Flying Apron Baking Book

Click here to find it on Amazon

I had my birthday last week and  one of my gifts was The Gluten Free & Vegan Baking Book.  I am not vegan but definitely gluten free so was delighted with this.  Now, it has to said before I go any further, if you are in the UK like myself, some of the ingredients are a bit alien.  More about that in a bit.  The concepts used in this book are also somewhat different to the norm.  It is a delightful book. I can honestly say, I have never had my nose in a cook book for so long. I just cant leave it alone.  Never have I read all the forewords and blurb at the back before, but this one I definitely have.  It is going to take some experimentation, but I shall not be defeated.  I have had a couple of failures, but know what is wrong with one, if not the other.  I have had a good outcome with today's recipe and the look of glee on my taste tester sons face summed it up for me.  Any recipe book that can produce a cookie that is much healthier and still makes him smile like that has to be good.

These photos are of the Chocolate Chip Cookies I made from the book.  I have to tell you, I did not use rice milk because I am not vegan, but ordinary semi skimmed.  Also the chocolate was not dairy free etc but none of these things I think would affect the finished result.  Also, you may notice I made some,  double chocolate ones too.  After the plain ones went in I added about an ounce of cocoa and about 2 tablespoons of water as cocoa really dries mixtures out.  This I am pleased to report was also a success but not in the book.
Some ingredients that are called something else in the UK

Garbanzo bean flour  = Gram flour, made from chick peas, like we use for bhajis.  I cant call it gram flour any more now. Garbanzo is such a good word!

Fava bean flour = broad bean flour (I haven't found that here yet)

Canola Oil  = rapeseed oil which is usually listed as vegetable oil here ( look on the back).  That said, I believe sunflower would be fine too.

Stevia = this is a plant based sweetener, also hard to find her.  Research suggest that a similar plant based sweetener called zylitol or xlitol would be a good substitute.  Both warn against using too much, as it can cause a laxative effect in large amounts.

Baking soda.  You prob know this one, but that's bicarbonate of soda, just in case.

That's what I found so far. Will update this list as I go along.

And the winner is..........

Drum roll please, the giveaway has been drawn courtesy of  Mr. Random number generator.

The winner of the little Tilda witch is

True Random Number Generator


Min: 1

Max: 26

Result:

9

Powered by RANDOM.ORG

Julie from A Tale From Toadstool House  who said

"Hi Joy ,thankyou for finding me,I love your Tilda witch and would love to enter your giveaway. Well done on the crochet,I learned last year and really love it!Its so addictive though,do you find? Hope you have a lovely evening,take care,julie.xxxxx"

Congratulations Julie, if you could let me know your details, I will get her in the post for you.

Thanks to all that entered and so sad I cant send every one of you a little witch. x

ITS GIVEAWAY TIME!!! Now closed

UPDATE!!!!  Here is the actual Witch you will win, so go spread the word because we need more entries.

Ok, in my last post I indicated there would be a Halloween giveaway.  I also said it would be one of my little bunnies! ...........  I lied!
Not about the giveaway, that's still happening.

Not about it being for Halloween, that's still a go!

What it is is that it will not be a knitted bunny.  The thing is, I sew in my craft room during the day but my knitting all takes place in the evening whilst watching tv.  So why is this a problem?  I hear you cry.  Well I have learned to crochet finally!  I have tried on and off for years but I have finally got it, so all evening activities are currently hook based.  I am crocheting a blanket,  and rather selfishly I don't want to stop or have any more UFOs floating about.

So, instead, I have decided to make another of these Tilda Witches.  Now, Tilda things cannot be made to sell but no one will mind me giving one away.  Here is a couple of piccies of two I made previously and the prize will be similar but not the same.  I shall start it at the weekend, and as soon as she is ready will add to this post instead of these not so fantastic pictures. UPDATE above.

So, what is your role in all this?  Its all the usual things really. 

Leave me a comment for one entry.  If you do not have a blog (as this does make it difficult), just e-mail me from the about me page and I will add your comment myself.

If you do have a blog yourself.  Spread the word on your own blog for a second entry.

If you tweet my giveaway, you get a third.  Let me know your @ so I can follow you.

If you facebook it that's a fourth.  Same as twitter, if you let me know where you are I can say `hi`

I think its fair to ask for a minimum of 10 entrants for the draw to take place.  Not much of a contest if not, so please go spread the word.
So basically leave one comment telling me what you have done and I shall assign the correct amount of entries.  So if you are the third commenter and have done all the entries, you will get no 3, 4, 5 &6.  Quite simple.
The draw closes at 3pm (uk time) on Monday 24th October 2011.  This will give us a whole week before Halloween to contact one another and get Miss Witch off to her new abode.

