Tuesday 29 June 2010

A Little Bit Of What You Fancy.......

 Hello Again ! Well ,we have had a wonderful week off..The weather has been fantastic here in Devon - I hope that the sun has been shining on you too... This is the first Summer that I haven't been worrying about window displays getting bleached by the sun, orders not arriving, candles melting in the heat etc!! Don't get me wrong, I loved having my own business, especially my little shop and craft cabin but now that I am 'free' - I don't know how I did it for so long.... I do miss the customers and the creative side of things but being able to enjoy a real taste of Summer sure is sweet....
We have done another stall at Topsham Market which wasn't very well attended due to the fantastic weather but we enjoyed it anyway and stopped off for a bit of lunch on the way home here...



Wonderful.....

When shopping we also managed to find something that I spent most of the Festive season looking for to no avail...

Alcoholic Ginger Beer, Delicious.....

And very much enjoyed by my lovely Husband. I was also  in for a treat, as you know I am on Weight Watchers (another pound lost- despite a few treats during the week- phew) but still want to eat and drink well with a few goodies now and then...

Well this is unbelievably good Hot Chocolate.....

If you like real,good chocolate then this is the drink for you, really thick and not too sweet...I put some low fat whippy cream on the top and sprinkled some cinnamon on...mmmm.

Well with all this wonderful weather and indulging its back to normality this week, cloudy skies and a pile of ironing! Ah well ....

Warm Wishes for a Wonderful Week,


Tuesday 15 June 2010

Weight Watching and Warm Wishes.....



Hello, I am a very happy bunny today! I am now in my seventh week of Weight Watching and I have lost...
......Drum Roll Please......
.........Exactly ONE Stone........

Hee  Hee...

So one stone gone, (I think another two to go realistically), but I am aiming for a stone a time and will see how I feel  when the next stone is gone. If you are wanting to lose weight I really think that 'Weight Watchers Is The Way'...
As you know I am a real foodie and love to cook, bake and eat, so any form of deprivation is just not going to work for me, can you believe that I can still eat this?

Homemade Strawberry Vanilla Cake..mmm...

Of course I have made some adjustments to my eating but I really think that not working full time anymore is the answer for me, being able to prepare all my own fresh food is a luxury that I am SO grateful for! And not only do I get to be pretty thrifty but I get to lose weight too!!
So let's hope that the next stone is as fun and delicious to lose too....

Warm Wishes for A Wonderful Week,


Sunday 6 June 2010

By George I think She's Got It........

Hello - I hope that you have all had a lovely half term and that the weather helped!!  We have had some lovely sunshine here which I have been able to sit out and enjoy - wonderful.....

I had the pleasure of going  to Topsham this weekend for a walk about - as you know I do my little market stall there each month but it was nice to visit without a car to unload!  We popped into the market, as it has different stall holders each week I fancied seeing who is there when I am not!  It was very busy and business was brisk....I just picked up some Sweet Williams, they are a £1 a bunch and they last well.....



Then we had time for a wander  and we took  a photograph of "my house by the sea"....I often walk by and dream of what could be........

Isn't she gorgeous???...


After all that daydreaming it was time to go and have some lunch and have a knitting lesson!  I have wanted to master knitting for ages but I seem to have a complete block everytime I look at a knitting pattern!
My main skill learned yesterday was how to cast on!!! I know, pretty basic but I had a really hard time remembering how to do it; I was fine knitting but could NEVER remember the casting on bit.....
Well, that mastered, I was well away and even learned how to make some little basic flowers...


 So pretty.....


I think I am going to play safe and make a scarf.....

Though it may end up being quite a long scarf - I don't know how to cast off yet......


Warm Wishes for A Wonderful Week,

Tuesday 1 June 2010

Off To Market.....

Well it is the time of year again to start the rounds of craft markets and fairs, it is lovely to see the wealth of talent that is around-  I am in awe of their skills!! My little stall is growing and changing, I hope to add handmade soap to the goodies this year and as soon as my knitting and crochet has improved maybe some of that too...but in the mean time this Saturday was Topsham Craft Market....


A few of the pretties I took.....


I always take this plaque for a giggle.....


 Some scented lovelies....


Hearts and A Love Dove.....


I made some bags of scented rosebuds, one was from a lovely piece of rose patterned silk,  filled some pretty little voile bags with  rose bath salts and decorated them and did a few bags of pretty ribbon rosebuds for sewing and craft.We were rose themed this time as I have run out of Lavender, hopefully some more is on it's way as we speak- all my own  has been used up.....

It went very well and I sold a good amount ,which was very rewarding- so now down to preparing for the next one....


After the early start and hard work it was time for a treat....

My monthly magazine treat- and cake of course!


Country Living even set the scene.....


This is my own recipe- I call it Hedgerow Cake.....


It is a vanilla sponge- made as any plain sponge- but  with vanilla sugar,then topped with vanilla icing and filled with icing and my own Hedgerow Jam- it is quite a 'tart' jam so it cuts the sweetness of the vanilla...yummy....

I know you are going to be thinking- WEIGHT WATCHERS?!?!- but I have NOT fallen off the wagon- five weeks in and I am TEN pounds lighter- and VERY happy....
So I CAN have my cake and eat it!.....

Warm Wishes for a Wonderful Week,