Union Jack Apple Pie

My sister is visiting this weekend and since her favourite dessert is my mom's homemade apple pie we had to make it. Usually my mom makes it but this week she's had some problems with her knees and I told her I'll help. But then you can't just make it as plain and boring as usual (it's always pretty though anyway) I did it my way. (Like Sinatra.)

And this was the final result.

Well this one actually, it's better, and healthier, when baked. ;)

DIY Matching Hand- and Makeup Bag for my Sister's Birthday

My favourite sister had her 30th birthday today! Wow, she's getting old. ;) Well honestly it is a bit scary as she's almost the youngest in our family and then I'll be thirty soon, huge problems, I tell you. :D

So she had an idea a while ago for this bag she saw on one girl that is really big but you can flip it over if you don't need that much space. And this 'cover' or whatever you call it is really awesome because then you can do two different styles, one on each side and then wear it however you feel like on a specific day. Well sides do have to match, but still, it's almost like you would have to different bags. Amazing, right?

Just one minus: you can't really do an inside pocket on this bag because you flip it over and then that pocket would either flip with the 'cover' or it would be way to deep in the bag to really be of any use.
But that is not a problem if your sister then decides to do another matching toiletry/makeup/whatever-is-small bag. So this was actually a gift, the big bag was planned for a month or two already and just somehow we ended up sewing it in time for her birthday. Perfect. :)

Hope you like it. :)
And a very happy birthday, Marta. <3

PS: Because I haven't mentioned my fabric store in a while don't think I forgot about it. Last week I was there 4 times. Yes, 4 times. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Wednesday. Overdoing it? Never! :)

Merry (belated) Christmas

In translation: Merry Christmas

But the holidays didn't go without preparations. This past Sunday I went to bed at 6am only to finish the decorations for the tree, almost 2 kilos of cookies, a handbag - gift for my sister, decorated our place a bit and sewed the late St. Nicholas' gift for my sister's family.

But.. I love being a great elf. :)

Hope your holidays are as wonderful and eventful as they can be.
Merry Christmas everyone! God bless you.

Happy December is ON! :)

Started on time this year! And the fact that start of the advent colides with the date is absolutely perfect as well. :)
So even though the lights of Ljubljana are not yet lit (Tuesday, Dec 3 if you want to go check it out) I am in the mood for decorations and outfits and nails and songs, oh especially songs. And especially my favourite Most Wonderful Time of the Year by Andy Williams.
Here's now what I came up with already and I'll put on more detailed collages soon, as usual.

Our 'December' Table Cloth in the making

New 'Happy December' Bag

Advent Garland from toilet paper roll

Biscuits, of course, like last year

New skirt and shawl, fabric from Svet metraže, thanks to Eva for the pic

As you know, I LOVE December. And spread this love even if just by giving a smile to someone, because this month is especially good for doing so, and it might, no, it WILL make someone's day. :)

Hope you like the pics and enjoy December. :)

Finally DIY Owls Handbags and Polka Dots on My Nails

You might've seen this on my Facebook page @Purcell's Purse or on my profile.
But now finally putting them on my blog as well since they seem to be the most popular bags of all times. I have to admit owls are super cute plus super trendy now so I understand the fuzz around it.
I managed to make 4 of them already which means 4 satisfied customers. You can see the pictures of two of them below. And be sure to mind the inner fabric, because they might not look different on the outside but the touch with the inner colour is priceless in my humble opinion. ;)
Hope you like them.

Follow up: Already sewed another bag, this one for my sister who had special ideas again so here you have an added yellow line, because otherwise this bag really lacks colours. ;)

Oh, also took the time to redo my nails.

PS: Can't wait for happy December to start so I can finally bake some of my favourite cookies.

Quiche in a Cup Recipe

I know it has been too long since I wrote the last entry. It's just that I have been quite busy plus my sewing machine broke and I just got it back a few days back. And well the thing is that because I didn't sew anything I just didn't have any other idea what to write about. Sorry.

Then yesterday I accidentally came across a site with all these different foods you can quickly prepare in a cup in a microwave. And so because I was just hungry for some dinner I found a simple recipe for quiche and quickly made it my own with a few differences.

If you want to try it it's super easy, takes only like 3-4 minutes and you have a nice, hot dinner, or breakfast if you will.

You will need:

- an egg

- a tablespoon of milk

- half of a cup of soft bread

- a teaspoon of sour cream

- cheese

- salt

- smoked ham (or any other for that matter)

- your favourite seasonings that you feel can work with this ingredients

First you smash the egg into the cup and add the milk. You beat these two with a fork and add some salt and the seasonings. Tear the bread into small pieces and stir it into the cup. Mix everything together nicely and be sure that the bread absorbs so much liquid that you don't have a puddle of egg and milk in the bottom of the cup still. (PS: Just try it two or three times and you'll see how much bread you must add, don't add too much or everything might be too dry in the end.) After stiring in the bread add sour milk, some grated cheese (preferably one that really melts good) and in the end cut in some smoked ham. You can sparkle some spices on top as well just like I did on the picture below.

Now all you have to do is put the cup into the microwave for about 2 minutes on high.

