Paper chase at Target

I love Paperchase!  I used to spend an inordinate amount of time in the Paperchase located at Victoria Station in London.  It was a great place to while away time spent waiting for the next train to Dulwich!  Paperchase, Tie Rack and The Sock Shop were always good for a fun purchase!  Target now carries a selection of their cards and products at their stores.  Yippee for me.  This week I spotted some wonderful Christmas selections at my local store.  Pretty ribbons and gift trim.  I love it all.  The wooden spools are my absolute favorite though,  Red and white cotton ribbon is always a good thing

All available at Target

Derek

I find a lot of Ricky Gervais work hard to watch.  I think he deliberately makes the viewer as uncomfortable as possible, amplifying the very traits we as humans do not wish to see in ourselves.  That is why I was so trepidatious about watching 'Derek'.  I had heard a lot of talk when it was first released in the UK and it seemed a lot of people made assumptions as to whether Mr. Gervais was taking the piss out of developmentally challenged individuals.  Many people thought that he was mocking those with autism.  Of course, the majority of people making these assumptions had yet to even view a single episode so I tried to keep an open mind.   Now I have a daughter with autism so I was not sure how this was going to go.  Do I really need to go out of my way to get riled up?  Would watching someone who has made me uncomfortable in the past take on autism really be the best use of my time? I can get riled up in a million different ways every day, I do not need to go seek out additional ways!

But watch it I did.  If, in fact, Derek is supposed to be autistic (which is not confirmed or denied) then I am more than happy with how he is portrayed.  I cannot talk highly enough about this series.  It is everything good television should be.  Every episode has made me laugh out loud and then cry gentle tears.  I have actually cheered at the top of my voice.  It is mind boggling how awesome this show is. Ricky Gervais has created a world that shows how little we regard our elders and how the fortunate few who choose to work with them to nurse them and care for then are the people we should revere.

The cast is amazing but for me Karl Pilkington stands out.  If you have ever seen his work on 'An Idiot Abroad' (and if you haven't, please check it out, that show is absolutely hysterical), his portrayal here will be an absolute revelation.  He seems to be the voice of reason in a mad mad world and says the things I know I would want to say.  He plays the part with such measure and is never a caricature. There are scenes where he has actually made me stand up and cheer.  I love him!

There is so much crap on television and so much guff.  We seem to celebrate reality stars whose only contribution to the world seems to be sex tapes and the ability to be as dumb as a post.  This show will restore your faith in humanity (and television).   Oh, and Ricky Gervais is just a frigging genius.  Case closed!

Derek is available to stream on Netflix.  As there are only 7 episodes, I tried really hard not to binge watch!  I managed to spread ten out over the course of a week.  Also, filming on season 2 started this week.

Remember, Kindness is Magic!

Style at Home magazine

I love this magazine. It just keeps getting better and better.  I have written about it before but it needs some fresh new love!  A few things have changed that make this magazine even better and much easier for us in the United States to get a hold of!  First, it is now available on the App Store.  You can purchase a 1 year subscription for $20 which I think is a pretty awesome deal.  Second, if you are like me and still love the feel of paper in your hands, I have found the past two issues as well as some of the special issues, at my local Barnes & Noble.  Yay!

One of my favorite monthly features is the High and Low feature.  It is pretty hard to tell the difference between some of the rooms but the price breakdown amazes me every time!  Unreal. 

Seriously, if you have yet to look at this magazine, do yourself a favor and have a look.  I find the majority of the rooms as covetable as Domino but with a far friendlier price tag.  Oh and nobody does a white kitchen better than Style at Home magazine!

