Thursday 31 January 2008

Not for those of you on a diet

More little love message hearts, these will be for sale 80p each, so you can choose the right message you want to send or hide for your loved one to find. Or choose any 5 for £3.75 just email me what messages you'd like.
You can choose from :


Will you ?


Be Mine x


Marry me ?


Cute


Me & You


Love


Kiss me


Forever Love


Hugs x


I Love YouDid you know I'm heart crazy? lol well yes here is another gorgeous heart send to me by the fabulous Katy over at I'm a ginger monkey.


Thank you sweetie, I love it x


In one of my old posts I have said the word Gypsy Tart and lots of you wanted to know how to make it or just hadn't heard of one.


So here is a very easy recipe. I hope you all enjoy it.


1 400g (14oz) Tin of Evaporated Milk


340g (12oz) Dark Muscovado Sugar


1 10inch Pre-baked shortcrust pastry case
Pre-heat oven to 200°C: 400°F: Gas 6. Whisk evaporated milk and sugar together for approximately 10 minutes Until light and fluffy and coffee coloured. Pour the mix into the pastry case. Bake for 10 minutes. The surface will appear slightly sticky but will set completely when left to cool. Serve cold.


Now forget the diet and grab a coffee, (look what was in mine yesterday a tiny heart) put your feet up for 5 mins and enjoy a small slice of one of these. Yum but be warned they are very, very sweet. So don't tell the dentist (Shh shh!).


Here they are and butter wouldn't melt would it? They both had my heart in my mouth the other day. I was up to my eyes in pegs and paint (nothing new there hehe!) and the girls where playing nicely, great I can get on a little bit longer I thought to myself and then it happened, one very loud crash followed by even louder screams. They had both climbed up on to the Ikea Poang chair (you know the ones that bounce) and it had tipped over backwards. Molly was lucky that she can put her hands out and only bumped a little bit of her face. But poor Daisy smacked herself right in the nose. Ouch!



After a hundred checks for broken bones and even more kisses and cuddles she stoped crying and feel asleep on my lap. In the photo below you can just see a little bruise on the side of her cute little button nose. But it doesn't stop her smiling, so that is good.

I don't think they'll be playing on that chair again, I hate the flaming thing and want to replace it with a nice comfy armchair, so if anyone wants to swap, just let me know. You'll save me another heart attack like that one.

I've come up with a solution to me needing to get on with an order and the girls playing without breaking bones or bumps and bruises. Just pop them into a large basket and place where you can see what they are up to lol
Or just stop what you're doing and play along with them hehe! this was todays rainy day play. A inside picnic with the bunnies. Yum felt and wooden food, that will keep my calories down.
I hope that Feb brings us all lots of love and some sunshine.

Keep wishing. x

Hugs.



Catherine x

Wednesday 30 January 2008

Happy birthday Grandad.
He's the grand old age of 89 today. Many happy returns to you, you sweet lovely man.

That's my little Gran with him. I love this photo, it reminds me of happy times. Sadly he is no longer living with Granny as he has been suffering from outsimers for over 11 years and is now in a wonderful nursing home in Kent. Where he gets the full time help he needs.
Gran was up with the birds this morning off out down the town to get his birthday cake (chocolate of course hehe) that is his favourite. So he'll have a special day with cake, cards and gifts. We never know weather he knows whats going on, some days he's up singing and others he's a shell of a man. Granny and the staff will give him a nice time. And I'll be visiting sometime over the next week or so. As I'm full of this nasty throat infection and wouldn't want to give it to anyone else. To risky.
Have a nice day Grandad, we're all thinking of you. x

Work, work, work. An order for more dotty hearts 84 of them painted and dotted ready for hanging and varnish.



Here they are tied and ready to go. Off to www.rosablue.co.uk my first favourite shop in Cheltenham. Check out her website it's just gorgeous.
While I was on a roll with heart painting I put together this little lot. I got the idea from the yummy love heart sweets. They come in packs of 5 tied with a piece of ribbon and at only £3.75 a pack they're not going to break the bank. A cute gift for all the romantics out there. Hang them around the house or in places to be found by you're loved one ;)

And with Valentine's Day just around the corner, you can drop lots of hints if you'd like for yourself. hehe!

