Foodie Friday!

An oldie but a good one! 

Crunchy Lemon Cake!  I made 3 in total, 1 to be covered with the crunchy topping and 2 to be frozen!  It doesnt matter if its not iced, plain with coffee is just as nice! 

Recipe is week three of my year of recipe challenges. SEE HERE!

Thrifty Thursday!

Bargain hunting this week came up trumps for me!

The red dress is from Mantaray and was £4.00!!  rrp:  £40!

The rose flower dress is from Ness and was £4.00!  rrp £49.99!

The brown summer dress is from TU and was £2.00!  rrp £25!

The spotty lace finish skirt is from East and was £3.50!  rrp £69!

Sorry for the dodgy pictures - they were taken with my phone!  Battery needs charging on the  camera and i wanted to get this post up tonight! 

Fat face jacket for Ethan - looks brand new - £2.50  (i think would retail for well over £30!)

Scarf - £1.00  (its only F&F but i think they are around £8-£14 normally)

So for £17.00 we ended up with over £200 worth of summer clothes! 

Bargain!

What have you picked up this week??

TTFN

Debbie

x

Weigh in Wednesday!

Another 3lb gone and ive got my first certificate this week! 

1/2 a stone gone in total (well 7 1/2lb to be precise!) and i also got slimmer of the week!

Yayy me!  

Ive just rewarded myself with some walnut bread and caramelised onion houmous! 

YUM!

TTFN

Debbie

x

Reviews'day Tuesday - celebraTORI (Tori Spelling Book)

Having started out on this fabulous journey that is party planning I thought it best to read as much as possible on the subject.  Everyone knows the name Tori Spelling from Beverly Hills 90210 in the 80s/90s but did you know shes a complete domestic goddess and party queen!?

She is also one of my heros!

Tori is a fabulous mummy to 4 little ones and I only wish we got the Tori and Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood tv series here in the UK!  I love sneaking a look behind the doors of how the other half live!

It was while I was looking for books on party planning that i first came across Toris book - celebraTORI.

I picked it up thinking it was going to be another over done, over written and over produced book telling you how to swan around looking pretty while everyone else does all the work...  Hey I like a bit of escapism too! 

No!

From the little stories of past parties to tales of disasters and tips on how to cut corners, this book has it all!  The photography is beautiful as are the ideas for tables and parties.  There are drink recipes as well as menu planning - through to how to make tissue pompoms and bodyscrub! 

I devoured this book in one sitting, not because it was easy reading but because i got completely absorbed in the whole feel of Tori's lifestyle....oh to be a fly on the wall at one of her parties!  

Highly recommended reading even if you take nothing away from it other than a couple of recipes and smiles :)

TTFN

Debbie

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Making Monday - Pinterest upcycle!

Quirky is one way to describe some of the projects on Pinterest.... ok... downright wierd can be used for some of them!

I saw these and thought they were cute but wondered what on earth you would use them for other than to be a 'piece of art'.  I'm sorry but living in a house with 5 kids where it is crowded to start with means that we don't need to be bringing things in if they don't have a function (can you tell i have used that line before!) ;)

Not something I would ever have thought of if I had'nt seen it on Pinterest! lol

Thinking cap on and I came up with a cute little idea for my sister (shes itching for another dog so i just know it will be used at some point)

I cut the dinosaur in half (he was a 20p cheapy from the car boot sale) with a stanley knife.  He was hollow so was possibly a little easier to cut than if he had been solid, I would suggest a hand saw otherwise.

Choosing the blue was down to the boys, I spray painted both the dinosaur halves and frames and let them dry completely before moving them...finger marks aren't pretty!

There is a huge amount of scrapbook paper out there which could have been used for the background and i chose the raindrop ones as it always seems to be raining lately!

Glass glue was spread on the cut half of the dinosaur and left to go tacky before holding in place on the glass to adhere.

I then chose some bright chipboard sticky letters to spell out WALKIES!

The dino part???   Well thats to hang the lead on!

