Oh Christmas Tree!! (photo heavy!)

Shall we take a look at the Christmas tree then?

Looks fairly innocuous doesn't it?

Shall we take a closer look to see what's nestling in it's black tinsely branches?  Oh go on then!!

There's......


Jack Skellington!  Sally's in there too somewhere!

Well - you know how rock'n'roll we are right?!

SID!!  You're such a diva!!

Aww hello Witchy lady - don't be sad - it's nearly Christmas!!

Yummy red and black beaded hearts, silver sprayed cones and sparkly snowflakes

My favourite little acorn - this was from Liberty's don't cha know!

As was this black heart.  Probably the only things in the whole shop I could afford but hey - I think I made a good choice!

And beneath the tree live the snowman family.....aww they's very cute!  Assorted woolly cuddlies.  I have a bit of a thing about snowmen! 

And my adorable ickle penguin which hopped in to my basket when I wasn't looking whilst I was doing very important business shopping at the floristry warehouse.  Tsk. 

How cute?!

I love green cloaked Santas.  And the little tin one was a prezzie from a dear friend some years ago. 

Do you change your Yuletide colour theme year upon year?  Or do you tend to stick with the same colours and treasured ornaments? 

Enquiring minds wanna know!!

Bad BAD Blogger

Oh my poor little neglected blog, sitting on the shelf getting all careworn and dusty.  How I've missed you whilst I've been up to me ear'oles in Ferrero bliddy Rochers and Lindor choccies!    Never mind - I have returned - armed with a feather duster (a special sparkly one in keeping with the season) to dust off your corners and a tray of mince pies by way of a peace offering.

Whilst it is of course a good thing that my little business has had some interest on the lead up to Christmas, it's verrrry hard to fit much else in to my evenings when I work full time as this is the only time I can create the bouquets - which take up to around 3 hours each.  The kitchen table has been bowed down with my card making crafty stuff for the last three weeks yet I haven't had a chance to make a single one!  

Ah well - needs must when the devil holds yer purse strings eh folks?

We're off out for a family meal shortly at a local hostelry but I shall be back tomorrow with a few festive fripperies to share with you.

Have a wonderful X-Factor free Saturday evening!! ;)

Today I shall mostly NOT be Making Scones

I'm sulking.

It's a big pouty-thumb-in-the-mouth-sulk too. 

I like to think that I'm a decent enough cook.  I can follow a recipe. I can make up my own and produce something presentable and palatable at a push.  I can make a mean Vicky Sponge.  Puddings, pies, muffins, brownies - they all turn out ok.   So why can't I make that simplest of fare - that most elementary of cakes - the humble scone?

I've tried.  Lawwwwwd how I've tried.  (cue plaintive Billie Holliday background vocals)  Probably at least 37 (and a half) different recipes.  I've followed allegedly fail safe recipes from friends.  I've attempted those from all of the new young bucks in the culinary world.  I've consulted  the revered tomes of High Priestesses Nigella, Delia and Mary.  And, more latterly, i.e. this morning, I've used the holy grail of all sconish recipes from Richard Hunt, the scone baker extraordinaire who has allegedly made 150,000 of these doughy delicacies in his lifetime and who recently disclosed his top secret method on La Allsop's new programme. 

Well. All I have to say is ...

PAH!!!!  it doesn't ruddy well work!!!

I don't know what I'm doing wrong.  I measure accurately to the very last grain of whatever is required, I handle the dough as little as possible - hey I even hide behind cupboards and merely surprise it a little with a fork rather than over work it. My ingredients are fresh. My oven is correctly set.  I whisper loving incantations to it as the dough comes together.  I offer up silent prayers to the Kitchen Witch as the tray slides into the hot oven.

My culinary nerves are frayed as I chew my nails in anticipation at opening the oven to billowy, well risen pillows of sconishness... only to find what can probably be best described as fat biscuits which sit there in a huddle and snigger at me as if to say... HAHHHH you STILL CAN'T MAKE SCONES!!

Sigh.

Well, scones, you have finally defeated me. My Kitchen Witch has flown out through the cat flap in despair and embarrassment and I'm about to launch another dozen projectiles into the garden for the dog to do with what he will.  I'd throw them to the birds but the RSPB know where I live.

Do you have a fail-safe recipe for the little buggers you'd like to share?   Is there a recipe which constantly defeats you?   I'd love to know!

Thanks to all of you who read my blog and a very warm welcome to my new follower. It's lovely to see you here x

Making Winter - Location, Location, Location ...

When there's a strong cool breeze whipping the fallen leaves around the garden, you simply need to choose your snoozing space  v e r y carefully....

A sunny windowsill conveniently situated above a radiator.



Or a furry, snuggly, throw on a squashy sofa where you can fade chameleon like into the background and pretend you're not really there.

It's all about the perfect location for winter snoozing.



Making Winter Blog-hop - Winter Warmington

Happy November blogging lovelies - or Bloglies as you're affectionately known on my blog!

