yummy lavender

yummy favours

2012-01-30T19:04:00.001Z

Yesterday I made my muffins, but first I tried to layer all the ingredients in a glass jar, taking my inspiration from this lovely micro-company.

Slom jar, by Ikea

I've been thinking of making those into favours. I think it is always quite nice to take something away that people can reuse, as opposed to just eat within two minutes. There are so many ideas out there, it's hard to pick the right thing that will please everyone and still be original and reflect a bit of your personality. What do you think?

flower inspiration

2012-01-29T17:34:00.000Z

As seen on Once Wed and Martha Stewart.

This week I am absolutely loving those vintage tins used as vases. It has been both a fast and a slow week, this time of year always feels a bit funny I guess...

Anyway I hope to show you more of my rose stars soon!

ooo Have a lovely week everyone ooo

sewing project

2012-01-16T18:18:00.001Z

Well, here I am, a year older since yesterday, and a magnificent rose star completed. Modest, moi?

I figure, why stop now? This has been a really exciting project to do in the last few days, and ...surprisingly easy! Well, I had some good tips from over here...

Keep tuned for more soon (hopefully!)

sewing project

2012-01-12T06:49:00.000Z

The rose star project started this Monday, but unfortunately I've had a very busy start of the week at work, so I've only just got on with the project last night.
I started by copying the pattern posted on Summerfete, and off I am now!! I am pleased with it so far, and it looks like it's going to be very addictive over the weekend. What do you think?

Sorry for the bad light...can't wait to get home from work when the sun is still out there!

ambitions

2012-01-08T17:00:00.000Z

Sometimes I wonder what goes through my head. Tonight I am feeling like my ambitions might actually surpass my abilities, but hey, I'm a great believer in "if you really want to, then you can". Still, I hope to be able to keep up with this insanely crazy challenge I sign up to...and it starts tomorrow!

The challenge is to make at least a rose star, but who knows, if things turn out the way I want, I might go as far as to make a quilt...oh, how ambitious indeed!! Tune in to follow my progress.

pompom

2012-01-03T14:49:00.000Z

Today the lovely ladies at Un Beau Jour posted about making your own pompom for wedding / party decorations. I simply love the idea, and have actually used their video tutorial only a few days ago to try and make one. I was amazed how easy and quick it was to make, and the result is really nice, even though I only used 6 sheets instead of the 12 recommended.

2011

2012-01-01T12:37:00.003Z

As we wave goodbye to 2011 and look forward to the surprises 2012 has in store for us, I look back at some of last year's memories...and what a ride it's been!

A quiet month despite my birthday, when I had the best meal ever!

A lovely trip back home, with family meals and a couple of days in Paris on the way back. Oh, and my work load unexpectedly rose up when I got promoted out of the blue - all in all a nice surprise.

Got my favourite cardigan of the year

First attempts at making Log Cabin, and a fabulous, mind-blowing trip to Vietnam and Cambodia.

Patchwork place mats

A few days in Barcelona, lots of happy kids. The end of year approaches...

Using all that free time to start my first quilt, and travelling to Paris a lot. I also had my first ever sewing lesson, comforting me that I was more or less doing the right thing already. Seeing Tree of Life to celebrate my first weekend on holidays was awesome too!

The best feeling ever when I finished my first quilt. Having a lovely time back in the French countryside, and one of the highlights was probably seeing Super 8 one afternoon in the local cinema.

Making yet more pouches, and more importantly finally getting engaged!

Visiting loads of people and venues for our wedding plans.

Quiet winter month

Christmas at home, just the two of us. Bliss.

*** A very happy new year to all of you ***

Things I have loved this December

2011-12-29T19:26:00.000Z

Y Riding in the first carriage in the Parisian metro. If you stand behing the driver's window, you can just make out the tracks, tunnels, and approaching stations. An eerie and lovely feeling.
Y Paris, generally. I was lucky enough to go twice this month, and loved it both times! The Christmas market at the Sacré-Coeur was beautiful.
Y Making my own presents for colleagues - a real nice, rewarding thing to do!
Y Staying in a lot for the last 10 days. It's so good to be home, read, and recharge the batteries whilst simply watching the Christmas tree.
Y Finding unexpected bargains in the sales in the last couple of days. Is it me, or is it really worth it this year? Driving past a Lush shop today, I couldn't believe it, they also seem to have sales on, which I think they never did before...might have to go!

Y Anticipating the start of 2012, a big year to come...

Christmas chez Yummy lavender

2011-12-25T16:10:00.001Z

Christmas afternoon tea for two - my version, at least...

Season's greetings to one and all

2011-12-24T17:26:00.002Z

A small gift to you all: enchanting pictures from Paris earlier this week. I hope everyone has a fabulous Christmas.

This year the Galeries Lafayette went for a rock 'n mode theme, as reflected in their windows.

I felt like a child watching them for ages! The Galeries were fabulous, but nothing came close to Le Printemps, with not only their still windows but also their automated ones dedicated to Chanel in general, and to Karl Lagerfeld in particular...beautiful!

I really like this last one, with its blurry impressions between real and fake Paris. The christmas market on the Champs-Elysees was pretty too...shame about the rain!

*Merry Christmas Eve*

yummy lavender birds & bags

2011-12-19T09:41:00.001Z

You have to hate winter for the poor light you get in the house this time of year! But these little birds and bags have been a pleasure to make over the last fortnight - not to mention I finally got rid of scraps of fabric I just couldn't bear seeing anymore. I left them in a little basket at work with an honesty box. Most were gone in a couple of hours, with colleagues telling me how very nice they were. Now that's a warming feeling when it's starting to snow outside ;)

Christmas before Christmas

2011-12-14T20:08:00.001Z

Only a few days of work left before the big break - can't wait! I bet you are all waiting for the holidays too, no? This year, due to a serious lack of time and organisation, I have only had time to sew together a few bits and bobs for my esteemed colleagues. Nothing fancy, just a selection of chocolates and nougats from France in a red Cath Kidston fabric bag. They looked so cute together that I couldn't resist snapping a quick picture of them. But I wonder, what does everyone do for Christmas for their colleagues? It is the only time of year I do something, and I kind of feel a responsibility to "produce" something in certain people's pigeon holes, but finding the right thing to give is not always easy. What do you all think?

Nigella's cookies

2011-12-13T19:07:00.001Z

Those little babies did not disappoint, especially with the cold and horrible wind and rain we've been having. They are from this bible book, which I always use a lot at this time of year.

White chocolate, cranberries, pecans and earthy oats...what's not to like? Oh, and has anyone noticed my new beautiful cake stand? I love it! I have been making soemthing every weekend in the last month just for the pleasure of putting it on the table.

Happy December

2011-12-01T19:41:00.000Z

Here's some of the things I've been up to in the last few weeks. I have to say that I've not been anywhere near as productive as I meant to be. But to break the routine we've had people over every weekend for the last three weeks, so there's not been much time available.
Not to mention that we bought the Millenium movies after hearing so much good about the adaptations. To be honest, they are quite entertaining but, as always, not too faithful to the original story. And who on earth decided to cast that woman as Erika B? I pictured a sexy woman with my big blond hair and a killer dress sense. Bit disappointed on this one. Then there's Mikke himself, supposed to be this Adonis whom no lady can resist...and all we get is this not-so energetic man. Charming, granted, but not irresistible.
Anyway, back to business now: I have completed a handful of pretty pocket pouches, who are awaiting a new home for January 2012. There are still two on the way, and a couple of extra things I haven't quite finished yet.