I have another 5 too show you tomorrow, can't get a good photo right now. But they have different messages on them. Come back and see.

We've been having the most bizarre weather, this was the sky one after last week. What a wonderful colour, it does remind me of a horror film though (Dracula with Keanu Reeves) very odd sky colours in that. Oooow! hehe

Thankfully today is lovely and sunny here in Kent. I'm sitting here blogging and painting stock for another order. And watching the clouds in the blue sky roll on by. One looks like a pound sign, do you think someones trying to tell me something? lol

The washing finished now so I'd best get in out and dried. I forgot to say if anyone would like a any packs or pack of the hearts just drop me an email catherine@mollycupcakes.co.uk x

Have a good afternoon.

Hugs.

Catherine x

Tuesday 15 January 2008

Who me?

I'm very flattered thank you Steph at Curlew Country for awarding me with this lovely thing.

I now have to write down 7 things about myself and pass it on to others. So sorry if you've already got one but you know what they say you can't have enough of a good thing ;)



Well here's goes.

1- I just love cream cheese, strawberry jam and sliced banana on crispbreads. And now my girls love it too. Give it a try, it sounds a little odd together but believe me it's very yummy.

2- I hate going out before the postman's been, it drives me mad when they don't deliver until late argh! I pace up and down the living room, "where is he" when he does come there is a bundle for the front door as the girls want to help collect everything hehe!


3- I also like many of you have a silly amount of tea towels, about 23 in fact. All different dots, florals and patterns. You can never have enough and always need more hehe!


4- People in queues moaning about being in the queue, especially in the post office at Christmas. They just make me want to scream. I can't stand it and don't want to hear it. As you know I have 2 little ones under the age of 3 so standing in a long queue isn't my idea of fun but I go prepared with drinks and yummies for the long wait. Without my post office my little business wouldn't work. I take my hat off to our ladies working in the post office last year, they did a great job. And I made sure I told them every time I went in. And knickers to all those that went in and moaned at the top of their voices, don't you know by now that only makes them serve slower lol


5- I can't eat with those wooden chip forks you get in sea side chippy's. Ooow just thinking about them make me shudder. And don't get me started on people that chew paper, yuk!


6- I have about 3 years worth of magazines, stored in our dining room fireplace. I just can't bring myself to recycle them and tell myself I will go though all of them one day and make mood boards for our dream home out of them. But for now I'll just look at them every now and then. And ooow awww at all the lovely things inside.


7- Bunting! I just love it and would have it hanging in every room if I had my way lol. I think it just brightens up anywhere. I haven't yet taken down the gorgeous vintage bunting Julia from Vintage Heaven made me. It's been up since my birthday in Dec 07, maybe it can stay until after Easter.

There you go everyone some more bits and bobs about little old me :) hope I didn't bore you all, "she says with a big yawn"!



Have you seen these lovely pink bins? I have to get one for the kitchen. Funny how a pink bin can make me so happy. I think maybe I've been in hibernation a little to long lol anyhoo a proper bin complete with lid and foot pedal will make life less stressful, as Daisy likes to help herself to rubbish out of our crappy old bin yuk! you see it has no lid and is full of dents, from me fighting with it to get the bags out. Not one of my best buys from Ebay. Hopefully Daisy won't be able to open this one and it will look pretty good in our kitchen.
You can find them on http://www.next.co.uk/

Rain, rain and more flaming rain whens it going to end? Staying because you want to is one thing but staying in because if you try and go out you get soaked is another. I walk everywhere and the girls are nice and dry but I get wet, hot and bothered :( Why can't they invent something that keeps us mum's with buggies dry too?

Daisy is all ready for the rain and is getting chocolate powered for all the puddle jumping she'll be doing. I'd better put them on the right feet first hehe!
Lets hope we can put these away very soon and get out for lovely long Spring walks and pick wind flowers and berries.

Hugs.

