House of Dawg

It is official, I live in a mad house!  If our neighbours didn't think we were mental already, then they certainly do now.  Those of you familiar to my blog, or indeed if you are a friend of mine, you will know that I have 5 doggies..............well now I have 6.

I know I know, a little excessive to own 6 dogs, but the latest needed a new home.  Technically he is a "foster" dog at the moment, but we suspect he will be a permanent addition to our brood.  His name is Arthur and let me introduce you to him.

Our Arthur is quite squiggly so very difficult to photograph, but oh how beautiful he is!  He is a wired haired standard sized Dachshund and I love him already.  Here is a picture of him running towards me as I try and photograph him.  It's quite comical :D

..............................................................................then

EXTREME CLOSE UP!!!!!!!!!!   His most endearing quality is his awesome hairdoo:

Trying to get a picture of the back of his hair is quite difficult!  It is so awesome because it has a very different texture to the rest of his coat.  His coat is wirey whilst the bit on top of his head is all fluffy and soft so it is excellent at styling!  I think I may need to invest in some moustache wax so I can style his beard and hair.

Arthur has the sweeeeeetest nature, although he is a little naughty.  He has a wicked streak that only endears us more to him because he is such a cheeky chappie about it.  On his first night with us, he climbed up onto my Dad's lap and had no personal space awareness when it came to the other doggies (who were a little miffed to say the least that this dog was staying! teehee).  This is his naughty look.

How can you be mad with a doggie who has a face like that!  Even if he is in the middle of destroying one of the other dogs toys teehee.  The next picture is of him on my Dad's lap, invading the space of my old dog, Benny.

Poor Ben, he was there first.  Arthur on the other hand was very pleased with himself. 

Arthur has now fitted in with the old lot of doggies and I can't imagine life without him.  He is so sweet and constantly makes us laugh because he is so naughty/cheeky.  We are hoping he will stay with us forever :)

Do any of my followers have as many doggies or pets as me?

Lots of Love
Betty xxx

Nikki Strange Designs

I don't often feature other small businesses in my blog - not sure why, but it is something I should really do more often!  Well today I want to tell you all about an old school friend of mine who also runs her own business, and like me is trying to earn an honest crust in this boring old recession.

Nikki and I went to senior school together (high school to the Americans amongst us).  We often talked about running our own business in the boredom that was our GCSE textiles class.  Well *cough* ten years (man that makes me feel old)*cough* later and here we both are, running our own businesses!

Rosi

Nikki went to Uni in Portsmouth and studied Fashion and Textiles Enterprise.  Since Graduating she has won lots of textiley print competitions, her printed items have been sold in places like ASOS and Topshop and she has had a stream of freelance work to keep her nice and busy.  Her distinctive style has been a hit with the fashion pack, her signature being brightly coloured abstract type prints.

Flowerfields

Recently she has had some rather lovely I Phone cases printed to a very high standard.  At £14.99 a case, they would make an excellent stocking filler for any arty, trendy, creative type friends you may have.  (I keep telling her she needs to up her prices considerably but she won't listen to me).  A bargain considering they are limited edition, better quality than much more expensive household labels and a unique print.

Hawaii

If only I had an I Phone!!  My favourite has to be the rather kitsch "Hawaii" print!  Just imagine a Carmen Miranda type outfit, bamboo handled handbag and you pulling out your I Phone with the gorgeous tropical type print on it ;).  Well perhaps if you don't have an I Phone then you may like her Christmas Cards!!!

Aren't they amazing!  I'm a firm believer of buying from small independant companies this Christmas, it helps other young people and gives your loved ones a unique present.  It will also make you feel all fuzzy and nice inside because you are supporting someone trying to earn a decent living, instead of lining tax avoiding corporate types pockets!!  So go and buy something from either her website, etsy shop or Society 6.  Then pat yourself on the back for being a good person and go to my website and buy something for yourself as a treat ;) here.

Anhoo apart from being an amazing print designer, Nikki is also my 'Charity Shop Good Luck Charm'.  The last time I went charity shop shopping with her, I picked up these amazing bargains.  I've been back to the same charity shop since, without Nikki, and not found anything as exciting.  So when we met up last week for a good old chin wag, naturally we popped in to see if there were any bargains.

The faux fur coat you see is the amazing find, the damage to my purse?  A mere £10!  It was a bit of an impulse buy as I had just bought myself a rather lovely buttermilk, 50's wollen swing coat for this winter (and many more to come!).  But how could I not buy it when it was only a tenner and fits like a glove?!

 

The above piccy is my new winter coat.  Slightly more expensive than £10 but I love it all the same.  Anyway, Nikki is now coming with me EVERY time I go to a charity shop so I can find more bargainous pretty vintage things :).

Until next blog post, make sure you take a look at Nikki's prints, even if they are not your style (not being particularly vintagy) I'm sure you know someone who will love her stuff.



Lots of Love
Betty xxx

Xmas Post Dates

If you're like me then the mention of Christmas will fill your heart with joy.  If not, then I apologise but I have to mention Xmas this early.  It is indeed that time of year again where I have to remind you all about Christmas postage, because I wouldn't want you to miss out on a Betty Blue's Loungerie item on Christmas morning!

If you wish to purchase a Crystallized Black Nell Robe to give to your beau on Xmas day, you must order it ON OR BEFORE 1ST DECEMBER 2012.  These robes are hand crystalled by myself and they take me an absolute age to do as I want them to be extra special and perfect.  If you order after 1st December, there is NO guarantee that I will be able to deliver before Christmas.  Unless you want to pay me extra which of course then I will consider ;).

