Three O'clock in the morning

Three O'clock in the morning and I am still awake writing this post. I know I should be in bed but sleeping is not such an easy thing for me. Because I am in pain most of the time sleeping is hard and I attempt to avoid it as much as I can.
When I do sleep its not a quality one and more a turning and turning and getting up and down kind of sleep.
I am jealous of those that just lie down and they are fast asleep. My husband does just that and within seconds he is sleeping like a baby.
So as it is three o'clock in the morning I must try to sleep because I have a busy day to come and I know I am going to suffer from this early morning.
If like me you suffer with sleep problems I feel your pain lol

Spring cleaning

Spring cleaning is something that normally I would think of at this time of year. However, we have had a cold snap and you still feel like keeping warm rather than opening up window.
There is the house clean view but it could also mean a spring clean for your life in general.
I guess like most people there are parts of my life that I wish I could change. There are people I wish I still had with me who have passed away, and others who I do not see and wish I did.
I tend to be a worrier and dwell on things that have long passed and I need to let go. I tend to go over things in my mind and re live it all , and then think how I could or should have done it better.

I have a few challenges in my life these days and just recently it has been hard to stay positive with my health. I also feel fairly lonely at times even with my family around me. Its not easy thing to
live with constant pain but I try.
So yes it can be cleaning house and opening windows but it can be a time to clean your mind or life.
I need to stop dwelling on the past and live for today, I have to make the most of what I have and stop to think there are many that are worst off in this life.
So I hope you get to clean house or your mind this week I am sure it will be good for us all.

Month One End ... Jane Plan

Well its nearly the end of my month on the Jane Plan and all in all I think its been good. I have to be honest that any mistakes are on my side not the diet. I have to say the food was great, there were things that I liked better than some and also ones I LOVED. It would be easy to cover that as the choice is wide and lots to pick from.
If I ever had any issues I knew I could pick up a telephone and chat to a human! I also had a "how are you" call once a week which was great.

Don't get me wrong the diet is tough but it tastes great and for me it is sooooo easy. I am lucky in that I am at home but it would be great if you worked. I also found it easy to make and also make my husband his meals also.
My total for the month was 10 pounds which to be honest is great for me. I am fairly (totally) restricted mobility wise so I can't burn of the calories. I would think this is a good total and I know I would have like more (as we all do) but I am very happy.

I have no negatives really apart from I have to say it is not a cheap option. You do have to remember you are getting all your food and delivered to your door. You do not have to worry about counting or measuring at all.
I am very grateful to Jane Plan for all their help over the last month. I have an operation in the near future but soon as I am ok , I will be back on the plan. Jump over tho the web site and check them out. There is lots of information and recipes on there which is great.

Sole Review update

Not so long ago I was asked to try a pair of these wonderful shoes. I have many problems with joints and live with pain everyday. Finding shoes that I can wear is hard and so when I was asked to try sole shoes out I was keen. Ive been wearing them for a few weeks now and in general I like them. I did find that you may need a smaller size as they are very wide fitting. They do take a little getting used to as at first they feel strange. Once you do they are so comfortable and would be so good if you had a job where you were on your feet all day.
 So some facts

Why SOLE

---

THE SHAPE OF COMFORT
No two feet are alike, which is why there is no such thing as one-size-fits-all. Your foot wasn't made flat, so why is almost all footwear made that way? SOLE Footbeds and Sandals mould to fit your unique foot perfectly. Generic insoles and flat footwear simply cannot offer the same level of arch support, control and comfort that SOLE products can.

CUSTOM FIT FOR YOUR UNIQUE FEET
The benefits of our orthopedic shape are personalized for your unique foot. The arch height adjusts to your required level, but does not flatten out. The forefoot takes the shape of the balls of your feet and toes, and the aligning heel cup supports your unique heel shape. This creates a continuous contact point across the soles of your feet, leaving no area unsupported. It all adds up to a superior fit, and unrivaled support and comfort.

so I got to pick a lovely pair and these are the shoes I picked,

They are really comfortable and smart and bags of room for your toes.  Only thing I would say is maybe get a smaller size as they are wide on the toes but you will know your own feet. I have been wearing them for awhile now and I think they are moulded to me feet very well. I find them very easy to wear but they do take a bit of time to get used to. I am not sure if they do a summer sandal but would be great if they do as I maybe not be able to wear mine over the summer months. All in all I would give sole shoes a 10 out of 10 Go buy some

Check them out at 

http://www.yoursole.com/uk/footwear/

Please note I was not paid for this review only receiving a sample of the product

Cake Tins and things

Cake Tins and things I sound like I am about to burst into that song from the sound of music lol.
I have just got into baking and more into cake decorating. I have spend lots on all the things you need and the cost is high. So I was very pleased to find a web site with really top cake tins at a really reasonable cost. This in their words is a little about them.


We started few years back in order to help people struggling in Pakistan due to political and economic and uncertainty and security concerns. The security problems have damaged the main business city of Karachi very badly and the problems do not seem to go away very soon.



We thought long and hard as to ways to help friends, family and others struggling to get by, and thought of starting this business of selling cake tins in UK.

