Nigella a must for your Christmas list!

If there's one cooking book to go on your Christmas list this year, make sure its our Nigella. Superb, homely, simple, comforting, easy, kitchen warming, tummy warming, delicious and any other superlatives I can think of. Not too many ingredients, simple ingredients, supermarket ingredients...in fact nothing in here is too hard to make. Her best book yet in my opinion.

and even better the actual cooking turns out almost the same as the book pictures....and there's not many recipe books where that happens...well not for me.

This is a crusty pizza made from a basic batter mix....absolutely moreish!

and made this most gorgeous soft ginger cake with guinness...I added a few sultanas to it....and have managed to freeze a third....Oh! and thats another good thing about the book, Nigella gives all make ahead and freeze directions at the end of each recipe.

BON APETIT X

Greengate pinny.

Morning, hope alls well? Have to show my gorgeous new pinny. Isn't it lovely, it comes from http://www.greengate.dk/ wonderful company. Perfect if you love CK but want more colour. Check them out you will not be disappointed.

PRETTY PLEASE.....I need some help, unfortunately I am a bit of a computer numpty. Anyway I thought I would do myself a photo shot and make a lovely new picture for the header of my blog. It took ages to do, so excitedly downloaded to "my pictures"....did all necessary to upload on blog and erm!!!!! darn things too big, can only see half of it. So does anyone know and can tell me how to resize....many thanks
ttfn x Managed to resize now have gone and mucked it up with image edit...I think its blurry, or is it my glasses.....grrrrrr!!!!!!!!! Maybe I'll try again later. x

Post holiday blues!!!!!!!?????????

Me post holiday blues, no no noI hear you cry oh yes! big time. I have just come back from a two week cruise on the Celebrity Eclipse. We sailed from Southampton to Vigo, then Lisbon, Gibralter, Barcelona, Cadiz, Palma and Provence. I must admit my favourite was Provence, we visited Bandol and Sanary, the harbour was full of the most beautiful luxury yachts, the sun shone and all was good. I didn't really think much of Gibralter mind you it was soooo hot that day 34 degrees, even the pavements seemed to melt and finding Marks & Spencers was rather weird.

Our gorgeous ship, if you see where the man is standing on balcony ours was the one below that. We had calm sees in the Med, and the notorious Bay of Biscay was kind and calm on way out, erm!!! she was not so accomodating on way back, 10' swells, and the ship was like a washing machine....18 hours of it eeekkkkk!!! But I was big and brave and put my wrist bands on buried my head under my pillow at night and tried to sleep, Oh thats inbetween feeling icky....ah well. All part of cruising. The dolphins we saw were numerous and was delightful watching then jump the wake of the ship and we were also lucky enough to see a couple of whales.

Don't know which ship this was sailing away before us but made an awe-inspiring sight/
Such beautiful sunsets!


So back to normality, well I'm trying, think it will take me a few days....so off to look at my piccy and video memories.....ttfn x

New Cath Kidston bag.

Isn't this bag gorgeousness.......treated myself to this for winter season last week. Briar rose mini saddle bag. I was a bit dubious as to whether everything would fit in, but it does.....purse/glasses case/mobile/brush/keys/tissues and inside pocket for lippy and odds'n'ends. Also so versatile, lovely to drape across body with strap long, or shorter on shoulder. The colour of the bag is so easy to match up with things....all in all wonderful. Cutesey door stop...."Home Sweet Home".x

Your first doll?

So ok girls, who still has their very first dolly with them.....meeeeeeeeeeeeee!
She is now half a century yep! 50 years old. Ops nearly giving my age away there, well add 5 years. She has been cuddled, dropped, thrown, covered in make up over the years but bless her she has survived. Shes had quite a few names over the years....Belinda/Matilda/Susan/Barbara/Janet....erm notice the 1950's names. Well now she is being much loved and cuddled by my gorgeous little Granddaughter. She loves to take her to bed, erm not quite soft and cuddly unlike her modern equivalent. What is even more dear to me now is the fact that my darling Mum (who for those that have read passed away some 8 weeks ago) made the outfit for her complete with knitted pants and vest underneath. She made this outfit some 30 years ago for my daughters when they used to play with her. Isn't it lovely that now my Granddaughter is loving her, long may she continue to be cuddled.

Night night, sleep tight......x

Ops! she does have a poorly though....I think that was me as a littleun. Also the elastic holding her together has also been replaced.

Prettify silk flowers with embroidered butterflies.

August seems to be rushing by and have wondered where the beautiful weather is...hmmm! will we all need our woollies soon? Anyways been busy making these embroidered butterflies to pretty up my silk flowers, not sure whether I will leave them there but they certainly look pretty.

and of course a bit of crafting also came too.....cupcake pot holders or stands....its funny my machine has been idle the last 2 months but now the rains here, what else is a girl to do but make.

We all need bunting and a knitted cushion!

Thought would show you this years grapes.....not bad eh! might be edible!!!!!!!!! Tried them last year ohhhhhh! sour.Thought I would show you my bunting, actually as you can see I'm not very picture taking savvy, but it is all oilcloth Cath Kidston, florals/spots and the like. I wanted to make some myself but when I cam across a seller making these for £10 and theres 15 flags...only problem is the ends furl up in the wind, any ideas? Only place to put it around the spa

Ok you may or may not know that I knit knit and knit, always have a project or two on the needles and my latest is this sample cushion. I used Rowan Cotton Glace 5 different colours and for those in the knitting world know, went and sourced my patterns from Ravelry knitting community. 9 squares 2 weeks later ta da!!!!!....a part besequined (erm is that a word?) ah well....cushion...I love the jewelled colours, you see thats my problem. I love pastels for things and then drawn to these gorgeous colourways. Actually don't laugh the knitted bottom left square is supposed to be a cup of coffee, but I stupidly put it on upside down and inside out.