THE WONDER OF THE SUN

some new revamp~restoration projects...

the sweetest little person chair. £4 from our local hospital charity shop.
the plan...rub down...then either wax or paint {i am currently favouring albany wimbledon}...new cushion and upholstery. to match in with the sitting room...which still needs finishing. shameful.

cabinet for the hallway. £10 reduced to £5 from my favourite auction overspill in st ives.
plan...rub down...paint {perhaps?} in grey. perfect for the phone and key bowl and a flower to greet you. oh for an anenome in an urchin. it is {definitely} to sit in front of another project...an out of use hallway door to be painted top to toe as a blackboard. but there is work to be done before we can all doodle messages and i can indulge in a decals.

this much i know. i am good at envisaging possibilities. less good at getting them going these days.

i am thinking that spring will be an inspiration as far as colour schemes and motivation goes. and as that's about 3 weeks away then it suits me perfectly. i'll probably decide on what to do 19th march.

i am unbelievably slow these days in starting let alone completing jobs. and that's the nice jobs as well as the mundane! but i have to say that today the sun came out. i sat in it's warmth...one i'd almost forgotten...and whilst my baby girl napped in the fresh air i drank a cup of tea sat on our bench...noticed the buds on the lilac bush and thought ok. i'm ready. bring on the manifesto!

C&Z

you know the website?

the combination has often intrigued me. so now we are on a cake roll with elsa and in a slight change to the original...i present cocoa & courgette! {trust me to subtract any glamour going about here.}

baked with a certain girl in mind {you get the picture...no eggs-milk-butter-etc} they probably were more of a hit with the grown ups...well me...{and i would have liked the addition of real chocolate chips please} so it is back to the drawing board with the recipe for these buns. watch this space though...i aim to revisit and share once i get baby approval.

POST 200

so i'm a month late with the wishes?
happy new year (minus 1 month) folks!

well well well...things continue to be rather picklesome here.

but a first birthday brightened up january...and there were plenty of other high notes to enjoy last month. spring flowers hit the shops. festive food bit the dust and new cooking ideas are afoot in our kitchen. i'm quilting again...when not indugling in pom pom make-a-thons!

ahead of her turning one i was given a brilliant cake recipe by the lovely miss percy for elsa. no eggs. no (cow's) milk (oat instead). no soya. (we have been bonding over allergies.) i got to bake at long last for my girl and joy of joys she is now team leader of the sweet tooth gang that twas founded by me and her daddy.

THE FIRST NOëL

we wish you a merry christmas
(that's from me and my elf)

i hope that yours is filled with joy
and warm times with loved ones

xXx

(elsa's hat made from this super book)

EASTERN PROMISE

festive baking.

and may i recommend this recipe? the little rose nuggets stay delightfully chewy in the almond-y rounds. i have tested too many already!

next cookies in the oven. cranberry and white chocolate.

what are you making?

DECORATIVELY {OUTDOORS + FRONT DOORS}

for the most part it really has been easy to stand back and watch mother nature's beautifully creative work outdoors...there is little need to add anything to the icy treasures surrounding our home this winter.

but i have enjoyed making an addition to the festive prettiness out there in the form of a christmas garland for our front door. i had a nice crafting hour to myself last night. if it wasn't for the late light i would have endeavoured to do a step by step...but trust me it was a doddle. using a wire floristry wreath form i wrapped some light wadding and then some strips of fabric around it. in my usual style it was an organic project...i didn't really have a finished version in my head but just used things i have to hand. the ivy is from the garden {grabbed in the freezing evening air with a torch!} i bound it on with some sweet brown paper string and then wound a little right round the garland...tying up at the back. {jingle bells from the decorations box} total cost to me...£1.50 for the wire form.

IT'S BEGINNING

to look a lot like christmas.