Catherine x

Ps: silly me I nearly forgot 7 other lovely ladies to award amazing blogger too:

Tracy- Cupcakes At Home

Julia- vintage Heaven

Jen- Buttercup & Roses

Claire- Elfie & Me

Sarah- Paper-and-String

Kim- Ragged Roses

Philip- Afterburn.

Please don't worry if you can't be bothered or don't have the time to post 7 things about yourselfs. Just know I think you're all amazing and make me smile, cry, laugh, think, inspire and come back day after day for more. X

Thank you bloggers for being there. x

Sunday 13 January 2008

And the winners are!

Well I couldn't just choose one and everyone of your comments meant something special. It was great to read them all. Home means something different to each and everyone of you. Thank you all for sharing. And if i where a rich lady I'd of treated everyone of you but sadly that's not the case my business is only small not in the millions yet lol

1st place goes to: Kathy - My life and other beads. Your home sounds just like ours.
Home, the place where sometimes it's calm, sometimes it's noisy (ok rather a lot), sometimes it's fraught, sometimes it's lonely (1st day back at school especially) but most of all it's just lovely. (and full of dust and washing)

2nd place: Shabby Shac with Home is where I feel safe with my family, and safe in the fact everyone is at home safe together. I feel relaxed at home and find it really relaxing knowing that I can walk round and do what I want when I want, like eat a whole packet of biscuits! if I feel sad then I can feel sad and pick myself up again. When I am really happy I can jump up and down on my own bed and no one knows. (we do now hehe!)

3rd place: Kitty - Kitty's Bloggy Bits with Home is where it's ok to be 'me' all the time. Where my kids can be 'them', where 'we' can be 'us'.

Well done to the 3 winners please send me your addresses and your prizes will be on there way to you very soon. Email is catherine@mollycupcakes.co.uk I look forward to hearing from you. x

I thought I'd just share this photo with you all it's the first thing I see every time I walk through our front door. And what ever the weather outside the warm soft lilac colour on the walls (not shown very well in this photo) and these my favourite pictures, just makes me smile. I can close the door behind me and feel safe and warm at home.

And here is a beautiful twig heart I got from our local florist with some birthday money. I just can't resist a heart. It now hangs on our front door inside but I couldn't get a good photo of it hanging there. I have now spotted it has it's own little occupant a cute little spider. He can stay maybe he's a money spider and will bring us some luck in 2008 lol

Today Home means warm and cosy cuddles on the sofa, hot coffee and a very small gypsy tart, the girls laughing and playing (and a bit of screaming and fighting lol) some crafting, a look through the new Country Living mag, and the cats snuggled up in their own special spots happy to be indoors safe and dry away from the pouring rain and gusty winds outside.

And lastly looking forward to the first kiss from Ben as he gets in from work and the girls jumping up for their cuddles and shouting "Daddy" daddy daddy!

The best place in the world HOME x

Hugs.

Catherine x



Wednesday 9 January 2008

Blowing the cobwebs away lol

After a rather dull and boring Saturday the high light being the weekly shopping trip to Sainsburys and fighting our way thought everyone else in Kent, it seemed like the though of some snow had brought everyone out for extra supplies lol people go mad (argh! snow I need bread, milk and salt) hehe!
Why we decided to go on a Saturday I don't know, I think we just wanted to get out of the house. So after moving around the store at a snails pace and fighting with Daisy to not run off every time we put her down to walk or wriggle like a fish when she was being carried, we checkout and came home. Vowing never to go food shopping on a Saturday again.
Sunday brought a more calm tune with it. And we set off to Whitstable for a winter walk and little nose around the few shops that where open. Stopping only to have a naughty McDonald's for a lunch time treat. Didn't fancy fish and chips just the sea air.
Hands full of these, we made our way down to the sea.
The girls set of first stopping only to laugh at us when we said not fast. We really didn't want Daisy going head first into the sea. Cold water wouldn't stop her lol
As you can see we were well prepared for cold weather but surprisingly it was very warm. No high winds or stormy seas just lovely bright sunshine.

