HEAD IN THE CLOUDS

The other weekend I ventured up north to meet my new niece Tilly! Virgin trains had a deal on first class tickets which made the journey even more pleasurable. Even if I did look slightly out place between the suits. However after a couple of G&Ts I didn't really care ;)

Tilly was born early November and on that day the heavens opened and it never felt that it would stop raining. So this became my theme for her gift - Clouds and Rain, the weather.

I might as well let you know about how I'm a bit obsessed with clouds. I love them, so much so that I even own a book called the cloud appriciation society. It's a great read and rather funny too. Some may think that sounds a little glum, but this is not so, clouds and rain are fantastic!!

When Josh, her older brother was born, I got him a lovely little DW banker & decided to get Tilly one too. I was fortunate enough that Donna Wilson makes a rain cloud version (secretly I've always wanted the large sized one in blue!)

Following the theme I decided to create a little cloud mobile to go with the blanket. I'd seen on another blog someone had made one. So I decided to make something similar, using an embroidery ring, sheets of felt in blue, white and red, a bit of yellow butchers twine and use of my mum's sewing machine! I got most of the items from Hobbycraft as there is one near to where my parents live. If you're based in London you should try Macculloch & Wallis that is just off Oxford Street or John Lewis would be another good bet.

Matilda Poppy Follwell was born on Monday 11th November.

Josh now 2yrs old has a little sister to look after.

I cut out a raindrop template, three different cloud templates and a heart template. Pining two sheets of felt together, I was able to cut matching pairs for each item.

For the clouds I then sewed two quarters around the edge and stuffed it before sewing the remaining edge. The raindrops and heart, I found easier to cut out a smaller version of the shape to put inside and sewed around the edge.

These were then all hung on the embroidery ring via clear nylon thread, to give the illusion that they are indeed floating.

Have to say I was quite chuffed with the results! Just hope Tilly likes it as much as I do :)

Here is the mobile in motion!

Sticky Spiced Ginger Cake

Another birthday, another reason to BAKE! :D

So after 'Jamaican Ginger' had being discussed quite a lot in the office in recent months, a sticky ginger cake seemed to be the way forward. 

This recipe did not fail in hitting the spot ;) Good old BBC Good Food website, is where I found the recipe.

Ingredients

250g pack butter

250g dark brown muscovado sugar

250g black treacle

300ml milk

2 eggs

100ml glacé ginger from a jar, finely chopped (or ginger jam!)

375g plain flour

2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 tsp allspice

2 tsp ground ginger

1. Butter and line a 23cm square baking tin (or use a shallow roasting tin, approx 30 x 20cm). Heat oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3. Put the butter, sugar and treacle into a saucepan and heat gently for about 5 mins until the butter and sugar have melted. Stir in the milk. The mix should be just warm to the touch; if not, leave to cool a little longer, then beat in the eggs.
2. Mix the chopped ginger and dry ingredients together in a large bowl and make a well in the centre. Pour the melted mix into the well, then gradually draw the dry ingredients into the wet with a wooden spoon, until you have a thick, smooth batter.
3. Pour the batter into the prepared tin, then bake for 1 hr until risen and firm to the touch. Resist taking a peek beforehand; the cake will sink if the oven temperature drops too quickly before it's cooked through. Poke a skewer into the centre to check that it's cooked - it should come out clean. If not, give it 10 mins more and check again. Leave the cake to cool in the tin. Once completely cool, turn out of the tin ready for icing, or wrap well in cling film and keep in a cool, dry place for up to a week.
4. To make the icing, sift the icing sugar into a bowl and add the gingery syrup. Beat well until you have a smooth, runny icing. Once the cake has cooled, drizzle with icing and cut into squares. If you're planning to let the cake mature for a while, make the icing on the day you want to cut it. 

Serve warm with a blob off Creme Fraiche & enjoy!

Linzer Biscuits

So even though I made a large batch of Flapjacks for the office, they were all eaten in one day!? So as it's turned out, I did end up baking some more 'Christmas-y' biscuits (Well they have red in them).

I made these last year and I think they went down well, I was too busy eating them myself! They are individual hazelnut shortbreads with raspberry jam in the middle - a posh jammy dodger if you will.

Ooo I do like a jammy dodger and a cuppa tea (yes there is an 80yr inside trying to get out)
Anyway, my Dad very kindly made me some boxes this year - He runs a box company - makes boxes for the Queen, don't you know! ;) It's quite funny actually, recently I was near Green Park with a friend. You know near Buck Palace. It dawned on me that there might be a Buck Palace gift shop near by. So mid conversation, I yelped with excitement (I do make myself laugh)  and proceeded to drag the individual over the park into the shop. It was full to top with all my Dad's boxes!?

