A Week in Pictures

We've been struck down with lurgy, well the Wee Man and I have.  The Big Man is decidedly smug in his healthiness. 

My brain is still not functioning right so instead of words here's some pictures to show you the week that was.

The Audience

The Actors

The Game

The View

The Mothers' Day Treat

The Cookies

The Mother's Day Flowers

Normal service will resume soon...I hope!

Car Boot Loot #15

Well after a rubbish start with the new charity shop, it's finally come good.  Remember I missed out on the lovely F&M picnic hamper?  I've been visiting the charity shop nearly every day after I drop the Wee Man off at school and over the weeks I have come home with some rather fabulous finds.

These are my most recent.

A set of gorgeous mini playing cards.  I bought them to put my handmade flower hair clips on.  I thought the pink birdies on the backs would look lovely.  It wasn't until I got home and had a proper look at them, I realised what a bargain I got.  All the face cards are different and oh so gorgeous.  Instead of Queens there are "Ds" and the Jacks are "Bs".  I'm thinking Duchesses and Barons?  Anyone know? I showed them to the Big Man and he suggested they should be framed since they are so lovely.

I also got a set of vintage "Lexicon" playing cards.  I know they sell on Ebay for a fair bit so I'm toying with the idea of selling them on, however my wannabe crafty mind is going into overdrive thinking of things I could do with them.  A Google search is in the offing.

Of course some more vintage china.  A set of Royal Albert Gossamer tea cups, saucers and tea plates.  I love the colours and the fine marbling detail.  A bit different from my usual vintage flowery desgins but the colours are divine.

 

 That's my lot for this week.  What Loot did you get?  

This post is shared on Flea Market , Nifty Thrifty Tuesday

Floating in a cloud of gingerbread

For the past couple of days I've been a gingerbread man making machine.  The Wee Man's school teacher asked if I could make gingerbread men with her class.  Without hesitation I agreed and also agreed to make them with the other Reception class too.  That's sixty kids in total. 

It was hectic, frantic and a whole lot of fun.  For two days the entire school smelled yummy with gingerbread and even after I left the school I could still smell it.  It must have been clinging to my clothes and hair and yummy scrummy they smelled too.

I couldn't take any pics of the kids making the gingerbread men obviously so I took some pics of the men (and ladies) themselves.  All the kids and the teachers gave them a big thumbs up.  Not bad for their first taste of wheat free, dairy free, egg free and soya free gingerbread men.

I think in all honesty the teachers were amazed how good they tasted.  I think like many adults they hear of the Wee Man's allergies and suspect he "misses out" on a lot of treats that other children get.  When in actual fact he gets way better treats than "normal" kids.  How many other kids get a regular supply of homemade goodies?  

I Love Tea Cups!

As you may have gathered from my many thrifted vintage china finds, I love vintage china, especially tea cups.  I was so pleased to find a few tea cup linky parties in blog land.  It's another legitimate reason for me to droll over gorgeous photos of tea cups.  They do make my tummy go flip flop.

So I thought I would join in with one of my favourite tea cups from my collection.

It was bought for me from my very generous Mother In Law from an antique centre we were visiting.  It looks a wee bit boring on the outside but wait until you see inside. 

Sigh!  I love the colours and the details in the flowers.  I could stare at it all day.  

The saucer is just as detailed and just as pretty.

It's made by Foley and has pride of place on my dresser.

This post is shared on Sweetology, Rose Chintz Cottage, Time was Antiques,

Car Boot Loot #14

A very quick post today as the Wee Man has the lurgy.  I was all set for going to a car boot yesterday,the first time this year, then the Wee Man was struck down with lurgy.  I was so excited but needs must and we spent yesterday stuck indoors entertaining a poorly Wee Man.  Sigh!

I was able to get to town last week and did a quick tour of the charity shops.  I found lots of lovelies but only came home with one.  Charity shop prices have gone mental.  I know there's lots of blog posts about charity shop prices so I won't bore you with another one.  Alls I'll say is "BLIMEY!"

