Happy New Year!

What a wonderful time I have spent with my family over the Christmas period. Whilst we weren't all able to get together this year, 2 of my daughters, their families and my husband and I managed to spend 4 days together. Keeley and Co had work commitments and then 3 of my grandchildren fell ill which meant they weren't able to enjoy the magic that Christmas brings for them! Luckily, their Christmas parcel from us arrived in plenty of time, despite the weather conditions that prevailed and the complications that beset the postal deliveries this year.

I baked, cooked, roasted and made a lot of yummy food and all thanks to watching the cookery programmes that I managed to fit into my busy schedule. So, thank you Nigella, Nigel and Gordon for inspiring recipes that we all enjoyed. Traditionally, my husband cooks the turkey overnight on Christmas Eve. My daughter had cooked the roast pork and I cooked roast beef.

Here are just a few of the things that I made....

Roast beef....

Pate Sucre - butter pastry, with a Mascapone cream and lemon curd filling, topped with fresh strawberries and raspberries, drizzled with melted chocolate and dusted with icing sugar!

Gingerbread

Banoffee Pie

Half of a Banoffee Pie!!! LOL.

For Christmas, I received 2 cookery books to add to my already extended collection - Nigella Kitchen and Sophie Dahl's - Miss Dahl's Voluptuous Delights.  I loved her series 'The Delicious Miss Dahl' recently.

Here's to a healthy 2011 and once all of the goodies have been devoured, it's back to that old word again.....'DIET'!!

Have a wonderful New Year all and thank you especially to my followers who have been very supportive and left me comments that encourage me to Carry On Writing!

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas!

Well, my tree is up and I also changed the mantle from my African Massai Mara figures and paraphenalia to my jewel coloured decorations that I bought this year. For the past decade, I have had a snow theme for Christmas and I LOVE it - which is why I was reluctant to change it but change it I did.

I have been decorating my hall this year and put up some wallpaper below the dado rail which has lime in it. I am loving lime. All around right now, I see lime - and fushia - and turquoise - and purple, so I went for it.

I made the purple runner with silver tassels for the Millenium and I found it - and 3 lengths of purple velvet fabric in the cellar. So I washed them all and are now good as new.

The colours vary in the different lights - they are more sparkly in the evening light!

I used my angel mirror from my bedroom for above the mantle.

Also, the little angel on the chair.

I filled a vase with baubles and lengths of the same colour curling ribbon.

Funny, now I see it from this view in photos, my wall looks kind of bare. The ceilings are very high and the decs don't do much for the space I have. Oh well! It looks lovely IRL. *Ü*

Thank you for stopping by and for your lovely comments. I read them all and I appreciate the time that you take out of your busy life to visit me here.

Have festive fun.

Let It Snow!

It's been a while since I blogged - mainly due to my new kitchen makeover that is taking up all of my time! It all began with a leaking pipe under one of the double cabinets that runs the length of the kitchen! After the said cabinet was removed, it was never going to fit back into the space without damage, so a visit to Wickes was on the cards. I am really excited about finally getting a white high gloss kitchen after waiting soo many years.

I digress. I have really enjoyed the snow that this little corner of the country had recently and whilst I realise that it can cause major problems, it didn't last - just long enough for me to take some photos.

It will be back later this week and I can't wait....It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas! *Ü*

Enjoy your preparations.