Cutest poodle fabric from Toto in France

If you are lucky enought to have a beautiful Advent calendar, I really REALLY envy you. This year I have been through and through London trying to find a pretty one like in Berlin, but it was not to be. Snifff. Oh well, I guess it's all for the good cause of trying not to get obese before I fit into Ya certain dressY next year...can't wait to share that with you in a few months' time!

blue monday

2011-11-21T19:26:00.001Z

Today I read the saddest blog entry ever. Alicia from posie gets cozy has found the most beautiful and poignant words to tell us her story. I had been waiting, like hundreds of her regular readers, to hear about her big baby news. She had us hanging on the edge of our seats, when today the much awaited post came. Beware ladies, this is one very sad story, but so beautifully told, it makes you wonder how some people manage to find so much love in their hearts.

Today for the first time, I dedicate my post to someone, and hope (as I have always believed), that things really DO happen for a reason.

simple breakfast

2011-11-15T18:58:00.001Z

Blueberries to make you happy, Blue of London tea from Le Palais des Thés, pumpernickel, peppered ham and Innocent smoothies

Innocent are running a campaign to get more money for Age UK. Their bottles have adorned a mini wooly hat at the moment, and even though I think they're really quite dear, I could not resist getting a couple for last weekend's breakfast.

Years ago I was teaching French for Age Concern in Ashton, near Manchester. I used to take me forever to get there for a two-hour lesson, and I remember having to wait for trains for ages at the sad Ashton-under-Lyne station.

Saying that, I have very very fond memories of that gig. The people at Age Concern were lovely, probably some of my best behaved students, and they would often stop the lesson to teach ME something about French history, or to tell me an anecdote of the time in France in the 1940s and 50s.

So it makes me quite happy to somehow contribute a little to Age UK...and the smoothies are really nice too!

hello lovelies

2011-11-09T19:58:00.000Z

It really feels like ages since I was here...time flies so quickly! After four weeks of not being able to phone or use the Internet at home, Mr Yummy and I left for a well-deserved break for a few days in the country. Slowly but surely, routine starts all over again, and it feels sooooo good to be home, I can't even tell you.
I got to meet a vintage sewing fan, and took pictures of her stall : it was so impressive! Here are my favourite bits of her collection. She says she goes to every car boot sale in the area...I can believe her!

The same curious object I was showing you a little while ago. It turns out to be called a "festonneur". Does anyone know what it might be in English?

The tiniest sewing machine

Quite a collection, isn't it? I loved seeing all those lovelies in one place, and had a great time meeting that lady. She also showed me the two books below - the encyclopedia of vintage habberdashery...I feel this is going straight on my Christmas wish list!

disconnected

2011-10-20T19:08:00.001+01:00

This month...

♥ I loved - loved - loved the Indian summer, but not so much the drastic change of temperatures we've been experiencing in the past few days. Strapless dress to furry coat within days = big cold!
♥ seeing a whole chunk of my family unexpectedly has been really quite emotional...even more so as we were celebrating the life of a beloved who passed away. Funerals are always bizarre situations, aren't they?
♥ I found out just how addicted I am to the Internet at home. Not having a working phone nor a web connection has not brought out the best in me at first, and then i sort of re-discovered the joys of being free from it all. Now it's back, and so is my sanity.
♥ Still loving the weird and wonderful world of Rock'n Roll bride. Added Un beau jour to my daily browsing too. Are you sensing a theme?
♥ Still busy making some lovely pocket using Keyka Lou's patterns, as you can see. They're a pleasure to work with. My lounge turns into a real factory at the weekend!

things I love

2011-09-28T19:27:00.000+01:00

Things I absolutely love at the moment...

♥ spending hours watching Rock'n'roll bride's decadent and magnificent weddings
♥ the heat wave - it's not too late to wear summer gear once more, yeah!
♥ seeing happy bloggers on every continent, with a special thought for Alicia. If you haven't read her blog before, run to it, and I swear you will get addicted!
♥   preparing for Christmas (you know it's just around the corner)
♥   Bliss Cocotte's before and after pictures - so cute!
♥   making loads of those lovely pouches

did you just say....

2011-09-23T18:23:00.011+01:00

Did you just say...old school (click click) ?

Have a groovy weekend everyone!

vintage finds - the end!

2011-09-21T18:46:00.000+01:00

Last installment this week ladies! My life has turned into a roller coaster all over again, with extra added twists this year, but more on that later...For now it is time to share this super cute find with you. But what could be in that battered old box?

The cutest accessories known to ~~mankind~~ (great sense of measure, eh?) or rather to the sewing afficionados that we are.

Still fishing for clues? I was at first too, don't worry!

" Blue Ink"

"Made for embroidery"

"Fades away with first wash"

Didn't I tell you it was the cutest?

I haven't tested it yet, but am delighted with this vintage find. I never even imagined that items like that existed. Well, that's it for today again folks. Hope you're all having a great time!

vintage finds

2011-09-13T19:15:00.000+01:00

Last week I showed you some of the sewing stuff gleaned on french Sunday antique markets. Today I want to share with you some of the new ( or old, depending how you think of it!) kitchenware I got a few weeks ago.

I love that they are all different, it makes our table look a bit wonky but really interesting at the same time! The minute I walked into Chez Rosito in Paris for the first time (delicious Corsican restaurant just off place des Vosges - yummy!) and saw their mismatched old-fashioned plates, I knew I wanted to do the same at home.

Vintage finds

2011-09-05T18:39:00.000+01:00

The great thing about visiting France in the summer is that you can be sure there will be lots of antique / car boot sales at the weekend. This August I visited a couple of really nice places on Sundays near home. Most of the stalls sell tat, really, but occasionally there are treasures to be re-discovered. Someone in the family is a complete car-boot nut and goes religiously. That's how I end up with anything sewing-related whenever I go back. Still, it means I never EVER run out of cotton or buttons (or needles, or measuring tapes)!

The jars are also vintage. One of them now contains sugar and a pod of vanilla straight from Madagascar...yum!

More vintage finds soon!

autumn is coming

2011-09-02T19:00:00.003+01:00

More cute foxy moments these last few days. It must be nice being a fox in my neighbourhood...

First there were two, and then...

I know people hate them and consider them to be a real nuisance, but I can't help feeling happy when I catch them having a rest like that. Sometimes they can be really funny too. And the second they notice me, they just run away.

Well, I don't know about you keen gardeners, but I have been quite busy dealing with this lot of fruit and vegetables I brought back from my holidays. Luckily the apples will keep for a while, but I have had to do a fair bit of cooking to use the fresh tomatoes and the enormous courgette (more like a 2kg marrow) I had. Now that autumn is just around the corner, it will be nice to open up some jars full of summer flavour, though, so it's all been worth it!

Have a lovely weekend everyone!

escape to the country...

2011-08-31T14:26:00.002+01:00

...and back with lots of good memories. The flora and fauna were very active, as you can see!

I managed to bring back many bags full of fruit, but nothing beats picking and eating them straight from the tree :)

The sweetest tomatoes - I made a massive batch of my stuffed tomatoes and froze them for those cold autumn nights which, no doubt, are just around the corner.

Sadly it was a bit too early to bring any pears back

Tiny wild strawberries...shame they were tasteless.

I love those fields of cosmos. they spring up everywhere in the French countryside these days, and make any road trip feel like you're driving through a dream

I love my new camera! I was so pleased to get this elusive bee!

It has been a very relaxing holiday, as you can see, and it's backwards that I'll be getting back to work tomorrow morning. I guess it has to happen at some point, right? Well, let's not think too much about it for now...there's still plenty of things to smile about:

* seeing colleagues again after weeks off - and gossiping!

* autumn is just around the corner, and there's nothing like the crispness of those mornings

* One day has come out at the movies

You see, fellow teachers, life ain't so bad...

object of desire

2011-08-30T19:28:00.001+01:00

I know I need to be reasonable, and I am trying to refrain from getting this lo-ve-ly fabric from Etsy (here - click click!)...but how long can I really resist the matryoshka call? Plus, I have already thought of so many ways to use it...oh, the internal struggle!
Honestly, could YOU resist?

enchanted

2011-08-30T16:49:00.002+01:00

On a recent visit to Paris I went to see this marvel for the very first time. I had read about it a little when I was studying English / the Middle Age a ~~lifetime~~ while ago, and more recently when I read the fabulous novel by Tracy Chevalier. Nothing could have prepared me for the visual feast that was seeing The lady and the Unicorn for real, though. The details of the millefleurs (the woven background of flowers and trees) was even more intricate than I thought, and altogether it was one of the highlights of my summer. The rest of the museum is really worth the visit too!

