Happy Halloween

Have fun!!

Halloween Bakes

We always have a little party to celebrate Samhain, or All Hallow's Eve. Some food, some games, some frolics, then the lights turn down low and the fire is lit - the candles glow and we retell ghostly tales as the logs crackle and pop. 

Previously we've had Eyeball Pasta, but this year for a change, I'm serving Mummified Meat(free) Balls. Some of us are veggie, some not, so there will be a selection. They are oh so simple to make though, regardless of meat content or otherwise. Basically, breadcrumbs herbs, mushrooms, all in a blender. Add lentils (pre cooked) for the meat free option, mince beef (we get ours from the local farm shop) for the meaty ones. Blend then shape. Then Fry. Meanwhile cook up a pan of tagliatelle, once the meatballs are cooked wrap with one of the tagliatelle strands, and decorate with chopped sweetcorn for eyes. I'll serve with my regular tomato pasta sauce and the rest of the tag. 

Afterwards there has to be a sweet treat  - I'm still deciding what to make but these are all looking pretty fun - which is your favourite ? 

Thankful for fun times, family and good food on our plates - linking up with www.creatingcontentment.com to share our gratitudes this week 

Halloween Makes

With Halloween at the end of the week, I thought we would start to make some decorations to make the home look suitably ghoulish!! 

We grew our own pumpkins for the first time ever this year, having been given the seeds at our local farmers market. I'm extremely proud of us for managing to grow some decent sized pumpkins (I'm a bit of a novice in the green finger department. I hope we can do them justice - I would love to be able to carve something like the ones shown below, but I suspect that may be a tad on the ambitious side!! Aren't they gorgeous though ? 

 For the indoors (as the pumpkins will grace our front porch) we are stringing pumpkin garlands above the fireplace, and creating pumpkin lanterns to give us light on the night. These are the easiest ever craft - simply some old jam jars, some orange tissue paper, some watered down glue, some black card, a pair of scissors and voila - plus a tealight of course. I love candlelight and I love quick and simple crafts - yet, I think they are really effective aren't they ?

More later this week on some yummies to eat underneath our lovely decorations ...

Thankful Thursday

Linking up with sweet Sarah at http://creatingcontentment.com/ for Thankful Thursday - what are you thankful for this week ?

Friday Finds

These are some of the things that have caught my eye this week : :

This stunning necklace is available from Etsy Shop Enchanted Leaves -  https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/EnchantedLeaves - I just love the way the light shines through the amber on this. I love so many of the pieces in this shop - even the way that they group their collections into Land, Sky and Sea sections - not to mention the Tolkein inspired pieces. 

I've always loved the Flower Fairies - this print is available from Flower Fairy Prints - so lovely.

I love the cosy simplicity here - the cushion is available from Linen and Lace Handmade - https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/LinenandLaceHandmade?ref=l2-shopheader-name -Melina is based just down the road from us in Wadebridge - I love her simple colour palette - 

And finally this image from Anne Freeman Images - https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/AnneFreemanImages?ref=l2-shopheader-name - isn't it just stunning. 

Going to spend the weekend hunting acorns, playing in the woods and making fairy homes. 

Have a wonderful weekend whatever you are doing 

Thankful Thursday

This week I am grateful for

• long lunches with kindred mamas, sharing our joys and worries
• new work opportunities that fulfil my soul purpose
• caring health professionals who are giving us comfort and reassurance
• the wonders of modern medicine
• finding angel feathers around us on every walk this week

For a long time our dearling daughter has been suffering from unexplained tummy ache - no illness, no upset but lots of pain. We've tried all sorts of cures and many a late night I've burned the midnight oil pouring over books and websites in search of advice. Unfortunately when we first sought medical assistance we were fobbed off with platitudes of "kids get them/nothing to worry about/it's anxiety/it's attention seeking". 

