Kitchenware loveliness

A confection of a  kitchen timer!

I just love items which look like other things, so, on a recent window shooping trip to Norwich I came across these lovely kitchen related products.

Oh so cutsie ladybird timers.....

Cheesy cheese knives and cakey cake slicers......

Potato nail brushes!

All these wonderfully designed  kitchen goodies are available from www.jarrold.co.uk/


I also came across this beautiful china set.  I know what I`m saving up for!!



Brrr !!!

Gosh, it`s been chilly here this week!  We haveall been bundled up in parkas, woolly hats, scarves, unstylish snow boots and ear muffs.  Our evening meals have consisted of traditonal stews with dumplings, rice pudding and other warming comfort food.

Here is the view from my workshop, taken a couple of days ago, just after a blizzard.

 Whilst the icy wind has been whistling around the house and the garden pond has frozen solid, I have been in the warm, working on my springtime soap collection.  I`ve taken lots of photos which I`m really pleased with, even the cheerful floral paper reminds me of springtime!

Anyone got any signs of spring in their garden?

Spanish sunsets and sangria

To try and cheer myself up in this cold, dark, wet and dank northern European winter, I have recently booked a springtime break for myself and my daughter in Spain.  To celebrate I have had a good look through ETSY and found some great Spainish and Spain inspired items on offer from other UK sellers.  Here are 3 of my favorite finds - click on the links to find out more!



http://www.etsy.com/listing/54383400/vintage-hair-comb-spanish-dance-flamenco?ref=usr_faveitems

Flamenco fever here with this colourful vintage hair comb from Elronds emporium


http://www.etsy.com/listing/107027751/alberto-is-dead-limited-edition-print-of?ref=usr_faveitems

I`ve always had a bit of a `day of the dead` obsession!  Print offerred by Juan is Dead

http://www.etsy.com/listing/119972253/typically-spanish-map-a-curiously?ref=usr_faveitems

An unusual and colourful map of Spain from Curious maps.

Our holiday means that we will leave my son and husband fending for themselves - I hope we still have a house when we get back!

Ukulele fun

I`m a big music fan and play a variety of instruments and over the last two and a years I have fallen in love with the ukulele.  This lovely little (and not so little) string instrument is extremely versatile and has a wonderfully user friendly reputation which puts even the complete beginner at ease.  I am a member of the Norwich Ukulele society and at our recent christmas party I teamed up with some friends to play a mini gig.  I`m on the far right of the picture on the right.  We played my personal favorite, I Want to Marry a Lighthouse Keeper, DeDooRunRun and Find My Love by the great Eddy Reader. 

 As well as performances by other members of the society we had a great buffet, a rolling raffle and a

guest appearance by the re-entrants, who amongst other great uke cover versions, played The Ace Of Spades by Motorhead, just wonderful!

New Soap Makes!

I`ve been quite busy over christmas and have 3 new soap creations on the curing rack


Lavender, lime & patchouli



Fresh Linen



Green tea & bamboo with basil leaves



I feel these are a great start to the year and I have got lots of other soap makes in the pipeline ready for the spring/summer.  Ideas include peach and goatsmilk, japanese plum, lemon verbena, blackberry & basil and orange sherbert.  I have a distinctly fruity flavour this season!

XX

I Love Decoupage

Quite recently and totally accidently,  came across the classic craft of decoupage.  Since then, I have decoupaged just about everything in sight, even some jars for my daughters christmas gift to her teachers.  I really enjoy then creative aspect of this craft and the fact almost anything can be used. 

Here is one of my favourites so far - a nautically inspired display case, with little pictures of crabs, seahorses and lobsters, as well as shells. 

 I have used an aged paint effect on the inside compartments and a driftwood effect on the outside of the door. 

 Its really handy to display all the little bits and pieces of shells, pebbles and driftwood my children find on the beach every summer.