Hotel de Cluny, where the tapestry lives nowadays

Taste

Sight

Millefleur detail

The room wher the six tapestries are exposed is, understandably, lit to the minimum in order to preserve the colours best, so I was pleased to be able to get those nice pictures without any flash. Especially this one...

A mon seul désir

green

2011-08-23T14:19:00.002+01:00

The countryside surrounds me, and it almost feels like time has stopped when I come back home to native France. For once the mood has been good overall, but nonetheless, I cannot wait to get back to my familiar surroundings. Is that crazy? Living off the fat of the land is a good thing and I have relished it for the past few days (I have a few pics to show you next week). Comfort food really takes a completely different meaning here, where you cannot eat a single thing without thinking how simple and yet tasty and gorgeous it is: walnut bread, fresh goats's cheese from the market, sweet tomatoes from the garden, to name but a few.
I can feel that work is calling me though...dreaded September is just around the corner!

sewing project - finished!

2011-08-09T10:44:00.001+01:00

May I (proudly) present...

Ummmm....fluffy!

All material for this quilt / bed cover is from Ines Patchwork, based in Paris (métro St Ambroise).
The wadding is a very fluffy one, measuring up to 6cm.
Finished product is around 130x130 cm.

I know this is quite a simple project, especially when comparing to some of the top seamstresses out there - check out Summerfete or Henhouse in my links) but I love my little quilt! The fabrics are a little bland maybe, but I just fell in love with them. My next one will no doubt be a more colourful affair, and I plan to make full use of my Material Obsession book. I like the pattern for "Candyshop", but would like to make something bigger, and properly quilted of course!
In the meatime, due to lack of ~~summer~~ sun, I can thoroughly enjoy my lovely fluffy little quilt.

simple lunch

2011-08-05T16:32:00.002+01:00

Today's simple lunch, aka "how to use up all the leftovers salad". Actually quite tasty! And it was enough to give me the energy to get on with a bit more sewing. I am already thinking of Christmas projects. I know, it's crazy; I blame it on the weather. That's what rain, clouds and automnal temperatures lead a woman to do!

I am super glad that I have finished my first quilt / bedtop. But I will have to wait for a ray of sunshine to take proper pictures of it. Fingers crossed, eh? I did take a few pictures in the final stages of assembling, and here is an idea of how fluffy the thing is looking. I am using wadding from this shop in Paris, it's sooo thick, I thought I would never manage to piece it all together!

I had a brilliant time in Paris last week. I took my first ever sewing lessons at the same shop I got the wadding from. The ladies were very nice, and taught me a few new tricks, especially about using biais. We made lots of log cabin blocks using a Marti Mitchell ruler - so much easier than the way I did it a few months back!
Paris was beautiful, as ever, and I really enjoyed walking around Ile de la Cité. I think it's a real quiet and nice place, especially once you have veered off the beaten path.

marché aux fleurs

Notre-Dame, from the Pont de l'Archeveché

Pont de l'Archeveché

Have a lovely weekend everyone!

Spanish colours

2011-08-01T13:31:00.001+01:00

I go crazy when I visit market places, even more when I'm in France or Spain. A few months ago I visited the lush region of Cantabria and took those pictures in the main covered market in Santander. Isn't everything just simply appetising?

Lovely display, isn't it? I hope it's whet your appetite as much as mine!

vintage!

2011-07-27T11:47:00.000+01:00

This weekend I am really looking forward to visiting the Vintage events on the South Bank. I am particularly excited about the vintage market place. There will be some very big names there, but I mostly hope to find some vintage fabric to add to my collection.
Evening tickets are also available for those of you who feel like a good old boogie!
To put you in the mood, look at all those super pretty old prints, all available from here.

sewing project

2011-07-25T09:48:00.000+01:00

I have nearly finished the top of my patchwork quilt now, and so happy with it finally coming together! I can't wait to see the finished product. Are you this excited when you sew? I'll be posting about it again soon, I'm sure. In the meantime, you can have a look at the mock-up.

sewing project

2011-07-22T10:30:00.001+01:00

After nuch, much reflection, I decided this summer would be the time to start making proper patchwork. I dabbled in a few DIY projects over the past few months - nothing really organised or properly done, though. So after a bit of soul-searching, I thought it would definitely be best to rely on the advice of the people who know what they're doing. I got this book last week, and had my first penny-dropping moment: chain piecing!

OK, so I've started this new little project, and already I want to start making more from the book. The thing is, I bought those lovely squares of pre-cut fabric in Paris last month, and really want to make a simple bed-spread to start. It's really quite basic, but I fell in love with the soft tones of the fabric, and couldn't resist them. My next one will have to be a bit more vibrant though!

In any case, chain piecing is the best revelation.

More to come soon!

simple lunch

2011-07-21T18:41:00.000+01:00

Today I had another one of my simple lunches, the kind the man just could not survive on ("what, that's it? no bread, no meat, no cake? forget it!"). And guess what? It was simple and gorgeous.

Have you tried to fry gnocci before? I started doing this a few months ago, based on a recipe I santched from this book by the Domestic Godess. Since then, I can't stop. It is such an easy, quick option when you ~~can't be bothered to cook~~ don't really have time to do anything else. At first my other half wouldn't believe me when I explained how to cook them, and he thought I was barking mad. However, in ten minutes he was wowed, and we always have them since.

To make your very own plate of fried gnocci, simply open a pack of ready-made gnocci (from the fresh pasta section in your local supermarket), open, and gently fry in olive oil until golden. Job done!

But before you start thinking I've given up on real cooking, check out these little babies...

Chocolate chip and walnut cookies, inspired by yet another one of Nigella's books.

This time, I altered the recipe slightly. It's from the Christmas book and came with cranberries and oats originally. I decided to make mine with chocolate chips. The weather here has been terrible lately, so why not indulge in a bit of comfort food?

summer treasures

2011-07-20T09:52:00.000+01:00

Spanish colours

2011-07-19T20:16:00.001+01:00

Over the last few months I was lucky enough to visit Spain twice for work. Both times I stayed in lovely but completely different places, and the Spanish culture wowed me as it never fails to do. I think I completely rediscovered Barcelona when I went in May. It was not anything like the city I remembered from years ago when I first saw it with my nonchalant 20-something eyes, and yet it wasn't the painful and poignant setting I'd seen in Biutiful either.
Gaudi's architecture blew me away, especially the inside of Casa Battlo.
This is well worth a visit, and do take the audio guide, otherwise you will miss literally half of it.

And to think some of the floors of this house are still currently inhabited by the Battlo descents!

Every detail of this house was thought-through and exquisite. I loved it so much I got a fold-out calendar for next year from their shop.

La Sagrada Familia needs no introduction either, as THE landmark of the whole city. I went inside for the first time, and ~~nearly~~ cried when I saw the immeasurable work that has gone on in this church. Once again, if you can get a guide to explain the details, even better, but the sheer views are enough to take you aback.

There were many more visits during my short stay, including the unavoidable Parque Guell, and the chocolate museum.

Although the latter is not the best museum of its kind (if you're a chocoholic like me, I recommend the one in Koln, Germany), it has an unbeatable admission ticket!

summer cooking # 2

2011-07-15T12:33:00.002+01:00

Just for you, the simplest ever recipe I know. I hope you make at least a batch to try it for yourself, and let me know how they turn out.