Lookey at this gorgeous Royal Albert tea plate.  It makes my heart sing.  I'm going to put some plates on my dining room wall and make a plate display.  All I need to do is get rid of all the Wee Man's "art" first.  Which may be a wee bit tricky.  

And of course I can't go into a charity shop without coming out with a pile of books for the Wee Man.  He's such a book worm.

So the Wee Man did better than I did this week.  Next Sunday will be a wash out also as we'll be visiting family.  So I'll lose another week of car booting.

Will I ever get to a car boot this year?!

This post is shared on Magpie Monday, Nifty Thrifty Tuesday, Flea Market Finds, Vintage Thingie Thursday, Time Travel Thursday

Gingerbread Men Recipe - Free from wheat, gluten, dairy, egg, soya

I've been asked to bake some gingerbread men with the Wee Man's class plus the other reception class, next week. That's sixty kids in total.  So earlier this week, the Wee Man and I had a play in the kitchen and we came up with this very easy recipe for wheat, gluten, dairy, egg and soya free Gingerbread Men. 


(Because of the Wee Man's allergies the recipe for school needed to be allergen free.  The risk of cross contamination from ingredients is too scary to think about)

"This one's got a belt , Mum!"

Makes approx. 10 gingerbread men

350g/ 12oz “Doves Farm Gluten Free Plain Flour”

1 ½ tsps “Doves Farm Xanthan Gum”

100g/ 4oz “Pure Sunflower Spread”

1 ½ tsp ground ginger

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

175g/ 6oz light soft brown sugar

4 tbsp golden syrup

1 tsp “Orgran No Egg” whisked with 2 tbsp cold water

1.      Pre-heat oven to 180C/ 350F/ Gas Mark 4

2.      In a mixing bowl add the flour, “Pure” spread, ground ginger, bicarbonate of soda and the xanthan gum.  Using finger tips, rub the mixture until it resembles bread crumbs.

3.      Add the sugar, syrup and the “No-Egg” mixture.  Mix until a firm pastry mix is formed.  At first it looks like the mixture won’t combine but keep kneading and it will all come together.

4.      Roll out the dough to about 5mm thick, on a well floured surface. 

5.      Cut out shapes using cutters and transfer onto a greased or non stick baking sheet and bake for 10-13 mins.

6.      Allow the gingerbread men to cool before decorating. The Wee Man decorated his Gingerbread Men with raisins and white icing.  It's amazing what you can do with raisins.  


These were thoroughly enjoyed by the Wee Man and we gave some to his teachers to sample too. They  taste very much like "ordinary" gingerbread men.  I'm excited and nervous about beking with all those kids.  I can see myself being completely stressed out but I'm sure I'll have fun (I hope).

1001 Shocking Science Facts

As it's World Book Day I thought I would share with you a great book I've just discovered.

I volunteer at the Wee Man's school library two afternoons a week and on Monday I came across a fascinating book which has become firmly in-trenched in my all time great books list.  I brought it home and for the past few nights it has kept the Big Man and me very amused.

Some interesting titbits from the book :

"It only takes about 10 days to die from a total lack of sleep"  Well my record so far is 5 years!

"When you sneeze all your bodily functions stop momentarily"  Really?!  How did they figure this one out?

"Each person's tongue print is unique"  Remember not to lick anything when you are committing a crime!

"Rats can't be sick.  Rat poison kills them effectively because they can't throw it up"  So it's just the rat poo we have to worry about.

"Hot water freezes more quickly than cold water"  Huh?!

"A giraffe can lick inside it's own ear"  Nice!

"It is impossible to sneeze with your eyes open" I remember a science teacher telling me this years ago.  Something to do with the force of the sneeze pushing out your eyeballs if your eyes are open.

...and so it goes on.  1001 shocking facts about the world around us.  This is one of those books that is guaranteed to get people talking about it.  If you see it at a car boot, charity shop or even a regular book shop, you must get it.  It really is that great.