Attic24

Colour of the Week :: Red

My gorgeously over-the-top amaryllis is in flower now, the first two blooms opened up right after my last post.

It's name is "Red Lion" and it is quite simply magnificent. No other word for it. Magnificent. It's turned out to be a much deeper shade of red than the one I grew two years ago. It really is the most amazing colour, very intense, rich and iridescent in real life.

The blooms are really ginORmous, bigger than my hand span (and I have big hands, inherited from my dad).

I am happy to say I have finally learnt my lesson with these big top-heavy things. As soon as the first flower opened and I saw it leaning perilously to the right, I cut it off and moved it from pot to vase, turning it into a stunning cut flower.

J asked me if it was real, and I forgave him because it honestly doesn't look real. Did I tell you what an amazing red colour it is?? My, it really is something.

So........Red is definitely the colour this week, and not just because of the floral goings on in the Attic.

Something else came into my life last week, something else that is Red.

I am more excited over this second red thing than I can really put into words, it's hard to convey the true levels of my excitability.

I've been giddy to the point of feeling slightly insane, and if you know me in real life, you will no doubt have had these new red things shoved in your face on more than one occasion.

I have not been able to stop looking at them (yes plural, there are two of them, a pair) or showing them to anyone who comes near me.

Have you guessed what they are??

Have you scrolled down impatiently to see a picture of them?

Ok, lets get visual then and have a look....................

.................at my new Red Shoes.

Red Shoes.

RED shoooooooooooooooes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yipppeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!

I have wanted New Red Shoes for ever and a day.

They are The Stuff of My Dreams (along with Caravans).

And finally, my dream came true.

Better still, these are not any old red shoes.

No, look, I'll roll my jeans up for you to see.......

These are Red Mary Janes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Aren't they delicious?

Aren't they truly scrumptious?

And aren't they very, very, totally and utterly ME????

Gosh, I love♥love♥love♥love♥love♥love♥love♥love♥love♥ my red mary janes, they make my heart sing tralelaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.

Would you like to know the little story behind these shoes?

Well......I was hopping around in Blogland one day and I came across a blog new to me. A beautiful, calm, and wonderful place called The Quiet Home, written by a lovely lady called Tina. And as is often the case, I found myself irresistibly drawn backwards through her blogs posts, I was really taken by Tina's simple words and pictures. Back I went, through the days of January until I landed on January 11th.

And there they were, the most amazing red shoes, the Shoes Of My Dreams.

And it transpired that although Tina loved these shoes of hers, they were in fact too big for her and therefore hardly worn. And furthermore she was offering them for sale. And they were miraculously My Size. Holy macaroni, I just knew in an instant that they we meant to be mine.

And so it came to be that these beautiful shoes were wrapped in pretty paper and sent from Scotland to Yorkshire, and I became a little like Cinderella. Of course they fit perfectly because I believe they were made for me. It's as if someone drew around my feet and fabricated a pair of shoes to my exact size and shape.

Such a happy story, don't you think??

Deep, contented sigh (I am looking down at my feet now, cos there they are). Red Mary Janes, belonging to me. Marvelous.

Before I go, a couple of things to mention........

1. The sun came out on Friday and I did lots of photographing, yyaaaaayyyy! A blankety ta-dah post will be coming very soon.

2. A few days ago I found the Perfect Pattern for my luxurious alpaca/silk scarf, yyaaaaayyyy! I  started hooking it last night and am beside myself with the thrill of it, more coming very soon.

Have a wonderful day my lovelies xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Edit to add :: I just know someone will ask.....the shoes are "Oxygen" shoes, see here.

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Waiting and Wishing....

...waiting for brighter, lighter days to arrive, it's very gloomy here at the moment. It's quite hard to take decent photos with such low light levels, so please forgive the rather dubious quality of today's offerings.

...wishing I could stop wishing the months away! I keep finding myself longing for Easter. I found my dear little Easter rabbits lurking on the book shelf next to the Big Dictionary a few days ago, so I scooped them up and moved them across to the mantel, I love seeing them there. Also loving my little narcissi too, spring bulbs + stripy cornishware = pure happiness. 

...waiting patiently for my Amarylis bud to burst into flower, I chat to it every single day and marvel at it's progress.

..waiting, waiting, waiting, that first bloom is oh-so-close to opening now, I am holding my breath. Tomorrow could be the day.

...wishing for Spring, dammit. I can't help myself. I do (as you know) try very hard to live in the present, see the good in the everyday, to appreciate the slowly turning seasons, the variety of the weather etc etc. But truthfully I have already moved on and am over the Winter now. So over it.

