Wednesday 4 December 2013

Woo Hoo for December

Hello Ladies

It's December, I love December. This has to be my most favourite month.
I love the lead up to Christmas.
Getting my cards and wrapping paper and any present decorations
that are needed.
Getting all my tree decorations and all my house decorations.
Inside lights and outside lights.
Getting them all together and seeing if they still work or are still
in one piece. I try every year to be careful with my wrapping and putting away
of the decorations, but there always seems to be one casualty.
There are also a couple of birthdays to celebrate.
It was my eldest daughter Jess's birthday at the weekend
and she lives just over an hour away, so it was really nice to go
visit and have dinner with her and her partner.
I even made her a birthday cake, which to be honest I was a bit disappointed in.


It's a recipe that Sue from Sweetpea Family posted about one time,
called Lime and Coconut cake. It comes from the Carnations condensed
milk website. Now I've made it before and it is beautiful, so moist, sticky
and yummy. But...... this time round I didn't take into consideration
that I have a lovely new oven. I have always had gas hob, gas oven,
but when we had our new kitchen put in, back in the summer, I went
for gas hob, electric oven fan assisted. And this lovely new oven cooks
a bit quicker than my old one. So my cake came out slightly darker than
I wanted. But my Helpful Hubby, assured me that once I'd drizzled it
and put some decorations on it, it would be fine.
And to be honest it tasted no different to the ones I made before.
Jess loved it and was cutting into it, 10 minutes after us turning up and
there wasn't much left when we left her, later that evening :)
One of the presents she got was some Yankee Candle goodies.
When we walked in, her house smelt beautiful. I do love the smell of scented
candles and Yankee Candle do have such a lovely range of bits.
I already have some of their oils and a couple of their jar candles, but Jess had these.



Now I have always thought that these were just little candles, similar to the tea lights.
But not so. Many of you probably already know this, but this is new to me and I was impressed.
They are called Tarts and you put them in the top of your oil burner, light a tea light
underneath and the wax Tart melts, giving off whatever beautiful smell you have
chosen. It's a brilliant idea, so much less messier than the water and oil
method. So I came home dug out my oil burners from the back if the cupboard
and on Monday went shopping and treated myself to some Tarts.

Now my house smells all Christmasy and tonight my Helpful Hubby will go up
In the loft and get all my decorations and lights down.
And tomorrow I can spend the day decorating the house.
:)
Take care everyone
Sally xxx

12 comments:

  1. Happy birthday to your gal! The cake looks so pretty, I bet she loved it! I love Yankee Candles, and my mother swears by those tarts, they make great gifts, too! Chrissie x

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    1. Thanks Chrissie. Funny isn't it how I always just thought the Tarts were a tea light. Can't get enough of them at the mo. And yes what great gifts they'd make.
      Sally xxx

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  2. I have been a Yankee Candle fan for a few years now, the smells linger and after a long day out and about, it is lovely to come home and the house still smellls of their deliciousness!

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    1. Yes I noticed that the other day after being out. I could still smell them around the house.
      Sally xxx

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  3. I bet your house smells wonderful, love the decorations on the cake. Happy Birthday to your daughter.
    Hugs,
    Meredith

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    1. Thank you Meredith. The cake decorations were bought and are made of rice paper, they reminded me of children's sweets.
      Hugs xxx

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  4. I am a yankee fan, but have never tried the tarts as I wasn't sure if they were any good. I will give them a go now on your recommendation! The cake looks wonderful, and if the eaters loved it that is all that matters! We had a new oven earlier in the year and it cooks slower than the old one, but that is a blessing as the old one could turn things to cinders in moments! It is hard getting to grips with a new oven isn't it, especially with sensitive things like cakes. I am sure that you will get there! xx

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    1. Thanks Amy, the cake actually tasted better than it looked. As for the Tarts, definitely give them a go, the smell seems to linger longer than the oils and is less messy.
      Sally xxx

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  5. I had forgotten about Tarts, I must go into town and get some Christmas ones to make the house smell festive. Thanks for the jolt of the memory. The cake looks lovely, I would be very pleased if my mum had made me a cake, glad it tasted yummy.

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    1. Yes get some, they are brilliant and smell so much better than the oils.
      Hope your yarn came in time for the weekend.
      Sally xxx

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  6. I love Christmas too and also Yankee candles, you have a good selection there. Your cake looks really pretty, I bet it taste good too. Deb x

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  7. Thanks Deb, it tasted better than it looked. I'll just have to be more on the ball for the next cake.
    Sally xxx

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