May 31, 2013

31.05.13 | FIVE FINDS FOR FRIDAY


1. EATING /// I found this spicy gazpacho recipe whilst hunting out summer eats this week. I am  really looking forward to re-creating at home as soon as the weather heats up.

2. INSPIRING /// If there was only one design blog in the world, I'd want it to be SF Girl by Bay. I love Victoria's finds and inspiring posts, and she lives in one of my favourite cities on earth! I fell in love with this Oaklands lost and found this week.

3. PINNING /// Here's a DIY that I am desperate to try at home. I pinned it forever ago but have still not got around to actually doing it (sound familiar?!) I swear one of this days I'm going to lock myself away for a whole week and dedicate it to pinterest DIY-ing. Ha! In my dreams...

4. WANTING /// Ferm Living - you have stolen my heart. I don't think that there is a single item on this website that I don't love. I've already bleated on & on about their half moon wallpaper which I'm hoping to have in our new bedroom. I'm tempted by these wall stickers for the girls too, oh and this for Dexter!

5. SMILING /// I loved this wedding talk from my friend Abi who is getting married in September :) So many beautiful ideas - those shoes! You can follow her wedding planning on pinterest here :)

_________________________________________________________________________________

You may also like:


May 29, 2013

29.05.13 | CAPE MALAY CHICKEN CURRY


Now this is a good one. 
This is one I could not wait to share.
This is one that deserves a high-five!
This is probably the end of me searching for the perfect curry because quite frankly, I'd be wasting my time. 
This curry has it all for me: it's sweet, it's sour, it's spicy, it's not creamy and although it is fiery, the heat doesn't linger around for ages after you've finished which i like. Served with some basmati and chopped coriander leaves, it was a so so good!

I'm not going to lie, the ingredients list is mammoth but I promise you it is so SO worth it and once you've made this, you'll want to do it again & again. I'm already trying to figure out when we can have it next and i think I'll try it with king prawns, y'know to make life interesting and all that. Tsk.

(This is spicy as that's how we like our curries but both Dexter and Florence found it a little too hot for them, so if kids are eating this then I'd reduce the dried chilli flakes by 1 tsp or omit altogether)

Lets go!

May 28, 2013

28.05.13 | KYLIE - SOME KIND OF BLISS


Some Kind of Bliss by Kylie

I love Kylie & this is my favourite track - helped somewhat by Dexter Fletcher in the promo ;)

May 27, 2013

27.05.13 | HOMEMADE TOMATO KETCHUP


A little while ago I was reading Bleubird and saw that she'd made some ketchup. In her post she was talking about the perfect burger which got me thinking about how much I miss a good old fashioned BURGER. 

Is it weird that I miss burgers but I don't miss fillet steak? Probably. 

So anyway, i set about finding a good turkey burger recipe that would satisfy my craving and whilst I was at it I had a go at making my own ketchup too which turned out to be really easy and so worth doing because the taste is miles away from shop bought stuff. 
I've made it three times so far, adapting & tweaking about six different recipe versions but this one is the one that I'm sticking with. It's a keeper and (boring reference about the British weather coming up) if we ever get the chance to BBQ again this year, then you will not go wrong if you serve this alongside those burnt bangers. 

C'mon! Lets make this thing! What do you mean it's 8am on Bank Holiday Morning and you're not in the mood for making condiments...

May 24, 2013

24.05.13 | FIVE FINDS FOR FRIDAY


1. EATING /// I fancy making this recipe I found on goop. I'm a massive lover of kale, and wow just look at how good it looks. I'm in the mood to get healthier for the summer we are all so desperately hoping for.

2. DISCOVERING /// I'm super happy to have found the blog Fox in the Pine. It's beautiful, right? Did you see the egg plant post yet? Ahh, i love it.

3. PINNING /// Check out this awesome idea via Freckled Nest. This is something i NEED to do. My calendar this month has had a minimum of four things (highlighted in different colours, naturally!) to do each day. And Dexter wonders why sometimes we leave his lunchbox on the dining room table...

