Pirates Bounty

I am doing a Pirate themed scavenger hunt in work for Library Ireland week.  This morning I went and bought a load of chocolate coins.  This is what the children will win when they get to the end of the hunt!

Marks & Spencer's are currently offering 3 for 2 on Christmas chocolate including chocolate coins.

Trick or Treat!

Its Halloween!

We won't be home this evening so I left out a bowl of chocolate bars for any children who call.

There are only about 10 children on our street and I don't know if any will call - some are quite young.

Traditionally when you call looking for sweets at neighbors doors in Ireland you would chant "Help the Halloween Party". However over time (and probably seeing it in movies) children have gradually started saying the American "Trick or Treat".  I grew up saying "Help the Halloween Party" - I miss the kids saying it! 

What did you say as a child when you called to houses at Halloween?

Wreath making - on the cheap

Normally I buy polystyrene rings for the base of my wreaths.  However, the more wreaths I made the costs were beginning to add up.

I decided to consider more cost effective options for the base of the wreath.

I had read on blogs about people using pool noodles from the dollar store for their wreaths.  

You can't really find pool noodles here in Ireland so I considered the alternatives.

I went to Woodies DIY and bought insulation tubing for pipes.  It was only 1.49 euro for a strip!! I cut it in half and taped it in a circle.

A wreath base for 75 cents in comparison to 3.50 euro.

Every year there is a sale of crafts in my workplace for charity so I am currently working on wreaths for this.

Do you have any alternatives to polystyrene rungs?

House - Leeson Street

To start the Bank Holiday we went for a cocktail on Friday evening in the newly opened "House" on Leeson Street. 

Upon entering we were greeted in a friendly manner and assisted with being seated.  Many tables were reserved so we sat at the bar in the main area.  We then decided to move further in to the venue and sat at the bar in the marquee/greenhouse area out back.

We ordered cocktails that were not in menu. I had a Grey Goose Caipirosca and Ciaran had an Old Fashioned. The cocktail menu was not that appealing to me - too many of the cocktails were Gin based - but you can't beat the setting.

We hope to return for dinner sometime!

My cocktail was made with sugar syrup (barman's cheat, in my opinion) and ice cubes that were not crushed.  It was a passable version of a Caipirosca.  

Wreath making factory

I've quite the production line going of wreaths.

These are all for my mother.  She wants to give them to her friends.

Currently she is visiting my younger sister who lives in Oman.  My sister works as cabin crew for an airline.

On my mothers return from Oman in a week I will give her the wreaths.

The kitchen table is covered in Christmas baubles and Ciaran has nicknamed me "Elf"!

Sunday Independent Spread

Wow a lot of people read the Sunday Independent!!!

Our house was featured in a 2 page spread in the Life Magazine supplement in the Sunday Independent paper (Sindo).  All day yesterday we were receiving calls and texts from friends saying they saw us in the paper.

It was for a lifestyle feature called "My favourite room" edited by Mary O'Sullivan  with pictures by photographer Tony Gavin.

Christmas Bauble Wreath

So I upped the wreath making ante by buying a hot glue gun.

OMG!  This thing is incredible!  Hot glue guns are not that popular in Ireland (maybe because we don't have Martha Stewart!) but I have seen lots of mention of them on US blogs.  

I picked up my Hot Glue Gun in Evans Art Supplies just off Capel Street. 

It's so easy to use.  

Here's my most recent wreaths made with my Hot Glue Gun

I'll put a bow on this one to complete

This one is a big old hot mess - or a Hot Glue Gun mess!!