Almond macaroons

Mix together a hand-beaten egg white (I mean with a whip, not literally by hand ;) ), 75g of sugar, and enough ground almond (roughly 100g) to make your mix look like this

Put little blobs of your mix on a baking tray, stick them in the over for about 10-15 minutes at 180, and watch the miracles happen!

You will not believe how yummy those old-fashioned macaroons are. And they make a perfect last-minute present if you go round to your girl-friends for a spot of coffee and gossip!

summer cooking

2011-07-14T17:52:00.002+01:00

Yesterday I made one of my old classic - tomato tart. I hadn't made one in ages, but the tomatoes smelled so good I thought it would be the perfect way to eat them. I even made the pastry for it, even though I wasn't really in the mood!

It is perfect served with a green salad. And the photos show you all you need to know about the recipe, really. I will post the recipe at the bottom of this post in any case, so feel free to use it, and enjoy!

Tomato tart

* Spread your shortcrust pastry in your previously buttered dish. (I just love my Pyrex one)

* Spread a thin layer of wholegrain mustard. Sounds wacky? Thinks again, it balances all the flavours out!

* Cut thin sliced of emmenthal / cheddar and put on top of the mustard.

* Cut your tomatoes into thick slices, and put them in a circle, one sort of on top of the next one. The more the merrier, right?

* Salt, pepper, and add dried or fresh herbs if you feel like it. I like mine to be just tomato-ey, and then I can go wild on the salad I serve it with.

I prefer to eat mine cold, but that really depends on you.

more flowers

2011-07-13T09:56:00.001+01:00

A couple of weeks ago I got these wonderful flowers. They were so pretty I took loads of pictures of them. It was such a simple combination, but it worked beautifully, especially with the morning light!

oOo - peonies & flowered mint - oOo

* freedom! *

2011-07-12T12:58:00.004+01:00

Eight weeks have passed since I posted last. I have just had a million things in my mind, and the end of term is always quite a challenging time in my line of work. Not to mention that I took some kiddies out to Spain and then another group to France. Time has really flown by, and I am finally where I want to be most - home. The weather is not so great at the moment, so it's perfect for me to get on with a few ideas I've been craving to experiment with.
This song has been on my mind for the past few days. I hope you enjoy it too ;)

foxy

2011-05-25T19:40:00.000+01:00

I hadn't seen this little one in ages, so when I looked out my window this morning I was pleased to see that he was still around. Foxes have a bad reputation here, mostly because they steal from people's back gardens and made horrid noises in the middle of the night. Yet I'm always pleased when I see them out and about. Can you spot my little guy in there somewhere?

sewing project

2011-05-24T19:53:00.001+01:00

My set of four placemats is finally finished. It has been a little challenging at times, and I still can't believe how annoying it was to sew straight quilting lines. Maybe I need to draw figures next time and make funny shapes instead?
In any case the result is cute, if a little too childich to my taste, and in all honesty I don't know how often I'm going to use them. Would you?

Saying that, i've really enjoyed working with different colour bias tape, and it's helped me get to grips with my new patchwork cutting table and tools, so it can't be all that bad.
If you feel like having a go at the placemats yourself, the very talented Ayumills over at Pink Penguin is the generous person who made the tutorial. You can find it here.
This project has kind of made me realise just how little time I spent on sewing in the last year or so, and no wonder, I've been away most of my holidays! So it's decided (touch wood, I'll keep this promise): this summer, I have nothing much planned, so I'm going to sew. And my aim for this fun-cum-busy summer is to make a quilt. After the very very very long observation phase (spending endless visits at Hen house - just how amazing are her quilts?), time for action. But I am not sure where to get started for a nice, simple quilt, and your help would be greatly appreciated ;)

* which book or pattern should I use? (I was thinking of buying material obsession, do you like it?)
* what's the best wadding?
* where can I get it from?
* is it really important to colour-match?

Thanks for your help!

simple lunch

2011-05-17T19:22:00.000+01:00

How could I possibly have resisted that yummy cornish pasty in the butcher's window? It was simply beyond my strength.

Served with a courgette, tomato and fresh basil salad - lovely!

sewing project

2011-05-16T18:45:00.001+01:00

After a semi-successful attempt (how difficult can it be to sew straight line after straight line, I thought? Turns out, not so easy...) at Pink Penguin's tutorial for lovely patchwork placemats, I am on a mission to make myself a set of 4 assorted ones. I won't confess to how long I've had a the material ready for that project (probably around 6 months). What matters is, it's nearly finished now, and I can't wait to be done with all those quilting lines - yesterday I felt like I had double vision!

As recommended, I have picked different bias tapes for each placemat.

Not long to wait to see the finished product now!

sewing project & new header

2011-05-06T18:14:00.001+01:00

more coming soon!

detox

2011-05-06T18:05:00.000+01:00

Apparently berries make you happy. My all-time favourite fruit salad : mango, strawberries and blueberries.

still on a cloud

2011-05-04T21:22:00.003+01:00

I am hanging on to that feeling I have had for the last couple of weeks. It goes diminishing everyday as normal life and its routine actions take over my life again. My head is still full of beautiful memories from that land far far away, its contrasts, natural beauties and thought-provoking history.
Stow away your tray tables, sit back and relax, I'm taking you to Vietnam for a few minutes.

Halong Bay

The tasty food of the Red Bride cooking school

One of my finest "Kodak moments" - capturing the fishing net in Hoi An bay

Mekong delta

I disconnected, ate weird and wonderful food, drank cocktails, went kayaking in Halong bay, and took my first balloon ride. What a fantastic time!

Please do not use, print or copy any photos without permission.

memorabilia

2011-04-28T18:38:00.005+01:00

Three weeks ago I got a newsletter from Cath Kidston, telling me that I could purchase a beautiful set of royal wedding memorabilia. Whilst on holiday, I thought about it, and I finally decided that...no, it wouldn't be too tacky to have an item to remember the day by. Mr Lavender does not agree. Lucky for him, the online shop doesn't seem to have any tea towels left...sniff
I'll try the shop itself in the next few days, but I get the feeling that a lot of us may have wanted to get hold of this little baby. If you've got one, lucky you!

Now, for the more sarcastic / cynical of you, this 2 min video should cheer you up...I hope you enjoy it as much as much as I did!

sun

2011-04-07T18:36:00.002+01:00

What a glorious couple of days we've been having! Yesterday my colleagues and I had a meeting outside in the sun for the first time. It was bliss. The nice weather is coming at a perfect time, as it's putting me in a perfect holiday mood. Last weekend I decided to make a little first aid bag for an upcoming trip.

The red fabric is from Cath Kidston, and it was on sale the week before Christmas. I made loads of totes with it to hold the women's presents in, but no photos were taken at the time.
Talking of Cath Kidston, the latest newletter they sent me was just full of cuteness, and I think I am going to be tempted by the Royal Wedding memorabilia, especially the tea towel. In any case I cannot tell you how much I am looking forward to experiencing this event, I think it will be great, and having the day off to celebrate it will certainly prove to be a popular move.

Now, time to go pack for that holiday!

wisdom

2011-04-06T18:50:00.002+01:00

Last week I went to the card corner of my local supermarket and could only find one of the kind of card I was looking for - not much choice, I thought, and it can wait till the weekend to visit the proper card shop. So, on Saturday afternoon I braved the crowds and went to my favourite place for cards. Given my origins, cards are not a big thing for me, but I really needed one. I quickly realised that choice would be limited again - very limited. In fact, as previously experienced, there was only one card of that kind.

So I got it (a bit reluctantly given the glitter all over it), and went to pay at the cashier desk. "Wow" the lady said in amazement, "You actually know someone who's turning 100?" "Why, yes" I said proudly, "my great grand-father."

He was born before WW1, fought and lost dear friends in WW2, grew organic vegetables and fruits before organic had become hip, and has the best strawberries and melon in his garden. He still has a wicked sense of humour, and is a bit of a role model to us all in the family.

