Christmas makes and charity shop gold

Evening all, hope you're well.

(Please see above, healthy Dalek made by Twiglet for our Dr Who viewing - very tasty he was too).

We've had a very invigorating walk along Royd Moor late this afternoon, the sunset was breathtaking as was the breeze!!  really blew the cobwebs away.

Anyhoo, felt a bit grumpy this week as I have a very purple tooth - urgh ! apparently the tooth has a crack in it as does one of the roots, and I'm booked in for treatment on the 9th December - soonest they could manage!!  the bill will be even more painful than the treatment.   I've got to consider now whether to have the tooth pulled or crowned - which might not work - argh!!

On to more interesting things, did you watch Dr Who last week??? Oh my, I blubbed twice, if you saw it can you guess which bits made me cry?  Bit of a clue both my favourite Doctors turned up and one of them was very unexpected, took me back to Saturday tea times 1978 in a minute - sigh!!

We only have 3 weeks left at school before Christmas and we haven't even had any snow yet - outrageous!! 

It was lovely at work yesterday, I was sat at my desk doing some boring accounts and could hear the children rehearsing their songs for the Christmas Play - I love working in our small village school - especially at this time of year - it's magic!!

I've been doing a bit of making and doing.

Firstly, the Christmas cakes, I've got one and a half, and gave half to my lovely Mum, as she didn't want a whole one, so Twiglet and I are feeding them with brandy and trying not to scoff them.

I made a batch of pumpkin Autumn chutney for Christmas pressies. 

 I haven't thought this through and ran out of jars, so I've frozen a box of the stuff and we're eating jam and pickled onions like billy-o, so we can jar it up for Chrimbo.  

I can't bring myself to buy empty jars, it goes against every frugal principle in my body, am I alone in this ?

As you can see above, we have many squash and pumpkins left and they are all over the house, aren't they pretty?

This is the first make from my Kirstie Allsop book, not as pretty as hers, but I did use up scraps to  make it.  I also added bows made from scrap fabric to mine for more of a 3D effect, what do you think?

Mr Twigs made his first ever pork pie and we all agreed it was the nicest one we have EVER tasted, so he's making one for Boxing Day to go with my homemade beetroot chutney - yum!!

Here's the charity shop gold.  

We had these soup mugs when I was young,  love em.

Would you believe 25p each from the Salvation Army Shop.

This is the 3rd Smarties mug I've had, the previous two broke, this is one of the original Hornsea Potteries ones from the 80s (like my very first one) it was 50p!! 

Mr Twigs and I also purchased some bargainous coats that you wouldn't believe, I will post at a later date.

Strictly is calling and I need to iron my stuff for tomorrow 

We are going to the Country Living Fair in Harrogate tomorrow as I was lucky enough to win some tickets from lovely Lynsey at Swirlyarts - can't wait !!.

 (Twiglet wanted me to post his photo of the two Innocent smoothies we bought, the Fez is ace, I really want the guinea pigs to try them on, but they don't seem keen).

Love

Twiggy x

23.11.13

Doctor Who 50th Anniversary

It's here and We are VERY excited!!!!!!!!!

And

DAVID TENNANT is back (for me obviously :) 

DING DONG !!!!!!!!!!

I bet you're wondering just how many times I'll use this photo - oh many, many more !!

We are making our Blue Peter chocolate daleks later and have the snacks lined up - fabtastic

Enjoy

Twiggy xx

Walk this way..............

Evening all, phew isn't it chilly it's been a gorgeous, crisp day up here today.

We had the lurgy on Sunday bit managed to get out for a little walk in the woods last Saturday.

Care to join us on a jaunt around Deffer Woods?  I love Wintery walks.

 I took  a close up of this tree and now realise what our 1970s Woolworth Christmas tree was based on when I was little ;)

 I just managed to catch this image, isn't it glorious?

 I love this little shelter, great graffiti too, such as Emma is very nice !!

 The branch wigwams are fab and everyone seems to add to them when they visit.

 Just like Twiglet.

 A bit of bracket fungus !!

Hope you enjoyed the walk.

We are in a state of excitement here at Twiggy Towers, the usual Christmas build up but even more tremendous.

THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY DR WHO SPECIAL ON SATURDAY - WOOHOO!! 

(including David Tennant!!!)

Twiglet is one excited young man.  I am one excited old lady, Mr Twigs is one excited ginge !!  can't wait.

Twiggy x

Whizz bang and the half term hols are over........ .

