countryheartandhome

Pirates of The Caribbean OPI Giveaway!

2012-01-25T19:18:00.003Z

Im a day late in listing this but you still only have until I announce a winner on monday to get your name in the draw :)
I am such a ditz and ended up ordering 2 sets of the Pirates of the Caribbean mini nailvarnishes from OPI! Leave a comment below telling me who your favourite character is from the movie and you will get the chance to win this gorgeous set of mini nailvarnishes!

Good luck!

Week 4 - Lemon Curd.

2012-01-25T18:53:00.003Z

One of the easiest and tastiest things to make!

With it being Shake Up Your Wake Up week where breakfast is highlighted as the most important meal of the week i thought i would make something that might tempt me into actually having breakfast more often!

All you need is

4 eggs
2 egg yolks
250g Sugar
110g butter
zest & juice of 4 lemons
pinch of salt

Add the butter, sugar, salt, zest and juice together in a bowl over a pan of hot water (do not let it boil) and stir continually until the butter is melted (cut it into small blocks which will melt faster) In a seperate bowl, use a fork and combine the eggs and yolks. Pour into the bowl over the pan and stir regularly to stop the egg from scrambling. Keep over the low heat, stiring regularly for approx 10 minutes or until the lemon curd starts to coat the back of a spoon. Sieve into jars and leave to cool completely before topping with a circle of greaseproof paper. They will keep for 7 days in the fridge.Enjoy xxx

The winner of Make Do & Mend is....

2012-01-23T19:00:00.002Z

Congratulations to....

True Random Number Generator Min: Max: Result: 1

...KnitandMake.

Please can you send me your address via debbie(at)countryheartandhome.com

Everyone else please remember to check back tomorrow for another giveaway :)

(Those looking for the recipe for today - it will be up tomorrow as im waiting for the lemon curd to cool before i take pics :)

And now it begins....

2012-01-20T20:20:00.002Z

...the making and photographing of items for my book!!

The publishers are wanting to get it into the 2012 catalogue of books published so its all systems go...first up...Cranberry & Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies! Diet has taken a turn for the worse!! lol

Yummmm!

2012-01-19T20:44:00.003Z

I love a good yogurt - thick, creamy and full of fruit! (or my absolute favourite - hazelnut - which is super hard to find these days! )

I received a box this morning that indicated fresh produce and knowing i hadnt ordered anything, got rather excited at the thought of either a competition win or some new goodies to review for the blog!I WON A COMPETITON! Since my influx towards the latter half of last year its been a little dry on the winning front round here!
It turned out to be a selection of Rachels yogurts and a pat of their butter ( I didnt even know they did butter!!) Evie picked her favourite...then proceeded to build a tower!Mmmmm pass me a spoon!

Cocktail 2/52!

2012-01-18T17:41:00.004Z

Forgot all about uploading this on Friday (wonder if it was the drink!!) lol

Anyways here is a Scarlet O'Hara!1 measure of Southern Comfort
2 measures of Cranberry juice
squeeze of lime

*simples*

Make Do & Mend Giveaway! 3/52

2012-01-17T19:48:00.004Z

Today im doing a little Make Do & Mend type giveaway for all those shabby chic/sewing/homemade girls out there!Including in this giveaway is a set of 3 scented birds - who can say not to birds!Also included is this cute little sewing kit that contains everything you need to keep on hand!Finally we have a gorgeous book ......which gives lots of ideas what to make with those scraps of material and fabrics you might have lying around :) It even contains its own little sewing kit!Winner will be picked at random on Monday - all you need to do is leave a comment below letting me know what you think the first thing is you will sew with the little kit (...will you be creative and make a rag doll or will you darn those holey socks?!)

Good luck!!

Curry winner!! 2/52

2012-01-16T14:32:00.002Z

True Random Number Generator Min: Max: Result: 23

The winner is

kingcookie said...

Tasty tasty. Thanks for chance to win. Tracy x

11 January 2012 16:08

Congratulations hun and please can you email me your address to debbie(at)countryheartandhome.com ( switch (at) to @ )

Remember to check back tomorrow for giveaway 3! :)

Caribbean Cupcakes - week 3!

2012-01-16T11:59:00.005Z

These were purely experimental and next time I think I might add a touch of lime too (grated) to add a little tang!

Makes 12 :)

150g plain flour
160g caster sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
50g unsaltedbutter
120ml coconut milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 whole fresh mango (chopped finely)

Frosting
250g confectioner’s sugar
60g unsalted butter
25ml pineapple juice

Shredded coconut - not dessicated for decoration

Combine all of the dry ingredients together with the butter and using a mixer, mix for 2 minutes until smooth. Add the egg, coconut milk and vanilla and mix again until fully incorporated. Remove bowl from mixer and gently fold in the fresh mango. Do the same for the coconut. Using an ice cream scoop to ensure all cupcakes are the same size, spoon the mix into cases and bake in a preheated oven at 180 for 25 minutes or until a cake skewer comes out clean. Leave to cool completely before frosting.For the frosting mix together the icing sugar, butter and pineapple juice until soft peaks are formed. Pipe with a large nozzle onto each cake and finish with coconut slices.Enjoy xxx

Carpet shopping just got fun!!

2012-01-14T23:13:00.002Z

Especially when you can run around and hide behind the stacks of samples!! She is growing up so fast!!

£50 Experience day Voucher Giveaway!

2012-01-12T14:28:00.000Z

How would you like to create your own perfume or take a Helicopter Buzz Flight!
Well thanks to the lovely people over at Experience Days I am able to offer one of you a £50 voucher to experience something fabulous! Click here for 18 pages of £50 or less experiences you can choose from!

All you need to do is visit the Experience Days website and pop a link to what you would choose in the comment section below - a random winner will be picked on the 31st of January.

Weigh in Wednesday

2012-01-11T11:34:00.002Z

Hows it going?
Have you broken your resolutions yet?
Which ones did you set and which are you sure youre going to keep?

Ive lost 3lb this week!! YAYY!!

Its a start and im sure it may have been more had it not been for a 2 hour stint in Starbucks with 2 giant Vanilla Spice Lattes with cream, sprinkles and a steak and cheese pannini! Heck i needed something to keep that pen and paper busy!!

Curry Giveaway :) 2/52

2012-01-10T19:53:00.004Z

I couldnt resist these sachets of curry mix, all parcelled up in hessian bags with cute little measuring spoons!
There are 2 bags of different curry mix - chicken tikka masala and thai green curry. For good measure ive added a Madhur Jaffrey 100 curries cookbook so you can work your own magic too :)
All you need to do is leave a comment below and I will use random.org to draw a winner on Monday.
Good luck!! xxx

Winner Week 1/52 - Odeon Vouchers....

2012-01-09T20:49:00.003Z

Congratulations!! I used random.org to generate the winning number...
Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

Timestamp: 2012-01-09 20:47:55 UTC

SO....looking through all who posted, number 16 is.... FEE!!

Fee please can you email me - debbie(at)countryheartandhome.com with your postal address and I will get the vouchers sent out :)

Remember to check back tomorrow for giveaway 2 of 52 :)

Chocolate & Pecan Shortbread 2/52

2012-01-09T20:12:00.005Z

Sweet and simple biscuits to impress, even on short notice :)

You can whip these up in half an hour so no more biscuitless cups of coffee!

Ingredients:

75g Icing Sugar
225g Soft Butter
225g Plain Flour
1tsp Vanilla Extract

50g Chopped Pecans
50g Melted Chocolate

Method:

Cream together the icing sugar and butter.Add the vanilla extract and sift the flour into the butter mix.
Using a spatula make sure it is all loosened from the sides.Tip onto some cling film and mould into a round.Place in fridge to harden slightly.Roll out and cut out required shapes.Lay on greaseproof paper and bake at 180degrees for 15/18 minutes.Take out and let cool on wire racksMelt chocolate and drizzle over the cooled biscuits.Sprinkle with the chopped pecansEnjoy ...xxx

Happy Birthday!!

2012-01-08T19:30:00.002Z

To my darling hubby who turned 40 today!*they melted the cake!!* lol

End of the week treat!! 1/52

2012-01-06T18:10:00.001Z

Since ive started my diet, made a resolution to learn and try new things and update my blog every day then I thought we could have a cocktail on Friday!!
No work or school to get up for the next day so what better day to try a little treat ..... or two! lolWeek 1 is an After Dinner Mint...One part Baileys (or similar)
One part Creme de Menthe

Pour into a cocktail shaker with ice and shake well.
Pour into a shot glass, be completely 70s and top with cocktail cherries (theres always a reason for cocktail cherries!) and enjoy :)

I had no shot glasses so doubled the mix and went for a wine glass! lol Sometimes making the best of what you have turns out for the best! ;)

After school craft club!

2012-01-05T18:09:00.003Z

Today was my first after school craft club for 15 under 7s!! EEK!

Everything went really well though, not too covered in paint but sprinkled from head to toe in glitter! One little girl turned to me and said 'I didnt think it was going to be this cool!' lol I think they all enjoyed the free reign and being able to play with lots of different bits! This is a little of the aftermath! They painted little mini plant pots and made cards for their mums and dads. Next week they are going to design their own teddy bear picture which i will laminate and they can keep as placemats :)

Weigh in Wednesday

2012-01-04T11:32:00.000Z

Ok, so another of my resolutions is to lose weight!
Yes ive said it before...infact, yes, i say it every year!
This year I have so much happening that I really want to get into shape to enjoy - trip to Geneva with mum in March, Treking the Grand Canyon in October with little sis for Breakthrough Breast Cancer charity... to name just a couple!

I seriously can not imagine lugging round the extra weight im carrying and cant always pass it off as post baby fat - especially when Evie is coming up to 2!! lol

Today it all starts with my weigh in (im not divulging the actual amount as its THAT bad!!) However I will say I have a lot to lose and will use this as my weekly journal for keeping track of diet/exercise/done/not done and attitude towards it all (hopefully positive!) lol
I will be working out with Jillian Michaels on both the 30 day shred and the 6 week 6 packHowever.....I am aware she is a fitness expert and not a magician so im not expecting to end up looking like her within my deadline!! lol

Odeon Cinema Voucher Giveaway :)

2012-01-03T18:05:00.003Z

I have been so lucky this past 5 months, what with winning prizes and trips away etc that I thought 2012 would be my year to pay it back :)

This will be the first giveaway of 52 this year - 1 every Tuesday. Today the first one will be listed - you have until Sunday night to pop your name down. Monday I will pick a winner and announce after the recipe post. Then we start again with the next one the following day :) Got it?! Yep?! Ok Here we go then! :)

I am offering up 3 x £10 Odeon Cinema vouchers. Yep £30 worth of vouchers for one lucky winner who pops their name down in the comment section - no signing up to twitter, facebook etc - just pop your 'yes please' in the comments section below to be in the running :)

Here is the Odeon Cinema finder to see if theres one in your area!

Winner announced on Monday :)

(All prizes are provided by myself - no sponsorship, affiliations with companies etc) If I do company giveaways they will be on seperate days and shown as sponsored posts.

Good Luck
xxx

Coconut & Lime Cake - Week 1

2012-01-02T20:20:00.005Z

Ok ladies here we go :)

I will be posting the full recipe and ingredients list on a Monday as I have lots more to upload through the week too so no split Monday/Wednesday posting.

Ingredients:

Cake:

200g caster sugar
200g butter
4 eggs
200g self raising flour
1tsp baking powder
1 lime - rind and juice
20ml Malibu
100g desicated coconut

Frosting:

200g caster sugar
80ml water
5ml Malibu
half tsp cream of tartar
3 egg whites

Cream together the butter and sugar. Add the eggs one at a time scraping the mix down from the side between each addition.
Add the baking power to the flour and spoon into your mix until fully incorporated. Mix in the desicated coconut and add the Malibu folding gently.
Divide mix between 2 cake tins and smooth.
Bake in a preheated oven at 170 degrees for 25 minutes.
While the cake is cooling make up the frosting. Add the sugar, cream of tartar and water together in a pan and heat until clear and bubbling.
Pour into a mixer once cooled slightly and add the egg whites while mixing on high for approx 10 minutes.
While waiting for the frosting to cool fully you can toast the coconut until lightly browned.
(watch it doesnt catch the bottom of the pan - it literally takes 2 minutes to brown)
Place one of your cakes on the cakestand, top down to create a flat platform for the frosting.
Add the first layer of frosting and level out.
Add the second cake...
Cover the complete outside of the cake - top and sides.
Sprinkle the finished cake with toasted coconut.
Slice and serve :)
Enjoy xxx

Kerrygold Recip-e-book with Rachel Allen...

2012-01-01T13:40:00.009Z

.....and featuring my PB&J cupcakes!! They tried out the recipe and loved it so they recreated the cakes for photo purposes and included them in the book with credit to me :)The book is available for free download from the Kerrygold facebook page (click on the link on the left hand side)
Check back tomorrow for week 1 of our CountryHeart&Home Cooks 2012! Remember to click on the facebook link to join in with chat and share your photos too - are you ready!?!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!

2011-12-30T21:59:00.002Z

I am so looking forward to 2012!!
So much happening!!
So much to do!!

See you soon!!
Debbie
x

Do you know what causes most arguments on Christmas day??

2011-12-15T23:26:00.004Z

Personally i would have said lack of batteries!

Its actually carving the turkey!!

To give men a helping hand this year Colman’s have compiled the ultimate top 10 tips to carving the perfect Christmas bird as well as a carving masterclass video with TOWIE star Sam Faiers and Colman’s butchers.

The research found that

72%* of UK mums spend up to six hours (87%*) in the kitchen on Christmas Day
Dads don’t want the job of carving the turkey - with almost half (47%) actually being forced to do the job
Nearly half of dads (44%*) admit they actually don’t have a clue what they are doing when carving and 45% say they dread having to do the job on Christmas Day
Almost a quarter of mums find having to tidy up by themselves to be the number one cause of arguments over the yuletide

What causes most arguments in your home over Christmas and what do you do to combat those humbug moments?? :)

Its getting closer!!

