Fabric decoupage

Well I have had some lovely fabric for ages now and never really felt I could make use of it, until that is I found a lovely little unit at a car boot sale a couple of weeks ago.

Quite a cutie I think just needs a lift.

I cut the fabric to size, and started with the lid, covered it with good old Modpoge then applied the fabric smoothly making sure all crinkles and bubbles were smoothed.  A good tip found on the web- not to pull or stretch the fabric as you apply it.  I then did the same with the body of the box, cutting out around the small silver button.  I then applied Modpoge to the whole lot making sure I covered it all.  I have then varnished with a water soluble varnish 4 or 5 times.  This blog was a great inspiration for fabric decoupage http://www.parlourhomeblog.com/2010/08/decoupaging-my-table.html.

I so love this little box now and it will look lovely in our bathroom to hold bits and bobs.   The fabric came from Fancymoon: http://www.fancymoon.co.uk/  Circus cotton.

Finished and ready to eat Popcorn ice cream!

So I left the custard overnight in the fridge to completely cool.  Into the ice cream maker it went with a bit of taste testing on the way...yum yum!

Ready to go in the freezer with some lovely Taffi rippled through.

All there is to do now is EAT!!  I cannot recommend this enough if you are an enjoyer of popcorn this is just sublime!

Popcorn Ice cream and other things!

Well I have been away from my blog for a good while now, not forgotten but just so many things to do!  I found a recipe for popcorn ice cream after seeing an advert on the TV for some and just had to share this.  I haven't yet finished making the ice cream but already it tastes amazing!

I found the recipe on the BBC Good Food website and will include it here. I was so lucky to get an ice cream maker for Christmas and have really enjoyed making all sorts of lovely flavours of ice cream.  I have become more adventurous as my successes continue too!

So this popcorn ice cream is easy to make using a custard base.  First though the corn needs popping!  As you would normally do for lovely popcorn, pop it in a pan with oil to pop. Next, pour your whole milk and double cream and a pinch of salt into a pan, add the popped corn and bring to the boil.  Turn off the heat and infuse for 1 hour.

 Next strain the milk/cream  mix through a sieve, pressing the corn to extract all the liquid and taste.  Throw the soggy popcorn away.  Now beat your egg yolks with the sugar until pale.  Heat the infused milk/cream mixture with a pinch of sea salt, allow it to boil and then pour onto the egg and sugar mixture, stirring all the time. Return the mixture to the pan and stir over a low heat for 10 mins until it thickens and coats the back of a spoon.  Cover and cool.

 When absolutely cool pour mixture into an ice cream maker and churn until the blade stops.  Now you can ripple though some caramel or toffee sauce.  Put ice cream into a container and freeze until ready to enjoy with a topping of caramel or toffee sauce.
 
This tastes amazingly popcorny and so delicious!   I like to use a Taffi sauce made locally in Pwllheli by Eboni Ac Eifori - it is so moreish!

 To find out more about this lovely sauce go to http://www.eboniaceifori.co.uk/

So ingredients:

1tbsp flavourless oil
100g raw popcorn kernels
350ml double cream
500ml whole milk
4 egg yolks
100g golden caster sugar


Our veggie patch has been amazing this year and really given us great pleasure and full tummies!  A couple of weekends ago I made a simple pavlova with strawberries and raspberries from our patch.  It was absolutely delicious- so much so I had to share with our neighbours to stop us eating the whole lot!!

We have had lots of lovely lettuce, courgettes and rocket too.  Oh and so sweet peas I do love podding and popping into my mouth!

 The best year yet for strawberries for us here in North Wales!  They have just finished providing us with sweet large fruit and today I potted the new runners so hopefully we will have even more next year!  I didn't realise how easy it was to propagate strawberries - just pop the small new plant growing on the runner into some soil in a little pot.  Once it has taken it can then be cut away from the mother plant and hey presto a new plant!!

The Patch in all it's glory!  Broad beans are beginning to harvest now and having lots of lovely yellow French beans too.  Sadly all our gooseberry plants have died- not sure why, but really sad sight.  Not sure I want to replace them so may plant the spot with some else later on.

So other things I have been up to:

Fabric decoupage- post to come later with a mini tutorial if anyone is interested!

More sock knitting and dishcloth crocheting!