March 29, 2013

29.03.13 | FRIDAY I'M IN LOVE


> Check out this adorable Happy Hour Hot Fudge Milkshake video from Joy. So pretty!
> I just got this Ottolenghi book. There are so many good things happening in that book...
> Easter craft? I love the simplicity of the last one...
> I want to be wearing these shoes when the summer makes an appearance.
> In my dreams i live here. In that house. Forever.
> This month sees a particularly lovely issue of The Simple Things.
> I started a new series on the blog. I hope you enjoy it :)
> Look at these totes. Totes sweet!


March 28, 2013

28.03.13 | BRIGHTENING UP


Trying to brighten up this March (almost April - what the hell?!) by bringing nature in the home with some tulips. It's kind of working and the sun is shining and the snow has finally stopped. Yay for that.


March 26, 2013

26.03.13 | INGRID MICHAELSON - SOMEBODY THAT I USED TO KNOW



Tuesdays tune: sharing what i'm listening to.

This week, Ingrid Michaelson covering Gotye - i LOVE this!

March 23, 2013

23.03.13 | BAKED BUTTER BEANS W/ PARSLEY & DILL


Do you remember that advert for horlicks or lemsip or something like that? You know the one right,  with the massive armchair that gives you a hug as you drink the horlicks/lempsip/gin?
Yes? No? Don't care?!
Well anyway, this is what this dish makes you feel like - like it's giving you a big fat hug which lets face it, with the weather still awful it's just what you need, a big old baked beany hug. Yep.

You can serve this two ways, either similar to this or by serving alongside some grilled chicken as a side dish. I did it the first way and served it with a hefty baguette & some feta.

Simple. Innit.

Go on - hug it out!


March 22, 2013

22.03.13 | FRIDAY I'M IN LOVE


> Do you love this light? I love this light. It looks lovely on my table.
I canNOT deal. I just can't. I'm done with how funny this is. Number 22 is the Michael Mcintyre of the dog world!
Lizi's Granola is how i'm starting my day - every day. It is SO good and SO good for me! Thanks Lizi!
> I love Sarah's spin on the whole 'what I wore' blog staple. Fab idea!
> Why can't I just have one churro party?! Damn you world.
Super useful for bloggers...
> I made my own version of this pizza this week & I can't wait to share.
> I bought this apron! I had to...
> I love those painted raindrops.
Hahaha! Awkward.

March 18, 2013

18.03.13 | SPICED CHICKEN CHAPATIS W/ MANGO CHUTNEY


Who fancies Indian tonight? I know I do (but then it's not often I refuse an offer of food).

Ok, ok, let me put it another way? Who fancies an delicious Indian feast bursting at the seams with chapatis, spiced chicken, mango chutney & fresh salads?
You do? Great - then it's your lucky day. What we have here is a healthy version of your standard Indian take-away and it's a goodun! Don't let the fairly longish list of ingredients put you off because it's totally worth the effort and in actual fact this recipe is super easy & quick.
I'd much rather treat myself to this than order take out any day. It's perfect food for kicking back on a Friday night with a beer or as a fresh and tasty lunch time treat for the family. We've done it both ways and it's been just as good both times AND the kids love it. Winner!

18.03.13 | MANGO CHUTNEY


It had never crossed my mind to even attempt to make a mango chutney before. It seemed like a big faff for something that tastes quite nice out of a jar, right?

Well, no as it happens, i was very wrong to be such a lazy ass.

If you make this chutney, i reckon you probably will make the same promise to yourself as I did about never buying shop bought again.

This is seriously goooood stuff and it's pretty quick to whip up. The boring & longish part for me was prepping the mango, so if you went and got some already prepared then you're laughing! I made this whilst the kids were having their tea, and once it had simmered quietly on it's own for a bit, the spellings & reading books were done & it was already bath time. Now that's how little of a faff this mango chutney really is.

Go on go on go on, give it a whirl!


March 16, 2013

16.03.13 | LIEBSTER!


oooo.
Well what do we have here?!
Durrrr - it's a Liebster (i didn't know either)!
Turns out the Liebster is actually a really sweet and very cool idea; it's an award that bloggers give to small blogs that they love! I was given mine by Cori from this little mum, which is a lovely (new to me) blog that I plan on spending a lot of time getting lost in. Thanks Cori!

