Midweek Treats

I know it's not quite midweek but it really does feel like it, I think it's the dark mornings that are doing it. I was talking to a colleague today about some recipes that were healthy, easy and could be done quickly with children.  The trouble is that a lot of what I make contains nuts as I need the protein and they are super good for you.  Well you have to avoid them with children due to the nut allergy problem and many don't like them even if they can eat them.  So I had a little look around and found this super recipe online.  If you are making it with children I would use coco instead of coffee but for yourselves go ahead and use coffee.

Chocolate Oatmeal Balls, thanks to  Nutrionist meets chef

I have to say I ate one before they went in the fridge, the good thing about these is that they give you that bit of sweetness but there is still nutrition in there in the form of dates, oats and I used cacao instead of coco as I'm vegan and coco powder often has milk. Cacao is more expensive but more nutritious.

Saying that making these is still less expensive than buying the raw bars you can get from the supermarket such as Naked. For some mad reason I still buy those when I'm feeling lazy and I really must stop,  as making your own doesn't take much time at all.

What I really need are some nice storage tins to keep the treats in and I have only just realised that!  As I have a little birthday money I think I will treat myself to some storage solutions for homemade treats.

Practical Sewing and Secret Makes

This week has seen another batch of alterations, with a few more in the coming weeks.  Shortening pyjamas for my mum, a ripped seam, darned socks and replacement zips.  I also have a zip for a coat in the coming week and some curtains to shorten. I did do some sewing on Friday in the form of a new dress for our Christmas night out, I can't share that right now  though as the post was for Minerva fabrics.  I did however make an infinity scarf with the piece that was left...

I will share the link to the dress in the future if they decide to use it.

It is that time of year when there is lots going on and you try to fit in seeing everyone, going out and getting presents and cards delivered.  We don't go the whole way and buy for everyone, we decided as a family years ago we would just buy for the children of the family and there are a few friends but that is all.  It has taken all the stress out of it, one of my friends told me they always do theatre or other nights out as their present as they never know what to get.  

I put my tree up today, a little later than I usually do and had a nice meal and a catch up with my friends. The tree could probably use some new tinsel I have been getting out these same decorations for years now but on the whole the rest are ok.

  I also got out my Christmas handbag...

Blurry picture I know, my camera doesn't do dark nights.

So feeling a bit festive and I'm sure that will only increase as the week goes on at School, I still have the rest of my cards to write and none of the children's presents are wrapped but being older there are not lots of little bits.  

We went into town yesterday as well and I got the fabric to make my Christmas jumper, well mine will be more of a Christmas top but I would have been uncomfortable in a big thick jumper all day.  I will share later in the week when that is finished.  It is not needed until a week on Wednesday, we are finishing close to the big day this year. 

Hope the snow is not too disruptive wherever you are, it is lovely to see but soon becomes a pain when you need to get to work.  Have a lovely week. 

Winter White Long Sleeve T-Shirt

This little top that I have made has come out better than expected, you know sometimes you buy fabric online then it arrives and you are not that inspired? Well this was that fabric for me, I was trying to keep with my resolve of not always buying wild patterns so I chose this plain off white with a semi transparent stripe.  I have stared at it a lot and thought oh it will be just too plain, today I cut it out and made it up within an hour and I love it.

 So sometimes less fuss is better, as soon as I put it on I thought it will probably get lots of wear, the fabric is good and thick so time will tell how it holds up after a few washes.

I used a satin stretch bias binding around the neck this time and that was good to work with, just a simple hem on the sleeves and a curved hem again but a bit shorter than the last top I made.

I have cropped these photos but there is a dog trying to creep into every one and cock their leg, here one of them succeeded! 

Here is my baking paper pattern in use again that I made a while ago, I think it will see many outings in various forms.

Happy to have got that finished I then took up the sleeves on a coat for a colleague while watching a few Ted talks and powered through my ironing for the week curtesy of my new iron. My old one gave up on me last night just as I was about to go over a dress I was going out in, fortunately it only had a few wrinkles from being hung in a cramped wardrobe.  The night out was a treat to myself, I went to see the Northern Ballet perform The Little Mermaid it was wonderful, it was the original story not to be confused with the Disney version!

I don't  know what it is with us and irons as we seem to get through a lot, always just after the warranty has expired annoyingly.  There are some who tell me they never iron, how is this possible? Why are people not constantly crumpled if they never iron?  There must be some secret non ironing society that I have been left out of and doomed to buy a new iron every year or so.  If you have details of the non ironing secret please feel free to pass them on.  However being a dress maker there will always be something that needs a press to finish it off won't there.

This week I have tried out some lovely new recipes one of them being the Masala Cheela Pancake

it uses the gram flour and is the closest I have come to feeling like I ate a pancake since turning vegan.  I probably added more veggies than stated but it was lovely so have a look at the Hungry Gecko blog for more recipes just follow the  link above.