...wishing I could show you my current hooky project (see my rather full and voluptuous yarn bag in the background??). I'm working on a pretty little decorative something that's making me very happy, but I need to make a few more of them before I show you what's what.

...wishing, waiting, waiting and wishing that the days were lighter and brighter (did I say that already) cos I cannot seem to take any decent photos of my blanket. I've tried, on numerous occasions, but the colours just don't look right. I am quite desperate to do my Ta-dah-ing!

...waiting for the exact right inspiration/pattern to present itself so I can begin working with my New Year New Yarn.

 

...wishing you could reach into your computer and stroke the above, it's unbelievably soft and silky. This is Debbie Bliss "Andes", which is a sumptuous (and expensive) blend of baby alpaca and mulberry silk. It really is delicious.

I've got a vague plan to make a large, generous scarf/wrap type thing with it, but am still on the lookout for a suitable pattern/stitch/idea.

Wishing you a happy day my lovelies, I will try not to make you wait too long for the Sweet Flower blanket Ta-dah or the decorative little hooky something.

See you soon xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

New Year, New Yarn

Thrilling times here in the attic as the Sweet Flower granny blanket is oh-so-nearly finished. I'm currently working down the very last side of the edge-of-the-Edge, AKA the Pink Pointy Bits.

So you can expect a characteristically over-excited Ta-dah post any time soon.

However, in the mean time I thought I might give you a little teasing taster of some very delicious new yarn that's sneaked it's way past Financial Control and in to my hot little mitts.

Can't possibly start a New Year without New Yarn, that would never do.

So here

is

a

weeny

teeny

tiny

exciting

little

peek...................................................................................................................

♥♥♥oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooohhh!!♥♥♥

♥♥♥mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!♥♥♥

Lush!

Scrummy!

Beautiful!

Divine!

Gorgeous!

All those things and many more besides.

More coming soon, watch this space.........

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Cheesy Nibbles

"Cheesy Nibbles" :: now isn't that a wonderful post title???!!!!

I baked these Cheesy Nibbles (heeheeeee) yesterday afternoon when I was overcome by a sudden urge to wear my new apron. Of course I could have simply put my apron on and worn it about the house, nothing to stop me doing that is there? Yet somehow I do think that apron-wearing needs to accompany something culinary, so I set about making an after school snackette for my Little Peeps. Something savoury instead of sweet for a change.

Its another one of those recipes that I have scribbled on a scrap of paper and I cannot for the life of me remember where it came from. I seem to recall that I simplified it from the original recipe, that there should possibly be some additional ingredients...chives?? nuts? seeds? But truthfully I love the simplicity of my version (three ingredients) and the fact that these delicious little nibbles can be made in a matter of minutes. Very good for spontaneous bakers/compulsive apron-wearers like myself.

Like I say, this recipe is Simplicity with a capital S. Three ingredients :: flour, butter, cheese.

Into a heatproof bowl put 90g butter (well I used Olive Oil Spread as that's what I had in the fridge), and pop it in the microwave for 45secs or so, just long enough to melt the butter.

Add in 100g plain flour and 100g coarsely grated cheese. Mix with a fork until it all comes together to form a soft dough.

Using your hands, break off small lumps and roll into 1 inch balls, you should get about 24 altogether.

Place your little Cheesy Balls on a lined baking sheet and flatten them slightly, then bake at 190/375/gas5 for 12-15 mins until just turning golden.

These Cheesy Nibbles are loved by children and adults alike and they will not last for very long.

They are extremely delicious.

And despite the name, it is actually very, very hard to nibble these little Cheesy Nibbles.

Because they are kind of small and perfectly bite size and there is a tendency to scoff/wolf/swallow whole.

Perhaps I should rename them Cheesy Scoffs.

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Edited to add :: fabulous to find you all loving these!! And yes the Littlest Boy in this house adored them, I think it's a wonderful thing to introduce littlies to the delights of home baked goodness x

 

 

 

Cold outside :: Warm inside

Dreadful weather we're having here this week, drip, drip, drip. Yesterday I sat and pressed my nose against the back window and peered out into my very sad looking back yard. My summer bunting is limp and soggy. My terracotta pots are sodden and full of dead things. The washing line has a gathering of rain drops. Not very inspiring really is it?

I've found that the best way to handle this time of year and this sort of drip-drippy weather is to point blank refuse to actually step foot outdoors. Turn away from the windows and concentrate on the warmth and cosiness within. Stay home. Light candles. Wear fluffy socks. If you can possibly pull it off, this strategy works a treat I can tell you, you will hardly notice how dire the weather is.

