Coconut Ice

I love making Coconut Ice at home, not only is it easy and quick to make, but it tastes pretty good too!

Ingredients:

405g can carnation light condensed milk ( 'light'...like that s going to help!!)
300g desiccated coconut
300g icing sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-3 drops scarlet food colouring

Method:

Line a 24cm square tin with baking paper( If like moi you dont have that size tin, measure out a  24cm x 24cm square onto baking paper and spread out within the markings ). 
Mix together the condensed milk with the coconut, icing sugar and vanilla extract until thoroughly combined.
Spoon half of the mixture into the base of the tin and spread it out evenly with the back of a spoon or spatular.
Add the food colouring to the remaining mixture and mix until evenly coloured.
Spread over the top of the bottom layer until smooth.
Leave overnight, or at least  four to five hours in a cool place.
Da Dah......homemade Coconut Ice for you and your loved ones!

If you don't want to stop there, you can make pretty homes for your Coconut Ice and give them away as gifts .

I bought some paper doilies to decoate the top of the jar,along with some pink ribbon and a handmade label using 'paperchase' stickers.

This jar idea was from 'Lucykatecrafts'. I thought that I would change the idea slightly rather than be lazy and just copy someone else's hard work. I made two and they have gone to very good homes (Ma and Ma in law), so it was all worth while! You can follow the tutorial on Lucykate's blog.

More cake..........

Vanilla cupcakes with a strawberry cream cheese topping.

The spotty tray in the background is from Matalan, sadly they dont have very much of their homeware online. At the moment they have some lovely baking bits by Anthea Turner.

Also the cloth in the background if from 'Seamstar', a lovely site that sells cloth and trims.

Me in my lovely cupcake apron from Matalan!

Bust Craftacular

Earlier this year my chum ( above..looks like they raided the childrens tea sets ), invited me to a craft fair held by American mag 'Bust'.
It was so good we went back for their Christmas fair to see what delights could be had! Apart from all the handmade wonders, they also have a pop - up tea shop.....not only do they serve tea, but CAKE...I do love a bit of cake as you know! If you get a chance check out some of the vendors.

Where for art thou?

Photo credits

I feel like this poor little balloon.......deflated!

If I am to be honest with you, I have lost my inspiration to blog! Coming on here was a huge effort......Writing this right now feels too much like hard work and it shouldn't be should it?
Where has my love for all things wonderful gone?

Is it the weather? Have the dark nights crept in and enveloped me in their gloom! I go home and all I want to do it cosy up with my blanket and husband (notice the order of importance.....Very wrong of me!...He has the remote, I have my blanket! ). Anyway tangents a plenty, back to my woes and misery. Have I lost my groove for all things art? Will it return or do I just need a big kick up the butt?

Signing off....a 'sad' day with doris!

SOMETHING TWEET

A little gift for Argiebargerina's birthday......... She had been eyeing up a tree brooch, so I thought I would make her a one off with two cute love birds to keep her company during the day! Along with some lemon cupcakes with a lemon sugar syrup and lemon cream cheese topping! A recipe from Peggy Porchen.

tweet tweet

MY OTHER LOVE

I decided on the way home from a music gig on Saturday night that I wanted to share with you my other love apart from crafts.... the music that I love.
You may love them, hate them, already know them or I might have opened your ears to something new for you to love too.

This week I was lucky enough to see Scott Matthew (not to be muddled with Scott Matthews) at the 'Fleapit' in London with less than 40 people in a very small room, ( much nicer than a room filled with 2,000 people who think its fun to throw their half full beer cups in the air). Mr Matthew was un-miked, just the beauty and strength of his voice along with his guitar and band mates cello. It's amazing how music can make you feel. I suppose it gives you hope, amongst all the doom and gloom that life can bring, it can also bring such beauty.....just a shame that on the way to the gig , a little child threw an egg at my back.....hay ho you can't have everything!
I'm not sure if I can add a video to this blog, for now I have given you a link to one of his songs ( not his video!!) Scott Matthew- Market me to children

PUMPKIN CAKE

It all started with this ( handy work by My Husband)!! ............

Which got me making these little fella's ( I think I need some practise)...

Added to a yummy recipe of Pumpkin cake from bbcgoodfood. If you are a lover of carrot cake and bread pudding, its somewhere in between the two ( the best bit is the orange cream cheese frosting smoothered over the top)!