This is the deal: after i've answered the 11 questions set to me by Cori, I must then think of 11 of my own for 11 blogs that I love to read, thus passing the Liebster award on...

Right then, here I go...


March 14, 2013

14.03.13 | FRIDAY I'M IN LOVE


> Wow! I want a sparkle party!
> I get SO excited when I find a new to me blog! I'm loving a rosy day :)
> Fancy a new blog header? Fritha is your gal!
> We didn't own an iPad  Ha! Thanks to my mate Al for that...
> I really really need to do this too. Seriously!
> Look at this dinner party! I wish i was on the guest list.
> I'm hoping to join in with Recipes for Life. What a great idea!
> I love this necklace! Fluro!
> Worth remembering.

14.03.13 | CHIMICHURRI


I've got a bit of a thing at the moment for green food - lots & lots of green food. Maybe it's my body telling me that I should really be (at the very least) entertaining the idea of a post-holiday detox? Whatever it is, it had me googling for green recipes as you do - right?!

Ideally I wanted something zingy and fresh tasting that I could slather over a taco (of course I did - duh) or maybe something that the Mr could have with a big slab of caveman steak.

Then it hit me - BAM - before the hols i'd made a Chimichurri! It was goooooood. So i made it again and brought my camera along for the ride just in case it was just as good all over again. It was. Score!

So, c'mon get on board - it's almost Spring. Just ignore the fact that Chimichurri sounds a bit a lot like that chim chimney chim chim charoo song from Mary Poppins. That's in your head now isn't it? (oops, sorry)


March 13, 2013

13.03.13 | TAKE 1,2,3,4....


We always take the same-ish photo of them every year. This year? Not a chance! We did get a lot of good out takes though - mainly consisting of a toast chomping, giggling India! She's not a pro yet like her big brother & sister...



March 12, 2013

12.03.13 | SUNNY WEEK // PART TWO

As well as our annual trip to the very steep but beautiful Port Isaac we also visited Padstow again. 

 I love Padstow, and have so many happy memories here ranging from my first ever visit to girls weekends away and later coming with my kiddos. If there is one thing you have to do when you go to Padstow, it's to eat a gigantic sausage roll from the Chough Bakery. Dexter was only too happy to oblige...


Padstow Harbour is so pretty. I'm sure if I wasn't English, i'd call it quaint.


I liked the shot of colours these gave to the day.


It's only right you sample some Cornish scallops when you visit Cornwall. We got them from Rick Steins take away and yep, they were pretty damn good.  


On the day that it did drizzle a bit, we stayed local and headed into Bude to a little place the mister had found on line - 




 It was amazing. All of it. If you ever go to Bude - check it out, it's called elements.

We drove home along the coastal route, which i guess is Cornish for 'death ride' because you feel like you are driving on a tight rope. I was terrified the whole time, but this view helped take my mind off of the fact that I was seconds from falling off the side of a cliff - seriously don't do this drive if you are of a nervous disposition! Gulp.


On our final day we drove all the way south down to Falmouth to visit some friends and we ended up in Helford village for the afternoon. I think this was possibly the kiddos favourite day as they ran about in T-shirts (!) collecting mussel shells. They would have stayed doing this for another couple of hours if they could have...




Dexy helped look after the littlies (i love his reflection in this pic) whilst the dads kicked back with a pint of tribute & this mama took about 200 photos!


Then back to Crackington it was for some more wood carving and an another awesome sunset.





Ah well it was fun whilst it lasted, now lets crack on with school runs in -5 temperatures and mountains of washing, eh?

You can read part one here. 

March 11, 2013

11.03.13 | SUNNY WEEK // PART ONE

We have just spent the past week in Cornwall and to say it was blissful to not be rushing about like a nutter for a whole week is obviously a massive understatement. As always, we tend to visit Cornwall out of season and this time we were so lucky with the weather - it was amazing & pretty much sunny every single day bar one. It's almost impossible to believe that the kids were on the beach in T-shirts just 3 days ago yet I look out of my window now and it's SNOWING! What the hell is that?! I thought Spring had sprung?! Will this winter ever end? Was last week our 'summer'? Are we in next winter already?! Waaaaaaah.

