snow white and rose red

red, white, blue and a new cardigan

2012-01-20T12:15:00.000-08:00

hello. today's post is a little bit of a mix bag. i just downloaded the photos from my camera and realised i have actually been up to quite a lot. it was one of those moments when for the last few weeks i have been wondering what i can blog about and there right in front of me were the answers.

we strung up the garden chillies before christmas. they were dark green as they were planted late and didn't have time to ripen before the colder weather set in. now look at them, and all the rather embarrassing cobwebs.

these beautiful tulips were given to me by one of my lovely friends. i was very touched they are so pretty i had to mention them.

i just loved the colour in this picture, it is so vivid. i don't know who took it probably franc which makes me love it more.

so onto my new cardigan. i bought this cashmere jumper from a charity shop for £1.50
and didn't really like it but the fabric felt soooo good i had to buy it.

i turned it into this cardigan. the picture is a little ropey but you get the idea.

ambika x

oh christmas tree

2012-01-06T09:09:00.000-08:00

today the tree came down, the decorations are all neatly packed up ready for christmas 2012.

i just love my tree, it's magical. christmas would be nothing without it. the tree goes up on christmas eve and comes down today, as family tradition has, and always has dictated. who knows who starts these traditions but carrying them on is important, as well as starting new ones that is.

happy new year to all you lovely people

ambika x

beetroot brownies

2011-12-22T11:35:00.000-08:00

if like me you have still have beetroots growing in your garden, allotment or window box, and are not sure what to do with them, try these little beauties. they are deliciously moreish and contain one of your five a day so they must be good for you, right??

ingredients
250g raw beetroot, boiled, peeled and pureed
200g plain chocolate
250g butter
250g golden caster sugar
3 large free range eggs
150g self raising flour

step 1
heat the oven to gas mark 4 180C
melt the chocolate and butter together in a pan

step 2
whisk together the sugar and eggs, then pour in the melted chocolate and butter

step 3
fold in the flour and then mix in the beetroot.

step 4
pour mixture into a lined tin and bake for about 30 mins, or until a skewer comes out just a little bit sticky (they are brownies after all)

ready to eat. yumm sooo good!

i also just wanted to share with you some christmas presents i wrapped using paper and tags made at the handmade christmas event which was held recently by saltash environmental action group.

ambika x

perspective

2011-12-20T10:03:00.000-08:00

this is where we live.

i love it. the chicken run is bigger than our house, the shed is also bigger than our house and taller than the workshop. the living roof which we created about 3 years ago, has amazingly big flowers growing on it, and the birds in the sky above our garden have smiles and beaks. nothing amuses me quite like a 5 year olds perspective.

we have been baking a lot lately, getting prepared for christmas.

i took my wedding ring off when we were making these mince pies and forgot to put it back on. i remembered when we were out shopping in town. francisco said, "don't worry mummy, everyone will know that you're married by your happy face"

4 days till christmas, i get the count down daily, there is a lot of excitement here.

ambika x

my little chimney sweep

2011-12-06T12:56:00.000-08:00

our towns christmas light switch on was celebrated by a dickensian themed day and evening lantern parade and carols. franc and i knocked up a very quick chimney sweep outfit for the occasion, complete with black net chimney brush.

To our great surprise and pleasure he won the kids fancy dress competition and was awarded with this beautiful engraved bauble. Francisco is the cheeky chap in the middle with the brown scarf.

the lantern parade was magical, it has been such a long time since something in my town has sent such a warm feeling through me. the streets where packed and the mood was so happy. it really was a beautiful way to get into the christmas spirit. after the parade carols were sung in the street, accompanied by the town band. we finished off the evening with a drink and a bite to eat in the local pub with crazy kids hiding under the table demanding ice cream.

ambika x

wedstock

2011-12-02T12:00:00.000-08:00

i've been away from this space for a while, and i've missed it. it wasn't a conscious decision to stop blogging. life just somehow got in the way as it often does when things get busy, creative, emotional, and just a touch romantic. i got married.

after being in a happy monogamous relationship for nearly 14 years we finally decided to tie the knot. i'm not really sure what bought about this decision but i think being asked helped to move things along.

in very typical us style we bought begged, borrowed, stole*, created and laboured to make the day really special, and despite our obvious exhaustion it really was magical. it could never have happened as spectacularly as it did without the help of all our amazing friends and family. we feel really lucky to be surrounded by such amazing people.

we made each others wedding bands, it what a fabulous experience, it has really given me the urge to try some more metal work. ebay became our best friend as we began buying everything from candle wax, to wedding suits and marquees.

we dug and built our own composting loos, and constructed a stage where our friends and family performed all night long and into the next day. that is after they had eaten a sumptuous feast prepared by my lovely brother and his sister in law. i cant say anything more to describe the enormity of the occasion and pictures speak louder than words.

