German market in Birmingham and homemade Christmas wreaths

A week or so ago we went to the German Market in Birmingham after work. It was amazing. I really enjoyed it and had a fantastic time walking around and buying goodies.

All the huts were made to be different, the below one was my favourite. A little christmas tradition when we were children was for the little windmill thing to come out on christmas eve for the christmas eve tea (we always had a buffet and I preferred it to the christmas day meal!)

At the weekend I collected lots of bits ready to make my christmas wreaths. If you have been reading my blog for a while you might have seen a post or two about these before 

This year I gave one to my boss as a christmas gift.

And this one was for my parents.

Travelling craft box, christmas and secret santa

I joined in with laalaa's travelling craft box a while ago and it just reached me (well a few weeks ago!) I got a lovely little christmas decoration and card from Katy it is hung up already!

These are the bits I chose - also an embossing plate but I forgot to take a picture of that! Anyway it is now on its way to Madison - I hope you have received it and found some bits you like!

Sorry about the rubbish photos but here are a few pictures of my christmas decs!

Another surprise - I received this lovely heart decoration and card from secret santa - thank you to whoever you are - it was a fantastic surprise and it made me really happy to receive it!

Log stool

This is my dads latest project - it is still being finished - there is lots more shaping to do and a big decision about wether or not to keep the bark on! I love it!

This is one of my recent finds - a very clever candlestick that holds a box of matches at the bottom.

I also go tthe middle 2 mustard spoons (I appear to be collecting them now!) The top one was from my Mum, it all started went I went with my mum to visit my Grandma and I did her washing up, whilst putting things away I came across a tiny spoon (it is smaller than any of these) and I loved it - so of course now everywhere I go I spot little mustard spoons!

Here there are hanging up in their little bucket home!

Elf weekend

 I was at a hen do this weekend, we were all dressed as elves! I looked at the fancy dress outfits online but didn't fancy any of them, so I had to figure out what I was going to do for mine!

I started by transforming some shoes with glue and sequin fabric! I love them.

I made a skirt out of the same fabric and a pair of old reindeer pyjamas All finished off with an elf hat and stripy socks! I don't have a picture of the whole outfit but here is part of it! It was a very wet night as you can see!!!

Before we went out we had afternoon tea, it was lovely!

A mai tai cocktail started everything off! 

Soda bread and my weekend

I have been watching 

The Fabulous Baker Brothers and I was inspired by there quick and easy soda bread recipe. I gave it a go and it turned out really well. It is so easy too!

This weekend I have done paper maiche pinata with my sister and my nephews, I was helping them prepare for a party in the evening, we had lots of fun. I then popped by my parents to see them after there holiday. So a pretty busy saturday!

Today I went with a no plan day and just did what I fancied  I popped in to town for a little bit on a hunt for an oil filled radiator, after I failed I came back home.

I am very lucky to have waitrose walking distance from me, so every now and then, as a treat, I take a wander there and buy a few things. The walk is a nice one as well - lots of autumn changes going on!

It is a good job I walk there because I always want to buy so much, but it is a bit out of my price range for everyday shopping.

Today the fancy packaging on this iced coffee jumped out at me so I got it for Manny, he is a BIG coffee lover. I love the detail on the carton, every side had something different!

I have jsut realised how out of order this post is - oh well! Whilst in town I saw this amazing musician - he walked along the rope whilst playing the fiddle - it was amazing!

Last week I also spotted babar in town,  I used to watch him as a child!

I hope you have all had a great weekend x

Mountain dew cupcakes

This weekend it was my friend Matt's birthday - you have guessed it he loves mountain dew! I had got him mountain dew gifts and though cupcakes would finish it off perfectly. I made my normal cake mix and added about a cup of mountain dew and some lemon juice (it looked a little runny so I just added a little bit of flour) I did the same with the icing, I just added mountain dew and lemon juice. They turned out fantastic and were really light and fluffy! I am not sure if it was the fizz that did it or not - I may experiment with some other fizzy drinks and see what happens!

I put citrus strands on the top - I have not seen them before and picked them up a few weeks ago and they worked perfectly!

Pumpkin and bunting

I thought I would try something different this year with my pumpkin and I love it! I needed my pumpkin to last a week so I couldn't do the usually carving! I love the little spider, he was very fiddly to cut! Hope you have had a good Halloween!

Halloween Gnome

Do you remember all the christmas gnomes I made? Well I thought it was a little early to start making them again (and I still have LOADS of them) so I made a Halloween one instead! I love him, he may be my favourite gnome yet.

He found himself hanging around a few places, before he decided to stay on my mirror for the night, he has said he may want to have a wander around again soon, so who knows where he will end up!

I have no idea what to name him (I don't usually name things but I really want to for this little gnome!)

Watch out there may be a few different varieties made over the next couple of days!

Reindeer quilt cover

You may of guessed that I love reindeer, well when I saw this quilt cover I knew I had to have it. They didn't have it in a double in the store I was in (I thought about getting a king size quilt and the cover just so I could have it!) I went home and rang around a few stores and eventually found one - they held it for me and I rushed in to town to get it!!

What is that? You would like to see what it looks like when you are in the bed? OK here it is - just for you!!

Cake anyone?

I have been hooked again to The Great British Bake off and last night I tried out John's heaven and hell cake (well the hell bit!)

I am off on Holiday soon to America so I have been getting a few things ready. I currently lack warm clothes so I have been buying tights, a hat and gloves! Above is a pair of tights that I had to try out before the holiday!! 

My new boots and bag as well - I can't wait to go!

Rainbow rain cloud patchwork!

I have started a patchwork quilt, using fabric cut from a sample book I picked up for £2 in my local fabric shop. I have added the little ran clouds but now I don't kno if I should add more of the same, other designs or just leave it as it is! There are still a few more rows of squares to add too! What do you think I should do?

This was a sneaky photo I took hoping no-one would notice me in the ear muffs - but I thought they were fantastic and you would all like to see them!! I left them in the shop - I wise decision I think!

After-eight cake

I have had the grasshopper cake from the pink whisk saved on my favourites for a while now. Tonight was the night I made my version of it!

I made a vanilla sponge instead of chocolate and I used chocolate butter icing instead of ganache (I don't like things too sweet!) 

I was really pleased with how it looked, personally I would prefer it with out the after-eights in the middle, but Manny really liked them!

I think there may be a few more cakes being made soon ......