Bon anniversaire pépé G.

log cabin pincushion

2011-04-01T07:19:00.001+01:00

Last week I tried my hand at log cabin for the first time, like Atina not so long ago, and taking my inspiration from the same source, Pink Penguin. It was a lot quicker to make than I thought, but as usual, being the capricorn that I am, I decided to go ahead without a pattern, and made it up as I went along. The result is a pretty pincushion in blue tones with tiny little flaws.

If it keeps on raining this weekend, I'd love to perfect my technique. If you know of any good tutorials around...

a simple dinner

2011-03-31T07:28:00.002+01:00

Last night dinner brought me the comfort I needed after a grumpy day. I wonder if the return of the rain is behind this machiavelic scheme to make me grumpy, or if it's just the end of term. Let's see what today brings...

Mushroom tortellini, kabanos, a light salad with yeast flakes on.

spring mornings

2011-03-29T07:22:00.000+01:00

My spring mornings last week were all about my little daffodils. Watching them open a little bit more every day put me in a good mood straight away! If you're in need of a boost at the moment, here's something to lift your spirits...

* 10 years *

2011-03-16T18:53:00.000Z

Yesterday marked 10 years of happiness, laughter, and sharing my life with him. It's amazing how quickly all these years went by, and how much my love continues to grow and grow.
M., I know you never come and visit my blog space, but if perchance you did - thank you!

Photo by Guille

Taken last summer whilst experimenting with lights and camera.

time

2011-03-14T19:00:00.001Z

Time is a recurrent theme in my posts - and for a good reason, or maybe I am completely deluded? I always seem to run out of time, and never find enough to do all the things I envisaged doing. That's how last Monday, at 7 in the morning, I baked a batch of macaroons which I'd promised to bring into work. It's also why, for the last month, I've not written here. So, let's see...just what have I been up to in the last month?
Well, three weeks ago, some very unforseen events at work made me step up to a new opportunity I just could not refuse to grab (you know the one - the one you think..."hang on, no, that's just too good to be true...") Turns out, it was for real, and well, is it too good to be true? Once you balance out the amount of admin / chasing up you have to do, it's not really all that glam, but it's definitely worth experiencing, even if it's not permament!
Then I went on my pilgrimage to the native land and brought back a few nice memories, like this shot of my beloved cat.

Twilight outside the Louvre

This time, though, I was less than impressed with Parisian way of life. The metro stank, the city screamed of poverty at every corner of every building, and at the same time prices are so high for a simple meal in a simple cafe, it all seems a bit too extreme. Or maybe I was just feeling a bit too down to enjoy it?
This weekend I also hopped to Lille for a little spot of ~~shopping~~ educational visit with Year8 and finally gave in to my unsatisfied shopping fever which has affected me lately.

And don't you start adding to the negative "you look just like a freaky teacher I used to have" "your tastes are sooo weird" I got when I got back...Tsss, men, what do they know, hey?
So what if I'm into bows and little birdies at the moment? And just to prove my point, here's more of the same...

And that's how I filled my last few weeks. Well, part of it. I now look forward to the next few weekends, and to doing a bit more of what I want to do as opposed to what I have to do. Let's see how that goes.

in my head

2011-02-10T21:10:00.002Z

Is that a blast from the past or what? Enjoy.

flowers fancy

2011-02-09T18:10:00.000Z

Today I wore my lovely old-fashioned watch from the flea market at Camden. I took this picture ages ago (you can still see the Christmas tree in the background) but never featured my new mini bag from Cath Kidston. I'm in a flowery mood today! I tried to make myself a new pink and flowery banner but technology and I are not friends today...it'll have to be another day!
Also, do you remember those Liberty bracelets? I made a couple of new ones last weekend, and I'm even trying to make some ear rings this week. It's all pretty exciting, but I can't help thinking I must sound like Susan in the last season of Deperate Housewives...oh dear! Well, never mind, I'll wear my own stuff at least.

busy bees

2011-02-01T19:18:00.002Z

So after a quiet weekend on the blogosphere today it looks like everyone's back to work and/or sharing their projects: check those out!
As for me, well, nothing much since yesterday. Just a funny picture of my minute-made quiche lorraine gone a bit wonky. Actually, by the time I got to my camera, the bulge had already gone down a lot - it looked like a volcano about to erupt. Not the best quiche I made, but gosh, was it quick! Sometimes you need something homemade, but you just run out of time. In the end, this was just what I needed.

How to quiche lorraine - the infamous "cutting a lot of corners" version

* Spread your ready made pastry

(note to the purist which I normally am: do not under any circumstance use puff pastry)

* Fry some pancetta cubes

* Mix with a couple of beaten eggs, creme fraiche, grated gruyere and milk

* Season, put in oven... "le tour est joué"

Oh, and of course, it doesn't hurt to get a little present in your post box to prolong that birthday feeling...thanks a bunch Atina Alga!

back to work

2011-01-31T17:25:00.002Z

After a few ~~weeks~~ days of rest, my trusted Singer has been back to work this wekend. And for the first time I also used my new patchwork making material - a ruler, rolling cutter and cutting mat. As with a lot of things I do, I thought, OK, I'll start with something nice and easy. So I drew a quick sketch of what I wanted, and made sure it would all work out, including calculations of squares and rectangles.

Then I realised I wouldn't have enough fabric to do what I wanted in the colours I wanted.
So I changed my plan.
Then I started cutting all my bit of fabric.
Then I realised I was STILL short of the gingham fabric for the centre piece.
Grrrr!

In the end I had to make a final adjustment. And then the sewing started. About half-way through, it looked really promising, but I could just see all the things that were wrong about my method (or lack of). I kept saying to my half "This is so the wrong way to do this", and yet it kept sort of turning out all right. Well, in my eyes it's still not perfect, but I am rather impressed that I managed to make this with no pattern or any methodology whatsoever. Yeah team me - my first ever patchwork piece on my own!

winter

2011-01-25T19:04:00.000Z

Winter feels really slow at the moment. As soon as the weekend arrives I plan to start using my new patchwork equipment I got for Christmas, and I dream of being able to (one day) catch up with the like of those talented ladies.

But every Friday night the same weird thing happens. I switch to comfy lazy mode, make a nice meal or two, sleep, kick myself to do a bit of house cleaning, and then just end up wasting the days away, and making the most of seeing the Man. By the time I really want to get started on my sewing, daylight is already gone...and it's time for tea and cake. You see the vicious circle I'm in?

pretty in pink

2011-01-18T19:10:00.000Z

This year for my birthday I got the prettiest bouquet I could ever hope for. Faded pink is one of my favourites, and with poppies thrown in, I think this is one of the best arrangement I have received in a long time. Jealous much?

comfort food game

2011-01-17T18:01:00.002Z

I am glad to announce that someone DID eventually get it right! Run lori run has finally cracked the riddle, and guessed that the comfort food was chestnut cake. It's not the most common thing, I'll give you that, but back home in France it is one of my favourite things ever.
As usual, there's loads of different recipes, but my father makes it by mixing chestnuts to vanilla sugar and butter (not for the faint-hearted), turning it into a paste, and covering it with melted dark chocolate. Yu-huh-mmy!
As he came to visit during the festive period, he brought me some of last autumn's mix, and all I had to do is add the chocolate on top. I cannot begin to tell you how much I loved it, and as I don't get to eat as much of it as I'd like, it's now become my Proust "madeleine".

Well done to Run Lori Run for her perseverance. Being the only one with the correct answer by this morning, she wins the smelly prize of a bunch of my lavender hearts. Congratulations to her, and thanks to everyone else for taking part. I'll try and make my next game a bit easier.

comfort food game

2011-01-14T18:16:00.000Z

Here's a clue for everyone. I hope you can guess now...
It's not a very common sort of cake anyway. In France we have it in autumn usually.

comfort food game

2011-01-11T15:35:00.003Z

But what can it be???

