out with the auld

Farewell to 2011- it's been a funny sort of year where I feel like I've achieved little in some ways, but a lot in others. I've done very little in the way of creativity this year (that Ysolda beret is still on the needles, a year down the line), I still haven't worked out how to use the non-automatic settings on my DSLR and I never did nearly as much with our allotment as I'd planned. 

However, other aspects of my (mainly non-bloggy) life have gone well- I started a pretty exciting new job and, after a highly embarrassing incident climbing back up from a beautiful beach in Cornwall (I actually thought I was going to die of a heart attack at the grand old age of 31), I took charge of my health for the first time in my adult life. 48lb down and many hours of sweat later, I still have a way to go, but I'm looking forward to challenging myself further throughout 2012 and am hoping that the girls will notice the difference in my beach-olympics when we return to Cornwall this summer (who knows, I might even brave a swimsuit too!)

So happy new year to one and all, I hope you get all you wish and dream of and 2012 passes without too much misery. And go easy on those resolutions! xx

it was just like christmas

Now that the schools have broken up it feels like Christmas has well and truly arrived in our home. The cake (made by my star baker dad)  is iced and decorated and there a little touches of yule all over the house. The tree is covered in colourful jollity, seasonal records have been spinning, I've been writing greetings cards and making gargantuan shopping lists. Just a bit of wrapping left to do and we're just about sorted.

Hope you're having a fab pre-Christmas weekend and enjoying some festive fun.

a space of my own

It's hard to believe we've lived in our cosy little home for a year now. In many ways it's flown by, but in others it feels like we've been here forever. The one room I'd not got round to properly sorting out since we moved in was the dining room and it had turned into a bit of a dumping ground for things that didn't belong anywhere else. So this weekend, after a trip to Ikea to buy additional shelving, I set about organising this space once and for all.

You will notice that I have finally got a crafting space, all of my very own, with a shelf high enough to keep small fingers away from my best scissors! It's been a really good excuse to rummage through my fabric scraps and oddments of yarn- just the kick I needed to get my creative juices flowing again.

Having seen my greatly under-used sewing machine looking all happy and shiny in its new space, I felt the need to try it out immediately. Luckily I had a star-puncher and some newspaper to hand and whipped up a thrifty Christmas decoration for  the mantelpiece...

Happy days!

mockney

I nearly spat out my cuppa when Flora (aged 6) told me she'd been doing a project about David Hockney at school, a few weeks back- makes a refreshing change from sponge paintings! Here is her homage to the artist himself, which is now framed and taking pride of place over my mantelpiece...

I especially love how she's chosen beach huts as her theme- a lovely reminder of our time in Brighton. Clearly the simple clean lines just don't quite cut it when you're 6- empty space simply must be filled in with smiley crabs. Just as the Bigger Splash is crying out for an inflatable flamingo.

lundalikes

What isn't there to love about the gripping Danish crime series The Killing? But if, like me, your very favourite thing of all is Sarah Lund's natty (but in need of a good wool-wash) jumper from series 1, then head on over to the Radio Times for a chance to win a replica of the famous pully itself.

Snap yourself in your own favourite jumper with your dourest facial expression and submit it into the gallery to be in with a chance- two runners up will also win all the wool and needles needed to knit their very own series 2 jumper. You'll also find the full knitting pattern over there as well- could Scandi needlecraft get any more exciting?

Here's me attempting my best Sarah Lundalike pose....

Jumper-tastic, eh?

festive french toast

❅2 eggs 

❅1 teaspoon of demorara sugar 

❅pinch of salt

❅half a cup of milk 

❅knob of butter 

❅6 slices of bread cut into festive shapes of your choice 

❅maple syrup/honey

 

1) Beat your eggs in a wide, shallow bowl. Stir in the milk, sugar and salt.

2) Heat the knob of butter in a small griddle or frying pan.

3) Place the bread shapes, one at a time, into the mixture, letting them soak for a few seconds on both sides.

4) Transfer bread shapes to the pan, heating slowly until bottom is golden brown. Turn and brown the other side. 

5) Serve hot on snowflake Pyrex dishes with syrup or honey. A dusting of icing sugar would look even more festive- unfortunately I had run out this morning!

elfin about

Happy December everyone! We've been getting in the festive mood already...

This weekend we're going to watch our town's lights being switched on, write our cards, mull some wine, make some crafty presents and I'm hoping to persuade my husband to let me buy our tree (but he says next weekend- spoil sport).

What festive fun are you planning?