4. WEARING /// I'd love these leggins for my girls from Theif & Bandit KIDS. All their stuff is adorable to be honest, but those leggings are my favourite & my best. I've been a big fan for so long, but i've never got around to actually purchasing. I think i should put that right!

5. READING /// I know i'm going to be a fan the beautiful blog Eat Drink Chic forever. Those photo's! Those colour pallets - I am in the midst of a major (like, MAJOR) blog crush!


* Welcome to the new calmer and prettier version of what was Friday i'm in love! 
It's partly because i'm spending less time on line at the moment so i'm not gathering so many links and it's partly because the blog is currently going through a little make-over (which you'll see more of over the next couple of weeks).

So, for now 'Five Finds For Friday' it is -  hope you like!

May 23, 2013

23.05.13 | BATH FASHION MUSEUM


Thanks to being the proud owner of a National Art Pass I get to go to lots of lovely places, this week being no exception as I met up with the lovely Fritha and Bonnie to take a visit to The Fashion Museum here in Bath.

I was especially excited about getting to see the current Dress of The Year (which is amazing!) but really the whole collection is beautiful &  I found learning how costume has evolved over time very interesting, especially when you spot themes popping up time and time again.
Reading about how certain designs came about or what inspired a fashion trend was thought-provoking to say the least - it even forced us to question our '90's fashion choices which were, erm... 'interesting' (consider this: my main fashion influence until about 1995 was Blossom!)

Looking at the Victorian dresses I was a bit shocked by how small the corsets were (ouch!) and equally amazed by how heavy the dresses were. Yes, you read that right we dressed up like the adults we are but sadly (totally on purpose) I didn't get any pics of me doing that ;) I did however take a few snaps of some of my favourite pieces.


May 21, 2013

21.05.13 | ORZO SALAD WITH FETA & ROASTED PEPPERS



Hey! I made you a salad! Not only that but I made you a salad that will a) fill you up b) stop you reaching for the chocolate come 8pm and c) will sit happily in your fridge as leftovers for a couple of days (perfect for late night spoon snacking)!!

It's fresh and zingy and everyone in this little home loved it. The faff part for me was roasting the peppers (lazy me) so the next time I made it, i turned to my trusty old jarred roasted peppers. Don't feel bad if you're tempted to do the same because well, life is short and anyway i saw Sir Jamie of Oliver use them on the TV once and if that isn't a green light to cheat then i don't know what is!

I serve this with grilled meat and a glass of super cold pinot grigio for the ultimate in BBQ chic.

Err, did i really just say that? Oh dear.

C'mon, lets go!


21.05.13 | THE LUMINEERS - HO HEY


The Lumineers - Ho Hey!

Happy Tuesday x

May 17, 2013

17.05.13 | FRIDAY I'M IN LOVE



1. Awwww sweet.
2. A new-to-me blog :)
3. Mmmm  interesting!
4. Love this boy :)
5. Shoes in my fave colour palette? Hell yeah!
6. Are you ready? I'm ready!
7. My life needs more Dragon Fruit in it.
8. Go on, swish up some clogs.
9. I want a workspace EXACTLY this colourful.
10. And so what? I'm having fun anyway!

*psssst:

May 14, 2013

14.05.13 | DODGY - IF YOU'RE THINKING OF ME


Tuesdays tune: sharing what i'm listening to and the songs I love. 
This week,  If you're thinking of me by Dodgy.

Simply because I've got some happy memories surrounding this song. 
The message is important too, right?

May 13, 2013

13.05.13 | SPICY SWEET POTATO WEDGES


We eat loads & loads of everything sweet potatoes in this house which is (a lot) good but also a little bad/boring/samey.

It's obviously good because they are amazingly good for you aren't they, these giant golden nuggets? But what is bad/boring/samey is that I always get stuck in a foodie rut with them.
You see, if something works for me in the kitchen and I know how to do it so well that I could make it blind folded, then the temptation is there to keep on churning it out the same old way. That means that whenever we eat sweet pots it's either baked with lots of different toppings (my fave is soured cream & rose harissa!) or we have them this way.

Then a couple of months back i saw this recipe on my favourite fail-safe / go - to food blog Shutterbean and I started making them Tracy's way instead. They are pretty damn good and because they aren't quite as spicy as my other ones, the kids aren't scared to dive on in.

