Guilty pleasure!

What do you think it could be?! 

I had a clean up yesterday of all of my accumulated Clinique makeup and I didn't realise just how much I have! I have been using Clinique products for over 30 years and even when I can't afford it - when I run out, somehow, I manage to obtain it! LOL....that makes it sound like I 'pilfer' it...but I can assure you....that's not my style. It's a permanent gift idea for my family to buy me - either for my birthday or Christmas - I manage to have enough - usually.

I can go into one of the local stores and ask the girls on the Clinique counter for a sample of something I have run out of until the next Bonus Time comes around and they usually oblige. However, I was given some for Christmas last year and I have enough to tide me over until the next promotion. 

I LOVE my Clinique range and now I have taken photos of all the boxes I have collected, I can now recycle them to make more space for other things.

This is probably only 2/3 of my makeup and makeup bags but all of the boxes.

Here are some close up pics. I love the pink makeup bag. *Ü* There are more!

The box with the purple bow is my latest Bonus from last Christmas. 

I LOVE my '3-step' range - Cleansing bar, Clarifying Lotion and Dramatically Different Moisturising Lotion.

These are most of my lipsticks. I have given the unused ones to my girls.

....and you thought it was going to be chocolate didn't you?!.....well...it is - food wise! Now that's another collection for another day! *Ü*

Thanks for stopping by. I'm off to the Cadbury Cocoa House in Bluewater tomorrow (the only one in the country) for hot chocolate and treats, if anyone wants to check what colour lipstick I will be wearing! LOL. ( With a visit to Ikea too).

A zest for lemon!

I haven't made Lemon Curd for many years so I thought it was time I made some. I was reminded how easy it was and it turned out very fresh and tangy...with a lot of *zing*.
First I grated the zest of 6 lemons....

...cut them in half...

...and depipped them.

I squeezed the juice and put the zest and juice into a large saucepan ...

...with 4 ozs butter and 16ozs or 1 lb caster sugar. Heat gently until the sugar and butter have melted. 

Beat the eggs in a separate bowl and add the lemon mixture very slowly, so as not to curdle the eggs.

Return all of the mixture back into the saucepan and on a medium heat, stir until thickened - about 5 minutes. Pour into clean jars and label. Keep in the fridge.  

I made a refreshing dessert with 2 tablespoons of Lemon Curd, 1 teaspoon of icing sugar, 2 tablespoons of Mascapone cream cheese, 2 tablespoons double cream - whipped lightly and 2 meringue nests - broken into small pieces. Just mix the Mascapone cheese with the cream and gently stir in the Lemon Curd and meringue nests. Divide into 2 serving dishes. Chill in the fridge for about an hour. Enjoy!

Hobbycraft sale stash!

After reading up on peep's blogs about their Hobbycraft buys recently, I popped in on my way to Tesco to see what my local store had in the way of sale stash. This is what I picked up...
3 sheets of Bo Bunny at 29p each - reduced from 79p and 1 pink pp that looks like Basic Grey but has no name or brand labelled - again for 29p. Then there were Sculpey cutter shapes - 3 ivy leaves and another styled leaf - reduced to £2.99 from £7.99 which I will use as cookie cutters. The perspex photo cube which is about 4 inches each side was £2.49 at half price and the snowflake plunger cutters were full price at just under £10. Bargains. There were other items that I would have liked to have bought but I was pushed for time which means.....another visit is on the cards! *Ü*

The rain has been relentless these past few days and only ceased for a short while today. However, it has been rather a lot milder which I do prefer than the very cold - I'm allergic to cold! *Ü* Speaking of which, I booked our flights to Menorca this week. It has been over 9 years since I had a holiday abroad, so I am really looking forward to a warmer climate later in the year. We shall stay in my sister-in-law's apartment.

Stay warm and keep calm!

Masterchef 2011!

A favourite restaurant of ours (Italian) closed in 2002 as the chef/owner retired due to illness. I worked there myself back in 1986 when we first moved to the coast. We sadly miss it, so when I was stuck for ideas for my husband's Christmas present last year, I thought I might contact Lorenzo to see if he would be able to come cook us a meal at our home! I managed to contact him through his friend and business partner and he agreed to do it as a surprise.

I made a token for my husband and wrapped it in a box as a disguise. When he opened it at Christmas, he was thrilled - and very surprised. *Ü*

Lorenzo came on Friday last week and cooked us our favourite meal...

...in the middle of our kitchen refit....ugh...the backsplash looks unsightly now I have seen it with the old tiles!

Breaded Mushrooms with a garlic mayonnaise dip....

Steak in Peppercorn sauce with potato wedges, carrots and broccoli...

                         ...and to follow...Creme Caramel...mmmm....

Lorenzo even washed and cleaned up, so I had nothing to do. It was a treat.
Don't you think he looks like an army colonel?! LOL.

Thanks so much Lorenzo...it was such a lovely gift ...and surprise. Good health to you.

Crafty knits!

I knitted a few 'mug hugs' just before Christmas as I was so impressed with Helen's that she posted here, I decided to pick up a pair of knitting needles and take up knitting again after many years of absence. So, thank you Helen for your inspiration. *Ü*

My first mug hug is the purple one. I just kind of practiced first. I have a variety of different wools, so I used up some that is quite fluffy, so I didn't knit the pattern into it as it probably wouldn't have noticed.

These are they that I knitted and have photographed before they were decorated. I have kept the white one for myself! *Ü*

I knitted these red ones exactly to the pattern and they didn't turn out too bad considering. I knitted one in an evening, so not too long. Both my friend Marsha in Michigan and my sister in Devon were very happy with their gift.

Happy New Year to you all and I shall be hoping to make a whole lot more in the way of homemade Christmas gifts in preparation for a very frugal Christmas 2011 - according to David Cameron....it's going to be a difficult year!! Good on yer Boris....the firework spectacular over the London Eye was a good start to how you mean to go on! Keep it up.

http://www.london-se1.co.uk/news/view/4957