It sure does :)

xo Miss Freckles

Painting or drawing art isn't exactly my strong point unless it is categorised under very very abstract art. If you have played Pictionary with me you'll know what I mean. So how could I decorate my bare white walls to give it life, excite my creative senses and fill it with a lovely homely feel without needing to buy expensive wall art or spend days making something? Here are 5 quick and easy ideas.

This is so simple to make and a nice little addition to a number of Vietnamese dishes you can quickly whip out of the fridge when desired.

Nuoc mam is essential in a number of Vietnamese dishes, including Banh Xeo - Crispy Vietnamese Pancakes, spring rolls, rice paper roll wraps etc.  Although the dipping sauce is made up of a key list of ingredients, the amount used varies depending on personal taste and it's the delicate balance of sweet, sour, salty that makes it a hit.  I like mine quite flavoursome and more on the sour salty side with a decent hit of garlic and chilli. There's no kissing me afterwards!

In learning to cook Vietnamese cuisine, I would ask mum how much of an ingredient to use and the answer would often be a bit of this or that, then taste it and add this or that to adjust it. None of this, 1cup of that with 2 tablespoons of this. So over the years, I've learnt to make up the sauce as I go too. Only today did I measure it out so I could write up the recipe for it! So if you prefer to follow a recipe to start off with, here it is ...

Buddy has such sweet expressive eyes that reveal a cheeky loving personality.  They tell me when he wants a cuddle, to play ball ... AGAIN, it's food time and what naughty thing he just got busted doing! Mostly, they tell me everyday how much he LOVES me simply because I love him :)

I can't get enough of vertical gardens right now! There is a spot in my yard where I'm stashing my collection of pallets/wood to upcycle. Wouldn't it be great to make it more discreet from the outside by blurring it's obviousness away? For sure!

I mentioned in my first Wooden Pallet Vertical Garden post that there are some great vertical pallet garden tutorials out there already. Here is just my version with a step by step guide of how you can build a simple one too without needing to leave it laying on the ground to establish for a few weeks first (just because I can't wait). I do this by using shallow rooted plants and fully lining the inside of the pallet.

Oh Razz, Monday isn't that bad. It's what makes Friday and the weekend AWESOME!

xo Miss Freckles

I love the idea of repurposing wooden pallets into vertical gardens. I've seen a few out there in upcycling land that look really good with great tutorials, such as the one on Life on the Balcony by Fern Richardson and Design Sponge by Kate Pruitt. Did I want one? Definitely!

The idea for this Pomegranate Jelly Jam came from a bunch of over ripe bananas staring at me woefully for not having eaten them whlist at their prime. They were extra special since they were from my aunt's Thai Egg Banana (Kluai Khai) tree. The picture I've linked you to from My Destination (since I didn't take any before they looked woeful) will give you a better idea of how small and more plump they are than your usual ones. They pack a much sweeter and intense banana punch too! I didn't want to turn them into banana muffins or bread again so off my little mind went to conconct something a bit different ... banana jam?

Banana jam sounded a bit odd, but could work since freshly sliced banana on buttered bread is quite yum. My Google search came up with a couple of banana jam recipes with good reviews, so there was potential but I wanted my jam to have a more vibrant colour and texture to it. What else did I have in my fridge? Oooh pomegranate!! Google came up with some very nice looking pomegranate jam recipes but none with banana. Odd coupling? Yes!  But I think it actually works if you're open minded to new flavours. Here is my recipe if you'd like to give it a go and let me know what you think.

Makes about 3 small jam jars
Prep time  approx. 20 mins
Cooking time approx. 30 mins