Pink

Pretty in Pink ... Whilst Ella was sleeping underneath a radiator (snoring for England!), Maurice crept onto her blanket. He knew he shouldn't really be there, as he jumped down the first time I tried to take a photo of him, but soon got back up again.

Tickled Pink ... At finding this book in the library and at finding this Rowan Ribbon Twist at a bargain £1 per ball. I am secretly knitting a scarf for Fay for Christmas.

I am also knitting another beaded bag, this time as a gift for Rachael. Pink again.

In the pink ... my bling Crocs that I wear indoors.

I seem to have gone overboard with pink recently, even the garden hasn't escaped!

I have also bought a taupe/cerise skirt and cerise bolero to wear at Christmas. A departure from my usual blue - I'm obviously not feeling myself and had better go and have a lie down!! I think I need to - only four weeks to Christmas and I am feeling very disorganised. Is it only me, or has Christmas crept up on anyone else?

Another New Recipe ...

... Mushroom Burgers

I have adapted a recipe from a recent Vegetarian magazine and stuffed 4 large mushrooms with a spinach mixture. To make, fill a processor bowl 2/3 full of baby spinach leaves. Add a clove of garlic, 1 tsp of lemon juice, 1 slice of wholemeal bread, some mature cheddar and the stalks of the large mushrooms plus a couple of smaller mushrooms. Season and process. Fill 4 large mushrooms with the mixture and top with a few slices of cheese. Bake at 190'C for 15 minutes. Toast seeded burger buns and place one cooked mushroom in the centre of each bun. The quantities are not crucial and cheese can be changed to use whatever is to hand.

Please excuse the blurred photo.
Ready to eat.

Be warned, like all good burgers some of the filling is likely to slip out!

Craft wise I have completed the items for the two secret santa swaps on the CL forum, but I can't show them, so here is something I made earlier this year.

My pine hand-mirror was looking a little sad so I painted, distressed and silver-leafed it.

Nothing much has been happening here, apart from my husband cracking our bath the other night!! Just what we need in the run up to Christmas!

Cats in the Kitchen

Trying to cook in our kitchen is like swimming in a shark-infested sea as I am constantly being circled by two cats!

So I filled up their mouse toy with dried food to keep them occupied (not for long) whilst I cooked our evening meal.

This is the finished tart.

Butternut Squash,Caramelised Onion and Goat's Cheese Galette adapted from the Smitten Kitchen's butternut squash and caramelised onion galette

Maurice is also making a nuisance of himself elsewhere in the house. At night time he likes to stretch out on a middle stair. Being a cat he doesn't move, but expects you to step over him. A bit of a problem when he is black and you can't see him in the dark. I'm thinking of renaming him Mort as he is going to be the death of someone!

On the craft front, I have finished painting these wooden stars for a friend to sell in her shop and I am cracking on with the cross-stitch decoration. I am taking part in two forum Christmas swaps and I have some family Christmas presents to make, so please forgive me is the blogging isn't as frequent as usual.

A Weekend of Remembering

Remember remember the fifth of November

Gunpowder, treason and plot.

I see no reason why gunpowder, treason

Should ever be forgot...

We managed to watch a firework display before the wind and rain reached us.

Remembrance Sunday

Jay looking very smart in his uniform.

One very proud Mum, but a Mum who is also hoping that he doesn't follow his Dad into the Forces. Whatever you chose please keep safe.

Kisses & Crochet

Chocolate Kisses that is! In a previous post I mentioned that my husband had brought home some Kisses and I made these Peanut Butter Blossoms from a recipe in a magazine.
I have finished another stash-buster. I taught myself to ripple!! (Jay says I have ripples ... he usually spoils a hug by squeezing them!!) The yarns I used were leftover acrylics from knitting baby clothes for Jay. Now he has a cushion for his bedroom floor. He has just grown-out of a pair of much loved, skull patterned jeans and likes the idea of them being made into a patchwork cushion for his room - another item on my "to do" list.

On the craft front, I have been painting wooden stars for my friend to sell in her shop as Christmas decorations, taken part in a Halloween swap and postcard swap. I still haven't finished the cross-stitch decoration for Fay, so I intend to finish that before I start anything else!

Feel free to nag me about it until I post a photo of the completed item ;)

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween ... you may guess from the amount of photos in this post that I love Halloween! I think that I am becoming well known for it in our village as we had 30 trick or treat visitors!

We are fans of "Nightmare Before Christmas".

I received this lovely hanging as part of a forum swap.

In the kitchen ... the ceramic pumpkin I made years ago.

Home grown.

I managed a spot of glass painting during half term.

I copied these designs from a library book.

Decorations bought from Germany a few years ago.


Decorating the front garden.

We purchased the two skeletons whilst on holiday in Florida this year.

Jay's costume ready to go trick or treating.

Caught in the act!

Maurice checking to see if there is anything for him to eat!

One of the bags made-up ready for our spooky visitors.

Pumpkin Jack and Oogie Boogie from "Nightmare before Christmas".

Spider

Haunted House

Spiders and web at a bargain 10p.

Jay and I went out for a short while, but his hands were so cold he wanted to go back home. In the photo you may notice that he is wearing my gloves!


Having a fangtastic time!