witches cauldrons

What a nice treat this morning, to be able to sit out in the courtyard for a late breakfast in the warm bright sun, it managed to reach 20C today, now that´s more like it! First time this year, the weather has been really cold this winter, very unusual.

Rebecca came up for a few days and we had a great time, chatting, baking, planning, and experimenting. We made a new batch of lip balm, a crème to sooth headaches and then a lovely lavender body butter.  We whipped the body butter so that it had a nice fluffy light texture, rather than the harder lip balm.

We used coconut oil, shea and cocao butter, beeswax, vitamin E, and essential oils. Bit like ubble bubble toil and trouble lol

Very therapeutic though and a wonderful result. The butter is smooth and light enough for the face, but also for harder areas like elbows, hands and with the sandal season soon upon us its great for heels, especially when applied at night as the lavender spread on the feet is a great aid for sleep.

I mentioned about making Leocia a fox hat/cowl and some beanies, so here as some pics,

Without a model it´s hard to see the fox shape but hopefully Leocia will model it for me. She has been in the Philippines with her sister, Mummy and Daddy for 5 weeks so now they are back in the UK I can send it to her. The beanies are not my favourite colour, but I´m told it´s a ´bloke´colour!!

These are some of the fingerless gloves I made,

and a few cotton hot pads/wash cloths

I have made and sold over a dozen more of the mittens for various people, end of season now

We baked a lovely chicken pie

I like to buy quite a big bird because it lends itself to so many different meals, a lovely roast to start, then the choice of cold meat with salad or sandwich, or a chicken supreme to have as it is or to make a pie.  Then I like to make stock with the bones and vegetables, especially the hard ends of things like broccoli etc

We were getting hungry whilst all this was going on so I decided a quick tapas was needed.

These are aubergine slices coated with a flavoured rice flour (garlic granules, black pepper and spicy red pepper powder), dipped in egg, then bread crumbs with grated sheeps cheese, baked for 15 mins they are delicious,

One of our 5 a day, or should that be 10 a day now, anyway they are great for drinks nibbles tapas

All this talk of food.....must go and continue with cooking the supper

take care

xcx