Simple Chocolate Tart

Boy, it's been awhile since I updated my blog...I got a cold a few weeks back and i was so miserable that i wasn't in the mood to switch on my laptop that takes forever to load and can only use it for half an hour or so before the monitor screen started to play up and i had to switch it off. Thankfully i got my phone to entertain me :)

Once I got over the cold (slow progress though), i was informed by my friends that they have some vacancies in their workplace that I might be interested to apply, but of course!! so I was busy (again abit fed up with my old broken laptop) and update my CV and then saw more vacancies online for christmas jobs that i just had to apply (i could dream of buying with my own money for hubby's christmas pressies) and of course myself! :p

Anyways, between applying jobs and two interviews so far and still no news if i got a job or not, I always wanted to try and make a tart, it's from Jamie Oliver's recipe book.

The hard bit, i gotta say was making the pastry, it's gotta be a short crust one and it was my first to make it, the result wasnt as good as i expected to be, it's crumbly and kind of uneven but hubby said he loves it :P

The chocolate bits are heavenly coz i used my fave Lindt Dark Chocs, just pure heaven. I used cocoa powder and icing sugar for dusting once the chocolate has hardened abit in the fridge :)

Anyways, I miss visiting everyone's blogs and i really could do with inspirations for christmas as I just realized it's almost december! fingers crossed i got a job even if it's only temporary christmas jobs, i dont mind at all! :)

Also Linking to:



Sweetology101

Happy Valentine's Day!

First of all I'd like to thank Pretty Little Jewels and Twinkle Star for the awards! really appreciate them!

I also would like to wish my dear friend Marianne a very Happy Birthday! I wish you all the good things in life and God Bless you, always! and Happy Valentine's Day to all of you my lovelies, you're all my inspirations. Love you all!

unfortunately, no flowers and/or a box of chocolates for me this valentine as i was shocked to see the price of a dozen of roses when we went to sainsburys last night though hubby offered but i told him I'd rather he bought me a book of craft that costs the same as those roses :) and as for chocolate, well you know i'm on a diet though i'm beginning to get abit pessimistic :p

I spent hours this morning to make this velvet valentine cake and i failed miserably! it tastes weird, it looks weird and blah! I got the recipe Here. I made it for hubby but i feel like throwing it into the bin :P

I also made these mug cosy for hubby and me from the tutorial in Mollie Makes Magazines, Cappuccino for him and tea for me.

I also made the puffy crocheted heart from the tutorial Here, I made several to hang on the twigs on my mantel and cute valentine printables from Here.

That's my February Photo-a-day Challenge for Day 14: Heart entry over at Fat Mum Slim's blog.

Also Linking to:



Sweetology101

February Photo-a-day Challenge

I joined February Photo-a-day Challenge at Fat Mum Slim's blog. Here are my entries for Day 1 to 7;

1: Your View Today

Someone cute greets me in the morning when i go downstairs to put the kettle on, she would pop her head outside the window to let me know that she wants in

2: Words

February is the month of Love, Valentine's day is just around the corner :)

3: Hands

Tea will warm you in a cold day :)

4: A Stranger

Strangers in the George and Dragon Pub where we had lunch :)

5: 10AM

Tea Time!

6: Dinner

I made mince beef with garlic potatoes for dinner and they taste lovely, comfort food for us!

7: Button

A button on crocheted Peter pan collar i made last night, thanks to the tutorial from Melpdesigns.

Linking to:




Sweetology101

Things I Love..

When i bought the Jug from Cath Kidston when it was on SALE, i knew what I was going to put inside it, I've been making crochet flowers whenever I have time in the evening while watching tv and when the jug arrived, the flowers are ready. I also bought some fabrics from CK as I couldn't help when they're reduced to £6 per metre instead of £20 per metre the original price! I'm so ready to make something out of the fabrics when I have the time :p

I kind of love Blue color nowadays, well my love for red and pink will always be there in every photo i took but right now i'm smitten with blue :)

I went to Chichester to a friend's house yesterday as she invited me and 2 other friends to have lunch, she cooked indonesian food for us and made a meringue cake that tastes heavenly! She always gave us what she bakes, Bless her!

I've started my diet but well it was ruined yesterday (can't help it!) but i'll try to do more exercise today to make up for it hehe I just can't say NO to delicious food!

PS: I didn't realize that i'm almost have 200 followers, I think I'll be having a giveaway pretty soon :)

Back to NormaliTea

Storm is brewing outside, not a good start of 2012 but then again Chinese New Year is coming up and the Chinese considered rain on the New Year as a sign of good luck :) Hubby's back to work and already had his first complaint in the new year on how hard to drive to work in this storm. ( I just hope the back garden's fence wont fall again!)

My Tea Time contribution is just some pics that I took on Christmas and New Year's Day. I baked the Yule Log for Christmas so i guess this is as good time as any to just show it to you :)

The good thing about making yule log for the first time was that i can cover all the imperfections and cracks of the cake when trying to fold it with the chocolate cream :) it's all gone now but rest assured it was eaten while drinking TEA! :)

I took down the Christmas Tree and Decorations on Sunday, abit sad that Christmas is over and we're back to our routine although I'm so happy to have received more gifts than I expected as hubby surprised me with a new mobile phone to replace my old almost broken phone, Thank you soo much! now i can twitter away like a twit (his words). :P

He even spoilt me with a few books on my amazon wishlist, i'll do a separate post on that once i read them! I also received some wonderful gifts from my friends and family and they got my hint when i mentioned I love Cath Kidston!

Double oven gloves and the melamine bowls are CK and the cute strawberry apron from BHs, thanks to the in-laws! I'm thinking to do blue and red color theme in 2012..maybe also for next christmas, we'll see ;)

I also got a few pairs of knee length socks and few other things that I'll post in separate posts once i take pics of 'em. Meanwhile i have a long list of things i have to do today; back to job hunting, set up an online shop on folksy but before that..i need to prepare my stocks which means back to crafting! OH i'm soo hoping 2012 will be a great year for all of us! Amen!

Linking to:




Sweetology101

The Joy Of Christmas

I have things i wanted to do but never get around of doing it this christmas but there's always next year hopefully :) I'm sure everyone else is also super busy right now that Christmas is 5 days away (time sure flies) but anyways I finally finished making my stocking on Sunday or rather ice skates from Tilda's Christmas Ideas book, i even made one for hubby :)

I even got time to make christmas decorations from a free kit that i got from Cross Stitcher magazine christmas issue, three cute little houses and of course another snowman :)

Yesterday I decided to bake some gingerbread cookies while listening to Elvis Christmas CD that I got from Sunday Mail, I just love the smell of cookies fresh from the oven and can't help having them even before i decorated them with icing sugar, it warms up the house and it's a lovely company for my tea.

I'm going to bake a Yule log perhaps on Friday or Saturday but right now i need to make a shopping list for Christmas Menu as we're going shopping to Sainsburys today.

Wishing everyone a lovely and full of Joy Christmas!


Linking to:




Sweetology101