Enjoy. :)

Hope you tried it yourself. Please leave your thoughts in the comment below. Would love to hear of your adjustments. :)

Happy Easter

Or Benedictus Pascha. It's what my lovely friend Eva would prefer. ;)

Hope you had an amazing time with your family and/or friends, took some time for yourselves, rest (probably not from what I know but still)

and most of all experienced and felt once more the love of God that is above all.

But as you all know we still do need earthly food to keep our bodies going and because it's Easter and because we had a big party yesterday at our place I figured I should make something.
And thanks to my friend Joy I knew just what to do. On Monday, on the most amazing pre-Easter party with Vsak študent (Every Student) organisation she made these little chocolate nests and I thank her again for the idea.

It's so easy to make. And no baking.
All you need is dark chocolate for cooking, pretzel sticks and chocolate eggs.
To melt the chocolate you might want to add some butter and/or milk.
And don't worry about the pretzel being salty and chocolate sweet. It couldn't work better together. ;)

 Now the first thing you have to do is crumble the pretzel sticks so they fit in the muffin paper cups and put them in the most random way you can so you form a sort of a nest.

Then melt the chocolate carefully so it doesn't boil and become all gummy. pour it over the sticks and make sure it connects everything so it will stick together later.

On top of it put a chocolate egg so the nest is more obvious.

Now you're pretty much done but do keep them somewhere cold before you serve them so the chocolate hardens and holds everything together.
Before you serve them try to take them out of the paper cup and place it on a tray. Et voilà. You're all set for a perfect Easter themed snack.
Bon appétit! :)

DIY bags, tie necklaces and a cake

Dear all, Ana is back. :)
And in order to make her something for the welcome gift I took a trip to Svet metraže
(where I might even start working if all goes well and there won't be enough people who are actually studying something fabric-connected).

But if we go back to our main story I went there and spent another hour and a half picking out the right fabric to make my friend a bag and an additional fabric for the flower... because it seemed right.
When I stepped in the store I realised I might find a fabric that would have something German on and it did take quite some time because the lady there didn't really think they have anything so I just kept looking. And while doing that I got a fabric with polka dots on the table, another one with flowers, found the third one in another corner that is sort of 18th century like with these little engravings on. Plus another fabric with books that I just have to have and am still thinking what I could make out of it that wouldn't be a bag.

After finding the fabric with Branderburg gate on it I still had to talk to a few consultants of mine, just to be sure this will be the right choice.

With a green flower on to match the beetle and to put more colour to it.
And I guess it was. It really worked out well.
Then of course I had to make a cake, every celebration has to have one. So I went and bought pineapple pieces, blueberries, raspberries and some cream. And at home it all transformed into a heart-shaped cake with a German flag on it (blueberries tend to look black so it worked).

And just because I love Ana and I like these tie necklaces I made that for her as well and on it put another tiny flower to match the bag.

Hope you like them all. :)

Below you can see another bag, this one I made for Rahela, similar to the one I made about 3 weeks ago but is shaped slightly different.

British cake

I'm leaving for London in two days which is so exciting that I couldn't help but make something British connected again.

So yesterday was the day when I made an Union Jack cake for the very first time. It took me rather long as I had never done anything with this kind of dough before so that was new, plus of course I had to pretty much place every single berry by itself so I could make the flag as accurate as possible.

Between layers I put sweet cream with raspberries and on top we have redcurrants and blueberries that would be a better colour if they'd be fresh but it's December so that was the only thing I had. For the lines I just used some more sweet cream, almost run out of it but it ended up being OK nevertheless.

Hope you like it, hope you'll make it too one day and don't forget to post pictures. :)

December baking with slovene recipes

Yesterday our place was like a saint Nicholas' workshop. My mom and I made over 500 gingerbread biscuits. December really started and I'm counting down the days for all the perfect moments this month will bring.

25dag masla

6 jajc

25dag sladkorja

25dag medu

klinčki, cimet, limonina lupinica

1kg moke

2 pecilna praška

Rumenjake in polovico sladkorja penasto umešamo, dodamo med, začimbe, moko s pecilnim praškom in trd sneg iz beljakov v katerega smo utepli drugo polovico sladkorja. Vse skupaj dobro zmešamo. Na pomokani deski testo razvaljamo na 2-3mm in oblikujemo z modelčki. Pečemo na 180°C približno 7 minut. Lahko jih tudi premažemo z belim ledom.

700g mehke moke

300g ostre moke

300g sladkorja

500g masla

2 zavitka pecilnega praška

2 zavitka vanilijeva sladkorja

4 jajca

limonina lupinica

Vse sestavine zgnetemo v testo, piškote oblikujemo z mesoreznico z nastavkom za piškote. Pečemo jih pri 200°C približno 8 minut. Po želji jih okrasimo s čokolado.

Feel free to come and try them. :)

All Hallows' Eve

Or as it is more known: Halloween.

Many Slovenians don't like it but personally I have nothing against it.

Once more I made our lovely cupcakes, around 50 this time, for scouts' meeting, family and random friends.

Hope you like them and already feel sorry for not tasting them. ;)