Valentine's Special Day Cookies

Geoff, Madeline and I celebrated Valentine's Day early last week.  I set the table with a red tablecloth and pretty white lace over it.  We ate from white dishes and red handled cutlery...a plate of Valentine cookies sat in the middle of the table with pretty Valentine serviettes...and *sigh*..I forgot to take pictures.

But I can share the Valentine Sugar cookies I baked the night before and iced and sprinkled. 

I filled up a heart shaped tin with Valentine cookies for each of them and folded red tissue on top. 

They gave me a heart filled with pink and red Smarties and Jolly Rancher candies...yum.

Here is Geoff and Madeline....

Madeline and I....she's posing with a cookie...

They brought Bosscoe with them and he was such a good boy.   He's already 8.5 months old.

He was loving the attention....

Then on Sunday I used a different recipe for more Valentine's Cookies and Royal Icing.

wrapped up some of them in a cello bag with white satin ribbon for my colleagues at work....

and the rest in different cello bags to be sold for a fundraiser at work....

all on the special day of

Have a beautiful day.... Judi xoxo

Handmade Paper Bead Necklace

Last week one night while watching TV I made my first paper beads.  I used a colourful Toys"R"Us flyer for the paper.  There is definitely a technique to making these beads and I plan to perfect them next time.  They were fun to make.  I used clear nailpolish to laquer them up once they were dried.  The pictures don't show them very well....

Then I wired the paper beads, turquoise and swarovski bead with silver plate wire. 

and them a new necklace...

was born...

 I was quite pleased with this first attempt with the paper beads.  I particularly liked the paper because it had so many different colours including turquoise and will complement many uses.

Fun.  Have you made paper beads?  Judi xoxo

Boys for Brekky....New Recipe...

Did you have a nice weekend and was your weather nice too? 

I can't believe our weather.  Truly.  The temperature always seems to be in the 30Fs (2C)  and going up into the 40s on good days.  It should be more like -13F at least sometimes. We have really had no snow this winter and therefore no snowstorms to worry about. Well it can’t be all good but….its really great though!  I had to change my header from snow on evergreens to a pretty pink flower.

Our Sunday morning started off so nicely.  My eldest son Geoff and my little Madeline, my youngest son Richard and Robin were over for brekky.  With work schedules we don't really get the opportunity to do this.

Marc and I made a hearty breakfast of eggs and sausage and potatoes and a nice big fruit salad.  We also made an overnight French toast casserole .  The picture above is not mine but came from where the Recipe came from.  Just click and see.  I think I can do that.  We also made a butter, brown sugar and pecan praline and sprinkled that on the top.

We baked our 4 hour rise bread on Saturday and it toasted up so nicely. I have to post on that bread particular bread next. If you love bread and baking bread, especially no-knead bread but don’t have the 12-18 hour to let it rise then this THIS is definitely the one for you.

It was wonderful start to a Sunday. I have no pictures just sharing in words. Have you made a French Toast Casserole? There are many recipes out there. 

I hope your weekend was good.  Is your weather unusually different this year as well?  Judi xoxo

Cupcake Teapot and Another Lamp...and Just Like Me...

I was excited when I came across a sweet cupcake teapot set before Christmas!

Which on the weekend I made it into a  cupcake teapot lamp!

I set it out to take a picture though it potentially has one of two homes to go to....

and see what is standing to the left of it...all in her winter warms, red hair and black and white puppy in arm?

a little one that my friend gave to me for Christmas.  She was made by a friend of hers and an acquaintance of mine as well  who lives by the cottage.  This is the second one she's given me.   She says they remind her of me....I guess with the red hair.  The lady who makes them is very talented for sure.

....tonight I've been making paper beads...fun....

Hope you have had a great week...and tomorrow is Ground Hog Day!  I think spring is around the corner..

Judi xoxo

1 Penny Deals at Amazon

Do you order things online?  Do you bid on the auctions?  On Amazon?  I have purchased books on Amazon and enjoy browsing at all the great priced items.  I have bought Geoff gift certficates as gifts that he uses for  buying books.

This summer Georgia our neighbour at the cottage showed me the Cath Kidston book called SEW she purchased for 1 penny on Amazon!  I had never heard of anything like that.  You know that a Cath Kidston book would be a delightful book.

The fabrics are such eye candy....

A sweet little apron for a little one that is perfect for helping mommy baking....

totes again in tempting fabrics....

I purchased a copy for myelf but it wasn't available for only 1 penny this time. 

 Mine was under $8.00 which was really good too...

My sister-in-law and hubby love scallops.   When we visited them the last time she prepared a wonderful scallop and pasta meal for us out of this book. 

SO guess what?  I WAS able to purchase it for 1 penny at Amazon.  I was SO excited! 

I can't wait to try this one....mmmmm...

yummy eh?...

Dear Marc bought me a new tart pan last weekend when we were googling at one our favourite stores together...a kitchen wares store.  I want to make this one soon....hmmmmm....

A delicious looking dish....

Have you had the opportunity to purchase a wonderful book for 1 penny?  It makes me think that...if they were willing to sell one for 1 penny, why not just include another great one...for another penny! 

Have a wonderful day... Judi xoxo