I baked yesterday, for the first time in what felt like ages. It was absolute bliss. A good part of that Bliss came from my brand new apron, purchased on impulse during a rare shopping trip to The City at the weekend. Do you like it?? I love it. Love love love love love it. Oh yes I am proper in love with my Sale Purchase from Cath Kidston. I've wanted a CK apron of my very own for a long time, but have always felt it to be Too Extravagant seeing as I already have a rather lovely Portmerion Crazy Daisy apron which I love very much. So now I've got two lovely, lovely aprons to dither over on baking days. Ho hum well no not just on baking days cos I do in fact wear an apron every single day when I'm cooking dinner. So I shall be dithering every single day then as I try and decide between textured roses or crazy daisies. The roses are winning hands down at the moment, they are just so pretty!

It was very cold outside yesterday but very warm inside, my oven whacks out quite a bit of heat when it's on. I steamed the kitchen window up. I wonder why the sight of a steamed up window makes me feel so utterly, completely happy and content??? I honestly sighed to myself with pure pleasure at the sight of my steamy little window, the kitchen all warm and smelling of freshly baking cookies. It was quite a monumental moment in my day.

I made oaty sultana cookies from a recipe I found floating around in the kitchen on a scrap of paper. I had scribbled it down way back last year when I was Milk Tankering with Little B and obsessing over all things oaty, do you remember? The scrap of paper simply had written on it ::

100 flour

75 sugar

75 butter

50 oats

So I figured it must be some sort of cookie recipe. Doubled the quantities, threw in a handful of sultanas and baked them in a moderate oven for about 13 minutes. They were surprisingly delicious.

Waiting for the cookies to bake, I sneaked in a quick cuddle with Little B. He was slobbing about in his sleepsuit (his mother is rather lazy in getting him dressed for stay-home days, tsk tsk) and quite happy doing his own thing, but I do like to scoop him up for cuddles. Just cos I can. Oh my, he is growing so fast. So so so fast. We will soon be entering Toddlerdom and his true baby days are almost at an end. Kind of happy, kind of sad, you know where I'm coming from I'm sure.

As well as Little B being about at home, I've had the other two here with me as well this past week. It's been a mixed blessing as I've loved having them home for this extended holiday (almost four weeks, yes  f o u r) but there has also been a lot of sadness over their school being unable to re-open at the start of term. It flooded you see, and it's been really hard coming to terms with both the damage to the old Victorian building itself and the lost contents of the classrooms. It's a small community school and everyone feels quite devastated really. But the children were finally able to go back today even though the school is still far from recovered, and they were ready to be going back.

I missed them today actually.

But then again it was rather wonderful to put Little B down for his afternoon nap and hear the sound of Complete Silence. I spent a delicious hour hanging out on the Edge of my blanket :: that there blue row is the final granny row before I begin working the edge-of-the-edge.

Soon be time for a long overdue Ta-dah post for this blanket and I absolutely, totally, utterly cannot wait.

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2010 :: Year End Review :: view

Celebrating a year of magical, seasonal Views from the Attic Window.......

:: January 2010 ::

:: February 2010 ::

:: March 2010 ::

:: April 2010 ::

:: May 2010 ::

:: June 2010 ::

:: July 2010 ::

:: August 2010 ::

:: September 2010 ::

:: October 2010 ::

:: November 2010 ::

:: December 2010 ::

I just found this Draft post sitting all forlorn and lonely, I completely forgot to publish it along with my other reviews at the end of last year. Did I ever mention that I am perhaps a touch forgetful from time to time? Hmm yes, possibly you already know this to be true.

Still....forgotten for a few weeks, but worth waiting for I hope.

So special, this little ritualistic peep out of the window at the top of our house.

I love it very much.

It connects me to the seasons, the weather, the countryside, this pretty little market town and my place in it. My home.

It's where my heart is ♥

 

January 2011

This beautiful rose is sitting right in front of me as I sit at my rather messy dining table tap-tapping on my laptop, it's really beautiful (the rose, not the messy table) and I am happy to be starting the year with a jug of fresh flowers in the house.

I love this time of year. Love the feeling of optimism and excitement that comes over me when I ponder on a whooooooooole fresh-new-exciting Big Fat Year stretching ahead. So much time! So many possibilities! So much fun to be had! Lots of potential hooky time to be found in three hundred and sixty five days you know.

