Vintage find

It was the local animal hospital charity Christmas fair this weekend, I went along with T and it was a treasure trove of bric a brac, clothing and books! We barely had room in the boot to take our loot home! 

This delightful little juicer was an irresistible find and it works beautifully. I love the colours and decoration but I am not too sure about its age, it could be as early as a fifties piece or it could be from the seventies. 

The top plate is shaped perfectly for juicing and the little holes let the juice through and keeping the pips in the plate. 

The top comes off leaving the bottom an easy poring jug, it is a delight to use, one of those domestic gadgets I shall use time and time again. 

Uplifting ... tea

Its that time of the year when it seems that the sunshine has long disappeared and the days are grey, it is so easy to get a little downhearted, especially when the dullness means lights need to be turned on early in the day. It is when I find it more important to search for simple pleasures and one of mine is tea. 

Firstly I love proper leaf first blush assam tea, you can get it from a wonderful tea importer in Portsmouth called All About Tea he even has a little email tea course you can follow with links on youtube all about how to make the best cup of tea. Assam has a strong earthy flavour, and a lovely golden colour often labelled English Breakfast tea. If you prefer something a little more gentle then Darjeeling is a lovely tea but don't expect a dark colour its pale but packs a punch. 

Tea pots have a glory all of their own, generously pot bellied offering up all sorts of opportunities to keep warm with a knitted cosy. I prefer to use a metal strainer which gives the leaves freedom but makes it easy to lift out once the required strength is reached, so the second, or even the third cup of tea is just as good as the first and not stewed. 

One of my most favourite ways to have tea is from my little china cups, it feels decadent the tiny china cups are so delicate I love the little rosebuds and they are designed so that the tea is at the optimum temperature to enjoy almost straight away. 

I cannot help but grin when I serve the milk from this gorgeous cow creamer, the milk comes out of his mouth! It is a Burleigh design, I simply adore their take on blue and white china from the deep indigo of the calico range to the pale Victorian chintz.

Sitting enjoying my cup of tea, especially if it is with a friend or two, reminds me of the many years of practice I had when I was a child playing with my little tea sets. I don't recall any child who likes to make their tea in a mug with a bag give me tea sets any day.

Now that is a very good way to cheer up a November day.

tea pot biscuits - domestic child's play for grown ups

I saw this lovely teapot cookie cutter in TK Max the other week and I could not wait to try it out. It is made up of two pieces one is the teapot shape cutter and the other is a stamp you press out. There is nothing to beat the flavour of buttery biscuits hot from the oven and this recipe can be made ahead of time, stored in the freezer so that when friends drop round unexpectedly, they can be hot on the plate in under twenty minutes, definitely one of those domestic goddess moments with minimal effort. 

Pressing the stamps in the dough feels like child's play and so much fun sheer domestic bliss! If you can't get hold of your own teapot biscuit cutter, why not use a stamp from you craft collection, (you can use a surface sanitiser if you need to, but they will be in a hot oven to kill off any bugs!)  There are some wonderful Christmas stamps out that look beautiful stamped across a heart shaped biscuit. They would make lovely home made gifts that are sure to be appreciated. 

8 oz SR flour (If you use plain the shape might stay better) 

5 oz butter

4 oz golden caster sugar

I beaten egg (save some of the white) 

Egg white and sugar to glaze

Sift flour into the bowl and then rub in butter to make breadcrumbs

Add the sugar and mix, then add egg to make a dough

(if the dough is very soft put it in the fridge for 10 minutes to make it easier to handle) 

Roll out on a lightly floured board to about 1/2cm thick

Press the stamps into the dough and then carefully cut round each shape, transfer to a buttered baking tray, wash with egg white and then sprinkle with extra fine/caster sugar.

(or if you wish to freeze place in a plastic tub with a layer of baking parchment to divide them and freeze. When needed can cook these from the frozen, just lay out in a tin)

Let the biscuits firm up in the fridge for 10 - 15 minutes before placing in a moderate oven about gas mark 4, 180c or 350F until golden brown. 

shhh...

