Quicker than the squirrels!



With a walnut tree in the garden, October is always a busy month. Busy because we have to be quick. Very quick. Quicker than the squirrels! They love the walnuts as much as we do. But they have an advantage: they just climb up the trunk of the tree and get the walnuts from the branches. We, humans, have to wait, wait until the walnuts fall off the tree. Just hoping that the squirrels have left some for us!

 

This year, the harvest is good: boxes full of walnuts. A whole lot more than last year. Or were we just quicker and more observant?

 

Well, all these walnuts need to be used.

 

To start with cake, a walnut-cinnamon cake.

Here's what you need:

 

And this is what comes out of the oven after about 45 minuten on 175°C

 

 

As a little bit of batter was left, I used it for mini-bundt-cakes

 

Tastes delicious with some whipped cream too!

 

 Oh and I added a 'personal touch': some cider spices :)

Will definitely bake and/or cook more using the walnuts.

To be continued...

 

Wishing you all a nice weekend!

Ours is filled with a family reunion & a nice dinner to celebrate the birthday of a friend!

Happy Birthday Eline!

You know that 50 is the new 40, don't you??

 

 More bakes with walnuts? Click here for banana-nut-cake!

 

Latest creations

Had some inspiration lately (and even time for actually making it) so I'll show you some of my latest creations:

My very first apron

An ugly and boring mirror in the guests' bathroom got some flower colour!

Even the 2 bedside lights in the guest room got a make-over!

Promised!

My cupboard after the shopping trip down town...

The pillow case I made

(awful picture, but somehow my camera didn't want to foucs anymore)

Finally put the letters on the wall in my son's room

(next to his bath room that sometimes looks like an ocean...)

From dartboard to art...

Work in progress...

Some time ago we got a dartboard... but of course... I don't like to hang it on the wall outside like a dartboard as it is, as it's too ugly for that (I apologize to all the darters, but hey, this is my garden!).

Besides from that, it could get wet with the tropical showers...
So we decided to make a nice little case for it. The whole family, we're just 3 :), worked on it.

Case ready! But too white in this exotic environment...

We turned the dartboard into a small piece of Brazilian art with a little Dutch (orange!) touch... (another Baiana in the house!).

Painting the doors

Let the dart tournament begin (in style of course)!!

Enjoy your weekend!

Love, C.

Painted... ceramics this time!

A baiana on a small plate

During my ceramics painting classes I have made some cute little things lately. I love to do this, but my cupboards are nearly falling apart from all the new items I made in the last months (I could easily start a shop...). So for the time being, these are my last painting projects:

Easter Egg with butterflies

Filled with goodies... (but for how long??)

Painted black... ehhh...silk!

A while ago (somewhere in January) I blogged about my silk painting class. Back then, I promised you some pictures of the things I had made... well, finally, I made some pictures, so have a look:

I wish you all a very nice and sunny weekend!
Beijos,
C.

Last night's creativity

Home alone (dear son already in bed, husband out to play tennis) and pouring rain...

This is the result:

'homemade cards'

An inspiring break

One of the decorations on the wall

What a great time we had in Trancoso, Bahia. The weather was perfect, nice beach, good food (yes, today I started with my daily morning walks again, sooooo necessary!), tennis, golf, spa, etc.

It was an inspiring environment, many handcrafted items for sale, the hotel room was charmingly decorated and I did a 'painting on silk' course. I liked it, couldn't stop anymore and 'produced' 4 silk scarfs... (that can also be used as a painting on the wall).

The bathroom decoration

Painted white...

Finally the shelves in our office have been painted white (they´ve been waiting for that at least 2 years!!). It looks so fresh now. Sorry the picture is rather dark...

I combined it with orange and white striped curtains (as a good Dutchman abroad!).

The office is not done yet, but at least we are able to work in it!

Unfortunately, the big bookcase is made of wood and glass and is absolutely not my favorite. But, it has to stay this colour, I´m not allowed to paint it (according to the owner of the house).

So if anybody has some suggestions on how to make this bookcase look fresh, please let me know!!

I was so in the mood of painting that I continued on with another big shelve that I will use upstairs as a ´creative´ table! It´s nearly done, has to dry a while.

Also got some help from Senna as you can see...

A rainy day in São Paulo

Today is boring: rain and cold...

How grey São Paulo is then. What a difference a little bit of sunshine can make, ehh!

So no after school activities today as Thom´s tennis is outside. We had to think of something else to do (today no wii or playstation!!).
Thom and I went around the house, found some paint, some old, white t-shirts and thus Thom made a shirt for himself as an animal saver (his dream job). But he was so sweet to make one for his friend Alex too.

In the meanwhile, I did some cookie baking (speculaas), cosy in the kitchen!!