I tossed out my old calendars a few days ago and with much joy and anticipation I replaced them with my new ones. I'm back to just two (five was a bit excessive last year), and they are both wonderful. I'm really looking forward to sharing them with you as the year unfolds, they bring me such a lot of pleasure. Yes, I'm easily pleased as you well know by now.

So the above image is January from this year's Laura Ashley calendar, this is one amazing calendar folks, I love it! Each of the twelve images is completely made up from intricately cut and collaged fabrics, they are so clever. Makes me want to do careful and clever things with fabric, I do quite miss my sewing from time to time.

And here is January as seen in the ever lovely calendar that comes free each year with Ideal Homes magazine. Gosh, this calendar has never, ever failed to lift my spirits and every month of the past three years has been beeeeeeeutiful in IH-calendar land. The photographs are stunning they really are.

And of course I can't talk seasonal and calendar-ish things without also bringing in the current state of the weather, that would never do. I took the above photo on New Years day, and it's pretty much been like that ever since. The bitter cold, bright icy weather of last month has gone and we've been left with much warmer air but also a lot of dull grey/brown. It is January after all, and we do need to expect a certain kind of wintry dullness at this time of year I guess. My Attic view is still beautiful though, isn't it? It looks peaceful and sleepy to me.

So....today is day five of the New Year and I've already managed to clock up many, many hours of hooky time this year, hooorah! I've had such a happy time this past week or so, sitting in various places (at the dining table, on the sofa, on the other sofa, in the Big Chair, and best of all in bed) hooking my little heart out. My hook has been h*o*t, I've been working like the clappers on my sweet flower granny blanket trying to get somewhere near to The End of it. I really want to finish it so that I can move on to new things, my creative mind is going crazy with new ideas and the stack of Future Projects is worryingly high for the 5th day of the year.

Ok, we need to have some jug appreciation now if you don't mind. Isn't this one an absolute beauty?? A surprise Christmas gift from a good friend, I am very much in love with it. Smitten actually. It's such a  happy little thing! Such good looks, such a colourful personality, bags of charm too. And it looks so at home here on my messy, colourful table.

Oooo what have we here?? A rare photo in my dim kitchen, this is the small area to the left of the sink which is given over to the coffee machine, dishwasher tablets and empty milk bottles. It's not very pretty here in this corner of my kitchen, but it is light because of the little kitchen window and the back door. I've put my newly purchased amaryllis bulb here for the time being, and I'm really excited to have one of these in the house again. It's a whole two years since the last ones were here. Have you ever grown an amaryllis?? The rate at which they shoot skywards is astonishing, a true natural marvel. And then there's the flowers, my goodness, such beauty. Wonderful stuff to start the year with, I can't wait.

Ahh yes, something else we've started the year with, a certain cheeky Little Monkey celebrated his very first birthday today.

We spent the morning with lovely friends and neighbours, a chaotic mixture of Mums, babes, toddlers and Little People, but it was such good fun. Little B being such a sociable wee fella, spent the entire morning crawling about the place with a big beaming grin on his face. He loves a good social gathering. At eleven o'clock we lit his candle and sang him happy birthday, then allowed him to sit and smother his entire face with slices of chocolate caterpillar cake. He was very, very happy with that arrangement.

He is very well loved our Little B, and many friends remembered that today was His Day. He seemed to be genuinely thrilled with all of his gifts, lots of new and delightful things to play with.

Awwwwwwwwwwwww, how wonderful it is to observe a sleeping baby, I never get over the huge lurch of my heart when I gaze at my Littlies as they sleep. This is a very tired Little Birthday Boy taking his afternoon nap, snuggled under his very own granny blanket, do you remember it?

Gosh, it's been an emotional day. I've been reminiscing a lot about the day Little B came into the world, it was not plain sailing I can tell you, and I still remember it as if it were yesterday. This first year has been long and difficult in many ways, but oh my, there has been such incredible joy and happiness along the way too. I'm looking forward to this next year enormously.

Right then, I think I've rambled on quite enough for one evening, there suddenly seemed a lot to say about the start of January didn't there?! I'm off to sit a while on the sofa now and get a little giddy over yarn and hook. I'm working on The Edge you know, and it's a very exciting place to be.

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2010 :: Year End Review :: twelve months

A year in pictures....................Enjoy!!!

:: January ::

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:: February ::

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:: March ::

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:: April ::

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:: May ::

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:: June ::

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:: July ::

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:: August ::

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:: September ::

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:: October ::

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:: November ::

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:: December ::

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Looking forward to 2011 unfolding, I think it's going to be a good'n!

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