2011-12-12T20:47:00.003Z

Are you prepared for the big day?

I still have a few little Christmas pressies to get then do the food shopping and im done! I will no doubt bake some more too before the day as my fudge didnt set (anyone know a foolproof recipe??) and the rocky road is going to be gone well before Santa arrives! lol

I made my usual rocky road but this time added dark and milk chocolate, Lebkuchen, whole dark cherries, brazil nuts, golden syrup and butter!! YUMM!!
I also tried something new - Panforte - wow! Its gorgeous but you could only eat a small bit at a time as its rather filling! It has lots of almonds, hazelnuts, mixed peel, chocolate, honey, sugar, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg!! Delicious!

Whats on your to do list?

Sudocrem Christmas Superchef Competition

2011-12-09T11:39:00.005Z

Instructions on how to enter the 2011 Sudocrem Christmas Superchef competition:
Step 1 - Prepare, bake, fry, steam, boil or stew your own Christmas themed recipe then take a picture of your creation

Step 2 - Visit and Like the Sudocrem Facebook page (www.facebook.com/Sudocrem) and click on the Superchef Competition page
Step 3 - Follow the competition page instructions: Enter your name, upload your picture and paste your recipe into the text box provided

Step 4 - Keep your fingers crossed that our celebrity judge, Aggie MacKenzie takes a shine to your creation!

Competition Start Date 7th December 2011

Competition Finish Date 4th January 2011

Competition winners announced 5th January 2012

The Sudocrem Superchef competition prizes:

1st Prize: 3 day cookery course for 2 in France and £200 contribution towards travel

2nd Prize: £150 Christmas Hamper from Selfridges

3rd Prize: £75 Marks & Spencers vouchers.

Good luck everyone and let me know if you enter :) I wont be as ive put up this promotion but i will cheer you all along!!

(this is a promotional post but i am not being paid for it and all opinions etc are my own)

Christmas School Fair.

2011-11-30T08:00:00.000Z

I am in the process of making up diy cake jars, mint crisp, rocky road, mincemeat muffins, snowman poop, reindeer poop and lots of little bits as well as some canvases, (the red writing says... Ihope you dont mind, I hope you dont mind that i put down in words, how wonderful life is now youre in the world)
(words read - Things may change but we start and end with family)

Also making some memory jars and lipbalms! eek! The fair is Friday - guess I best get moving!!

A simple lunch...

2011-11-29T08:00:00.000Z

Again working with the Forman & Field hamper I created a simple but delicious lunch of Scottish oak crackers topped with cream cheese, salmon and caviar.

This is the kind of salmon that deserves not to be messed with and the least you can do with it the better it will taste. (However i still cant wait to try salmon benedict with it!!)
To be honest the caviar was a little too fishy for me - i know thats the whole point but its psychological honestly!! LOL I did devour the salmon, cream cheese and oatcakes though!!

Ben loved it and went back to have a spoonful - each to their own! lol

Leftover Christmas Turkey Curry!

2011-11-28T19:08:00.004Z

I know, youre sitting there thinking, 'has she gone mad - its only November!' ..... besides the probablity of 'yes actually i am quite mad' please try to think preparation! Planning at Christmas is vital and to be honest the last thing any of us need is a plate of uneaten turkey looking at us screaming 'eat me or bin me' .... i know which one i usually choose! eek!

Anyways, I have had the absolute pleasure of working with a Forman & Field seasonal hamper which contained everything for Christmas day including turkey, salmon, caviar...even down to the fruit to make the curry with!

Marco Pierre White has created a fruit curry with the remainder turkey. This exclusive recipe wont be on the Knorr website until December but I am able to share it with you early :)

I made this on Saturday night and it went down really well, its not too hot but has a little kick. The kids enjoyed it too and as it has lots of squished fruit it surely counts as at least one of your five a day too :)
Ingredients (serves 10)
25g plain flour
2 Knorr Chicken Stock Pots
25g unsalted butter
1/2 a large pineapple, peeled and chopped into chunks (including core)
2 Cox apples (approx 250g), unpeeled, roughly chopped
1 banana
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 tbsps mild or medium curry powder
25g unsweetened desiccated coconut
75ml double cream (optional)
1kg leftover cold roast turkey, taken off the bone and chopped into chunks (you can also add in chunks of cooked ham or leftover veg like roast potatoes, parsnips or carrots, chopped into chunks)

Method
Pre-heat the oven to 220˚C/ 425˚F/ Gas Mark 7. Sprinkle the flour in an even layer in an ovenproof frying pan and place it in the oven for 12–15 minutes until lightly browned.

Meanwhile, as the flour browns, begin cooking the curry. First, take the 2 Knorr Chicken Stock Pots and mix them with a litre of boiling water, stirring until thoroughly dissolved. Set aside.

Now, heat a large, heavy-based casserole dish on the hob. Add in the butter. Once melted, add in the pineapple and sliced apple. Peel and slice in the banana. Add in the chopped onion.

Fry stirring with a spatula over a low heat for around 10 minutes until the fruit begins to break down.

Add in the curry powder, mixing it in well. Cook, stirring, for 2–3 minutes over a low heat. Add in the desiccated coconut and mix in.

Remove the lightly browned flour from the oven and add it into the curry paste mixture, mixing it in thoroughly.

Pour in 250ml of the Knorr Chicken Stock, stirring it so that the paste dissolves into the stock.

Gradually add in the remaining stock, 250ml at a time, stirring in thoroughly after each addition to make sure the sauce is free from any lumps.

Bring to the boil, simmer for 8–10 minutes, stir in the double cream if using.

Using the back of a ladle to press it down, pass the curry sauce through a fine sieve if you wish or liquidise until smooth.

Return the sieved or liquidised curry sauce to the casserole dish. Add in the cooked turkey chunks, bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes until the turkey is heated through.

Garnish with toasted flaked almonds and fresh coriander leaves and serve at once.

Winter is here!!

2011-11-22T21:07:00.003Z

Which means its time to bring out the wooly hats and wrap up warm!! I love it as it means i can stick on my wool dresses thick tights and boots - every inch is covered! :D

Evie has a new little hat and to be honest this is the first time shes worn it - she wont wear it outside and pitches a hissy fit if you try to put it on her but today she wandered in from the passageway with it on her head and posed for pics - bonus!! lol

Ive been busy with a couple more canvases and now have some i need to make for Christmas pressies - plus theres the Christmas fair at the school that I have a table at each year so im going to get busy making some bits for that too!

Whats filling your nights now that it gets dark around 4pm!!??

Colmans Gravy Paste - review.

2011-11-12T08:44:00.000Z

We are a meat and veg family - good old fashioned home cooking with stews and Sunday dinners etc....(could explain why i find it hard to lose weight but i digress!)

So, when i was asked if we would try the new Colmans gravy paste I thought why not? Now, im normally a Bisto girl through and through so was a little dubious about this. We tried it with our meal and although its a little thin if made up with the required amount of water, it was still delicious!! The smell is divine and almost as good as homemade (which i love but generally dont have the patience to make along with feeding the tribes!) so this definately gets the thumbs up from all of us here.

Plus the advert is a real hit with the boys and Evie!!
I have just bought the new Hairy Bikers Pie Cookbook so im going to try it out on one of those to see what its like with pie and chips Mmmmm - is that just a Northern thing?? lol

*Although this is a sponsored post all opinions expressed are my own and true*

Canvases!!

2011-11-09T18:05:00.003Z

Told you I had fallen for these canvases!! I have so much paper and paints from years of scrapbooking and its so nice to be using them again (no i dont scrap anymore but im ever hopeful that the bug might bite again!)

This was the first full size canvas i made with an angel figure - i love it and it looks like shes been playing in the muck!! Completely unintentional but fits with the quote that I chose for her!
My second is a taller canvas and im still to put the quote on this one but i love her, I love the shape of her wings (again completely unintentional!) and her hair buns, heart and paint splashes! Its a kind of release to flick paint at a project and im loving every minute of it!
Do you know a sweet poem or verse or quote that would go well with Little Miss above??

Kenco Coffee Campaign - Glass Sculptures.

2011-11-08T19:40:00.004Z

Michaela Strachan and Chris Packham have partnered with Kenco to award four communities across the UK with their very own giant animal, made from recycled glass. These were created to celebrate the launch of new-look Kenco jars, which save 900 tonnes of glass per year. For more details visit www.facebook.com/kenco

I was given the opportunity to ask them some questions for my blog and what I thought you might be interested in hearing :)

1. What’s the campaign you are doing for Kenco and why did you decide to get involved?

CHRIS: To celebrate Kenco's new-look slender-shaped jars, which save an amazing 900 tonnes of glass a year, Kenco commissioned four wonderful animal sculptures made from recycled glass. They were all in need of a permanent home, so were put up for ‘adoption’ and have been donated to four deserving communities across the UK.MICHAELA: When Chris and I were asked to join this celebratory event we jumped at the chance, not only due to our love of animals – be it glass or real – but also because we’re both passionate about rewarding deserving communities.CHRIS: It also touches on another interest of mine – art in public spaces.

2. If you could have something to nibble on with a cup of coffee what would it be?

MICHAELA: I love a croissant with my coffee.

CHRIS: and I love a flapjack with mine!

3. Are you a biscuit dunker?

CHRIS: Yes, definitely.

MICHAELA: Yes, but only with digestive biscuits.

4. Which is your favourite glass sculpture?

MICHAELA: I love them all but I think my favourite of the sculptures would have to be Lois the Crab – it’s a challenge to create a crab that looks really huggable and loveable; but the sculptor, Rebecca Newnham, has succeeded and Lois looks really friendly!

CHRIS: I think the favourite overall will be the Roberts penguin family because people seem to have an affinity for penguins. Personally, I think Lois the crab is great. She looks really impressive and imposing – and I’m much more interested in crustaceans than the usual cute and cuddly animals!

5. As I am obsessed with crafts, I would love to know if you do any crafting at all....paper crafts, knitting, glass sculpting?

MICHAELA: I’m not that crafty, I’m afraid, although I did used to go to a pottery café when my son was younger and made a great mug with his hand print on the front. Chris is much more artistic than I am!

CHRIS: I’m really interested in art and public displays and exhibitions. I’m also making my family some artwork for their Christmas presents using leaves and bark from trees that I’ve collected.

6. Do you have a recycle tip for any of my blog readers out there?

MICHAELA: Make it as easy for yourself as possible – keep a separate bin for recycling so that you don’t need to think about it. I would also recommend keeping a wormery so that your uncooked peelings and leftovers can be turned into compost and used in your vegetable garden.

CHRIS: Be fanatical – if I know there’s a can in a rubbish bin that shouldn’t be there, I’ll empty the entire bin to get it out and put it in the recycling!

Giraffes to be made honorary Geordies

Animal aficionados Michaela Strachan and Chris Packham introduce glass giraffes Connie and Stan, donated by Kenco, to Ouseburn Farm

27^th October 2011: Ouseburn Farm in Newcastle has been voted for by thousands of members of the public to win one of only four unique glass animal sculptures, created by Kenco to celebrate its new-look, less-glass jars. Nature-loving TV personalities Michaela Strachan and Chris Packham helped Kenco to scour the country for worthy winners and then presented the sculpture to Newcastle’s best-loved Farm on Thursday 27^th October.

The sculptures, made from recycled glass were commissioned by Kenco and designed by artist Rebecca Newnham to celebrate the launch of their striking new-look jars, which save an impressive 900 tonnes of glass per year*. Connie and Stan are thrilled to have been permanently donated to the community to act as a reminder of the importance of reducing waste.

Ouseburn Farm was chosen as a finalist because Kenco’s expert panel felt the regeneration of the area, regular children’s visits and open space would prove a winning combination for the giraffes – and, when the shortlist was put to the public, the 1,274 votes proved that the nation agreed. The other worthy winners were West Meadows Primary School in Barnsley, PeBel Community Wildlife Garden in Wales and the South Lakes Wild Animal Park in Cumbria who won The Roberts family of penguins, Lois the crab and Pierre the snake respectively.

Mandy Oliver from Ouseburn Farm says “I am so thrilled that our farm won the giraffes, we know they will fit in perfectly. The community has been rallying locals and voting like mad over the last few weeks and we’re ecstatic to have been chosen. We will make sure they are well cared for in their new home – please do come and visit!”

Chris Packham said “I was really impressed with the volume and quality of entries from across the UK and was delighted to present the Farm their prize. I hope the local community will come along to see these beautiful creatures strutting their stuff in their new home!” Michaela agreed “I loved being involved in the search for a new home for the giraffes. I’m sure the stunning sculptures will be a great addition to the community – many of whom I enjoyed meeting at the prize giving!”

Steph Okell, Brand Manager for Kenco commented: “Our new Kenco jars have 7% less glass, compared to last year and we wanted to create these sculptures to act as a reminder of the importance of reducing waste, as well as celebrate our striking new look. Newcastle fought off stiff competition to win this coveted prize and it’s great to know that the giraffes are going to a safe and loving new home.”

Connie and Stan are enjoying their new home, living alongside the other animals and Connie would like to thank the public for taking the time to vote. For more information and to see the photos of the prize-giving, visit www.facebook.com/kenco.

Persil and Comfort Cuddleproof Masterclasses

2011-11-03T08:00:00.002Z

Persil Non-Bio and Comfort Pure has been working with three grannies to create master classes for new parents and have created three short films of the grannies going through how to knit, croquet and quilt.
The films are very sweet, easy to follow and quite funny!

First up is Granny Joan with a little masterclass on crochet

Second is Granny Nick with a little masterclass on knitting

And finally it is Granny Barbara with a little masterclass on quilting

I am off for a spot of crafting myself - now where did i put that crochet hook??!!

