Friday, 17 October 2014
Thursday, 16 October 2014
Autumn days when the grass is jewelled...
Can I just say...I love autumn! Come on...who doesn't love crunching those autumn leaves!
I think as I'm getting older I appreciate the seasons a lot more, especially now that I'm not at school/university with a timetable which defines when things happen. I think as a child, winter just meant Christmas and the summer meant school holidays and I didn't really notice what happened in-between those times, spring and autumn didn't feature at all. But now I'm a grown up (in name if not in spirit!) I do feel these things more.
I first noticed the lovely first shoots of spring a few years back after a horrific winter which just seemed to be freezing and snowing for most of it which is unusual for England especially way down in the midlands where I live. The green poking out of the muddy dark ground really lifted my spirits and when the flowers started showing up, well I was a happy lady!
And now we have a gorgeous and warm autumn (seriously England, sort out your weather!) which has left all the trees with amazing colours. I live in a small town in the middle of countryside and driving to work with all of the reds, oranges and yellows, it really makes the journey a bit less tedious. And there's the added bonus of pumpkin spiced latte these days! I am finding that since husband-to-be bought me my camera last Christmas I look at scenery differently and I'm longing to be able to capture the leaves with some skill. I just wish I had time to go and out take photos but at the moment every spare minute seems to be doing wedding stuff which I know I can't complain about as I want it to be a day full of gorgeous loveliness that everyone enjoys...I just wish I had a bit more spare time!
Especially I am wanting time to do get on with my sewing, I bought patterns in the summer aiming to make pretty dresses, now with the weather turning I'm not sure if they are really appropriate any more. I guess I'll just have to try and find some autumn/winter patterns to check out. In the meantime I have a little project that I want to start which is a blanket for my best friend's soon to be born baby, the doctors are 99% sure that she's having a little girl so I'm thinking about a nice purple/pink blankie for her. I do like the idea of being able to make something for my friends as it makes a present all the more personal and if it's not done by the time she is born then it will be a great Christmas present for her.
Anyway, I'd better head off as I have wedding glueing and sticking to be doing, I'll leave you with some lovely autumn fun...
I think as I'm getting older I appreciate the seasons a lot more, especially now that I'm not at school/university with a timetable which defines when things happen. I think as a child, winter just meant Christmas and the summer meant school holidays and I didn't really notice what happened in-between those times, spring and autumn didn't feature at all. But now I'm a grown up (in name if not in spirit!) I do feel these things more.
I first noticed the lovely first shoots of spring a few years back after a horrific winter which just seemed to be freezing and snowing for most of it which is unusual for England especially way down in the midlands where I live. The green poking out of the muddy dark ground really lifted my spirits and when the flowers started showing up, well I was a happy lady!
And now we have a gorgeous and warm autumn (seriously England, sort out your weather!) which has left all the trees with amazing colours. I live in a small town in the middle of countryside and driving to work with all of the reds, oranges and yellows, it really makes the journey a bit less tedious. And there's the added bonus of pumpkin spiced latte these days! I am finding that since husband-to-be bought me my camera last Christmas I look at scenery differently and I'm longing to be able to capture the leaves with some skill. I just wish I had time to go and out take photos but at the moment every spare minute seems to be doing wedding stuff which I know I can't complain about as I want it to be a day full of gorgeous loveliness that everyone enjoys...I just wish I had a bit more spare time!
Especially I am wanting time to do get on with my sewing, I bought patterns in the summer aiming to make pretty dresses, now with the weather turning I'm not sure if they are really appropriate any more. I guess I'll just have to try and find some autumn/winter patterns to check out. In the meantime I have a little project that I want to start which is a blanket for my best friend's soon to be born baby, the doctors are 99% sure that she's having a little girl so I'm thinking about a nice purple/pink blankie for her. I do like the idea of being able to make something for my friends as it makes a present all the more personal and if it's not done by the time she is born then it will be a great Christmas present for her.
Anyway, I'd better head off as I have wedding glueing and sticking to be doing, I'll leave you with some lovely autumn fun...
