Recommendations

Hello! How are you? We've broken up for the holidays - hurrah! - but sadly there is no time for lie-ins and lazy days here, as I am frantically trying to finish our bedroom before we go on holiday next weekend. And do a million other things too, of course, like referee Bella and Angus. I spent a very happy day yesterday cleaning and sorting. I told the kids that we were having a home day and to amuse themselves (this can go one of two ways) while I sorted piles of junk that had built up here and there, moved back all the displaced furniture from when we decorated our bedroom, dusted and vacuumed and mopped. It felt good. Maybe not the most exciting start to our holidays but it needed to be done.

I have a few recommendations for you today, a few things I want to tell you about. Some I've been kindly sent to review, others I just want to share with you because I just really like them and think you might too.

:: Beth Pegler's beautiful, simple handmade jewellery, made from knotted rope. My sisters gave me this necklace for Christmas and it's one of my most worn items of jewellery. It looks especially good over a striped Breton top which is handy as I have, oh, one or two of those. 

And then I recently treated myself to another necklace and a little pile of these gorgeous bracelets. They are so tactile and soft against the skin, but not itchy as I have found yarn-covered jewellery to be. Do have a look at her shop. 

:: Espadrilles! Yes, I crocheted my own shoes! I do realise that sounds a little far-fetched, but look at them, aren't they fabulous? Wool and the Gang kindly sent me one of their kits a while back (quite a while actually...) and I finally got around to making them.

They were a gratifyingly quick make and I was able to crochet all four sections while watching the men's Wimbledon single's final last Sunday and then spent two evenings sewing the fabric heel and toe to the sole. This is not difficult, but I found it a little fiddly and hard on the fingers, but the end result is very pleasing.

Never mind the fact that I don't have any euros yet, or travel insurance, and haven't even thought about packing, I have espadrilles so I'm ready to travel.

:: Alice in Scandiland's blog. I discovered this via Alice's instagram account and find her style of decorating very inspiring, especially her creativity and eye for shape and design. But recently I was very taken with her wonderfully original handmade garden furniture. 

Photo by Alice J Collyer, used with permission.

Because the thing is, we really need some new garden furniture. The set we have only has three chairs for starters, and there are four of us, so that's already annoying, and bits wobble and fall off frequently. But wooden garden furniture is really expensive, even in the sales. But after seeing Alice's creation, and looking into the hair pin legs, and the cost of wood, I'm now working on John to see if he might fancy whipping me up an outdoor table and two benches sometime this summer. 

:: I was kindly send two LSA Bud Vases and very lovely they are two. I like this size of vase because you can easily fill them with a few snipped blooms from the garden without wiping out all your flowers. 

They are mouth blown from a single piece of glass and have a beautifully organic shape and come in some lovely colours. I gave the blue one to Bella's teacher as an end of term gift and she was really over the moon with it, absolutely adored it.

:: Power Ballads. I don't know if you know this about me, but I love two things very much: Radio 4 and power ballads. And while I was pottering around in the kitchen yesterday, listening to Radio 4 as is my way, I happened to catch the most brilliant programme called How to Write a Power Ballad, presented by the Rev Richard Coles (I love him too, actually.) It was fascinating, what goes into a song - technically - to make it sound and feel a certain way. And, while listening, I found out that there is a club night in London where all they play is power ballads. It's true! This might be my ultimate night out and I think I'm going to make John take me there for my fortieth birthday next year. Anyway, do have a listen on the iPlayer if you get a moment.

Souvenirs

Life has returned to normal this week. On Monday I talked John into a spot of decorating, and on the last day of his leave too, I am unkind to that long-suffering man. What should've been a simple job (re-paint the pink wall white, and touch up any scuffs on the other three white walls) turned into an nightmare when we discovered that one brand of pure brilliant white was not the same colour as the other brand we'd used. How is white not just white? Much swearing under the breath ensued but it's done now, and looking fresh and clean. I'll share photos later in the week. Then there has been washing, and more washing; it's my punishment for going away and being carefree. The tyranny of laundry. And a pile of ironing that grows and grows, and housework, and small people to entertain, although that bit is fun.

