Yummy Christmas shopping breakfast

Hi Ladies

At the weekend I was flicking through all the channels looking for something to watch on a rainy Saturday afternoon & I found the Domestic Goddess herself, Nigella. Her TV cooking shows have always been our fave (we love her). Last year we went to Waterstones in Bluewater to her book signing & even took her one of our bags (the 'Nigella', see right). Yep, we really do love her!!

It got us thinking about our fave recipes & one of mine has to be her pancakes ~ perfect winter breakfast & supersonic, almost magical, hangover cure! Nigella's recipe has bacon but we miss the bacon & just smother in maple syrup instead. So, with the weather so so horrid out there, please make these, follow with a massive cup of tea & I promise you'll be happy & ready for all that Christmas shopping!

American Pancakes with wafer~bacon & maple syrup

(from 'Nigella Bites')

30g (2 tablespoons) unsalted butter

225g plain flour

2 heaped teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon sugar

pinch of salt

300ml full~fat milk

2 eggs

10 rashers streaky bacon or approx 100g wafer~thin~cut pancetta

1~2 teaspoons vegetable oil for frying bacon

butter for frying

best quality maple syrup

Nigella says:

"Melt the butter & set aside to cool slightly while you get on with the rest of the batter & the bacon.

In a wide~necked jug, measure out the flour & add the baking powder, sugar & salt. Stir to combine.

In another jug, measure out the milk, beat in the eggs & then the slightly cooled butter, & pour this jug of liquid ingredients into the jug of dry ingredients, whisking as you do so. Or just out everything in a blender & blitz.

In the vegetable oil, fry the bacon (cut into half crosswise) or the pancetta strips until crisp, remove to kitchen towels & cover with more kitchen towels (not because I'm a fat~phobic ~ as if! ~ but because this will help them keep their requisite crispness). Now, heat either a griddle or non~stick pan, smear with a small bit of butter & then start frying. I just pour small amounts straight from the jug (but you can use an American quarter~cup measure if you prefer) so that you have wiggly circumferenced discs of about 4cm in diameter. When you see bubbles erupting on the surface, turn the pancakes over & cook for a couple of minutes, if that, on the other side.

Or just use a blini pan &, as above, turn when the bubbles break through to the uncooked surface. There is a Russian saying to the effect that the first pancake is always botched, so be prepared to sacrifice the initial offering to unceremonious stove~side gobbling.

Pile the pancakes onto plates, wigwam with pieces of crispy bacon or pancetta & dribble or pour over, depending on greed & capacity, that clear, brown, woodily fragrant syrup.

Makes about 15 pancakes if cooked in a blini pan; or if not, about 25 pancakes the size of jam~jar lids."

Now, if that doesn't make your mouth water, there's something very wrong!!! Nigella's right about the first one never working & I've found the easiest way for mixing (after extensive trials)is to just dump it all in the blender.

Happy Christmas shopping with full tums!

More soon

Victoria xx

New Seasonal Lines

Hi Ladies

Today we're excited about our new lines for Christmas. We have new clutch bags ~ 'Beth', 'Jane' & 'Paulina', very chic eye masks for glamorous sleeping & very cute headbands decorated with sequins & beads. The headbands are the perfect way to glam up any outfit ~ who says we can't look fabulous at the supermarket??

Like all our lines they can be made in any colour to compliment or contrast your party outfit. We have so many beautiful colours of beads & sequins available to us, the choice is endless. Also, don't forget the flower brooches can be made into headbands or corsages :)

The new eyemasks are an idea I had while travelling home from California. We had a night flight & there were a few ladies with eyemasks that made me a bit sad :( I know that they are very often plain (especially when they are free) but wouldn't it be so much nicer to have one made with beautiful soft lining & some gorgeous decoration on the front. And, yes, I know that we are asleep when we wear them but isn't it the same principal as wearing a beautiful bra? You don't see it all day but you know it's there & it makes you feel fabulous! (The handbands & eyemasks will be available on the website in the next few days.)