So what are you waiting for?  Off you go, tell your buddies.  I am not going to make you follow the blog, but it stands to reason that if you do, you get to find out if you are the lucky one much easier.

BOO!

Its getting to that time of year again!  Yes, Halloween!  I,  for one, love it.  I usually try to do a few projects for that special time.  Nearer the time I shall prolly do a batch of themed cupcakes.  Take a peek at last years if you didnt read my blog last year. I so made too many but they were so much fun to make.

Well, I have just listed the first two collectable cuteycritters on etsy this afternoon and hope to have made 2 or 3 more before the end of the month.  Click on the pic captions to take you straight to the listings or visit my shopfront to browse everything.  Oh, and please do tell your mates to come and say `Hi` (or Boo!).  We always like new buddies here at Cuteycritters.



Toby has been to the Pumpkin patch, but now he would like some goodies please.



Willow is all dressed up for some witching, but she is a good girl really.


Couldnt resist this picture of Toby trying to trick or treat the dollshouse folk.  He will scare them half to death. Poor things.

Happy Halloween,

Tomorrow is Halloween, so we have been gearing up a bit.  We had some friends round for dinner this evening so a bit of a halloween theme ensued.  We had chilli and hot dogs follwed by a rather embarrassing amount of cupcakes I had made. Not vegan this time but still all gluten free.  There should be some left for any trick or treaters tomorrow.

 Vanilla Sponge with royal icing. Spooky spider webs and spiders (except that one in the middle)

 Red Velvet Cake with vanilla buttercream and some icing devil horns. These were my fave of the day

 Purple monsters are strawberry sponge (with a hint of blue for the gory colour) vanilla buttercream again.

Orange ones are cinnamon pumpkin and cinnamon vanilla buttercream

 This is my witch I had to make after I made one for a craft swap. Along with the knitted pumpkin I recieved in the swap from Crafty Helen

I have had this pumpkin tealight house from Partylite for goodness knows how many years, and although lots of partylite has passed through the house and been sold as my whim changes, I cannot see me ever parting with this.

 Here is my little homage to All Hallows Eve on the mantlepiece. There are witches hat candles from the swap in the candle holder in the middle but it was hard to get far enough away to get the whole shot and make them vsible. Trusty laptop was not supposed to be there but thats where it always seems to be so why pretend otherwise

Happy halloween to one and all, x

what I sent for my swap partner.

A couple of posts ago, I showed off the impressive parcel I received from my partner Crafty Helen. Now I know she has mine, I can show it off to you guys. I forgot to take `wrapped pics` so if you pop over to Helens` lovely blog she has some.  While you are there check out her lovely makes for her craft fayre. They are just yummy.
 The contents of her parcel are here. 

Witchy Folksy Friday

The halloween continues through October. This week, inspired by the witch I made for the craft swap, I have chosen some of my favourite witchy folksy finds.

 Cat and the Moon by Witchy Woo



Witch Necklace by Mirabilis

Witches Shoes by Sparrow Primitives

Hattie Batty and Hecate by Flossie Limejuice

Not So Wicked Witch Doll by The Hunny Bunny Company

card by GweddusArt

My Giveaway box of goodies Has Arrived

A few weeks ago, I entered a halloween/autumn swap over at Crafty Helens` Blog.  I got Helen herself as my swap partner. gulp!
My package arrived last week but I wanted to wait until I had sent hers` off to her. Well, today was that day. So Helen, look out for that postman tomorrow or at worst Friday for your surprises, `cos they are on their way!
Really hope she likes what I have sent (will share pics when I know she has them) as I was bowled over by my parcel. This is what the box looked like before I opened. Inside everything was wrapped in halloweeny paper, and there was loads of halloween confetti.  I ended up with a bit on my face and my son said it  looked like a witchy mole. Cheeky get!
Well we had such fun unwrapping it all, it was a bit like a birthday.
Here it all is. Look out,  there is a lot of it!  There was a lovley card too, but I seem to have lost the pic of that.

Folksy Friday -Pumpkins

Goodness me its Friday again, and its the 1st October. I love October for several reasons, Halloween, my birthday and PUMPKINS. I just love pumpkins, which is probably why my blog design has remained as last years autumn background for a whole year.


The first combines 2 of my most favourite things, kitties and pumpkins. It is by Quernus Crafts



Cute dried pumpkin wreath by  Cranberry Charms


More of my favourite things, these earrings by Maxs` World are so me.

I have bought several lots of yarn form Wharfedale Woolworks, so was delighted she has this one called Pumpkin Patch. Such lovely colours.

This is not what you would call a traditional pumpkin, but the detail is just gorgeous. You can find it and more at Teapot Cottages

Does need anything more than awwww. It and other delightful miniatures can be obtained by vising Winnie World Jewellery

These gorgeous earrings are by the lovely Lazy Giraffe