Time at home

The girls and I have spent a few productive days pottering about at home and in the garden.
We cleaned the greenhouse out yesterday, finally, and have washed all the seed trays and pots. We are now ready to sow. A little later than usual for some things but as it has been so cold i think that we'll be ok. We did manage to get our garlic in just after Christmas and it is doing well and our raspberry canes are looking promising. We will be growing a selection of all sorts like last year; cucumbers, rocket, tomatoes, sweetcorn, courgettes, french beans, lettuce, carrots, coriander, chillies and basil. We will also be trying brussel sprouts and cabbage and if it's not too late time, one of my fav veggies... leek.



Today i had a lie in. Whilst the girls were playing in their room and i was drinking my morning cup of tea, still lying in bed, i switched on the lap top. and started to 'bloghop'. I came across The Homely Year's blog. I have visited before but not for a while. I must bookmark them for as well as being an enjoyable read,the site is full of great recipes. I came across a few which i jotted down. I fancied trying this lemon cake and as both my girls have sweet tooths i thought they would be keen to help.

It was fairly straightforward and we all took turns, creaming, beating , juicing lemons and grating the zest. We popped it in the oven for 50mins and this is how it came out.



We fancied icing it so sieved the icing sugar into a bowl and mixed it in with more lemon juice. As you can see my icing is always too runny. We ended up coating the whole thing.




The girls also made some shortbread in butterfly, flower, star and heart shapes. They had a friend to play this afternoon and all three girls enjoyed polishing off most of the cake and a fair amount of biscuits. There is some cake left for us grown ups to gobble up tonight. It is very very tasty! Thank you Margaret and Noreen.

Pancake day !

Mix a pancake,

Stir a pancake,
Pop it in the pan.
Fry the pancake,
Toss the pancake,
Catch it if you can.

Christina Rossetti

Hope you have enjoyed all your pancakes... i had great fun with the girls and between the 3 of us we ate 12... they were very small though and even though the first few fell apart we still gobbled those up too.

My favourite filling is sugar with sliced banana and chocolate.

What's yours?

I am off for a swim tonight to work off the indulgence...
I am not sure if i should give up chocolate for lent though as i was kind of hoping for a homemade daddy and girls chocolate cake for my birthday next week. err.... will have to think about that one!?

g
x

Friends,Hollyhocks and Cake...

Hello there....Yes i am still on the Hampton Court aftermath.. This time i would like to share with you some of the friends.. some new and some old we have met at the show and link to their websites. I was hoping to take photos of their stands but i didn't quite get it together.

Little Dye House

Jane (and Jane)...started in business around the same time as us designing and producing in the uk, beautiful garments for women and girls in the softest jersey pointelles, all hand dyed in beautiful soft colours using non toxic dyes.
Check them out as they are exceptional quality and so easy to wear. Lovely women too.

Beverley Hewitt Ceramics

We met Bev and her husband Steve for the first time at the show. They are a friendly kind couple, who minded our stand on the first morning when we got caught in traffic (us and loads of other exhibitors.. static for 40mins and only 5 mins drive away.. i walked 3 miles although it felt like 20 and then Alice caught me up in the car arghh.. hot , sweaty and not too chirpy.... thankfully most exhibitors are a good bunch and are always on the look out for each other and Bev and Steve were just like this.) Bev worked for Royal Daulton for many years and has now branched out on her own. They have a studio in the Staffordshire potteries and create all their own shapes which are then decorated with Bev's designs. Alice brought her individual teapot/mugs as thank yous for her mother and mother in law who had been taking care of the boys.

Daniela from Hope and Benson..

A lovely woman who along with her business partner Angela makes beautiful classic yet funky wool handbags. We shared the tea runs with her during the week. Danny also has her own fashion range and we hope to pop down to Bristol to visit her new store sometime.

Textiles at the Organic Farm Shop

This was the stand next to us. They sold organic linens which were block printed in India by a small workshop set up by owner Hilary. She has been passionate about organic, fair trade, and local produce for many years. Check out her website as she runs a farm, shop, cafe, holds courses, and rents out yurts. The farm is in Cirencester and looks well worth a visit.

Merrywood

Linda handmakes fantastic soaps which Alice always buys when we see her at shows . I brought some from her too this year as thank yous for all my friends who had been taking care of my girls after school. My favourite is 'cottage rose', a soft fragrance with geranium and palmerosa oils...divine.

Jane Hogben Terracotta

We love Jane and Edward and have been opposite them at Country Living Christmas for the last few years... it was through them that we met lovely Sally ( on my side bar).. an amazing photographer and beautiful person.. Her book is delightful. Janes's ceramics are beautiful too and the smell of her scented candles is pure heaven.. i have many! They were exhibiting large sculptures mainly and had a pitch outside braving the elements.. luckily the weather broke and the second half of the week was warm and dry.



This week i have been having fun with my girls, and with my cooking companion.....

The River cottage Family cookbook
by Hugh Fernley Whittingstall and Fizz Carr

we made this very yummy Victoria sponge after school on Tuesday...

I think Hugh is fab and i brought this book for the family at Christmas.. it really is so brilliantly written, he works through each basic ingredient, giving background info for greater understanding and showing how to use them in different receipes.( the choc chip cookies are to die for).
This cake was a team effort with my girls... it took a while to put together (as these things do when juggling each task between us and keeping it fair).. and whisking the double cream by hand was a little like torture but we got there in the end. I do not profess to being a great cook and i often lack inspiration and confidence, but i do enjoy the creativity of cooking and really try and inspire my girls to feel excited about it too. We were very proud of our cake and all had a piece for tea.. it really was quite scrumptious!

Hope you are all keeping safe from the rain..... we have our sandbags out just in case..
G
x

The last one is mine...!

Popped into to the studio to finish a few jobs and collect some sewing to bring home to do tonight.
A common occurrence during the school hols... back and forth with full bags of works in progress resulting in piles of sewing taking over my dining room and Alice's cellar!

My 8 year old daughter came in with me today whilst my youngest was at a party. We have 4 children between us. 2 girls for me and 2 boys for Alice. All 4 have grown up together since being babies and are great mates!

I have really enjoyed these Easter holidays being in full time mummy mode, although I must confess I am really looking forward to a full day at the studio... lots of ideas for new things to make.

We have done some lovely things this holiday, the most pleasing was watching my girls have great fun making these corn flake chocolate nests to fill with eggs. They did some with chicks in too for their friends. I remember making these with my mum when i was a child. We made a few batches over the week and have finished the last ones today.
G