ambika x

* thank you maurice huggins tea room for supplying the lace doily which made the sleeves of my dress, which was also handmade by chloe

counting down the days

2011-12-02T11:38:00.001-08:00

this year i thought we'd do something a bit different to count down the days until christmas. i think i saw the idea in mollie makes. i bought the local shop out of small match boxes. then used a book of coloured paper that has lasted us for years it seems, to cover them. i got number stickers from the local craft shop, and finally filled them with sweets, little messages and gifts. oh and i got the jar from a charity shop for £6.25 in a half price sale. i thought i could use it again and i do love the shape. when i showed it to him on thursday night, well, i didn't manage to get it together for the morning, it produced the biggest smile. today he got a jelly bear and tomorrow is a message saying 'let's get out some of the christmas books'. I haven't quite finished all the matchboxes, but i figure i only have to be a couple of days ahead! we have a traditional advent calendar too (you can see it in the background). sent to us every year by grandma along with an advent candle. that parcel is always exciting to open. yesterday, after arranging all the matchboxes in the jar, ages later he kept saying 'i just need to check that the number 2 is still on top'. as he had placed it there ready to open this morning. he is so excited about the advent calendars and just christmas in general. 4 is such a sweet age. it's going to be fun watching it all through his eyes.

happy weekend,

sarada xx

3 things

2011-11-28T10:50:00.001-08:00

i was in town with my 4 year old the other day and he noticed the christmas lights. i think they went up at the end of october, can that be true? after seeing them he asked me why we hadn't got our decorations up. hmm, well to keep him happy we got working on something as soon as we got home. some simple decorations made out of cardboard, inspired by these found via pinterest. i think the point is to let some of the card show at the end but we got rather carried away with the painting. we found the twig in the woods on the way to the allotment and i hung them up with odd bits of ribbon that i had in my stash. finishing off with some bright cards and handmade christmas cards on the wall behind. oh and our lovely stacking christmas dolls, thanks katy - we still have them.

i also made these neck warmers for my boys. well, i say made but really i just snipped off the polo necks from a couple of those cosy woollen jumpers i have been collecting lately. the orange one is cashmere and the green one is felted wool. even though it's still beautiful outside these days, there is a slight chill in the air. so these are perfect for keeping my little ones a tiny bit warmer.

and last but not least, i am really excited to say that my sister ambika will be returning to join me in this space once again. i'm really pleased as that's the reason we started this blog in the first place, as another way of connecting with each others lives. i can't wait, it will be so nice.

hope you are having a good week so far,

sarada xx

reflecting

2011-11-23T14:12:00.001-08:00

i always find myself reflecting at this time of year. as autumn turns to winter and the year comes to a close, i like to mull over how it has all turned out. the good and the difficult times, the happiness and frustrating moments. these days i am quiet and thoughtful as the nights draw in, wondering what the coming year will bring and if there are any changes we need to make on our path through this life. it's hard not having all the answers and worrying at each decision if we are doing all the right things for our little family. i'm doing a lot of digging up at the allotment at the moment and finding it a great task to clarify my thoughts or just clear my head as i breathe in that crisp autumn air. as i carry on digging of course.

sarada xx

lovely company

2011-11-11T10:58:00.001-08:00

my mums come to stay for a few days and it's lovely. she brought some homemade quince jelly with her. it was sweet, aromatic and jewel like, just look at that beautiful colour. so delicious. we had it on croissants whilst browsing through cook books from the library and drinking lots of tea. and of course, chatting, we always have so much to chat about. it's so nice to have her here for the weekend. such lovely company, it's going to be fun. and she's kindly looking after the babies tomorrow night (thanks mum), while we go out to see gillian welch. i can't wait.

i hope your weekend is lovely too,

sarada xx

thoughts on a grey day

2011-11-08T03:38:00.001-08:00

i finally got round to having some breakfast this morning. cornflakes with blueberries. this got me thinking about alys fowler, she loves them too with ice cold milk. she's a gardener and writer of the edible garden. it's a lovely book and oh, i want a garden like hers. still, i love it for allotment inspiration. although the allotment has been a bit of a disaster this year, but grey rainy days like today are great for planning what to do with it next year. if i could only plant some shallots and garlic before the end of the month then i think that would get me off to a good start. now i'm almost over my cold i need to start going up there and sorting it out. basically, everything we planted got eaten before it even got a chance to grow, plus the soil is terrible. chalky and too tough for any plant to push roots down into. remember the teepee? i had such high hopes but every single plant got chomped on by snails and slugs i'm guessing. i tried putting down sand but need to revise my approach. and the pink fur apples potatoes. from 10 plants, i think i got one tiny handful. the rest, you guessed it. there's a photo of a few tomatoes and raspberries gathered from a couple of months ago. the other photo's are of the surrounding allotments. i must admit i did get a bit of allotment envy this summer, when nothing was growing on our plot. i think the best harvest we got were from the blackberries on the hedge that borders the allotment. oh well, i think we need a good dose of manure and then take it from there.