This competition bug...

2011-11-02T22:33:00.003Z

I must admit to being a bit of an addict when it comes to checking my emails!! Even more so since i started entering competitions....
Look at my little dresser - its starting to buckle under the weight of my wins so far!! I am so happy and so freaked out at the same time - i find it unreal that out of so many people entering the competitions that my name gets pulled out at times!
Not included in the photograph are:

£250 gift card for Homesense/TK Maxx
3 day trip to Japan (eek roll on January 30th!)
Toys ive hidden away for the kids for Christmas including 2 giant hotwheels sets, books etc
Sweet things - ie fudge etc which were gone no sooner than they hit the mat! lol
Oral B Power toothbrush family set (1 mega kit and 2 kids electric toothbrushes & Toothpaste)
Salter Scales
Authentique scrapbook paper kit
Lots of days out tickets - ie Christmas show, Baby Show etc

Won so far for November:

Hexbug nano
Disoronno and Cocktail making kit
Cookery Book

Honestly im not showing off or bragging i just wanted to put a huge thank you out there into the universe as im sure someone is looking out for me right now and it is SO appreciated! (((hugs to all and im spreading the winning vibes and will be posting some of my own competitions on here soon - share and share alike! )))

Congratulations!!

2011-11-01T12:34:00.002Z

Congratulations Shirley - you have won the 2 packs of Scotch restickable tape!Please email me your address to debbie(at)countryheartandhome.com and I will get them in the post to you :)

Another comp coming up tomorrow!!

Mike the Knight, Do it Right!

2011-10-28T08:00:00.001+01:00

Who am I to turn down a Knight in shining armour - especially one this cute!!
We were asked to review 3 episodes of a new CBeebies show coming soon called Mike the Knight.

I gave it to the boys to watch in turn over two nights...

Jacob (8) - His verdict was that it was a good adventure and he loved the fact that Mikes little sister is called EVIE!! (He thought they had done it on purpose! lol) He said he enjoyed it but it was more for littler ones and that although he would watch it he prefers Ben 10! lol He is 8 after all! ;)

Ethan (6) - His verdict was all singing all dancing, waving arms in the air and re-enacting the whole thing for me! (He too thought the girl called EVIE was there as a bonus for us! lol) He really enjoyed all 3 episodes and is looking forward to them starting 'for real' on CBeebies!

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Galloping onto CBeebies is Mike the Knight a brand new 52 part CG- animated series bringing the excitement and enchantment of medieval times into the life of the modern pre-schooler. In each action-packed episode, viewers are transported to a world filled with marvellous missions, castles, dragons, Vikings and trolls.

Mike is an energetic, cheeky yet bountiful young knight-in-training, driven by his passion to help others and, along the way, be the best knight he can be. With his father, the King, away exploring faraway lands, his mother Queen Martha has put Mike in charge of helping her protect the Kingdom of Glendragon.

Determined to do his best, through comedy and adventure with his rallying cry of Be a knight, do it right! Mike learns the power of responsibility and how to do things the right way.

With a little help from his Big Book for little Knights in training, the would-be-hero rises to each episode's mission with the help of his closest friends: Sparkie and Squirt a pair of friendly dragons, and his trusty steed Galahad. Never far from the action and always willing to help out is Mike's fun and free-spirited sister Evie, a wizard in training.

At the start of each new challenge, Mike dons his armour and is ready to tackle anything from horse riding to helping prepare for feasts and festivals, from guarding the castle to good citizenship and, of course, knowing how to rescue a princess.

He is aided in his pursuits with some nifty medieval gadgets, including his enchanted sword and his shield. Thanks to one of Evies spells Mike is never quite sure what magical object will appear when he draws his sword. But what the valiant apprentice fails to realise is that the object will always come in handy for completing the mission of the day.

Topping and tailing each episode is Fernando, the resident bard, who acts as the storyteller. Incredibly funny, his witty ditties begin and end each episode on a humorous note.

This chivalrous new series is set to send young viewers on an enchanted voyage of discovery.

Mike the Knight is a co-production between HIT Entertainment and Nelvana Studio. The series was created by Alexander Bar (Lunar Jim) and the head writer is Marc Seal (Head writer, Bob the Builder).

*sponsored post - no payment was received

Painting Canvas!

2011-10-27T20:15:00.003+01:00

When Tracie said she had an idea for a class for the Creative HeART & Soul retreats about painting canvases I loved it! Ive longingly looked at the likes of Kelly Rae Roberts work and thought it was well out of my comfort zone!

I was a little hesitant too that he ladies at the retreat would feel the same but that is what we are trying to embrace, something new, its all about stretching yourself to find new techniques and ways of using items and ideas you wouldnt normally have on your everyday projects.So, Tracie taught the class and as I was busy in the background we waited until everyone had gone home on the Sunday night before she gave me and my little sis a lesson of our own....
All the way through I kept saying, nope dont like it, ack ive made a mess...but all Tracie kept saying was 'just wait and see', 'add another layer' and a few 'give me it here and wet that cloth for me so i can wipe that bit off!!' lol

Its amazing to see it all coming together towards the end and by the time its all outlined with black pen and you add some squiggles etc - well, its like youve just given birth to a new baby!! I loved my canvas that much!! lol

This has spurred on a bout of canvas making - its amazing over the years how things go round in circles and i already had in a few canvases, acrylic paint and pva glue!! Those are my first couple of canvases made on my own - yes i made mistakes along the way but another layer of paint and its all better!!

Off to stick down more paper and paints!!

Total Yogurt - E Book competition!

2011-10-27T08:00:00.002+01:00

TOTAL Greek Yoghurt has announced it is producing a healthy recipe e-book, with all proceeds donated to UK charity Action for Children.
Food enthusiasts are being encouraged to visit TOTAL Greek Yoghurt’s Facebook page to submit their recipes featuring the creamy product. The recipes chosen for inclusion in the e-book will be voted for by TOTAL’S Facebook community. The recipe with the most votes will earn its author an iPhone 4S and iPad 2 complete with smart cover. The runner up will receive an iPad2.
In addition, all participants voted into the recipe e-book will receive a free cool bag and a published name credit in the book.
The new digital cook book will be available to download on Amazon as a Kindle e-book from early 2012. The deadline for recipe submissions is Friday 20th January 2012.

All money raised by the e-book will be donated to the UK charity Action for Children which works tirelessly to support the UK’s most vulnerable and neglected young people. One of the signs of child neglect is hunger. The effects of hunger can be devastating, from daily pain and poor health to low educational achievement and bullying. Action for Children looks to combat this by early intervention.

The competition is now officially launched.

Join in the TOTAL Greek Yoghurt conversation: TOTAL Greek Yoghurt Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/TotalGreekYoghurt TOTAL Greek Yoghurt Twitter Page: http://twitter.com/TotalGreek TOTAL Greek Yoghurt You Tube Channel: http://www.youtube.com

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Go for it girls - im going to enter and i know you should too!! Let me have a link to your submission and I will post it in this thread :)

My First Printed Canvas!!

2011-10-26T21:24:00.004+01:00

When I was asked by Canvas Dezign if I would like to review a printed canvas I jumped at the chance!! I love the look of them but when searching on the internet I have always been wary of the price and what you get....do you go for boxed with printing round the sides??? How big will the photo stretch without the picture deteriorating?

I replied to the email and said I didnt mind what size the canvas was as long as they made sure the photograph was still picture perfect. The postman brought me the canvas yesterday and I have been smiling ever since! I love it!!

Could that be the subject - well of course it could! BUT its also the fact I wish I had done this a lot earlier - there is so much colour and vibrancy from the canvas...much more than you get from a photograph! The boys are so pleased with it and to be honest if I had blown up a photograph to this size they would have been mortified but because its a canvas its 'cool'!!

I have so many more that I want to turn into canvases now and I will most definately be shopping at Canvas Dezign

*disclaimer - I was not paid in anyway to review this company but did receive the finished canvas*

Creative HeART & Soul Retreat Oct 2011

2011-10-24T23:44:00.003+01:00

We had a fabulous time and personally I cant wait for May next year when we get to do it all over again!!

Here are some of the photographs from the weekend...
First off we have the teachers - a certain lady was mooning us....no... i wont mention names but we laughed so hard i didnt think Anna would be able to take the shot!!
Left to right --- Loeska, Lida, Tracie, Me and Emma
All of the attendees - the weekend was made special by each and every one of these ladies!
Extracts from both of Lidas Workshops. The drawer holder with the handle on top - the girls build these from scratch and decorated as dedicated ink holders!! The other box you can see in the bottom of the picture is a case with a clock face which held a mini album - all constructed in Lidas class!
Chocolates and champagne on the Saturday night.... by this point we were all fit to burst but hey who cant make room for chocolate and fizzy!!
Loads more pics can be found on the Creative HeART & Soul facebook group page.

There are only 3 spaces left for the May 2012 retreat which is being held in Derbyshire. Please check out the website www.creativeheartandsoul.com for more details.

NIGHTMARE!!!

2011-10-21T21:46:00.002+01:00

Honestly just when things start going right you go and loose your flipping

CAMERA!!!

I cant believe ive gone and lost a Nikon D3000 - its not as if its small and could slip down a sofa or something, its a flippin huge thing and im officially gutted!!

Well, actually i know its not as if someone had been hurt so im kind of 'ok Deb chill and get over it' but DAMN!! How do i take my piccies now, going to have to accustom myself with hubbys erm relic...i mean camera! lol

PAH!

Scotch Restickable Tabs...giveaway!

2011-10-17T11:11:00.006+01:00

I got the opportunity to try the new Scotch Restickable tabs at our last Creative Heart & Soul retreat and they are fab! I used them to hold up project lists all weekend and they removed without a problem - all of the girls went home with a pack in their goodie bags and im sure they will be along to testify how great these are soon!

Do you find sometimes with sticky tape and pins etc that they leave marks or even rip the paper/paint from underneath the projects??
Well, with Scotch Restickable tabs there is none of that - check out this video to see just how easy they are to use AND REMOVE!!
They are photo safe and can even be used on glass, why not enter your name in the comment section below to be in with a chance of winning 2 packs - just in time for the festive season!

What better way to hang all those decorations without fear of leaving behind a mess when taking them back down again!

Available to purchase from Scotch 3d directly :)

Vintage inspired fashion trends for autumn/winter

2011-10-06T11:09:00.003+01:00

Vintage-inspired fashion trends for autumn/winter

The styles of the past are increasingly inspiring current collections by some of fashion’s biggest designers. Here, guest blogger Jo-ann Fortune from www.vintagebrighton.com spotlights three of the biggest retro revival trends for autumn/winter.

Sixties mod

Many models on the fashion week runways looked as if they’d been transported back to Swinging Sixties’ Carnaby Street at the autumn/winter shows. Paul Costello championed shift dresses, flare skirts and cute collar details, Prada set a trend for geometric prints and Bottega Veneta injected new life into the prim and proper skirt suit.

Inspired by the pop art of the era, the palette for this look is bold and bright – Burberry’s marigold and azure blue pea coats set the tone for key colours. Alternatively, keep it muted with mustard, as seen on the Paul Costello and Celine runways. In terms of accessories, it’s all about Mary Janes and ladylike box handbags.

Seventies glamour

The Seventies influence is apparent in two of this season’s biggest trends – haute hippy and Studio 54. Layering, maxi lengths and tactile textiles were showcased on the Milan catwalks, with fashion houses such as Just Cavalli and Missoni pairing floaty floral dresses with long fur womens coats. Suede fringing and shearling trims are among the other Seventies-style details to look out for – investing in Ugg boots may be an easy way to introduce the trend into your everyday wardrobe.

Reviving the high glamour of New York’s Studio 54 disco scene, silky jumpsuits, maxi dresses and pussy bow blouses were also in abundance on the runways, and tailored tuxedo blazers brought power dressing back into fashion focus.

Victorian vamp

Travelling further back in time, autumn/winter collections referenced Victoriana styles with dramatic flair at the February fashion weeks. Long, flowing lengths, corseted silhouettes and plenty of flounce and frills added an historic edge to fashion on the Alexander McQueen, Julien McDonald and Charles Anastase runways.

A white lace mini dress, such as that showcased on the Meadham Kirchoff catwalk, is a great wardrobe staple that will see you through the seasons. Or go gothic with black lace, a la Emilio Pucci, at your Christmas party, accessorising with one of the many lace-detail clutch bags currently on the high street.

Images: Vintage-inspired outfits at the Bottega Veneta, Just Cavalli & Charles Anastase catwalk shows

Images courtesy of MPDClick.com

Phineas & Ferb!

2011-10-04T11:11:00.003+01:00

OK, Im going to hold my hands up on this one and say what when I was asked to do a review of the new Phineas & Ferb: Across the Second Dimension Wii game I almost didnt tell the kids....I LOVE P & F!! Whos with me on that one!!??

Thankfully I played good mummy and let the kids rush to open it when they came in from school and im so pleased i did! Talk about fun! The whole game stays true to the cartoon and you can play as either character - dropping from one to the other - or as a 2 player game.
This is a platform game and is based on the movie which in turn is based on the cartoons - you have to build contraptions to try and catch Dr Doofensmirtz ( with a little help from the (unknown to the boys) agent Perry the Platypus.

One of the best things about this game is that there is no penalty for dying!! Wohoo - theres nothing worse than one of the kids feeling pants because they caused a game to finish early! Phew - not the case here. You have to get through 4 to 5 levels on 6 dimensions, you have to destroy, collect and build as you and now and again roadblocks will pop up with additional puzzles for you to solve.

There is a full voice cast too which makes it all the more fun - theres nothing more disappointing than getting your favourite characters on a game and having some sound alike that sounds nothing alike!!

Overall this is a fabulous game for adults and kids alike (adults may find it a little too easy) but I think any fan of Phineas and Ferb would enjoy this no end!

