memories in porcelain

otchipotchi is in the january issue of casa cláudia, a well known decor magazine here in portugal, a wonderful way to reach the end of this year ... I'm all smiles! :))
enjoy your day lovely people! * .p
the wonderful tea was a gift that came all the way from france ... merci Valerie! *

♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡
a otchipotchi está na revista casa cláudia de janeiro (págs 36/37), uma bela forma de chegar ao final deste ano ... sou toda sorrisos! :))
tenham um bom dia lindos! * .p
o chá maravilhoso foi uma oferta vinda directamente de frança

simple things

this morning I woke up to simple moments that made me smile ... blooms from bulbs that I kept back in March on my working table.

december colours 4 · dry yellow

winter images from the past ...

yellow weed · images from a long time ago that I wish to record here · nostalgic december

the best christmas presents ...

your friendship! *
thank you so much for being in there :)
for details of the pieces in here see this image 
.............................................................
a melhor prenda de Natal ... a vossa amizade! *
obrigada por estarem ai :)
para pormenores do que está em cima da mesa ver esta foto

and the winners are ...

kookie won the ginkgo stone and anapinatelier won the jacaranda stone (on flickr)... congratulations to both of you!!! :))
and thank you so much for the wonderful response here and on flickr and to everyone who participated ... maybe you didn't win this time, who knows next time! enjoy the holiday season! :)

❀❀❀ ✽✽✽ ⌘⌘⌘ ※※※ ※※※ ⌘⌘⌘ ✽✽✽ ❀❀❀ ❀❀❀ ✽✽✽ ⌘⌘⌘ ※※※ ※※※ ⌘⌘⌘ ✽✽✽ ❀❀❀
kookie ganhou a ginkgo stone e a anapinatelier ganhou a jacaranda stone (no flickr)... parabéns a ambas!!! :))
e muito, muito obrigada pela respostas de todos os que participaram ... talvez não tenham ganho desta vez, quem sabe para a próxima vez! continuação de boas festas! :)

✩✩✩✩ hi Kookie!✩✩✩✩
could you please contact me (otchipotchi@gmail.com) with an address where I shall send your stone! I just realised that I haven't got your contact, thanks! :)

the packaging

I wish you all a peaceful Christmas full of love and happiness ... thank you for being in there great people!*
and ... help yourselves! ;)

❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄
desejos de um Feliz Natal com paz, amor a carinho ... muito obrigada a todos por estarem ai!*
e ... façam favor de se servir! ;)

for those with a savoury tooth

these are the gifts I made for those who prefer a savoury taste ... walnut pesto and sesame seeds crackers!

❍●•oΟ●•❍•o❍●•oΟ●•❍•o❍●•oΟ●•❍•o❍●•oΟ●•❍•o❍●•oΟ●•❍•o❍●•oΟ●•❍•o❍●oΟ●•❍o❍●•o
estas são as minhas ofertas de Natal para aqueles que preferem algo com sal ... pesto de nozes e bolachinhas de sementes de sésamo!

for those with a sweet tooth

these are part of my christmas presents ... tomorrow the packaging ... have a wonderful, relaxing evening! .p

in order:
☆ almond and cinnamon stars ... they look easier to make (cut and shape) than they are!
❍ ginger snaps ... easy and delicious!
❙ ❘  candied orange peel and dark chocolate
❂ nutmeg and orange rings ... my own based on an old recipe from my mum!

candied orange peel

these are delicious and perfect for giving if you can resist the temptation, that is! ;)
easy to make but a bit time consuming ... so here is the recipe!

candied orange peel half covered in dark chocolate
(yields between 90-100 sticks, depending on the size of the oranges ... I made 94)

4 large thick skinned oranges
3 cups of sugar
1 cup of water
200gr dark chocolate 70% (buy the best you can find)

