Last week The Great British Farmhouse Cookbook from Yeo Valley landed on my doorstep. My husband and I were lucky enough to eat a delicious lunch on a Yeo Valley farm tour last year so I was excited to see what kind of recipes it would contain. “From soups and pates to casseroles, roasts, salads and pies, nad from tarts and crumbles to puddings, cakes, breads, jams and chutneys, produce from the farm and surrounding countryside is imaginatively combined to produce a wonderful range of heart warming, seasonal dishes for all the family. Dotted throughout with fun and informative farming…
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It’s difficult to believe that this year Cath Kidston celebrates her 20th anniversary. I’ve always been a huge fan and my house is peppered with floral tea towels and bed linen. To celebrate the anniversary she has relaunched some classics designs in her popular antique rose print. I particularly love the special edition Moleskin. As well as the collection of classic designs you can find out how it all began in Coming Up Roses, Cath’s new book about the brand’s first 20 years. Despite having little formal business experience, Kidston built her eponymous brand into one now recognised by more…
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My children are really lucky to be sent some lovely new books, the latest is Little Poppets which is a new series of board book first stories following the adventures of four friends: Mole, Rose, Pippin and Mouse (the Little Poppets). These gently humorous stories and the intricately conceived detail of the world in which they live will delight children and adults alike. The stories are sweet and comical, with little mysteries for the Little Poppets to solve, such as where on earth the socks on Mouse’s sock tree are really coming from! Both my children have been enjoying Mouse’s…
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How are you all enjoying The Great British Sewing Bee? I have to say I’m still hooked and so disappointed it’s only 4 episodes. Watching it has definitely spurred me on with my creativity and over the last few weeks I’ve finished off re-sizing a duvet cover for the toddler and made lots of progress with my grandmothers flower garden quilt and another doll quilt for Little Sis. I love hand sewing but watching TGBSB has really encouraged me to improve my machine sewing skills too. Last week I had my first machine sewing lesson which was a brilliant investment.…
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It finally felt like spring this weekend as we enjoyed pretty much uninterrupted sunshine. We made the most of it by spending lots of time in the garden, cleaning the toys and pots we want to take with us when we move. Bizarrely this was the weekend that the toddler finally decided to wear his wellies. For the last couple of years he has refused to wear them. We’ve read Peppa books, talked about jumping in muddy puddles and pointedly walked around puddles in the park. Do you want to know what changed his mind? It was pretty simple. I…
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Last month I reviewed folk art needlework, a really beautiful craft book, packed full of 35 projects inspired by traditional motifs from across the globe. There are lots of lovely projects in this book (all added to my to-do list!) and I’ve actually begun a hand-tied quilt. I love this way of finishing off a quilt and think it looks great as the fabric can really stand out. Of course, it doesn’t involve much embroidery but there are plenty of other projects which do. I love vintage embroidery and can’t wait to make a start on some embroidery projects of…
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I love living in London and I’ve always loved learning more about the history of the place. We try to get and about as much as we can as we’re keen for the children to appreciate all that London has to offer. We don’t get to the East End very often but we have visited the old Royal Docks a couple of times to watch the planes come and go from City Airport. When you’re out that way you can’t miss the gigantic tin of golden syrup adorning the corner of one of the buildings making up the huge complex…
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My children adore Poppy Cat and already have a couple of board books so they were very happy to be sent two new paperback story books featuring their favourite animal and friends. Poppy Cat: Birthday Treasure and Poppy Cat: The Mystery Trail are two lovely books and a great introduction to Poppy Cat. The stories are beautifully illustrated and the perfect size for little fingers to examine and point out the details. These books have been designed to introduce toddlers to the idea of a story line. They are just the right length to keep my toddlers attention and he…
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I’m on the look out for inspiration for our new home and finding plenty of it in craft books. I was recently sent a copy of Hand Knit Your home – 30 knitted projects for a modern home by Melanie Porter which is full of new ideas. Hand Knit Your home is a really interesting book as it presents a fresh perspective on decorating your home. The book is divided into three chapters and colour schemes – hot ideas, cool collection and pale palette. The projects are really inspired, ranging from a small flower vase cosy to a large floor…