Friday 8 November 2013

Autumn Check

Scarf, Cardigan and Hat - All Aubin and Wills, Grey Sweater - Topshop, 
White LS Tee - Primark, Black Skirt - Matalan, 
Thick 100 Denier Tights,  M&S, Boots - Next

I love it when the weather starts to turn meaning that it's time for layers and scarves.  I am delighted that I just found this scarf in a pile of bits and bobs from last Christmas.  

This was one of the last items I bought from Aubin and Wills before it shut down and I fell in love with the soft Merino Wool and pale colours.

I'm never sure if yellow is a good colour for me but I was so excited when I just found this scarf again, still with it's tags on, it felt like a brand new purchase and I had to wear it today.

I very much miss Aubin and Wills and still find myself kitted out in their classic pieces.




What Made Me Smile This Week


Hello Everyone - Happy Friday!

Here are some bits and bobs that I've been loving this week.

Really liked this post on Design Sponge  '26 ingenious ideas for your home'

Martha Stewart's website includes fab organisation tips, tasty recipes and ideas for your home

I've been wanting to find an app for collaging photos and read a recommendation that Instapicframes was a good free one.  I'm liking it so far and although the free version is pretty basic it's exactly what I wanted for now.

These 2 collages are just ones that I was trying to see how it worked - but you get the idea - you can add text, change the way the frames look, change the effects and pick different layout formats.



Discovered Marmalade Cafe at 237 Eastern Rd, Brighton, BN2 5JJ - Love it!

Also this week I discovered Kate Spade's blog and this article on Zabar's in New York made me desperate to visit the city

These tights/leggings are really making me feel Autumny and are making me think about different tight and dress combinations for this season.



Wednesday 6 November 2013

A Day out to Borough Market





Day out at Borough Market....

Ooooh I love Borough Market; the smells, the different flavours, the experience of something a bit different.  I'm not gona lie...I love food.  I think I would say that my world pretty much revolves around food and eating! (probably why I'm a size 16!)

Borough Market encompasses everything that is good about food in this country - independent sellers, local and fresh produce, experimental flavour combination.  Just a hop, skip and a jump from London Bridge station the market has so much to see and offer.  I headed up to Borough Market at the beginning of September with Bean and we had such a fantastic morning.  We started off with with these tasty prosecco drinks, sampled lots of cheese and sausages and finished off with a fantastic pie in a box from Pieminster for lunch! Yummy!

We popped in to Neal's Yard Dairy before we left and and were very impressed with all the cheeses on offer!  We were almost sucked in by the job vacancy advertised for a cheese person! How cool would that be?

Anyways, Borough Market is most definitely a brilliant morning out and I just wish I lived in London so I could have a wander every Saturday morning to pick up the fresh goods for the week ahead.









Tuesday 5 November 2013

Recipe: Butternut Squash, Rosemary and Chilli Pasta


Last night was a recipe that I had wanted to try for ages but I wasn't sure what G would think.  However it turned out to be a massive winner and a definite on the 'do it again' list.

I amalgamated lots of recipes together and did a search in general for butternut squash pasta, and then used the different flavour combinations to create this recipe.

Am loving the rigatoni with this.  Never used it before as normally a fusilli or penne lover, but I'm going to be sticking to rigatoni now - love it!



Ingredients

1 clove garlic
1 red chilli (you want to have a good bite to the meal but just use as much chilli as you like)
1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 tub passata (500g)
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 butternut squash
Proccutio 
Salt and pepper

200g dried rigatoni


Method

  • Chop butternut squash and roast with salt, pepper, olive oil, rosemary sprigs.
  • In a pan heat some oil and cook the chopped onion, garlic and chilli.
  • Pour in the passata and rosemary and mix
  • Add sugar, salt and pepper to taste.
  • Add the butternut squash once roasted to the sauce.
  • Cook the pasta and once cooked toss into the sauce.
  • Pour into bowls and add the shredded proccutio on top.


Monday 4 November 2013

When you need some inspiration


I must admit I'm getting a bit stir crazy not having a job. I'm really loving the time to tidy and clean the house, make fun craft bits, do some painting and blog loads more but everyday I'm sitting in doors and I'm missing having people to talk to.
I had to get out the house and was delighted that I did as I discovered Marmalade.  This is a newly open coffee shop about 10mins walk from my house and it's lovely. I treated myself to a latte (soya as I'm trying 2 weeks without dairy) but I was sooo tempted by the lunch time pies, cakes and selection of breads.

The fact that my take out latte came in a pink cup was perhaps the most exciting thing of all! Marmelade I will definitely be visiting you again!

I feel happier this afternoon now I've seen something new and had a bit of exercise and fresh air- I almost feel like I could go for a nap!

60 Minute Hall Make Over


I felt totally inspired on Friday to do something a bit different with the house.

I think that the entrance hall is important and for the last 4 years that I've been in my house it's totally been missed.

The walls are covered in gross artex, but this would be a huge job to get rid of so I realised that there were a few little touches that would make the hall look more inviting without having to do a major re haul!

I replaced the light bulb (it's been out for over a year!), made a photo montage of wedding pics, painted the end wall pink to add a bit of warmth, added some fab pink and white paper pompoms (Martha Stewart website has a good description of how to make these), and stacked my Country Living, The Simple Things and wedding magazines in the alcove.

To finish it off my 'Christmas Cookie' Yankee Candle has been lit every day and is making the house smell glorious.






Lemon Curd





The recipe is from The Good Housekeeping Cookery Book which I have to say is going to be one of the most important cooking books I own.  It has everything you would need it in from cut of meet, to preserves, to how to make different kinds of pastry.  I love it but have been a bit daunted by its size and haven't delved into the pages before today.

This really couldn't have been much more simple to make and I am so excited about having homemade lemon curd in the fridge.  It's just as simple as jam and really scrummy and fresh.






Sunday 3 November 2013

Weekend Wanderings



We had had such a lovely weekend made up of birthday shopping for G on Saturday with G's parents at Dirty Harry's, NextRiver Island, followed by a tasty coffee and a quick rest of the feet in Nest

We then headed for dinner at Jamie's Italian Brighton on Saturday night with gorgeous cocktails, tasty red wine and a fantastic special of the day beef and pork rigatoni.  We headed home to watch Stricty Come Dancing and Xfactor with G's parents while tucking into some tasty Aldi Gin that I had bought G for his birthday.

On Sunday morning I treated us to a tasty pancake breakfast and then I headed out for a gorgeous walk along the seafront on Sunday morning to see the annual vintage car run.  (Fab to see the cars but soooooo windy!)


Pretty Cappuccino in Nest Cafe

Funky light in Jamie's Italian

Bramble Cocktail - Jamies Italian

American Pancakes, Mushroom, Bacon and Scrambled Eggs

Gorgeous Vintage Car on Brighton Seafront


Very Windswept on Sunday Morning
Sunglasses - Cutler and Gross , Jacket - Barbour