Sunrise, Sunset, by Caprilicious

Hello everyone, and how are you today? It's been the mildest November, ever, and I'm just hoping that the rest of the year remains as wonderful. 
Thank you everyone who picked up pieces of jewellery during the birthday sale - they have all gone out and should be with you in the next couple of days.

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I spent some time making earrings last week -  as well as the beginnings of another necklace which I will have to hold on to for another time as it isn't quite finished yet. I'm on the Earrings Show again in December and feel the need to put together a few new pieces for the ladies who browse the show.  

We went for a little drive last week and fetched up in a quaint little courtyard outside an outfitters for bikers called The Idle Torque - there was a little cafe, and an organic butcher, a vegetable shop, a blacksmith and a schoolhouse. We sat in the courtyard on a crisp autumn morning and had a cup of tea from the cafe, when a little cat joined us - he was so friendly, I was quite envious. We've ended up with a very standoffish cat at home who only comes to us when he wants to and when his tummy tells him that it's running on empty. What we would have loved was a friendly lap cat that draped itself over us like a mink stole, but alas! it was not to be.
There were some fierce looking hombres standing around in leathers, ponytails, piercings, hobnailed boots, and strange hairstyles and beards - they looked a bit intimidating to say the least, and I thought we ought to leave, but when Mike said hello they ambled over with gap toothed grins and waggly beards, and were friendly enough. 

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I followed my first beading pattern this week - the first time I've ever followed any sort of pattern. I fell in love with a picture on Pinterest and it led me to DragonflyDesigns UK on Etsy. The colours in the earrings were so attractive I bought the pattern - after all how hard could it be? Well, I started the earrings and cut them up a few times, and then the whole lot skulked in a corner waiting for me, until I decided not to be such a coward and allow a beading pattern to win. The earrings are called Tequila Sunrise and are actually quite complicated to make for a beginner, but with perseverance, they turned out to be very pretty.

Tequila Sunrise

The Real Tequila Sunrise!

Ingredients

• 2 tsp grenadine
• ice
• 50ml tequila
• 1 tbsp triple sec
• 1 large orange, or 2 small ones, juiced
• ½ lemon, juiced
• 1 cocktail cherry

Method

• STEP 1 Pour the grenadine into the base of a tall glass and set aside. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and add the tequila, triple sec and fruit juices. Shake until the outside of the shaker feels cold.
• STEP 2 Add a few ice cubes to the serving glass then carefully double strain the cocktail into it, trying not to disturb the grenadine layer too much. Add more ice if needed to fill the glass then garnish with a cherry on a stick or cocktail umbrella.

A Tequila Sunset has the same ingredients as the original Tequila Sunrise, but with a splash of soda water mixed with grenadine to give the drink a red hue at the top instead of the bottom. Here's the Caprilicious version for you.

Tequila Sunset

I also made a pair of South Western style earrings using turquoise and a lavish fringe with Czech dagger beads - they are light and ever so pretty, and the movement - OMG! I am blown away! They are lined with leather and they are worthy of any cowgirl princess. 

37 days to go to Christmas - have you ordered your turkey yet? What about your presents? Don't forget that Caprilicious is happy to wrap your gifts and send them out to your friends - all you have to do is mention it on PayPal and it will be sorted out for you.

That's me for now, folks. Have a wonderful week and I'll catch you next Friday, same time, same place.
Until then
xx