All images from Style at Home

Trophy Monday

Caramel Apple Cupcakes

This weekend, I made Caramel Apple Cupcakes.  These are a little more time consuming and require a little more time and planning.  None of the parts are in any way difficult, but you will need to plan a little to ensure they come together when you want them.  I made the caramel sauce in the morning.  It took about 15 minutes total and was incredibly easy to make.  I set that aside and did a few other things around the house.  Later, I peeled the apples and tossed them with the lemon juice, a little sugar and some cinnamon.  This stopped the apples from turning brown and also encouraged a little juiciness!  The cake batter itself is very quick to come together.   Once the cakes had been baked, my husband could not hold out any longer.  The smell as they were baking was just a perfume designed to sell homes.  Unbelievable.  He said the cake tasted like the best apple muffin he had ever tasted and he wasn't sure it could be improved upon with frosting!  He was wrong!  The frosting is a buttercream frosting that is made sublime by the addition of the caramel we made earlier.  Sweet Jesus, that frosting is the stuff of dreams!

For me the hardest part of the whole endeavor was the application of the frosting.  I am pretty darn good with a pastry bag and a frosting tip but the method described in the book required using an ice cream scoop and placing a mound on the top of each cake.  Then with a little offset spatula, you would slowly spread the mound of frosting out towards the edge, making a domed apple-esque shape on the cake.  This took a little practice but I think I finally got something approaching the idea!  Then I dipped the edge of the cake into a bowl of chopped pecans.  I also ordered a few of the wafer paper leaves that are used at Trophy.  I found mine at Sugarcraft which meant I could order a somewhat smaller quantity than the source listed in the book.  A pretzel rod made for a pretty stem and after a few swirls of some caramel, the cakes were complete!

Oh, side note.  The sources and source guide in the book are outstanding.  There is nothing in the book that is not available for us and they have done a fantastic job of leading us in the right direction for each product or ingredient!

Back to the cupcakes.  Again, this made far more than the two dozen listed but just like the Espresso Cupcakes from last week, there was no problem giving them away.  My husband and his band of merry coworkers dubbed them Outstanding and best in show!

Highly recommend these cupcakes but be sure to set aside a little time to make them!

Trophy Cupcakes and Parties book available here and here

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween to all the goblins and ghouls out there!  Above is my attempt at candy corn piñatas. I saw these on the evite blog and wanted to try my hand at them. They were a little more work than I had anticipated but I think it was worth it. The first one was the hardest but the next 8 went a little easier. Perfect for my daughters teachers!  I am aware they are not prefect but I can live with it. It was my first attempt! 

Originally seen here 

Oh Costco

Exhibit A!

Why is it that the time I go to Costco with a specific list, they have a myriad of things I must have (or at least want).  I can go there a thousand times and find nothing that interests me but the one time I go with my frugal and practical list, it is just brimming with awesomeness that needs to come home with me!


See Exhibit A above.  I promised myself no more cookooks until I had at least sorted and purged some of my collection.  I also remember telling myself that there was no need for a Poineer Woman cookbook as I am sure I can find the majority of her recipes on her website.  However one look at her smiling face combined with the word Holiday in the title, and I am screwed!  I will say that the Alice Waters book has been in my Amazon cart for some time and it was priced slightly better at Costco.  Thats my excuse and I am sticking to it!  Meanwhile, bulging bookcases await me.

Ah Costco,  How do I love thee!

Trophy Monday

Espresso Bean Cupcakes

For my first recipe from the Trophy Cupcakes and Parties book, I went with a flavor close to my heart.  Espresso is a part of my DNA.  The cupcakes were a breeze to make.  It is the Trophy chocolate cupcake recipe and it is a no fail recipe as far as I am concerned.  My one issue (if you can call it an issue) is that it makes far more than the two dozen cupcakes stated.  I managed to get 24 regular sized cupcakes and 24 mini cupcakes from the recipe.  

For the frosting, you need good fresh strong espresso.  This was not a problem for me as I have espresso on hand pretty much all the time.  I used a stovetop maker and cooled the required 1/2 cup.  The frosting takes a lot of butter and sugar but when you consider that it covers 48 cupcakes (with some left over) then I don't think it is that much of an issue.  It comes together beautifully and like all the trophy recipes I have tried so far, it does not require anything more than a stand mixer.  These recipes are not written for experts and are attainable by anyone.  I also like that all of the ingredients would be items you could find at any good grocery store.  