sarada xx

a walk with my baby

2011-11-04T11:55:00.000-07:00

hope you have a lovely weekend,

sarada xx

looking forward

2011-11-03T12:10:00.001-07:00

this morning we ventured out to a singing group, the baby and me, and on the way back i stumbled onto a really great charity shop. as you know i do love a good charity shop or boot fair or jumble sale for that matter. well, i came across these books and thought they would be great for christmas. we have a collection of books, that we only get out at christmas time. they're just random ones that i've picked up here and there, with a christmas theme. i think only bringing them out in december, adds to the excitement of the season and the build up to christmas day and it's nice reading them over and over during that special time. these ones look good. do you have any favourite christmas stories? we'll look forward to getting ours out next month.

and this was the view from our balcony when we got back this afternoon, just before a huge thunderstorm erupted. we huddled together watching and listening from our cosy spot up here.

sarada xx

sunday boot fair finds

2011-11-01T04:16:00.000-07:00

we had a lovely weekend, my parents came down and on sunday, we went to the marina and had fun watching the sea. it was really choppy and the waves crashed so high that we had to run to avoid getting too wet. and at the local boot fair this is what i found...

basket 20p
white jumper 50p
brown jumper £1.50
two stripy baby jumpers 20p each
hat 20p
large noticeboard 20p
two vests 20p each
etch-a-sketch £1
turquoise jumper and stripey tank top £1.50 for both
(the jumpers are 80- 100 percent wool)
the pumpkins we already had! granny helped carve one for halloween.
i also found the river cottage year (not photographed) for £1

good bargains, don't you think?! i left feeling quite pleased and full of ideas of what to do with my treasures.

sarada xx

a bag for collecting things

2011-10-27T11:57:00.000-07:00

yesterday was one of those days. you know, when you get tired of hearing your own voice and really no one is listening anyway. it was raining all day so that didn't help either. amidst the chaos i decided to get out the sewing machine and make this bag for my big boy to put all the things he asks me to fill my pockets with, when we're out and about. he always runs to me with a small object and announces that it's for his 'collection'. so the sewing machine whirred and amazingly peace ensued. it's funny how a change of activity can get everyone out of a rut. and we did attempt to get dressed at one point but pyjamas seems to be the preferred mode of dress around here on these dark rainy days. even changing back into them after being out, as we did today. made out of one of the blankets i got a few weeks ago, i think he was pleased. sometimes it's nice to see a physical achievement for a day, and i felt on top of it all once again and able to keep us happy and busy for the rest of the afternoon. although popcorn and hot chocolate might have been involved.

sarada xx

new shoes and some food ideas

2011-10-20T01:58:00.001-07:00

we got this this sweet little chap his first proper shoes at the weekend. he really wants to walk everywhere now and i thought it might be nice for him to not have wet, muddy feet anymore. so his daddy took him out for a little stroll. it's so lovely to wander with him as he tightly clasps your fingers and takes every step in his own wobbly time. then leads you to where he wants to go and stops when something catches his eye. it brings back so many memories of when his older brother started walking. oh the sweetness of it all.

On another note, I've been trying out a few recipes lately;

my mother used to always make rissoles when we were growing up and these brown rice patties were lovely, so cheap and simple to make. i must do this more often.

and my 4 year old is going crazy for these at the moment. i used a mixture of honey and agave nectar. they're actually really similar to the energy chunks i made a while ago, but the chocolate chips are the winning ingredient. they're a great treat for his school lunch box. oh i do love it when i manage to sneak healthy food into my boys.

and chicken soup, it was the chicken broth recipe from apples for jam, i love this book, did i say that already? but instead of a whole chicken, which can be so expensive especially if like me you want the organic one. i used some free range chicken thighs and drumsticks to make the broth and it worked just as well. we even had chicken left over for a stir fry the following day.

do you have any cheap meals or short cuts that you often use in your kitchen?

sarada xx

capturing the sun

2011-10-17T07:58:00.000-07:00

i love how the sunlight paints pictures on my walls, and i so enjoy watching the shadows change throughout the day and then slowly fade away as the sun goes down. just enjoying the sunshine while it lasts.

