Early Morning

Lately it's been so humid that i can't sleep, I'm an early riser anyway but i seem to be getting up earlier each hot summer morning. Today i woke at 5 am and couldn't sleep, i took the dogs out and then climbed back into bed even with the fan on there was no going back to sleep, i decided to get up and enjoy the day, the weather here is overcast with a light drizzle, but oh so hot....
So today i made Christmas cookies, i wanted to decorate them in Christmas colours but didn't have the right things in my pantry so instead they are all pink, pink trees and pink bells, i made them for my sons step children, they won't care what colour they are as long as they taste good, the cookies are lemon and ginger shortbread and chocolate cookies, and the icing had a hint of lemon in yum!

They aren't the prettiest iced cookies around but i was in a little bit of a hurry and it's the thought that counts, the kids will like them no matter what. I have a busy day planned, firstly I'm off to the gym, i have been putting off going for weeks now and need to get back into the swing of things, then i going to do some Christmas shopping, I'm not looking forward to it though, i feel a little claustrophobic with all the people out and about, but it has to be done, luckily for me i was organised early and did all my Christmas shopping months ago, plus i have alot of homemade items to go with what i have already brought, so all i have to buy are a few top up items.I love homemade gifts, the best gifts around are the ones loving made for us by our family and friends, so much care and thought and time goes into these beautiful gifts, it makes giving so special.Last year i made hampers for my sons partners, inside were jams and pickles all lovingly made, home baking and chocolates, plus other items like beautiful cheeses that i brought from the farmers market, dish cloths, tea towels, alcohol plus all sorts which i placed in a decorated basket, there was so much stuff,one of the girls loved it especially the chocolates,the other loved the booze in it and seemingly nothing else, so it seemed my time and effort was wasted, i on the other hand would just love that,a hamper full of homemade goodies would fantastic. My mum is wonderful, she gives me the best gifts all loving handmade, beautiful shawls that take her so many hours to knit, the loveliest socks, handmade Christmas decorations and the most beautiful cards, everyone else gets me wine, not that i am complaining but i don't really drink and when i do i don't drink wine, usually it ends up in my cooking.Well my Christmas shopping awaits...

Fresh from my garden

I don't know much about growing veges and i don't have a green thumb but i am really impressed with the way my veges have been growing,on Friday i picked off 30 odd pea pods from my pea plants they were so sweet and delicious and 5 beetroot,( so much better than canned beetroot i will never buy it in a can again). Today i couldn't resist picking these lovely veges( courgettes, spinach and beetroot) we will have them for dinner tonight,my daughter wont eat the beetroot so that will mean more for me, but she enjoys the fresh spinach.I love that i can go out to the garden and pick something to eat that is fresh and tasty, something i have grown for my family to enjoy, beautiful veges that have no poisonous chemicals on them and they are not only healthy but fresh crisp and yummy.My potatoes will be ready soon and i cant wait, nothing beats new potatoes with mint and melted butter drizzled all over, i also have gherkins that are ready to go, so i am going to try my hand at making pickles, my rainbow silverbeet is Divine we love it, my apple cucumbers are growing well and will be turned into pickle when they are ready,and i am enjoying my crisp fresh lettuce everyday,i don't know what the eggplants are going to do as i have never grown them before but they have purple flowers on them so i guess it's a good sign, and my kumara have spread  so they must be doing well too. The rewards that you get from growing veges is so worth it, you save money, get to enjoy the most fresh, crisp and juicy veges around, and your family will actually enjoy eating them.Now all i have to do is plan what else i am going to plant....

I love christmas....

I have been so busy lately with sewing for my market stalls that i didn't have the spare time to put up my Christmas tree and decorations, usually i have everything up in November.My daughter isn't a big fan of Christmas she thinks i get to carried away but i just love Christmas..... there is something wonderful about Christmas, the people are so friendly, the stores are full of fantastic decorations and everywhere you go there is Christmas music playing, the sparkle of the decorations on the trees, and Santa's all dressed up in red suits, i just love it.I know for some people Christmas can be a horrible time full of sadness and depression, but i am just thankful that for me it is filled with happiness, love, family and yummy food...

The tree is finally done....
These are my dogs Miss poppy and Mr Lou,( they are looking a little grubby and need baths) Poppy keeps stealing all my Christmas decorations and teddies and chewing them up, she is only a pup still and its her first Christmas so i haven't been to hard on her, Louie on the other hand is 2 1/2  he has done the stealing of the decorations all before and knows better,i  don't know what it is with my pets but even the cat was getting in on the act by trying to swing off the Christmas tree branches today, i guess even our pets love Christmas too.

Baking day

Today was a beautiful but scorching hot summer day, instead of enjoying the lovely sun i spent all day inside cooped up in the hot kitchen baking. The reason for the kitchen torture was easy, i was guilted into it. My 17 year old daughter keeps complaining that i keep making soaps that look like real food and it makes her hungry, she begged me to mke her some baking like i used to,so after watching her walk from her room to the fridge and pantry and back to her room again empty handed several times i gave in. Stupid really after all she is 17 and you'd think she could easily make herself her own yummy food, but she really can't,she is hopeless,when she cooks the kitchen looks like a disaster zone and i am left to clean up the mess, she spends all day in her room playing xbox, how she can bear it in there i don't know, it looks like a cave with the curtains constantly closed and smells like the bottom of a mouse cage.She ventures out of her room long enough only to eat drink and thats all, ocassionally i'll get a little conversation out of her usually about the xbox game she is playing, sometimes its just a grunt, today was a different, after handing her a plateful of her favourite home baking i got to share an actual conversation which didnt include anything about the xbox, so i guess the kitchen torture was worth it in the end.

I made lemon and vanilla cake with cream cheese icing, double chop chip brownies, chewy choc chip cookies, and mini xmas pies, i even made the mincemeat myself and the pastry, they were yummy....

My latest in soaps

Today i set up a few of my latest creations , these are some of the soaps that i will be taking to the market this weekend to sell.

I also finished a few felt foods, still have alot of ideas of things i'd like to try my hand at making, plus i have an order for christmas decorations to complete so it will be a busy week ahead sewing.