This has not only resulted in giving job and earning opportunitues to these struggling individuals, but also earning opportunities to the friends and family. Also the best thing is that it has given their children the opportunity to continue their studies, which is very important for these children.

We have been trying very hard to provide good quality products manufactured from Pakistan and imported into the UK.

Please note we can only accept orders placed through our website . . . we cannot accept orders by phone, although you are welcome to pay by phone if this helps. Place the order as normal and at checkout you'll see the option of phoning to make payment.

Caketinstore.co.uk is a small, family-run business based near the city of Birmingham, in the West Midlands. Here, among the hustle and bustle of city centre, we prepare orders for cake-making customers from all over the world.

Caketinstore.com is less than a mile away from the M6 motorway (the main road link from Birmingham to all of England) which ensures fast, reliable deliveries throughout the UK - and beyond.

For those customers who are surprised we even have technology here in

Birmingham, please rest assured that we're proud to be part of a modern, vibrant European nation and that worldwide deliveries take no longer from us than from anywhere else in the UK.

We take excellent customer service very seriously, something we hope you'll discover for yourself when you shop with us.

We don't take ourselves too seriously, but we take what we do very seriously.

Caketinstore.com is an ethical business and we take our environmental responsibilities seriously . . . we recycle packaging where it is safe and hygienic to do so, we use biodegradable "chips" to pack boxes and we are always working on ways to reduce our carbon footprint.

We are proud to work with local young apprenticeship training and employment company, an organisation which finds training and employment for young people aged between 18 and 24, helping them find their rightful place actively involved in, benefitting from and contributing to the local community in which they live. We are among the first business in Birmingham to offer a full-time placement to one of their students.

Faisal helps us pack orders, check in deliveries and keep the stockrooms tidy and most days he'll have the same amount to do again after lunch. It's all this hard work that keeps him looking so young . . . or at least that's what we tell him!

We have over 5 years' experience in online retail and for most of this time ran a series of busy online retail sites but, in the Autumn of 2011 we decided to move to central office units so that we could expand on our mail-order and online cake tins business. The move has proved a great success and we've had to expand premises again on two occasions to accommodate the ever-growing amount of stock now regularly arriving from all over the world.

Although we fully appreciate why some customers enjoy the experience of browsing around a traditional sugarcraft shop, the truth is that we can now offer a much larger range, carry more stock and offer better prices than we ever could with a shop . . . and perhaps more importantly for our thousands of delighted customers, without the huge overheads of retail premises we can now compete directly with other cake tin online "big names" and offer our customers absolutely the best prices possible.

So I went and ordered my first set of square cake pans. I was not expecting much as the price was so fair. I was very pleased when they arrived as they were really good heavy quality. I am getting ready to order more, as I am trying to build my collection lol.
They delivered fast and the tins were well packed which was also great. Pop over and check them out and use this great money off code. Mention where you came from also.

The cake tin store have been very kind to offer you all a 10% discount on their products

10% code  ODFC11327759F

www.caketinestore.co.uk

please note I did not receive any free products or payment for this review. 

Mothers Day

Mothers Day falls this Sunday in the UK. Its a day when most mums expect to be treated well and spoilt. I have two fab children who I love more than words can say so I am lucky.
For me however, Mothers Day can be bitter sweet.
My own Mother who I loved so much passed away on Mothers Day 21 years ago.
So while I am being happy with my own children, there is a little sadness in my heart. I can go day's now after all that time not thinking of her. That does not mean I do not still miss her and often think "I must tell mum" and then remember she is gone.

She was everything to me and I loved her with all my heart. She had a temper but never to me, in fact I do not remember my mum ever laying a hand on me. I used to talk to her everyday and when we went to visit we would sit in her kitchen for hours, just chatting.

She had Cancer for 8 years and fought like a tiger, but sadly in the end she died.

So I am making 200 cupcakes this week for a Cancer charity , and I just spent 2hrs sitting making little bunches of flowers to hand out at Church in the morning. All this in my mum's memory.
So I hope you get to spend time with your children if you have them and that it is a happy sunny day for you.

Warm Cranberry Profiteroles

I just had a nice e mail from a lady called Kendra Thornton
who I must say has had a very interesting life. She and I talked about a guest post and this is the first and I hope not the last.

Make Your Own Warm Cranberry Profiteroles!

The Fontainebleau, ranked amongst some of the tophotels in Miami, is undoubtedly one of the most famous landmarks on Miami Beach with its distinctive semicircular façade and prime location. If there's one thing better than the beaches and the luxury hotel experience at the Fontainebleau, it has to be the food.

There are 12 restaurants and lounges at the Fontainebleau, and they are all exceptional! While spending time in Miami, I stayed at the hotel and had a chance to sample the most delicate French cream puffs that were filled with delectable vanilla ice cream and topped with warm cranberry sauce. It was the perfect combination. When I returned to Chicago, I just had to make this elegant dessert for my family and all of my friends. Fortunately, I found a similar version online. For this recipe, you'll need the following ingredients.