A lovely idea for some Wintery themed blog posts has been hatched between Emma and her good friend Mrs TH.   I love this idea - I'm not a big fan of the long gloomy nights to be honest.  I'd rather be outside listening to the chattering of the chickens, pottering around the garden and watching the shadows lengthen across the field.  However as we have absolutely no influence over the seasons then instead of grumbling about the onset of the darker months, I shall attempt to embrace it instead.

My first Making Winter post, therefore, features something I've mentioned a couple of time over the last couple of blog post... a hot toddy - or, as I've re-christened it -  Kim's Winter Warmington.

It's soooo simple, but oh so comforting - particularly when the seasonal sniffle symptoms are beginning to take hold. 

• Take 2 Pints of cider (any kind - dry/sweet - your preference)
• 1 pint of Lemonade
• 2 tablespoons of soft brown sugar (or to your taste)
• 1 Orange (sliced)
• 1 Eating Apple (peeled, cored and cut into chunks)
• 1 Schwartz Mulled Wine sachet  (find in the herbs & spices aisle of your local supermarket)

Add all of the ingredients to a large pan and allow to simmer away for at least 30 minutes for the spices to infuse into the liquid - the longer the better really - before ladling into your favourite mug.  Lock the door, settle down in your big comfy armchair, put your feet up and sip your drink whilst it's still warm.  This is a two hand job mind, both hands need to be around that mug to savour the full effect!

And there you have it - a veritable hug in a mug, a soother for your sore throat and a thaw for frozen fingers all in one.

If you're planning a long walk on a frosty afternoon, why not put the infusion into your slow cooker and allow it to brew away whilst you're out?  What a wonderful welcome home it will be.

If you can't find the sachets, try your own combination of cloves, cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg.  I guess you could use apple juice if you don't care for cider, but most of the alcohol will be simmered out of the brew anyway.  No scented candle can compete with the aroma this brew gives off!

Now sod's law dictates that my camera batteries ran out this evening.  Gurt big sigh of exasperation!!  So here's a repeat pic from yesterday - sorry bout that!!

Sunlight on the fruit bowl!

Sunshine in the saucepan!


Enoy!

Blessed Samhain

After the greasepaint and malarkey of Saturday evening, I'm spending Samhain in quiet reflection. The house is quiet, the children are out doing their respective things, and I'm happy that they're happy doing just that. 

Our home smells of cinnamon and orange and nutmeg, which emanates from the cider mulling gently on the stove.  I chose to take today as my last day's holiday from work and Mr B and I have enjoyed a few precious hours out and about together with my parents; delighting in the beauty of the dying landscape, sampling a free (and most delicious) Crispin apple from the apple barns, browsing in garden centres and drinking coffee.  Those simplest of pleasures in which I delight all the more because my days are spent endlessly behind a grey desk in a grey office.  Simple pleasures such as these lift my spirit and let the colour back in.

We'd left a hearty beef stew bubbling away in the slow cooker; its welcoming scent enticing us back into the warm fug of the kitchen when we returned home.  We'd bought some fresh crusty bread from the farm shop and this alongside a bowl of stew was both warming and comforting.  

Now the candles are lit and I'm happy just to be; thinking with fondness of my beloved Nan who passed some years ago but who is with me always.  I'm eternally grateful for what I now have - a home full of love and contentment.  That may sound twee to those who take it for granted.  After 20 odd years of turmoil, it's all I have ever wanted and I celebrate the fact every single day.

I'm in hibernation mode.  An early Winter virus is laying me very low right now and I crave calm cosiness and quiet whilst my body fights off the lurgy. 

Blessed Samhain to you all and a Happy New Year.  May the gentleness of the season cleanse your spirit and and bring you peace.

I found this image on Photobucket - I can't say it any better really!

"This is Halloween...This is Halloween"

... well nearly anyway.

Some pics from our little pre-Halloween soiree.   I adore this time of year so it was a very good excuse for me to do some spookifying!!!

I love the trees so much tho I can see them staying a while longer!!!

This is a very photo heavy post I'm afraid.

Buffet!!  - the gingham basket is awaiting jacket potatoes to go with the huge vats of beef stew and chicken curry which had been bubbling away all day.

Freaky Face Cup-Cakes - My son and I had fun decorating these!

A cauldron full of popcorn - you can never have too much!

Spooky Trees!



Chris (My daughter's bf!) and my daughter (aka Jack and Sally!), and my not so little any more, boy!



My loony best mate!

Devilish Dad

Mommy!

Bless em - they worked SO hard on their home made costumes - I think they looked fabulous!

Me and my man - gorgeous even with gangrenous skin and scabs!!

HTH went on his holidays for the evening as we knew he'd get ridiculously over excited with so many people around.  It was nice to have the cats roaming around without a care.  Cassie joined in with the festivities1

It's lovely having people around but it's also lovely when the house is clean, tidy and quiet too.  We worked so hard yesterday that today has been declared a day of hibernation.  We're snuggled in the house; HTH is back, Charl is planning a bakeathon (that's if he makes it into the kitchen as he's looking decidedly heavy eyed at the moment!) and me.... well I'm going to partake of a glass of left over mulled cider and an afternoon of blog tangling.

Have a relaxing afternoon xx