I’ve wrapped it up in a layer of greaseproof paper and a layer of foil to mature and then Icing….well thats a whole other big deal….anyone with icing tips?

One of the things I’ve made recently is several draft excluders as our 1930′s house is quite drafty. Blocking the drafts as well as saving energy.

Here is one of them…

….can you tell what it is made of? Well it’s the leg of an old pair of tights, stuffed with a piece of old blanket cut to size and I crocheted the ties for the end but you can use anything. If you don’t have old blankets look in the Sally Army charity shops or RSPCA, they’re the best.  Anyway, I’m pleased with them and I hope you can make use of the idea!

I’m very pleased with it and I think my teapot is pleased too!

….we’ve even got some presents!

I have managed to make my Christmas cards this year using recycled paper

and  managed  to send them all out, with a few spare as I find there’s always someone you get a card from that you have missed off your list.

Once I get my head round the idea of getting the house ready for Christmas I thoroughly enjoy it………..Do enjoy your preparations won’t you and don’t get sucked into the madness!

With a little bit of soya cream on top…yum yum!

I love living in Norfolk!

Courgette glutney

This lovely pickle is a fantastic way to use various summer veg gluts, and overgrown courgettes are one of my favourites. You can alter the recipe according to what you have, and chop and change the spices to suit your taste, too. Makes about 10 jars.

1kg courgettes, unpeeled if small, peeled if huge, cut into 1cm dice (or use pumpkin later in the season)

1kg red or green tomatoes, scalded, skinned and roughly chopped (or 1kg plums, stoned and chopped)

1kg cooking or eating apples, peeled and diced

500g onions, peeled and diced

500g sultanas or raisins

500g light brown sugar

750ml white-wine or cider vinegar, made up to 1 litre with water

1-3 tsp dried chilli flakes

1 tsp salt

For the spice bag

1 thumb-sized nugget of fresh or dried ginger, roughly chopped

12 cloves

12 black peppercorns

1 (generous) tsp coriander seeds

A few blades of mace

Put the vegetables and fruit in a large, heavy-based pan with the sultanas or raisins, sugar, vinegar and water, chilli flakes and salt.

Make up the spice bag by tying all the spices in a square of muslin or cotton. Add the spice bag to the pan, pushing it into the middle.

Heat the mixture gently, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar, and bring slowly to the boil. Simmer for 2-3 hours, uncovered, stirring regularly to ensure it does not burn on the bottom of the pan. The chutney is ready when it is rich, thick and reduced, and parts to reveal the base of the pan when a wooden spoon is dragged through it. If it starts to dry out before this stage is reached, add a little boiling water.

Pot up the chutney while still warm (but not boiling hot) in sterilised jars with plastic-coated screw-top lids (essential to stop the vinegar interacting with the metal). Leave to mature for at least two weeks – ideally two months – before serving.

Happy Eating!

This one is finished and ready to cover and let the worms and bugs do there stuff……

this one full of yummy homemade compost is all ready to be put onto the veg beds…….

 and this one is ready to start filling with waste matter ……

such as, veg peelings, veg that you consider past it’s best, weeds, shredded hedge trimmings, egg shells from raw eggs (best crushed), leaves and garden sweepings, tea bags, cleanings from the chicken coops (Rabbit waste is very good too), grass cuttings etc. …. I would not put on shells from cooked eggs or any cooked foods (these attract vermin), weeds that have gone to seed, laylandii trimmings (these are too acid). I hope my tips help – happy composting!

It’s obviously hand made but only 50p!