. People make lots of references to using the parts of veg that others aka moi throw away to make soup. "Madness" screams my inner food phobias. Some say fussy I say food phobia ;) When I sit and think about it I find eating other people's food mighty uncomfortable at times. I remember having a quite restricted palate and finding textures of some foods unpleasant (still do actually). Not hard to see why pup1 has ended up with ASD, that apple doesn't fall far from the tree.
I digress however. Having purchased some bargain fresh broccoli and cauliflower I duly trimmed off the florets and left the stems to compost. Which when I decided to push the boat out and use them to make some soup.

Nope this is not something you'd take to the Doctor to be tested, I saved the water I blanched the veg in before freezing. I figured it would be loaded with good stuff from the veg.

I added a couple of potatoes which as you can see made it a bit thick. I thought about thinning it down a bit but to be honest I prefer the sort of soup that sticks to your ribs.

So the verdict. I used the slow cooker. For too long so parts of it became a little well done which did affect the taste a somewhat. However I think I would definately make it again. Not sure I could be persuaded to use the carrot peelings though. Might be a step too far ;)

Adventures in Pastry

Friends of mine think shortcrust pastry is really difficult. I confess I don't find it troublesome but as you'll see below my efforts are not always that pretty.
Since Autumn appears to have started (one of my favourite times of year) I felt the urge to make some cockle warming cornish pasties. There will be pastie purists out there who will shriek in horror at the fact that I am not using swede but this is my version and one that I WILL eat.

All hail the food processor. Takes the faff out of making pastry and saves my fingers from all that endless rubbing together.

Having rolled out the dough pile on the filling. And pile I did.

Like said results not pretty, they look like pastry hedgehogs! Certainly not folded a nice and neat way. Basically it was the last of my plain flour, didn't quite have enough pastry for all my filling, I piled it in and some of the pastry was a bit thin in places and was threatening to break free ad it all had to be squeezed together! I am suprised they held together during cooking. Still as long as they taste OK that's what counts ;)

Actually I think when I serve these up for the pups I might tell them they are eating hedgehog. Or am I being a cruel mummy?

New Year?

According to one online article I read the other day the start of September is turning into the new New Year for some. I assume only those with kids in reality. A new class, a new school, a new uniform....a new beginning. I confess I am probably one of those people as I am planning how to spend my time once the pups are at school. Pup1 moves into Year 1 tomorrow and Pup2 starts Nursery 5 afternoons a week in a couple of weeks. Was feeling rather melancholy about it this morning, going to miss Pup1 (despite all the bickering that's gone on) and I am sure I shall have a few tears in my eye when ushering Pup2 on her way. As surely as night becomes day the seasons change and the months roll by.
Since it is officially Pup1's last day of Summer holidays I asked him if he would like a baking day. He LOVES to help bake (and of course lick the spoon clean) and I need some lunch box fodder for tomorrow. The sight of my two wee pups, stood on little chairs at the workstop helping me to weigh, measure, mix and pour is something I shall treasure.

The pups love their cheese straws and Pup1 always asks for them in the shape of gingerbread men.
Nice and easy recipe too:

6oz plain flour

3oz butter

cheese

cold water to bind

1/4 tsp of English Mustard powder

I just blitz the dry ingredients in my food processor til they are like breadcrumbs, add water little by little until there is a dough. Roll out and cut to desired shape. They are delish. Sadly a bit too moreish too and the pups were pestering for more than the couple they were given. I can see me making another batch before the week is out.

Chocolate Brownies. The best thing is these don't actually use any chocolate, it's all from cocoa powder. They are lush, especially warmed and served with ice cream ;)
I got the recipe from Sue at The Quince Tree although since these are for children I opted to leave out the nuts.

Pup1 is currently enjoying a break in the weather and making mud pies whilst pup2 is watching some Disney Princess film. I will be quite sad when this day draws to a close, it's been a happy day at home. You betcha it feels like a New Year to me, the end of one period and the start of another.



Beaches.

Nope not the Bette Midler film that makes you weep but the thing you find next to the sea.

This pretty much encapsulates how I feel about the beach and the ocean. Best of all it was lying there, untouched in a wonderful heart shape.

I have come to the conclusion I am a tactile person. I like nothing more than stroking the smooth pages of an unused notebook and the round smooth curves of a pebble off the beach.

Being a pisces I am most definately a water baby. I could spend hours sitting watching the waves roll onshore.

Living in the landlocked Midlands going to the sea is like manna for my soul. I feel instantly better, especially more on blue sky days like this one.

Who needs fancy toys when all you need is a spade and an endless supply of sand.

Personally I don't think there are enough red and white buildings around.

A sneaky purchase from Sandringham. A £20 note mug :) For me to visualise wealth flowing to me as I drink my coffee.

Hope you enjoyed a wee peek at some of my holiday pics. Pup1 is already asking to go back on his holidays. Wouldn't we all like to son.





And back to reality.....

So we have been back for 2 days. Washing nearly up to date, Hubby is tackling the ironing mountain as I type. The return to school lurks around the corner of the weekend so back to reality and routine is in sight. However I have some lovely pictures of our holiday in Norfolk to share with you. The weather, in a typically British manne,r has improved since we got back home but being a seasoned UK holiday maker doesn't stop us getting on with the business of enjoying ourselves.

Caravan site was a lovely CL (Certified Location) in mid Norfolk. Complete with apple trees, plum trees and walnut trees. Felt a wee bit cheeky scrumping for fruit so left well alone.

Hubby said to me "lets have a silly day". Forecast was rain, rain and more rain so kids had wellies, we had waterproof coats so lets go to the beach anyway, at least we'll know it will be empty. Pups had a whale of a time, running in and out of the edge of the sea, Pup1 managed to get soaking wet but isn't that the point of being a small person?

Sandringham. One of HRH the Queen's pile of bricks. Very nice if I say so myself.

A moment of sibling affection. Trust me this has been rarer than hen's teeth this summer holiday.

"My time is in thy hand" rather apt when it comes to me and my procratination.

A fantastic sunset. Sad thing about living in the 'burbs is the street lighting and lack of horizon due to houses. I could get used to living with a view like that though. Our annual relocation discussions did start whilst we are away LOL.

So thats part one. I don't want to bore you too much with holiday pics all in one go so more pics will follow in next post :)