Overall project thoughts... something different!   Not sure I would do it again! lol

TTFN

Debbie

x

Social Sunday! Blog Hop!

Welcome to Social Sunday!

After a lovely day at the beach yesterday Im having a day indoors making sample invites for an upcoming party.  I think a Friends marathon is in order until hubby returns from flying so we can watch the Formula 1 race - Monaco - my favourite of the season! 

(...just one of the reasons I watch - yummy Mark Webber!) 

What are you up to today?   

Scrappy Saturday!

Today crafty Saturday has been scrapped in place of a day at the beach!

The weather is far too nice to be crafting in doors so we headed out to the sea front - due to the weather being typically English this was only Evies 3rd time at the beach! 

  

Naturally she loved it until the waves got a little close and we had to edge back, grabbing all our stuff and shuffling onto the cobbles at the  back of the beach! lol

The boys loved it as ever and got soaked through - Scott, ever the water babe couldnt resist 'falling' over in the water so he was covered - im sure he must have been freezing but he didnt care!

Ice creams and a walk back to the car later everyone was dried off and ready to head home for our first BBQ of the year - today was good....very good! :)

What did you get up to today?

TTFN

Debbie

Foodie Friday!

I suppose by now you can see a theme going here each day!

Its so much easier for me if i know i have scheduled days when I'm to post certain things!

I guess its also easier for you to know if you can skip days you're not interested too! lol

So, it goes like this...

Making Monday - Pinterest Inspiration

Reviews'day Tuesday - links and things I like

Weigh In Wednesday - Slimmingworld and Slimpod

Thrifty Thursday - Bargains of the week

Food Friday - Step by Step recipe

Scrappy Saturday - All things crafty

Social Sunday!  - Blog hop link up with you all!

See why I am so excited!! I think its the list maker in me coming out - i like order... (i like chaos too, i just think im getting to old for it!) ...i like writing things down so i dont forget! lol

Anyways, Foodie Friday is Peanut butter Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Frosting and chopped nuts topping!

(picture taken at the Vintage Tea Party for the opening of my shop)

Makes 36

Ingredients

420g Plain Flour

360g Caster Sugar

120g Butter

4 1/2tsp Baking Powder

360ml milk

3 eggs

150g peanut butter

topping...

5tbsp salted caramel sauce

600g icing sugar

100g butter

100g mascarpone cheese

handful of chopped nuts

Method

1.  Cream together the flour, sugar, butter and baking powder before adding half the milk.

2.  In the rest of the milk add the 3 eggs and whip slightly.

3.  Add to the cake mix and then fold in the peanut butter.

4.  Using a small ice cream scoop, place in cake cases and bake at 180 degrees c for 20 minutes or until skewer comes out clean.

5.  Once cooled mix together the ingredients for the topping (except the chopped nuts) and either pipe into swirls or using a cake spatula, level out a layer on the tops of the cakes. (as i did in the picture) before dipping into the chopped nuts.

Enjoy xx

TTFN

Debbie

x

Thrifty Thursday!

Just sharing a couple of bits ive picked up at either charity shops or boot sales or freecycle within the past week...

 Berkertex dress size 14 (but boy is it small - the waist is teeny and i really think its more a 12!)

 Isnt it gorgeous!  I saw the lady putting it on a mannequin in the charity shop window.  One of the girls said it was for display only and i almost freaked out - thankfully the other lady said it was for sale - phew!)

 Also managed to pick up these 2 heavy glass candle sticks which will work really well as cake stand bases! The little case is from Mamas & Papas and was only £2 from the charity shop too! Its really sturdy so im dithering over using it as either a cosmetic case or storage :)

These little side plates are so cute and will be perfect for tea parties etc - £1.99 for 5! Bargain

Have you found anything this week??

TTFN

Debbie

x

Slimming World week 1!

I got to the stage where i don't think my body will allow anymore fatty foods into it!  Honestly!! I got to the point where i didn't even want to eat it anymore and knew i needed to change!

Last Wednesday I enrolled in a local Slimming World club and its the best thing I have ever done. 