But still cold enough for hats, gloves, scarfs and woolly jumpers. I love Daisy's cheeks in the photo above she has about 6 layers on lol there is nothing like being prepared.
Here we are looking for crabs and shells, anything we found mind you ended up going back into the sea. Both girls just love to make splashes. Daisy would like to make the biggest with herself hehe!
A last run around before we head back to the town for a nose round the shops. I just love the florist http://www.janeatgrahamgreener.co.uk/ not only beautiful flowers but gorgeous gifts and it all smells of nice. Another favourite is Taking the plunge, sorry they don't have a website just yet. the shops full of lovely handmade and unusual items. I'm hoping to get so business from them this year. Fingers crossed.
We popped in Harbour books but came out empty handed. And was sad to see the yummy sweet and ice-cream shop was closed, oh well next time ;)
Back at the car the clouds came over and poured down on the way home. We where very lucky to have missed it and we where all nice, warm, cosy and dry in the car.
A few cobwebs blown away and ready to start the week all fresh and clear headed.

Back at baby bounce on Tuesday for the girls and a nice chat and coffee for me while they play. Sad to say today they have both got the runny noses back, so it's out with the calpol and cosy quilts. Dvd's and CBeebies to keep them and Mummy happy and insane lol I mine sane hehe!
Molly got a nice surprise from the postie, a gorgeous pair of chocolate slipper boots from http://www.thewhitecompany.co.uk/ I got they with her Christmas money from Uncle Tony.
So a big kiss X and thank you from Molly, she loves them and her feet are now nice and warm.

Now I might get Daisy a pair so they don't fight over them hehe! her slippers are looking a little small.
I'm loving reading all your HOME comments and will be choosing the winner/winners on Friday.
So keep them coming.
Have a lovely week come rain, snow or shine.

Hugs.

Catherine x

Saturday 5 January 2008

HOME.

Resolution No.2
Drink more of this. I am so very naughty and just don't drink enough water and I like it but not with anything in it like juice yuk! So I have no excuse, I just seem to forget to drink it. That goes for any drink really. Ben says I'm a camel lol and have hidden humps hehe! that keep me going.
So from Monday I'm going to make more of a effort to drink some.
I do really enjoy my coffee and can't resist mocha's, it's the one drink I have as a treat. So I think with the water drinking I can have 2 of these a day as well.
We all need a pick me up and it is a little weakness of mine, so I think I'll keep this naughty on my list of must haves.

I have hung these gorgeous white wooden letters, I just love them a present from Ben at Christmas. HOME what a lovely word, it means so many different things to everyone. To me it's that relaxed, warm, safe, wanted, loved, happy and needed feeling I get every time I walk through the door.

I though it would be nice to ask all of you what the word HOME means to you, please leave it in a comment on any of the posts this week and the one I that warms my heart the most will receive a free gift.

Having seen so many of your beautiful homes I'm sure it will come so very easy to you all. Good luck ladies. x

Here is one of the nicest photos I've taken of our two gorgeous girls, they where so happy playing on the sofa. A simple game of peek- a- boo lol I just had to share their happy faces with you.
I know I've going on about being good and getting healthy (I am promise ;) but everyone else isn't so I'm going to make some of this yummy very naughty Hokey Pokey from Nigella's new book a little treat with my waterstones vouchers.

And a nice way to say thank you to Ben's Mum, Sister and Brother in law for giving us a lovely family Christmas. And if there is any left over, well I'm sure my little lots can polish it off hehe!

Hope your all having a nice weekend and I'm look forward to reading all about them and seeing your comments about HOME. Good luck everybody.

I'll tell you all the winner on Friday.

Hugs.

Catherine x

Thursday 3 January 2008

I've make a few, help me keep them x

New years resolution No. 1
Aim to look this good by the end of the year.
And lose that muffin top belly I seem to have picked up along the last couple of years lol


And stop feeling like this lol
I'm very lucky to have a man that looks as gorgeous as this. And I won't change a thing about him. Yes Ben even your grumpy times. x I'm sure Mr Depp as them too hehe!
And I know he loves me just the way I am, but I'd like to change my belly for me. It would make me feel 100 times more happy about myself.

So now the last bit of Christmas pud and cake is nearly eaten, it's back to better eating and no snacking.
Resolution number 2 tomorrow.

Hugs.

Catherine x