tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56850409435904632992024-03-13T22:13:43.046-07:00The Hearty HomeAll things homely. Sewing, interiors and motherhood.Amysheartyhomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11694258474004993869noreply@blogger.comBlogger25125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685040943590463299.post-16910782288992248172019-02-15T08:18:00.001-08:002019-02-15T08:52:25.026-08:00How We Do Toys...<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: large;">... I love toys. </span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Wh</span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">at I don't love is unloved toys.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">And if toys are stacked up and difficult to get to, that's what they become, and have you ever seen anything so sad as an unloved toy? It's like a Christmas Tree that doesn't get to fulfil its Christmas destiny.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">From the very beginning, even before becoming a mum, I had a very strong idea about toys. Ones I loved, ones that annoyed me, ones that were pointless. My life as a nursery teacher has taught me a lot about how children play and I've often felt in somewhat of a privileged position when it comes to being a mum, because even though all children are different (oh so different), I've been able to observe 100's of children access toys and I feel I know what works and what doesn't and can use that knowledge with Theo.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">First up, quality. The quality that the toys are in is probably one of THE most important things when it comes to how children are using toys. I've worked in settings before where there are 100's of toys to play with, literally 100's and where do the children even start! Well I start by having a cull. Any setting where I've been asked to change things up, that's the first thing I've done. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">- Broken toys? Be gone - Missing pieces? Be gone. - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">What the flip does this do?!? Be gone!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">It may sounds ruthless and wasteful but broken toys are just a no go for me. Especially in a nursery setting. I want children to respect toys and care for toys and I'm not sure they can truly do that if they are often faced with something that is broken or looks like it's seen far better days. I'm not saying everything has to be shiny and new, the loved toys with the scuffs or the teddy with the missing eye are of course MORE than welcome but the shape sorter with a missing shape or the jigsaw with missing pieces... no. I would be incredibly frustrated as an adult to get to the end of that jigsaw and find pieces missing and I don't want a child to feel the same. Of course some toys can have missing pieces and it doesn't matter but the ones that really need all the parts and they don't, well they're out.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Also the toys that just don't really do anything, or are too fiddly, or too closed. I usually cull those too, or put them away for a more suitable time. Often children will use toys in a way you didn't expect so maybe for the toys that you're not sure of, let the child explore them for a bit, watch how your child plays and if they get disregarded quickly or not used have a think about whether they are suitable yet, or at all. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">OK, so you've Marie Kondoed (new verb) the toy stash so what is next? It's time to sort out storage and how the toys are going to be displayed. Today I'm going to talk about toy rotations. I also want to talk about a few other things about play; invitation to play and open ended play but I'm going to tackle this at a later date</span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">These might be something you're familiar with or you might be thinking huh? Let me tell you they're all really simple ideas and ideas that I have used for a really long time in nursery settings, particularly toy rotations. That's what I'm going to start with...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">But first let me be honest, I want to get better at toy rotations (in fact I want to get better at all the things I have mentioned) and this is how this blog post has come about. I was sitting on Instagram and got inspired with the many gorgeous accounts where parents are sharing how they deal with toys and play in their house and I thought, "I've done this for years in school why am I not doing this at home?" I kind of started it but then just got stuck with every new toy being bought into the house needing to be played with and displayed straight away and before I knew it our shelves were full, so we've scaled back and this is how toy rotations work for us. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Most of Theo's toys are stored in his room. We're lucky that Theo has a good sized room so there is space for his toys up there but where ever you store toys you can do toy rotations. I'm going to share a couple of ways you can do toy rotations. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">- You group toys into types. So a vehicle box, jigsaw box, musical instrument box. Then each time you come to do a rotation you decide what out of each box you would like to bring out to play. This is the way we currently do things and it works for us at the minute because we're not over run with toys. The toys that are "in storage" so to speak, i.e. not out to play with, all stay in the plastic Ikea boxes and are sneakily stacked and hidden behind the chair in the nursery. This will need to change in the future because inevitably Theo will acquire more stuff and to be honest the way the toys are in storage is not the best because its not easy to go through the boxes. I think we are going to have to find a way of storing things in the garage. I guess you just have to be smart with where you can keep things. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">- The other way is not my idea but came from chatting to @steph.soj over on Instagram. She has an inspiring set up and spoke to me about storing toys in a way so that you could just pull one box out per rotation. Each box would have a mixture of things in, enough to out out in your space and then that way, when you come to rotate your not searching through each box of toys for things but you just pull out one box and a way you go. I really like this idea and I think I want to move to doing it like this BUT.... there's a big but. I'm sooooooooo particular about where things go and if I have a box that has cars, farm animals and jigsaws all in one box... well the thought of it brings me out in hives. But that's just me and my silly ways. Maybe once I sort out a better way of keeping the toys that are out of use, I might be able to move to one box for a rotation. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">A final thought, I never rotate all the toys at once and often leave the more open ended toys or favourite toys out all of the time.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Ok, so that's the idea of toy rotations in the briefest way I can manage and I don't even feel like I've touched the surface as to why it's a good way to do things but I'm aware this is already a lengthy post. I might follow up this post with a shorter one where I talk about why this works. What I want to do now is answer a couple of questions that you have sent over to me to make sure I have covered enough to get you started. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">I also rotate books too.</span></span><br />
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<i style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace;"><span style="font-size: large;">How often do you rotate toys?</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">I try and do it at least once a month. If I was better I would do it fortnightly and at school I used to do it half termly. I think the most important thing to make sure of is that you ARE rotating toys. Trust me though, once you start you will see such a difference that you will want to rotate to keep it fresh. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><i>How many toys would be in the rotation?</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">I guess this depends on the space you have. We have the Kallax 4 x 2 storage unit and we have four boxes for toy sets such as a train set, a farm yard set and then 4 spaces for individual toys like a jigsaw or a large car. Then a couple of other toys dotted around the room. You don't need a lot and the choice of toys makes all the difference. More open ended toys can become many different things so don't worry about your child becoming bored, it will only add to their creativity.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><i>Does the way you store toys help Theo choose what he wants to play with?</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Absolutely and also how to tidy up afterwards. Everything has it's place and because there are fewer toys he is less overwhelmed by what to choose and then as I said, where to start when tidying up. It's lovely to watch him go to the open shelves and watch him select something himself and then when he's done put it back and choose something new. This obviously hasn't happen just because of the way things are displayed but I honestly believe that if he sees his toys being cared for, he definitely wants to look after them too. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">There we have it, toy rotation in a nut shell, a really big nut shell. I hope that is helpful. Please ask in the comments, or over on Instagram, if you have any questions and share any ideas you have me me because I want to get better at this too. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Amy x</span></div>
Amysheartyhomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11694258474004993869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685040943590463299.post-4916555112989190882019-01-25T06:05:00.000-08:002019-01-25T06:05:18.822-08:00A day in the life of a 1 year old...<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">... <span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">our daily routine with Theo aged 1 year and 2 months.</span></span></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">If I had been a better blogger then this would of been maybe the 4th post about routines, but I'm not a good blogger so it isn't!! Maybe I could back track and have a think about what we were doing at 4 months, 8 months... etc but for now this is the first post about routines.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">So as I've already said, Theo is 14 months old and has just recently changed his routine to just one nap a day (most days) and is becoming much better at sleeping at night. We've always had a pretty routine existence, I like it and it works for us. Remember, happy mum, happy baby. If you like routine then go for it, if you don't then don't... simple.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Do I think having a good routine has helped Theo with his night time sleeping? Maybe, I mean he's always been pretty rubbish at sleeping through but perhaps it would've been worse without a routine?! Who knows.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">This blog post is a follow</span><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"> up to the series of stories I'm doing over on Instagram today (25th January 2019)where I'm documenting what we do at different points of the day. I'm filming those stories on a non work day for me, I have two of those a week, so this routine that I'm about to type up is for a non work day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><u>OUR DAY</u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Couple of things first...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">- If Theo wakes before 6am I TRY and feed him back to sleep.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">- Theo is still breastfed twice a day, in the morning, before bed and if he wakes in the night.</span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b>6:30-7:30</b> <i>Theo wakes up.</i> We breastfeed and then get him ready for the day with a nappy change and he gets dressed.