51 Days of Summer: Week 3

I have set myself a challenge to take a picture each day of my holiday - to encourage me to do something exciting and help me remember what I've been up to.

Day 15

 

For Dad's birthday we went to the Scalloway Hotel it was good

 and appreciated after a big walk to Uyea

 

Day 16 

Book 2 of my Summer reading list

 

Day 17

  

Found this while I was helping my Mam take down a flower arrangement at the Kirk

its is my Grampa and Willie o' da Bouyn working at da cru

 

Day 18 

Frozen apples ready to make some cider

 

Day 19

 Watching Mam make potted mackrel

 

Day 20 

Cider is starting to ferment

 

Day 21 

 Was haunted by a GIANT black bumblebee

51 Days of Summer: Week 2

I have set myself a challenge to take a picture each day of my holiday - to encourage me to do something exciting and help me remember what I've been up to.

Day 8

 Trip doon memories lane ... Making one of my favourites that my Gran use to make

 

Day 9

 

Watched Andy Murray win Wimbledon with a Pimms

and my take on Strawberries & Cream

 

Day 10

 

Having a cosy evening with Em and Bruiser reading ii magazine

 

 

Day 11

Our daily adventures at the back of the dam

 

Day 12

Only sunshine I saw this day, but is rather bonnie

 

 

Day 13

 

Half way with my Aztec quilt, really wanna finish it before the end of July

 

Day 14

 

Baking Dad's birthday cake it is a Rum and Fresh Cherry cake

...using Old Navy's proof rum



Tennis Ice-cream

After watching Andy Murray work his way to the Wimbledon final I decided that my Pimms needed some strawberries and cream to go with it. But I wanted to have a little fun with it so then thought ... ice-cream!

 

When I think strawberries I also think shortbread (very British) so here is what I came up with.

 

Strawberry Cream Shortbread Ice-Cream Recipe

 

 

Ingredients:

600 ml double cream

100 g caster sugar

4 egg yolks

1/2 tsp vanilla paste

150 g shortbread

1.5 punnets of strawberries

1 tbsp jam sugar

 

Method:

First I put the cream and vanilla paste into a heavy bottomed saucepan and put it onto a low heat and brought it to a simmer. Whilst keeping one eye on that I whisked the egg yolks with the sugar until they were pale and fluffy.

 

Once you start to see the milk simmering remove it from the heat and slowly ass it to the egg yolks, whisking all the time. I cheated and used the Kenwood Chef to do this ... as you may no by now Kitchen disasters are a habit for me.

 

Once combined pour it back into the sauce pan and return to the heat continually stirring until it thickens then pour it into a heatproof bowl and cover with clingfilm. Place in the fridge until completely cold and you are ready to use it.

 

Meanwhile cut up the strawberries (as small as you like) put two thirds into a saucepan with the jam sugar and put on a low-medium heat, soften the fruit for 10-15 minutes until it thickens. Put the rest in a separate bowl and set to one side.

Crush up the shortbread and put on a lined baking sheet and crisp up in the oven for 10 minutes then remove and allow to cool.

Once all your ingredients are ready add the custard to your ice-cream machine then when it is almost ready at the raw strawberries and shortbread then at the very end add the strawberry syrup.

And serve xxx

Auld School Granny Baking ... Take 2

On Saturday I decided that I needed a peerie nostalgic treat so I made my Granny's Beremeal Bannocks for the first time.

The only recipe that we have is a list of the ingredients with some measurements

so I used my memories

 

Beremeal Bannocks Recipe

 

Ingredients:

         4 oz       beremeal

         8 oz       self-raising flour

         1 tsp      bicarbonate of soda

         1 tsp      cream of tartar

         1 tbsp    treacle

         200 ml  buttermilk (roughly)

 

Mix all the dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl and add the treacle. Once combined stir in the buttermilk until it just comes together then turn out on to a well floured surface and roll out. Try not to over work it.

 

Cut the dough into your desired shape then place on a hot griddle (dry frying pan) on a medium heat. Once they puff up and colour turn them over, the timings of this will depend on the heat of your hob.

 

Like my Gran I shaped the dough using my hands

(they look more authentic like this)

 

The wee corners are always a treat for the baker

Eat these with what ever topping you prefer, my two favourites are salt beef &English mustard or rhubarb jam & butter ... splendid!!

If you try these please let me know

what you think

xxx

51 Days of Summer: WEEK 1

I have set myself a challenge to take a picture each day of my holiday - to encourage me to do something exciting and help me remember what I've been up to.

Day 1

Listening to the Rolling Stones at Glastonbury while waiting for the boat North

Day 2

 

Making baileys panna cottas with strawberries

Day 3

 

First walk of the summer with the pack... This is Meg in motion

Day 4

 

Working on the Aztec quilt and its starting to take shape

Day 5

 

Molly decided she was more important and escaped from the boot

Day 6

 

Working my way through my Summer reading here is book #1

Day 7

 

Pimms, Wimbledon and the new Simple Things magazine ... Enough said :0)

Leather Clutch

For a year or so now I have been looking at the faux leather that a friend gave me, dreaming up what I could do with it. I decided to make a clutch.

 

Very plain on the outside, I wish I had put a neon pink

or lime zip, do give it a bit more detail

First I cut up the fabric I went with A3, I cut this shape out of the leather and some floral cotton that I planned to make the lining out if.

The magnetic snapper is easy to attach although you

must make sure it is lined up perfectly

I then put the 2 prices of fabric, right sides, together. Putting the zip in between then, good side of the zip facing the good side of the leather. Then sew along it.

I love this fabric

Do the same with the other end of the fabric. With a cool iron I flattened the join so that the leather didn't poke out. Then I placed the magnetic snap, making sure they lined up perfectly. 

Can't wait to take this out with me tonight

Then I turned the bag inside out so that the floral fabric was on the outside and I sewed up the to sides. Make sure the zip is open before you do this or it is trickier.

Et voila

This clutch was inspired by http://www.extrapetite.com/2013/03/simplified-diy-clutch-bag-tutorial.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+ExtraPetite+(Extra+Petite)&m=1

Aztec Blanket ..... Pour Moi

I have been fascinated by the current Aztec trends, I love how simple the shapes are and they are super pretty. I also like the neon trend, i.e. lime green and pink, but I am not confident enough to wear them so I am channeling my enthusiasm into my next sewing project.

I have chosen to make this quilt using cotton (white, grey and pink)

I started by coming up with a pattern taking inspiration from Aztec designs on Pinterest. Then I sketched it out onto square paper, this made it easier for me to choose colours and the quantity of fabric

I was struggling to find suitable fabric that was affordable, but I got some good tips from twitter and found Seam Star, who had the colours I wanted and it was cheap enough that it wouldn't cost me more than £40.

Seam Star delivered super fast!!

 

Sunday 26th May

Today I finally switched on the sewing machine and finalised my plans for the quilt, I ended up using Micrisoft Word to make a colour version of my quilt, I made a little modifications to ensure that my quilt would pack a punch.

Here is a mock up using word

Day 1                                                Day 2                            

The finished quilt is going to be massive but I still envisage myself carrying it around like the guy on Snoopy

Thursday 3rd July 2014

Getting there ...

...to be continued!!