Happy Halloween everyone !!

Stay safe and enjoy the weekend !!

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Time to show you some more baking

i did last weekend :o)

Homemade - Swiss roll -

or i think in the USA it`s jello roll ?

It had been years since i made one with jam ,

i didn`t have any - so i used lemon curd

instead - I got some help later on - as you`ll see -

my other half videod me rolling it !!

When i was just going to snap pictures for you ;o)

Preheat oven to 200 f

Whisk together 3 eggs and 3oz caster sugar

until it forms peaks , then slowly fold in 3oz flour .

Pour into a tin lined with greased proof paper

my size tin is 12 x 9 " - an inch in depth .

It will only take 10 minutes to cook -

so don`t go doing something else ;o)

While mine was cooking -

i prepared another sheet of paper

sprinkled with sugar - no caster sugar left

it will look better with that though ;o)

I then put 4 Tblsp of lemon curd ( or jam ) and warmed

it in the microwave - to spread better .

10 minutes later ...

You have to be quick with the next stages -

Take it out of the tin and place the cooked side on the sugar -

then quickly peel away the paper .Spread the warm

chosen filling on - Then it`s rolling it up !

Not bad huh ??









Here i am rolling it up - ahem -

excuse the mess - and if i`d have known

i was going to make an appearance on here -

I would have tidied myself up a little !!

I`m not one for being in the limelight , only

on the odd occasion - and my Christmas video message -

i do have an idea for that this year - he he !!

And hey - it was late sunday morning -

that`s my excuse and i`m sticking to it !!

Leave to cool and slice -

and enjoy !!

This only lasted 2 days ..

the day after was better when the

filling had soaked into the sponge slightly .

Looking for some pink this morning out on

my walk - for the final Pink Thoughts

Thursday ..

I came across this ..... Not quite at the pink stage

but ...

A hydrangea bloom - in several stages of decay .

Which made me think of life - and how we have

but a short time here - to grow and bloom ourselves .

Each of us is at a different stage of development

and trying to do what we can everyday while

we are here .

So it goes without saying -

Each day is a gift - use it wisely -

Be happy with yourself - and spread it around -

Love what you do - if not - change it .

Make a difference- however small it is .

Just be - you -

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

And i`ll take this opportunity now -

to thank all who purchased items

from me - to help raise funds for

Breast cancer awareness month !

" Autumn leaf " banner .

Length 72 " - 6 feet .

This is my first banner i created yesterday .

There are so many versions about - and i did not

want to do a paper one . I thought this version

would last and can be used year upon year .

Example of it hung on my fireplace .

2 of each leaf colour - which is a soft velvet

material - sewn onto vintage aubergine

seam binding .

Each leaf has a brown felt backing .

beaded fruits either side - 2 " long

an apple and a pear - which can be

removed and replaced with something else

In the center is an aged tag - 4.5" x 2.5 "

with a vintage owl playing card sewn on -

this is removable also .

" Autumn Acorn " - necklace

We turned our clocks back this weekend -

so autumn is officially here . So to celebrate

it - i created a necklace .

I`ve wanted a large real acorn for months , but

i have not managed to find one - so i decided to

make myself one - out of fimo .

Acorn size 1.5 " - painted and sealed - and the nut

part has gloss on it . The leaf is from a copper brooch -

a hammered effect and to get the pin off - i soaked it in boiled water

- and it just came off ;o) Then i cleaned it and drilled a hole

in the top .

Photo - done with the flash and is clickable ..

The loop on the acorn is from a metal screw

eye that i carefully screwed in before i baked it.

The oven temperature is so low - it didn`t melt the metal ;o)

Then strung them both onto a piece of

faux suede thong .

Leather owl coin purse

Size 5 x 3 "

Carrying on my obsession with owls - i made this ..

Hand sewn from embossed brown leather

Popper enclosure

Red suede beak / wings and suede eyes

Have a hoot of a day !! ;o)

" Bird On A Tree stump "

Assemblage on a wooden coaster-

Diameter size 3.75 "

My fertile mind came up with this a

few days ago . I had a wooden coaster

and i wondered what to do with it -

and this is the result . Green felt and a tiny amount

of stuffing , hand sewn felt tree stump ...

faux moss , real acorn , berries

and a mushroom

And a tiny bird ..

We had a large carrier bag of apples

given by our neighbours from their tree -

- so i`ve been trying to use them and i did some baking

yesterday and made use of the oven while

it was on . I`ve been making scones recently - so i

used that recipe ..

Folded apple scones -

Peel , core 3 small apples and cook with a little water

and sugar in the microwave - i added fresh nutmeg -

but cinnamon goes well with apples too

-while that`s cooking -

Put 8oz S.R flour , pinch salt , tblsp sugar in

a bowl and rub in 3oz butter until like breadcrumbs -

then add milk to bind and knead for a minute .

Cut dough into 4 pieces

Roll out into a rough square

Place cooked apples in center

Fold over corners as shown -

milk dabbed onto corners to stick together .

Onto a greased baking sheet - glaze with milk

oven - 200F for approx 15 mins

Here they are - puffed out and golden -

Serve on their own , dust with icing sugar

cream / ice cream and enjoy !!

Alternatively -

add half a small tub of chopped glace cherries

and cut out - or omit the sugar and add 3oz mature

grated cheese - these are my cheese scones -

Yummy !! ;o)

" Doily Nest" assemblage

Hoop size - 5 " dia .

i`m always trying to come up with ideas

of how to include a nest in my work .

Here is my latest idea .

Using one of my many crochet doilies ,

that fitted inside the hoop , made

a nest from sisal and sewed it onto a

real twig and then onto the doily . Added a

couple of feathers - the 2 side shot photos are clickable

The "egg " was a long almond shaped felted bead

that i squashed down a little .

An alternative background -

when it`s hung - whatever wallpaper

you have up will show through .

I have seen fabrics displayed this way too

using different sized hoops -

and you could even do the same with your

doily collection .

Pink Thoughts Thursday again

for Breast cancer awareness month

And an apt song - by a great artist -

Many thanks to all who have supported me

by purchasing items and i think there are still

copies of Sherry`s zine HERE

if you cannot support this - maybe you

could be a superhero for a day in another way ;o)

I`ve been sewing once again -

and i wanted to make some

lined zipper purses - so i found an

easy tutorial online and away i went .

Green floral purse

Size 5.5" x 3.5 "

using vintage material and a 5 " vintage zipper

Lined with a newer striped material

Then after i got the hang of it - doing it

the first time always takes the longest !

I made a larger one - with this owl material

i had bought ;o)

From Timeless treasures - Tossed owls -

and so very cute !! ;o)

7 x 6 "

The link to make it is HERE

if you want to have a go yourself !

Just a quick saturday project i

did , i always try to do one thing or

start something new on a weekend .

I have recycled a coffee tin

for storage , and seen so many other

versions about , i decided to have a go myself.





Spray painted the lid and vintage wallpaper insert .

And the same paper on the outside with

trim on the edges .






Ready to store many of my scattered notions !