Chalkboard!

Prepped wall

Painted wall ( 4 coats)

Finished and framed

Dizzy dame..

It's one of those off days I think. Dizzy, sore, exhausted, hurting, cranky. Spent time in the garden because I haven't been, and I ought to. Feeling reluctantly obligated, want to play in the dirt but know I will hurt after even half an hour and I'm loathe to make it worse. I feel awful that my plot needed community help because I've been ill. Sigh. It shouldn't. I shouldn't be ill. I should be the me I was, doing things, using my mind and out in the community and working and living.  I should be up and running and moving and active and not on 18 meds and a stupid insulin pump and CGM and tens and heavens knows what else. I joked with my daughter that they should make a no fly zone over me- I carry enough equipment I'll create electrical intrferance wherever I go. -chuckle- 

Stupid arsehat of a body giving up on me before I'm ready to let it. I should get a say, body. Get it together!!

I suppose that's the end of this rant.. Sometimes it just needs out I suppose- guess in a for so maybe someone sees it and says, jeez, glad I'm not alone. Had another nurse tell me today that she admired that I didn't let it get to me, and what else can you do but carry on.. And I suppose as much as it sucks to have no other option, there it is, head up, back sort of strait (owww), carry on till you drop off. Let's get on then. 

Spotted Dick Recipe

Spotted Dick

Sort of a fruited cake, only I make it in cupcake tins, and it freezes brilliantly. Great way to use up old bread ;) Also, I modified my recipe- I love fruit, so I added extras to this.. tons of goodies. I hit  the bulk section at the local market and go a bit wild.

2 c bread crumbs
2 c flour
1 c butter (cold, diced)
1 c granulated sugar
2 t baking powder
1 t ground nutmeg
1/2 t ground cloves
2 T Cinnamon
1 T vanilla
1 c Lactaid (if you use reg milk , 1/2 c or till its wet and binding)

(Heres where I change it up- add whichever you like, or all of them! I tend to go for all of them and sometimes bump up the amounts till there is just enough cake to bind the fruit.)

1/2 c  dark raisins
1/2 c golden raisins
1/2 c currants
1/2 c dried bing cherries
1/2 c dried blueberries
1/2 c dried cranberries
1/2 c chopped dried apricots
1/2 chopped candied ginger
You can add walnuts or other nuts if you like but I go for a strictly fruited cake myself.

Use your hands, pastry cutter, or a food processor and mix together the crumbs, flour, sugar, and butter till soft and crumbly. Add baking powder, spices, and mix. Then add vanilla and milk. Now you have your batter. (You can add in a couple T of treacle or honey to change up the flavor if you like- I've done that and its wicked good too!) Now fold in all the fruit and goodies you want to add. Spoon into your greased/floured (or baker's joy sprayed) cupcake tins, and bake at 350 degrees till golden brown about 30 to 40 minutes or so. A toothpick should come out clean.

Serve warm plain or with a bit of butter. My batches of massive fruit adds make about 24.

Belstaff

I really want a Belstaff trench coat but with 3 kids, a mortgage, a car payment, music lessons- you get the idea. A 1500 dollar coat is a bit of a non-essential. So I think I'll try to make something similar at a fraction. Maybe not a Belstaff ( grumble and sigh) but it's a me, right? 

So here are the inspirations, the Burda pattern I'm going to start from, and stuff. But need looooootsa pockets, hidden mostly. 

Collar, length, pockets. 

Love the buckles, pockets

A of course, and it's just begging for some modifications!!

Now where in the hell to find wool gaberdine because nobody sells what I want around here and this is a hands on- not eBay sight unseen purchase. 

Apple cake

BB: banana zucchini spice bread

Ingredients 
3 over-ripe medium (1 cup) bananas, mashed 

1 cup fresh zucchini, grated 

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour ( I use GF substitute or mix 1/2 GF and 1/2 AP) 

1/2 cup apple sauce

1/3 cup white sugar

1/3 brown sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon baking soda 

1/2 teaspoon baking powder 

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

1 T pumpkin pie spice

1 teaspoon vanilla essence 

1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions 
1. Preheat oven to 350ºF/180ºC. 
2. In a mixing bowl, combine mashed bananas, applesauce, egg, vanilla, and mix. 
3. Add in sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, pie spice and mix. 
4. Add flour, and mix until just combined. 
5. Stir in zucchini. 
6. Pour mixture into a greased and floured baking pan. 
7. Bake for 1 hour (check for doneness at 50 minutes) or until a wooden pick comes out clean. Cool and serve. 

Around the garden 12 Aug 14

Some shots from the garden this week:

Pump accessories

So I've stitched pockets on practically everything I own, minus the pants, because all those who know me know I am a cargo lover. But I figured I should have at least one garter style although I was convinced I would make it and throw it in a drawer never to see the light of day again. 

Dramatic pause. 

 I'm wearing it now.

 I managed to fiddle with the design enough to make it super comfortable, and while I'd still rather have my pocketed undershirts for regular day use due to the accessibility , this might be a nightwear and shorts thing.. Or under formals, unless I can get away with trousers, but I've never seen a military wife in trousers at a ball :( maybe I could start a trend!

Any who.. In the end I used a nice fat underwear elastic, and a sooooft brushed cotton fabric. I built it so that it's good and snug and the pocket can be turned in toward my leg or outwards depending on my mood ( short version- reversible). It's not too bulky either.

I'm rather tickled.. Think I might donate one or two to the local clinic.. Maybe I could sell them outside of that? Hmmm.. They are super comfy, way snazzier than some of the stuff I've seen and not itchy like the only other one I tried. I sort of forgot I was wearing it! LoL

BB: Apple pomegranate crepes; peach crepes

Peach compote

5 peaches, peeled, chunks

2 T butter 

4 t truvia/stevia

Heat in saucepan till mushy and liquid almost gone. Serve. 

Apple pomegranate compote

8 to 10 sm apples cored, peeled, sliced

1/2 cup pomegranate juice

1/8 c honey

( I threw in some apple pears, you can add plums, etc)

Cook till liquid is gone, fruit is mushy. Serve. 

Whipped cream;

1 pint heavy whipping cream

2 T sugar

Splash of Vanilla or other flavoring optional

Whip it up in your mixer, enjoy!

If you wang to add stability- throw in a T of meringue powder( check Joanne's cake decorating section)

BB: chicken salad lettuce wraps

1 can white chicken

2 sm apples peeled, cored, diced

1-2 sm pitted, plum chopped

1 c grapes, halved

1/2 c mayo 

2 t marjoram

1/2 t garlic powder

1/2 c chopped celery ( hearts preferable)

Juice of 1 lime

Lettuce leaves ( I use living butter lettuce)

Mix all but lettuce and fill  leaves. Enjoy!

Also tasty if you add things like:

-Candied walnuts

-grape or cherry tomatoes

- pluots

-peaches or nectarines

221B Baker Street Door

The girls wanted a door like Sherlock's, to which I said, okay! I'm not about to shell out the dough for the hard core repro, so spray/chalk paint, model magic and command strips it ;)

So far:

Granted, mine is a bit more, well, artsy than regency, but considering it's model magic for $2 and not the $160 knocker alone ( I nearly fainted when I say THAT price!)  we'll call it good and love it from the time it goes on the door till they go to college or find a new fandom, whichever comes first. 

More photos when I get it done..

Update 15 AUG

Done! It's not authentic, just an inspired by, but it turned out well!