Half-term Images

A dewy cobweb....

A new bakery....

No fairies, unfortunately.....

A favourite bookshop, comes with a woodburner and homemade cakes...

Storecupboard Challenge Update

We survived. No-one starved; in fact, no-one even noticed. We ate pretty well on the whole. For breakfasts there were bagels from the freezer, muesli or porridge (or indeed my new favourite, muesli porridge). Lunches were mostly leftovers, although there was a bit of ham that got used up in sandwiches. Snacks came from the fruit bowl. And for dinner in the evening we ate rice and dahl topped with crispy, spicy onions; shin of beef stew and vegetables; spaghetti and a tomato, anchovy and chilli sauce and a vegetable risotto. Rather carbohydrate-heavy, perhaps and certainly not enough meat for the Lovely Husband, a committed carnivore, but generally speaking, quite good grub.There were a couple of cheats though. One afternoon we met Jen and the kids for tea and cakes after school, so there was just toast with slices of cheese and apple for supper that night. And Friday night, after swimming, always means fish and chips. On the whole though I think it was a pretty successful venture. There is something incredibly satisfying about using up things from the cupboard, fridge and freezer. And the fact that I spent a fraction of what I normally do on grocery shopping is equally satisfying. A fiscally responsible woman would have transferred the money saved into an ISA or other high-interest account. An organised woman would spend it on Christmas gifts. I am neither so the money saved will stay in my account until I fritter it on books and macaroons.

Storecupboard Challenge

The Waitrose delivery that arrives each week came in considerably fewer bags this time. I have been closely following the Storecupboard Challenge over at The Quince Tree (one of my all time favourite blogs) and was inspired to try and follow suit . In a nutshell, the idea is to try and minimise food waste by using up all those packets, jars and tins which lurk at the back of the cupboard and in the bottom of the freezer while new stuff is bought and shoved on top of it  (or, at least, that's what happens in our house). I know it's going to be more of a challenge for me than for Sue. I have considerably less time, skills and knowledge than her, not to mention a pretty paltry storecupboard to begin with. Still, I'm up for the challenge. There's fresh stuff I've had to buy - milk, butter, fruit and vegetables. There's been a trip to our wonderful local bakery for a loaf of bread. But other than that I'll be surviving on whatever I can forage from the kitchen cupboards. I know - I'm practically Ray Mears....

Ladies Day

The Beautiful Girl and I had a Ladies Day out on Saturday. We took the train to the really very lovely town of Great Malvern where we took part in a knitting workshop, here at the knitting parlour. How nice to spend the morning with an expert who can guide you in a sweetly supportive way, helping you with whichever aspects of knitting you might find difficult (for Beautiful Girl it was casting on, for me, ribbing and following a pattern). After our morning we went for lunch, stopping at a deli for salads, then wandered the pretty town, browsing in second hand bookshops and choosing presents for Daddy at the old-fashioned sweet shop. We eventually made our way back to the stunning Edwardian station, which housed a lovely tea room - and had just enough time for tea, cake and buttered crumpets before our train left to bring us back to Brum.
It was the nicest way to spend a Saturday. My girl is growing up so much and it fills me with joy to share such times with her. Maybe in a year or two, we'll be proficient enough with our needles to attend a Rowan workshop in Yorkshire... I best start saving...

Iced Ginger Cake....

....from Jane Brocket's lovely Vintage Cakes. Just the thing to come home to when you have been buffeted by wind and rain on your Sunday walk....

Heirloom Blanket Ta-Dah!

It's finished! My blanket, which I've been crocheting for.... ohh, forever (actually, since June 2010). And I love it. Oh, I love it so much. It's absolutely enormous - so big that I can't take a proper photo of it. It drapes over the side of our king-size bed, with room to spare. Here it is again, all folded up.

A close-up of the pretty scalloped edging, thanks to the pattern from Lucy at Attic24.

The loveliest thing about my blanket though, is the way it feels. It is so soft and warm, so cosy and comfy. And finished just in time for these chilly autumn nights.

September Days

Life is good. Busy, but good. How could it not be when I have a lovely new Chanel nail polish, when the new series of Downton Abbey starts tonight and when there are rose and violet creams to accompany it?