I have been playing all day with my glue gun, it has been a delightful pleasure. I bought these little wooden cotton reels back in the summer from ebay. However when they arrived they were too small for ribbon storage and they have remained stored away in a box until I saw the cover of hand made magazine this month. 

I love the nordic blue for a Christmas colour scheme, it works with both white and a deep red. I also have collected some pretty ribbons and vintage buttons. 

I simply cannot resist buttons in charity shops, they have a story all of their own. When I was a child I played with my Nanna's button box and I used to love the pretty glass ones, it has created a bit of a collection which I keep by colour in little glass jars. (spice jars seem to be just the right size and these little pots of colour look so pretty on the shelf. 

I love my glue gun it makes such quick work, as it gives instant results. Cut strips the width of the reel, pinking sheers make such a nice edge. If you glue a small amount each time and press the fabric with your finger. 

You can decorate the edge with a button, and thread the braid through the holes and tie it in a knot. Add some glue down the hole and push the knot in, add a tiny bit more glue and hold the button down hard on the top of the reel. This will keep the tread in place firmly so you can hang the reel. 

You can use ribbon too I bought this vintage set from the dotcomgiftshop. I am very pleased with the results and they have a lovely hand made feel. Keep quiet though, it's not quite Christmas yet! 

Leek and potato soup

Some things are simply better home made, and no matter how much you pay for soup it really can't compete with the satisfying flavour and wholesomeness of home made soup. 

While you can eat this soup cold as a summer soup, (it is know as vichyssoise) I prefer it warm with bread rolls crisp from the oven. 

Simply take two leeks, wash and trim, then slice finely, then add small cubes of potato, (around two large baking potatoes) allow to cook very slowly in butter, with the saucepan lid on. You can add a generous helping of cracked black pepper. It is this process that is key to making really good soup and if you can allow the leeks to gently cook for around half an hour with just the occasional stir. 

When you feel that the leeks and potato are all soft and mushy, add 1/2 pint of hot vegetable or chicken stock. Turn up the heat slightly and allow the mixture to bubble for around 10 minutes or so with the lid off the saucepan. 

Finally add half a pot of creme fraiche and stir in, waiting for the soup to return to the boil. You can leave it thick and chunky or blend with a hand blender to make it smooth. 

It really is a joy to eat, not just warming and satisfying but good for you too. 

Laptop case

I made this pretty little lap top case for my mac, it was fun making the swirly cord closures I really do enjoy getting out the glue gun. I designed the geisha using scraps of old fabrics and I used felt tips to draw the face.  I could not resist the bobbled edge I love the combination of black and fushia pink but the lining is such a gorgeous contrast of cyan blue satin. 

Here you can see the detail of the geisha, I appliquéd it onto black felt and then attached it as one piece onto the silk brocade, it is such a delicate fabric I did not want to risk over stitching and tearing the silk. 

 The pin was made using a large round button, an old earring and some black cord.

 I glued the earring in place and then wound the cord round tightly, glueing as I went. It is something that you need a bit of patience with and asbestos fingers as you have to work quickly before the glue dries.

 It is important to finish off the back well, a piece of masking tape keeps the end of the cord secure until you can glue the ends in.

 The rings are made in a similar way, I wanted them to swirl in the same direction, but you could make them spiral opposite ways for a similar effect. I used a pearl bead from an old necklace in the centre.

Cross-stitch house

This lovely house was made by my Mother in law for my daughter, but she did not want it in her new home so I took ownership of it. It is so pretty and the detail is delightful. 

The kitchen sink is so pretty and I love the little ladles and tools hanging above the cooker. Even the little pot holder is lovely as it hangs from the handle. 

In the dining room the tulips on the table curl elegantly around and I love the plates sitting on the shelf, even the flowered wallpaper is lovingly stitched.

 

I love the claw feet bath and the tidy pile of towels on the shelf. 

I love the way the two seats are facing each other across the cosy warm fire, which is surrounded with book shelves, what a perfect place to relax 

The little bedroom is also beautifully done, the fabric canopy and the oil lamp. 

But the really lovely detail is the basket of knitting - which no home should be without. 

I hope you have enjoyed the little tour round the little house.