A yummy lavender heart trio to be won if you guess the correct answer. It's easy to win! Just leave a comment and/or start following me between today and Sunday night to enter the competition. I will announce the winner early next week.

Wednesday edit ::

So, it's not fudge, it's not peanut, and it's not marzipan...but the main ingredient is definitely a nut of some sort. Does that help, or do you need more clues?

bad light and late resolution

2011-01-10T17:22:00.001Z

Bad light, but I can't resist showing my latest trio of lavender hearts.

I've become completely addicted to making those. I made my own pattern (OK, it wasn't the most difficult thing to do, but it's so satisfying to create something from scatch!) after trying several different shapes, and can still spend long long minutes trying to figure out the best fabric / ribbon / button combination, but I love it! These three were made from my colleague's birthday recently.
I also had just enough time to make some for friends and family this Christmas. Which brings me to my late resolution. It's kind of a long term one, but this year....(drumroll)... I would really like to make more crafty presents for my nearest and dearest for their birthdays and Christmas. There. It's written in black and white, and there's no walking away from this one!!

* Happy New Year *

2011-01-04T17:47:00.002Z

This year I have decided not to make too many resolutions. Isn't everyday life already challenging enough? In a couple of weeks I am going to hit 33, and journalists say I will be at my busiest ever, so I'm going to make it easy on myself this year.
When I go back to work tomorrow, I will take on an extra responsibility I applied for a while back. Nothing too strenuous on its own, but I am juggling two other massive chores, so things will definitely get interesting!

On the other hand, the whole bridesmaid thing is behind me now, and I can sit back and relax on the family duties for a while. Is it just me, or does anyone else feel like it really is a duty to do the family thing? (Well, visiting is not too bad, but I have just had my parents over for a whole week - compassion anyone?)
Anyway, I thought I'd share a couple of nice pictures from the special day - doubly special as it had to be rescheduled due to the thick coat of snow everywhere! All photos are from here.

The photographer was really nice, the ceremony sweet and simple, the venue and flowers gorgeous, and my dance partner...well, what do you think? Everyone enjoyed the wedding favours I spent so long making, and I think they made a difference.

* HAPPY NEW YEAR *

winter

2010-12-23T09:34:00.001Z

It has become custom for us to have more and more snow over the last handful of years, to my delight! Not only do I get time off work (we wouldn't want the little angels to hurt themselves in the snow, would we?) but I get to do what I do best in the given time: marvel at pretty things. Besides all the ever so inspiring blogs out there, there's things like that...

Isn't it just awe-inspiring? Ther stillness around was deafening, and the sky just looked amazing.

make a wish

2010-12-22T17:54:00.000Z

This is the last of my three patterns for the wedding favours. I started making about a dozen normal ones, and then decided to make them a bit funkier with a crinkly edge. Overall I have 25 of those too, but time has been an issue, and I only have a selection of them photographed.

So, tell me, which do you prefer - stars, hearts or flowers?

In the mood for Christmas

2010-12-13T19:11:00.001Z

Now that I have officially finished all the favours, I can concentrate on making a few extra things for myself, friends and colleagues. The hearts above are some of those, and some are on their way to new owners in many different places as we speak. I hope they fill plenty of new wardrobes and drawers with lovely smells of Provence.

I had a mini craft fair of my own in work last week, which was really lovely. People really loved my pouches, and I have to say I love making them. Thanks so much to Keyka Lou for making patterns so easy to use. Despite my super duper new camera, my pics are still taken after night fall, and so they will look a bit eery.

And just because I was home alone the night before, I decided to have a cook off and put my colleagues in a merry Christmas mood. Sometimes I think I'm a bit nuts to make things like that. Does that ever happen to you too? Well, at least some people loved it, and it definitely cheered the staff room, especially with that extra bit of sherry I added in, hi hi hi!

The recipe is, of course, by Nigella.

Nothing as decadent and yummy as this could be by anyone else.

But man, what a nightmare have I had trying to find green glacé cherries this year! Where are they? I had to use angelica instead, which is fine but not as vibrantly colourful as cherries. If you know where to find them, please let me know.

a whole lot of love

2010-12-03T19:56:00.000Z

As I am putting my final touches to the seventy five - yes, 75 - wedding favours, I thought I'd finally share with you my army of little hearts filled with gorgeous smelling lavender. For those of you who missed out on the preview, click here.

All hearts are different and I have used vintage buttons on all. Some have vintage lace, some have Liberty biais, all are absolutely dainty and cute! OK, I'm biased. But admittedly, I have never done so many little things so many times over, and it's going to be hard to let go of them after weeks of seeing them grow!

The wedding is approaching very fast, just a few more weeks...

Be sure to check here soon again as I reveal my final pattern. After flowers and hearts...what could it be??

simple lunch

2010-12-03T13:01:00.001Z

A nice hearty soup, fresh bread and creamy cheese, amaretto apricots cake. Divine.

Whta do you eat at the moment?

Winter treats

2010-12-02T14:59:00.001Z

This year December brought us some early snow, and much to my delight, some unforeseen time off work. How nice, when all I was craving for was a bit of time to continue my sewing projects, and frankly, an extra hour in bed does wonders on my mood!
The day before yesterday it started like that... and it was freeezing.

Yesterday we did not have a single flake all day, but were left with terrible roads and sidewalk. You know those old movie where people fall on the ice, and it's so funny - well, it's not. I tried walking a bit yesterday, and was only too happy to come back home after a few unlucky steps.

Today, I woke up to this winter wonderland (*o*)

But hey...who's left their foot print here??

Ah, ha....could it be the return of Mr Fox?

Glad to see they're still around, I hadn't seen them in a while.
Oh, and there's just one more treat. When I saw her again, I had to have her. So here I am, with a second advent calendar from Berlin, and its fabulous treats...oh, it's good to be in December!

comfort food

2010-11-28T17:38:00.000Z

The other day, one of my colleague told me I would make the perfect wife, as I could sew and cook. Strangely enough, that was a female colleague...happily married with a young one at home!
Now, it got me thinking that if I was to marry another woman, it would have to be Nigella. No one else on Earth can bring so much comfort in her food, and no one can rival with her curvy elegance. This weekend I made this recipe from her new book - heaven in a plate by -2 degrees...and so simple to make!

spirited up...

2010-11-18T19:19:00.000Z

Ther's nothing quite like a new item in your wardrobe to lift your spirit, is there? Last weekend I liftes my spirit up - a lot!
I know it's bad to buy yourself stuff befor *C* but when you see something as nice as what I saw...well, you just have to have it. And so, I introduce....(drum roll)....my so so so cute, melt-your-heart, winter knit.

Now, if your heart didn't melt at the "pompon" detail - that's it, go get checked, you're officially not in the whole *c* / winter spirit!

And because I can tell you've been good...a small preview on the lavender hearts...

You can see the rest after the bride-to-be sees them this weekend. Have a lovely weekend everyone!

autumn in Berlin

2010-11-15T18:46:00.001Z

This is the nicest piece I've seen in a long time - I really did not get into the Hamburger Bahnhof museum, but somehow this make-shift bizarre raft made it for me. It really tapped into my inner child, and I felt like the visit was worth it after seeing it.

Great dusk lights...and great food at VaPiano. OK, not the most German food, but still great!

*C* preparations at the KaDeWe

The Spree, its bank...and the birds

the C word

2010-11-10T17:26:00.001Z

Oh yes, that time of year. Unbelievably, i read an article ages ago saying that there was apparently a demand from customers to buy *C* stuff as early as July, and this was why big store were already stocking up on decorations, cards and seasonal presents. Honestly? July?
I feel already kind of bad mentioning it here and now, but it's close enough now, isn't it? Especially for us crafty people. Not that we're "special" but if you want a chance of making one or two presents yourself, you've got to start now or it will never happen.
So, last weekend, in the spirit of things, and having been on a ~~raid~~ shopping trip here, I decided to have a bath with the lovely gingerbread house bath bomb. What had I done...
"what are you doing?" the man said "it's not *C* yet! you can't use *C*-y stuff until it's *C*!!"
And that's when I realised - gosh, I'm nearly as bad as those July people. It's true, isn't it? The longer *C* is around, the less magic there is.