Now, even though I've known he's made boxes for them for a while, to see them on display in the shop, in Central London, Outside Buck Palace!!! Well was rather RUDDY exciting! Ha! It was like having a famous box making Dad!! (Took me a while to explain my sudden surge of crazy antics) LOL

(Just had re-read what I had written, cause couldn't remember how I got from biscuits to Buckingham Palace - lol) This will be down to the fact I was up till 1.30am baking last night (got a bit carried away - as I always do).

So yeah, the boxes. My Dad, originally designed me these beautifully fabric coated, bright coloured boxes, that if I wanted could be lined with fabric, so on and so forth. They were truely great! So he was a bit perplexed when I asked for basic basic boxes, just brown, no coating inside or outside. But I do love a classic brown box. There is a true beauty in the simplest of things.

Thanks for the boxes Dad ;)

I gave a couple of Boxes to one of our clients, Tim and his crew (also gave him a box of flapjacks, as he mentioned how much he liked them). A box to the Touch Crew (my work) and another to Anne at FUSS (it's her birthday this weekend).

Get such a buzz from baking these biscuits. I think it's because they look so smart when you put them together. Hmm. It's just such a great feeling that in a short period of time you can create something so delicate and pretty that will consequently be eaten and then gone forever.

Flapjack Cookies revisited

Did you know that the main reason people visit my blog is to read one of my first posts on my Mum's Flapjack Cookies recipe 239 people to be exact!?!

I haven't been home for a while and even though Christmas is on the horizon ( & tempted to make Christmas-y looking biscuits) I felt compelled to make a few home comforts. Ahh my kitchen smelt just like back-home when I was baking them. I grew up on these and will always consider them as proper flapjacks and not the slice variety that everyone else are used too.

This lovely new batch of flapjacks were for my clients and work colleagues.
Half the tin was eaten by midday!?

Victoria's Famous Flapjacks

170g Traditional whole rolled oats
140g Sugar
140g Plain flour
1 tsp bicarb of soda
2 tbsp Boiling hot water
170g block butter
1 tablespoon Syrup
(makes around 34 biscuits)

Preheat oven to 180oc

Mix the oats, sugar and flour together in bowl. In a separate bowl mix the boiling water and bicarb of soda, then mix into the oat mixture.

Melt the butter & syrup in a bowl over boiling water. once melted add to the oat mixture.
Roll into small balls and place on a baking tray covered with baking parchment, press two fingers into each blob. Make sure they are too close together as they will spread. If you're using one tray, do it in three batches.

Pop in the oven for around 12-14 mins, they won't take long.
leave to cool on the tray a bit to crisp-en up, then onto a wire rack to fully cool.
Package up and hand out to people to make yourself smile ;D

A blog called Constellations have blogged about my mum's recipe too, and it looks like they went down well. Lets just hope that the office and my clients like the oaty variety treats to the jammy linzer biscuits I made last year.

Questions is ... how should I package them?
Hmmm will post some photos once I decide.

New Obsessions...

So as you've probably noted I having been blogging a lot recently.... Well to be fair, not at all! Well I'm here now :) better late than never ;D

So let me tell you what's been happening in the world off Wobbly Jelly!
I have joined a local group and am now officially a 'FUSS POT'. I live in a place called Hither Green, it's a lovely place, sort off village-esq. Anyhow this group I've joined F.U.S.S is a group of local individuals who care about it the area and want to make it a fab place to live. We sort out the plant pots on the street and organise events like the Christmas FUSS Fair ( which I have to say was one of the main reasons I joined ). It gives me reason to play around with designing posters etc as well as just getting to know people and also I get to chat.
We get together once a month for chat and... Champagne!! Oh we had won Lewisham in Bloom award, yeah we don't drink champagne at every meeting that would be crazy!? ;) hmmm maybe I suggest it at the next meeting?


It's funny really, I'm what... Twenty something? and the average age at the fuss meetings must be around 55-60? But you know they are hysterical and so much fun, with great senses of humour! Best of all, they encourage my geeky-obsessiveness! Hmm which some may believe, is not a good idea. But am loving every minute!

Some of the guys at work have been laughing at me (I think I scare them) Last year my thing was knitting (if you look back on the blog u might see it) The knitting began like everything else... With a lot of enthusiasm however it took me going on 2 yrs to complete one scarf....I soon moved from this skill realising it might not be a strength :s Then it was the general baking / cooking... Chutney making :)) Now it's FUSS.... what will be next...

