Merry Christmas

 Sammie protecting the Christmas presents

 Cute twig bangles from Etsy

Tuna Salad Canapés (recipe below)

Blue Cheese and Pear Canapés (recipe below)

Eggnogg and Chocolate Gateau (recipe here)

A little bit of Christmas cheer.
Tuna Salad Canapés
These are perfect for parties.

Salad:

2 cans of tuna in brine
1 medium stalk of celery finely cubed
1 red pepper finely cubed
1 shallot finely cubed
3 tablespoons of olives chopped up
half a tin of kidney beans chopped up
1 small chilli (as hot as you like or not)
1 tomato finely cubed
1 tablespoon of parsley finely chopped

1 courgette sliced in 1/4" slices fried in a little olive oil, dried and cooled on some kitchen paper
1 packet of cheese crackers

vinaigrette:
2 tablespoons of good mayonnaise
1 pinch or oregano
1 pinch of nigella seed (also called onion seeds or black sesame)
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 tablespoon of lime or lemon juice freshly squeezed
1 small clove of garlic, finely chopped
pepper/salt to taste

Some tomate slices for garnish (or olives, capers or whatever you feel like).

Mix the ingredients for the vinaigrette, then add all the salad ingredients. Mix well. This works best if it is left to stand for a while.

Place a slice of courgette on a cracker, then add a nice dollop of salad on top and garnish with tomato or olive or parsley or anything else you have to had and arrange them nicely on a plate. The courgette will prevent the juices from the salad seeping through to the cracker for a while, but not too long, so it's a good idea to prepare it last minute.

Blue Cheese and Pear Canapés
50g of Shropshire Blue
50g of Stilton
150g of cream cheese
2 tablespoons of cream
2 tablespoons of sherry

1 pack of German Rye Bread

2 hard pears
juice of half a lemon

Mix all the ingredients for the cheese dip together (you can add more sherry/cream to make it more like a dip if you want and serve it in a bowl with crackers as an alternative) until the mix is smooth.

Peel, core and slice the pears into small pieces and leave them in some water mixed with lemon juice to prevent them from getting brown. Dry on some paper towel when ready to garnish the canapés.

Cut the bread into 1 1/2" squares and place a dollop of the blue cheese mix on each. Garnish with the pears and some pepper.

Have a great holiday. :-) 

Jewellery Party Special - Summer In Nice

A while back, when I made Spring in Paris, Alison asked me when I am going to make a 'Summer in Nice' necklace. Well, here it is. :-)

Summer In Nice

Blues, from watery turquoise to deep teal blue:

I have used the most wonderful recycled glass beads, mostly from the African Fabric Shop, which have the most beautiful texture and colours. They almost look like sea glass. There's some info about them here.

I've combined the lovely beads with some ribbed gunmetal beads and matte black findings.

The pretty organza and taffeta flower sits on a vintage filigree that has been painted and 'be-glittered' by me and then covered in special varnish.

Here are some close-ups of the beautiful beads. The beads graduate in colour and size along the necklace.

Next to the flower is a little dangle with a dragonfly, again painted and 'be-glittered', a little altered lock and a row of teal glass pearls. Each of the little 'dangles' hangs from a different chain.

The main chain is the most beautiful deep blue (enameled) with a lovely texture and weight.

The necklace can be worn round your neck long, or you can wrap it round twice. It has a clasp which makes adjusting it much easier.

The necklace will be for sale tomorrow at the jewellery party. If it doesn't sell.... I might just keep it. :-)