Go suck a lime!

Hope everyone had a great weekend...my daughter did!  Cheeky monkey!

A promise is a promise...

At work...but had to post these 'after' pictures of yesterdays stool, just like I promised...  Isnt she just lovely?

And doesnt she just look so happy in her new spot?

Very purple and very very happy.

Oh What a busy weekend!

I cant believe its back to work again!  Where the XXXX did the weekend go?  Well, my 7 and 8 yr olds attend a drama class on 9 am every Saturday morning, and this was their last week, complete with a performance...unfortunately the performance was at 8 pm Saturday night, which isnt such a big deal, right?  Well, it wouldnt be, except that:

1. There are only 4 kids in the class (two of which are mine)
2. The place is almost way downtown and towards the west end of 'almost way downtown'
3. I'm tired

So we went to this performance and it was great.  The kids had written their play, and my kids have had no acting experience before, so my daughter (who takes absolutely nothing seriously) just had fun, and didnt care if she was supposed to 'put on a show' she just put on her show.  One of the kids in the class is actually on commercials, and is a well known face on Canadian television (his commercial was played nonstop the last few months).

Lucky you, no photos of the play!!!

Then on Sunday I decided to 'makeover' a thrift store stool which had been kicking around my basement, waiting for its prince to come, and he came in the form of a lavender can of spraypaint!!  Here are some 'before' of Cinderella...

She had great bones, but a yucky coat of peachy paint (oil I think).  I began by spraying her white, but the under coat of paint didnt let the new paint cover it so well.  The peach just kept bleeding through, so I had to cover the mess with the lavender paint, which covered well, and was quite a nice happy colour.  This will be a step stool for my kitchen.  As usual, I forgot to take an 'after' photo of Cinderelli, so I'll have to post that next time, but you wont be disappointed, cause she couldnt get any worse.   Its like the Cosmo cover with Lady GaGa on it....Werent you all surprised at just how pretty she is under all that crap/costumery she puts on?  I mean, lets be honest, anything would be a pleasant improvement.  Just like Lady Gaga, my stool now looks surprisingly fresh and pretty! 

Last but not least, I got my English loot today!!!  My husbands buddy went home to the UK last week and as usual I send a Cath Kidston shopping list with him (bare bones, and not to complicated list) and today he dropped off my goodies!!  I mean its not as good as going myself...which is such a sensory experience...a visual amusement park of goodies, but I am so grateful for his delivery!  Here are some photos, and remember these were taken on my iphone at my ugly grey work cubicle for a background, so imagine how b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l  they are in real life...

 

Is this the most lovely messinger bag you've ever seen???  I feel like I'm back in Brownies, with all my badges!!  Its has a nice substantial weight and feel to it too.  I'm very happy (until I convert the pounds to Cnd dollars!!).

The next item on my list was this lovely flour sifter

She's absolutely gorgeous and will have a very loving home!  I want to go to the UK myself!!  Why are all things British so damn amusing and loverly????  Damn those beautiful Brits!!!

Look what I found!!!

I was at my local junk shop, and I found this absolutely adorable piece of barkcloth!!!!

Its not too big, but I'll have to keep it for when I open that Tea room I've dreamed of...

Easter came like a big chocolate bomb!!

Since I gave up chocolate and candy for lent...40 days without chocolate left me really really Jonesing...so in preparation for our Easter Sunday meal, here is what I made...

So Yummy and since I dont make this kind of cake that often, I'm still working on my icing techniques...you dont want a cake to look too perfect! 

Then I decided to try chocolate covered marshmallows, which I'd seen in a local chocolate shop, which I cant even take my kids into because its covered in nuts!  They decorate with jumbo tubs of Kraft Peanut butter, which is fine and dandy except for my anaphylactic son!  He'd run out of there screaming Heebie jeebies!!!  So I made a guaranteed nut free version that the kids could eat...are you ready for it?  Okay...Here they are drying on a piece of styrofoam.  Heres an extreme close up of a very sprinkly one!!!  Who's getting a sugar rush?  The kids thought I was the best mom ever!!  Here they are just before I wrapped them in cellowrap to take to my Moms house: Isnt it the prettiest bouquet you've ever seen?

Peanut/nut free Chocolate covered Marshmallow recipe: (ALWAYS check all ingredients!)

• 
  
  1 bag Kraft Jet Marshmallows (usually peanut/nut free)
• 
  
  1 box Bakers sweet chocolate squares (8 squares)
• 
  
  1 1/2 - 2 teaspoons crisco (check ingredients)
• 
  
  2 cups rice krispees
• 
  
  1 or 2 packs sprinkles of your choice (McCormacks in Canada is nut free) Not all brands are nut free - the major baking brand which is sold in North America at Craft stores actually have traces of nuts and you should call them to confirm, as they dont label very well.
• 
  
  nut free gummy worms or other soft candy of your choice
• 
  
  a pack of short bamboo skewers or lollipop sticks

Place two marshmallows on each barbeque skewer, with the top one covering the point.     Prepare a plate with rice krispees and another with sprinkles.  Get your styrofoam ready to place your dipped marshmallows for drying, also prepare a large cookie sheet lined in parchment.  Now you're ready to begin (it can get messy, so make sure everything is ready ahead of time). 

Melt your chocolate and shortening over low heat in a small heavy saucepan, until fully disolved, being careful not to burn the chocolate.  You can remove from heat and mix until any lumps remaining melt in the hot chocolate.  Leave for a couple of minutes if too thin, but it should be ready for dipping.  Empty the hot chocolate into a large, heatproof water glass or mug.  Dip a prepared skewer into the chocolate until 3/4 of the marshmallows are covered.  Remove and gently swirl chocolate to cover marshmallow and to let excess chocolate drip off back into glass.  Roll in rice krispees and dip top in sprinkles.  You can be creative here, and only roll in sprinkles, leave plain, whatever.  Use whatever you like (coconut is nice too).  I'm limited with what I use because I want to ensure its safe for my son, but if you have no such restrictions, go buck wild in the candy/baking sections and just make a willi wonka dream come true!!  Stick the prepared skewer into the foam, for a few minutes until set (the weight of the marshmallows may cause them to  sink down the skewer).  I topped any such exposed sharp points with gummy worms, or gummy pigs (Percy Pig??  from Marks and Spencers - my UK trip last year).   After you've covered all your skewers, and let them cool at least ten minutes, remove from  foam, and place on side on parchment, and leave for an hour.  Cover with foam and place in freezer until ten minutes before you want to serve (you can remove earlier if you want).  Voila!

I'm overcome with chocolate!  Now I've decided to place myself on a self induced lent until the end of June, when we will be going to Disney!!!!!

HAPPY EASTER!!!