Not only is this out for the Wii, it has also been released for the PS3 and DS - available from all major game outlets!

**runs off to have another quick go while the kids are at school**

Mini Baker Competition, The Fabulous Bakin' Boys

2011-09-30T15:41:00.002+01:00

Mini Baker Competition, The Fabulous Bakin' Boys

Following in his mummys footsteps!! Please wish Jakes the best of luck with his creation for the Fabulous Bakin' Boys competition :)Lots of reviews coming up as well as some giveaways and product testing for you to try out!!

See you soon

Lazy Sunday!

2011-09-25T17:32:00.003+01:00

Today has been spent watching F1 *drool* Mark Webber .....having a nap on the sofa.... and taking pics of my sis's new jewellery.... oh and opening pressies as its my birthday!!

I have the new Hummingbird cookery book so will crack on with some of those recipes to upload!Thank you so much for all the facebook, website, emails wishing me a good one - its been fab!! :D

Addicted to Competitions!!

2011-09-24T19:59:00.003+01:00

I dont know whats come over me lately but I am completely and utterly addicted to competitions! Doesnt matter if its for a dvd or an around the world holiday - sign me up! lol

So far this month i have won...

Trip to cook with Kirstie Allsopp (banoffee recipe via Carnation)
Oven gloves and Apron (via Anchor butter)
Ear pods and wipes (via Zagg - fab stocking filler for one of the boys!)
Mug (via Crunchy nut Cornflakes)
An overnight stay at the Hilton in Newcastle (via Impari)
Im psyching myself up for a big one - i just know its around the corner!! Whos with me on this and what are you hoping for in your big win?? :D

Sign away meningitis - Counting the Cost

2011-09-22T09:47:00.001+01:00

Meningitis Awareness Week

‘cOUNTING THE coST OF MENINGITIS’ Video showS

HOW A SIGNATURE CAN HELP SAVE LIVES

Video call to action to sign petition for UK government for Men B vaccine

Meningitis Awareness Week (19-25^th September) sees the launch of an online video to support Meningitis Research Foundation’s (MRF) Counting the Cost of Meningitis campaign and builds support for vaccination against meningitis and septicaemia. (meningitis.org/sign)

http://youtu.be/T42wFgK-SZw

MRF is petitioning the UK Government to ensure widespread preventative treatment of the diseases is implemented at the earliest opportunity, reducing the lifetime impact of meningitis and septicaemia. The video explains the value of a signature encouraging people to signing up to the MRF’s petition , with a view to achieving in excess of 10,000 signatures.

Why sign?

The shocking lifelong financial costs of surviving meningitis and septicaemia have been examined by MRF in their ‘Counting the Cost of Meningitis’ campaign. Prevention is more cost effective than treatment; therefore MRF is calling on the Government to pursue the widest and earliest implementation of vaccines to prevent the diseases.

Counting the Cost of Meningitis is a comprehensive analysis of the lifetime impact of the diseases illustrated through two fictional case studies:

Peter, who was 18 months old when he was struck down with septicaemia which left him with multiple amputations and behavioural difficulties. Total lifelong costs of supporting Peter up to age 70 are £2,833,374.

Emma, who was three years old when she became ill with meningitis which left her brain damaged, deaf and partially blind. Total lifelong costs of supporting Emma up to age 50 are £3,507,664.

These illnesses have far-reaching consequences with survivors facing an on-going need for specialist medical care as well as additional educational and financial support running into millions of pounds.

Christopher Head, Chief Executive of MRF said: “’Counting the Cost of Meningitis’ shows how those who survive can struggle to come to terms with the impact of these horrific diseases which change lives forever. Our campaign makes practical recommendations to Government to reduce the burden of disease through vaccination in the UK. Vaccination provides peace of mind across the country and we are urging everyone across the UK to sign our online petition at www.meningitis.org/sign.”

Pimping!!

2011-09-21T19:14:00.002+01:00

Yes im pimping my mum and sisters new jewellery site that they have just launched :)

www.jakjewellery.co.uk

All prices include postage so you have nothing on top of the prices that you see and boy arent some of those pieces just the cutest ever - fab Christmas pressies - just sayin' :)

Sticky Toffee Banana Muffins

2011-09-19T11:02:00.000+01:00

These are great if youre craving something sweet but not sugary! The bananas and pecans give lots of taste and the toffee makes it great for either breakfast or a snack.Makes 12 large muffins

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

275g (10oz) self-raising flour

1tsp baking powder

1tsp bicarbonate of soda

2 eggs

150ml (¼pt) milk

5tbsp vegetable oil

2 large ripe bananas, mashed

1tsp vanilla extract

397g can Carnation Caramel

100g (3½oz) chopped pecan nuts (optional)

You will also need:

12 hole muffin tin and muffin cases

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C, 375°F or Gas Mark 5.

2. Place the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda into a bowl and mix well.

3. In a separate bowl, mix the eggs, milk, oil, mashed bananas and vanilla. Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined, without beating.

4. Drop spoonfuls of the caramel into the mixture, gently swirl through, but don’t mix it in – its nice to see little pockets of caramel bubbles in the finished muffins.

5. Place muffin cases in the tin and spoon the mixture into the cases until quite full. Top with the chopped pecan nuts, if using.

6. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes and eat fresh and warm.

Cooks tip

These muffins are delicious straight from the oven – perk them up the next day by microwaving for 10 seconds to warm the caramel.

Low Fat Cheesecake Pots

2011-09-18T10:59:00.000+01:00

These are absolutely divine and would work well in a picnic!!Serves 6

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Chilling time: 1 hour

Ingredients

75g (3oz) light digestive biscuits

200g (7oz) Carnation Condensed Milk Light (half a can)

1 lemon

1tsp vanilla extract (optional)

150g (5½oz) extra light cream cheese

150g tub 0%fat Greek yogurt

250g (9oz) fresh strawberries

3tbsp strawberry jam

Method

1. Crumble 75g (3oz) light digestive biscuits into a bowl, not too fine. Divide the crumbs between 6 wine glasses or small tumblers.

2. Place 200g (7oz) Carnation Condensed Milk Light (half a can) into a bowl and add the zest and juice of 1 lemon and 1tsp vanilla extract (optional). Stir together until the mixture has thickened.

3. Whisk 150g (5½oz) extra light cream cheese and 150g tub 0%fat Greek yogurt in a small bowl until smooth then fold into the thickened condensed milk, don’t over beat. Spoon the creamy mixture over the biscuits. Chill for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour.

4. Chop 250g (9oz) fresh strawberries, mix with 3tbsp strawberry jam and top the cheesecakes with the fruit to serve.

Tip

Using the juice of one lemon with half a can of condensed milk in this recipe acts as a setting agent, thickening into a deliciously easy cheesecake topping without gelatine.

Easy Chocolate Fudge

2011-09-17T16:56:00.002+01:00

This is so easy to make and tastes gorgeous - its a taste somewhere between fudge and ganache!!

Makes: 60 pieces

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Chilling time: 1hour

Ingredients

400g (14oz) dark or milk chocolate

397g can Carnation Condensed Milk

25g (1oz) butter

100g (3½oz) icing sugar

55g (2oz) roasted chopped nuts (optional)

Method

1. Chop the chocolate into small chunks and place in a non-stick saucepan with the condensed milk and butter, heat very gently, stirring occasionally until melted and smooth. (Alternatively place these ingredients into a microwave safe bowl and microwave in 10-20 second bursts, stirring frequently until the mixture is silky smooth).

2. Beat the icing sugar into the mixture until combined thoroughly. Press the fudge into a 18cm (7in) square tin, smooth over the top and press the nuts into the surface, if using.

3. Chill in the fridge for 1 hour until set, cut into squares.

Tip

Try any nuts or dried fruit you like in this recipe – pecans, pistachios, walnuts, hazelnuts and almonds all work really well. Or you could try adding cranberries, blueberries or even mini marshmallows!

For Christmas fudge look out for glittery decorations – silver balls or even silver or gold leaf for a really special present.

When Debbie met Kirstie... part 2!!

2011-09-16T20:39:00.007+01:00

I never thought i would say that sentence once...let alone twice!! How surreal!

Anyways...

Me and mum travelled down to London on Wednesday and arrived at The Bloomsbury Hotel around 4.30pm. Knowing dinner wasnt for another 3 hours we set off to find either The Hummingbird Bakery or The Primrose Bakery....well, if i had been by myself i may have worried slightly as we got more than a little disorientated and ended up doing a huge circle when we only needed to have turned left out of the hotel instead of right!! lol For the film buffs amongst you - I had Run Fat Boy Run blisters - im not joking, thats what you get from wearing 5 inch heels on a treck round the capital!! Oh that darn thing called vanity! Whilst searching we came across the cutest bakehouse - Ellas Bakehouse and the girls were lovely, cakes were so cute and i couldnt resist picking up some mini ones for the boys!

Photos of Primrose bakery and we got 2 cakes which we split - one raspberry & white chocolate and one banana & chocolate (one was dry, one was lovely - lets not dwell hey!) lol

Back at the hotel and I chose... Scallops with Foie Gras for starter, Salmon steak with potatoes in parsley and creamed cabbage for dinner and Millefeuille with raspberries, fresh cream and white chocolate ice cream...to say I didnt finish the dessert makes me sad! lol

The taxi picked us up at 10am and we headed off to Divertimenti cookery school where we were met by PR upstairs. We were all introduced and led downstairs to the school (upstairs is the shop and omg what droolworthy stuff they had!!) where we met Kirstie. I was first through the door and she literally doubled over laughing saying how unreal it was and how she couldnt believe it - I did ask her if she was going to get an injunction which i think made the laughing worse! lol It was fabulous and as though we were friends if that makes sense - shes is such a lovely laid back lady with such a fabulous sense of self that she makes everyone feel comfortable straight away.We baked banana muffins,fudge and strawberry cheesecake pots then had photographs taken - Kirstie even suggested to the PR people that we work on something together!! EEK Im definately going to follow that one up!

One photo of us both looking at different cameras -and one where it looks like im in Madame Tussauds!! lol (she really is that flawless!)We were given these gorgeous spotty refridgerate bags to take home all our goodies in as well as another cloth bag with Nestle Carnation goodies inside!
Kirstie had to stay at the cookery school to do all of the cookery again for the press in the afternoon but the rest of us headed off upstairs and next door to Strada for lunch - ok when i say lunch it was bruchetta with sundried tomatoes and goats cheese, spaghetti ragu and for dessert panna cotta with warm fig. To say the diet went out of the window is an understatement and im still full now!!

All of the ladies who won were lovely, there were 3 other ladies who brought with them a mix of mother, son and friend so it really was a good mix :) I hope we all keep in touch one way or another and hopefully we will come across each other again - maybe another competition?! We all have each others winning recipes to try so i will post pics on here when im done and hope to get in touch with the ladies to see if its ok to post links to their blogs etc :)

I am entering this post into a competition through Travelizer to win a city break!!

Off to London!!

2011-09-09T19:01:00.005+01:00

Remember my Cocanoffee Pie i made for week 31 last year??
Well, I entered it for the Carnation competition that was looking for the best banoffee receipes out there. I didnt expect to get anywhere but look at the email I received!!

Congratulations Debbie!

We are pleased to let you know you are the lucky winner of the ‘delicious.’ online competition to win the luxury baking experience with Kirstie Allsopp.

We really loved your recipe for Luxurious Banoffee Pie. The coconut gave it a great texture and flavour and it looked divine.

I am taking my mum with me for a dinner and a nights stay over in London, we get to bake with Kirstie the following day at a cookery school and then have lunch at Strada before our journey home -eek...meeting Kirstie twice in one month (technically as last months was the 16th and this month its the 15th!) lol
I know I am so lucky to have won this and thank everyone for their feedback from last years recipes as I wouldnt have entered it you all hadnt said how much you enjoyed it!!

Save a Life This September with St Johns Ambulance

2011-09-07T08:00:00.000+01:00

SAVE A LIFE THIS SEPTEMBER AS ST JOHN AMBULANCE LAUNCHES

FIRST AID AWARENESS MONTH

St John Ambulance is launching Save a Life September this year as part of a drive to raise awareness of the importance of first aid. The charity’s national first aid awareness month will aim to equip people with basic skills they could use to be the difference between life and death.

Throughout September, the charity will be giving hundreds of free first aid demonstrations in key areas, such as shopping centres and town squares, all across the country. The public will learn how to save a life using five easy to follow techniques and will receive a free pocket-sized first aid guide, to keep on them in case of an emergency.

Sue Killen, CEO, St John Ambulance comments: ‘We believe that no one should die because they needed first aid and didn’t get it, which is why we are launching Save a Life September. By holding first aid demonstrations across the country, we want to reach as many people as possible, so that more people are equipped with the skills to save a life. Anyone who needs first aid should get it and armed with this knowledge we can all be the difference between a life lost and a life saved.’

St John Ambulance has revealed that up to 150,000* people a year die in situations where first aid could have given them a chance to live.. This includes nearly 900 people who choke to death, 2,500 who asphyxiate from a blocked airway and 29,000 who die from heart attacks.

For more information on Save a Life September and to find out what’s happening in your area, please visit: www.sja.org.uk/sals

Pass on the Love picnic!

2011-09-06T19:46:00.004+01:00

I received a lovely email from Persil the other day asking if i would be up for holding a Pass on the Love Picnic.

To prove just how soft Persil 2in1 with Comfort is, Persil launched Pass on the Love Picnics at this year’s Camp Bestival, with some help from celebrity mum Jo Whiley. Families washed their old cuddly toys in new Persil 2in1 with Comfort and brought them along to be swapped with other festival families or donated to Oxfam.

Because new Persil 2in1 with Comfort combines the brilliant cleaning power of Persil with the delicate softness of Comfort, it’s ideal for washing fluffy bunnies and furry teddies – making them softer, cleaner and more fragrant than ever before. So they were extra snuggly for their new owners at Camp Bestival!