So to the important part - how did it taste?  Frigging awesome would be the consensus.  I sent the majority of the cakes to work with my husband.  2 thumbs up all the way around.  I also gave some to the ladies at my children's school bus stop and I believe I am now the most popular mum there!  Something about chocolate cake and coffee frosting first thing on a dreary Seattle Monday that just soothes the soul!

I highly recommend this recipe.  Simple to put together but the results give something far more complex and scrumptious. 

Book available here or here

Sundays are meant for this

There is nothing I like more than Sunday Mornings spent hiking around the lake with my daughter Alex.

It is supposed to be therapy for her but it has become so much more than that for me.  The time we spend together is something I have wanted for so long.  I see part of her unlocking that I have never been privy to before.  It is a wondrous feeling to know that she does love her mummy and she enjoys the pursuits too.  I have discovered that she also loves being behind a camera.  I have enjoyed giving her the camera and seeing what the world looks like to her.  It is not so different.  That is the most amazing part, knowing her interests are not that different from mine.

I love that girl and I love Sundays spent with her.

Martha Stewart Living Kids Craft Space Collection

That's quite a mouthful!  I received a little catalog from the Home Decorators Collection.  It was an introduction to their new line called itsy bitsy.  This catalog is subtitled 'a storybook of children's furnishings' and there are certainly some beautiful items in the pages.  However they saved the best for last as far as I am concerned.  Towards the back is a beautiful double spread of craft furniture from the Martha Stewart brand.  I actually have a couple of desks from the grown up version and I can attest to the durability and sturdiness of the items.  I am loving the kids versions too, especially the happy yellow color called Cornbread.  It is looking slightly more green on my screen but the print version is a sunny yellow.  The collection is beautiful and practical too which a place for everything!  Even a cabinet for art with dryer shelves included!

Photo from Home Decorators Collection

Trophy Cupcakes

One of the best things about living near Seattle is Trophy Cupcakes. I love this place. If I ever opened a bakery, I would want it to look just like this place. Fortunately, I dont have to as Jennifer Shea has done all the work for me. Seriously good stuff. Everything looks beautiful but the taste lives up to the packaging.   This is not always the case at bakeries I have been to.  I have had some beautiful cakes that have tasted less than stellar. Conversely, some just awful misshapen cakes have tasted like heaven.  Trophy, however,  has the taste to back up the looks.

I was very excited to finally receive the Trophy book which was released in late September.  It had been preordered for many months! It has not disappointed. It is such a beautifully thought out and executed book that has a place on even the most reluctant bakers bookself.  I have decided to get on the 'bake your way through a book' bandwagon and will try to recreate a recipe from the book on a weekly basis. I like to bake most days but Sunday is usually the cupcake day so I can send them to work with my husband on Monday morning. We do not need 2 dozen cupcakes hanging around the house!

So here's to Cupcakes Mondays. First up, Espresso bean cupcakes. See ya Monday!

Purl soho at Williams Sonoma

My obsession with embroidery continues on so imagine my delight at seeing this beautiful kit available at my favorite kitchen emporium! I love it! They have a few kits available and they all look wonderful.

This kit is available here

Mastering

I am a complete sucker for any book with the words Mastering or Mastering the Art of..... in their title. It doesn't matter the subject matter, that title promises something that I am sure it will deliver on. Of course, the title does not take into account my failings in the arts and craft world. I am quite possibly the least artistic human alive. I envy those who can paint or draw. I cannot. I try but it always looks like something I could not even blame on my children! I have all kinds of artistic mediums in my closet. Masses of watercolor paints, acrylics, oils. All purchased with the promise that this one item will help me overcome my complete lack of talent! I am sure I could open my own small branch of Michaels with all the supplies I have lurking in that closet of broken dreams! I have looked at blogs with titles such as 'Art Projects for Kids' and been born anew with hope. Then came Pinterest and all the promises held within the glossy photos that fill the page. Nope, just add a few more craptacular projects to the pile. 

