A THOUGHT + A FLOWER

so in between housework today i have taken photos of little things to lift my mood. like mr hare here with a rose. i have been waiting for a letter all week + today it didn't drop on our doormat again...grrr. i must stop thinking about it then maybe it will come. hey ho.

and on the subject of mail i also got to thinking about how i am the very same (annoying to some from the other side of the glass) customer that gets precious about her parcels when handing them over the counter at the post office. is it wrong to want your stamp/label stuck in pleasing symmetry with the address? i swear i nearly let out a tiny cry of no!! when a biro scribbled to: was written by the man serving me this afternoon on my brown jiffy bag. umm...i think it was pretty clear where it was going. oh dear...i do declare i am a control freak.

it has been a gloriously blue skied sunshine filled laundry blowing on the line spring in the air kind of day though. good for the soul.

this is my friday tune.

happy weekend wishes xxx

OLD TOWN

funny how you think you know what shops are in a town nearby your parent's home...but then you discover this place online and wondered how it could be possible that you didn't notice it?

miss (former woolworths saturday girl) willey's establishment is charming and i am pretty taken with the bungalow dress above. i'd wear it over jeans and pose with a pint of guinness. yum. the quality of the fabrics looks to be very special. i recommend a good old nosey round the website...i am definitely going to take a real life look when i drive to norfolk next.

all images by old town

WEDNESDAY CAKE

a recent favourite. baked twice over the past fortnight. tested on at least 6 people with positive feedback. good with coffee. not sure if it freezes...it hasn't made it past day 2 yet...but i have a sneaky feeling that it would for those who sensibly do double batches. if you collect recipes like me i hope you'll add this one to your file. it is easy i promise!

date + pecan loaf
makes about 10 slices

preheat oven to 170 degrees/gas 3
roughly chop 250g of dates (i blitz mine in the food processor)
heat of 200ml milk in a saucepan nearly to boiling point + stir in the dates with 50g unsalted butter until it melts...then set aside to cool for 10 mins
beat an egg with 1tsp of vanilla extract + add to the date mixture
sift 200g plain flour in another bowl with 1 tsp bicarb of soda + 120g lt muscovado sugar
add the wet ingredients into the dry...gently mix with a wooden spoon until combined
fold in 100g chopped pecan nuts (again lazy me...in the processor!)
tip into a (greasproof paper lined) loaf tin about 12cm x 23cm
bake for 50mins - 1 hour then cool on a rack
enjoy with a bit of butter

i don't think dates in cakes count as one of you 5 a day...but pretend if you wish...i won't tell!

TEAR SHEET TUESDAY :: 007

there's something about yellow that i have a bit of a thing for right now. and today i bring it to you with page 21 from the noa noa spring 2005 catalogue. and a dash of our pancake day.

HUNDREDS + THOUSANDS

(that's a lot)
but not even close

to how much i love him

(custard cake for c's birthday today)

INTRODUCING NAN

well...nancy actually

a new spring collection
that's on the go

but how far away spring feels today
so much snow here in england!

1ST COMMISSION OF THE YEAR

hello february. i'm glad you are here. (even if you bring snow when i have to get to work early tomorrow)

this is a commission that me and my mum have been working on over the past few weeks for a couple in cambridge. it's a wedding day wall hanging...almost finished...and i thought i'd post a few pics of it before we piece it all together later this week. the spaces you can see are for 3 illustrations that are currently with my mum. i do the drawings then she embroiders them...we don't live that near each other so we get together once a week to sort out our duties! then reconvene with coffee + cake + sewing machine.

it's been a real joy to be given this project. we were spoilt for choice on the subject matter with amazing photos and lots of fabric remnants given by the couple. they were married here last year...punted home...had a lil' marquee in their garden which was beautifully decorated for the party by these clever folk with bunting and birds and butterflies and lanterns...exquisite! hydrangeas + flowering mint + more to adore supplied by these peeps. their cake? don't get me started...to be revealed later!

i loved making up these patches. reverse applique hearts...very much inspired by this wonderful book which i had to buy on ali's recommendation. seriously it is full of so many amazing ideas. i am head over heels in love with this book. the rag boa is next on my list...ahh the romance of february...it has me feeling the need to strut about the village in a boa!

vintage lace butterfly notion with hand embellishment + a teeny button from the back of the bride's dress. i shall return with more...