The most exciting news about our new clutches is the customising options. We LOVE for all our bags to have options. All 3 clutches are available now on our website www.seasonalsisters.com/bags . They come in a range of fabulous fabrics as standard or the alternative is to send us 40cm of the fabric you love & we'll make it up for you. This way you can match an outfit, have it made to go with a theme, matching clutches for hen nights, the list is endless & gorgeous! Now for the most exciting option, how cute would it be to send us a photo or some of your child's artwork & have that made into a 'Beth'? There are photos on the website of other picture bags we have made in the past ~ they make fabulous presents for everyone! Have a look at how glamorous the 'Beth' looks, as modelled by my great friend Paulina (the real lady, not the beaded bag :).

So, we're watching fireworks out the window because it's so very rainy & windy. Well done to all the families that braved the weather to go to Jolesfield & watch them for real!

Have a great weekend & don't forget when you're Christmas shopping that at Seasonal Sisters everything can be made in any colour combination ~ go on treat yourself! (& we'll deliver in time for Christmas)

I'm off for a Friday night cocktail with my husband!

Victoria xx

P.S. Paulina, you look fabulous :)

Seasonal Reunion

Hi Ladies

This Tuesday I saw my fabulous Sis for the first time in a month (that's SO long for us) after travelling home from California & the best holiday EVER!

The whole week has been busy & weird! Busy, trying to get back to work & catch up on what's been going on & weird because of the jet lag! Today (3 days later) is the first day I've felt like myself again after the journey. I've tried everything to beat jet lag & I think I've come up with the answers (for me anyway, hopefully it'll work for you too). I think the most important thing is to drink lots of water ~ before, during & after the flight. I know it's so annoying to have to keep going to the loo on a plane but it's so worth it to feel better at the end of the flight & the days after. The next thing I've found is to NOT go to bed when you arrive home even if it's breakfast time & you're so tired. I know, it's torture, but if you can fill up the day (preferably without driving or operating machinery!!!!) & go to bed at your normal time, you'll more than likely sleep through the night & feel SO much better in the morning. I proved this one for me this time ~ we landed at 7am & I thought surely a couple of hours sleep can't hurt??? So wrong! I was wide awake at 4am & then feeling like I'd been hit by a train for the next 3 days.

The next thing is lavender oil on your pillow or on a pillow nearby so you can smell it. There are loads of different lavender oils, all sorts of prices, but I've found the less expensive ones are just as good (mine's from Wilkinsons). It's a lovely soothing fragrance & sends you off to sleep, fabulous!

I've also found a gorgeous cream for keeping skin hydrated on a plane. Obviously there's Eight Hour Cream by Elizabeth Arden (you'll always find a tube of that in mine & Ally's handbags) but my latest love is Frankincense Hydrating Cream by Neal's Yard Remedies (it's on the website today, £10.50 for 25g http://www.nealsyardremedies.com/ ). It's really thick & gorgeous & makes you feel great.

So, jet lag over, it's time to get ready for ~ yes, I'm going to say it ~ Christmas! Ally's already bursting with excitement & I'm trying to catch up! (It's always a shock to leave the beautiful sunshine of California & come home to Christmas adverts on the TV)

We have new ideas for 'all the ladies in your life' for gifts, parties & to treat yourself. Watch this space..........

I want to end with a MASSIVE THANK YOU to Paulina, my fabulous friend, who threw me a handbag party with her lovely friends in California. We had a great night with champagne, beautiful cupcakes & cookies & we spread the word about our range of handbags. The picture (above) is of the cake she bought me, how cool is that cake?? I miss you Paulina & can't wait for your visit next month.

So, Happy Halloween everyone! The theme of the weekend should be to eat lots of candy & watch spooky movies ~ have fun!

Off to work on Christmas, have a great weekend.

Victoria xx

Halloween treats!