The day was a huge success – Jo joined us in our picnic area where everyone enjoyed snacks, games and puppet shows – and of course the kids had loads of fun swapping their newly-washed toys. Mums even had the chance to relax and unwind on giant bean bags where our laundry experts were on hand to answer their cleaning questions over a cup of tea.

After reading the above write up on the Netmums site I jumped at the chance - you know me and wicker baskets, add in some food and an excuse to sit with the kids playing tea parties and well, im in heaven! lol

The hamper arrived and in it was a bottle of Persil 2in1 with comfort to wash the teddies with, some half price vouchers for said washing liquid, a cute little bunny, a picnic blanket, picnic cups (paper not plastic) and napkins! :)

We visited the charity shop and bought some new bunnies etc to wash and donate to a hospice. They all smelled divine and Jake (typical boy!) turned one upside down and even said 'their butt smells nice too'!! eek - the joy of boys!!

Thanks to typical UK weather it has done nothing but rain since and the only dry spell was when we had th bears out to dry! We decided to hold the picnic indoors and have a tv watching, bear cuddling, juice drinking lunch :) Evie loved the fact she had all the bears surrounding her and sat quite happily which munching away on a sausage roll! The boys however refused to have their pictures taken and ran off to play on their xboxes!! lol

A girls only picnic was pretty cool and it certainly wont be the last now the boys are back to school - thanks Persil :)

Back to School ....soon!

2011-09-04T18:44:00.005+01:00

We have 3 boys back on Tuesday and 1 back on Wednesday so I decided to throw them a party...

Scott: 'mam why would we have a party to go back to school - we arent happy??'

Me: 'I am and thats worth a party!' lol

So, what with my kids and my sister 2 little ones I set about making a Back to school party..
We had green apple cakepops, a 6 layer apple cake, eton mess, fresh apples, bottles of milk with paper straws (you had to give the answer on the straw to get the bottle) and keylime pie marshmallows.
The kids were all given lots of goodies to play with including a new back to school backpack, pencils, books etc and a little tin lunchbox which we filled with ham sandwiches and crisps :)They thoroughly enjoyed themselves and kept running outside to the trampoline pretending they were going on a school trip! lolThis last 6 weeks have flown over and although im sad to see the boys all go back to school i will be happy to finally be able to clean a room and have it tidy for at least half the day!! lol

Photobooth!

2011-09-01T16:53:00.005+01:00

This was the first time i have ever tried anything like this and it was a huge success! After the initial worry of no one wanting their pictures taken they all realised it was so much fun and grabbed mustaches, parasols and everything else that was to hand! I had taken some spray painted frames, a HUGE drinking glass and lots of other bits...Here are a few of the photographs from the day :)I was also thrilled that the girls let me take photographs of their bumps for them :) I really wish I had had this offered when I was pregnant - no one likes asking for photographs of themselves but I really do think this is one moment to cherish, especially with it being both girls first babies!! Again ladies thank you so much for letting me be part of your day and I wish you all the happiness you will have with your little bundles of joy :)

Alice in Wonderland Double Baby Shower :)

2011-08-31T21:51:00.008+01:00

Where do I start!! I have so many pictures I cant share as I have popped them onto a disk for the girls to look at first and then i will get permission for any they dont mind me sharing of their day :)

However....we can look at all the goodies that I made and everything I prep'd for the shower. First off the food...Savoury food was taken care of by the host and I supplied the candy bar and dessert table - to say it was a success is an understatment! I was completely overwhelmed by the reaction to it all and to say I love my job right now is also an understatement - the smiles and tears were worth all the work put into it!!I made vanilla chocolate rose lollies and loose rosebuds, popped them into little terracotta plant pots which were tied with red and white string and a little silver 'white rabbit' charm. I thought it would be nice for the girls to keep the plantpots and plant something in, something to grow with the babies so to speak :)
The cupcakes were vanilla with Oreo centre, cream cheese frosting and sweet red heart sprinkles. I fell in love with the teeny cards when I first saw them in Hawkins Bizarre so I glued them back to back either side of a cocktail stick to use as the toppers for the cakes :)
I made flooded flamingo cookies (no detail as my hands are shakey at the best of times and i didnt want to ruin them by giving them panda eyes and wonky legs! I think the plain pastel shade works well with it being a baby shower and it built my confidence enough to try decorating maybe next time! lol
The white rabbits were vanilla biscuits sprinkled with icing sugar (and if i do say so myself they were the best biscuits ive made yet - all thanks to the recipe over at Sweet Sugar Belle - she is a doll, lifesaver and sanity restorer!!) Next up are the little vials of hearts that I made for each of the girls. They each had a lock, key or heart charm, little tag and their names in rub ons on the front of each bottle.
The candy bar did exactly what it does to everyone - it makes you feel like a kid again! Standing there with your bag in hand waiting to 'pick n mix' your sweets had everyone giggling and filling up extra bags to take home for their kids (such good mummies!!)
There was everything from Candyfloss, to mini red heart dragees, flying saucers to popping candy!
All watched over by a special little someone borrowed from a special little girl for the day :)
I took the hostess trolley with me that I made over earlier in the month and used this to hold the mini milk bottles and drink dispenser. The gorgeous blue colour was made from LOTS of lemonade and 2 bottles of blue alchopop! The girls all loved it - it was even weak enough for the mums to have a little! :) *click to see larger pic of the 'drink me' straws* I layered up the bottom two shelves with little nicnacs that symbolised the day and made everyone smile including the little picture frame with all the sketched images of the Alice in Wonderland original pictures.

Tables were set down the middle of the garden and covered with white linens and a pale green spotty cotton. I set all of the cups, saucers, plates, milk jugs etc down the centre and draped them with pearls etc - and yes some of the cups were upside down and tilted just like in the book :)The garden was decked (get it!) with large playing cards, strung and pinned so that it looked like bunting.
There were heart shaped balloons inside the house (all the ones outside took off to the skies!!)...
...as well as LOTS of tissue pompoms and flowers all around the house!
I think setting the scene is all part of the enjoyment for me and I love sourcing little bits that make a table look good...something that may not look like much seperately but when you put them together it brings memories or creates new ones....needless to say I love this photograph!
These mini suitcases were a present from Bev (BananaFrog) when I had Evie - they were filled to bursting with baby goodies and I just knew they would be used again and again - thank you Bev they came in perfect!
Ok i think ive saturated you with enough for tonight - tomorrow i will share some shots from the photobooth :)

Tissue Pompom Tutorial

2011-08-26T11:38:00.007+01:00

I cant just sit and watch tv -I have to be doing something else at the same time and these pompoms are a fantastic way to keep your hands busy without too much concentration!

People are charging fortunes to supply these for weddings, baby showers etc but here I will show you how to get 2 decent sized pompoms out of 1 pack of tissue and a little ribbon - all for just over £1!! :)

Gather together your tissue and matching ribbon (you can use florists wire, clear fishing wire - anything to secure the pompom in the middle) I prefer ribbon as it holds better when its hung and co0ordinates with the pompom :)
Open up the sheets of tissue so that the sheets are only folded in half.
Cut down this central fold to give you 2 (slightly larger than A4) pieces to work with.Cut down any remaining edges where the tissue is folded - this means you can peel back each sheet seperately.Concertina fold the tissue in approx 2 inch lengths.
Press to flatten the edges slightly once youre finished folding. This is when, if you prefer petals, you would cut the edges to a point. I leave mine as they are as it looks more rose-like when unfolded.
Fasten the tissue in the middle with a tight not on your ribbon or preferred fastening material - leave one long end, which is to string up the pompom.
Gently pull one sheet of tissue at a time until it is at a 90 degree angle, continue with half the amount of tissue standing up.
The tissue will fold down less and less as your pull more down. This is what creates the petal and volume.
Turn the tissue around and pull the remaining petals down on the other side.
Dont worry about how it looks at this stage - you will fluff it later.
Turn it on its head and repeat for the other half of your tissue pompom.
Both sides will look the same once your finished - make sure the ribbon isnt tucked inside.
Now you can gently ruffle the tissue until it spreads out and fills the gaps, give it a shake and the 'petals' seem to fall where theyre suppose to. Gently crinkle or shape and tissue to cover the central gaps where the ribbon is.
Put it to one side and make another....or 23!!
They are addictive, look very effective and create a great back drop for parties and display :)

Let me know if you give it a go and please link to me so i can see pics on your blogs :)

Double baby shower - Alice in Wonderland Theme..

2011-08-21T20:11:00.006+01:00

Next Tuesday is a double baby shower with an Alice in Wonderland theme! One of the ladies knows she is having a girl and the other doesnt want to know what shes having so we couldnt go with a colour theme....what better to follow up with than Alice!! (The 2 ladies dont even know the shower is happening so its going to be a lovely surprise from their friends!)

After walking through a lot of red, pale blue and white giant pompoms the girls will be led to a marquee in the garden where the dessert table, candy table and vintage tea party will all be set out.

I am making Flamingo flooded cookies and white rabbits to go into the goodie bags...Each guest will receive a personalised necklace with a little 'drink me' labelled bottle and silver white rabbit charm...
There will be lots of details dotted around the garden including a bush with lots of red roses, a couple of white ones and a pot of red paint. Pocket watches and giant playing cards made into bunting...small playing cards will be adorning the tops of some of the cupcakes with little 'Congratulations' signs too.
Im making oreo cupcakes with vanilla cream frosting and will cover them with teeny little red heart sprinkles....as well as a heart based candy bar (love hearts, red chocolate hearts etc)
As well as cake pops and lots of fabulous little treats there will be some homemade chocolate roses for everyone...

I am completely in love with backdrops at the minute and will be using the one below as the setting for the dessert table. It is approx 3ft wide, 2ft tall and will fit perfects so that the table is set out in front of them all!!
So excited, I have a photo booth and lots of props as the ladies are all dancers etc so love being in front of the camera....im even going to get a chance to do some bump shots!! I cant wait to see it all set out!!

When Debbie met Kirstie...

2011-08-18T11:01:00.008+01:00

I shall start at the beginning!

Last week I got a phonecall from my sister telling me to expect a call from Persil as she had nominated me for the Mini Miracles competition (about mums who do mini miracles everyday with their kids) and apparently I was in the final!

EEK!!

Phonecall came from Persil (well, PR company on behalf of Persil) telling me I was a winner and had won...

a Years supply of washing powder
£1000 worth of holiday vouchers
Overnight stay in Devon and

MEET KIRSTY ALLSOPP FOR LUNCH IN HER HOUSE!!So, Tuesday came and I spent 7 hours with my bottom going numb on a train down to Honiton - near Exeter, a taxi was picking me up to take me to Woodbury park Golf Club which is where I was to spend the night. It was still all surreal at this point until another mum who was at the train station tried to nab my taxi and we both realised we were heading to the same destination as we were both Miracle mums!! We shared the cab and chatted about how we got nominated, what we did (shes a CEO on the board of Starbucks!), she had 2 little girls with her and they were both making me pine for my own kids (hubby was on duty with them all as he said i deserved the night away to relax!) :)

We got to the golf club and checked in then were met by the lovely PR girls (blonde hair, pretty and skinny - jealous.. moi??) who took care of everything including dinner and wine. This is where all 5 of us miracle mums got to talk to each other and find out that we all actually have a LOT in common!! Whether it be competitions, blogs, twitter or just enjoying being a mum, we all realised that it was pretty special to be credited for something we all seriously enjoy :)
We ended up taking a bottle of wine back to one of the girls rooms and it was seriously as though we had known each other forever - we laughed, cried and finally got to our own rooms a little after midnight!

Up early the next morning for breakfast and picked up via taxi to head out to Kirsties home. We pulled into her drive, boy do i love the crunch tires make on pebbles, and marvelled at the grandeur of the house....btw you could have fit my entire home into Kirsties kitchen!!

Kirstie came out to meet us all in one of her trademark dresses and looked every bit the domestic goddess she appears to be on screen. After shaking hands and asking everyones names she ushered us into her home and we were offered a cup of tea/coffee before being told all about the house and the renovations etc. This house is actually her husbands and is HUGE - im talking 14 bedroom, put the kids at one end of the house and need a tracking system type HUGE! They even have a priest hole in their wardrobe floor! Nothing was off limits, we strolled from room to room, up to the attic and all through the bedrooms (including Kirsties own!) - the boys, Bay and Oscar were little stars and went to grab torches etc so we could peer into the priesthole and spy around little hidden corners! lol

When we were finished the tour (sorry for the lack of pictures but its a home and didnt feel right to snap pics of personal belongings etc - plus there was a professional photographer there anyways so when i get some of those through i will share) we headed downstairs again to have a glass of champagne and take pics of us with Kirstie etc. We all cheered for photographs, sipped champagne and decorated with decoupage - just the 6 of us around the kitchen table, laughing, talking and putting the world to rights.

Lunch was next and boy were these cakes pretty! As well as lots of sandwiches, homemade salsa, scones and cream were fresh berries, pretty flowers and water spiked with mint leaves. True to form it was served on mismatched china and 'found' items, old silver forks, spoons and perfect linen napkins - we even got to look in the drawers at the Christmas napkins Kirstie made on the last show. Above her sideboard was the most amazing picture made with buttons...well, you know my love of buttons!! I asked her if it was ok to take a photograph to share......how fab is that and it was MASSIVE! I might make something similar but on a smaller scale...much smaller! lol

After lunch the taxis arrived so after a round of hugs, signed pics and questions about what was the next show like etc we all departed with our pressies of Cath Kidston bags, (did you know Cath is Kirsties cousin??!!) beautiful blue pot plant and our decoupage goodies. Oh that crunch of tires on pebbles again will never get old! :)

So, thats my story of how Debbie met Kirstie...Im now sat waiting to do an interview with a newspaper and plotting on how I can get my own TV series! I think I could get use to this!! ;)

(HUGE, MASSIVE thankyou to my sis Kelly as none of this would have happened without you - i got her to sign one of the photos above where shes in the green dress for you!)