This weekend I gained two brand new obsessions, and have to say I am soo excited about them both.
You know how the one thing everyone has these days is a computer,  a laptop? Well I don't have either. Last month I did quite a lot if overtime, and was thinking I'll invest in a computer, well an iPad.
But oh no! I might be twenty-something but GUESS what I got this weekend!!!??!!!? Seriously it's bloody brilliant! Some may even say Genius - Gorgeous - Stunning - Elegance at it's Best.

Yes that's right.. I now own a typewriter! Isn't it beautiful!? TRIUMPH TIPPA-S ALDER
Seriously planning to revert back to writing letters, well typing them anyho.Being vintage has never been so exciting!!

Once I got the typewriter home, I couldn't stop smiling. I was over the moon. However if I said this is the most exciting hing that has happening to me, I would be lying. If I said it was my biggest obsession so far, I would be lying. As this weekend I also gained something else...A brand new Nephew!
He's a great little fella. And I can't wait fulfill my role as the 'Crazy Auntie'.

 Sidney Joshua Follwell  

5th Oct 2011

I got him a little something for his arrival to the world. A beautiful lambs wool Baby Blanket with a boat sailing the sea on it. The boat reminded me a bit of the Blue Peter Boat, which I thought was apt, as my nickname for a while was ' The Blue Peter Girl'.

 

I couldn't help but 'go to town' on the wrapping and even decided to print my message on hessian. (my sister was a huge fan of Winnie The Pooh when she was a kid) I think it went down well.
Can't wait to see my nephew again soon....

TOUCH Christmas Treats

I decided to take some of my baked goods to share at work this year... as you can see by the time I got round to taking photos, most of the biscuits had been eaten already!?!

Ginger Biscuits and Linzer Hazelnut Dodgers and the usual load of juicy clementines.

Off to bake more tonight to replenish the jars, and will be posting the recipes up soon.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

A Hungary fan

The main reason I write this blog is to keep me entertained, I enjoy chatting typing away and recording all my baking etc.. But you know I've never thought that anyone actually reads it, let alone follows my blog, well except my family - who gets told to go read it every time I do a new post ;o)

Anyway last week Pete came home from work with a small parcel for me!? He quickly informed me that he hadn't got me gift and that actually it wasn't from him at all. It was from one of his work colleague's wife, that I've never met - Virag. Now from what I can gather, Virag, originally from Hungary has been following my blog and read on a previous post about trying to find a good HOT horseradish. So she has sent me a Hungarian Horseradish to test. I'm very excited about trying it, as well as a bit scared...hmmm how hot will it be!? I shall let you all know once I tried it :O)

She also sent me some 'Household biscuit powder' which I have never seen or heard off before. I've a good old search on the web, but haven't found a recipe using 'biscuit powder'. Virag, if your reading this I'd love to know what you use it for and whether you have a new recipe I can try out on the blog?

Can't believe I'm getting sent things for my blog?! Thank you Virag :O)

Promise to keep on blogging, I know March was a pretty poor show..... only one blog!?! So I'm already thinking about what to bake/cook for next weekend. Hope all had a lovely sunny weekend. Blog soon
Mx

Final Christmas Creations

This is my last post for the festive season.
Here are some of the gifts Pete and I created for our families...

I had a go at growing some hyacinth bulbs. I started them at the end of October, in the hope they'd be in flower by Christmas.... as you can see they weren't, but they were still well received anyway - have been promised photos for when they bloom!


After so many people comenting on my 'Pete's Chocolate chewy morsels' (see previous post for recipe) I decided to make a few tasty gifts. Now these went down a storm!! Only thing was I didn't make any for my sister, but I had made some for her husband - Note to self Louise likes chocolate and John doesn't like to share :-o It was entertaining never the less!!


Christmas Day was spent at The Williams household, half of which work in finance. This in mind Pete and I created some FT Times crackers, including individual 'designer' FT hats! They went down a storm. The only snagg was that on Christmas Eve, Pete's dad told his favorite xmas jokes!! All of which Pete had put in the crackers :D The good old ones never tier.

"How does the snowman get about?"
"On his iclicle!"


Here are the Christmas cards that we sent out this year. We made them using a "merry christmas' stamp, that Pete designed on the inside and an image I'd retouched & comp'ed together. Doesn't that Robin look merry & well fed!

Merry Christmas to all.
Hope you all had a fab day!!

x