Creative Every Day (CED) Challenge

The CED challenge suggested theme this month is 'body' so here is a much overworked part of the body and one that doesn't get a great deal of blog time, except of course if you knit beautiful socks and like to show them!  As is happens these feet are sporting a delightful new pair of Cath K socks which I received as a Christmas present from daughters 3 and 4 together with some gorgeous new spotty wellies (waiting for their turn to be photographed on another occasion!).

And although this doesn't look as appetising as it was, broccoli and stilton soup was the order of the day yesterday to warm our bodies after an extremely cold day.  Recipe from here.  It was absolutely delicious I have to say.

Thank you cards made using distress inks, a mini brayer and some swirl stamps from here with one or two flowers and flower brads added for interest.

The Creative Every Day Challenge

Happy New Year!
As you can see Tea and Toast has had a makeover for 2010 and I hope you like it.  There are a number of new things I want to take up this year and one of them has been to sign up for the Creative Every Day challenge 
What I like about this is the following, taken straight from the website and gives inspiration, motivation and a little nudge to at least notice what we are creating as we go about our everyday tasks and roles.
If you'd like to join in, it's not too late as you can join at any time - there is real flexibility which I love.
I'll let you know how I get on and will post some of the creative things that happen around here as a result.

Here's to a creative 2010!!
And here is what Leah Piken Kolidas says:

"Creativity is meant in the broadest sense, so it doesn't have to be something art related. Your creative acts could be in cooking, taking pictures, knitting, doodling, writing, dancing, decorating, singing, playing with your kids, brainstorming ideas, gardening, or making art in the form of collage, paint, or clay...or whatever!

You do not have to post every day! I know for myself that having to post every day for a year would be too much. You can post about your creativity in whatever form you like, whether that be once a day, a few times a week, once a week, or once a month. Do what works for you!

This is a low pressure challenge, with the idea of bringing more creativity into our lives. I will not be the creativity police. I hope that we can all find ways, simple and grand to express our creative selves. Have fun with it!" from www.creativeeveryday.com

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Ginger Spice Cookies featured above which are delicious.  I've made three batches over Christmas!  The recipe and lots of other fantastic ones can be found here at Our Best Bites

Thoughtful Friday No. 74

"And now let us welcome the New Year

Full of things that have never been."

Rainer Maria Rilke

Thoughtful Friday No. 73

"Unto us a child is born; unto us a son is given.......; and his name

shall be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace"

Isaiah 9 v 6-7 (the Bible)

Thoughtful Friday No. 72

"The widest thing in the universe is not space; it is

the potential capacity of the human heart"

A W Tozer

It's been a long time.....

I haven't posted in a while as life has just got busy and the real world a little more demanding!  However there has been much making in the tea and toast household - fabric journals, cakes and cookies and the like so here is a little glimpse.  I don't know about you but sometimes I get so involved that I completely forget to take a photograph and before you know it the gift has been wrapped (beautifully of course!) and given away!!  Here are some of the ones that didn't get away!

Date delights - recipe to come

Cranberry Christmas cookies, courtesy of here

CRANBERRY CHRISTMAS COOKIES

Preheat oven to 375°F.
Stir together until combined:

½ c. granulated sugar
¾ c. sweetened dried cranberries
½ c. white or semi-sweet chocolate chips
¾ c. packed brown sugar
1½ c. flour
½ t. baking powder
½ t. baking soda
¼ t. salt
1 c. quick or old-fashioned oats
½ c. chopped pecans (or walnuts... macadamias... whatever)

In a separate bowl, mix together:

¾ c. (1½ sticks) butter, softened
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla

Add contents of cranberry bowl to the butter bowl. Stir until well mixed. Drop well-rounded spoonfuls onto parchment lined (or non-stick) baking sheet. Lightly flatten dough with the back of a spoon. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until edges are golden brown.

(I toast the pecans or walnuts… whatever I have on hand… before mixing them into the batter. Do as you wish. If you plan, as I did, to give this as a gift mix, layer the first list of ingredients (in order listed) into a pretty jar or bowl and include instructions for adding the butter, eggs, and vanilla and baking. Recipe inspiration courtesy of Pampered Chef.)

I'll be back again soon!

Thoughtful Friday No. 71

"Don't let yesterday use up too much of today"

Will Rogers

Thoughtful Friday No. 70

"It is only in the darkness that we get to see the stars"

Macrina Wiederkehr

(image courtesy of webweaver via google)

Thoughtful Friday No. 69

"You cannot have a sweet and whilesome abode unless you admit the air and sunshine freely into your rooms; so a strong body and a bright, happy, or serene countenance can only result from the free admittance into the mind of thoughts of joy and goodwill and serenity."

James Allen

Thoughtful Friday No. 68

"Reverie is not a mind vacuum.  It is rather the gift of an hour

which knows the plenitude of the soul."

Gaston Bachelard

Thoughtful Friday No. 67

"And in the sweetness of friendship,

Let there be laughter,

amd the sharing of pleasures

for in the dew of little things

the heart finds its morning and is refreshed."

Kahlil Gibran