So it's been extra lovely to unpack my treasures from our trip away and admire them and then decide where in the home they will live, for now.

This happy chappy is my birthday present from John. Remember when it was my birthday back in February he gave me a voucher for a gift of my choice in Copenhagen? I love this bird by the Danish designer Kay Bojesen. I spent ages deciding on which colour but in the end chose this bright and cheerful combination, perfect against the grey wall in the living room.

Dala horses! I love these. I think they are actually a Swedish folk craft but I saw them in lots of shops and well, what's not to love? Inexpensive too - the larger white one was bought for about £8 from Illums Bolighus (the most incredible shop - four floors of Danish design for the home. I was in heaven) - and the smaller red horse was bought for about £3.50 from the tacky airport gift shop. I don't care, I still love it.

Egg cups! Who doesn't need egg cups? These wooden ones are called bordfolk which translates to "table people". They were widely used in Denmark in the 60's and 70's then fell out of fashion until they were recently resurrected by designer Lucie Kaas. Of course four was absolutely necessary and I chose one for each of us; I'm the brunette in yellow, John is the blonde in the dashing knitted jumper, then our two brunette children in pink and green.

Of course, these wont actually be used for egg cups. No. That's crazy. They'd get dirty! We've got lots of ceramic and plastic ones in the cupboard. These are to be admired and played with. 

And a rather attractive print of Copenhagen, needing a frame, but lovely nonetheless. It's by the Danish company Ferm Living who I hadn't heard of until about a year ago, and now I see that John Lewis stocks some of their wares, but sadly not the small pink wire basket that I am obsessed and want to store my yarn in.

And of course there were gifts for the children, thoughtfully chosen Lego and sticker books and Moomin cups, which have been largely ignored in favour of the plastic Copenhagen snow globes we bought at the airport.

So there are my souvenirs. Chosen with a budget in mind, pieces that will brighten up our home and make me happy when I look at them, pieces full of memories and a strong sense of the country we so loved visiting.

A Bumper Year for New Cookery Books

Oh my cupcakes! There are so many gorgeous new cookery books coming out this Autumn. Where do I start?

I am always a sucker for a beautifully packaged book with a pretty title, and this new title from Tessa Kiros looks very tempting. She has the most fascinating heritage; Finnish mother, Greek Cypriot father, raised in South Africa and Britian, and now married to an Italian and living in Italy. I have Apples for Jam and Falling Cloudberries and love them both. A new offering from the magnificent Nigella Lawson...I think I own all of her cookery books and they are all excellent. Her recipes just work. I love the jacket design of the newest title from the kitchens of Leon, and Yotam Ottolenghi - I've never bought any of his books but my recipe scrap book is full of clippings from his article in The Guardian magazine.

What's next on my wish list...two gorgeous big baking books, by Rachel Allen and The Great British Bake Off (which I am loving, by the way - is anyone else watching it?). Nigel Slater's follow up to the beautifully written The Kitchen Diaries, The Kitchen Diaries II is, according to the blurb, a "collection of small kitchen celebrations" - how perfect. And my last choice; I don't know much about the author, Diana Henry, but love the sound of Salt Sugar Smoke, obsessed as I currently am with preserves and stockpiling for the coming colder months.

(John, if you are reading this, start saving please as these are all going on my Christmas list. As is this and this. Thanks. Your loving wife.)

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Apologies for my erratic blogging lately. Since Angus started nursery I thought I'd have more time for crafting and blogging, but no, it appears the opposite is true! I have also started volunteering twice a week at Bella's school, helping kids with their reading and so far I am enjoying it enormously. But it does mean less time to craft and less time on the laptop. But I'm sure we'll find a balance soon.

I will be back tomorrow with...A GIVEAWAY!!! It's long overdue. Homemade goodies are being stitched, ironed and photographed.