</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b>7:30-8:00 </b><i>Breakfast. </i>We eat together and it usually consists of toast and cereal or just porridge. Maybe some fruit and a yogurt. </span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b>8:15-9:00 </b>Mummy gets ready. If we're going swimming I only get dressed but if not then I'll shower and set Theo up on the bathroom floor with some toys whilst I have THE QUICKEST SHOWER KNOWN TO MAN!!! I then take my clothes/make up/hairbrush into Theo's room and he'll play whilst I get ready.</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b>9:00 </b>Out we go. Normally for swimming or a group or if we're not doing either of those then we go to the park or the shops. I love getting out first thing. Firstly because it gets him nice and tired for an afternoon nap but also because if I left it till the afternoon I probably wouldn't bother. </span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b>10:00 </b>Snack time. Theo will have a little snack at this time during groups or just after swimming. Usually a fruit bake bar or a fruit pouch, something easy to transport, and a drink of water.</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b>11:00 </b>Groups<b> </b>finish. Any groups we go to are done by this time so we usually head to the shop, we've usually forgotten something in the Ocado shop, and then we head home.</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b>11:30 </b>Theo's dinnertime (lunch). Usually something quick, a ready meal, a sandwich or left overs. He is so tired at this point as he has dropped his morning nap, food has to be quick and easy because if I'm not entertaining him he can get fussy at this point in the day.</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b>12:00-12:30 </b>Naptime routine starts. Depending on how long dinner has taken, we go upstairs and start getting ready for bed. A nappy change, story and songs and then I leave the room for him to go to sleep by himself (with Ewan the Sheep signing his little tune). </span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b>12:30-(wakes up anytime between) 2:00-3:00. </b>At this point I have a clean, put in washing, empty the dishwasher... any chores really before I eat my lunch and then have a bit of time to myself. </span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b>2:30 - 3:15 </b>The average time he wakes up is 2:30pm. I check his nappy when he wakes but don't always change it and get him dressed. He has a drink of water and then we play in his room. I want to start doing a specific "activity" at this time such as painting or playdough but for now we just play with his toys.</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b>3:15 </b>We come downstairs. Theo plays with his toys in the lounge/dining room and I prepare him an afternoon snack.</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b>3:30 </b>Snacktime. He is always so hungry at this point in the day and he just eats and eats!!! He will have something like malt loaf, toast, hummus and pittas, cooked carrots or some fruit and perhaps a yogurt. </span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b>3:30-4:30 </b>Fresh air. We usually try and get out again at this point to walk the dog. If the weather is too poor then we'll play again in his room. </span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b>4:30-5 </b>The witching half an hour.... I'm so tired at this point of the day and he knows it. I try and just have a cuppa and watch him play downstairs. You all know how much I love Tipping Point and the last half an hour is the best bit!🤣</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b>5:00-5:30 </b>Daddy is home. Neil gets home at some point after 5 and during this time we put in some tea to heat up (that we usually batch cooked on Sunday.)</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b>5:30-6:00 </b>Teatime. I feel very lucky that most evenings we all get to sit down together to eat tea. I really love that part of the day.</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b>6:00-6:45 </b>Bathtime and getting ready for bed. Neil looks after bathtime. He runs the bath whilst I get Theo ready and then once Theo is in the bath I usually tidy up from tea time and then wash my face and put my pjs on.</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b>6:45-7:00 </b>Last bit of In the Night Garden. We try and get down for the start but it never happens and we just see Iggle Piggle NOT being in bed. Then Theo breastfeeds and once he's done I take him up to bed.</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b>7:00-7:15 </b>Bedtime songs and stories. Theo still will not let Neil do this part, we keep trying but he's not having it and that's fine by me because I love this part of the day. We read a story together and sing a couple of songs and then I leave the room and he'll be asleep usually within 5-10 mins.</span></li>
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<li><b style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">7:15-7:30 </b><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Last tidy up. We both run around at this point hanging out washing, putting a load in and just a general tidy up before finally sitting on the sofa by 7:30-8 o clock with a VERY large glass of wine. </span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b>9:00 </b>Bedtime. On Fridays and Saturdays we make the effort to stay awake until the dizzy heights on 10pm!!!! Lol!</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">So that's our usually non nursery day. They're busy days and when I type it out like that, it looks very structured, although it never feels regimented. Obviously sometimes lunch is half an hour late, same with tea. Naps will only last an hour and its a battle to get to 7.. who knows what the day will bring! But as long as I have some idea of what I would like to be doing at what ever point in the day then I feel better. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Some days we'll be out all day and he'll just grab half and hour in his pushchair or car seat when he can and I like those days too!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Some people don't like routine but as I said at the beginning I do and I think Theo does. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">If you have any questions please ask or pop over to my Instagram @amysheartyhome and ask over there. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">See you soon,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Amy x</span></div>
Amysheartyhomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11694258474004993869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685040943590463299.post-82813236598591402272019-01-11T05:23:00.000-08:002019-01-11T05:23:45.886-08:00A year of being mum...<h3>
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large; font-weight: normal;">... the most wonder, special, difficult, challenging year of my life.</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">I've been wanting to write about and sum up, the first year of motherhood for a little while now. Theo is now 13 months old and a joy but in the past 6 months this honestly feels like the first time I've started to get a little more mind space to actually put fingers to keys. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">He isn't "difficult" or "challenging" but I've found being a mum is. I'm not sure what I expected, of course it was going to be hard work, since when has being a mum been easy? But for me adapting to this new way has been a bit of a shock to the system.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">I've blogged in the past about being <a href="http://theheartyhome.blogspot.com/2018/04/i-am-motherless-mother.html" target="_blank">"A Motherless Mother"</a> I think this has had a lot to do with it but of course even if we would've had all of the support it would've been tough. This is just me writing about my experiences. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">I'm going to try and give you a brief (ha! when have I ever been brief??) update in all the stages of the first year and how they felt for me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="font-size: large;">So 0-4 months...</span> </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">A blur to be honest. A worrying, self doubt blur! A wonderful new born bubble blur. That's the thing with being a mum/a parent, it's that you have those days that only emojis can describe (😩😢😧) and then this gorgeous being, that you created does something for the first time or pulls that face that you adore and all the </span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">😩😢😧 disappears. That's what 0-4months felt like. I found those early months probably the toughest. Everyone around me was talking about new born baby bliss and I didn't get it!!! I wasn't down or depressed. Baby blues? Of course! But blissfullness is not how I would describe those days. Theo wanted to feed all the time, i was sore, tired, teary. I'd forgotten who I was. It all sounds very selfish now but it was how I felt, I found it really really tough. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Then came 4-7 months...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace;"><span style="font-size: large;">If you follow me on Instagram, you'll know that Theo is pretty pants at sleeping but at around this time I expected different. The 4 month sleep regression had supposedly passed, that's what the books said anyway. Everyone else's baby was sleeping 7-7 why wasn't Theo? Maybe he's hungry, breastmilk isn't filling him, I must be doing something wrong. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">So we weaned, not until 6 months but we weaned. BLW is what you must do! I panicked, so worried about choking. We slowed down, took it at a pace that I was happy with. The saying "happy mum, happy baby" could not have been more true for me at this time. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">7-12 months... </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace;"><span style="font-size: large;">All weaned, breastfeeding slowing down and an amazing eater, who STILL doesn't sleep well. I think by 7/8 months I'd just succumbed to the fact that Theo wasn't a great sleeper. And you know what, that acceptance changed things for me. I remember reading something about sleep being a development thing and that we don't rush babies to walk before they're ready, so why do we try and force them to sleep through when sometimes they're just not ready for that either? Some would say you're kidding yourself, but actually trying to enjoy that 2am cuddle made a huge difference. It was the cuddles at 4am and 5am after the 2am cuddle that drove me to distraction!!! </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">The hardest thing for me at this point was returning to work. Sending him to nursery was so difficult but he was a star and actually, looking back, I think sending him to nursery before 12 months was actually easier then it would've been after 12 months. He was pretty clueless when he started nursery at almost 10 months (bless him) and he just accepted the nursery staff as his family. I think now he is more in tune with the world, it would've been more difficult. So no trouble there. It was me. I found going back to work so difficult for lots of reasons, perhaps I could write more about that in a separate post in the future. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">In brief my plans didn't work out and the doctor suggested I took some time to reevaluate before things went too far. So that's what I did.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">I've returned to work again this week, after almost 2 months out of it and it's felt daunting but I also feel so different this time round. I'm now a supply teacher and I'm hoping it will help me to rebuild my confidence again. I guess we shall see. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: courier new, courier, monospace; font-size: large;">So where are we now at 12 months +... </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace;"><span style="font-size: large;">Well I don't want to jinx it but i think Theo might actually like sleep now!!! We're now down to one long nap (most days) and that is working out well for us and for the past week he has slept pretty much 7-6/7am over night. I'm enjoying it for now, who knows what next week will bring. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: courier new, courier, monospace; font-size: large;">I talk A LOT about sleep but it's really defined a lot of the 12 months for me, I guess with so little of it it's hard to think about much else because I'm tired ALL OF THE TIME! I don't think its a coincidence that I'm enjoying being a mum more than ever and we're getting full nights sleep. But then I must say this age is just a dream!