So I won't be sharing too much just yet. Just one little photo maybe...just one....

From the superb display at the KaDeWe, Berlin.

flowers

2010-11-09T18:49:00.002Z

I started off those little flowers a while ago - remember them? A couple of months later, and look how busy I've been... my sewing box needs a rest this week!

Perfect to gently perfume your cupboards - without looking like a nasty old-fashioned moth repellent!

The wedding guests are in for a treat

Amidst the sea of felt flowers, there are now many more things taking shape - hearts and stars.

To be continued...

3, 2, 1, go! (#2)

2010-11-01T19:03:00.001Z

Here i am for my second instalment of the Paris retrospective. But to get us started, a little rant about a funny article in this weekend's paper. I'm not sure just how far this story went, but it's worth a glance if you've not heard of it. So, this couple goes off to the Maldives and decide to have a special ceremony to renew their vows or something along those lines. They pay an exhuberant price, go through with it, only to find that they have been mocked and humiliated the whole way through. At first I found the story quite shocking, then frankly funny, then I got a little angry at the people blaming the "reverend". If your marriage really means that much to you, would you want someone to read out vows you did not understand in the slightest? Granted, families can also be quite nerve-wracking at times, but why escape away from them all and fly off to a completely unknown country on such an important day?
One thing is for sure, the couple will never forget that ceremony! Did this story make you laugh? Cringe?

Right, now back to Paris!

Simple breakfast

Bazar de l'Hotel de Ville - BHV

Impressed with my new camera yet? I bet you didn't even notice!

Taken from the top of Le Printemps - a fabulous free panoramic view from their cafe terrace!

3, 2, 1, go! (#1)

2010-10-31T18:45:00.001Z

For my big return after a long time away, and to celebrate my 100th post, I am taking you on a trip. Ready? Set? Let's go!

Not much of a clue yet...the next couple of pictures might help:

(Ladurée - place de la Madeleine)

So, by now, you will have no doubt worked it all out. I was lucky enough to get to spend a few days in Paris, and my oh my, do I love this city! I was over there when the country was supposed to be torn and angry with strikers in every corner of streets, but to tell you the truth, I have not met a single protester during my stay. I saw them on TV in the news, though, but I guess the media just makes things out to be much worse then they really are. As for the reason why people are down in the streets, don't get me started - sometimes I almost feel ashamed to be French. However, this is not by any means a political blog, so let's move on to the nice stuff: monuments, food, and shopping (how futile!)!!

Avenue des Champs-Elysées

beef carpaccio - one of my very favourite Parisian lunches

If you are ever in Paris, you MUST go to "le Zimmer" and order this dessert. Granted, it is the most calorific thing you can have, but this fondant is the best I ever tasted. Marks & spencer do a good version here, but you have to kind of do-it-yourself, and of course, you only get the cake, none of the essential trimmings!

Cute views around Boulevard Haussman

Some cute windows at Hermes... and at Chanel

Place de la Concorde

I hope you have enjoyed it so far. Our journey will continue tomorrow or in a couple of days. There is so much to do when you come back home. Some say you need a holiday to recover from the holiday, and in a way that's true. I'm back to work tomorrow -sad face - but cannot wait to share the rest of my adventures.

under pressure

2010-10-12T20:27:00.001+01:00

Nothing gets me going like this song at times. It always reminds me of the genius and underrated movie Gross Pointe Blank. The song comes at a pivotal moment when Cusack decides to more or less turn his life around. That being said, I have always loved the song, long before my Mr Lavender showed me the movie!

Ironically (or not) I am feeling a lot of pressure at the moment, and cannot wait to be able to breathe and come back here on a regular basis. To celebrate my 99th post, here's Under Pressure

any excuse for shoes

2010-09-27T18:56:00.001+01:00

As you might have read before, there's a big wedding come up in a few months'time, and I have found myself pretty much involved in every stage of it - planning the hen night, making all favours by hand, and of course, acting as bridesmaid on the day.

Which brings me to these lovelies...

Ooooh....lovely, aren't they? Thy were a bit on the expensive side, but hey! On saturday I went to the bridal shop to try my dress on with them, and it all fits perfectly together. The dress is strapless and floor-length in "aubergine" coloured satin-y material. We also went shopping around for a pashmina, but to be honest I still think i'm going to freeze in this outfit...I'm guaranteed a pneumonia for Christmas if I'm not careful!

I've also pretty much sorted the hen night - at least in theory. I know what we'll be doing, just not where...well, that's half the job done, isn't it?

Last but not least, favours. Production actually had to wait until I got all my supplies together, which I now have (you should have seen the enormous pack of lavender I got delivered in work!)

So, all in all, it's going pretty well, but the date is getting frighteningly close. A bit like that cow I met on a country walk yesterday!

"arm aber sexy"

2010-09-22T18:42:00.001+01:00

To prepare for long autumn evenings sewing ~~by the fire~~ by the radiator, I made this cushion a while ago.

Autumn is my favourite season of all, and I really look forward to being able to enjoy it fully when I'm on holidays in about four weeks'time. I am going to be on the move quite a bit during this half-term, jetting around between Northern Spain (for a school trip), Paris (for ~~shopping~~ romance) and Berlin. Yes, Berlin again!

There is nothing quite like Berlin and the crispness of autumn mixed together. The first time I visited this city was almost by accident, when Mr Lavender and I booked a ticket two days beforehand instead of going camping in the Lake District (too cold). It's hard to explain what happened there, but it just had that amazing feeling about it, like the perfect balance between peaceful and awe-inspiring monuments / buildings and trend-setting vibrant little cafes and improvised art places.
Plus, everybody is lovely and kind. People smile at you, and say hi in the metro. How cool is that? Berlin truly deserves its nickname "arm aber sexy" - "poor but sexy".

I cannot wait to get myself a new completely OTT advent calendar like last year, and hope Lindt will outdo themselves again!

******
German readers - is there anything I'm missing out on in Berlin? I've visited the obvious places, but if you know of a nice place to eat / buy fabric / discover, let me know.

yummy trifle

2010-09-20T19:08:00.001+01:00

I made the most of the last summer fruits and prepared this yummy trifle the other day - a delight!

And my first go at this tutorial isn't too bad either - is it? Or is it? Well, my photos are a bit small there, so let's have a proper look at this summer fruit marvel...

Hungry yet? Follow the recipe, nothing could be easier - and you can cheat a lot!

* Prepare an express compote / jam with the fruit of your choice (mash them in a saucepan with some sugar)

* Spread the jam over trifle biscuits (they're like sponge)

* Add a layer of fresh fruit - that time I made strawberry jam and put fresh raspberries and blueberries.

If you feel naughty, which I often do, that's the moment to add a good old glug of sherry!

* Soak the lot in vanilla custard (that's the bit where you either cheat or shine as a domestic godess)

* Add another layer (it's the last one) of freshly whipped cream.

* And the final touch is, last but not least, roasted flaked almonds and more fresh fruit.

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This dessert is ideal any time of the year. Although it's more of a summer thing, it will be delicious with frozen red fruits, or with wintery tropical fruits (mango / passionfruit combo is delicious).

Enjoy!

little pleasures

2010-09-07T19:41:00.000+01:00

I know things are bad when...the only thing that got me through the day is as simple as wearing my new jumper I bought in france two weeks ago. That was like, a century and a half ago, when I still had time / wanted to cook during the week. Those were the days!!

Purchased for nothing in Promod, Paris. Effective, though:

"oh, miss! I love your top, where did you get it?"

