Stir up Sunday

Here is a link to the Wiki definition of Stir up Sunday and even though I am the only Christmas pudding and cake eater in the house it hasn't stopped me today.  There was a really quick and easy pud recipe by Jamie Oliver in yesterday's Mail Weekend magazine and as I had all of the ingredients in the store cupboard there was no excuse!

I used the ramekins that supermarket desserts come in to make individual ones and one large one .... the smaller ones are steamed in the oven for an hour and I have to admit to scoffing one already .... it was delicious and not too sickly and rich like shop bought puds and yes you aren't seeing things there is Guinness in the recipe.

I've been out this morning stocking up on animal feed for our menagerie which now includes two goldfish and another bantam ... she is a Bantam Quail and is currently acquainting herself with the other chooks.

Hopefully I have enough supplies to last into the new year which is frighteningly only 7 weeks away .... how did that happen!

We took a team of OH's canaries to a show in High Wycombe yesterday and with time to kill we hopped onto the M40 and headed north to Bicester Village .... I have neither the dosh, inclination or patience for shopping centres and much prefer my usual second hand shopping haunts but there is a Cath Kidston outlet here and I wanted to see what fabrics they had.   My goodness you would never believe that we are in the grips of a recession after seeing how full the car park was at 9.00 am and the masses of people chucking their credit cards about.  I am strictly a cash only type of girl now and very careful about how I spend it .... the CK fabric here is £12 a metre which I can put up with but I would never pay full price or the stupid money that some people seem to do on a well known online auction site.

I had to rub my eyes when I saw the price tag on this lovely sewing box .... only £10 reduced from £40 ..... now that's what I call a bargain.

The purse was a special treat to myself as I have had another very good sales month at Country Matters and I was in need of a new one.

The whole place is twinkly with all the Christmas stock on sale and there is something new every week.  Based in an old village hall in Hexton it is open on Thursday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday and has a gorgeous tea room with home cooked food and a lovely fire to warm your cockles whilst sipping tea and eating cake.

Now where was I????? Going off on a tangent again .... after CK I couldn't stomach any more of Bicester so we headed off to Brackley Antique Cellar which was only about 15 mins away.  We haven't been here for years and it was nice to see how it had changed and expanded.

Debbie over at Vintage Wants Not Needs and Annie of Vintage at the Corner House have units here and I really did missing seeing them and all the other lovely sellers/bloggers/visitors at the 2nd Market Harborough Vintage & Handmade Fair yesterday.  Can you spot a certain baby picture?  I already have this one otherwise it would have been coming home with me.  My one purchase here was some gorgeous glass chandalier droplets .... I have been collecting these for years and they make perfect vintage decorations for the Christmas tree and at only £1 each for the tear drop shape and £2 for the multi-drops they are terrific value.

Found this strange object growing in the garden this week too

Looks like Molly wouldn't let her share the kennel and not wanting to get her bum cold this was the next best thing!