Cookies & Milk Bar!

2011-08-12T22:14:00.007+01:00

I know ive been building up to this one but I have been so looking forward to setting it all up and seeing the dresser displayed properly for the first time! :)I have transformed Frills & Fondant into a candy bar/dessert table/event planning website (which is initially what I wanted to do but didnt have the guts - Ive taken the bull by the horns and gone for it!)

Friday night is family night where we usually play games, watch a new dvd and have a little picnic of goodies...thanks to my new dresser I was inspired to make a whole mini dessert bar in the form of Cookies & Milk for the boys. **click images for larger pictures**
We had lemon, raspberry and chocolate cupcakes with Oreo...
...Millionaires Shortbread Marshmallow...
...Chocolate cookies and Coconut Cookies...
...Almond Cookies and Fudge Cookies!
The printables for the little gift cups is adorable and the giant gingerbread men fit perfectly. I am in love with paper straws and mini milk bottles so yes, I did squeal when these were filled - especially with little 'Got Milk?' tabs on the straws!
That glass cake stand I used for the marshmallow shortbread is the one I made from a plate and candle stick! How cute does it look against the blue and browns!
I bought some cookie/cakes from M&S to make into lollies - I was going to make cakepops in the form of biscuits but something are easier bought! ;)
Yes, we are all full and there are now 3 tins of cookies and cakes that werent eaten that we have to look forward to over the weekend (believe me if the boys find out where ive hidden the tins they will be gone by tomorrow!)

Credits:

Party stationary, printables, banner, place cards etc - Dimple Prints
Millionaire Shortbread - Burgh Bakes
Mini Milk Bottles - Dotcomgiftshop

Fancy a cuppa??

2011-08-11T12:43:00.005+01:00

With the weather being as pants as it is I thought you might like to pop round for a cuppa?
Ive made something pretty special for the occassion....I bought this tea trolley from Ebay for £9 and as you can see it needed a little work...The chalkboard was from a local charity shop and was £5...again needing a makeover.
I sanded them both down and decided on using the same colour blue that I used for my new dresser. I found the name and its a special mix on demand one at B&Q named Luna Landscape 5.
The trolley is painted using Parsonage Cream eggshell from the Crown Period range, the chalkboard was repainted with black chalkboard paint and given a freshen up and good clean in the little tin pots. Wallpaper was then added to the back of the bottom section to add a little colour and fit in with the whole shabby chic theme :)I hung two little pink tin pails from the hangers and popped in the green stripey paper straws ready to use with those gorgeous little milkbottles!! Did you notice the teeny milkbottles - how cute are they and yes i can finally breathe a sigh of relief as i managed to get hold of some! The books are painted with tester pots of Wilkinson emulsion - dont go wasting loads on full size tins when 99p little tester pots will last for ages on projects like these!
Now, do you want sugar with that?? Oh and help yourself to biscuits! :)

Adventure!!

2011-08-10T21:38:00.002+01:00

You know, when I chose my word for 2011 I decided to just take this year as it came...believe me we have had some pretty pants years in the past but after Evie last year and well a more positive outlook it seemed like a good decision! Adventure just seemed to fit and, well, go along with whatever came was my new moto!

I have just been informed of something that I will be able to share with you next Wednesday in picture form - when you see it you will know why im so giddy and why i wont have posted for both Monday and Tuesday!! Not only will i be at the other end of the country but there are newspapers involved and a certain popular someone who I darent mention the name of incase I pee with excitement!! lol (excuse the vulgarity but im so excited i may do just that!!)

Much prep and lots of posts to come between now and then though as i have finished the decorating of the chalk board....plus a tea trolley i picked up from ebay and boy do they look cute together!! Plus Friday night is the last day of the Scrapbook shop before it closes its doors for good - im thinking of decending with a bottle of bubbly to keep the girls jeed up for the beginning of a new adventure! :)

Time will tell...

2011-08-08T08:00:00.001+01:00

I could spend hours looking at old items and imagining them displayed with the dessert tables, picnic settings etc. Here are a couple of bits ive managed to pick up lately - there is a fabulous little shop tucked away in Durham called Ding Dong Vintage.
I adore old cameras and couldnt resist these two.....im sure both would work too given a little care and attention and ive even found a website dedicated to regenerating these kind of items.
They sell so much stuff it is literally spilling out onto the path infront of the store - you could get lost in here for years and still come out not having seen everything (and yes its a small shop!)
A few other bits have been picked up via boot sales/charity shops/ebay etc - ive become something of a prop hoarder!!
How cute is this old linen parasol and picnic basket - i have visions of Evie in a cute summer dress holding this while i take pictures (shes already nabbed my Jackie O style pink sunglasses which was for something completely different!)
I love this old radio and how it has the buttons for long and medium wave. When i opened the back theres no fancy circut boards or chips - theres a whopping great hole where a whopping great battery would go! lolThis Lilliput typewriter brings back so many memories - i didnt have one like this but i can remember sitting for hours rewriting books i had borrowed from the library so that i could get my typing speed up! I was about 8! lol I had to explain to the boys how to push the roll back along after each line and how you would use a correction tape - they were completely baffled!
So much to do and my lovely little sis has just booked a day off work so that we can visit the Newark Antique and Collectors fair this month! So excited!!

Finished dresser makeover

2011-08-07T14:53:00.005+01:00

I posted earlier in the month about a dresser i received from Freegle - This post

Here are the before and after shots - i love how it turned out and didnt seem to take too long either :) Add that to my new love of B&Q eggshell paints where you get to choose your own colour and im in heaven!

*click on the image to get a better idea of the colour used etc*

2 coats was all it took and the paint was as smooth as any of the more expensive ranges ive used - less smell too! The natural wood top was sanded back from that horrible brown colour and given a coating of beeswax to protect it.

Now i just need to get baking and prep for next Friday night - Cookie and Milk Bar!

Winner of Tea for Two!!

2011-08-06T17:29:00.003+01:00

sorry im late in posting - got caught up in family day!! lol

The winner of the Afternoon Tea for Two from Wish is
Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

Timestamp: 2011-08-06 16:28:43 UTC

Congratulations Clare Please can you email me @ debbie(At)countryheartandhome.com with your email address so I can forward it on to the people at Wish!! :)

oops didnt make it to the cakepop stage!

2011-08-04T08:00:00.000+01:00

A failed cakepop attempt!!

I made the chocolate cake...

...the smell was too nice so I made some chocolate ganache...
We had warm chocolate cake with hot chocolate ganache....oh well..maybe the cake will make it to cakepops next time!! lol

Beamish Museum trip :)

2011-08-03T08:00:00.001+01:00

Scott broke up from school 1 day earlier than the rest of the boys so we took advantage of not dragging what felt like a minibus full of kids with us and accepted my Mum in laws invitation to a day out at Beamish museum.

Now, bearing in mind last time I was there, Ben was 6 weeks old! Hes now 15! There have been lots of updates and bits added and to be honest I cant even remember what it was originally like apart from the main street where the shops are - and even those have had so many bits added to them!

It really is like a step back in time and even though there was a chill in the air it was still a lovely day, Evie enjoyed looking at everything going on around her whilst eating mini chocolate coated doughnuts!Scott was completely taken with the steam train, trams and the noisy old motorbikes - the steamtrain was his favourite though as we got to stand on the bridge while they blew the smoke up between the slats - everything disappeared completely for a minute, until you coughed your way back to reality! Oh and Fry's sweet factory - they were making cinder toffee but all i could drool over were the sweet making tools!! lolThe old school was interactive, you got to play with the old toys and walk through the classrooms which were set up with blackboards covered in poems. The old changing rooms were just like you see on the older movies - no high tec shower stalls here! There were teachers standing there telling you exactly how it use to be....yes they even had THE STRAP!! The tables were so teeny and the chairs would have suited Evie perfectly they were so small! Next it was on to the farm which has the usual pigs, bulls, chickens, ducks etc and they all seemed really co operative! lol They are probably use to the public, being on show 24/7 must make them immune to the camera because after the initial snub of 'heres my bottom - take a pic of that!' - we got a full display of completely un-shy superstar wannabes! lol Yes the pig was rather scary close up - I still have nightmares about that scene in Hannibal!! *shudder*

And finally...

Me and hubby - we just enjoyed spending some time together for a change, it seems like we both have so many projects on the go at the minute that even though we're there for each other all the time, it was nice to just breathe and relax for a while :) (no comment on the wrinkles - i was squinting in the sun - honest!) ;)

Thank you Sue (my mum-in-law) for a lovely day :)

Dresser makeover project...

2011-08-02T08:00:00.004+01:00

I love Freecycle - or Freegle as its now called!

Someone posted mentioning they had a dresser to get rid of that had a rounded back - ok, so when they said rounded back I did wonder how on earth it would lie flat against a wall *yes dippy blonde moment* What they actually meant was that the top of the dresser unit was rounded - oh boy did I skip when I saw this!! I am in the process of sanding it all down, look how smooth that top is... - im going to leave the top a natural wood and add beeswax to protect it then paint the rest of it a duck egg blue eggshell, then it will be ready to decorate for its first party.

On a Friday night we have family night so in conjunction with Dimple Prints we are going to have our very first Nicholas Family Cookies and Milk Bar! I have jotted down lots of ideas for the cookies including cookie pops and a huge chocolate cake which is made to look like an Oreo! We will have milk in bottles with stripey straws and lots of other bits before we settle down to watch our Friday Family night movie! (any recommendations on which movie??)

So excited to get this done so im off tomorrow to go buy the eggshell ready to start the transformation!

Oh and if you wondered how I get so much done.......when Mummy loads the washer, Evie loads the washer, when Mummy sands dressers - Evie sands dressers...you get the picture..believe me there isnt much Mummy cant do without a little shadow!! lol

Win Tea for Two - Wish.co.uk

2011-08-01T14:20:00.005+01:00

Thank you to the lovely people over at www.Wish.co.uk for offering a fab giveaway to my readers! Wish.co.uk is the ultimate destination for experience days, offering everything from fast and furious driving days and flying experiences days to fun days out.

Every order comes with free, fast delivery, a gift box and you can shop safe in the knowledge that they guarantee the best price (or you get double the difference back).

Visit Wish.co.uk to see for yourself.

All you need to do is go to www.Wish.co.uk and leave a comment below to tell me which ultimate luxury event you would WISH for yourself and you could win the following...

Afternoon Tea for 2 at a Classic Lodge Hotel-:

Indulge in a touch of elegant British tradition and enjoy a spot of Afternoon Tea at one of the charming Classic Lodge Hotels located around the UK. Served from 2pm, your traditional afternoon tea will include tea, coffee, sandwiches, scones and a delicious array of cakes.

Locations

Buckinghamshire, West Sussex (South East) Gloucestershire (South West) Lancashire, Northumberland, West Yorkshire, North Yorkshire (North)

Leave a comment below with your wish and I will use random.org to choose a winner at midnight on Friday - go tell all your friends - just tell them if they win they have to take you!! :)

Good Luck!!

Toblerone No.1 Teacher

2011-08-01T14:14:00.002+01:00

Thanks to the wonderful people over at Toblerone we had an offer of some No.1 Teacher bars to give away. However what with me not getting the parcel until almost holidays, not having enought time to send them out for kids finishing the school year and a combination of the kids being poorly they suggested that we use them for our children to give away to the teachers! How sweet is that!Thankfully we managed to get them to the school for pick up time on Friday just in time to hand to the teachers as the kids broke up for 6 weeks. Toblerone had made the wraps for the chocolate as a special one off so that was sweet and im sure there will be lots more offers coming up and i promise next time there wont be a deadline of kids holidays in the way :)

Phew!!

2011-07-26T20:21:00.002+01:00

Last week = little boy + sickness
Weekend = little girl + sickness
Last 3 days = mummy + sickness

...dont you just hate bugs that stick around and make everyone sick!! :(

Sorry about not posting the winner of the piping nozzles but as you can imagine im kinda lacking time on the pc when the screen makes you feel icky!The Winner is DEANNE!!!

Honey please can you email me your address to debbie(at)countryheartandhome.com and i will get them out to you asap :)

Hugs
Debbie
x

May 2012 retreat - Windermere, Cumbria!!

2011-07-20T15:02:00.002+01:00

I am so excited to announce the first of next years Creative HeART & Soul retreats and it is in one of the most gorgeous places I know!

The Terrace, Windermere – a unique row of Three 4 star, grade II listed large holiday homes located in the heart of Windermere village, yet conveniently secluded from the hustle of the town in private grounds. Designed by AWN Pugin perhaps more famous for designing the Palace of Westminster these house are beautifully kept and as a result were awarded ‘best contribution to the visual appearance to Windermere village’ in 2008.

There are copious amounts of single, double, twin and kingsize beds – NO ONE will be sharing a bed.

The majority of rooms have ensuite facilities plus there is the added master bathroom etc on each floor of each house.

All bedrooms have TV/DVD combos and most have Ipod alarms, game stations etc. One of the houses even has a cinema in the basement, another has a hot tub and another has a pool table/games room!

Since there are 3 houses that we are taking over there is more than ample parking and we have a lot of outdoor space should the weather be nice to us!

The teachers we have lined up so far are our very own Tracie Hudson, Celine Navarro, Lida De Witte and another international teacher who is yet to confirm

£375 all inclusive – accomodation, food, 6 classes plus make/takes and goodie bags. If you know Creative HeART & Soul you will know attention to detail is second to none and we have lots of surprises throughout the weekend!

Please email debbie@creativeheartandsoul.com to book your space now!

Deposit of £50 due at time of booking then a monthly payment of £50 on the first of Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan and a final £25 due on the 1st of Feb!

WIN a set of 24 clear piping nozzles!!