Thursday, 9 October 2014
Sew Good by Deborah Good: Make a Christmas Stocking
I'm thinking that this might be a nice small Christmas project to do after the wedding, I've even got all excited looking for fur for the cuff and iron on letters to decorate it!
Sew Good by Deborah Good: Make a Christmas Stocking
Sew Good by Deborah Good: Make a Christmas Stocking
Monday, 6 October 2014
Swirly nipples are the best...
So the sewing that I was planning on doing when I started this blog has sort of come to a standstill mainly because I have gone in to OHMIGODIMGETTINGMARRIED mode and have started to panic about all the things I haven't done yet for the wedding. Cue panic buying at Hobbycraft! I still have my lofty ambitions of sewing my own clothes but maybe not until after 6th November! I have made some small progress in that I've now got tracing paper, chalk markers and proper scissors...
It was also my hen do this weekend just gone which was a brilliant weekend with all my best girl friends in Oxford! We stayed at one of the colleges and the whole weekend was so much fun and lovely to have everyone all there together to celebrate. There was a treasure hunt/photo hunt in the morning, lovely lunch and then cocktail making and dancing in the evening all with a masquerade theme. Here is all of us together with our masks on. I'm the one at the front in green with the gold mask. The whole weekend was a complete surprise to me with me not even knowing where we were going until we actually arrived at Oxford. I have to say, I chose excellent bridesmaids, they planned an epic weekend for me and I know they will be amazing on the wedding day.
Speaking of the wedding it is one month today!!!!! I'm getting very excited now but also rather scared about all the things that still need to be done. I made a terrifying list on Thursday that ran to 4 sides of A4 paper of stuff that needs doing and I'm still finding things to add to it. If any of you out there are planning a wedding, listen to all the lovely advice that says do not leave DIY things until the last minute as you will regret it! I had two whole years to get stuff done but it's all getting done now...fail Kirsty, epic fail! Still the list will get crossed off gradually and I will just have to delegate things I think, luckily my sister (one of the bridesmaids) isn't working at the moment and is super crafty so she has now been put in charge of making all of the centre pieces and I will be dealing with the stationery stuff which is more my forte! In some ways I just want the day to be here so I can celebrate with all my friends and family and not have my brain taken up with purple glitter and table plans!
 |
| Masquerade hen do @ Raouls, Oxford |
It was also my hen do this weekend just gone which was a brilliant weekend with all my best girl friends in Oxford! We stayed at one of the colleges and the whole weekend was so much fun and lovely to have everyone all there together to celebrate. There was a treasure hunt/photo hunt in the morning, lovely lunch and then cocktail making and dancing in the evening all with a masquerade theme. Here is all of us together with our masks on. I'm the one at the front in green with the gold mask. The whole weekend was a complete surprise to me with me not even knowing where we were going until we actually arrived at Oxford. I have to say, I chose excellent bridesmaids, they planned an epic weekend for me and I know they will be amazing on the wedding day.
Speaking of the wedding it is one month today!!!!! I'm getting very excited now but also rather scared about all the things that still need to be done. I made a terrifying list on Thursday that ran to 4 sides of A4 paper of stuff that needs doing and I'm still finding things to add to it. If any of you out there are planning a wedding, listen to all the lovely advice that says do not leave DIY things until the last minute as you will regret it! I had two whole years to get stuff done but it's all getting done now...fail Kirsty, epic fail! Still the list will get crossed off gradually and I will just have to delegate things I think, luckily my sister (one of the bridesmaids) isn't working at the moment and is super crafty so she has now been put in charge of making all of the centre pieces and I will be dealing with the stationery stuff which is more my forte! In some ways I just want the day to be here so I can celebrate with all my friends and family and not have my brain taken up with purple glitter and table plans!
Tuesday, 2 September 2014
Pumpkin drool
Now although I am not an American I loooove a bit of pumpkin and adore pumpkin pie as much as any Yank! Thanksgiving or not I will eat it!
Unfortunately we don't get a lot of pumpkin flavoured food over here in England so I have to make do with what I can find which is usually pumpkin spiced lattes in Starbucks in October time and the occasional tin of pumpkin in Waitrose...because who can be bothered to cut up a whole pumpkin just to get the flesh of it!
