Since moving to a little cottage, we’ve been taking even more of an interest in similar houses to get inspiration for our ongoing renovations. I came across this simple cottage kitchen diner today, and I’m really impressed with the way in which it’s been sympathetically decorated.
The grey and white colour scheme is easy on the eye and really complements the restored roof beams and struts.
The owners installed a BODBYN grey kitchen from IKEA and painted the barn door to match using a Valspar eggshell paint. Last year, they were gifted the Sussex Storm grey painted four drawer hall bench by The Cotswold Company. All the subtly different shades of grey work so well together – it’s seamless!
This month saw the launch of the Mini Moderns Moordale seed collection. The assortment comprises 10 varieties of seeds – including cotton grass, bluebells, wild garlic and thrift – inspired by the wild flowers found on the North York Moors. The packets are miniature works of art, featuring the company’s Moordale wallpaper pattern design.
They’d make perfect stocking fillers for both a budding or accomplished gardener or nature lover.
John Knapp-Fisher (1931-2015) was a Pembrokeshire-based landscape painter. His subject matter often included boats, harbours and Welsh vernacular cottages.
He studied in Kent and lived in London before moving to West Wales in 1965 where, two years later, he opened his studio gallery in Croes-goch, on the main road out of St Davids.
His works are in the collections of the National Museum and Galleries of Wales, National Library of Wales, Swansea University and BBC Wales amongst others.
There are also a number of books available either about, or actually written by, Knapp-Fisher including John Knapp-Fisher’s Pembrokeshire, Pembrokeshire Churches and John Knapp-Fisher My Life – All the Little Things.
How are your Christmas food preparations going? You’ve missed Stir-up Sunday, but there’s still plenty of time to plan for other things. Perhaps you want to make your own mincemeat for pies or find out how to make a St Stephen’s pudding. We have a round up of Christmas cookbooks that can guide you through the oft stressful festive mealtime planning.
Like Madonna, Elton, Cher and Pélé – Delia is recognisable by the one name. She’s usually my favoured ‘celebrity chef’ and her Christmas collection, first published in 1990, is my go-to tome for festive recipes. She’s straightforward and no-nonsense, beginning the book with a series of suggested shopping lists and when to buy which ingredients. Best of all, you can find second-hand copies for less than 50 pence!
Of course we were going to include a Christmas cookbook with a vintage theme! The Vintage Christmas Cookbook by Angela Webster McRae was first published in paperback just this year and, as it’s American, ingredients are listed in cups, so make sure you have some suitable measuring utensils.
I must confess, I’ve never watched a single episode of Dowton Abbey, but I imagine that Christmas dinner in the dining room there would be an unforgettable experience. It would be like a Cratchit Christmas, but money-no-object and with all the mod-cons! This book was published just last year and weighs in at a substantial 272 pages.
In this collection of the very best of her Christmas recipes Delia Smith demonstrates how you can easily cope with the whole gamut of Christmas entertaining while still having plenty of time to relax with your family and friends. Whether this is the first time you have had Christmas at your own home or have been doing it for years, you’ll find this cookbook will be indispensable every Christmas for years to come. Delia gives advice on how to choose the very best produce, from the turkey to chocolates, from glacé fruits to smoked salmon. She shows that you’ve got plenty of time when everyone arrives – with her help you can prepare many dishes in advance, and her 36-hour countdown to Christmas dinner will ensure that nothing goes wrong for that most difficult of meals to get right. She gives lots of unusual ideas for all sorts of Christmas parties from fork buffets to drinks parties, including Roast Goose with Potato, Sage and Apple Stuffing. and Iced Christmas Pudding topped with glacé fruits marinated in Madeira. Over 100 new recipes include 5 different kinds of Christmas cake and foolproof ways to ice them, a complete vegetarian Christmas including Cheese Terrine with Apricot Chutney, and recipes for Christmas gifts such as Chocolate Truffles.
Remember those wonderful Christmas treats you grew up eating as a child? Perhaps you still recall those glorious sweets like Ageless Ambrosia, Cornflake Candy, Christmas Rosettes, Haystacks, and Peanut Butter Balls. In The Vintage Christmas Cookbook, you’ll find 25 old-fashioned recipes sure to bring back the flavor of holidays past-that’s one to enjoy each day of December leading up to Christmas Day! And Baby Boomers aren’t the only ones who will find inspiration within these pages. For all of you flea market, garage sale, and thrift store fans, this book includes images of vintage Christmas collectibles to grace your Christmas table and other spots throughout your home, along with a few tips on where to find such treasures yourself as you prepare for the sweetest, merriest of Christmases.