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: courier new, courier, monospace; font-size: large;">It may sound like a bit of a moany blog post, you signed up to having a baby so you should expect all this. Well yer, we did sign up to having a baby but that doesn't mean that I can't express how I felt in it all. Each stage had it's own difficulties but of course each stage had all the gorgeousness of having your baby with you. I almost feel like the special stuff goes without saying, it's the harder parts you hear less about. But for balance here's a quick list of the things that made my heart burst this year...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: courier new, courier, monospace; font-size: large;">- Breastfeeding (all the feeds, even the painful ones). I'm so happy I did this. It will forever be something I'm proud of myself for. breastfeeding cuddles are like nothing i have ever experienced.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: courier new, courier, monospace; font-size: large;">- Watching him change and develop each day. Each new little thing he does is just fascinating, I just love seeing how pleased he is with himself.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: courier new, courier, monospace; font-size: large;">- Weaning. I absolutely loved this stage, once we found what worked for us. Seeing how much he loved food from the beginning was just great!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: courier new, courier, monospace; font-size: large;">- All the physical stuff. Learning to roll over, sit up, crawl, stand up, walk. Each of those milestones have been truly glorious.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: courier new, courier, monospace; font-size: large;">- Watching his relationship with his dad. I think his dad must be his most favourite person. He just adores him and I love seeing that in his eyes. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: courier new, courier, monospace; font-size: large;">So that's our update. 12 months of having the hardest and most rewarding job and I wouldn't change a second of it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: courier new, courier, monospace; font-size: large;">I opened the floor to you guys last week, over on my Instagram and you made loads of suggestions for future blog posts, but if there is anything you would like to know more about (sleep, going back to work, weaning) then please get in touch and I'll see what I can do. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: courier new, courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Amy x</span></div>
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Amysheartyhomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11694258474004993869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685040943590463299.post-31682118172574786372018-04-10T00:37:00.000-07:002018-04-10T01:19:29.619-07:00I am Motherless Mother<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">I hope this post doesn’t sound too whoa is me but it’s been something I wanted to write down for a while. Something that often pops into my mind, out of nowhere and floors me for a day or two and yet it is something, which in other ways, is with me all the time. This is about me as a motherless mother.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Being a motherless mother can present it's self in many different ways, for me it's being a new mum who lost her mum before she was pregnant.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">I lost my mum almost 9 years ago to breast cancer. I was 24 she was 52. My mum fought cancer for 5 years and although we were somewhat prepared for her passing there was something inside me that still thought she would beat it, even up to three days before she left us. I guess that something was denial or even niaevity...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">My mum didn’t know a lot of things about me. She didn’t know the career I’d choose, she didn’t know where I’d set up home or if I’d get married and she didn’t know if I’d become a mum. I guess at 24 I would’ve made comments about maybe never wanting children and I know that would’ve made her sad because she would’ve loved to of been a nanny and my goodness what an amazing one she would’ve been.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">So fast forward 9 years to where I am now. A mum of a four month old, without my mum around. I appreciate that a lot of people don’t have their mums on their doorstep but even having them at the end of the phone to let off pregnancy steam and new mum worries must be such huge support.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">I no longer have the person who I know was my biggest fan, to cheer me up on those harder days. Those days that can be filled with self doubt about my mummy decision making. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><i>How am I supposed to know if I'm doing this motherhood thing right when she isn't around to learn from? </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">She’s not there for the advice giving, the encouragement and the patting on the back that only mums do in their mum way. She’s not here to cuddle Theo for 5 minutes and make me go and get some rest when I'm sleep deprived. She's not here to tell me that I'm doing the new parent job well.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Life is so different from when she was here, beyond recognition in some parts. She’s missing but from something she was never apart of, so how can she be so missed? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">What are the hardest parts? Perhaps seeing other nans/grandmas doing the job I know my mum would’ve been an absolute pro at. Those moments are hard. Family gatherings where I see other children being surrounded by grandparents and a feeling of jealously almost, hits me on behalf of my own child who doesn't have that. Those are are hard. Thinking back on the impact my own grandmother's made on my life and worrying that Theo will resent not having that. Those are moments are hard too.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Due to unfortunate circumstances Theo only has one grandparent who also isn't on the doorstep, so perhaps the whole motherless mother situation feels heightened at times for me, I don't know.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">I wake up everyday so grateful for the little family we're creating and so happy with the amount of love me and my husband are surrounding Theo with. I'm happy with the love that we have for each other but loosing my mum left a huge hole in my life. that hole took on a new form when I became pregnant.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">I miss her and I think about how wonderful it would've been to see her with Theo and play the Nanny Pat role that she no doubt longed for. An almost childish sentiment of "it's not fair" comes over me at times. Not fair for me, not fair for Theo.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">But as I go further into this new motherhood role, I'll hopefully handle it in a way that would've made her proud and begin to trust my own instinct more as I see that I'm actually doing an ok job.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Although I am now motherless I will be forever grateful that I was mothered and more importantly, by her.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Amy x</span></div>
Amysheartyhomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11694258474004993869noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685040943590463299.post-33446677910371667592018-04-04T08:12:00.000-07:002018-04-04T08:12:14.017-07:00A Gender Neutral Nursery - Theo's Room<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;">... the main concept for the room was calm with muted tones.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">From the moment I found out we were expecting, my attention shifted to the nursery. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">We always thought the small room in the house would be the nursery but after a little thought we decided to sacrifice the guest room to make room for the baba. We decided this for a few reasons;</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">- It was at the back of the house so would be quieter</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">- It's one of the few rooms in the house that has double glazing (we've kept the original windows in most rooms) so would be much warmer</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">- It was a big room so could become more than just a place to sleep but also a place to play</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">I started planning the room in the place I normally start... PINTEREST! We didn't know if we were having a boy or a girl at this point and didn't want this to determine the look of the room, so one search of "gender neutral nursery" on the beloved app and there were reams of inpsiration to get us started.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">There were a few must have's to get me started...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">- the cot</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">- a changing station</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">- a nursing chair</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">- book nook</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">I also stated to think of a theme but didn't want it to be overthemed so in the end just chose things that I liked. A bit of woodland/bohemian/adventure! But all in muted neutral colours. A calm space for a place to feed, sleep and play. So here are some of my favourite elements of the room.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;"><u>The Cot</u></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs608NCnYG-H41zssVHmXOqR7zEsTp3YjKMb5Uy3QMs5ogGSnQsXcgBgu9cFsAjPeH3-zFKb-8Unzq7XurpgAZWqW71M_r67dMRabQB6DkdNi3WR8hyiCn1pA5Y4EhmhwSfQT_DwF0b9o/s1600/P1011981.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="902" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs608NCnYG-H41zssVHmXOqR7zEsTp3YjKMb5Uy3QMs5ogGSnQsXcgBgu9cFsAjPeH3-zFKb-8Unzq7XurpgAZWqW71M_r67dMRabQB6DkdNi3WR8hyiCn1pA5Y4EhmhwSfQT_DwF0b9o/s400/P1011981.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">I think the cot was the first thing we bought. We had a lot of furniture that we had in this room already which was perfect for the nursery. All white, lots of storage. We chose the cot from <a href="https://en.mokee.eu/minicot/cot.html#White_Beech" target="_blank">MoKee</a>. It had the simple look I was after and with the addition of the beech wood, add a little interest to the simple white furniture. I changed the door handles of the furniture to match the beech wood on the cot and although simple, made a big difference of bring everything together. The wardrobe was from Ikea </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;"><u>The Nursing Chair and</u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;"><u>Book Nook</u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">With us being so lucky with the size of the nursery I really wanted to treat us to a nursing chair. I wished for a dream Baby Grey chair for a while and when I was shown one of the new designs I was sold.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu_eGiu8c-vtsVvGy6Lmb8d-Xc7LsBzE8CqaALiDvMO1RevN8BOCEchmTydHV_xvL9_1ozmcjib6O0K_flxd-3oapmTgMe1Q7ArbC1D4JT10TuUCvLPBItNlDw-21a08ipkupV-BjRrSE/s1600/fullsizeoutput_c5f.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="902" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu_eGiu8c-vtsVvGy6Lmb8d-Xc7LsBzE8CqaALiDvMO1RevN8BOCEchmTydHV_xvL9_1ozmcjib6O0K_flxd-3oapmTgMe1Q7ArbC1D4JT10TuUCvLPBItNlDw-21a08ipkupV-BjRrSE/s400/fullsizeoutput_c5f.jpeg" width="225" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg9mN9CuW4IC-SYs8wlAj6QSToKdYxEoCekqsK_6Mh0khVf7X7-RQKu2Lqycve3_VMAgq2uOulSRNsV33iJrcIn8mxvnXjmzhTFHW8xL45lX0Bs9fW_jUfhWCJN5lzIyvZtcchfARE4n0/s1600/fullsizeoutput_c64.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="902" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg9mN9CuW4IC-SYs8wlAj6QSToKdYxEoCekqsK_6Mh0khVf7X7-RQKu2Lqycve3_VMAgq2uOulSRNsV33iJrcIn8mxvnXjmzhTFHW8xL45lX0Bs9fW_jUfhWCJN5lzIyvZtcchfARE4n0/s400/fullsizeoutput_c64.jpeg" width="225" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">We went for the <a href="https://www.babygrey.co.uk/product/nelli-rocker" target="_blank">Nelli Rocker</a> in the pale grey chenille with wooden legs, in fact it was the very first Nelli Rocker! It was an investment but I'm so glad we bought it because it has been invaluable for feeding in comfort and it's fast becoming not only the nursing chair but also the story telling chair. It's just beautiful!