"Paris"

"I knew it, they're so fashionable over there!"

hen night - HELP!

2010-09-02T19:07:00.002+01:00

So this December I'm going to assume a brand-new role for the first time in my life:

* bridesmaid *

I have never really paid attention to what the key people do during a wedding (probably too busy drinking and catching up with people you only seem to bump into at weddings these days), but the future bride has informed me of my duties and here they are, in no particular order:

* make the favours for every guest (oh, they are starting to be really cute, I'll show you soon)
* make my famous pancakes on the morning of the wedding (piece of cake!)
and...the hardest...
* organise the hen night (totally out of my comfort zone)

So this is my cry for all your contributions and ideas, your comments on past experiences, good or bad!
So far, I have a few ideas...

a pottery class in the afternoon?

a cocktail -making class at Cloud 23?

a karaoke night?

I have the feeling there should be a theme to the night, maybe a classic SATC, or something totally girlie like Marie-Antoinette. Or maybe that's just silly? What do you think?

In other news, I have just about survived the start of the new school year, but already feel like I need a major ~~glass of wine~~ distraction in the evening. So, thanks in advance for your amazing contributions to my plea - I'm off to distract myself!!

that time of year...

2010-08-31T16:39:00.000+01:00

Tomorrow something terrible is happening, can you guess?

Boo hoo! On the plus side, one cannot start the new year without some ultimate accessories, so, following my recent visit to La Droguerie, here is one of my new favourite bits...

lovely Liberty biais - they have the best selection!

I have made a new one since, but have to rely on the other half to be around and in the mood to take pics for me. We're still without a proper camera, but I hope we can have a good one soon. Can anyone recommend a reliable one for a casual photographer like me?

curvy clutch

2010-08-28T19:46:00.001+01:00

It has been forever since I have written anything around here. I guess that's what happens in the summer, right?
Only a few tiny days before work has to start again...sigh! Do you remember when you were a child and summer seemed to last for ever and ever? Oh, how I wish this was still the case. As years go by, I get the impression that summer lasts less and less time every year. Am I right, or is something wrong with me?

As for sewing...well...armed with the best intentions for the summer, I managed to do, err, well, not a quarter of what I'd planned to do if I'm honest. But still, another nice curvy clutch, have a look...

Atina Alga took me to the best fabric shop ever in Madrid, and this is where both fabrics for this clutch come from. Unfortunately, they don't do Internet orders yet, but the cute boutique is definitely worth going to. Their patchwork fabrics are some of the best selections I've ever seen.

Right, time to go and have a little pre-dinner drink now. My other half has decided to cook again these days, and tonight I cannot tell you how much I am looking forward to his lamb tajine with prunes and almonds...yummy!

See you soon for more...I'm back now!

yummy lavender bags

2010-08-02T17:40:00.000+01:00

There's still loads to improve on those lavender mini bags, but they're so lovely I had to show you what the felt ones look like at the moment. As posted a few days ago, they are destined to be wedding favours, but first of all I need to bride-to-be to say which designs she likes best. I am also preparing a few fabric hearts, and then she can make an informed decision. To finish them off, I'm going to have special labels made and attach them at the back with the names and date of of the wedding.
Married women, or brides to be, I would just love to hear your comments about them. Do you think they'd be appreciated? What did you have for your wedding favours (if any)?

Oh, and talking about weddings, as usual a few bloggers are getting married this summer, and I just have to mention Alix's fabulous-looking wedding. Even if you're not a big fashionista (I'm not, really), you'll love her blog about Paris, accessories, and shoes. Worth a peek!

And of course, for those who have been following (by the way, if you want to follow, there's still space ;) ) I simply cannot let you go without showing you the magnificent - oh so sublime - gorgissimous chocolate tart I made this weekend for my half! Let me tell you, the half was happy! But then who wouldn't be?

stuffed tomatoes

2010-07-30T16:32:00.000+01:00

I just love making those stuffed tomatoes and peppers. They are the ultimate summer comfort food, if there ever was such a thing. Back home in France, every family has their own recipe, and evryone's is different.
My own recipe is my grand-mother's, although I have had to alter it a bit, for lack of not finding "rillettes" as easily as I'd like over here.
The stuffing itself is quite fun to make, but a bit time-consuming, so I always make a very big batch of the dish, and freeze half for another time.
If you're having friends around and want something different, or if you're not into BBQs, then this is definitely the dish for you!

This is for six huge tomatoes and three peppers.

First step - prepare the vegetables
* Cut a "hat" off the tomatoes, keep it for later. The bigger the tomatoes, the better!
* With a spoon, delicately empty the inside of your tomatoes and keep the flesh and juice in a bowl.
* Leave your tomatoes upside down to drain - you don't want too much juice.
* Halve peppers lengthwise and take out the seeds.

Second step - the stuffing
Basically, just mix all the following ingredients together, and season with salt and pepper. Depending on your taste, you can even blend the whole mix together, but I prefer it to be a bit coarser, so I just mix mine by hand.

* sausage meat - about 500 g.
* creme fraiche - three or four big spoonfuls
* three eggs, whole
* a big bunch of parsley, chopped finely
* three cloves of garlic, chopped finely
* flesh of the tomatoes, chopped up (I try and avoid the seeds)
* stale bread (soaked in the juice of the tomatoes)

Finally, stuff your tomatoes and peppers with the (moist but not runny) mix, adda little hazelnut of butter on every vegetable, put the hats back on the tomatoes, and put in the pre-heated oven at 190 for about an hour, or until golden. Bon appetit!

Let me know how yours turn out!

already one!

2010-07-29T16:52:00.001+01:00

Today is my first blog-birthday!

Exactly one year since I decided to join the marvellous world of blogging actively. I have been an avid reader of many of your works for a long time, though, and cannot cease to be amazed at what goes on everyday out there! The inspiration in terms of cooking, sewing, and life projects are awesome1
To celebrate, I have concocted a new banner (well, it's mostly thanks to Shabbyblogs). I am sooo rubbish with all IT tools, though, it's taken me about an hour (no kidding) to work out how to format it and size it perfectly...such a loser!
Anyway, I'm really happy to have been around for the last 12 months, and am super grateful for all the nice comments from everyone around the world, and for having a few followers, it's a bizzarre but oh-so cool feeling.

Talking of projects earlier, I am working really hard on the wedding favours for December (not my wedding, sadly) , and will be showing them soon - patience! It is quite hard to pitch it right, I think. I have tried the inevitable Martha for some inspiration, and absolutely adore what she does. Here's what she has on her site at the moment...isn't it just lovely?
Well, let's just hope the future bride nad groom like the favous I am preparing at the moment!

yummy lavender

yummy favours

flower inspiration

sewing project

sewing project

ambitions

pompom

2011

Things I have loved this December

Christmas chez Yummy lavender

Season's greetings to one and all

yummy lavender birds & bags

Christmas before Christmas

Nigella's cookies

Happy December

blue monday

simple breakfast

hello lovelies

disconnected

things I love

did you just say....

vintage finds - the end!

vintage finds

Vintage finds

autumn is coming

escape to the country...

object of desire

enchanted

green

sewing project - finished!

simple lunch

Spanish colours

vintage!

sewing project

sewing project

simple lunch

summer treasures

Spanish colours

summer cooking # 2

summer cooking

more flowers

* freedom! *

foxy

sewing project

simple lunch

sewing project

sewing project & new header

detox

still on a cloud

memorabilia

sun

wisdom

log cabin pincushion

a simple dinner

spring mornings

* 10 years *

time

in my head

flowers fancy

busy bees

back to work

winter

pretty in pink

comfort food game

comfort food game

comfort food game

bad light and late resolution

* Happy New Year *

winter

make a wish

In the mood for Christmas

a whole lot of love

simple lunch

Winter treats

comfort food

spirited up...

autumn in Berlin

the *C* word

flowers

3, 2, 1, go! (#2)

the C word