Incentivised Savings

I had a good mail day last week, some pretty cath kidston fabric off ebay, which I plan to use for cushions, as well as the Autumn Cath Kidston catalogue.
As you can see I ‘heart’ quite a few things! So I made a deal, it’s called incentivised savings: I scrupulously save for the month of September and once my goal is reached only then I can put an order in. I think it might work such is the lure of all those pretty things! In the meantime I need to learn how to put in zips for my cushions…

Bits and Pieces

I’ve been a bad blogger this past week, it’s been arctic cold and I had a mini road trip for work (thanks to the buckets of rain the scenery was the most amazing emerald green). I’ve been a little tired and have had the most wonderfully quiet weekend of not much!

Here are a few things I had intended to post about last week:
I love mav and lena’s Journal of Plants
Listening to Asobi Seksu (my step-sister-in-law has been leaving the most wonderful new music for me in my letterbox all week)
Lovely Japanese masking tape is (almost) in Australia and it’s definitely on my list
There's loads of rhubarb in the garden so I made Alyson’s strawberry and rhubarb pie, it is sooo good you must try!

Store Update

I added one more calico shopper to the store today. I'm calling it the confetti pattern, it has all my current favourite colours in it and I really like it. A little reminder that spring is on its way.

This Weekend

This weekend vanished before I could blink! Seriously it was warp speed, but it involved lots of cooking, an annual trivial pursuit evening with my cousins, a birthday, some craft (more on that tomorrow), and listening to The Cure in the sunshine. Not too shabby at all! I hope you had a lovely weekend too.

Ninainvorm

I've been admiring Nina's work for a while now, I'm so tempted by the bunting platter, it's wonderful, and the peacock plate is gorgeous too.

White and Bright

White space with a hint of brights….that’s what I’m dreaming about. I have a new (old) couch, because the one I was kindly lent had to return to its true home, I plan on re-covering my new (old) couch and I would preferably love it to be white with lots of pretty cushions. I fear if I do this however it will be not-so-white in time. What are your thoughts, is a white couch really so impractical?

1. Quilt and lamp, 2. Pillows with bird, 3. empty closet, summer bags, 4. Utility Room

Chasing Blossom

Mushroom Tarte Tatin

Finding non-pasta based vegetarian dishes is not as easy as I thought it might be. I had dinner guests last night, hence the special request, and I came across mushroom tarte tatin in Donna Hay's No Time To Cook, it was really, really good, not to mention really really easy. So I have to share:

50g butter
1 leek chopped
4 mushrooms (I used nice big portobello's and a few little button mushrooms as well)
3 sprigs of thyme
sea salt and black pepper
2 sheet of frozen puff pastry
1 egg beaten

Preheat oven to 180c (or 355f).
Heat and melt butter in a 23cm non-stick frypan with an ovenproof handle, add leek and cook until translucent. Remove leek from the pan and add mushrooms, cook for 2 minutes on each side and then return leek to pan and add tyme. Place 2 22cm rounds of puff pastry on top and brush top of pastry with beaten egg. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until pastry is puffed and golden. Place a plate on top of the pan and turn the tarte out to serve.

Happy friday!
Don't you just love upside down plants!

Image via the Style-Files

Funk

I’ve been in a funk the past few days, entirely not helped by the suffocating grey sky and constant rain! I’m a summer girl and winter feels endless. But how lovely are the new styles from Toast, they would certainly cheer up grey skies.

Also some other lovely links for you:
Yvonne has the most perfect sunroom - and new blog layout!
Janne Peters photographs via All the Mountains

From the Edelweiss

Diana that is. Here are a few shots from my first film, I'm neither thrilled nor completely heartbroken, they are interesting and just make me want to keep going. I used slide film and had it cross processed, I already have another roll of normal film in there so I'm wondering how they will turn out. The kiss biscuit shot is my favourite!

This Weekend

Ugh is the weekend over already, I feel somewhat cheated! I've been a bit under the weather for the past week, and today finally stopped sneezing and needing millions of tissues (bad allergies). I had every intention of going out to take some pictures BUT it's rained, and rained, miserable!

Anyway here is a brilliant song for a rainy day: Wake Up by Arcade Fire, I've had it in my head since seeing the trailer for Where the Wild Things Are - which looks so great and I can't wait to see.

Also thank you all so much for your lovely comments about my store update, I do appreciate it so much.

Hi there,

Well the store is now officially re-stocked, I have been working on printing some tea towels and calico shoppers based on some of the paper garlands I have made in the past. So go check them out!

Also my paper garlands are featured on apartment therapy today!

Sneak Peak

So here is a sneak peak at what I have been working on, only a glimpse because I still have a few little things to work on but I’m really excited.
Actually I feel quite happy in general this Monday (despite the freezing cold and bad allergies), here are some of the things making me happy:

I love Amy's Ok print from we make words
I am seriously lusting after this trilby (accessory no 69 if the link won't work!) (and the sunshine to wear it in!)
Hanging out for the new Paul Dempsey album to be released (and a little longer wait new Beastie Boys –woohoo!)
Plus it’s my stepfather’s birthday today so we get homemade chocolate sponge cake, yum!

Oh and hi if you are new and visiting from Desire to Inspire! Thanks for dropping in.

This Weekend

Mostly house work but some re-arranging
I saw Coco Avant Chanel (it is beautiful, well she is exceptionally, I really enjoyed it)
and I have been working hard on a new project for my etsy store, I hope to have it ready very soon!

Further hints of spring