Winner and Winter!

The winner of this weeks giveaway was randomly chosen by Random.org....

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43

Timestamp: 2009-11-19 19:16:41 UTC

Congratulations to Rosie (Freycob) - please email me your address and i will get your goodies out to you :)

Thank you so much to everyone who left comments, it is really appreciated and i love giving away goodies - Bo Bunny giveaway coming on the 27th November.....remember to check their blog to start off your bloghop and work your way round all the ladies blogs :)

As its coming quickly up to the 1st of December i needed to make a start on my advent projects. I always wanted an advent candle but have just never gotten round to it so imagine my delight when Dotcomgiftshop sent me one as a pressie for having a blog they recommend!! Seriously,check me out on the list!! Anyways i received this fab HUGE advent candle (seriously its like 18inches high!!) and knew immediately what i wanted to do to decorate it.........Bo Bunny Snowy Serenade!!

I looped lots of 1 inch strips of paper so that they measured different lengths and fastened them with double sided tape to the bottom of a circular tin lid (pack of 2 reduced from £2.99 to 61p at Tesco) I made sure that each layer slightly overlapped so that there was a staggered look to the display and inserted swirls made with tiny strips of the same paper.

I rolled some of the Serentity paper into loops and added snowflakes, buttons and gems, these were then placed around the outside of the tin and the candle placed in the middle.

Using a Stampin up oval punch i created an inner layer to lie around the candle and bring it all together.

I hope you like it and if you make one please remember if you light the candle just watch out for flames and paper together - i would hate to be responsible for someones creations going up in smoke!! EEK!!

One last thing.......ive just finished reading this book and would highly recommend it to anyone wanting a lovely Christmassy chick-lit ...

Last Christmas by Julia Williams. Loved it, now im on to The Gift by Cecelia Ahern....another Christmassy one, i think im finding a common theme here! lol

Mmmmm mmm!!!

I tell you, its a good job im wearing those stretchy maternity trousers!! ;)

As promised here are the rest of my baking pics from yesterday. First up, mississippi mud pie (eaten last night and not sure i would make again though....was a little too nothingy - is that a word - i mean for the amount of ingredients and time that went into it it just wasnt really anything special)
Now, this is a whole other matter!! I could drool and look at this rocky road all day, its a Nigella recipe and uses Amaretti biscuits, brazil nuts and 70% dark chocolate etc...It is so rich and yummy its a more than special little treat so you only need a small piece!! :) *little reindeers are from Tesco Christmas decoration section*
While i was in Tesco i spotted (get it?! lol) these cake tins, set of 10 tea towels and a fabulous huge red crock pot - its to go in my new oven as i dont have a big enough one for the whole family and usually have to cook in 2 seperate pots - best of all it was half price!!! £6 instead of £12 - bargain!!
I popped into the charity shops on the way home to see if they had any good Christmas books for the boys and look what i found ...one is Ainsley *chipped leaf but turned round its perfect* and one is Coleport - both £2 each!! Today was a good day for bargains!!

Right, now i need to work on some Bo Bunny projects as ive just seen the schedule for December and boy are you all in for a treat!! :) :) Theres also a blog hop coming up at the end of November so stay tuned for another giveaway! :)

First half of my baking session...

...will post more pics tomorrow once everything has cooled down and been decorated etc!

Theres nothing as soothing as spending the day surrounded by gorgeous smells and masses of raw ingredients! I love testing things as i go and although i did have a burnt batch of peanut brittle, the second batch turned out just fine! Heres what was made in the Nicholas kitchen today.

Mississippi mud pie...Cranberry and White Chocolate cookies...Peanut Brittle...Rocky Road...oh and i got pee'd off with my cooker and ordered a new one...
...I cant wait to do some serious cooking!! Its twice the size of my current one! :)

Just a quickie...

We thought we were going for our scan today to see if we are having a boy or girl...nope, after 2 and a half hours we walked out after having

bloods taken...
booking in with consultant...
talk with midwife about amnio etc...
a crying session that i worried would get me sectioned...
we heard the heartbeat...
i cried again...
booked date of the 16th Dec to have the scan.

I came home and cried and slept....today was a very hormonal day...one of the not so good sides of being pregnant! ;)

Tomorrow however i plan on making up for it and cook up a storm - i feel the need to BAKE!! :)

Can anyone help me!!

I am feeling the need for change! I love my blog but want to update it to a cleaner fresher look - as you can see ive been messing with free backgrounds etc but i cant find anything i really LOVE! Ive given up until i can find something thats ME!
What sites or people would you recommend to make me a new blogger page.......it doesnt have to be free, (obv not squillions though!!) :)

I will send a fab package of goodies to the person whos recommendation i use!

EDIT: Ive changed it to a one from Simply Blog It Backgrounds for now and i quite like it - please keep suggestions coming though as i eventually want something custom made :)

He loves me!

I spent last night at my sisters and fell in love with my hubby all over again....

...he picked me up on the dot of 5pm when he said he would,
...he told me he couldnt sleep last night because i wasnt there,
...he had the boys keep their bedrooms tidy so i could come home with nothing to do,
...he just made me a coffee and the boys some tea so i could check out my emails etc,
...he gave me a squeeze and rubbed my tummy! (either he loves me or thinks im a Buddha!)I love you too sweetie xxx (layout is for this weeks Pencil Lines sketch 160)

Friday 13th....

Last night i sat and wrapped up all the Christmas presents we have here..........im sorry, i didnt want to but the boys made me!! They keep finding my hiding places and im running out of cupboards i can reach! LOL
It did make me realise though there are only a few more bits i need, so today im off to get the last few bits. I will add some stocking fillers and then theres just the sweets to get and the hampers to make up and wrap......Can i really be finished Christmas shopping mid November!! EEK!!
Oh and before i go, does anyone else have to have these at Christmas time........ They are gorgeous soft gingerbread hearts filled with apricot and smothered in dark chocolate - best thing is they are from Lidl and only 99p for a big bag! What more could a girl ask for! :)

Which reminds me its time to make my absolute family favourite...Nigellas Rocky Road - (my pic from last year...) must add Amaretti biscuits, brazil nuts and marshmallows to my shopping list!

Have a lovely weekend, im heading off now to Starbucks for my second Gingerbread Latte of 2009 (and probably third, fourth and maybe fifth over the weekend!) ......is it ok to be as excited as i was with the first...... ;)