Hands down, they’re my favourite kind of biscuit, which begs the question…why do I only make them at Christmas?! I like to make one batch for the family and one to give as gifts, wrapped in a brown paper bag and tied with ribbon. I have experimented with a mixture of different nuts, but I […]
Christmas Table Decor
I’ve hosted Christmas Day for eight out of the past nine years – last year was the first I didn’t host and it felt very strange not to be thinking about and planning my Christmas table throughout December! I’m always drawn to natural materials and my table from 2018 was my favourite so far and […]
Christmas Cake
This recipe is a seriously good one…and I don’t even like Christmas cake! With December just a day away, it’s still not too late to make your own Christmas cake and this recipe is easy and foolproof. The earlier you make it – the better it tastes, but by pre soaking the fruit, you can […]
Handmade Christmas Baubles
A few years ago, I saw some very expensive guinea fowl feather baubles in an interiors shop and always wished I’d bought some. As I wondered around Sostrene Greene, some little bags full of guinea fowl feathers caught my eye and I knew exactly what I was going to do with them! For these baubles, […]
How to Clean Faux Flowers
I’m ashamed to say that I haven’t been fastidious with the cleaning of my faux flowers and in particular, my orchids were looking terrible! I occasionally dust over them with a feather duster and wipe the leaves with a cleaning wipe, but the bright white flower heads were looking decidedly dusty. I tried wiping these […]
Ricotta Gnocchi
With Tomatoes & Chilli Gnocchi are a generally made with potatoes, wheat flour or semolina and eggs, but this version makes the Gnocchi super light and fresh and combined with the sweetness of cherry tomatoes and the heat from the chilli flakes is a perfect summer weeknight dinner. Ingredients 250g ricotta110g “00” flour plus extra […]
Beehive Composter
I’d been after a beehive composter for a while and once we’d finished our herringbone paving, I knew I wanted a pair of beehives either side of the bench that sits on this small seating area. Nervously, I asked the ‘facilitator’ if he’d have a go at making me some and he said yes! We […]
Herringbone Brick Paving
We had a load of bricks left over from our build that had been stored behind the shed and I knew I wanted to create a little paved seating area. I did lots of research into patterns and how to set out the bricks – Pinterest was a great source of inspiration for this. Agreeing on […]
Feta & Orzo Salad
Fresh and summery, this salad is great made ahead of time for packed lunches, or served with a leafy salad for a relaxed weekend lunch in the sun. It’s also a perfect side accompaniment to a summer BBQ. The quantities listed serve two as a lunch, so you can increase or decrease amounts according to the number […]
Outdoor Dining Table Re-vamp
Six years ago, we invested in an outdoor dining table and chairs from Neptune – the table was solid teak with their iso-guard treatment on it, and the chairs were all-weather wicker. The chairs have really stood the test of time and other than a pressure wash in spring, they stay outside come rain or […]