The Official Downton Abbey Cookbook presents over 100 recipes that showcase the cookery of the Crawley household – from upstairs dinner party centrepieces to downstairs puddings and pies – and bring an authentic slice of Downton Abbey to modern kitchens and Downton fans. Whether adapted from original recipes of the period, replicated as seen or alluded to on screen, or typical of the time, all the recipes reflect the influences found on the Downton Abbey tables. Food historian Annie Gray gives a warm and fascinating insight into the background of the dishes that were popular between 1912 and 1926, when Downton Abbey is set – a period of tremendous change and conflict, as well as culinary development. With a foreword by Gareth Neame, executive producer and co-creator of Downton Abbey, and featuring over 100 stunning colour photographs, many taken on the set of Downton Abbey and using the original glassware and china, The Downton Abbey Cookbook also includes a special section on hosting Downton-themed dinner parties, and includes stills from across the TV series as well as the latest film. Notes on the etiquette and customs of the times, quotes from the characters and descriptions of the scenes in which the foods appear provide rich context for the dishes. The recipes are grouped by occasion, which include breakfast; luncheons and suppers; afternoon tea and garden parties; picnics, shoots and race meets; festivities; upstairs dinner; desserts and canapés; downstairs dinner; downstairs supper and tea; and the still room. From the upstairs dinner menu: Caviar Croutes Chicken Vol-au-Vents Cucumber Soup Trout in Port-Wine Sauce Quail and Watercress Champagne Jelly From the downstairs dinner menu: Toad-in-the-Hole Beef Stew with Dumplings Steamed Treacle Pudding Jam and Custard Tarts Gingerbread Cake With these and more historic recipes, savour the rich traditions and flavours of Downton Abbey without end.
shop christmas cookbooks
The Official Downton Abbey Cookbook £20.00
The Vintage Christmas Cookbook: A Baby Boomer, Thrifter and Flea Market Fanatic £15.99
The Official Downton Abbey Cookbook £20.00
The Vintage Christmas Cookbook: A Baby Boomer, Thrifter and Flea Market Fanatic £15.99
The Official Downton Abbey Cookbook £20.00
The Vintage Christmas Cookbook: A Baby Boomer, Thrifter and Flea Market Fanatic £15.99
The Official Downton Abbey Cookbook £20.00
The Vintage Christmas Cookbook: A Baby Boomer, Thrifter and Flea Market Fanatic £15.99
The Official Downton Abbey Cookbook £20.00
The Vintage Christmas Cookbook: A Baby Boomer, Thrifter and Flea Market Fanatic £15.99
We’ve all heard the saying, “The first impression lasts”, which is why so many home-owners take the time to make their house more welcoming and comfortable.
Furthermore, what every single home-owner wants is a good impression. We all want our visitors to feel relaxed and find our home’s interiors desirable and refreshingly distinctive compared to others. To make the best first impression on your guests, here are some quick and simple ideas for you to use.
Decent and impressive entrance hall
Many experts recommend making your entrance hall the focal point of consideration in many respects when it comes to your home’s interiors. One way to do this is to make your house look even more spacious than it is. You can do this as much as possible by going for an uncluttered and open-plan style.
Try creating a cosy and inviting space that makes your visitors go wow, regardless of how large or tiny it is. At the entrance, you can introduce them to your style of décor and let them get a glimpse of how the rest of the house will look. There is never an over-cluttered entryway with shoes and slippers, bags and other paraphernalia.
Add some dramatic greenery
Plants are a perfect way, whether outside or inside, to help make your home stand out. Beautify your abode with beautiful plants if you want your interior design to stand out. Pick plants such as the Swiss cheese plant with their large, architectural leaves or crotons for their stunningly colourful foliage.
Furthermore, house plants don’t need to cost a lot of money. A small collection of different cacti in pretty pots won’t break the bank. When trying to lift your interior design on a budget, plants make for a great idea.
Decide a colour scheme
Choosing the right colours for the rooms in your house is a vital aspect of your design thinking. As a thumb rule, for family gathering areas such as living and dining, opt for warm tones that are vibrant and uplifting.
To make the most of the colours that you have selected, you can work with a two or three-tone colour palette. To establish harmony in the room, select colours that do not conflict with each other. Also, you can use Roman blinds as your window treatment to add some drama to a room. There are a lot of types for you, so pick wisely.
Choose the right lighting
In creating first impressions that last, lighting plays an essential role. You can create a dramatic effect if your guests come over in the evening, with pools of light produced by table lamps or floor lamps.
In addition to that, various kinds of lighting will transform the atmosphere of your home. For example, warm yellow lighting creates a more intimate and inviting atmosphere for the guests, while white lights are very functional.
Be crafty: add some artwork
Art displays can contribute to setting the colour palette for your home’s interior décor. When seeing striking pieces hanging on your wall, your visitors will certainly be in awe. However, if you’re trying to create interior décor on a limited budget, you can shop for inexpensive but spectacular art displays and décor at car boot sales and charity shops.
Manage your guest room
If you have guests who’ll be staying overnight, then you might want to decorate their room to make them feel at home. Making sure they feel comfortable in your guest room is the most important thing you can do.
However, you can choose to go the extra mile if you want. It’s fair to say that for your guests to fall in love with your home, their guest room must be out of this world. Build a charming location with perfect storage and a comfortable and cosy bed. Go ahead and add thoughtful details that reveal how much your guests care for you.
