Tomorrow is December!

OMG I know I say this all the time but where is the year going?

I can't beleive that it is just over 12 months since I sold Embellish It to Tania, it seems in some ways like it was yesterday and in others it feels like a distant dream.  I often get asked if I miss it, and sometimes I think I do but most of the time I am happy to be where I am today.  I have a lovey job with great people to work with and get to spend more time with the family - although they will tell you that I don't.

I have spent the last 12 weeks competing in a 12 week challenge over at our local gym.  It was fantastic and the kick up the backside that I needed!  I am happy to tell you that it is all over (just in time for Christmas) and I won second place in the competition and got a three month gym membership, which I will start in Janurary.  I was the biggest looser of our group loosing 9kg in the 12 weeks which I was really happy about.
My fitness improved also which was amazing as I was pretty fit going into this, running 10kms Saturday and Sunday, playing basketball, and touch rugby - ok so maybe my family might be right but I am sure they get to see more of me!

I also started a new hobby - cake decorating and have joined our local guild.  This is my very first attempt at decorating a fruit cake, this is the one that I did a class to learn to cover and I looked at lots of tutorials on u tube and made these little characters for the cake.  This one is Mum's Christmas cake.

 

I learnt a lot from doing this, number one - don't be so impatient!  There are cracks in the bow because I wanted to finish it right then and there, when I should have waited overnight.  But I will wait next time, promise lol well maybe!

This one I have finished tonight and made for my boss - he is hard done by and only gets to cut his christmas cake on Christmas day, so I made one he can cut tomorrow on the 1st of December, lucky my mum is so good at making them, this is just a little 6 inch cake.  But this time i was game enough to use my hand writing to write on the cake!

And a wee close up, cause see the snowflake just like scrapbooking they have eidable glitter - gosh I LOVE this stuff!  Glitter is my new best friend lol.
I have also been doing a little card making but it is not finished so that will have to come in the next post - maybe if I can pull myself away from this cake decorating. 
Tomorrow night the guild met and we get to make something else, maybe Santa or a christmas fairy - wonder what it will be?
What are your traditions about when you can eat your christmas cake?
Have a great week and thanks so much for stopping bye!

Chocolate Dipped Peppermint Cookies

Today I have been playing again, I found this recipe for Chocolate Dipped Peppermint Cookies and MAN they are yummy!  I am sorry but I cant remember where I got this one from but the original came from allrecipes.
I have adapted it a little from there and will put the recipe up here for you because these are a yummy Christmas treat!
Here is a look at what they look like:

But they taste so much more than they look!
Ingredients
1 cup Butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract (add one extra teaspoon if using essence)
1 teaspoon peppermint essence
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup crushed peppermint candy canes (now at the warehouse)

Method

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars.  Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla and peppermint essence.
Add the sifted dry ingredients and beat again.
Now chill the dough after wrapping it in glad wrap for about an hour, then using two sheets of baking paper roll the cookie dough out in between the sheets and take off the top sheet and cut the dough with a cookie cutter of your choice of shape and cook on about 170 for about 15 min or until the cookies are brown around the edges.  When they are cool dip half the cookie in melted chocolate (white, brown or dark) and sprinkle a little more of the crushed peppermint canes over the cookie.

And you are done!  Easy and delicious :-)

Thanks for stopping bye!