Conkers and chocolate cake

A trip into town today confirmed that Autumn is here, besides the warm weather trying to hang on! There were loads of conkers on the main street in Cheltenham and lots of people picking them up. I can never resist picking up as many as a can find!

I especially love it when you see them picking out of their shells - just a little glimpse of what is inside - all shiny.

A favourite when we were children - a doubler! I may even look for an old shoelace and have a quick game of conkers!

I spent the afternoon practicing for my bake of again - taking the cake to be enjoyed with friends. Still not 100% right but I think one more practice and I will have the right combination. How have you spent your Saturday?

Vinnese whirls

So here is my attempt from the second week of the Great British Bake Off.

As you can see they didn't turn out very well! They broke up as soon as you touched them and they didn't taste very nice! I will try them again at some point, I might look for a specific gluten free recipe this time though!

We had a charity bake off at work - I made the below ice cream cone cakes - I got through to the final! Whoop Whoop - now on to planning the next bake.

Who doesn't take a selfie with their cakes!!

The Great British (Gluten free) Bake Off - Jaffas

Hello All

It has been a while! I can't remember if I told you last time I was on here but I have been diagnosed as a Coeliac so am now following a gluten free diet. My baking took a bit of a knock as I got to grips with using gluten free flour and there were a lot of failed bakes and yucky food. I didn't feel like blogging about it! But anyway I am much more confident in my baking now, so I am back!!

I am going to try and bake as many things from GBBO as we follow the series and here is what I chose from week one (sorry about all the photos I got carried away!)

 They worked really well - I just used the recipe that they did in GBBO but subsituted the flour for GF flour. I also used Terrys choc orange for the topping and it made a big difference -they were delicious and didnt last long when I had family around! One final photo, because I was so happy with them!

I may be slightly mad ....

So above is T-rex, one of my new charms for my bracelet. Since having him I have been taking photos of him on his travelss and sending them to Manny (he must think I am mad) but I enjoy it so here are a few of them for you!

Above he came to my mums birthday party and had to take a big chunk out of the cheese!

He tried to ride the reindeer, but he was having none of it.

We had had a day out in Cardiff and he took a little nap on the train back home.

Always hungry he had a big bite of my panini.

Finally he is learning to drive, only had one lesson so far but it is going ok - just have to watch out for his road rage!

Wall of wonder - finished

You may have seen some pictures of my wall in the  past - it has been building up for a couple of years now, well over this weekend I finally finished it - the tissue paper fringe bunting from my party finished it off perfectly I think!

 

Here are a few close ups of it. It is a combination of photos, makes, a few art purchases and postcards. I have really enjoyed doing it and I am really pleased with the final outcome. I have recently moved the craft room around and so now I face a different wall - so there is only one thing to do - start again! I already have a few pieces on it - I will try and take a few pictures for you.

You have probably seen a few gnomes on my blog - well this is the most recent member to join the crew. He is my first drawn gnome (well except patterns but they don't count!) i really love how he came out, he also made me realise how much I enjoy drawing and colouring, even if it is only simple things!

Finally I wanted to show you this plate I got on the weekend (well I actually got 2 - I was at the till with the first one and thought what would happen if I broke it, so I went and picked up a back up plate, just in case!) It is from John Lewis and I love the pattern - it is only a little side plate (I didn't see any big plates) they also had a tea pot and cake stand.

Flamingo party

 

It was my birthday on Friday, I held a little party in celebration.

I found the best cocktails sticks I have ever seen(who knew they made plastic shaped ones!) so they had to be part of the shindig. There were a few sword fights, but no one got hurt!

I made tissue paper decorations and added ribbons to balloons to add more colour to the room (like it needed any more going on!!)

I found some fabulous wigs in the pound shop so I had to give them a go and these fantastic glasses in primark. It was a fantastic couple of days (I had my family over on Saturday for party round 2) There was lots of food and some very bad dancing from me!

Party

I love decorating for a party. Above is what I did at my mums for her birthday, which the trifle (my first ever made) below also came to!

Sometimes I just like putting all the food out on paper plates and having a mini party for 2 at home, for no reason at all!

I made some tissue paper decorations to add to the new lights, they we're quite tricky but I loved how they turned out so I will be making more.