Happy Halloween

Here is a bat cross stitch i made this weekend i am going to make it into a magnet. I stitched the design on to plastic canvas as it is more versatile than using Aida cloth for decorations as it more stronger and holds its shape. It's the first time ive used plastic canvas and i found it fun to use.

I also enjoyed a nostalgic chocolate covered apple i took a picture of it with an added halloween touch :)

Beef And Vegetable Casserole

I started cooking at 11am to make sure i had everything ready it took a little longer browning the meat and i also caramelised the red onions which i would usually do when making a casserole on the hob i added a touch of brown sugar and some Worcester sauce to add more flavour and aid the caramelising process. As i had used flour with the beef i was able to make a nice thick gravy to go with it using beef stock and red wine. I poured in some red wine and let simmer for a minute and stirred in a small squirt of tomato paste, a sprinkle of Cinnamon 2 teaspoons of minced garlic and some balsamic glaze vinegar which goes with beef casserole so well! I mixed that up with the beef stock and added some basil and rosemary when i put it all in the slow cooker i gave it a stir and i added 2 bay leaves in.
I also used bacon as it needed to be used up and i also added an extra carrot but they were the only differences i made to the recipe in my slow cooker instructions book.

Here is the original recipe taken from my slow cooker instructions

450g stewing beef
30ml  cooking oil
550ml (1 pint) beef stock
25g flour
1 large onion , sliced
2 carrots, thinly sliced
salt and pepper to taste

cut the meat in cubes and toss into seasoned flour. Heat the oil in the pan and brown the meat. Transfer to the slow cooker. Fry the onions lightly in the pan. Stir in the remaining flour , gradually add the stock and carrots. bring to the boil, transfer to the slow cooker and cook.

high setting will take  4-6 hours and low setting will take 7-10

I set mine to high for 6 hours as i didn't want to cook it on low for 7-10 hours as i need feeding during my evening shift :)

After 6 hours the casserole was amazing, the beef fell apart and I'm glad i didn't pre cook the carrots before i put it in the slow cooker as they were very tender, i think i wont add the red wine reduction  next time as it did come out a bit rich but it was still very tasty

I served the casserole with potato wedges that i got from Asda for the bargain price of 10p! plenty left over for tomorrow too :)

Slow cooking, Photography and Shopping

I have made a start on my 101 to 1001 challenge. I have purchased a slow cooker the one i went for in the end was a Russell Hobbs one which is 3.5 litres. It was on offer in Argos reduced from £44.99 to £22.49 and i will be posting my results with it later i think I'm going to try it out tomorrow. The book that came with it seems informative and has got lots of recipes for me to experiment with.The first recipe I'm going to try is beef and vegetable casserole which according to the recipe will take 4-6 hours on high or 7-10 hours on low. So I'm going to nip into Asda and get the ingredients I'm also going to be doing some photography tonight. I also purchased some plastic canvas from hobby craft but you will have to wait and see what I'll be using it for ;)

Day Zero Challenge - Update

My day zero challenge list is compiled with 101 tasks waiting for me to accomplish you can find my list in the 101 to 1001 page - wish me luck!!

Day Zero Challenge

I am starting a day zero challenge, basically its like a bucket list but you are given 1001 days to complete everything in it, which suits me as i can work through my list at my own pace. Some things on my list are to do with photography cookery and being creative other things are personal i plan to blog about each one i have completed typically the list has 101 goals to acheieve mine currently has 34 but as soon as ive finished adding to the list il be able to make a start on it :)

Seriously...What is this?

Last night i got a comment from someone which just said  "seriously.. what is this shit?" i was quite amused to receive the comment after just publishing my first post yesterday and that the person actually took the effort to say something despite it not being constructive or overly helpful but i was thinking i would honour it with a response. To make it perfectly clear this is a journal of my achievements and projects I'm working on which involve cookery and needlepoint and other crafts. I don't claim to be fantastic at either but it is something i enjoy and i would like to improve my skills over time. I understand cookery and crafts isn't every ones cup of tea but there you go.

Who Is Melly?

Hi I'm Melissa

Welcome to my Melly Made It blog!

As this is my first post i think i should introduce myself. I'm 28 years old i live in an apartment in Berkshire England with my boyfriend Ben and my two chinchillas Mr Jingles and Oscar. I work from home as a Chat Host for Jackpotjoy.com

I am interested in cooking and crafts and photography and i often find myself stumbling upon images of cross stitch, recipes and many other things that catch my eye on the Internet which often lead me to reading peoples blogs, which have all inspired me to start one too!

I enjoy giving things a go and trying things i haven't done before when it comes to crafts and cookery!


This Blog will help me focus on things Ive wanted to do and try but never got round to doing them yet.I love trying new recipes and learning new skills.


 I have recently gotten into cross stitching. I am very much a beginner to be honest and i am in awe at other peoples work and designs, i get a buzz of inspiration when i look at them and i immediately want to create something as wonderful myself.

 Last year i brought some cross stitching books but i have found myself become easily overwhelmed by the large intricate designs. But then i have to remember not to get intimidated as I'm only just starting out. I think this blog will be a nice record of how my skills improve over time (hopefully!) I plan to update my blog with things i have made and share with like minded people. 

I welcome comments and ideas from you so please feel free to share :)