My mum in acrylics

My mum... well half of my mum! Hopefully the other half will get done today. I'm fairly pleased with it but I think I might move the lips up a bit. My dad said that it was very good and that she looks as if she's just told him off. Not the facial expression I was looking for!

It feels good to be painting again. I found it really hard to get back in the saddle after Christmas especially with the house move coming up. We're moving next week and I feel as though I'm stuck in limbo. I can't wait to get settled in the new place.

My sister's Mince Pie Recipe for Matthew

10 oz Plain Flour
5 oz Butter/Margarine (Hard)
3 oz Lard (Hard)
Tablespoon Lemon Juice
Level Dessert Spoon Caster Sugar
Pinch of Salt
1 Large Egg Separated - Use Yolk and a little white (White remaining for brushing over pastry)
8 oz Mincemeat ***
Icing Sugar (Dusting)
Greased pie/cake tins

1. Use all the ingredients (except the mince meat and most of the egg white) to make the pastry.
2. Chill it in the fridge for at least 30 mins before rolling.
3. Cut out rounds using crinkle cutters (you'll have to judge the 2 different sizes for the top and bottom) and put into your greased tins.
4. Put a heaped teaspoon of mince meat in each pie and cover with your smaller pastry circles.
5. Put 2 little holes in the top of each pie to let the steam escape.
6. Glaze with the remaining egg white.
7. Cook for 10-15 minutes at 200 degrees C (not sure what that is in Fahrenheit).

*** Edit *** This is the fruit sort of mincemeat which contains dried fruit and spices

Happy new year!!

Just a quick post to say happy new year to everyone and to apologise for the recent lack of blogging. I hope you all had a happy and peaceful Christmas too.

P and I made Christmas dinner for both sets of parents which went surprising well (it was the first time either of us had ever attempted it) although I think I may have mildly poisoned P's parents with some chocolates I made. Maybe I will stick to painting them in the future.

The best ever recipe for mince pies is from my sister, the secret ingredient being lard (yuck, it really stank!) but the pastry comes out soooo short and delicious.

Our purple chilli lights got rave reviews. You can see some of the salt dough snowmen decorations that I made last year.