I moved on to needle arts and these had more success. If you can count a slightly wonky scarf with a few dropped stitches a success - and I do! I slowly and painstakingly learned to cast on and then moved swiftly to knit stitch and purl stitch. I am awesome! Sadly I still cannot understand a pattern and the art of casting off appears lost. I take my victories where I can though and this is one! 

Which brings me to the title of this post. I was sent a gift 'Mastering the Art of Embroidery'. A book so beautiful that I thought it was a cruel joke. Also included in the gift was a selection of embroidery threads and some vintage handkerchiefs. Obviously I have a friend who is either completely sick and twisted (which makes up most of my friends list) and finds my frustration at crafts amusing, or she is to be believed when she says that "you have to eventually find a craft you are good at". So I intend to crack open this book and see what happens. I am sure it will be a fun journey whether it results in beautifully embroidered handkerchiefs, or fingertips that look like Swiss Cheese. 

With a title like Mastering the Art of... how can I go wrong?!

Well hello

Life begins at forty! I heard that growing up a lot. Then I heard 40 is the new 30. Now 50 is the new 30 which makes 40 the new 20? I don't know anymore. I just know that age as a number seems silly. 

I know so many women in their late 30's who look nothing like the 40 I grew up fearing! 20 year old women look 40, 12 year old girls dressing older than me, mutton dressed as lamb. It goes on and on, so I am just going to accept that a number does not dictate an age anymore than a dress size determines how much body fat you have. For me, growing up meant growing old. I thought that when I hit a certain age, I would suddenly have wisdom and crave the sensible shoes and pretty cardigans I fondly remember my mother wearing. However as the calendar years changed and my age crept up, I never felt any different. I always felt like a little kid ready to tell juvenile jokes and try the latest sports fad. I would worry that some chip was missing in my circuit board but after a few years of trying, I realise that being a 12 year old boy trapped in a middle aged woman is not so bad. I get the best of all worlds.

I am silly, immature and think any movie with Vince Vaughn and/or Will Ferrel is going to be funny yet I still enjoy the fine arts and European sensibilities I had instilled in me growing up. I intend to use this space to keep track of the many sides of me and the many ages of me. I am neither old nor young, fat nor thin, silly or serious. I am all those things.

Mrs Meyers

I have long been a devotee of Mrs Meyers and my allegiance is usually towards Geranium. I occasionally dabble in a little Hyacinth but at Target last night, I picked up a new to me scent. Behold the Radish collection. Big Big Fan! I cleaned my kitchen with it this morning and I am loving it. I am not sure if it is just a temporary crush (like the Bluebell scent turned out to be) or if it makes it to the permanent collection, but I am smitten right now.

My Hair

I have hair that is somewhere in the region of the middle of my back in terms of length. It is not a flattering length for me. My hair is very thick and has a wave to it. The length it is now means it is heavy and this weight causes the wave to go away and makes the hair hang there doing not much of anything. My hair is now getting gray around the temple. My hair is annoying me. I read somewhere recently that I could be suffering from '1661 hair'. This is hair that could age me as 16 from the back but as soon as I turn around, 61 is probably more likely the age. I am neither of these ages - somewhere in the middle is my age. I have come to realise that I hide behind my hair. I let my hair dictate how I feel about myself. Lately I have not been feeling that great. I think it is time for me to grow a set of balls and just go get it cut. I fancy a shoulder length or slighter shorter bob, with layers and long side swept bangs. I also don't think I am ready to live with the grey - it tells too many secrets! I think a haircut will do wonders for me. Help me get back into the life I have spent so much time avoiding. Yes, time for a good chop!