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;"><u>The Changing Station</u></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf2dcfxxmKCLXk_1WUmIj82e2jhsjGe_7kZLsT893M87KFF4QuAiKHQf_vDMK2dy3Vxk3I00nhGDevZ6zcnkJxihvN6oqhyt5F_g3owYuMinzcI0yTUo8Lxa0QBdMiTCQYUQULp88RHO4/s1600/fullsizeoutput_c89.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="918" data-original-width="1600" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf2dcfxxmKCLXk_1WUmIj82e2jhsjGe_7kZLsT893M87KFF4QuAiKHQf_vDMK2dy3Vxk3I00nhGDevZ6zcnkJxihvN6oqhyt5F_g3owYuMinzcI0yTUo8Lxa0QBdMiTCQYUQULp88RHO4/s400/fullsizeoutput_c89.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">I really liked the idea of making the changing station a feature of the room but didn't spend a fortune on a changing unit that wouldn't be used for long. Instead we used an Ikea chest of drawers with Ikea shelves above to display useful baby bits and some favourite toys. AND Theo's famous hat collection!!! I loved the changing mat baskets that I had seen on Pinterest but couldn't stretch to one so I customised a charity shop Moses basket by just cutting it down to size. I bought a new mattress for it and it became the perfect place to change Theo in those early days. The basket has now become a 'Treasure Basket' and is filled with lots of natural finds ready for him to explore in the future.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFrNlx_IhCuaHWemb0g4KcPb0bfy0A9PpIsvPtwP5CHtBKSmQr-PSuqWAOwEKdIBebHv1xELAkzkfuRjfX6qAzgJq_6_82DdWgC21Y09c7vHmdEmFm15f-4KUsXCAdZbwPGpdnTY7BDwM/s1600/P1011996.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="902" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFrNlx_IhCuaHWemb0g4KcPb0bfy0A9PpIsvPtwP5CHtBKSmQr-PSuqWAOwEKdIBebHv1xELAkzkfuRjfX6qAzgJq_6_82DdWgC21Y09c7vHmdEmFm15f-4KUsXCAdZbwPGpdnTY7BDwM/s320/P1011996.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;"><u>The Details</u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">As I said earlier, when playing the room I didn't want to go with an obvious theme but preferred to just chose items which I loved. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTeXWFl89bWnhm5ZawIBG-OoJ6AbA7G6U11kmRXdQvfmGKCSg8bzTc3eM7M_JSIn1VRA4KEjXzBnGfSPHYA7a_QU3WBrSw3tGjZY4-H6-g1Wsbsz4EQjvnMSbaddZo5-7TYbXl3aBb0cA/s1600/fullsizeoutput_c58.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTeXWFl89bWnhm5ZawIBG-OoJ6AbA7G6U11kmRXdQvfmGKCSg8bzTc3eM7M_JSIn1VRA4KEjXzBnGfSPHYA7a_QU3WBrSw3tGjZY4-H6-g1Wsbsz4EQjvnMSbaddZo5-7TYbXl3aBb0cA/s1600/fullsizeoutput_c58.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTeXWFl89bWnhm5ZawIBG-OoJ6AbA7G6U11kmRXdQvfmGKCSg8bzTc3eM7M_JSIn1VRA4KEjXzBnGfSPHYA7a_QU3WBrSw3tGjZY4-H6-g1Wsbsz4EQjvnMSbaddZo5-7TYbXl3aBb0cA/s1600/fullsizeoutput_c58.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTeXWFl89bWnhm5ZawIBG-OoJ6AbA7G6U11kmRXdQvfmGKCSg8bzTc3eM7M_JSIn1VRA4KEjXzBnGfSPHYA7a_QU3WBrSw3tGjZY4-H6-g1Wsbsz4EQjvnMSbaddZo5-7TYbXl3aBb0cA/s1600/fullsizeoutput_c58.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTeXWFl89bWnhm5ZawIBG-OoJ6AbA7G6U11kmRXdQvfmGKCSg8bzTc3eM7M_JSIn1VRA4KEjXzBnGfSPHYA7a_QU3WBrSw3tGjZY4-H6-g1Wsbsz4EQjvnMSbaddZo5-7TYbXl3aBb0cA/s1600/fullsizeoutput_c58.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="902" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTeXWFl89bWnhm5ZawIBG-OoJ6AbA7G6U11kmRXdQvfmGKCSg8bzTc3eM7M_JSIn1VRA4KEjXzBnGfSPHYA7a_QU3WBrSw3tGjZY4-H6-g1Wsbsz4EQjvnMSbaddZo5-7TYbXl3aBb0cA/s320/fullsizeoutput_c58.jpeg" width="180" /></a><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">A sort of woodland/mountain </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">theme has started in the nursery which came with these beautiful mountain display shelves made </span><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.mjmbespoke.com/about/" style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;" target="_blank">MJM Bespoke</a><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX4XhqN_Sb2_AP_lN-zWooJbkmHtRJcXmZPFqrIdKi8kd5aV1ESE52G7we_DGL-45_qyaq4zAJeLKPmUdWnWanqEEvP82pCQoJG39LpvCAtuHCT88GnBooJrgE-uZYIUNxzWCGQdO6NpI/s1600/P1011972.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="902" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX4XhqN_Sb2_AP_lN-zWooJbkmHtRJcXmZPFqrIdKi8kd5aV1ESE52G7we_DGL-45_qyaq4zAJeLKPmUdWnWanqEEvP82pCQoJG39LpvCAtuHCT88GnBooJrgE-uZYIUNxzWCGQdO6NpI/s320/P1011972.JPG" width="320" /></a> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV8i6xH4euk2BH5OUgMs5of9iCapE81g8HQYTWjI9b7JL8wt82R4UJyLRsB5FoSo8ZxouUwaP2elZMbh0X_hC-wi86f4dqltm0Y8j6v3D3CKzaWtJa7jhJvd0__RncHKwFwJ2xuQsHxQA/s1600/P1011973.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="902" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV8i6xH4euk2BH5OUgMs5of9iCapE81g8HQYTWjI9b7JL8wt82R4UJyLRsB5FoSo8ZxouUwaP2elZMbh0X_hC-wi86f4dqltm0Y8j6v3D3CKzaWtJa7jhJvd0__RncHKwFwJ2xuQsHxQA/s320/P1011973.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">I also loved these prints from </span><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.thecrownprints.com/" style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;" target="_blank">The Crown Prints</a><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">which I found on Etsy and just printed them at home. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR7Y2DzsQfYuIB0NoxrAkPTtZU7K4KZOlFqG34DXsxpzj_quAmQaHVgnQGYqgoRNCUx8Fs5BF9DiX5aU6J42Z4tZqlEiJWaxT7WY21WPMA0FegOeLF6x5d3HDAhjVOok_Wnmd6DFuJwTM/s1600/fullsizeoutput_c80.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1005" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR7Y2DzsQfYuIB0NoxrAkPTtZU7K4KZOlFqG34DXsxpzj_quAmQaHVgnQGYqgoRNCUx8Fs5BF9DiX5aU6J42Z4tZqlEiJWaxT7WY21WPMA0FegOeLF6x5d3HDAhjVOok_Wnmd6DFuJwTM/s640/fullsizeoutput_c80.jpeg" width="401" /></a><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">I'm so thrilled with how the nursery looks. It took me a while to get it to exactly how I wanted it but I think it's perfect now. It's also already been adapted to make room for Theo as he grows and his interests develop. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">It's not just a place to sleep but a place to play, feed and cuddle and we use it all the time. It's one of my favourite rooms in the house and we love spending time together in here. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">I've tried to link as many of the products as I can without it becoming a shopping list but if there is anything that catches your eye and I haven't said where it is from, feel free to ask.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Amy x</span>Amysheartyhomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11694258474004993869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685040943590463299.post-64790697634373062662018-03-19T11:02:00.000-07:002018-03-22T00:56:47.309-07:00Breastfeeding Must Haves <span style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;">Today I'm going to be recommending a few products that helped me through breast-feeding. From the very early days to present day...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">If you have read my <a href="http://theheartyhome.blogspot.co.uk/2018/03/breastfeeding-and-tongue-tie-our-story.html" target="_blank">previous blog post about breastfeeding</a> you'll know that it wasn't plain sailing. There were a few products that I really wanted to recommend if you intend to breastfeed. Some of these items helped saved breastfeeding for me, it might sound dramatic but they really did. I hope you find something in here useful. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B077B9VZQ5/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=theheartyhome-21&camp=1634&creative=6738&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B077B9VZQ5&linkId=ae2b9c52eb78fade8b860609fe1a951b" target="_blank">Nursing Pillow</a></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Such an important piece of kit for both </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIEI-cCeBsuo_wdi3GKkr_F07iCPaIm9QqQnGDNEzXTlSx0tqLvwgbP8E3YOruRMCSjv_7s0t2qK2RaJCqb-zRaZhikAOfHphXuQmE7-ub0n22CYf1Td7kbvt_jcKUKfj04W1vsQ1Ndyk/s1600/IMG_3541.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIEI-cCeBsuo_wdi3GKkr_F07iCPaIm9QqQnGDNEzXTlSx0tqLvwgbP8E3YOruRMCSjv_7s0t2qK2RaJCqb-zRaZhikAOfHphXuQmE7-ub0n22CYf1Td7kbvt_jcKUKfj04W1vsQ1Ndyk/s200/IMG_3541.JPG" width="200" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">breast and bottle feeding. I love ours (exact one pictured)especially for the early days. Theo would drop off after a feed and the little pillow attachment made him look so comfy. I still use it now. Feeding in positions that are not comfortable for you will give you terrible back ache so do make sure you get one of these.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0130RYGUE/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=theheartyhome-21&camp=1634&creative=6738&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B0130RYGUE&linkId=3a5cf017c1742e2818b6dc755cc2de86" target="_blank">Medela Swing Breast Pump</a></b></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn-dOyOiBoorqRIST9uQxCaO4crjrHltaGzKJV5I17HU8KxBku6xAgsCeQTiV0y96JQ5zgKbQwi2DDd70tg4EheB-TOGSBaO8zsizkTWG3p_6_sT5wxEf54iQVBaRsl10AV0JW3f14bgw/s1600/IMG_7587.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn-dOyOiBoorqRIST9uQxCaO4crjrHltaGzKJV5I17HU8KxBku6xAgsCeQTiV0y96JQ5zgKbQwi2DDd70tg4EheB-TOGSBaO8zsizkTWG3p_6_sT5wxEf54iQVBaRsl10AV0JW3f14bgw/s200/IMG_7587.jpeg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">I expressed from around day 10-14. I really </span><attachment webkitattachmentpath="/var/folders/jh/swtchfbn27q93xbnx596yddh0000gn/T/com.apple.iChat/Messages/Transfers/IMG_7587.jpeg"></attachment><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">wanted Theo to be able to take a bottle, so that we had more flexibility if required. I haven't used any other electric pumps but I really rate the Medela. If you could stretch to the double pump I would say go for it. Pumping is BORING and anything to get that job done quicker is a bonus.</span><attachment webkitattachmentpath="/var/folders/jh/swtchfbn27q93xbnx596yddh0000gn/T/com.apple.iChat/Messages/Transfers/IMG_7587.jpeg"></attachment><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01F8W7CF0/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=theheartyhome-21&camp=1634&creative=6738&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B01F8W7CF0&linkId=7143f08107bc4608b707fa5eb9810764" target="_blank">Haakaa Breast Pump</a></b></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJfcwWCf4rvfsUznJNw6FomHinpVAPzvWtf5wcW0LBoQPSwV_-WmzN9IPjK23zZqzxgVCkZq4YURCYQzlH6Y5PDSCkMXwcZRZHttN9RyyXsInGMUHhyphenhyphenizytCNbTh4mg2zNlbA0Eqt-e1U/s1600/IMG_3542.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJfcwWCf4rvfsUznJNw6FomHinpVAPzvWtf5wcW0LBoQPSwV_-WmzN9IPjK23zZqzxgVCkZq4YURCYQzlH6Y5PDSCkMXwcZRZHttN9RyyXsInGMUHhyphenhyphenizytCNbTh4mg2zNlbA0Eqt-e1U/s200/IMG_3542.JPG" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">What is this wizardry?! A non electric hands free breast pump?? It'll never work.. well it does! And if you can't afford the double pump get one of these. If you can afford the double pump also get one of these. It's my new best friend. I use it to speed up expressing in the evening and I also use it in the morning if Theo has slept through a feed at night. It just takes the edge off when feeling a little engorged and I can collect perhaps 2-3oz with zero effort! It's actually designed to collect the let down from one breast when you're feeding on the other one but I personally find that a bit fiddly. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://www.jojomamanbebe.co.uk/maternity-nursing-lace-bras-b4920.html" target="_blank">Nursing Bras</a> and <a href="http://www.jojomamanbebe.co.uk/2-pack-maternity-nursing-sleep-bras-a9252.html" target="_blank">Sleep Bras</a></b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtTztrEm_LHPJiwEox-VE7vC642zp0x1O3yEoAOGVBcoajeSumGODjPBkGCUavWnuOItslHfM3nI1JAcb78rd3pArVVGhocaeaT7YN5BNwU1hDfD3M3NVgImQ_FzVOPef0fq5idOAc7RY/s1600/IMG_3543.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtTztrEm_LHPJiwEox-VE7vC642zp0x1O3yEoAOGVBcoajeSumGODjPBkGCUavWnuOItslHfM3nI1JAcb78rd3pArVVGhocaeaT7YN5BNwU1hDfD3M3NVgImQ_FzVOPef0fq5idOAc7RY/s200/IMG_3543.JPG" width="149" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">They're not the prettiest of things but they are an essential. The best looking one that I've found is the one pictured from JoJo Maman Bebe. Marks and Spencer are probably the best quality and do get measured when you're about 37 weeks pregnant. You size will change so much. Also, maybe it was just me but I completely didn't think about the fact I'd have to be sleeping in a bra (to hold the breast pads in place) unless you don't mind waking up in a puddle of milk! So I went for the JoJo Maman Bebe sleep bras. