Short and sweet

A tuesday gift for you. Yummy vanilla cupcakes and the prettiest dress in the world from here.

All dress images Timeless Vixen Vintage's

Earl grey and Matisse

Seems that I am awol more and more these days. Just been sorting out a life time worth of things at home. Its all go around here. My husband has to work till late most evenings and I am getting everything ship shape for some photographs to be taken of our home. I have more garlands half finished and a stack of linen, tweed and lace cushions all waiting on the work table. Plus an inbox that is fit to bust. I should really be sewing right now.

I am off tomorrow so I hope to return at some point through the day. I would like to spend some time catching up with all of you, (and those emails) show you what I have been making and see what you have been doing. I hope to visit Tunbridge wells in the morning. Up early coffee and book in hand, I love to get all wrapped up and go on a train ride through the country side when its chilly out.

Back soon.

Paper cravings 3

Best for styling tips and cool but easily achievable decorating ideas, Living etc is the first interiors magazine that I buy each month, plus it has a fabulous recipe section by Donna hay which is always a treat.

and after living etc there is

Country living
Elle decoration
The world of interiors
Vogue
Selvedge
Marie claire maison, my list goes on and on . . . . .

as well you will know by now my addition to glossies is almost as scary as my sweet tooth.

Paper cravings 2

Continuing the magazine, quest this morning. The dreamy girly world of Lula Magazine. You can't flick through previous issues online any more, but the new site has some really beautiful films to watch. To get a copy to keep and enjoy I recommend Borders.

All images Lula

Paper cravings

For Leonie a list of my favorite magazines, some I do keep whole for a while but in the end nearly all get torn up so I can keep the best bits for Record the Day The first is Vogue Living Australia. Such a beautiful publication, I don't always manage each months edition as I have to travel six towns over to get a copy. But it is so worth the hike.

All images Vogue living

Getting there

Finally I am getting around to listing some of my favourite photo prints in the shop it seems that after the hiatus of Summer, Autumn is the season that gets me inspired to get on with the things I have been procrastinating about for months.
The half finished and barely started are all getting completed now. Must be those darkening evenings and chilly winds whipping around the streets that keep me indoors sipping earl grey and sorting out my creative life.
Whatever it is I am super happy to be tying up so many loose ends. I have a bad habit of letting inspiration take over and moving too swiftly on to the next project leaving others half done.

Maybe the urgency comes from having to make better use of the lessening hours of light, this is the one aspect of Winter that I really don't like. Leaving for work in the dingy half light and returning home in the dark. My chance of taking photos limited to lunch hours and days off. So as you can imagine I am so excited to be having two weeks holiday very soon.

Happy Monday everyone.

sprinkles of rain

A slow Sunday with sprinkles of rain here and there, lots of hot tea, fresh baked cookies and the glow of evening sun to finish. In fact its been such a soul soothing day I am nearly falling asleep now.

I hope your weekend has been relaxing too.

The sweetest little cottage in wales

I have been popping home at lunchtimes to pack up orders and plan our getaway. We have rented the sweetest little cottage in wales. I am so excited, to be spending some time with the husband away from our town. Quiet time. talking time, cooking and building fires. Reading and toasting marshmallows.

More about the cottage later. For now in preparation I am writing lots of lists, lists of things we need to do, like shopping for good old traditional green wellington boots, finding the torch, food to take. wine to drink. I am so excited.

Thanks to lots of your suggestions I have plenty in mind for where to visit and what to see.

Another weekend is nearly here and I have so much I need to make and do for my shop, but all I want to do is bake some of Jamie Oliver's Pine nut and Almond cookies. Maybe I will get up super early to bake and then we can enjoy warm from the oven biscuits with our Sunday morning coffee.

How will you be spending your Saturday and Sunday?

Absent

My internet connection is being a nightmare or it could be this laptop of mine that needs a good cleansing. Hence my absence lately. I need my man to take it a way for a mac spa day and return it rejuvenated. A new one is simply out of the question at the moment.

I have had a lovely three day break, dark skies and rain, no husband and more rain have helped to get me motivated. I have been stitching cutting wrapping and packing. Making new garlands and decorations to put in the shop.

All the autumn colours outside my windows inspired me to use some vintage 1950's fabric in the packaging.

I also wanted to thank you for all your ideas for our holiday, I am feeling homely and thinking maybe we might hit the road and see some of the UK for a change, B&B's, chilly hands warmed by hot chocolate in little cafes bye the sea, lakes and mountains, rolling hills and castles. I am thinking head to Arundel then towards Bridstow to visit Bailey's home and garden store. Then a little of wales and so on until the week runs out. What are your favorite towns and places to visit in old Blighty? Any great tea shops or other things I should know about?

Happy October by the way!

Make someone else's day this Autumn

Nothing makes me feel better when I am under the weather than watching a good old Fred and Ginger romantic caper. All the dazzling outfits and superb footwork. I doubt anyone will ever dance as well as them again. Movies from this time are my absolute favourites. All the sequins twinkling. Life seemed so simple then. A romance, a pretty dress, someone to love you.

I found another blog writer today with a shared passion for movies, old and new, Cathi who runs the thoughtful project Everyday Matinees For Seniors.

Everyday Matinee's for Seniors is a non profit organization that was founded by Cathi Nunn in 2006, after her father Fred Gunther was murdered in Plantation, Florida. It is a program that provides seniors with a free mobile movie lending library in which they can check out as many movies as they would like on a weekly basis. It also gives the seniors time once a week to chat with some awesome volunteers while checking out movies. They also provide free tickets to see local live theatre productions for the seniors. Hoping to wipe out loneliness and isolation in the lives of many seniors in the San Fernando Valley with smiles, laughter and love.

You can help by popping over to Every day Matinees 4 seniors, and read a little more about the project. Cathi welcomes more suggestions of independent, foreign and old classic movies. She is also getting together a collection of holiday films, so be sure to include those in your list if you have any favorites. All ideas are truly appreciated.

Maybe you have some films you could donate? I think I will get some together to send, it would be nice to make someone else's day better this Autumn. For more info contact Cathi at - cathinunn[at]gmail[dot]com or visit the site Every day Matinees 4 seniors,

baked, iced, dusted and decorated

For anyone who now has a macaron craving but has no hope of getting within 100 miles of Laduree, why not try making some at home? I have yet to brave it myself but a Thursday seems like a great day to start.

The best place to learn? My absolute favourite blog for eating pretty Cannelle Et Vanille. Aran has a fantastic archive of recipes where you can spend the afternoon getting lost in her beautiful world where a sweet tooth is rewarded with a daily fix of all things baked, iced, dusted and decorated.

Here is Aran's stunning recipe index

All images Cannelle Et Vanille.

ps. if anyone actually makes any or has in the past, be sure to let me know how you get on!

Bergamot or chocolate cherry

Like every girl worth her baked goods, I adore Laduree. They have possibly the prettiest menu ever. Of course it helps that these macarons are my favourite indulgence. With flavours like bergamot or chocolate and cherry, I think I could survive on these delicate puffs of air and nothing else. Seen at Happy Lady via Make something's twitter stream.

All images Laduree.