Hope you had a lovely weekend,
sarada xx

bringing the outside in

2011-10-12T03:13:00.001-07:00

i never manage to do much with the beautiful autumn leaves that we collect at this time of year and we always seem to come home with handfuls. if you look, you can find them stuffed into various books around the house as i try to press them at least. i always want to dip them in wax or do leaf rubbings, in fact there's so much inspiration out there, but we never seem to manage it. so at least by making a leaf garland to hang on the wall we get to enjoy them for a while until they get all crumpled. do you remember the leaf rainbow i made a long time ago? that was fun. in autumn we also collect acorns and pine cones as they are always great to play with. but no conkers i'm afraid, we don't seem to have any horse chestnut trees around these parts.

sarada xxx

nursing a cold

2011-10-10T05:01:00.001-07:00

i've got a horrible tickly cough at the moment, it's the sort that keeps you up at night and everyone else for that matter. i've been lucky enough to rest this weekend though, wrapped up in a blanket, browsing through old country living magazines, and drinking lemon, ginger and honey tea, while my lovely partner has looked after the children, taken them out and generally kept them busy. i am so grateful for all that he does. and this little one has started walking. it's been a couple of weeks now from those first tottering, arms pointing forwards, steps between us. i find it amazing to watch him get more confident each day. there's still a lot of falling down and heart in my mouth moments, but i just love that bum stuck up in the air when he gets up every time to try again. i keep finding him in all sorts of places!

i'd love to know what natural remedies you reach for when you get a cold?

see you soon,
sarada xxx

a changeable sort of day

2011-10-06T10:45:00.000-07:00

today it started off stormy, then sunny, then rainy and by the evening there wasn't a cloud in sight, just a beautiful yellowy pink sky. we got caught in a downpour on the way back from school so we ran down the hill shrieking and smiling till we got home. we got cosy and made these biscuits for the second time. i'm always on the look out for a dairy and egg free recipe for my little allergy sufferer, so when this came through the post in the lush catalogue we had to try it. they are really good. i never thought of using coconut oil like this and i love that they have fresh ginger in them too. not so pretty to look at but really tasty, just like proper crunchy ginger biscuits. they're definitely becoming a favourite around here.

sarada xxx

the other day

2011-10-04T07:15:00.000-07:00

i had a few moments to myself so i sat on the balcony and read this cute and inspiring craft magazine whilst eating these sweet healthy treats. what bliss. i love those wreaths, such beautiful pictures. and there's a tutorial for a throw that's made out of woollen jumpers that i've got my eye on, so i couldn't resist this lot at the boot fair. 3 woollen blankets (not sure what to do with them - any ideas?) and 2 woollen jumpers to start me off all for just 3 quid. now that's a bargain don't you think? i had to snap them up even if it was ridiculous walking around with them for the rest of the day in the sweltering heat!

sarada xxx

hello october, hello sunshine

2011-10-02T12:01:00.001-07:00

there's been a mini heatwave here in the uk. hopefully it's just a very late summer, otherwise it seems disconcerting to be so hot at this time of year. we've been making the most of the sunshine as it's bound to be the last we see before the days get colder and darker. spending every minute outside; walking, exploring, having evening picnics on the beach, and swimming everyday. i've been loving getting into that water, so exhilarating. and so freezing but it is autumn after all. i fancy while i'm out in the cool waves, that i could be one of those people you hear about, that swim in the sea every single day of the year. but then i realise there's no way, and it's just unusually hot at the moment. how strange it is to be swimming in october while autumn coloured leaves cover the ground and the bushes are filled with bright red berries.

is the season taking you by surprise where you are?
sarada xxx

waiting

2011-09-29T12:23:00.000-07:00

we're just pottering around close to home these days as we adjust to the new school routines. we went to the nearby park today before home time. i find myself looking for things that would interest him as we spend the days keeping busy, but always awaiting his return. he likes to ride his scooter home so we often bring it with us. this little one he gets so excited and speed crawls to the door when it's time to go and collect him. the days are so different now. it's safe to say i, we, yes even the baby, really miss him.

sarada xxx

at the weekend

2011-09-26T13:16:00.001-07:00

we had a picnic on friday night in a park near us with huge trees, where we sat and ate chicken with orange and tomato glaze from my new favourite cookbook and a boot fair find apples for jam. and explored, climbed trees, made fairy houses and looked at the sky. such a nice evening. on sunday still trying to soak up the last of the sunshine we went to the same place for an apple day. of course i forgot my camera, and we couldn't find a toffee apple anywhere, but still it was fun, the children played and the grown ups drank locally brewed cider and we all ate beech nuts from the tree we were sitting under until it was time to go home with handfuls of colourful leaves and lots to dream about.

hope you had a lovely weekend,
sarada xxx

tea and toast

2011-09-23T04:17:00.001-07:00

i'm on my 3rd cup already or is it 4th?! it's a yummy chai by clipper and homemade jam by the little sis, but still, that doesn't make up for the unsettling feeling that has taken hold. the baby is in bed and my big boy is at school. yes i know i can't quite believe it. i thought it was still summer, that there was plenty of time left. but autumn is rearing it's lovely crisp, cool, colourful head and that means big changes for all of us here especially for my just turned 4 year old. and at the moment i'm not feeling too good about it.

hope you had a lovely summer,

and see you soon i hope,
sarada xxx