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00EART8XY/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=theheartyhome-21&camp=1634&creative=6738&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B00EART8XY&linkId=ab4e61e6226cc5246fb423548d4f37ae" target="_blank">Breast Vest</a></b></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE-POFPHOHN1mEHml5l7idEMorVgIeJMu5Pj6z3kUvD0L-3cI4F1_a1hFsjlJBYbKWShhOYwvHqOUQP3IIW_fyw-kLXfmXPyorwuwfR4ZoBzFmSOAPVyssJzOTtLP81b7mTLkQ4vRTUEY/s1600/IMG_3544.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="999" data-original-width="1000" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE-POFPHOHN1mEHml5l7idEMorVgIeJMu5Pj6z3kUvD0L-3cI4F1_a1hFsjlJBYbKWShhOYwvHqOUQP3IIW_fyw-kLXfmXPyorwuwfR4ZoBzFmSOAPVyssJzOTtLP81b7mTLkQ4vRTUEY/s200/IMG_3544.JPG" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">I haven't bothered too much with specific nursing clothes but more with nursing vests underneath regular clothes. The breast vest is a genius piece of clothing! No fiddly bits of material to fold down or tuck away. Really great idea.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0006JLIFG/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=theheartyhome-21&camp=1634&creative=6738&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B0006JLIFG&linkId=108bf7dde83f9cb6ca34abe2f4364b04" target="_blank">Nipple Cream</a></b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr1cVOURKUugpOOyG1fWXulhhHko0_dlWbW_TN4t9qFu1aEm6tor9YtVG5ku6d1IcisKaL8h_k2ZkQGtNFX-0qVTsW4nqBZtCtomj6YO8JBIqCKmybR2XbBiFKlq4Yxpzm53wL0LaSnck/s1600/IMG_3545.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1425" data-original-width="1425" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr1cVOURKUugpOOyG1fWXulhhHko0_dlWbW_TN4t9qFu1aEm6tor9YtVG5ku6d1IcisKaL8h_k2ZkQGtNFX-0qVTsW4nqBZtCtomj6YO8JBIqCKmybR2XbBiFKlq4Yxpzm53wL0LaSnck/s200/IMG_3545.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">It's pricey but you NEED it. I would never of continued to breast feed without this product. There's no need to wash it off to feed so it also works like a barrier cream. Once your boobies aren't so sore it's a great lip balm!!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00PWMTVEM/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=theheartyhome-21&camp=1634&creative=6738&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B00PWMTVEM&linkId=bb34f7de7032a67e6327a52364300f87" target="_blank">Breast Pads</a></b></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwgJcFOpayYu5J41_isoLjpbJbGEmy7iK9_HcZGoOhth7GVVmCnhTjjFz-Y-CmsXN_S4tbUBkHdc4pWDK4HX_xOtx76XvynJP7FQfBIhuU3PhWxWk7UDJViE8A7ze2nEH2-fvu8cATt9o/s1600/IMG_3546.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="500" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwgJcFOpayYu5J41_isoLjpbJbGEmy7iK9_HcZGoOhth7GVVmCnhTjjFz-Y-CmsXN_S4tbUBkHdc4pWDK4HX_xOtx76XvynJP7FQfBIhuU3PhWxWk7UDJViE8A7ze2nEH2-fvu8cATt9o/s200/IMG_3546.JPG" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">I got through a fair amount of these whilst waiting for my supply to settle down. I still wear them now to stop any unfortunate moments. If it wasn't for these I wouldn't be able to wear grey clothes! Ha!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">I think this list is fairly extensive to get you going. I asked my husband if he could think of anything else that was required to breastfeed and he said "a strong will and ounces of resolve" but I couldn't find a shopping link for that!!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Anyway, I hope that has helped you out somewhat and I wish you lots of luck. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Amy x</span>Amysheartyhomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11694258474004993869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685040943590463299.post-27372347844088496282018-03-17T04:11:00.000-07:002018-03-17T04:11:12.183-07:00Breastfeeding and tongue tie - Our story.<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;">When I first fell pregnant I felt pretty relaxed about whether I would breastfeed or not... </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">... then once I saw Theo's natural instinct kick in and watched him search for a feed from my breast,</span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"> a</span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"> switch flicked and I so desperately wanted it to work.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">I think my relaxed attitude came from not being breastfed myself and not many people in my family had been or were breastfeeding. I went to the classes and made notes (very studious) and thought we'll just see how we go.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Theo's first feed seemed to go </span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">well. It was the second and third feed where the trouble started. </span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">If you have read our <a href="http://theheartyhome.blogspot.co.uk/2018/03/a-positive-not-perfect-birth-story.html" target="_blank">birth story</a>, you'll know that we spent a few days on a high dependency ward after delivery and as wonderful as the care I received was, the breastfeeding support was non existent. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Theo wouldn't latch AT ALL and every time I asked for support someone would turn up in the room, congratulate me for hand expressing 1ml, we'd syringe it into Theo's mouth and we'd be left again. 1ml!!!! Theo was a hungry baby, 1ml wasn't keeping him satisfied for anymore than 20 minutes. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">After two days, lots of tears and not a lot of milk, my husband called for some support from a family member, a nurse who works on a Neo Natal ward and helps the new mums breast feed the prem babies. She came to our rescue, Theo finally latched on and had a huge feed! We've got this, I thought... we didn't have it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Another couple of days in hospital and his feeding deteriorated again. This time a midwife diagnosed him with tongue tie but said we could still feed, we just had to keep persevering and feed through the pain. A day or two later and it was time for us to leave the hospital. I'm convinced we left with a starving baby, he showed all the signs, but my notes read "breastfeeding well" so we were sent on our way without any concern.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Four days with Theo and both nipples were already severely cracked, it was time to break into the emergency bottle of formula. This is how it continued for the next three days, trying to get Theo to latch at every feed and topping him up with formula if he didn't seem satisfied. It was so difficult! I even spent one evening crying down the phone to a stranger from Le Leche League after it all just seemed a bit too overwhelming for me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">My milk finally came it on day six but it still didn't get any easier, not for another six weeks.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">I was now exclusively feeding him (apart from one bottle of expressed milk that his dad would feed him in the evening).</span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"> I was producing enough milk, but the pain, oh the pain! I've never felt anything like it and sometimes Theo would want to feed for an hour and a half at a time. Six weeks of me crying almost every time I fed Theo</span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">. Wincing every time he showed that he needed feeding and knowing how uncomfortable I was about to feel. It was time to get some more support... this can't be how it's supposed to be but yet I still really really wanted it to work.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">I took myself to our local feeding group when Theo was six weeks old. Bee, who runs the group took one look at Theo, after I showed her my very sore boobies and she diagnosed tongue tie again and insisted we got it dealt with ASAP! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">After lots of emails and phone calls we finally got an appointment for Theo to have the tongue tie cut when he was nine weeks old. When I bought him home after the procedure he couldn't latch... again. I cried ... again. I thought we'd lost breastfeeding, but he just needed to retrain. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">I think it took around three-four weeks for me to notice any difference but finally feeding was pain free. Three months of being in the most discomfort and I was only just starting to understand the joy of breastfeeding.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Our breastfeeding story isn't a great one but I don't think it is that uncommon, often because of the lack of support women get, particularly in hospital. Thankfully there are groups out there that can support you, we still go to ours every fortnight, I love it there!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Establishing breastfeeding is one of the hardest things I have ever done and I'm not really sure anyone ever prepared me for that. Maybe if I'd of looked for the stories when I was pregnant I would've realised but as I said earlier it wasn't ever something I thought I was that bothered about, until it seemed it was something I couldn't do. But that probably just says a lot about my personality! Ha!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">I'm so glad I stuck with it, but when I think about how pain free it is now, I do wonder if I was a bit stupid to keep putting myself through that amount of pain. Serious pain!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">I'm going to leave you with a few tips that might help you if you're struggling. Also know that my discomfort does seem like a bit of an extreme case (I think) and it does get easier, in time. Probably quicker than the three months it took us!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><u>Tips to work through breastfeeding</u></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">- Breastfeeding IS painful, they say if it is then you're doing it wrong but not in those first few weeks. If it's still uncomfortable after 2-3 weeks, go and find support but yes, those first feeds are not (usually) all that pleasant. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">- Take each feed at a time and give yourself credit when you get through a feed. It really is a great feeling when you think about what your body is doing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">- Get your partner to support you. If it wasn't for my husband I'm not sure I would still be breastfeeding now. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">- Go to a support group, seriously get to one! Their knowledge and time is invaluable.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">- Nipple cream will be your best friend and you'll panic if you can't find it!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">- Stay hydrated because constipation when feeding is just awful!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">- Formula is not the devil's milk and if you want to do a combination of breast and formula in those early days, do! Theo was just too hungry to wait for 6 days for my milk to come in.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">- Introduce a bottle of EBM once breastfeeding is established so that your baby doesn't become averse to a bottle.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">- Lastly, I used to look at women in coffee shops feeding their babies and think "it looks easy enough" but it's taken me a good few months to get to that point. It is one of the most natural things to do but it's definitely something you both need to learn and work at. Now we're (almost) pros and I can honestly say I absolutely love breastfeeding my baby!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">I might follow this post up with some products that also helped me along the way, let me know if this is something you would be interested in. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">I hope this has helped you and if you have anything you think I might be able to help further with, please ask.