Hi Ladies

Today we are thinking about Halloween! Normally I would think it was way too early in the month but this year we thought it would be fabulous to include 'grown-ups' in the Halloween fun. A couple of years ago I was 'visited by the Halloween Ghost'. A lovely lady called Val in California gave me a little bag with candy inside & the ghost attached to the front. There's a website to visit & the idea is to pass the ghost on to your friends then post your name on the website so everyone can see how far the ghost has travelled. I LOVE this idea but I was thinking we could customise it for 'grown-ups'. What if we used the same idea of 'a visit by the Halloween Ghost' but inside the bag would be your friend's favourite treats? It could be anything from Champagne Truffles to her favourite pick n mix flavours or even homemade cookies or flapjacks? We're not suggesting it cost lots of money (maybe champagne truffles is the deluxe version) but how happy would it make your girlfriend if she knew she had her own little bag of heaven all to herself?

So, back to the early planning part! The website for the original ghost is www.followtheghost.com & it has the list of all the people the ghost has visited so far. It also has the template for ghost with the 'pass it on' details. If we all do it early enough, maybe it'll catch on & we'll all get our own little bag of yum!

We'd love to know what you think & any fabulous ideas you come up with.

Have a great day!

Victoria xx

Travel time!

Hi Ladies
Travel is so on our minds today. Ally left yesterday for her Disney extravaganza & then we cross over (practically in mid air) & I go to California to see my fabulous friend Paulina very soon!
So, with all this talk of travel, we've had so much to do, packing, shopping, getting our bodies ready for the trips & then there's the fashion.......how many flip flops does a girl actually need in her suitcase????
The exercise thing actually worked this year which is very exciting for us both so now to the fake tan! Everybody's body looks better a bit browner than usual so we've been trying a few out. Of course some are better than others & some are just terrible! We Seasonals don't believe in talking about the negative so we just won't mention the ones that were no good.
First comes the scrub (yes, we know we're supposed to & none of us can really be bothered, but it does make the colour look more natural & last longer so why not give it try this time??) & we have discovered a supersonic scrub with oil to make you just feel fabulous & silky smooth. So, drum roll please...... it's from Boots! Botanics Moisturising Sugar Scrub with Grapeseed Oil. I've checked online today & it's says it'll cost you £5.49 (plus 20 points for your card) which is an absolute bargain because I've had this pot since my birthday in March & I'm not even used half of it. It's not too scratchy (which is great for super sensitive skin like mine) & when you wash it off you're left with silky silky smooth skin. Who doesn't want that??
On to the tan...I have two favourites for this job. I'll go with the cheaper option first, it's called 'fake over' by elegant touch & we found it in the Pound Shop! It says on the front of the can (it's a spray on) 'cool crackle' & they are not lying! When you spray it on it's freezing cold & does actually crackle! But it rubs in really easily, left me with no streaks & I still look pretty brown 4 days later. I don't think there's a fake tan out there that doesn't smell as it develops but this one smells perfectly OK.
So now to the expensive one...'Xen-Tan' £25.95. I know it sounds like alot of money for a tan but the tube seems to last for ever. We've been sharing a tube now for a few months. It has it's own website but we got ours from Beauty Within in Cuckfield (have a look on our website for the link ~ www.seasonalsisters.com ).
I know that 'pale & interesting' is fashionable at the moment but I just can't bring myself to go with it.
Now....fashion! Today is the start of Paris Fashion Week & I will be glued to http://www.vogue.com/ for all the shows. You can see every look from every show...........heaven! One to watch, Christian Dior on Friday, you just know it'll be fabulous.
And, speaking of fashion, my fabulous husband bought me some new shooooooooos for my holiday & they've just arrived. I.....am....in....love! (top picture) Thank you H, mwaaaah.
OK, back to work, have a great day
Victoria xx
P.S. missing my Supersis :( but have very happy feet :)

www.seasonalsisters.com