Find a little happy

We are in another transitional period here in the hamster wheel.
The gorgeous, yummy little shop that I work in is closing.
Sad times.
I feel so dramatic about the whole thing and might have likened myself to Kathleen Kelly from You've got mail a time or two. No it isn't my shop , but I have become very very attached to it.
It is so icky.
It is so sad.
It is stressful.

Looming unemployment isn't the best at any time of year, but how dare the stress gremlins ruin my most favourite seasons!!?? It has to end today.

I have a new job 90% secured.
We are rapidly hurtling through November and into the most wondeful time of the year. I have been reading old posts from this time last year and reminding myself of all the wonderful times and traditions we have to come.
I will become reaquainted with my big camera, Hilda is great just so easy and fun :-) but I love my real camera.

I have been peeking back through my recent phone pics too and there has been so much happy!! I just need to remind myself of it. and I will re-read this post. . Because I have un-charicteristically lost my grip on quality time and enjoying lots of down time with my family. it's not that I don't want it , I have just been so busy.

So tonight I am typing from bed, in the dark. It is quiet and cosy, perfect conditions for blogging.

And so I thought I would do a re-cap of autumn.

We rocked it out.

There were felty leaves

and real leaves

(red ones!! In my garden !!)

A few coffee dates with my honey and of course the obligatory cosy tights, gingerbread lattes and oohing and aahing out of the car windows at the changing landscape.

Sigh.

We had great fun decorating for Halloween and the fun continued for the whole week before, parties and playdates and crafting fun.

This year we had a John Lennon pumpkin. It was totally awesome.

And Miss K put love hearts on hers, right above the scar.

These pumpkins made my mama heart so very happy.,

Our poor chicken was pretty poorly for a few days, she had to get some pretty crazy inducingmeds from the doctor and it has taken us all a few weeks to recover. I think we finally have our sweet girl back though. We are so thankful!

Oh and I cooked the phone.

This pretty much some up my state of mind. Similar to the time I wrecked the car by putting petrol in it.

But less expensive...............

Just a random of Emmy at the drive thru.

Christmas is sneaking in, gifts are being squirelled away, Christmas tree day is only one week away!!!

I'm ticking items off my crafty to do list and am working through all of my craft events.

Our Christmas cake is all baked and wrapped up snug for a few weeks before we ice it, just in time for the big day.

Our santa letters have been written and were sent up the chimney in a flurry of sparkle moss and excitment.

Mis K has even seen Santa already!

And be still my heart.

Joe boy is home for the holidays.

Cousins reunited.

I dare say ..............

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

I feel better already!

I am off to find my inner Christmas fruit loop

I wont need to look to far for a fruit loop buddy

Pumpkin bread

This is a repost of one of my favourite recipes of all time. I just can't wait for Autumn to come around and there is no better way to celebrate than tracking down a pumpkin and whipping up a batch of pumpkin bread.

I originally found the recipe here and have made a few teeny tiny changes but really not much.

Pumpkin Bread


3 cups Self Raising flour
3 - 4 tsps pumpkin pie spice
2 1/2 cups sugar (I used soft brown sugar)
4 eggs beaten
1 cup melted marg
2 cups cooked pumpkin puree
1 cup pecans chopped (optional but definitely recommended!!!)

Sift dry ingredients into lge bowl
Make a well in the centre
mix all other ingredients in another bowl
put into well
mix well
grease loaf tin(s) (I use 2)
Bake at (350f) 180C for about an hour
I couldn't find pumpkin pie spice anywhere so I googled how to make my own.

Pumpkin Pie Spice

4 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp ginger
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp mixed spice.
It smells like heaven! I made around 3x the amount above and kept it in a little sealed plastic tub. It kept fresh all season.

Also for anyone who hasn't cooked pumpkin before, I just took the seeds out, cut the skin off and chopped it up. Put it in a pyrex casserole dish with a teeny bit of water and a sprinkle of brown sugar, maybe a tbsp, put the lid on and microwaved it for about 25 mins.  Once it was cooked I blended it.  Not sure if that was right or wrong but it still worked and was yummy,

After an incredible pumpkin bread fail last week - I wouldnow recommend that you make sure the pumpkin puree is cool or room temp!

Enjoy xx

Happy days.

This week has been fabulous. This week just feels like stars aligned and unicorns flew. When I dreamt of my "new life" this week was what I dreamed of.

Time spent with friends.
Playdates.
Baking.
Sleepovers.
Family time.
Crafting time.
Time for a haircut and a coffee date with my gorgeous hubby.

I am a real happy bunny. This week has also been cold and windy and dark and delicious. All of my favourite qualities :-)

Other highlights??

A pumpkin latte delivered to my work by an extra special person! :-)

(I have pumpkins on the brain!! It was actually a gingerbread latte! lol)

Scrummy berry coloured tights and new brown boots. So much happiness in this pic! I felt like a little autumn leaf :-)

Simply the most amazingly yummy spiced bun.

Carfty goodies headed to a local shop :-)

A perfect pumpkin waiting for me on my doorstep from another very special person.

And some yummy pumpkin bread made from the fabby surprise pumpkin!

A little Autumn treat bought from some of my polka dot pennies!

And the icing on the perfect spicy Autumn cake was a coffee date with my hubby on a joint day off work.

And a sweet view while visiting the local craft shop.

You see?

These have been some very happy days indeed.

Oh and in one week we are leaving to visit our Happy place .

**sigh**

View from the pumpkin patch

I have seen lots of toilet paper pumpkins on my travels around blogland and thought it would be a great "craft" for K and I to do together. It was super quick! And she loved it!

Basically you take a roll of toilet paper and some fabric (roughly a fat quarter is a good size), I then used a piece of stick we had gathered on our autumn travels and a little raffia. You lay your roll of toilet paper in the middle of your fabric piece and tuck it into the hole on the top. Then pop in your stick and tie on your raffia. Done. Simple and easy.

K did this one all on her own

Cute huh?

I also had to get in on the act

Mine is more of an apple because of my fabric choice , apples are autumnal right?

(gingham surprise surprise)

I love this idea because there is no sewing or glueing involved, so we can dismantle them and still have all of the fabric intact to use for another project.

I love this so much it could become addictive, we may be living in a pumpkin patch soon! lol