Covent Garden

Now, as I have told you before I love London. This time I went with Mum to go and see a show and have a little mooch around Covent Garden.




We had lemonade and olives (2 things I could live on given the chance).
And then we went to see War Horse at the New London Theatre.

This is one of the most brilliant things I have ever seen. Ever. Funny, moving, spectacular and breath-taking I cannot recommend it highly enough. Please go to see it if you get the chance, it will make you glad to be alive, it was SUPER. Just take along tissues-you've got a heart of stone if you don't sob at the end.


http://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/warhorse

Amazing.

September

Oooh there's a chill in the air and I love it! Roll on cosy nights in, hello winter boots and tights and jumpers.


At last my tomatoes have ripened!



Thanks to shifting them around the garden chasing any last rays of sunshine. I have an abundance of them now, so I've been making soups!

Easy tomato soup
-6-8 tomatoes
-1 small clove garlic
-1 small red onion
-1 cup of veg stock
-Tabasco (to taste, optional)
-Salt & pepper
-1 tbs sugar

Chop tomatoes, onions and garlic and sling into a baking dish. Season and add a glug of olive-oil.
Pop it in a hot oven (gas mark 8) and leave for about half an hour or until they're lovely and squashy and juicy.
Once they're roasted decant into a blender adding sugar, Tabasco and the sugar.
Blend until smooth.

Easy, good for you and quick. Lovely with a bit of cheese crumbled on top.

Lovely letterpress.

It's a shame it's already been my birthday because this would've been top of my list!



This beauty is from here: http://www.aardvarkonsea.com/letterpress.html
I especially like the 'keep it wonky' bit.

Photos of cakes and cucumbers promised for next week.

Cake

Now, I love a good chocolate cake and I love a cup of tea, so what could be better than a mixture of the two?

Lo and behold: Earl Grey Chocolate Fudge Cake!

I can't take all the credit for this, in fact I can't take any its a Gizzi Erskine recipe. She's fab. http://www.gizzierskine.com/

I did make it though, with my own fair hands! Nowt else to report really, have had 2 more cucumbers since my last post and the tomatoes are growing but not ripening-plenty of green tomato chutney to be made I reckon.

This next photo is for L.P, she loves a deep cake!

Cucumber #2

The cucumber has been harvested! What a big'un, it weighed about 275g which I think is quite impressive.







Tomorrow is the taste test!

A good read.

I love a good book, this is my most recent read.

One Day by David Nicholls.

He also wrote Starter For Ten which is a cracking read too. Be warned though, you'll need tissues, it's very moving. Having said that I am quite soppy.

Happy reading!

In the garden

OK, so I'm no Alan Titchmarsh but I have been growing tomato and cucumber plants-the first things I have ever grown other than cress.

They're coming along quite nicely! Hopefully with a few more days of sun my tomatoes will ripen and the cucumber (just the one, but it's a big'un) will be ready to pick. Incidentally, how do you know when to pick a cucumber?!

Well anyway here is the cucumber, resting on a bit of foam-it's that big!

Tiny toms

And this little chap keeps visiting.....

Finally, another charity shop find, 20 pence's worth of loveliness.

Treats.

Thought I would share some lovely treats with you!

Mini soap from Covent Garden, wood blocks from the V&A and the weirdest notebook ever. Oh and a cup that Ma and Pa bought me as a holiday souvenir from their trip to the Lakes. Gawjus.

I love London.

Ahhh I really do love London! Had a look round the V&A museum...possibly my favourite museum ever and saw Vivienne Westwood in the toilets (would've got a photo but not really the place where you can whip your camera out) Then had a spot of lunch in Hyde Park and a mooch around Covent Garden. A very lovely day..back to work tomorrow! Boo, hiss.

Tomato plants are coming alomg well too. Will be self sufficient in tomato-based chutneys, sauces, salads and jams by August.

Oh and look at this:

http://missedconnectionsny.blogspot.com/

Pretty lovely, eh?

New typewriter

Hello lovely new typewriter.

Isn't it lovely? And only 3 quid from a Salvation Army. Baaargian.

Need to make stuff. Have been massively busy with work lately, crafts have been abandoned. I haven't even baked any cakes!

Here's a nice website though:

http://www.presentandcorrect.com/

I would buy everything if I could!

Krakow

I have just returned from a lovely few days in Krakow, it has to be one of my favourite cities I have visited-gorgeous!

Beside the seaside.

Just got back from a few days in Whitby. It was lovely, we did lots of walking and the view from the cottage was brilliant, you couldn't ask for better views! Also enjoyed some proper fish and chips, a fat rascal and a trip to Scarborough.

I have also been making more badges, experimenting with Japanese flower printing techniques and attempting to make a stuffed dog.

All in a days work!

As promised....

Photos as promised!

Some of recent work, my 'studio',a cake and the cat for good measure!Hopefully some screen print photos to follow soon!

I really can't get the hang of how to move things around and where to put your writing! Hopefully this will come with practise!

Tempus Fugit

Crikey! It's been a long time! I shall try and post more often....
Well, here we are over half the way through April 2010! Can you believe it? I can't. And what a lot has happened since my last post! Well, I have graduated for starters. What an emotional day that was. Also welcomed a new addition to the family, my couisn Penny's gorgeous son Isaac- possibly the most smiley-est baby in the world!
Since then I've been working full-time in a shop and trying (and often failing) to make things. Bought myself a badge-maker (photos to follow) and have had the odd commision for greetings card. Also been making some books out of dress-making patterns, and making recipe books inspired by my love of cooking. I really have been baking lots, and eating lots....and on the non-crafty side of things been learning to drive! Road users beware.
I promise I shall post again soon with photos and more exciting news.