Anyway enough (again) of my moaning about the good old English winter (should i just change this to a weather blog and be done with it?) - here's what our awesome SUNNY Cornish week looked like...

We started off at a family wedding in North Devon where we all dressed awkwardly posh, smiled for some pics, drank some wine and clapped and laughed at some speeches. You don't need a breakdown of a wedding? Oh. 

Well, like all good weddings, it was a lovely day and the food was out of this world!


Even India did well sitting (kind of) listening to the speeches. She even laughed & clapped in all the right places which was super cute! (If i was doing that 52 project thingamabob then this would be India's for this week - awww)


Whilst we were in Hirstacombe, I begrudgingly went to see Verity. I'm still not convinced it's a good thing (I can hear my sister rolling her eyes at me from here). Anyway, I'm kind of glad i don't have to look at her every day.


I'd much rather glance in the other direction at this...


We then headed up to the cottage we regularly rent in Cornwall. We've been going since Flo was a toddler and this was our second time taking Indi. All three of them LOVE it, but then it is worthy of an amazeballs award.


This is part of our view. No biggie? Total biggie. I normally look out of my window and see my neighbours opposite.


Have you been to Crackington Haven? The beach is so good for kiddos.


We took a trip to Newquay Zoo. (The penguins are always my best bit) and then up to Polzeath on the way back to Crackington. Dexy & Flo did some rock climbing & it took everything in my being not to scream "be careful, get down" every 2 minutes. 
So I just did it every 5 instead. What? Falling down on rocks can hurt!!


It's fair to say that the colour of the rocks at Polzeath are amazing! Look purple & green rocks!


I'll be back later (more likely tomorrow) with part two! Can you wait? Can you?!? I understand this is the blog equivalent of sitting through someones family snaps, so feel free to come back in a couple of days when I'll be back to rattling on about how cold I am, or how hungry I am or how much I love tacos...


March 08, 2013

08.03.13 | FRIDAY I'M IN LOVE


> After the week i'm currently living, i need to be able to do this at home!
> Have you been to been to Croyde? We had a family wedding at the thatch this past weekend & my husband did declare it was the best roast dinner he has ever eaten!
> I finally decided on this dress!
> If you're ever in North Cornwall, you MUST eat at least one meal at elements.  I had the lobster spaghetti - bliss.
> I'm pretty smitten with The Lennings especially this cover.
> I love this etsy find.
> It was nice to virtually wander around here! I still heart The Selby...
If i could I so so would. Probably a little too often!
> After seeing teasers on Instagram, i could not wait for this from Elsie.... AMAZING!
I wonder...

Have a good weekend! Happy Mothers Day x

March 02, 2013

02.03.13 | FLO'S CRAFT PARTY


Last weekend saw Flo's craft party that we had been planning together for weeks! Since her birthday falls on Valentines day, she wanted a Valentines themed party - craft style! Now, I am by no means the crafting type. Don't get me wrong, I know my way around a sewing machine (because my mum forced me to take G.C.S.E textiles telling me enthusiastically that I could make all my own clothes when I grew up - yeah nice one mother!) but crafting on the whole is just not my thang. I tried to convince myself that I enjoyed it a couple of years back and i think i actually made a friend of mine a doorstop full of rice (pah! you know you want of those) and I also made Flo a bag but I'll admit that I ran out of steam fairly quickly when it comes to my whole crafting fad. 
Anyway, when a doe eyed Flo asks you for a craft party then a craft party she damn well gets, even if you know deep down that it could quite possibly finish you off! The way I got round having a complete mental flip out though was to try and be super organised and make all the kits before hand. So i did. All 48 of them. Oooo check me out...







from top to bottom:
hanging felt owls // whirlybirds // cupids arrows // bracelets // gingerbread // hair slides // party bags


All eight girls had a blast - one declaring "this is the best party i've EVER been to Flo" and another taking all her goodies in for show & tell on Tuesday morning. Now how cute is that?!

So it seems it was a success in the end and who knows, I may even let India have one of these when she's bigger (but you can't hold me to that as I wrote that last line with my fingers crossed behind my back...)!

*thanks to my lovely cousin Jasmine for helping out and for being on hand with the camera when the birthday cake came out!!