Use some mirrors
Mirrors help make small rooms physically look larger, or they can make a dark space appear brighter. Place them wisely, or to represent a beautiful view, to reflect and bounce light from a good light source.
Takeaway
Ultimately, remember that you’re not restricted and can do and use whatever style you want. If you want, you can explore many options, from style to its uses. One is far freer to combine various patterns and styles with freedom of choice and see what works best within their home space.
Also, many people out there depend on their first impression to have a lasting effect on other people. This fact remains just as true when it comes to interior design. The basic fact of the matter is that the interiors are what matter the most then when people walk into your home for the first time. You can’t afford to forget about that.
Since I bought my waffle iron a couple of years ago – I think that it’s been a little underused. That’s why, when I saw this recipe for coffee-flavoured Belgian waffles I felt I needed to give them a try.
I made my own buttermilk – it’s something that isn’t always available in the supermarket – using 300ml of full fat milk with a couple of tablespoons of lemon juice stirred into it. Also, the original recipe calls for espresso powder; however, I finely ground some espresso coffee beans which worked perfectly fine.
There are two different types of sugar and a tablespoonful of cream cheese in the batter, so that means the waffles can easily burn if the hob temperature is too hot. You don’t want it so hot that the butter begins to smoke, but also you want it hot enough so that the batter doesn’t stick to the iron… it’s a careful balancing act!
These are perfect for a late, lazy weekend breakfast – drizzled with maple syrup… or perhaps some chocolate sauce. You can make them in advance and either refrigerate or freeze them until you’re ready to reheat them in the oven.
1tbsp instant espresso powder, plus more for serving
35g/1¼oz unsalted butter, melted, plus more for brushing
To serve
Maple syrup and/or whipped cream
½tsp instant espresso powder
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Instructions
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, salt and bicarbonate of soda
In a large mixing bowl (I like to use a large, 2L Pyrex measuring jug), whisk the egg and ricotta just to incorporate, then add the buttermilk and tablespoon of espresso powder. Whisk until smooth
Whisk in the melted butter, before folding in the dry ingredients with a rubber spatula. Be careful not to over-mix (a few lumps are OK)
Allow the batter to sit uncovered at room temperature for half an hour to let the flour hydrate
Turn your oven on to its lowest setting - about 90ºC/200°F/Gas mark ½. Set a wire rack inside a rimmed baking sheet and place it in the oven
Heat your waffle iron and brush it generously with butter
Pour about 125g (dependant on the size your waffle iron) batter onto the iron and cook until the waffle is golden brown and cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. Flip the iron half way through if you have a cast iron one like mine
Remove the waffle from the iron and transfer it to the wire rack in oven to keep warm
Repeat with the remaining batter, brushing the iron with more butter in between as needed
Serve the waffles topped with whipped cream, drizzled with maple syrup or runny honey and sprinkled with more espresso powder
Notes
I swapped the ricotta for full fat cream cheese, no problem
The waffles will be limp at first but will crisp up as they sit
If you have a broken appliance or electronic device in your home, are you more likely to replace it or repair it? These days, a lot of tech is so inexpensive that it’s often better to just scrap the broken item and replace it with something new. To make this even easier, you can usually speak to the company that you bought it from and ask them to send you a new one. Perhaps you have a warranty agreement that lets you replace it for no extra cost. You may even be entitled to a free upgrade depending on the company.
With all of these incentives, it’s easy to see why people are more likely to just replace their broken item as opposed to fixing it. However, there are still a couple of good reasons why you might want to repair something. In fact, there are some situations where it could be beneficial to repair instead of replacing.
Is the appliance or electronic device old?
If your appliance or device is a little old then you may be able to fix it yourself without much trouble. For example, if it’s a computer with fairly old components then you might be able to find spares on websites like Amazon or eBay. You can usually replace components and swap them out for something with the same or a similar configuration.
However, if it’s an appliance such as a microwave, then you may be better off replacing it since spare parts might be difficult to come by or may be just as expensive as buying a new one. If it’s a very old device then you likely won’t find much info on how to fix it or replace highly specific components.
Is it cheaper to repair the item as opposed to replacing it?
Since a lot of tech these days can be bought for a very low price, it’s tempting to just replace something such as a television or kitchen appliance if there are newer and cheaper models available. However, before you decide to trash your current item and replace it, we suggest calculating repair costs to see how much money you can expect to pay to fix it.
If the device is cheaper to replace then we suggest replacing it. However, if repairing it is cheaper or around the same price, then it may be beneficial to just fix it. This is especially true if you want to keep the appliance since you’re accustomed to it.
Are there guides on how to perform a specific repair?
You may be able to repair something yourself if there are repair guides available for it. Of course, you’ll need to be confident in performing the repair and you’ll need the tools for it. You might also need to spend a bit of money on replacement parts.
However, if you’re willing to put a little bit of time investment into repairing it, you could do it yourself at home without paying a professional to do it for you. This could save a bit of money and teach you new DIY repair skills that you can use to repair other appliances or electronics in the future.