Well the half term hols whizzed by and we had a terrific time.

Check out Twiglet's prize winning pumpkin - he did an Angry Birds design and won the Cub competition out of 60 boys - yay !!!

 The first weekend I made my Christmas cakes and 42 buns for our Cubs bonfire. I helped out in the kitchen at the Scout hut and Mr Twigs was in charge of the bonfire and helped with the fireworks - I think the 3 grown men  had more fun than the little boys :)

We also managed to fit in visits with friends and family

, holiday haircuts and a trip to the cinema to see Cloudy With a Chance Of Meatballs 2, which I loved.

The top highlight was a trip to lovely Filey for Mr Twigs birthday -hooray!!!

Today was my first day back at work, tomorrow we are having a little firework party at home with the grandparents and Mr Twigs has made a super pie and pumpkin soup - we only have another 18 squash to use up, they are dotted around the house ripening nicely.

Traditional glass of sherry at 10.30am Sunday morning while I made the Chrimbo cakes - I always use my Granny's sherry glasses - it's a ritual :)

On Sunday morning Twiglet is marching with his Cub Group to the Remembrance service, which is always so moving.

So busy times

I know Winter must be upon us now, the Winter duvet is on our bed, Twiglet is wearing a vest and the guinea pigs have been brought in from the porch into the dining room, I can hear them clucking away as I type :)

Have a lovely weekend and stay cosy.

Twiggy xx

This and that and giveaway results.............

Yes, I know my posts are like buses, two come at once.

I listed the recipe separately in case you wanted to cut to the chase.

So half term is here - woohoo - we all have the week off which is fab as lovely Mr Twigs celebrates his birthday on Wednesday and we have a busy week in store.

We spent the day with my lovely Mum yesterday where I collected some gorgeous tapestry making stuff that used to belong to my brother in laws Mum - she sadly died a couple of years ago, I'll blog it once it's sorted out.

I love it once the clocks have gone back, v.cosy.

Tomorrow it's grocery shopping, Christmas cake baking, birthday cake baking for Grandad and going out for dinner with Nana and Grandad  tomorrow evening!

Here are some choccy buns and carrot cake made by little Twiglet.

Talking of cakes I'm so pleased Frances won the Great British Bake Off, did you see it?

A picture of Twiglet's scarey mask.

 We had time for a lovely stroll in the sunshine around the village.

Wednesday - day out somewhere for Mr Twig's birthday.

Thursday - Halloween pumpkin festival at Cannon Hall.

Friday - Cinema

Saturday - clear cupboards, put stuff on Ebay. Help build bonfire for Cubs Firework Party. (By the way Twiglet won the pumpkin carving contest our of 60 cubs, we were VERY proud).  Make cakes for Cubs bonfire.

Sunday - Cubs firework and bonfire party.

Monday - who knows !!

How fab is this? the children at school made some things using their printed art work to raise some funds for school, Twiglet's theme was of course Dr Who !!

 

As the Doctor says and Twiglet has written BE EXTRAORDINARY !!!!!

 

Giveaway results are now in, Twiglet has dipped his hand in the Thomas the Tank Engine bowl, the results have been verified and the winner is JACKIE !!!!

 

Well done, lovely lady, would you email me your address please and I'll get a little parcel off to you, by the way I'm going to make his teachers some cheeky chickens for Christmas !!

Hope you have a great week whatever you are up to. 

We'll be watching Ripper Street tonight, one of the few TV programmes Mr Twigs and I both like (as well as Dr Who and Sherlock obviously;)

love

Twiggy xx

Chilli jam on the cheap

Evening all.

Hope you are all safe and well big hugs to all of you affected by the storm today.

We have just had sunshine and heavy showers up on the hill.
 

As it's now half term -yay! I have lots of making and doing planned (in fact we have been at it already) anyhoo the boys are off at Twiglet's swimming lesson so I thought I'd make some thrifty chilli jam for Chritmas pressies to go with the  beetroot chutney.

So eyes down, look in, this is Sarah Raven's fab recipe, but I've Twiggyfied it in a very lazy way.

The recipe I've listed for you is to make roughly 3 jars of chilli jam but I multiplied everything by 3 for my batch.

Here goes - take 500 g of tomatoes (I went to Huddersfield market on Saturday and got two 1kg bags for a £1 each - bargainous and not a yucky one)

4 garlic cloves (mine were dished out of bottom of veg drawer)

4 large  red chillies (market lady didn't have any so bought a bag of 4 for 50p from Morrisons - also fished some dried ones out of back of cupboard but upon tasting, didn't need them.

