A tribute....



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A tribute to a memorable woman with whom I shared friendship on a forum which we both frequented.

Butterflies are reported to carry messages to the afterlife. If they do, I'd like them to tell Sara what an impact she had on me, and how my journey to self sufficiency was largely inspired by her own example.

Sara was also a famous author, although I was not aware of this.

Earlier this week, Sara succumbed to the illness she had fought so stoically for the last 3 years.

She will be greatly missed.

Vale Sara.

Quick and easy glitter nails....

On my Tray of Bliss today, a revelation. One of those things where you go "why have I been making this difficult when it can be easy...".

I love french manicures, but I like a bit of bling too now and again. Glitter tips are a favourite.

I've been painstakingly painting glitter nail polish on my french tips and labouring over several coats to get the right amount of glitter happening.

Today I looked at my daughters craft glitter and went...I wonder what would happen if...

...I popped some of the glitter (it's a super fine one) into a wee bowl, painted the nail tips and dipped them into the glitter...

Woo-hoo... success!

A couple of coats of clear polish to seal and we're done!

What's on your Tray of Bliss today?

Very Special DIY Gifts..Lavender Bath Fizzies...

 

On my Tray of Bliss today are fields of lavender...well figuratively speaking...

I've been making lavender bath fizzies. These are so easy, and a wonderful gifts for teens. If you haven't ever made them, give these a try!

Ingredients you'll need:

300g Bicarbonate of Soda

100g Citric Acid

1 tablespoon olive oil (preferable not to use nut based oils due to nut allergies)

2 teaspoons Lavender fragrance or essential oil

Food coloring if you want them colored

Equipment required:

2  medium sized metal or glass mixing bowls

Molds. I suggest tea strainers, plastic lids of small containers, cookie cutters, egg rings, and those push through sushi moulds. You won't be able to use them for sushi afterwards though because the lavender oil will permeate the plastic. They are cute and inexpensive enough to buy though!

 

You'll also need...

 

Cooking spray...you won't be cooking them but it's useful to grease the cookie cutters and molds.

Kitchen scales

A spray bottle containing clean cold water

Skewer to add food colouring

Parchment paper and a space on your bench or table

Cellophane wrap, organza bags, party favour bags or some other packaging

Method:

Cover your bench or table with a long sheet of parchment (baking) paper. Line up several molds in your desired shape. You need enough shapes to use up your mixture as it can't be left sitting for too long. Spray each one very lightly with Cooking Spray.

Measure out the bicarbonate of soda and the citric acid into the mixing bowl. Combine it well by tipping back and forth between the two mixing bowls and turning it over and over and sifting it through your fingers.

Measure 2 teaspoons of either fragrance or essential oil into mixture. Most essential or fragrance oils might cause the mixture to fizz a little so work quickly to combine it with the dry ingredients. Add the olive oil and do the same.



Use the spray bottle to spray a little of the cold water onto the dry mixture. You won't need too much so just spray a little at a time, working the mixture with your hands constantly so it doesn't fizz. 

Squeeze a ball of the mixture into your hand every now and again to check for done-ness. As soon as your mixture bonds together in your hand when squeezed, it's ready to mold. Quickly add some food colouring by dipping the skewer into the bottle of food colour then dipping it in the mixture. This is the best way to achieve a pretty pastel colour. Rinse between dipping into the mixture and redipping for more food colour. I find 4 dips transfers sufficient food colour for a soft hue. 

Now is the time too, to add dried lavender, lavender buds or other pretties like a love note, super fine holographic glitter, or tiny pieces of gold or silver edible foil (available at cake decorating suppliers). 

Press the mixture very firmly into the molds and/or cookie cutters on your parchment paper, ensuring that it's well packed and there are no holes or air bubbles. 

Unmold them immediately onto a separate sheet of parchment. Now there's a bit of a trick to unmolding the more complex shapes of cookie cutters or molds without the mixture coming apart. You need to pack it firmly with your fingers, especially into the points of the star or the top inward point of the heart shape. Once it's packed rock hard, start pressing veeeery gently around the edges of the mold. NOT the middle. Press, press, press ever so gently around all the outer edge, loosening the mixture very gradually. It may take up to a minute or two to loosen each shape. Shake the cookie cutter gently from side to side and up and down from time to time to check whether the shape is ready to fall out. Once it falls out, neaten any edges quickly with your fingers and allow it to dry and set. 

If you're using the sushi molds, it's just a matter of putting the mixture into the mold, popping on the lid to compress, and shaking it out...voila! To make another using the same mold, spray lightly with cooking spray before repeating the process.

Your bath bombs will set hard in about half an hour. Allow them to harden in a cool dry spot for 24 hours. You can then package them into your wrap, gift bags or boxes, tie them up with pretty ribbon and they're ready to go.

To use, simply pop on into your warm bathwater and let it fizz away. Soak and relax. It's not quite Provence, but it'll do for now.

What's on your Tray of Bliss today?

Fancy schmancy breakfast cereal...

I first enjoyed a breakfast parfait at a buffet breakfast on Fathers Day a few years ago.

Until then, I was a savoury breakfast kinda person, and the whole yoghurt/cereal/fruit thing just did not appeal to me.

I'm also not a fan of crunchy cereal...a strange quirk left over from my childhood when I got a Sugar Frostie (sort of like a Corn Flake but crusted in white sugar, long since relegated to the unhealthy pile and outlawed!), caught in my throat. It lodged there and I had to cough it up, tearing the tender lining of my throat in the process. Since that day, I cannot eat crunchy cereal. It must be soggy...sounds vile, I know, but that's the way I like it.

Muesli and other cereals just make my stomach curdle anyway and milk in the morning? Forget it.

This of course leads to limited breakfast selections such as toast, eggs, or leftover casserole. Nothing wrong with that but not the best approach for weight loss!

This little parfait is sweet without being sugary, is light and healthy, and can be enjoyed with any kind of cereal in the layers. These days I prefer a light untoasted natural gluten free muesli. In fact, I believe the other reason I harbour an aversion to cereal, is that I have a gluten sensitivity. Since changing over with my daughter to a gluten free diet, I feel fantastic!

You can also do these in little containers with secure lids or a recycled jar to take as a breakfast on the go when you're in a hurry. Don't forget a spoon!

So you need:

A small glass for serving...I do mine 3 at a time in a small wine glass

Muesli or cereal

Natural yoghurt...I make my own, using the method listed in my Labna recipe

Cinnamon sugar...make your own by combining a cup of caster sugar with a teaspoon of cinnamon

Tinned fruit in it's own juice

Now I just layer muesli, a drizzle of the juice from the fruit tin (only coz I like it soggy..skip this part if you prefer crunchy cereal), then some fruit and a layer of yoghurt. Mine is the thick Greek Style yoghurt...yum! Then a small sprinkle (around half a teaspoon) of the cinnamon sugar. Repeat the layers, finishing with a decorative sprinkle of the cinnamon sugar on top.

Cover with cling wrap and store in the refrigerator.

I like to make these at least the night before, and I actually prefer them when they've had a day or three in the fridge. I garnish them with whatever fresh fruit I have on hand, sometimes even an ultra sweet sun kissed strawberry from my own back yard.

MMM..mmmmmmmmm....yum, yum and YUM!