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Outtake!!!! </td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Amy x</span>Amysheartyhomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11694258474004993869noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685040943590463299.post-40402518009240735612018-03-11T14:26:00.000-07:002018-03-11T15:11:51.184-07:00A positive - not perfect, birth story.<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;">I had a “practically perfect pregnancy” (Cristina the midwife, 2017) so really I should’ve guessed the birth wouldn’t be so spot on.</span><br style="color: #212121; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;" /><br style="color: #212121; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;">In the build up to having my first, I researched the fudge out of labour. Honestly, I studied it harder than I did my GCSE’s. I can’t tell you the amount of positive birth stories I watched on YouTube, all these women having the most beautiful births. I’m going to have one of those of my own... enter a not so well positioned baby and those thoughts kind of have to go by the wayside.</span><br style="color: #212121; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;" /><br style="color: #212121; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;">Now before I carry on I think it’s important to point out that although my birth story isn’t a story of the most beautiful birth, it is a story of an intervention full BUT positive birth. If, like me when preparing for bringing a baby into the world, you want to fill your mind with the most beautiful of ideals, that’s fine! BUT I’m writing my story because I only wish I would’ve done a little more research into what happens when the plan has to change. So if you think that might help you read on, if not then don’t. I TOTALLY get that. I probably wouldn’t of wanted to read this either back then.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><br style="color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;" /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;">So I guess I’ll start at 40 + 4. The pool was in the nursery already to go, we were going for a home birth, and a midwife was coming along to see me for possibly the last time. She checked me over and told me despite what the charts said all along (an average baby) she thought he’d be more along the lines of 6lb 10... great! This is going to be so beautiful!!! FYI the charts can be wrong, he came out at 9lb 4!!!!</span><br style="color: #212121; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;" /><br style="color: #212121; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;">The following evening my waters broke, around midnight and then it started. The surges were fine, nothing I couldn’t handle. Not close together but felt fairly strong, strong enough to not allow me to have any sleep, sleep which was strongly advised by the midwife at the end of the phone at 2am.</span><br style="color: #212121; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;" /><br style="color: #212121; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;">Now basically that was that for this part but unfortunately this part lasted 24 hours. Surges strong, but with no rhyme or rhythm, 3 in 15 minutes - 1 in 20 minutes. Hopping in and out the pool to get things going, walking around and around the street, up and down the stairs, in and out the shower! I hadn’t been so active in weeks.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;">Eventually things started to crank up a notch, apparently I was making “transitional sounds” and our gorgeous midwife kept disappearing behind me to see if he was here yet, nope, still no baby. She checked his heartbeat and at this point, as I relaxed in the pool between the surges 24 hours in, there was a dip in his heart rate. We changed positions, this time out of the pool and onto our bed, heart beat checked again... another dip.</span><br style="color: #212121; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;" /><br style="color: #212121; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;">And this is the point the beautiful ideal changed. It was standard procedure to have to transfer to the hospital at this point, two heart rate dips and constant monitoring is required. As we waited for the ambulance I had my first examination.. 7.5cm wow!! All that way with nothing but a bit of gas and air... a new calm came over me. I remember the midwife saying “he might still arrive before the ambulance” ha! Nope!!!</span><br style="color: #212121; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;" /><br style="color: #212121; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;">When we arrived at hospital it was back to where we were at home, surges sporadic and no more dips in the heart rate... typical! So I carried on doing what I was doing for another 6 hours.</span></span><br />
<br style="color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;" />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;">So here we are 30 hours in... I can’t keep doing this. I’ve been awake for almost two days. So what are the options? My birth plan said I can do this at home with gas and air.... I think it’s time that plan got adapted. I remember Lynn (ah Lynn) another gorgeous midwife asking me if I could do this for another 30 hours, I think the look on my face suggested otherwise! An epidural was ordered so I could try and get some rest... 3 hours later a second examination, guess what, you’re 7.5cm. Whoopie di do, I was that 9 hours ago!</span><br style="color: #212121; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;" /><br style="color: #212121; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;">This birth needed to happen, so out came more drugs, the induction drug, cranked up to the most they could give me. Another 3 hours later, still no baby...e</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;">nter Ian.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;">Ah Ian, Super Consultant Ian, who had informed me for all the attempts I was making this baby “is a toad, and has decided to come out with his head on the side. Basically you can carry on trying but it’s looking highly unlikely you’ll be able to do this without any help." I remember at this point begging for a c section! Me, the only natural/water birth/hypnobirthing mum to be, begging for a c section. Must’ve been serious!!!</span><br style="color: #212121; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;" /><br style="color: #212121; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;">I didn’t get the c section I (apparently) wanted, instead Super Ian got him out with a fair bit of force and some forceps. Which in the end, resulted in a fair amount of blood loss and a stay on the high dependency ward for myself... but that’s another not perfect but positive story.</span><br style="color: #212121; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;" /><br style="color: #212121; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;" /><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #212121;"><span style="font-size: 14.666666984558105px;">Anyway, the main reason I want to share my birth story is because even though it was at times stressful and pretty scary, it may seem strange that I can say it was nothing but positive.</span></span></span><br style="color: #212121; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;" /><br style="color: #212121; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;">We took a class in Hypnobirthing at 20 weeks pregnant and I honestly think if it wasn’t for that course my mind would’ve been in a very different place. It helped me to stay calm and focused when things weren’t going to plan.</span><br style="color: #212121; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;" /><br style="color: #212121; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;" /><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #212121;"><span style="font-size: 14.666666984558105px;">The care we received during labour also helped things stay positive. The midwives and consultants are honestly super humans. I never once doubted them and put all of my trust into them helping us make informed decisions about our birth. They ensured as much of our 'Birth Plan' would be honoured and respected although it looked very different to the initial ideas. </span></span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #212121;"><span style="font-size: 14.666666984558105px;">So positive in fact that 4 weeks after Theo’s arrival someone asked me if I could do it all again... hell yer!!! Look at what is here for all the effort! Now I'm not saying I felt this positive the about the experience the following day but once the sleep deprivation and hormones had settled down, I could see Theo's birth for what it was. Not perfect - but positive. </span></span></span><br style="color: #212121; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;" /><br style="color: #212121; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;">We will try for a second, I’m not scared or put off and we think we will try to complete it all at home, in a pool, like we wanted, our incredible aftercare has told us it is possible that could happen. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;">But if it turns out that that baby wants to, in the words of Super Consultant Ian, be a toad and have a little help getting here, that’s fine too.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br style="color: #212121; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;">Any which way these little ones want to arrive is fine by me but if you could do it a little quicker than 36 hours that would make me a little happier and much less sleepy.</span></span>Amysheartyhomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11694258474004993869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685040943590463299.post-77092309356967019862015-08-03T05:38:00.000-07:002015-08-03T05:38:31.600-07:00The Tessuti 'Lisa' Dress...<span style="font-size: large;">...<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"> Summer Sewing.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New;">All I seem to be doing, at the moment, is stitching up pieces for my summer holiday wardrobe. Expect the next few blog posts to be all about sewing summer dresses. I've had my eye on the Tessuti Lisa dress for a while and finally found some fabric which I thought would suit this beautifully. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">My usual fabric shop, Barry's Fabrics in Digbeth, Birmingham, came up trumps again with this heavy cotton (almost denim) blue with white polka dot fabric. This is a little out of my comfort zone but I felt like being brave and I think it paid off, I love this fabric!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New;">Now, just before I talk about the Lisa dress pattern, I just want to warn you that this blog post maybe a little boring! Why?? Well because Tessuti patterns are just so darn tooting good!!!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New;">I have used Tessuti patterns before, I made the Lily dress when I first started sewing and I was so greatful for such clear instructions. It's the same again with this one. An easy peasy, print at home pattern, means I had a beautiful new dress in about 4 hours!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">So, what is so great about this dress? Well everything really. The shape, the super clear instructions... but what I really love are the pockets.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New;">I'm not sure how or why anything would be designed without pockets. These ones are nothing to be scared of, even if you are a beginner. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">The</span> <span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">button placket was a part of the pattern that I thought would get me into a bit of a confused muddle but again, with the clarity of the instructions, it was done without me even thinking about it. First time, no unpicking and perfect button placement. It could've been a fluke but I really don't think so. As long as you just follow what is in front of you, Tessuti have got your back! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New;">I also love the gathered waist of this dress. I do really like gathered waists on most dresses or skirts. What's great about this one is that it has a contoured high waist line. I feel it just adds a bit of interested to a simple design</span><span style="font-family: Courier New;">. Also the high waist line is going to be perfect for concealing the holiday tum that I'll no doubt gain, from eating ice creams everyday and fish and chips by the sea, when we go to Whitby next week. