Sunday 22 July 2012

Lucky Lucky broad beans!

Got given some broad beans the other day right from the allotment!
I LOVE broad beans!


While I was shelling them for lunch, I kept thinking how lucky broad beans are...
They get to grow in the most comfortable of beds.
So soft, spongy and delicate.

They are just so lucky to be growing in their little cosy beds, while the other veggies have to put up with the elements.

Like little babies :)


Don't get a lot out of it though. 
Good job I'm the only one who likes them :)



They taste delicious in a herby veggie risotto.
Yummy!! Who's the lucky one now hey?

Thursday 21 June 2012

It's bike week!

This week , the 16-24 June 2012, it's Bike Week!

I haven't been on my bike this week yet as I had a terrible cold! but I'm feeling a bit better today, and even thought it's raining again! I might go out for a little cycle to get a few things done.

I love cycling and I love bikes, all kinds of bikes.
 My bike is probably the favourite thing that I own.
 It's fun to ride, it's good exercise, it takes you places for free, most times faster than a car!
Can't get better than that!

The bicycle is such a beautiful object, that I feel inspired all the time to make things bike related.

I was looking at my pictures last night and noticed that I do have quite a lot of stuff made with bike print fabrics, my own bike prints, bike sewing machine doodles, bike paintings, etc...

Here are a few that I found:


From my new collection, a lemon yellow sunglasses case, a cute kindle/ gadget case, and two little purses.




My grovy handbag featuring my own printed bike, a sewing machine bike doodle that I enjoyed making so much!, a little bike painting, and a cushion. 





My bike bag, pannier and handbag and a bike basket inner.




Right, I need to be off now, my bike is waiting for me :)

I'll leave you a some pictures I took a couple of years ago at a "Bike bar/stage" at the Glastonbury Festival.





Pretty cool ha?
see ya!x

Friday 15 June 2012

New toy....

 I have a new typewriter:

and i love it!

Don't you love it too?

I'm not sure if I really need it,

as I already have another two,

What can I say, I am a total sucker for pretty old things.

And if I get it at a  bargain price, then I just can't 

not have it can I?


The only trouble is that I'm not even sure if this 3 typewriters 

are enough...

I have been eyeing a gorgeous yellow one, cute as a honey bee!

(must resist temptation)

see ya!

xxx

Saturday 19 May 2012

And the winner is...

So, I just had to disturb my little sleeping beauty so she could choose the winner of my little purse giveaway. 
Look at that grumpy face, she's not happy!

I wrote the names on bits of paper, and wrapped them around Cookie's favourite treats.
I then scattered them around the bed in front of her and waited to see which one she went for first.
Oh, I'm interested now! - she says.
nom nom nom

And the name on the first one was: Polly, from Polly Doodars. Congratulations Polly!!

I was then left with a happy cat and a bed full of cat treat crumbs  since I let her have the rest of the other wrapped up ones :)
 Well done Cookie, time to change the sheets now. 



           Me and Cookie xxx

Friday 11 May 2012

Cute Purse Giveaway!!

Hello there,

      I've been meaning to do a giveaway for quite a while now, and since it's my Birthday next week (a lot of candles to blow), summer is almost here (haha), and we are no longer in drought apparently, so  I thought it was a  really good time to do it now!

I have decided to give away to the lucky winner, a choice of one of two prizes: my little milk jug union jack purse, OR, my little red riding hood purse, for the ones that are already sick of all the jubilee stuff :)

To be in with a chance to win, all you have to do is tell me what can you cannot live without when you are out and about apart from the keys wallet phone trinity. 
So what will always have a special place on your handbag or new purse that you'll win?

While you are here, feel free to become a member of my blog too, I won't hassle you or anything, it would just be nice to see a few more faces in here to cheer the place a bit :) 
I'm a bit new to this blogging thing, and not particularly good with words either, that's why I try to keep if full of pictures and less rambles...

The lucky winner will be chosen next week by my little Cookie Cat somehow (haven't worked out that bit yet, but I'll probably put one name to one biscuit and see which one she goes for kind of thing...).

Here are the pictures of the prizes. The winner will choose just one. The competition is open to everyone, but I can only cover the postage costs for UK.




                     
                                                               Good Luck! xx

Friday 13 April 2012

Super Spring!

Spring is most definitely here (in my garden I mean).
Everything is flowering, sprouting, blooming and fruiting...












So pretty!

Tuesday 10 April 2012

My new toy!

Here is what I bought today:




She's so pretty and bright! Such a fab colour!
I think my things will just look a lot prettier now!
It's in mint condition, looks like it haven't been used much. I probably already played around with it today more than it's ever been played with in it's life!




There's just one little problem... I didn't know I was going to find this beauty today, so I have bought one other one online last week, that should be arriving very soon... Oops! :D 
It will be a red one though!
x

Monday 9 April 2012

Easter Buns with a cross.

  I have been planning on making Hot Cross buns on Easter Sunday for a while now. Got all the ingredients out, about to get it started when I realised I didn't have any yeast! After a bit of a panic, and some help from my Facebook friends, I trooped out of the house in the hope for some open shops where I could find bread yeast. After 3 no lucks, I have finally found some on the Petrol station shop!! Success!
So here is what I've done:


Ingredients:
210ml milk
1 egg
450g white bread flour
1 1/2 tsp ground mixed spice
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
50g caster sugar
50g butter
1 1/2 tsp fast action dried yeast
125g mixed fruit (the currants, sultanas and orange peel mix)


For the crosses:
50g plain flour
25g margarine


For the glaze:
2 tbsp milk
2 tbsp sugar


I have done the dough in the bread machine because I was doing other things at the same time but you can make it by hand.
I have selected the dough raisin setting and added the mixed fruit when it beeped, 5 min before the end of the kneading process so they don't get to mushy.
When is finished, place the dough on to a floured surface, knock it back, and divide it into 12 pieces. Shape them into balls, and place on to two lightly greased baking sheets.





Cover with oiled cling film and let it rise in a warm place for about 45 min or until double in size.
 I took them to my bedroom so Cookie (the cat) could look after them :D
After a while, turn the oven on to 200 degrees C / gas 6, and make the pastry crosses. Rub the flour on to the margarine, bind with enough water to make  a soft pastry that can be pipped. Spoon it into a piping bag. I have used a very small plastic bag and made a hole in the corner.
Pipe a cross (or any other shape) on each bun and bake for about 15 min or until golden brown. 





Heat the milk and sugar until dissolved, and brush the glaze on to the buns while they are hot.





                       All done! enjoy! xxx



Thursday 8 March 2012

Orangearama

Everyone that knows me know how much I like oranges. I grew up surrounded by orange trees in a farm in Portugal, and that's one of the things I miss the most about living over here.

So a while ago, while grocery shopping, I bought 6 bags of Seville oranges by mistake, the really bitter ones that are used for marmalade.
I got so excited when the lady was reducing these bags of lovely oranges that I didn't even noticed that they were not the sweet edible ones. I was dreaming of freshly squeezed orange juice in the morning for at least a week. Ahhhh it will be like old times me thinks...
Until! When i got home, got one out of the bag, examined it, smelt it, looked at the packet, and my heart sank... dam!
So I just thought, when life gives you bitter oranges, you make marmalade!
And here is how it went!



I am not entirely sure what i'm supposed to do with all this marmalade as neither me or my partner are great marmalade fans :D
xxx