mini lemon meringue tarts

I'm back into the cooking and baking big time at the moment. I've had a bit of a craze on lemons just lately and thought I'd try using the usual lemon meringue recipe to make mini pies or tarts. I used a recipe from my Mum's old cook book and made sure I followed her little handwritten notes that she had scribbled next to the recipe.

They turned out okay, very tasty actually but not how I hoped they would look. I got the piping bag out and planned to pipe pretty swirls of meringue on top...sadly it didn't hold it's shape enough. I remember from food and nutrition lessons at the school that you must have an absolutely scrupulously clean bowl with no hint of grease at all for meringue and ensured this was the case....so I can only assume that I didn't beat it enough. Oh well, as my old Dad used to say " the proof of the pudding is in the eating" and we certainly enjoyed them even if they weren't that pretty! The usual recipe made 7 tartlets, not bad really, I think if it had been the normal sized pie we would have just had 3 very big servings instead of making them last 2 days lol.

Last weekend I started a little project I've been meaning to try for quite a while...a mini patchwork quilt made by recycling old items of clothing. I've got as far as the top.

In real life the pink does not overpower as much as it does in the photo

 The hardest part was trying to find fabric that would match.  It took me two evenings to cut out the pieces and arrange them, but the actual sewing I did in just an evening . The look has turned out quite old-fashioned but that delights me as I like the vintage look. I haven't bought the batting/wadding yet. I think I want to bind the edges in white....so it may look vintage but will look fresh at the same time.

I cut up a dress, a top and a skirt, you can see these at the top of this picture. The skirt ( fabric at the top  right in pic  ) was originally a child's dress which I had combined with the top of a pair of jeans, remember that idea was all the rage a few years back?...well I think I only wore it once lol...anyway that fabric is on it's 3rd life now so is quite used to being recycled lol.

It's a miserable day here, rainy and windy so I think I will spend the afternoon cutting up more rectangles from my fabric stash in preparation for making more of these. It's the kind of thing you can do bit by bit...I'll put the rectangles in a box and then one evening if I have enough and the mood takes me I can get stuck into the sewing.

Not long until the festive season now...my how time flies, I don't know where this year has gone. I should really get my butt in gear and start making some gifts. Not sure what I'm going to do this year, although one person has requested something with owls so that gives me a starting point :)

Rather awesome paper weaving blog!

Have you been over to PaperMatrix, OMGoodness me there are some wonderful projects over there! I think I will start with a heart garland. Check out the home page here

fabric book cover...

I really want to make some fabric book covers...I mucked up the link before and went straight to the pdf...edited now...here is the link to sewing.com :) click here 

Great site with some lovely things. I like the diaper stacker too, I bought one of these years ago and used it in my kitchen as a hanging shelf for tea towels, might make one for that same use again :)

Our new babies...

New Dobie Boy

We have 2 new dobies...well they are new to us. One had been in rescue for nearly a year and the other was being threatened with euthanasia just because he was unwanted. Both are absolute darlings and have enriched our lives no end.

Our new Dobie girl

 

 

Where on earth we are supposed to sleep this days I just don't know lol

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Time for tea....

...and a slice or two of cherry cake

 

 

 I made a recipe from my Mum's old cookery book. It was just as lovely as when she used to make it. The smell of it cooking transported me right back to my childhood...and of course it tasted divine! Have a go at making something from your childhood? It's a real 'feel good' thing to do!

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