* cut the oranges in half and juice them (use the juice for another recipe or to drink). cut each half in half again and take a spoon to scrape the pulp out, leaving a clean pith ... leave the white part!
* cut peel into 0.5cm (1/4 ") strips
* place in a large saucepan and cover with cold water
* boil it on high heat
* pour off the water ... repeat this procedure twice more and let it drain
* in the empty saucepan combine sugar and water and bring to boil over high heat until sugar is completely dissolved
* add peel and reduce heat to simmer
* simmer until peels are translucent (between 45 minutes to 1 hour)
* remove peels from syrup and set on a rack to dry completely ... overnight or even longer (these ones took 2 days to dry)
* when completely dry dip half of each strip into melted dark chocolate** shaking off excess, and place on foil or a baking sheet to dry
 ** to melt the chocolate ... break it into pieces and place in a heat proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water (be careful so the bowl doesn't touch the boiling water) until completely melted, stir and it is ready to use

| | \ | \ |||| | \\| | \ | \ |||| | \\| | \ | \ |||| | \\| | \ | \ |||| | \\| | \ | \ |||| | \\| | \ | \ |||| | \\| ||||
são uma delícia e perfeito para oferecer ... isto é, se se conseguir resistir à tentação! ;)
fácil de fazer mas leva um pouco de tempo. aqui está a receita ... divirtam-se! .p

casca de laranja cristalizada e meio coberta de chocolate negro
(dá cerca de 90-100 palitos dependendo do tamanho das laranjas ... eu fiz 94)

4 laranjas grandes de casca grossa
3 chávenas de chá de açúcar
1 chávena de água
200gr chocolate negro a 70% (comprar o melhor que conseguir encontrar)

* cortar as laranjas ao meio e espremer (aproveitar o sumo para outra receita ou para beber)
* cortar novamente a meio e retirar toda a polpa da laranja deixando a parte branca
* cortar as cascas em tiras de meio cm de espessura
* colocar num tacho e cobrir com água fria
* levar a ferver em lume esperto
* despejar a água, repetir mais duas vezes esta operação e deixar escorrer
* no tacho vazio juntar o açúcar com a chávena de água e levar ao lume até dissolver o açúcar totalmente 
* juntar as cascas escorridas
* deixar cozer em lume brando até as cascas estarem translúcidas (cerca de 45 minutos a 1 hora)
* retirar as cascas da calda do açúcar e deixar secar em cima de uma grelha até estarem completamente secas ... durante a noite ou mesmo mais tempo (estas levaram 2 dias a secar)
* quando estiverem completamente secas mergulhar uma a uma até meio no chocolate derretido**, sacudir o excesso e colocar sobre papel de alumínio ou num tabuleiro para secar
** para derreter o chocolate ... partir aos bocados e colocar numa tigela que está em banho-maria e deixar derreter lenta e completamente, misturar um pouco e usar

holiday season giveaway

to celebrate the season and to thank everyone for the most extraordinary response to otchipotchi these last few months I'm giving away two of my herbarium stones ... this ginkgo stone to be drawn from those who comment this post until midnight this coming thursday the 23rd (GMT or Lisbon time) AND a jacaranda stone to be drawn from all comments left in this flickr image until the same date ... obviously you can try your luck at both!

have a wonderful holiday season and GOOD LUCK! :)
(the results will be announced here and on flickr on monday the 27th)

☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
para dar as boas festas e agradecer a todos a maravilhosa resposta à otchipotchi nestes últimos meses vou oferecer esta ginkgo stone a sortear por entre todos os que deixarem um comentário neste post até à meia noite desta quinta-feira dia 23 ... E uma jacaranda stone a sortear por entre aqueles que deixarem um comentário nesta image do flickr até à mesma data ... obviamente que podem tentar a sorte às duas peças!

boas festas e BOA SORTE! :)
(os resultados serão anunciados aqui e no blog na segunda-feira dia 27)

this morning walk

simple moments from my morning walk in the park today ... looking for colour amidst a grey day ... some leaves still remain ... I found an abandoned nest with some possessions still inside ... lucas cannot resist searching for a good mole ... poor guy! he has no chance at all :)

stay tuned! ... I'm coming back to my usual posting and this week lots of sweet moments and a surprise ;)
.......................................................................................................................................
mantenham-se atentos! ...  estou de volta à minha rotina e esta semana vários momentos doces e uma surpresa ;)