April photo challenge 10th and 11th

Cold-almost icing up in fact!

Where brekfast started for me...a lovely lie in with a cup of tea thanks to my wonderful husband.

Where breakfast ended for me... a very civilised tea for one in my conservatory. Bubble and squeak from last nights left-over vege and a hot pot of earl grey, blissful. Pity it was enjoyed with the background soundtrack to Meg and Mog playing on the TV as O2 relaxed on the couch, ah well at least I got to eat all of it on my own, no sharing!

April 9th photo a day- a younger me

Well here I am in all my younger glory...from 1 day old to about 34 years old....wow this was a great way to make myself feel old!!! This was an interesting photo challenge in the fact that I didn't actually get to take a photo, rather I had fun and got to play with my second favourite app PicFrame..my first being without a doubt Instagram, to which I can happily say I am 100% addicted! It was fun searching through all my old photos and putting them together in a collage of my younger days. I was a little disheartened to notice how few recent photos of me there are. I guess it is because I am always behind the lense rather than in front of it. As much as I dislike photos of myself (doesn't everyone say that?) I did worry that there was nothing to show what I looked like now. I will have to make more of an effort to get in front of the lense more often in future.

1995...how young do I look here...with no kids and only 21 years of life to age me!

Handbag into camera bag

April 8th photo- In my wallet.

Todays brief was in my wallet; but I made, and am quite proud of, this very handy camera insert thingie for my handbag the other day and was keen to show it off, and it is sort of the same thing as in my wallet.

I got the idea from make it and love it which is an amazing site full of fantastic ideas. I hated having to carry both my massive padded camera bag and my generous handbag round where ever I went and as I didn't like leaving my camera at home I knew I had to come up with something that would sort out my problem. I then came across this awesome idea...which meant I could keep my beloved handbag and carry my prized possession wherever I went safely. An old yoga mat, some scraps of material and about an hour of toiling later and presto a padded insert for my bag to house all my treasures in comfort! It does make for quite a heavy handbag but is so much better than lugging two bags around.

I also added a little pocket to the inside to hold my memory cards.

I am very pleased with my efforts on this project and on my trip to London a few days ago it worked a treat. It was easy to get out my camera at a moments notice and all my usual handbag paraphernalia was kept together and much easier to locate. It also comes out so I can have my plain old handbag back if I need it, easy peasy! 

I hope everyone has had as fantastic an Easter Sunday as I have had. Much love and easter hoppiness. 

Happy easter from us!

xx P xx

Bunny shadows, easter baskets and Russian fudge

April 7th- Shadow. Today had to be one of the dullest grey days ever just typical that the brief for today was shadow...with a bit of improvising though I have not only created some easter shadows but O1 and I can put on a play later on tonight using them. We busied ourselves this morning making baskets for egg hunting tomorrow (fingers crossed it isn't raining!) One for O1 and one for O2 though not too sure how it will fair under her not so delicate touch.

Baskets ready to be filled- decorated by Mummy and Osk

I suddenly had a craving for some Russian Fudge. I have not had it for years and for some reason really felt like it's unbelievable sweetness and super stickiness. Out came the ever faithful Edmonds cook book and within no time I was riding a sugar high like no other. It is toe curlingly sweet but ahhhh such memories of childhood! So far only 1 piece has been eaten...as it hadn't quiet set so was still a bit squishy but I am sure it will go down a treat with a bit of ice-cream on the side!

Recipe for Russian fudge (courtesy of Edmonds cook book)

3 cups sugar

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk

125g butter

1/8 t salt

1 T golden syrup

Put sugar and milk into saucepan and heat slowly. Continue to heat, stirring constantly, until all sugar has dissolved. Add condensed milk, butter, salt and golden syrup and bring to the boil stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Continue to boil until it reaches the soft ball stage. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Beat until thickened and pour into a buttered dish. Mark out into squares and leave to cool completely before cutting.

Hope your Easter is going well and you are not gorging on too much chocolate!!!

xx P xx

Good friday lunch fun

April 6th photo- Lunch.

Photo challenge for today was lunch. Well as today was such a glorious day here in the UK we had our lunch in the garden. Fantastic food (linguini with a North Atlantic king prawns, fresh herbs and garlic infused olive oil), family around me...who needs to go away for the Easter break?? Afterwards there was lawn rugby for the boys, garden foraging for O2 and sunning for me, life is good!

O1 preparing himself an ice-cream with Chocolate philly

Lawn rugby and garden foraging

I hope everyone else has had a fantastic Good Friday! Happy Easter.

xx P xx 

Tiny gingerbread lady for my tiny coffee cup

Tiny gingerbread lady on a tiny espresso.

Well the time is 2:11 in the afternoon and I am yet to get out of my Jammies. They have now been re-classed as a lounging suit which I think makes me seem less lazy and more relaxed (well in my head anyway). O2 had a sleep over with my bestest godson last night so both boys have been lounging in their "lounge suits" all day too. Despite outward appearances we have been quite productive - I have made a big batch of Biscotti ready to be devoured with coffee this afternoon and the boys helped me to make gingerbread cookies;so the house is filled with delicious smells of biscuits and coffee brewing.

 For todays photo challenge- brief Tiny- I made some tiny little gingerbread couples. I put a wee slit in them so I could balance them on my coffee cup and have taken a pic of one of a gingerbread lady on my fav espresso cups that I found in a charity shop about a year ago (4 cups with matching saucers for £4, BARGAIN!) I think she fits the tiny brief very well.

I hope everyone is having a fantastic Thursday and is ready for the Easter weekend celebrations. We have eggs ready for hunting and fish for tomorrow nights dinner...not sure what we'll do for Sunday lunch, something roasted no doubt.

xxPxx

Happy April...someone who makes me smile.

This was a bit of a no-brainer...or so I thought. I am so lucky to have lots of people in my life who make me unbelievably happy. A wonderfully gorgeous husband, fabulous kids, amazing family, awesome friends... the list goes on. So it goes without saying it was not as simple to think of 1 person who makes me happy. Then I thought of the person I spend most of my daily life with. Someone who I chat with all day, play with, laugh with and rant at/with...my wee monster Oly. She without a doubt makes me happy each and every day. Her constant chatter (will she ever say any actual words other people can understand?) Her ability to leave the house looking clean and gorgeous and 5 minutes later be a complete wreck. Her never ending love for everything in life. Her smooches and cuddles. Her tantrums... the most highly strung, high maintenance 19mnth old in the world! But she is a wee dynamite and I love her to death.

 It is her first night tonight in a "big girls" bed...and bless her cotton socks she went straight off to sleep without any hassle. Lets hope she stays there all night, haha I think not however. She is a demon child at times but without a doubt if I feel rotten one "squeezums" from her and it's all ok. 

To my sweet beatsy girl Olya Violet...

 You make me happy and I love you xxx

 April 4th- Someone who makes me happy.

Other photos of people who definitely make me very happy... my kids!