 I have been eating fruit, veg, Muller yogurts and the like for the past week as well as walking everywhere (there isn't a day i haven't walked for at least an hour)

Tonight was my first weigh in and I've lost 4 1/2 lb this past week!

Wohooo - go me! 

I'm determined to stick to it - its not a diet, this is now my healthy way of life! :)

Tomorrow I start with Slim Pod too - more on that one to follow....

Reviews'day Tues'day!

See what I did there?! lol  

Silly huh?  

Yes but so easily pleased! lol

I don't just mean reviewing things that people have sent to me, I am on about things I would recommend you cant live without... things that I have personally found and tried and want to keep documented!  

Cooking department, going green and eco (I am on an eco drive right now and I have a list of things im going to make - kitchen composter, own washing liquid etc..),  household helpers, restaurants, food, bloggers, websites and so much more....I'm going to be trying it all and posting it here! 

Today I am going to write about a little gem I found on the net.  

Zenhabits - 50 Tips for frugal living

If anyone has a copy of this book i could borrow it would be very much appreciated - see, I'm not even going to buy it....frugal or what!! ;)

Everyone knows times are hard.....everyone is in the same situation, so hopefully even one tip from the list might help :)

I already do a lot of them (5, 8, 11, 22....) and some of them don't apply (23, 25, 29....) but I have made a little list of the ones that jumped out at me...

21, 27, 43, 44, 45...

I am going to keep a record of when I do each one and have it down to a fine art - that belt needs tightening further!

Whats on your list??

TTFN

Debbie

x

Making Monday - Pinterest upcycle!

My favourite place to hide out is Pinterest!

Its full of pretty ideas and masses of inspiration! From home decor to cake baking, scantily clad men to recycled projects! 

After looking through page after page of things I have pinned in the hope of one day recreating I made a decision to start!  

Here are some of the inspiration pieces I was looking at.... (i will link ones that go back to blogs etc but Pinterest is a minefield for not linking back to the original post ....  and that little problem is a whole other days post!)...

Mason Jars, candlesticks and twine - idea for wedding display!

I love the pop of colour on these ones and they would work great for a candy bar!

The green on this one screams kitchen to me so I would love something like this to keep my spices on display!

I would add a white one to this display and make it the centre piece for a July 4th or Jubilee party table! 

Knowing I had all the pieces in for this one was a given - glass candle sticks, glass candle jars with silver lids and glass knobs (picked up from a car boot sale in the hope of redoing the tv unit!)

First I gave everything a good wash down in warm soapy water and dried thoroughly.  That darn glass glue is so picky with what it will and wont stick to!!

The glass jars are placed on top of the candlesticks and held in place over night with something heavy to adhere to glue fully.  

The lids were sanded slightly in the centre to give the glue something to adhere to (...told you it was fussy!) Again i sanded a little on the bottom of each knob too for the same reasons and held them in place until the sticky took hold!

I think they are really cute and a fraction of the price you would pay in one of the department stores for something similar.

Overall project thoughts..... simple and effective!  Well worth making and look better than I initially thought they would! 

Please link to your blog in the comment section with your Pinterest makeover and I promise to pop round and check it out - nothing like a project share to get the creative juices flowing!! :) 

TTFN

Debbie

x

Realisation...

Its taken me a couple of weeks of feeling awful for not updating my blog....( along with opening the new shop, organising 2 more retreats this year, planning for 3 upcoming weddings, renewing our vows and raising 5 kids...) to have a sudden realisation yesterday of why i do this blog.

I do it to keep a visual update of what we do as a family.

I do it to keep me on track with projects and work.

I do it to keep me SANE!

Worrying about what others think and panicking because im not posting is NOT keeping me SANE!

I took a step back last night and like a lightbulb it hit me....

I do my blog because I LOVE IT!

Its for me...

Its for my family...

Its for my sanity! lol

Ive worked out a schedule of posts and I AM MAKING TIME to sit down each day and do what I love!

Looking forward to tomorrows posting already!

TTFN

Debbie

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