Anyway my point is pumpkin is awesome and here you can find lots of scrummy recipes to make it even awesomer. First on my list to try are the turtle pumpkin ice cream cake and triple chocolate pumpkin pie....told you there would be pumpkin drool! I mean how can you resist something that looks this good
<----- turtle pumpkin ice cream cake
Unfortunately we don't get a lot of pumpkin flavoured food over here in England so I have to make do with what I can find which is usually pumpkin spiced lattes in Starbucks in October time and the occasional tin of pumpkin in Waitrose...because who can be bothered to cut up a whole pumpkin just to get the flesh of it!
Anyway my point is pumpkin is awesome and here you can find lots of scrummy recipes to make it even awesomer. First on my list to try are the turtle pumpkin ice cream cake and triple chocolate pumpkin pie....told you there would be pumpkin drool! I mean how can you resist something that looks this good
<----- turtle pumpkin ice cream cakeEveryday sexism...
I read a really interesting article today on the Guardian website about the language used to describe women and how some words are generally (though not always) used against women in a discriminatory way. I honestly had never really considered this until I read the article and realised it had been going on without me even noticing!
Anyhoo the article can be found here on the Guardian Life & Style section and you should all go and read it!
Anyhoo the article can be found here on the Guardian Life & Style section and you should all go and read it!
Monday, 1 September 2014
Back to work blues...
Well, here I am back at work again after a week off. At the start of it, the time seemed so long...9 whole days off in a row, but it has soon slipped past! To be honest the holiday started a bit earlier as we had plans on the Thursday and Friday night and whole of Saturday before going away on the Sunday to London.
London was a great break if a bit (read a lot!) wet! We got pretty much soaked in the rain every time we stepped out of the hotel on Monday & Tuesday though Wednesday was better at least, no need for the umbrella! We had a lovely time none-the-less and did some spectacularly touristy things as well as more unusual ones.
Trolled up to the National Gallery to see an excellent exhibition called Making Colour which surprisingly enough is about colour!! Was a fascinating thematic exhibition and talked about the theory and the way the different pigments were developed as well as showing the traditional uses of each colour. It's on until 7th September so if you find yourself at a loose end near Leicester Square and the National Gallery I would highly recommend it!
We also went to see a Prom (Austro-Hungarian /Viennese music) at the Royal Albert Hall which was just up the street from our hotel. Had a slight drama when I ACCIDENTALLY spilled some water on a woman in the bar where we were having our pre-prom drink (typical clutzy me!) and she went absolutely mental and we then made a swift exit. Her shrieks included the following "Ohhhh, What have you thrown on me?" "My hair is ruined" (it wasn't, in fact you couldn't even tell she'd had it done...) and when Chris apologised again saying that we were as wet as she was, from the 20 minute walk in the rain obviously..., she just tutted at us and said "I don't think so!" I'm sure if we were older she wouldn't have kicked off as much. So barring that incident the proms were lovely, the Albert Hall was amazing and the music was beautiful. Even got to hear the Blue Danube waltz which is one of our joint favourite pieces of classical music.
On Tuesday in the rain we went to the amazing shop that is Libertys of London. My Mum first took me in there when I was about 13 or 14 and I fell in love with the place. For those that don't know, Liberty is at heart a posh department store but is really so much more than that. It has a beautiful mock Tudor frontage and sells the most amazing fabrics and all sorts of exquisite things. I think my favourite place there is the rug room, which is just a room chock-a-block full of oriental style rugs, on the floor, in massive piles, hanging from the ceiling...heaven! Now because I am paying for a wedding and am poor I resisted all the beautiful Tana Lawn fabric and treated myself to some little scissors in the same print as I liked, the height of restraint I'm sure you will agree.
Another highlight of our trip was a visit to a fabulous restaurant called The Big Easy, we went to the Chelsea one but there is also one in Covent Garden. Basically their specialty is Lobster but they do all sorts of other Americana type foods like ribs, burgers etc and amazing cocktails. Being brave souls Chris and I decided that we would try the 1 and a half pound lobster as neither of us had tried it before. And dear readers, I can truly say it was delicious! I'm not a massive fan of seafood so this is a departure for me and I'm so pleased I made the brave leap. The meat (if you can call a crustacean's flesh meat!) was very sweet and not at all disgusting. Plus we had awesome fun with the implements they give you to eat it, cracking tools, long prongs etc...and took funny photos with claws. All in all a great place to go and have a good meal, great drinks and an excellent time!