6cm - 7cm fresh ginger (got a huge lump of it from lovely market lady for 20p!!) or could have used some of this lazy ginger that I bought form Morrisons reduced from £1.99 to 28p !!!

300g golden caster sugar - I rummaged in baking cupboard and used a bit of ordinary caster sugar I had left and made it up with granulated sugar.

2 tablespoons fish sauce (see below bottle from Morrisons for 59p)

100ml red wine vinegar - see below, 59p from Morrisons (bottle is 250ml)

 

Blitz tomatoes, garlic, chillies and ginger in your old Kenwood Chefette - or whatever you have!! I realise photo is sideways:)

 

Slap it in your old jam pan you got off Freecycle years ago - or whatever you may have -

add fish sauce, sugar and vinegar, bring to boil slowly.

Reduce to a simmer and cook for 30 - 40 minutes until it looks like this, much darker and stickier, decant into sterilised jars and  there you have it!!

 Not only is it delish, cooking it also cleared my blocked sinuses like it did last time :)

I also bought this 1 kg bag of sweet pointed peppers for a quid from Huddersfield Market - I am definitely going there again soon - I pay 89p for 2 of these from Aldi - Twiglet loves them.

I've now got a huge bag of apples to get through, peeling and cooking but they can wait until tomorrow !!

Hope you enjoy the recipe

love

Twiggy x

Is it too early for Christmas doings? and a giveaway

As you can see I'm not at work today, still itchy and unable to wear a bra which I'm sure would count as a safeguarding issue in school, the children would be traumatised :)

It seems the Headteacher has also caught shingles, however, he doesn't wear a bra so should be ok, poor chap!!

Anyhoo I've had to do a fair bit of real life stuff this week, we put the house back on the market yesterday.

I've  spent most of today on the sofa looking at the crafting loveliness that is Foksy & Etsy , adding to my favourite lists and nicking ideas, I mean taking inspiration.

My thoughts have turned to Christmas crafting and here are some of my favourite books.

This first Kirsty one is so pretty that I bought one for me and one for my pal's birthday, a snip at £6.99 from the Book People.  

There are some very pretty projects in it.

I really do like Kirstie Allsop, her relentless optimism and jolly outlook is very like able, yes I know she's posh and worth a mint but I do love her enthusiam.  To be honest I wouldn't have paid the RRP of £20 but it's certainly worth the price I paid.

I  just look at the photos in this one, but it is very pretty.

Same goes for this one if I'm completely honest.

However, this one has a couple of projects I aim to try this year, they involve paper and old food tins!!

Watch this space.

My perusal of Folksy inspired me to decide to make Twiglet's teachers Chrimbo gifts this year, so have a look at this pile of fabric and let me know your favourite two  patterns.

I'm not telling you what I'm making but if Twiglet chooses your name, I'll send you one and a little parcel of unidentified  loveliness (that's right, no idea what yet)

Have a jolly weekend.

Twiggy x

Urgh! Shingles !!

Hello on this dreary and wet Wednesday.

Here are some jolly photos from when we went to Clumber Park the first weekend in October - see it was lovely and sunny then (we really have had some lovely weather).

Well as the title says, I've felt grotty for a week or so, so dragged my old carcass to the doctors, thinking I had a bad cold and an allergic rash, but have in fact got shingles !!

Urgh!!  unsurprising, I suppose, a child at school came in a few weeks ago after having them, with assurances from his parents he wasn't infectious, we've since had 8 cases of chickenpox, numerous unidentified rashes, general lurgy and my diagnosis of shingles - super !!

Anyhoo, on to more entertaining subjects, did you watch the Bake  Off last night?  Ooo I will miss it, after next week, I hope Frances wins, I really do like her style.

We hibernated last weekend as the weather was grim and I felt pants, look at this gorgeous fish pie Mr Twigs made, it was lush - clever boy !!

In other news, we have been doing a lot of digging, chopping, freezing during the grim weather.

We have a HUGE sack of tasty spuds in the porch and have been bartering with the neighbours.  

They gave me a bag of apples , so I used up our wrinkly beetroot, got the trusty jam pan out and made a load of beetroot chutney. 

 It is soooooo tasty, if you want the recipe, let me know and I'll blog it.

 Yum, some for us and some for Christmas  gifts.

 I'll leave you with a photo of a very cute boy and a crazy lady, who appears to be stalking him.

Keep warm and shingle free.

Love

Twiggy x