Cranberry Profiteroles:

- 1 cup of water
- 1/2 cup of butter or margarine cut into cubes
- 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon of salt
- 1 cup of flour
- 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice mix
- 3 large eggs
- 1 quart of high-quality vanilla ice cream
- 1/2 cup of confectioner's sugar
- Warm cranberry compote
- Mint sprigs for garnish

Method:

1. To make the puff pastry batter, heat the water, butter, vanilla extract and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, and reduce the heat.

2. Add the flour and spice mix to the liquid. Stir vigorously for several minutes or until the batter pulls away from the sides of the pan. Remove from the heat, and cool slightly.

3. Beat eggs individually, and add them to the batter one at a time. Mix until the egg is fully incorporated between each addition.

5. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees, and line two large baking trays with parchment paper.

6. Gently transfer the puff pastry batter into a pastry bag fitted with a decorative piping tip. Form the profiteroles by squeezing the bag until a 1 1/2-inch mound is created. Lift the pastry bag upward to complete the process, and make sure each profiterole is about 2 inches from its neighbor. The batter should make approximately 24 profiteroles.

7. Bake your profiteroles for 30 minutes or until puffed and golden-brown. Transfer to cooling racks before cutting.

Serving

Once your cream puffs are cool, cut them in half, and fill each one with a dollop of vanilla ice cream. Replace the top, and dust with confectioner's sugar. Arrange the filled cream puffs in a serving dish or parfait glass, and top them with the cranberry compote and mint sprigs. Enjoy your Fontainebleau-style profiteroles!

 I must say they look yummy and I will be making them, the hotel sounds great and you never know one day I could be sitting in there eating these cakes with a nice cup of tea,

Craft Class

Last night I went to Craft class. I am lucky that I am local to a great shop called Flair and they run classes every two weeks. Normal I like to go to Saturday class as I hate the overhead lights lol. This week however I am booked for Saturday, so evening it had to be.

To be honest I love to go for the company! Yes I love the crafting part but I really enjoy the chat and tea and the social side of crafting. I always have a great laugh with the teacher Sarah who is soooo funny. We share the same sense of humour so we always have fun. I also love the owner Rosa who is also funny and great company.

The Lovely Sarah

Lovely Rosa

I think us crafter's are a social  lot in general. What more can you ask than like minded people and lots of tea and biscuits lol ....... a dream for some of us. I do also think its great for those who maybe lonely and need to get out. You can make something lovely to take home and have a couple of hours chat . So I would say look for a great shop like I have in flair and see if they have classes. And better still if you live local come check the classes out. Flair also sells a range of craft and train items on the Internet which you should also look over. By the way I way not paid or receive any goods for this review, just my honest opinion.

www.flair-rail.co.uk

Weekly weigh in with my Jane Plan Diet

Weekly weight in with Jane plan yet again. I think these days seem to get closer and closer lol. As normal for me this week has bought problems. I have so many health issues there is rarely a week that I do not have issues. However, i fight on and I am pleased to say I lost 2 pounds. I was fairly surprised as I am still getting little to no fitness at all.
I have really enjoyed the food as normal and its so easy and I have enjoyed that a lot as well.
I am lucky that I am at home but It would so easy to do if you were at work as everything is done for you.

So I am going into another week with hope as I normally do. I will as always do my very best but I do have a busy week coming up, with hospital tests oh what fun.
So wish me luck

www.janeplan.com

Cake Decorating

In the last few months I have taken up a new hobby. Now if you know me well you will also know I love to craft. I have many craft hobbies including paper craft and my love of patchwork. I have never really been into cooking as such but I did grow up with a mother who was a great baker.

It started slowly then I got the passion to create more and more. Then in September my daughter and myself started at a proper class. Its been a  challenge at times, and also a lot of paper work but I am enjoying myself. I think I am making progress and putting more into my cakes. I have only done a Christmas cake so far ummmm not my best but ok.

My latest is my doll cake which took hours to make. I think its ok and it looked even better once her hair was done. I have given this one to my daughter in law Karen to raffle for Charity. I hope it make some money.

Its really funny how quick you can get into these things lol. Not at all good for my diet !

I am going to post my cake decorating journey on Fridays so I can share my latest work with you all.

oooooo Cupcakes!!!

ooooooo cupcakes my title for today.

So its Sunday and I went off to Church today and it felt really nice to be out in the sunshine. It has been a little .

warmer today so I did not have to wrap up so well.

Just before the service started one of the congregation approached me and asked about cupcakes. I said that we should chat after.

Long and short of it is she was putting on a thank you event for her team of fund raisers at her Charity store, and wondered if I would make some cake. She insisted she would pay me, but being a nice person and the fact it was for a cancer charity I said no and I would pay. She was so happy and smiled and asked if I were sure. I make it clear that it was not a problem at all and I would feel great to help.

So my next questions was how many........... can you feel the punch line coming .........

She looked at me with such a sweet face and said   "200"!!!!!!!Come on what could I say apart from " Ohhhhh that's fine I will cope" smiling nicely . The most I have ever make is 50 so this should be interesting lol.

So they have to be ready on the 23rd so come back and find out how I got on lol. Wish me luck