2011-07-18T08:00:00.001+01:00

As I love baking so much I couldnt resist picking up these when in TKMaxx at the weekend! A set of twenty-four acrylic icing nozzles that will create swirls, stars, rosettes, and many more designs for decorating cakes and biscuits. Comes complete with a clear, plastic, durable case for easy storage.
I did try to explain to the lady at checkout why I needed 2 sets without sounding like a complete baking fiend...failed miserably! I just knew you would need another set too - I mean, who can ever have enough cakestands, cookie cutters and well, erm nozzles! lol

All you need to do is leave your details via Misterlinky below! I will pick someone at random on Friday 22nd July - to get an additional entry just refer a friend (or 10!)! Simply put your name in the name section alongside your referred friends name (debbie/joanna for example) and pop a link to your own blog in the link section again, just like you did on your first entry...make sense?? lol

Good Luck!! If we get more than 100 people enter the giveaway I may take a little trip to TKMaxx to see what else they have in store! You could get lucky!!

Sundays bargains!

2011-07-17T18:50:00.007+01:00

Dont you just love it when you unintentially do something and you dont realise until someone points it out??!!

I managed to find both this bowl and candle stick at a local charity shop and it wasnt until Ben asked if i was now buying things in sets that i realised they were made for each other! How cute are these and boy didnt i need another standing bowl!! lol (Although wouldnt it look fab filled with sweets on a candy table and for only £2 for the bowl and 50p for the candle stick well i couldnt say no could I! ;)

Another bargain of the day were these gorgeous flowers £5 reduced to 75p - for that price they have brightened up my windowsill no end! :)

I also managed to pick up these two beautiful blue glass sundae glasses which i think would look fab holding those tall lollies on a candy table - £1.50 each!Have I told you about my love of TKMaxx (im sure I have?! ;) Well, depending on what the buyers bring in depends on how high my blood pressure gets and boy has it been off the charts lately!! Look at those, that huge glass will be the centre piece of a wedding project i have coming up - filled with pink champagne it will be just perfect and £11.99!! Well, I couldnt say no (I cant say no very often if you hadnt realised!) LOL That gorgeous HUGE GIGANTIC glass container will hold lots of momentoes of babies for an upcoming baby shower - either that or im really losing my marbles and concidering filling it with water and a pair of goldfish for a wedding table! (good job they had more than one in the store as i certainly wouldnt use the same one for sweets and fish!!) haha

Then of course theres something that cost me nothing but means a lot - it took an awful long time to think of all those things I love about Evie - everything from her nose to her toes, watching her grow and helping her down this path. I love the little pics which are from when she first met her Percil bunny - which is now conveniently called Percy thanks to Rosie! lol ;)

Upcoming projects...

2011-07-16T08:00:00.000+01:00

I thought I would share pics of a couple of projects im currently working on. Cant wait to have them finished so I can start work on the dresser we currently have in the living room! lol

This first piece I saw each time I passed the charity shop near our home. I loved it from the get go and would have kicked myself if it had gone, but everytime we drove past it taunted me....I swear it was shouting 'Debbie buy me!!' HONEST!! ;)Im going to strip it all back and redo the woodwork in pale cream distress then repaint the blackboard section, hang little hooks from those sections in the bottom and add a couple of rub ons etc. I know just what its going to be used for and I cant wait to get the kitchen sorted so that it has a home!

This next piece was bought at a carboot sale, theres a new one opened up near where we live and there were only less than 10 cars there the first week but i managed to pick this up for 50p!! Its a little wonky, a little unloved but by the time im finished with it it will have a new lease of life and work really well as our in/out box!

Those my dears are my projects for this weekend - children and weather permitting of course! ;)

Sports day 2011

2011-07-15T22:12:00.003+01:00

I got burnt...I got really burnt!! I have watch strap marks and a lovely V where my tshirt neckline was! lol

This was the first year that Evie has actually been able to take part and although she didnt run any races (nope not even the toddler one) she loved running around the field! The open spaces meant she could just let go and run.....she loved it and I have to admit I am really enjoying this little princess, watching her grow and the way the boys interact with her is just amazing, they love her so much and she is really thriving from it all!

Ethan and Jake came first in the throwing competitions - can you tell what they enjoy doing in their spare time?! lol

It turned out to be a fabulous day with all the kids thoroughly enjoying themselves and all the mums and dads having a laugh between themselves over the parents and toddlers races....*sigh* happy days :)

Marshmallow winner!

2011-07-14T19:51:00.002+01:00

Picked at random by Jacob...Congratulations to

CT19720 said...

How gorgeous do these marshmellows look. Have to say that the Lemon Meringue Pie would be the ones i'd pick, it is my all time favourite pudding. Have liked on FB x

Well done honey - please email me your postal address to debbie(at)countryheartandhome.com and i will get them in the post to you first thing :)

Dessert table and Candy bar!

2011-07-13T13:01:00.008+01:00

I had the pleasure of spending last weekend with a gorgeous group of ladies that I met over the internet....now, isnt it funny how we warn the kids to be careful and never arrange to meet anyone youve only talked to over the internet... dont look at me like that!! lol

Anyways, we have been meeting up once a year for around 4 years now and usually someone else organises it but after a mixup I stepped in and took over the planning. This is the kind of event where we take everything but the kitchen sink and we scrapbook......we make cards, scrap, drink, talk and generally dont sleep all weekend. All of these lovely ladies have some kind of issues to deal with throughout their lives, whether it be raising difficult children, dealing with *cough* menfolk, health issues etc - none complain, we all smile and realise our lives are so much better than they could be, we are strong and we are women who get on with things!

This is where my thoughts took me when I planned a little surprise for the ladies - a dessert table first of all!I had so much fun making the pompoms and plan to use them an awful lot - i have so many different colour packs of tissue paper that I cant wait to make some more for my next party!
(please excuse the background and colouring - its a conference hall so i couldnt attach anything to the wall as backdrop so ended up with horrible orange wooden glare over everything!)

The centre piece on the table was a 4 tier chocolate ganache and fresh raspberry cake (dont even ask about the cake - its a bone of contention between the girls as it had been standing for 2 days and i hadnt cut it, because no one else had either i thought no one wanted it so took the photos and *whispers* binned it! LOL The outcry from the girls was hilarious as they were all waiting for me to cut it to try some - even if it was just the middle that was still soft at that stage - sorry girls!) lol.

Dark chocolate cakepops with white chocolate coating and edible pearlescent decoration, oreo sunken cupcakes which were topped with cream cheese frosting, I made the paper rosettes with the Tim Holtz die and had some Keep Calm and Eat A Cupcake badges made for each of the girls. toffee and chocolate and amaretti biscuit coated cupcakes. Lemonade with fresh slices of orange and lemon from a gorgeous glass dispenser - which became the star of the weekend :) I covered the water bottles in pretty paper and made little caps for them as the purple tops didnt match the table! (yes im a little ocd at times) Then i made cute little chinese takeaway boxes decorated with pretty paper and handmade pinwheels. These were filled with a lottery ticket, fortune cookie, chocolate lipbalm and a little glass vial which i put nature rub ons onto, these contained a little scroll saying how strong, beautiful, important etc each of the ladies are.The candy table was a huge success as it was filled completely with kiddy sweets and finished with a row of handmade bunting! Jelly teddies, spaceships, fizzy stars and lots more. There were little silver scoops for everyone to help themselves and the table was decorated with little teeny glass hearts.I had so much fun making it all but got even more pleasure from the reception it all got from the ladies attending, seeing them smile and even thank me for what i had done was more than i ever could have asked for - love you all xxx

I am having a little revamp of Frills & Fondant - not only will we sell the heart table display candles and glass display candles we will also be offering event planning - everything from supplying the decorations (from flowers to pompoms) when you walk down the aisle all the way through to dessert and candy tables for birthdays, christenings etc. We have so much planned and I am so excited to take Frills & Fondant to the next level - watch out for more pics coming soon as i have a birthday event, a double baby shower and a wedding lined up!

Burgh Bakes ..... Review and Giveaway!!

2011-07-12T19:38:00.008+01:00

A huge thank you to Lydia for getting me started on these delicious treats!

She sent me an email stating she had put my name forward as a foodie blog to do a review of some homemade gourmet marshmallows - made in Edinburgh!

I sent an email to the owner, Nicole, and boy am I thankful to Lydia!! The marshmallows arrived this morning, each flavour individually packaged in kraft bags (you know everything tastes better when they come in brown packaging!!) with a little see through window to tempt the first of your senses.....boy did they look delicious!The next sense to be put to the test was smell....when you open each bag you get a distinctive scent of whats in store. Key Lime actually smelt like fresh Key Lime Pie....Millionaires Shortbread smelt exactly like...you get the idea! lol

Next came the tasting! Now, ever the professional I decided to take the photographs first to make sure I didnt 'accidentally' eat a whole packet and have nothing to show...do you know how hard it is to position these delicious treats and NOT lick your camera screen!

These are the flavours Nicole sent and I am declining to answer how many are left!

Millionaire Shortbread... just like the real thing, crumbly base, caramel centre and topped with dreamy chocolate...(even my non marshmallow eating hubby loved these!)
Key Lime Pie...A tangy marshmallow with real lime bits held up by a crumbly sweet base.Morello Cherry...A light and oh so subtle cherry flavour with a kick of dark chocolate for topping.
Lemon Meringue Pie...So moorish!! These are huge and almost melt in the mouth, so soft and tangy...perfect as a treat or dessert!
HOWEVER I do have my hands on an extra bag of the Lemon Meringue Pie Marshmallows which one of you can get hold of just by liking Burgh Bakes on Facebook and coming back to leave me a message to confirm you have done so :)

Competition open until Thursday 12pm

I asked Nicole to answer a couple of questions so that any entrepreneurs out there would be inspired to start their own business' too :)

How did you get started?

Basically I graduated from University with a degree in ‘English Literature’ which turned out to be amazingly useless when it came to getting a so called “proper” job, so after a year of pub jobs, café jobs and a number of awful bosses I decided I’d had enough of waiting for a job to happen and make one happen for myself! I started off baking traybakes, cupcakes and loaf cakes and selling my wares wherever I could, even car boot sales! Around March I wanted to do something different, after seeing cupcake shops springing up in Edinburgh I knew I couldn’t compete with them so I wanted to do something different. I spent one sleepless night researching the internet looking for an idea and came across Gourmet Marshmallows, both incredibly popular in America and Paris! Two very different places! The American Marshmallows were very articificially coloured and look like a taste explosion on a plate, whereas the Parisian Marshmallows were very subtle, grand and, well… Parisian! I wanted to strike a balance inbetween and hence, “Burgh Bakes” – ‘The Marshmallow Lady’ was born! I made my debut in the middle of April and have gone from strength to strength since!

How do you not eat every batch!!??

Well.. who says I don’t? haha. No, but I have to try each batch just to make sure they’re as delicious as they can be, but apart from that I don’t really indulge in them that often, I’d rather sell them to keep the dream going!

What makes you think up new flavours - are they your own favourites or suggestions etc?

Mainly friends and family provide me with inspiration. The ‘Millionaires’ Shortbread’ was my mother’s idea, she came to me one day and asked if it was possible and two days later I delivered her a wee bag of the delicious treats. I also keep track of what’s ‘in’ with all the chefs. I’ve noticed that Elderflower seems to be everywhere right now, so I’m currently working on a flavour incorporating the yummy syrup! I’m also working on ‘Maple Syrup & Candied Pecans’, ‘Summer Fruits Crumble’ and ‘Reverse Rocky Road’!

Thank you so much Nicole, I wish you all the luck in the world on your adventure and I will certainly be back for more! :)

Cancer Research Charity Fair - Barmoor Castle.

2011-07-11T22:20:00.003+01:00

Most of you who have read my blog already know i lost my dad to cancer not long ago (when i say not long, we are now talking years but some days it feels like yesterday) Miss you dad xxx

Each year the lovely residents of Barmoor Castle organise a fundraising event....and each year it gets bigger and bigger! They start the day before the fair building up all of the tents, gazebos, the stage...you get the idea! All of the ladies on the site bake like youve never seen before - no sooner is one pie or batch of cakes out of the oven then another is lined up ready to go in. There is the usual quiche, corned beef pie, bowls of salads, homemade coleslaws etc and what with an American lady on site too the table wouldnt be complete without refried beans - they go down a storm! Each year they have had a silent auction (where you go and bid on paper for what you want (this year there was everything from a slow cooker to a bike, beauty hampers and towers of Haribo sweets - bet you can tell which the boys wanted!) lol There was a raffle, of which they sold out of all 4 books - thats 4000 individual tickets we had to fold! The card and jewellery stall went down well as a lot of the ladies on the site have now been introduced to the world of crafts - im taking absolutely no responsibility and will leave that to mum *wink*

Besides singers who took turns to keep everyone moving, there was a quiz, entertainment and birds of prey for the youngsters to have their photographs taken with. Scott was completely taken with the owls and spent a while drawing them :)

I took my two oldest boys up with me to help out and they were complete angels all weekend, between keeping the younger children entertained and helping out bringing things around the site all night they really were a pair of stars :)
My little sis was unwell so unable to attend but it was a fab opportunity to see my gorgeous little nephew from our middle sis - isnt he just yummy and couldnt you just grab those cheeks!!

A fab night was had by all and everyone managed to raise over £3000 for a very worthwhile charity.
Thank you everyone involved for a fabulous night and see you next year :)

I think im Cake Pop'd out!