The Marilyn Rain Bonnet is also a custom made item, therefore the same rules apply.  Unless you want to pay me extra, you must order ON OR BEFORE 1ST DECEMBER 2012 to receive this cute little take on a rain bonnet in time for Christmas.

All other items qualify for the dates below:

UK Customers:  Thursday 20th December 2012
EU + International Customers:  Thursday 13th December 2012

I hope this makes it really clear for everyone so you avoid disappointment on Christmas Day.  Make sure to let your partners know if they are buying a BBL item for you ;).  As usual select your gorgeous Betty Blue's Loungerie item at www.bettybluesloungerie.com you won't regret it!

Lots of Love
Betty xxx

P.S. You know that little letter I pop in with your order of any of the versions of The Nell Robe?  The one warning you about ironing/pressing the lace panels?  Well this is why:

BIG sad face!!!  I burnt a huuuuuge hole in someones Crystallized Black Nell Robe :(.  I had to unpick the section effected, cut out some panels with my fingers crossed that I had enough material left over from production to match the lace pattern, then re-sew the back panels and re-crystal the effected panels...................so this is why I say DO NOT IRON THE LACE.  It hurts when you do!

Pumpkin Yummyness

Well I am making a concerted effort to blog more after I was quite quiet through October due to exciting busyness.  So a little post for you with seasonal suggestions!

Last night was Halloween, and for the first year in many, I hadn't really prepared all that well.  I usually love cooking and baking Halloween goodies, but because of my busy month.......well I just couldn't be bothered.  I only managed these cupcakes:

The spider cupcake holders my sister bought from Avon and we made our cupcakes look spidery to sit in them.  Then the ones below were swirly doggie doo dahs with orange glitter on top ;-) just because.  Usually I make tombstone cookies and bat and ghost ones too but we couldn't be bothered.  I did however dress my doggies up!  Last year I bought a little witches costume and a devil costume from Poundland for my sausages.  This was last years effort

Frank is on the right wearing the devil's costume and Tessie is wearing the witches costume on the right.  Incredibly difficult to get them both posing perfectly.  So this year I swapped the costumes over!

Witchie Poo Frank

Frank was a reluctant model, I think he was feeling slightly self conscious at being dressed as a girl.  But he is a bit of a big girls blouse so I thought it suited him!

My little Tessie Pops was a better poser.  I think she has the look over the shoulder and 'smize' look down to an art.  I suppose you might also call it a not very impressed to be dressed up look haha.  The devil outfit suits her because although he is tiny and cute, she is a bit of a Princess (doesn't like going out in the rain).

Anyway that was my Halloween, not very exciting really but there we go.  I did however have a delicious dinner that I thought I would share with you.

I made for dinner a cheesy fondue and served it in a baked hollowed out pumpkin!  Pumpkins are in season right now, so if you like eating them AND like cheesy fondue, then they are the perfect combination.  Now I have to say that something went wrong along the way.  The cheese wasn't very runny so sort of went hard.  My parents suggested it may be because traditionally fondue is served over a flame to keep it runny.  But the pumpkin was really hot as it was baked so it should have held enough heat to keep the cheese melted.  I think I went wrong somewhere with the recipe.  You see the inspiration for this was from a picture I saw in the Sainsbury's magazine.  I saw it, thought I can do that at home, I don't need to buy the magazine to get the recipe - how wrong can you go?  It's fondue served in a pumpkin, easy!  Well I was wrong.  I shouldn't have been cheap and should have in fact bought the magazine.  But despite the cheese not being as runny as it should, it was still yummy!  So here is the recipe I followed if you want to try it for a yummy warming meal on Bonfire Night.

You will need:
1 Pumpkin, top cut off and seeds and pulp scooped out
1 Clove of Garlic
1 tsp Lemon Juice
290ml(1/2 pint) Dry White Wine
225g(8oz) Emmental Cheese Grated
225g(8oz) Gruyere Cheese Grated
1tsp Cornflour
1tbsp Kirsch

Method:
Cut the garlic in half and rub around the cheese saucepan.  Then rub all around the inside of the pumpkin and leave the cloves in the pumpkin.  Bake the pumpkin in an oven for roughly 1 1/2 hours at a medium heat (adjust according to whether it looks under or over cooked).  In the saucepan heat the lemon juice and white wine.  Once boiling turn down the heat and add the cheese little by little by little until all melted.  In a cup mix the Kirsch with the cornflour.  Add it to the cheesy mixture and stir until the mixture is smooth. (I think this is where I went wrong as the recipe said not to let it get too hot or it will burn.  Mine didn't burn but maybe over heating it made it go all solid?).  Take the pumpkin out of the oven and pour cheesy mixture into the centre.  Serve straight away with bread, crudites and fondue forks!

You may like to buy the Sainsbury's foody magazine to get the actual method and recipe so you don't go wrong like I did.  But it was yummy none the less and towards the end of the cheese you can use a spoon to scoop out the pumpkin flesh and it is all cheesy and pumpkiny and scrumptious.  Will deff warm you up after standing outside for the fireworks on Bonfire Night so why not give it a go.

Oh and don't forget pumpkin is not just for Halloween, it can be eaten allllll through the Autumn/Fall season.  If you are on twitter be sure to follow @PumpkinOil - a fantastic company that are always imparting useful and yummy ways to use pumpkin.  If you're not on twitter their website is: http://www.pumpkinoil.co.uk/ and they are also on facebook so you won't miss out on the wondrous pumpkin fun.

Lots of Love
Betty