goodbye summer

Haven't the school holidays flown by, I cannot quite believe it's time for winter uniforms and homework diaries again already. We've clung on to last days of Summer by heading off for a dreamy weekend filled with meadows, piglets, campfires, music, blackberries, the chirping of crickets and the hooting of owls.

I do hope you've all enjoyed the summer as much as we all have xx

kew gardens

My lovely dad took us to Kew Gardens today as an end-of-summer treat. It was my first visit and I wasn't disappointed; I'm still trying to decide which bit I liked best- the palm house, the cacti, the giant lily pads or the aeriel walkway.

Excuse some of the fuzzy pictures, my lens kept steaming up with the humidity in the hot houses..

 

 

 

 

toggle the tortoise

I hope everyone has been enjoying their bank holiday weekend. It's been really rather windy and chilly here, I even ended up lighting a fire on Saturday night- I hope it warms up before our last camping trip of the season next week. We've just spent this weekend pottering- going swimming, trying out a new indoor play centre, visiting the sweetie shop  and snuggling up indoors with dvds from the library.

This morning we popped over to see my dad who was tortoise-sitting for a friend, who has had him since his childhood. Cue much hysterical excitement from two little girls...

It's hard to believe that this handsome fellow (who goes by the name of Toggle) is in his forties- beats the five years my childhood guinea pigs lasted!

mad men collection @ banana republic

Yes it really is true! A collection of Autumn/Winter clothes based on the costumes from the most stylish and chic television series of all time, for us mere mortals to own at Banana Republic. 

Feast your eyes on my favourite bits....

Shame it is all so very pricey....

car booty

 More carbooting this morning- how cute is this little 70s dress-up doll for 50p? The girls love her...

some Pyrex dishes, 50p the lot- loving the ducks...

and I'm especially stoked with this g-plan corner table for £4...

Happy days!

stainglass biscuits

Ingredients: 100g self raising flour, 50g caster sugar, a pinch of salt, 50g butter, 1 large egg yolk, boiled sweets (we used Foxes Glacier Fruits), strawberry laces.

1) Sift flour, sugar and salt into a bowl. Chop the butter into chunks and rub into the dry ingredients.

2) Mix in the egg yolk and squash the dough until it comes together in a ball. Leave in the fridge for ½ hour. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180º / Gas mark 4.

3) Roll out the dough and use cookie cutters or a sharp knife to make the biscuit shapes. Don't forget to make holes in the middle, for the pattern. Pop them on an over tray, covered in baking paper and pop boiled sweets in the holes- if it's a big hole it will need 2 or 3 sweets. Prick holes in the top, for hanging (I used a knitting needle).

4) Bake for approximately 15 minutes, until golden brown. When out of the oven, let the sweets set a bit and then transfer them on to a rack. Leave to cool for about an hour and then thread through the laces. 

Enjoy!