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">I am really happy with the first of my holiday makes and think I will be making this dress again before too long. I want to make a plain blue denim or black one so that I can layer it during autumn time, but let's not think about cooler days just yet!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Thanks Tessuti for another great pattern. I'll be sure to try out another one soon.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New;">Amy x</span><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685040943590463299.post-41950619466336239272015-07-20T09:34:00.001-07:002015-07-20T09:36:43.266-07:00Lavender and Orange Cupcakes...<br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">...a recipe for grown up cupcakes. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Hi folks, I'm really excited to share this recipe with you today. I haven't made cupcakes in such a long time, so I've dusted off the Kitchenaid and made these ones, which I think are just perfect for the summer months. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">These cakes are so simple, I know I say that all the time but these really are. I am not a professional baker in the slightest so if it's on this blog it's easy... trust me! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">On with the recipe.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-small;">6 lavender flowers (plus extra for decoration)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-small;">125g lightly salted butter</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-small;">125g caster sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-small;">finely grated rind of 1/2 an orange</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-small;">2 eggs</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-small;">150g self raising flour</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-small;">1/2 teaspoon of baking powder</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-small;">And for the icing...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-small;">6-7 teaspoons of orange juice</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">First, line your cake tray with 12 cup cake cases and pre heat your oven to 180 degrees c. Next, c</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">ream the butter and the sugar together, until you make a smooth and creamy mixture which is very light in colour. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Now you need to add all of the ingredients but leave the eggs to one side, just for the moment.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Just to let you know, if your lavender is still in flower when you add them, pull the flowers out of the bud first (not sure that is exactly what I mean!?) and then pull the bud away from the steam and put both the flowers and the buds in the bowl. The picture above should show you what I mean. Before you add the buds to the mixture, give them a little squeeze to release more </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">lavender loveliness and combine all of the mixture.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Next, beat the two eggs in a small bowl and then add the egg slowly whilst mixing the cake mixture. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Once all of the ingredients are well mixed together you will have a classic looking cake mix. Evenly distribute the cake mix between the cake cases and bake for 20 minutes or until risen and just firm to touch. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Transfer the cooked cupcakes on to a wire rack and leave them to cool completely before decorating. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I can not, never been able to, never will be able to, decorate cakes beautifully with all the swirly whirly icing. It's just too hard! But runny icing I can do, so these cakes were perfect.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Make the icing the same way you would with water but use orange juice instead. Add the orange juice, a teaspoon at a time, until the icing is the consistency of thin glacé icing. You want the icing to trickle over the edges of the cakes. Add the purple food colouring a tiny bit at a time so that you make a soft lilac colour. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Before the icing sets completely you need to decorate them with beautiful, edible, flowers. I decided to use lavender and viola, both picked from my own garden. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Look how beautiful they are! So simple, yet</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> so pretty. The colours just say summer to me and the taste... mmmmmhmmmm! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I'd like to make these again and host a little garden tea party. I wonder what other cakes I could make with more flowers from my garden... rose water cupcakes decorated with roses? Ideas!!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Enjoy x</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685040943590463299.post-60581340517111154582015-05-31T08:39:00.000-07:002015-05-31T08:46:49.588-07:00Make Your Tent a Stylish Retreat...<div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Hello, how are we all? Spring is (kind of) in the air and last week me and the fella (and the dog) hopped off to The Cotswolds for a few days, for our first camping trip of the year.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I love love love camping! Most of my holidays as a child were camping ones, my dad still has the two man tent the three of us spent the week in Cornwall in!! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Anyway, we've had our own tent for a few years now and for the past couple of summers I've thrown out the sleeping bags and really tried hard to make our tent something a bit different, more of a home from home. I thought I'd share with you some of the VERY simple choices I have made when it comes to our 'Little Blue Tent' and with the camping season upon us you might find some inspiration for your own tent...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><u>Choosing a tent... </u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I guess this is the most important part, you may already have a tent that you love but I just wanted to share our choice with you because why we chose it has really made a difference to the comfort of camping. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The bloke in my life is a bit of a giant and when we were looking at tents we needed one big enough for him to sleep in comfortably. We chose this tent because it was adaptable. This tent is actually a 4 berth. It is supposed to have a par</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">tit</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">ion</span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"> down the centre to convert it into two separate rooms. We just don't bother putting up the partition, not rocket science I know but the difference is huge! Something to think about when buying a tent, can it be adapted in some way to suit your needs better?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I think people think I'm a little bonkers where I start pulling out my duvet and pretty sheets when camping but this makes the biggest difference to me. Think about all the 'glamping' pictures you've seen on Pintrest... not a sleeping bag in sight! A king sized duvet and king sized air bed is definitely where it's at. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Mine were from Primark, cheap as chips and oh so much more comforting to snuggle down into on a chilly night in a field. Don't forget scatter cushions too. I use them as floor cushions throughout the trip or even as an extra prop up when you're</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; text-align: left;">Also, the throw at the bottom of the bed... people laugh at me, but they don't laugh when you're the one with all the extra blankets keeping the chill away ;-) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><u>Accessories...</u></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">First stop is to raid the hedgerows and the campsite recyling, to make yourself a flower arrangement that will last the duration of the holiday. </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Homeware accessories... camping... really??!?! Yes, really! You have the lovely bedroom now you need the lovely cups to drink your morning cuppa out of and the matching cutlery set. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">There is nothing more annoying than going camping and realising you haven't got a teaspoon to stir your tea, or a bowl to eat your cereal out of. Been there, done that, learn from my experience. The easiest thing to stop this from happening is get yourself a picnic basket. They are already all kitted out with everything you need so you don't even need to think about it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">We bought a new one this year from Homesense and it seriously leaves you with not a lot else to think about. You won't loose anything because everything has its place and it's so much nicer using things that look pretty don't you think? I bought the mugs separately from eBay. A couple of quirky enamel mugs also need to go on your camping must have list. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">You must not forget your oil cloth bunting and solar powered fairy lights to make your tent stand out. It also helps you to find your way home across the dark fields! I also hung fairy lights inside the tent this year. Just use your Christmas lights, get more use out of them instead of just once a year. Again, so much more cosy than an old torch.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Now, I'm not the biggest fan of those fold out canvas camping chairs. Yes they have a hole for your beer bottle but they are just not pretty in the slightest. Swap them for traditional deck chairs. I got ours from Ikea a couple of years ago. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">They are a little bit of a pain to transport but look how inviting they are and just put your beer bottle on the floor or even on a rustic, wooden fold away table. Again, I got ours from Ikea, I think it was £20!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Now sit back and enjoy your creation...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Just putting in that little bit of extra effort to make the tent more homely really makes my holiday a more enjoyable experience. It's nice to look at and you somehow feel proud of the little haven you've created. You might get some looks from fellow campers but I like to think of them as looks of admiration. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I still have a must have list, next I would like</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> some old fruit crates that I can turn over and use as bed side tables and solar powered storm lanterns that I can leave outside in the day and bring in to use as bed side table lamps at night. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I just want to leave you with one more tip. Keep your camping gear as camping only stuff. You don't really want to be pulling your own duvet off your bed into a muddy field and if it's all kept together in a camping box, like we have, then it's easy to just grab and go.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I hope I have inspired you to spruce up your tent or maybe even show you that camping can be comfortable. This isn't an extensive guide, you might need something to cook on for instance but maybe I've just helped you look at camping in a different light. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Now go and find yourself a wonderful camp site and enjoy the long summer days under canvas...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Amy x</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685040943590463299.post-88454022337285388532015-05-06T08:00:00.000-07:002015-05-06T08:42:30.909-07:00The Emery Dress by Christine Haynes...<br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">The story of my Emery dress. I went a little off piste...</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOHLr7clIJ7SHN7w5s9-g26GdNsbSTs3h7Xmsj7MpAmg1ixa_j1OJkiwkRevPRn2vsIT_xQkXLLVfc2rIWyH3HL3lW3gGYNjZOQqUYe5HMTjuJxPeFBZcsWkb_30H00bkkbmYbfeSFzAQ1/s1600/FullSizeRender+(20).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOHLr7clIJ7SHN7w5s9-g26GdNsbSTs3h7Xmsj7MpAmg1ixa_j1OJkiwkRevPRn2vsIT_xQkXLLVfc2rIWyH3HL3lW3gGYNjZOQqUYe5HMTjuJxPeFBZcsWkb_30H00bkkbmYbfeSFzAQ1/s1600/FullSizeRender+(20).jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">It seems I'm a little late to the party with the Emery dress</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">, in fact I'm late to the party with Christine Haynes patterns. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I came across this pattern whilst on the hunt for a dress style that I've been after for a while and my Instagram pals came to the</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">rescue! In fact it was Amy over at <a href="http://whatamymade.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">What Amy Made</a>, that did something similar, who recommended the Emery, thanks Amy :-)</span></div>