So here you go, here's how to make them (doh!) Well, it would be rude not to share...


May 10, 2013

10.05.13 | FRIDAY I'M IN LOVE


1. Check out the beautiful Collectiv42. It's a new vintage retro shop set up by one of my besties Soraya :)
2. I'll be making this chicken tostada salad this weekend.
3. I love this saying, and now I waaaaaant that print.
4. I would have loved to attend this Letterpress Craft Night. But y'know a 12hr plane ride would have been a little excessive!
5. When we jiggle the bedrooms around here, I want this paper in our bedroom. And now i'm impatient and C will be rolling his eyes back into his brain. Ha!
6. Speaking of bedroom changes I think I may order these for the girls room!
7. It's Mothers Day in the US this weekend (Happy Mothers Day!) and i think they should all be treated to a class of Raspberry Rose Fizz. Actually, so should us UK mamas, why not?!
8. Wedges. Can't stop, won't stop (can't walk).
9. New iphone case? Love this one.
10. True. Just be NICE.

May 07, 2013

07.05.13 | DAFT PUNK - GET LUCKY



Tuesdays tune: sharing what i'm listening to and the songs I love. 
This week,  Get Lucky by Daft Punk (Ft. Pharrell Williams & Nile Rodgers)

I'm OBSESSED with this song and that was before I even saw this video...

07.05.13 | A LONG WEEKEND



May 06, 2013

06.05.13 | SPRING TACOS


Yesterday was cinco de mayo & although I'm neither Mexican or living anywhere close to Mexico, I am as you know a massive fan of Mexican food so i wanted to celebrate the holiday too! I'm not going to lie and say the temptation to sit drinking margaritas all day long in my sunny garden wasn't pretty high but I do have three small(ish) children to look after so instead TACOS it was.
Well it had to be really, didn't it...
I'd already made a similar version to this earlier in the week but these Spring Tacos are so good that we wanted them again. The chicken is rubbed with spices & lemon juice and griddled making these super healthy too. Serve with some spicy jalepeno sauce  and some fat free natural yougurt & you'll be laughing all the way to skinny town. Mmmmm.

Feliz Cinco de Mayo!


SPICY JALEPENO SAUCE



This is a really simple sauce to brighten up pretty much anything. I wanted it for my spring tacos, but this would be good with steak, or drizzled over some grilled halloumi! It's going to be perfect for all your grilling needs now BBQ season is finally here - thank goodness!

May 03, 2013

03.05.13 | FRIDAY I'M IN LOVE


1. How amazing does this Tuscan Kale Cesar Salad look?
2. Who doesn't want to make these Braided Rope Necklaces?
3. I saw this funny animation on Shutterbean this morning and HAD to add it to todays top ten!
4. Who dares Gins! I'm going here tonight...
5. Bag love!
6. Sunglasses love!
7. I'm going to (attempt to) do this fun little craft with Florence. She loves dream catchers!
8. This from Gluten Free Girl & The Chef looks AMAZING!
9. I love Camberwell. I'd love it even more if I lived in this flat!
10. SALTS

May 02, 2013

02.05.13 | THIS AMAZING AGE


India is at that amazing age where her little (read massive) personality is starting to blossom. Her fingers are ever pointing, her eyes ever inquisitive, her excitement and energy knows no bounds and she is just desperate to play, play, play. 
I'm lucky enough to be able to be at home with her full time and watch her potter about, her imagination taking her to wherever she decides to land. 

At the moment her big thing is playing mummies and homes. We brought her a little cooker set from Djeco for her 2nd birthday, filled it with lots of fabric play food and off she went making meals for anyone who sat down at her table (wonder where she gets that from?!). She is in her element playing 'being mummy' where she pushes around a baby in her pram sipping at her juice cup or an old take-out cup i've left lying around! She bumbles about the garden with my pegs pretending to hang out the washing and she sweeps the decking down with our gigantic sweeping brush. I wish our garden was big enough to accommodate one of these amazing wendy houses (the crooked cottage is super cute) because India would go bonkers for it.