Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Bertie Charlies and Baileys Weekly Adventures-Who's got Mums Boot




Hi Bertie here. We have had a great week. Charlie has been teaching Bailey how to be cute to Mum
to get us all extra treats.




Watch me Bertie and Bailey. When Mum calls your name run to her straight away and lick her hand.




Quick Bailey Mums Calling, you know what Charlie told you. We might get a treat or at least a cuddle.


                                                                    
                                                                  A TREAT!


            

Charlie thinks he knows everything, but I know how to help Mum...............HA HA


        

She puts these things on her feet to go out. I will take them to her. They are very heavy. I might
need some help.          




                                            Charlie . Bailey needs our help.




                                                        Help is here Bailey.




It makes a nice chew Charlie. Do you think Mum will mind. Its much better than any of our toys.



I think Mum minded.....   BAILEY THAT'S A FINE MESS YOU GOT US INTO !

See you all next week Bertie Charlie and Bailey       Woof Woof anybody get us out of here.........

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Homemade Hearts

There is always room for another heart. They are really cute and make great gifts for friends.
They are for sale everywhere if you are not confident at sewing. But I will show you how they are made.



 First I chose the fabric, gingham is one of my favourites, but you can use anything you have.



Then I used a template I had. It came out of one of my craft books, but you can draw a heart onto
a piece of card and use over and over again and it will of cost you nothing.


 
I cut our 4 white large hearts and 2 smaller blue gingham hearts.
 
 
You put the gingham heart on top of the white one. Then I found some blue embroidery thread.

     I did blanket stitch all the way round. (you could just sew round the gingham heart onto the white
     heart). 
 
 
Then I put the two white hearts back to back and machined all around the edge, leaving a small
     gap . 
 
 
Then you turn the heart the right way round and stuff, hand sewing the gap closed.
 
 
I used bias binding to make a hanging loop, but you can use ribbon or even string.
 
 
Next I raided my button jar to find 2 red buttons. One was heart shaped the other was round. I
attached the bias binding to the top and sewed one button on each heart. and there you have it two
cute hearts.........
 
                                                             Finished hearts.
 
 
 
                                Here are a few more hearts I have made. They are on display on my walls.
 
 
 
 
 
Have a go they are really easy and quick to make. You can  make all different designs and colours
to match your interior. Or make tiny ones to hang on your Christmas tree.
 
                                                             HAVE FUN!

Monday, October 22, 2012

Bertie, Charlies and Baileys Weekly Adventure- Hide and seek

Hi everyone, Bertie, Charlie and Bailey here. Really pleased the weather has changed for the better. So spending more time in the garden. Mum busy cutting grass and tidying up.


                                         Charlie can we play Hide and Seek?




                                                    O.K. Follow me Bertie.




                                       
                                             Slow down Charlie, Bailey wants to join in.

                                        


                                          Wait for me, I'm getting stuck in this long grass!
                                          Mum has not been here yet with that noisy thing she pushes along.


                                         
                                        You hide first Bailey. Charlie and I will find you.


                                              
                                      
.                                           I know just where to go. They will never find me.




He must be around here somewhere Bertie. Keep sniffing. Can you smell him yet?



Charlie are you sure his up here. I'm sure he can't jump this high yet. Bertie keep looking maybe his behind this seat.



    HA! HA! THEY WILL NEVER FIND ME IN HERE. ITS GREAT BEING SMALL.

                                        BYE TILL NEXT WEEK.

Thursday, October 18, 2012

My Homemade GINGERBREAD MEN Yum Yum!

Was really excited today. I brought my Christmas PRIMA  magazine, I could not wait to get home to read it.
                      
                                           Prima Christmas Makes £3.99



I had been looking for a recipe for Gingerbread men . To my surprise there it was!