One of the best things about where we stayed was its proximity to Chelsea and the Kings Road meaning we could do a bit of celeb spotting while we were there. Not that we were that great at it...our best spots were Spencer and Andy from Made in Chelsea. Speaking of MIC if you've been watching the new series in New York you should read this blog about it on Tatler website. Very funny stuff by Sophia Money-Coutts.
You know for all me starting this post moaning about being back at work, I've actually cheered myself right up by recapping our London trip for you all.
London was a great break if a bit (read a lot!) wet! We got pretty much soaked in the rain every time we stepped out of the hotel on Monday & Tuesday though Wednesday was better at least, no need for the umbrella! We had a lovely time none-the-less and did some spectacularly touristy things as well as more unusual ones.
Trolled up to the National Gallery to see an excellent exhibition called Making Colour which surprisingly enough is about colour!! Was a fascinating thematic exhibition and talked about the theory and the way the different pigments were developed as well as showing the traditional uses of each colour. It's on until 7th September so if you find yourself at a loose end near Leicester Square and the National Gallery I would highly recommend it!
We also went to see a Prom (Austro-Hungarian /Viennese music) at the Royal Albert Hall which was just up the street from our hotel. Had a slight drama when I ACCIDENTALLY spilled some water on a woman in the bar where we were having our pre-prom drink (typical clutzy me!) and she went absolutely mental and we then made a swift exit. Her shrieks included the following "Ohhhh, What have you thrown on me?" "My hair is ruined" (it wasn't, in fact you couldn't even tell she'd had it done...) and when Chris apologised again saying that we were as wet as she was, from the 20 minute walk in the rain obviously..., she just tutted at us and said "I don't think so!" I'm sure if we were older she wouldn't have kicked off as much. So barring that incident the proms were lovely, the Albert Hall was amazing and the music was beautiful. Even got to hear the Blue Danube waltz which is one of our joint favourite pieces of classical music.
On Tuesday in the rain we went to the amazing shop that is Libertys of London. My Mum first took me in there when I was about 13 or 14 and I fell in love with the place. For those that don't know, Liberty is at heart a posh department store but is really so much more than that. It has a beautiful mock Tudor frontage and sells the most amazing fabrics and all sorts of exquisite things. I think my favourite place there is the rug room, which is just a room chock-a-block full of oriental style rugs, on the floor, in massive piles, hanging from the ceiling...heaven! Now because I am paying for a wedding and am poor I resisted all the beautiful Tana Lawn fabric and treated myself to some little scissors in the same print as I liked, the height of restraint I'm sure you will agree.
Another highlight of our trip was a visit to a fabulous restaurant called The Big Easy, we went to the Chelsea one but there is also one in Covent Garden. Basically their specialty is Lobster but they do all sorts of other Americana type foods like ribs, burgers etc and amazing cocktails. Being brave souls Chris and I decided that we would try the 1 and a half pound lobster as neither of us had tried it before. And dear readers, I can truly say it was delicious! I'm not a massive fan of seafood so this is a departure for me and I'm so pleased I made the brave leap. The meat (if you can call a crustacean's flesh meat!) was very sweet and not at all disgusting. Plus we had awesome fun with the implements they give you to eat it, cracking tools, long prongs etc...and took funny photos with claws. All in all a great place to go and have a good meal, great drinks and an excellent time!
One of the best things about where we stayed was its proximity to Chelsea and the Kings Road meaning we could do a bit of celeb spotting while we were there. Not that we were that great at it...our best spots were Spencer and Andy from Made in Chelsea. Speaking of MIC if you've been watching the new series in New York you should read this blog about it on Tatler website. Very funny stuff by Sophia Money-Coutts.
You know for all me starting this post moaning about being back at work, I've actually cheered myself right up by recapping our London trip for you all.
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