We've tried oils and rescue remedies with some success but nothing lasting. We've also tried certain elimination diets although it may be that we revisit this area with the advice of our medical team in due course. Nothing seems to have worked to date. 

Fortunately we've now found a wonderful medical team who are taking our concerns seriously. We're in the process of undergoing various investigations but I'm so thankful to say that they have already ruled out the major concerns or any serious nasties. For now we wait the results of further tests with fingers crossed. In the meantime we take our nature walks and we keep positive - helped by finding the angel feathers like the photo above - I've never seen as many as I have this week and I feel it's a message that we are being protected and cared for by the Universe. 

Linking up with www.creatingcontentment.com for this edition of Thankful Thursday - what are you grateful for this week  ? 

Thankful Thursday

This week I am grateful for :

• our new car, which means I can get to work safely and without fear of breaking down every day
• a wonderful health service that has patched up one child's broken finger, and is investigating the other's ongoing health issues
• family walks through the fields. 

What are you thankful for this week ?

Linking up with www.creatingcontentment.com to share some of the things I am thankful for this week. 

Visible Monday

I've decided that its time to move out of my comfort zone.

To be VISIBLE

To not hide away

To not apologise for my style

Or for living My Life on My Terms.

So, this is the first step. Putting a photo of myself on the blog. Gulp. I'm oddly terrified. Please don't all run shrieking from the room.

I'm coming to terms with accepting my style and myself. Oddly, short skirts aren't always/often a part of it. but I thought I'd go with something brave for the first one. Long hippie skirts are what make me feel good, but then the gremlin of self doubt creeps in - the negative voices say that I look scruffy/dowdy (something that has been said to me in the past by a family member - with very fixed views on what constitutes style). I'm trying to let that go, to embrace my own self. To remember that I feel sexy when I wear my long swishy skirt, and therefore I am sexy because it's all about attitude really isn't it ?

Next time, swishy skirt shot. For now, linking up with Patti at www.notdeadyetstyle.blogspot.com - one of a number of bloggers that I love to read and whose attitude to life and style have given me the strength and courage to beat my own drum. Most of the time.

Friday Finds

These are a few of the things that have caught my eye this week - as the weather turns cooler, I'm starting to think layers and finding the gloves and hats. But then I saw these beauties and decided that I might just need to splurge instead of find!! They are currently available from Nomadic Knits (https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/NomadicKnits?ref=l2-shopheader-name) which is the shop of a beautiful soul named Kristina, who knits these stunning pieces that just cry out for an afternoon of playing in the woods don't you think ? 

Next up is this dazzling shot of colour from Elegant Wreath ) https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/NomadicKnits?ref=l2-shopheader-name) - usually I only think of having a wreath on the door at Christmas time, but this might well persuade me otherwise - isn't it so bright and cheerful ? 

Now, as much as i might crave the gloves for myself, I can so see my sweet girl in this tunic dress - it  cries out for some playtime in the woods nearly as much  as the gloves do - I can see a family themed autumnal photo opportunity here - we just need to wait for a good day and the leaves to fall a little more - dress is from TreeTop Boutique (https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/treetopboutique) - a super cute shop full of lovely skirts and dresses. Sort of wishing it came in my size....

But since it doesn't I might just manage to console myself with this - I love nature themed jewellery and this is utterly stunning - from Frosted Willow ( https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/FrostedWillow?ref=l2-shopheader-name) I just love the elemental simplicity of her designs, but this is definitely something that would look amazing in my autumn wardrobe. 

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend, whatever you do !

Hello October

I love the start of  new season - although I'm a lover of the warmer months, there is something about the start of proper autumn that speaks to my earthy soul - changing colours on the leaves, shmooshing through the damp fallen offerings on a damp afternoon in the woods, the pre dawn hush of an early morning mist, scarves, gloves, hot chocolates, fires. And all the excitement of Halloween and Bonfire Night to come. Oh, yes, I'm happy to say Hello October!