They looked so cute so I had to have a go, here is the recipe-

400 g plain flour (14 ozs)
1 tsp of bicarbonate of soda
2 tsp of ground ginger
115 g unsalted butter(4oz)
175 g light brown sugar(6oz)
3 tbsp golden syrup
1 small egg
currants and ribbon for decoration

small amount of flour for rolling out + small amount of butter to grease trays.

The recipe says to preheat your oven to  5 /190c (170c fan oven). In my case turn the aga up!
I greased all my baking trays, I never have enough. Then I put the flour, baking powder and ginger
into a large bowl to which I added the flour. Next the messy bit . Use your hands to mix until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Next add the sugar, syrup and egg and form into a dough.
I then divided the mixture into two. I find its easier to handle a small amount of dough. Dusted
my worktop and rolled out. Used my gingerbread man cutter and then placed them onto greased baking trays.I put raisins for some of the eyes and buttons. Then put them in the top oven of the aga. A normal oven will take approx 10 to 12 Min's to cook until they are golden brown. In my aga its keep checking every couple of minutes....and keep your fingers crossed, you don't burn them.
,
When they are ready put on a cooling rack ready to decorate.


As you can see I did some hearts as well. I then just added some white icing,but you can go as mad as you like. Using different coloured icing and maybe smarties or choc buttons. If you have small children they will love making their own personal  one. And if you make a hole before baking you can hang them from your Christmas tree ( they last about a week)


Myself and the children loved them, they were eaten in a couple of days. We will be making some more for Christmas and maybe some for homemade presents.


                                   Hope you have a go they were lots of fun and very tasty.

Monday, October 15, 2012

Bertie Charlies+Baileys Weekly Adventures-ONE OF THE GANG!!



                     Hi Bertie and Charlie here. Bailey has well and truly moved in!
                     We are teaching him how to get extra treats from Mum.


Rule 1. LOOK REALLY CUTE.   Bertie, Charlie I'm trying my best....and the trick of lifting your paw is for what?


Rule 2-HELP MUM WHENEVER YOU CAN. Bertie help me move this plant for Mum. What is a plant Charlie?  I don't know but Mum keeps saying that word whenever we are outside. Lets move this large water dish, its got that dirt stuff in. You know Bertie the thing you dig holes in.....



                                         Charlie this is a funny shaped water dish?

 
 
Rule 3-HAVE LOTS OF FUN WITH MUM. Came on Bailey do your cute bit. Charlie stop sniffing the grass.
 
 
 
Look at me Bertie and Bailey. I'm going to do one of my big jumps!
 
 
 
Up  Up and away.
 
 
 
 
Bertie and Charlie shall we play ball before it rains.
 
 
 
 
I'm in goal first.
 
 
 
 
Mum put me down. No more cuddles. I've got to get the ball.
 
 
 
 
Bertie and Charlie can we sleep now. I think playing ball is hard work.
 
 
 
 
Sweet dreams  from Bertie, Charlie and Bailey.


Thursday, October 11, 2012

My Retro Caravan


I thought you would like to see my latest big purchase. It is a Cotswold Windrush 2 berth caravan.



I brought this with my daughter. We are going to use it down our stables and to go to Festivals etc.


It is in fair condition for its age. We think its very retro in style. I love the green stripe.



The inside is original with some lose catches and a few other broken bits but these are all minor.




                                               We have called her 'BINKY'



We are going to renovate the inside to reflect a more retro style. For now we have added a few bits
to make her more cosy. Above are two homemade crochet blankets.


I love this wicker basket. We found it at Home Base. They had many colours to suit everyone. I added the roses to make it even more pretty. It is the right size for us to store our books.


I could not resist adding some of my homemade bunting. it always makes any space special.

     

                                         There is always room for a home made heart.


My gingerbread man chalk board came from my home, it was the right size for Binky.

Binky has already been to one festival with my daughter, and was a great success. Now she is
parked up for the winter. It is great to have a lovely hot drink in comfort when we work down the stables.

                                   I will show you the results in a later post
                                   Hopefully she will look great!