2011-07-11T20:34:00.005+01:00

What with the kids school fair (65 cake pops), mums cancer charity do (56 cake pops) and then this last weekend away with the girl (30 cake pops + 20 to leave at home to keep the kids quiet!) lol

I have so enjoyed making the amount of cakes and sweets i have this past couple of weeks and what with Scotts birthday coming up in 3 weeks time im guessing my oven isnt going to get a break anytime soon! lol

I have lots of photographs to share of all these places and events, plus the fact im due to review some homemade gourmet marshmallows from Burgh Bakes, new Small but Mighty washing liquid from Persil (which included a gorgeous M&S white rabbit for Evie!), playing with a new app thats about to launch and a preview of a new advert due to launch next week....lets just say its a little manic, but as you know, I wouldnt have it any other way :)

As im going to dedicate each post to their own specific theme (mum/girly weekend etc) then im going to leave this as is and come back shortly to update with a new post :)

See you soon xxx

Charity shop bargains!

2011-06-28T20:04:00.004+01:00

Bet you thought i had fallen into a black hole!!??

Its coming up to that time of year again, sports day, school fates, mums cancer charity do, girly weekend away....yes im cooking up a storm!! lol

Coming up this weekend is my mums cancer charity do which she holds each year. They have food and music and an auction and raffle and loads more - it is huge this year and im so looking forward to helping out again! I missed last years so have some making up to do - im baking cakepops and 2 x 4 layered chocolate cakes with chocolate ganache and fresh raspberries! Did i mention im on a diet??! lol

Here are a couple of goodies ive picked up from the charity shop this week....See the size of those glass plates, i put the 10p there just to show how HUGE they are! Theres 2 of them there!! They will be great for holding a larger cake with lots of small cupcakes around it! Im going to mount them onto the candlesticks which were a complete fluke find as they match the plates perfectly! I now have 2 absolutely huge cakestands for £6 in total!! PERFECT!! I promise i will show you the chocolate ganache cake standing on one in all its raspberry covered glory xxx

Talking of perfect - how perfect is this little pet lip!! When she gets moody it comes out - also when you say wheres your funny face it comes out too - hey ho, shes cute either time!! lol

Change of venue for our October retreat :)

2011-06-16T21:48:00.002+01:00

Meadowbank House is an amazing country house set in rolling countryside 10 minutes walk from Chipping Campden in the North Cotswolds. A large, light and extremely luxurious house, with a special blend of contemporary luxury furnishings and Cotswold details, it sleeps up to 16 in 6 bedrooms. Meadowbank has a heated pool, playground and games room with table tennis, pool and table football, plus a giant TV with full Sky package.

The house is set in six acres of grounds, completely on its own. Yet it is just a short walk down a footpath to Chipping Campden, one of the most beautiful villages in England, with a sophisticated range of restaurants, pubs and shops. From the terraces outside the house there are wonderful views across the countryside to St James's Church.

Meadowbank House has masses of space for everyone to relax in.

The big, sophisticated hall opens through into the Kitchen and Drawing Room. The big, light Kitchen is fitted to an extremely high spec, with an Aga, built in oven and microwave, ceramic hob and American style fridge freezer. There is a large breakfast area with a lovely oak table perfect for breakfast, children's meals or a chat over a glass of wine.

The huge Drawing Room is at the centre of the house, with masses of luxurious sofas, double aspect views, a huge conservatory area and French windows opening onto two large terraces. There is a large Cotswold stone fireplace plus a 50" TV with full Sky package, Apple hi-fi and lots of children's toys, books and dvds.

The Dining Room is another tlarge, double aspect room with views over the gardens. There is a huge oak table with ample room for 16 to dine together.

There's also a utility room with washing machine and second dishwasher - plus a tumble drier in the airing room upstairs. And if you're looking for a games room, it's just outside across the garden..

Location

Meadowbank House is set in its own grounds in open countryside on the outskirts of the village of Chipping Campden in the North Cotswolds and is near the villages of Broadway and Moreton-in-Marsh.

It is about 45 minutes west of Oxford and 25 minutes south of Stratford-upon-Avon. It is 2 ¼ hours drive from London and an hour South of Birmingham.

The nearest train station is Moreton-in-Marsh, 10 minutes drive from the house. Trains run from London Paddington to Moreton-in-Marsh in around 1 ½ hours.

.......................................................................................................................................................

As this is only from the Friday until the Sunday the price will stay the same as it did for Woodhill @ £375 for the weekend There is no thursday night option unfortunately! Refunds will be sent to the girls who cannot make it but have already paid their deposit.

A busy weekend!

2011-06-14T22:05:00.002+01:00

Look at this fabulous bargain i picked up - was £20 now £5 and its massive!! Evie already loves it and has claimed it as hers - however once im finished with it and its pinked, gingham'd and prettied up im wondering if she will let anyone else play!! lol

Talking of little missy, now that she has passed the crawling stage completely (everywhere is walked now) she doesnt get so angry at dresses! They use to get caught under her knees and they stopped her from crawling anywhere at speed - now shes upwardly mobile though shes loving the freedom dresses give her......although i think shes contemplating trouble in that picture! lol

Over the weekend i set about baking again, cake pops this time and they went down a treat! ALL OF THEM! Come monday morning - none left! Its the school fair this friday so im on a mission to make a whole lot more of them :)

Pink & brown fruity layer cake!

2011-06-10T12:54:00.003+01:00

Whats better than a bowl of fresh fruit and whipped cream?? Having it all inside of a cake - thats what!!I made 2 pink layers of vanilla sponge cake and 2 layers of chocolate sponge. Sandwiched them together cream and layered strawberries in between the first two sponge cakes, blueberries between the next and raspberries between the last two. Topped it all off with whipped cream and lots more fresh fruit :)
Enjoy xxx

Toppings and homemade toffee apple sauce!

2011-06-09T15:42:00.006+01:00

These toffee apples (are they still called toffee apples when theyre covered in chocolate?? lol) are one way to get the kids to have their 5 a day - albeit not the best, but one of the most fun!!

I coated the apples with Wilton Candy melts - its a delicious vanilla flavoured chocolate that goes really hard with a nice crack to it when bitten. No need to refridgerate! I also coated some fresh strawberries in the chocolate and sprinkled them with sugar crystals :)
My boys cant seem to eat ice cream without having some sort of topping so the best thing to do is save all the bits from decorating other treats - ie.... I kept the remaining sugar crystals from the strawberries and candles, when I level off sponge cakes i keep the 'left overs' in an airtight jar to crumble over the ice cream etc.... there are loads of ideas of what you can 'keep' without having to spend a fortune on expensive toppings!
Here is a topping that is an extra special treat for kiddies and grown ups alike.

Toffee Apple Sauce

100g light muscavado sugar
100g unsalted butter
4tbsp golden syrup
4tbsp double cream

600g Bramley apples (after being cored and peeled)
250g granulated sugar
100ml water
2tbsp lemon juice

For the toffee sauce: Melt the sugar, syrup and butter in a small pan and bring slowly to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 3 minutes or so until thick. Stir in the cream and remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

For the jam: place the apples, water and lemon juice in a separate pan and cook down until soft and fluffy – this will take about 15-20minutes. Once the apples have become soft, add the sugar over a low heat until all the sugar has dissolved, then crank up the heat and bring to a simmering boil for approximately 4-5 minutes. The apple jam should be lovely and thick.

Wait until both have cooled and alternate between adding to the jars - layer of toffee, then layer of apple jam. You can mix both together but it is perfect when you get chunks of both over the ice cream.I currently have 2 jars sitting in the fridge that will get their debut tonight - can we skip dinner and go straight to dessert please? lol

Another sneak at some pretties!

2011-06-08T08:30:00.000+01:00

I think by now everyone knows my love of birdcages, cakestands and of course owls!
Look at this fabulous little chunky bundle of goodness! Hes around 2 inches tall and an inch wide - hes gorgeous!!This little fella was just begging to be mine on the open day of Vintage Princess Jewellery - inside City Attic in Durham town centre. Not only is this shop well worth a visit for the pretty jewellery but Hayley who owns City Attic is one of the nicest people who will help with anything - I have told her im moving into the shop at some point as its just too pretty to leave!

During an earlier visit to TK MAXX I found this stunning plate in the sale aisle - it was £6 and is pure glass with a bird egg transfer through it (does that make sense?) I can just imagine it at easter with little birdsnest cakes or cupcakes with teeny little spotted chocolate eggs! The nest was from another little boutique in Durham (£3.95) and my gorgeous owl resides in there when hes not round my neck! :)
You know when you imagine Christmas and the reindeers prancing across the sky - theres this far away little tinkle of bells that doesnt sound quite real but also brings an air of magic.....well I found the culprit!! This gorgeous heart makes the most magical tinkle of their little bells.....yes I did get told off for playing with them all the way home! lol
Now this is a new venture for me! I have never played with resin or made anything like this before (ok ive played with plastercine but does that count?) Im going to try and make some buttons for my layouts and i adore the butterflies which i think will look fabulous framed! I promise I will show what I make :)
Last but not least...what do they say are a girls best friend?? Heck even if theyre fake ones, as long as they sparkle and look pretty we can be friends yes?!
I picked up a packet of gems at Dainty supplies in Washington - I have a zillion table decorations but none that are actually cut like real gems! I adore the way these catch the light and when i got home and worked out how many were in the pack I was even more happy - theres 18 large and 28 small gems.LOOK at the price!! Super Bargain!
OH and you know those milk bottles I had in my virtual basket and couldnt wait to check out?? That will teach me to hang around - a whopping out of stock sign on them now! Get things while you can ladies!

From charity shop to cake stand...

2011-06-07T17:46:00.002+01:00

I love a bargain and have wanted to have a go at making my own cake stands for a while. No im not pretending to have invented the wheel and know they have been around for ages - every shop seems to have 'reused' cups and saucers as cakestands etc. I just wanted to show you a quick way of making a cheap charity shop find into something a little bit more pretty :)

Take a pair of candlesticks - any colour - so dont be freaked out that they are pepto bismol pink or sewer green. (I bought mine from a local charity shop for £1.99 for the pair! Mine were an awful mix of blue and white pattern - typical i forgot to take a pic before i sprayed them!)Take them outside and sit them on plenty of newspaper before spray painting them with Rustoleum - I used gloss white, the array of colours these sprays come in are enough to set you off on a spraying frenzy!! lol Leave to dry completely before applying a second coat.
Using a very strong adhesive to attach a plate to the top of one of the stands - use Pinflair glue, this one seems to be highly recommended! You dont want it collapsing when you remove cakes from one side!
You could always use a dinner and a tea plate to make a 2 tier cakestand.
Or just keep them seperate for 2 different size cakestands - one for a victoria sponge and the other for little matching cupcakes!
Of course you could go simply for the all classic white - the whole point is when youre making it yourself you have free reign to either go all out and design something thats a complete one off....or something classic that you can use again and again.
Please link back to me if you give this a go - i would love to see what you make! :)

How grown up!!

2011-06-06T19:00:00.004+01:00

Its scary how grown up Jake looks in these pictures! Hes only 8!!The were taken the other day when it was red hot, he was just wearing shorts and most annoyingly all the kids tan really quickly just like daddy!

The brown skin, dark hair and deep brown eyes are only going to cause trouble when hes older - a mummy can tell!! lol

He is still my little boy though so when he said 'do i look like a vampire with blood dripping' I just had to play along and act all scared! Mummy is scared all right son - mainly because im going to have to keep the girls away with a long pointy stick!!

Display goodies!

2011-06-04T19:52:00.003+01:00

Its all about the staging right??

Im constantly on the look out for pretty and practical bits to stage candy displays and photographs etc....Ive been out of the loop so long though that when I walked into TK MAXX the other day I almost keeled over!! Be still my heart!! TOO MANY beautiful lovely goodies to drool over - and yes if i could have fit the 5ft metal painted cream and shabby chic'd bike complete with basket planter on the front and pedal into the trolley i would have!! lol (though i think it might have had more to do with what hubby would have said then whether it would fit in the trolley!) lol

Here are some of the goodies ive picked up since last time i posted - and its been a while!
Im in love with duckegg blue place settings and im going to turn one of these plates into a cake stand (pics to come soon). I love the white and blue together and that flutted cakestand is just divine - exactly what ive been looking for for so long!

The birdcage has an air of gothic about it but swirly and dreamy at the same time. I can just see a pastel plate in the bottom with a birds nest filled with sparkly goodies as a table centrepiece. The vase with the ornate silver swirls is for part of an elaborate candy bar - again pics to follow.

I have has a long lived desire for those lemonade bottles you use to see in the movies, combine those with paper straws and Ive gone to heaven!! lol How cute will these look filled with pink lemonade and fastened with a little ribbon label....sweet! The straws I will use in the little mini milk bottles - so far i have found 1 (see above pic for how cute they are!) but i have since found a supplier for plain mini milk bottles so im just waiting until another payday rolls around before I can indulge!

Here is the finished project for above Evies cot - Its filled with pretties and little bits and pieces that make me smile......just like she does.....how cute is she with her little hair clip!! *sigh - who knew being mummy to a princess could make your heart hurt in such a good way*

TFI Friday!!

2011-06-03T22:46:00.004+01:00

And thank the heavens too! This week has been so long, so warm and so tiring that im rather pleased its almost over! lol

I actually finished stripping the woodchip from Jake & Bens room (yes its taken well over a fortnight!) Oh the joys of trying to decorate the house on a shoestring! Tomorrow I commence putting the new wallpaper up, curtain pole and finish off the cupboard doors (which in my infinate wisdom I decided to redo!) lol

I have been baking again, this time Raspberry 'Ripple in the middle' cupcakes. Now, dont get me wrong...these are really nice....BUT

The chocolate around the raspberry ripple sweet all but disintigrated and the coconut baked again which turned it less moist and more 'sweet' like in the centre.
I would def make them again but possibly wait until the cupcake mix is about to set and then add the ripple!Make up your frosting as usual and add a little red food colouring until you achieve that 'raspberry' colour.....I just adore this shot - its like a baby pink egg!! :D
Decorate with chocolate chips or chocolate stars etc....something to offset the pink and bring the chocolate from the centre back to life! lolEnjoy xxx

Lots to share tomorrow including some new display goodies, bargains and a diy cake stand! :)