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" 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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-small;">This was my inspiration <br />*image from Pintrest*...</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">So, what did I want? I wanted a dress that was gathered at the waist but loose in the bodice. I also wanted it longer in length then most dress patterns I had. I guess you could describe it as a more relaxed 50's style dress.</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">...and this is my <br />finished piece.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I had never used a Christine Haynes pattern before, and although some of the terminology was more for an intermediate dress maker rather than a beginner, I was impressed with how easy this dress came together. The simple design also allowed me to go a little off piste, with confidence.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">To get the "relaxed" fit, I did a couple of things. Firstly, I sized up by 1 size and I also left out the waist and back darts. I did keep the bust darts, mainly because the material was very heavy and I didn't think it would fall well without some shape in that area. Looking at the picture below you can't really see the darts, I think they're a little low, but that was completely my own fault. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimGJ3B8D7O4stZlukL6W2HmRi7EubGAlW99YAG4L8cPifbOGg4rtKl9wd0HNHIFPp1CIUTRiU3Dv3nbrEJ4W-lazla9Z1DMBL5l6QWPFkB5a1EtsvXtHmL_-af3B_bORspP9y1GQILeZX9/s1600/FullSizeRender+(24).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimGJ3B8D7O4stZlukL6W2HmRi7EubGAlW99YAG4L8cPifbOGg4rtKl9wd0HNHIFPp1CIUTRiU3Dv3nbrEJ4W-lazla9Z1DMBL5l6QWPFkB5a1EtsvXtHmL_-af3B_bORspP9y1GQILeZX9/s1600/FullSizeRender+(24).jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Due to leaving out the darts at the back of the dress, the pattern matching didn't go to plan at the side seems. I felt I had planned it well, but the pattern on the fabric was a little tricky. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLaB3ONsFkM_rNpGCUB0JUKTAyCYLCPMFEra-Q84UQ1bXVgcX8so6-cfR68k8m0-MvVtgsO6rT8nwJyU8SpU_GtxvW31m6fYpUd8btYx3fklurPvWQFfRk1zq6KIyfTa07Ot-zi4-mRRhR/s1600/FullSizeRender+(23).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLaB3ONsFkM_rNpGCUB0JUKTAyCYLCPMFEra-Q84UQ1bXVgcX8so6-cfR68k8m0-MvVtgsO6rT8nwJyU8SpU_GtxvW31m6fYpUd8btYx3fklurPvWQFfRk1zq6KIyfTa07Ot-zi4-mRRhR/s1600/FullSizeRender+(23).jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">More pattern matching woes on the skirt of the dress, which completely flummoxed me, must try harder next time but I still blame the fabric! Pretty good fabric though, hey?? So all is forgiven there. You can also see in the picture above that I didn't insert a zip. This is because I up sized, bonus! FYI; I HATE</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> inserting zips.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I also HATE inserting sleeves...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipuuSHUsYU5X4ltE7v692JFeC5F1jJV5Sx_2nxjYMPYfd7cUdtoGFMmtmmhMeIDXZxRousBCGrNVdBFHJX3tnQZFdaOW7yUZXDQNaZ_Y9Z16eIfrFU8dsIjzpz9FTxEjtZcFR8tekfgJp9/s1600/FullSizeRender+(22).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipuuSHUsYU5X4ltE7v692JFeC5F1jJV5Sx_2nxjYMPYfd7cUdtoGFMmtmmhMeIDXZxRousBCGrNVdBFHJX3tnQZFdaOW7yUZXDQNaZ_Y9Z16eIfrFU8dsIjzpz9FTxEjtZcFR8tekfgJp9/s1600/FullSizeRender+(22).jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">... but these fellas went in like a dream.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-small;">Must learn how to pose.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I am so pleased to have found this dress pattern. In principle it's a really basic design, which will give you freedom to make it your own,</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> I'm already planing my next one. I must do one in plaid, which was my intention this time but I couldn't leave this fabric in my local fabric shop. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Almost forgot about the pockets, gotta love a good pocket. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Go and make the Emery and make it your own. I'd love to see it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Amy x</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685040943590463299.post-57089306639629116382015-04-29T12:56:00.001-07:002015-04-29T12:56:26.674-07:00Spring Favourites...<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">These are a few of my favourite things.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Hi, I'm back! So I haven't blogged in almost one month. It hasn't been through choice, just by being a tad busy. I seem to come out of hibernation in Spring and have a calender full of things to do, people to see etc. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Everything is fine and dandy here, lots of lovely things going on... the annual trip to Cornwall, gardening, birthdays, flowers, flowers flowers... Yup, all good. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgw01kRjPa1hyphenhyphen7onvU-s1PZkxIjIZSBwykQfsqUhhbhCHjKgPFsfji8lx7aYmvIxbeT2pdCP8eFJGB2HHHTpTM2fC8uyPZIdZKKmpv5l-0h4UtYvYqEAInrg1-zN6dUoXVuYfMn0Pl78Jv/s1600/FullSizeRender+(17).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgw01kRjPa1hyphenhyphen7onvU-s1PZkxIjIZSBwykQfsqUhhbhCHjKgPFsfji8lx7aYmvIxbeT2pdCP8eFJGB2HHHTpTM2fC8uyPZIdZKKmpv5l-0h4UtYvYqEAInrg1-zN6dUoXVuYfMn0Pl78Jv/s1600/FullSizeRender+(17).jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I thought I would do a bit of different post to what I have done in the past. No baking, no sewing, no house renovation but a post about some things I've been loving during the past month away and a few things I've been up to. You might find some ideas for how to make your home more 'Spring Ready' or maybe a couple of items you might like the look of. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">So, what do I love at the moment...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">All things Cornish (surprise, surprise). I think I'm still on a bit of a holiday come down but this one seemed to be a really good year. The weather was a-maz-ing!!! I'm pleased I bought a few (a lot of) trinkets back home with me to remind me of just how special that place is.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">First stop, of course, had to be <a href="http://www.poppytreffry.co.uk/" target="_blank">Poppy Treffry</a>. This has become a bit of a tradition for me in recent years. Within hours of arriving, I have to get to St Ives and stock up on goodies. This year I came away with (more) tea towels, an iPad cosy, a pad and this lovely candle which I have come a bit protective over and don't want to light in case in runs out. I just love love love this shop so much! I have one of the tea towels framed in my dining room. If you're ever in St Ives you must go and visit the shop in the magical Fore Street, you won't be disappointed. I can't say the same for your wallet though! ;-)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; text-align: start;">Next up, Saltwater sandals!!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">If you know me, you'll know how much I love these sandals and I am so happy they're back on my feet again. I bought my first pair a couple of years ago and still love them as much now. </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I'm on to pair number 3 and already eyeing up pair number 4! It's the colours, they're too pretty and I think they have 17 different types. Go and have a look at </span><a href="http://www.mini-mi.co.uk/" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;" target="_blank">Mini-Mi</a><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> to get a pair with free delivery</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">. Plus the lady behind Mini-Mi is super helpful, especially with sizes because they're a little unusual. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I've also been loving...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAdb52lL0LDSCvU7ed0qIdXB68XPJfpnBsWi1z2eZeDvdbIDDlCpD-3N9brXumHtHUIJBh_lWDnMafXHXM7UNKD8wA2ZUuEauHTuMX4hpWhog_hnFn1d0m78BgFupqtmp69pKoUWs7C32M/s1600/FullSizeRender+(15).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAdb52lL0LDSCvU7ed0qIdXB68XPJfpnBsWi1z2eZeDvdbIDDlCpD-3N9brXumHtHUIJBh_lWDnMafXHXM7UNKD8wA2ZUuEauHTuMX4hpWhog_hnFn1d0m78BgFupqtmp69pKoUWs7C32M/s1600/FullSizeRender+(15).jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkcWPXsKELz-Y4OX8_ISBa7nQVEb_66XQtz5t5Vf2ONEy-AijnSfLbEVLASkIwWSOxhEp57WVzaPt9Jkxd8uAvR934zcmKO32CaqFfP3VNArX180QVoblJhH7EC5ZcjqC2ain23QKbddBj/s1600/FullSizeRender+(6).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkcWPXsKELz-Y4OX8_ISBa7nQVEb_66XQtz5t5Vf2ONEy-AijnSfLbEVLASkIwWSOxhEp57WVzaPt9Jkxd8uAvR934zcmKO32CaqFfP3VNArX180QVoblJhH7EC5ZcjqC2ain23QKbddBj/s1600/FullSizeRender+(6).jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNzSY-BKK_5-ycJJeKlg9VFg5RClBKrJM5UKTSG-fLr65sTCZyLJ2wfwIz8hbTPGCCeNYXlvcpHbkfVsBqIYquyiWsRQ0of348WoQuTXrYP-0GdX2d6U-cabWWQP9GT_5rQBG9gIBEtqeU/s1600/FullSizeRender+(7).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNzSY-BKK_5-ycJJeKlg9VFg5RClBKrJM5UKTSG-fLr65sTCZyLJ2wfwIz8hbTPGCCeNYXlvcpHbkfVsBqIYquyiWsRQ0of348WoQuTXrYP-0GdX2d6U-cabWWQP9GT_5rQBG9gIBEtqeU/s1600/FullSizeRender+(7).jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">...my home. I always love my home but it feels different this spring. Last spring I think the dust was still settling from the renovation but this year we're done (almost) and it just feeling lighter and brighter then ever. I particularly enjoying the light nights when I come home from work. I forget what the house looks like in daylight during winter. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">And what is spring without flowers? Flowers in vases, pictures of flowers, floral prints! You name it they're out. I've put an Emma Bridgewater carrier bag into a picture frame, (is that the prettiest carry bag you've ever seen?!?) and I've tied scraps of pretty fabric around jam jars. You can never have enough of flowers around you, of any kind... in my opinion!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsNTuaUlCyPqtE-rvoljCJbPAC6NNz2hjtw1XHxXnVNd8Mo_A7FGEVoitCSsdp6_onUL4G1kL2lzUUJU7T0xzb_UH88zCQz0fSA5vZHNXEynbqSuBZrYq-JYZKRbaebWlvnKkccbFqmyxc/s1600/FullSizeRender+(13).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsNTuaUlCyPqtE-rvoljCJbPAC6NNz2hjtw1XHxXnVNd8Mo_A7FGEVoitCSsdp6_onUL4G1kL2lzUUJU7T0xzb_UH88zCQz0fSA5vZHNXEynbqSuBZrYq-JYZKRbaebWlvnKkccbFqmyxc/s1600/FullSizeRender+(13).jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">And last, but definitely not lease, blossom. Oh blossom, I heart thee! The blossom tree in the garden is filled, with what seems like, tons of pink paper pom poms and they make me smile every time I look outside. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Ah spring... you're wonderful.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I think you might be my favourite of them all.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Amy x</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685040943590463299.post-15269830140228487602015-04-02T05:00:00.000-07:002015-04-02T05:00:11.660-07:00An Easy Peasy Carrot Cake Recipe...<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">...because I heard it's the Easter Bunny's favourite. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Happy Easter! I love love LOVE this weekend, normally because we're either on our way to Cornwall (or on our way back, not so good) but also because it really feels like the worlds waking up. I'm not a religious person but I definitely like to enjoy a weekend which is all about celebrating all things new... and chocolate eggs, can't forget the chocolate eggs. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-small;">* Oh, also I'm aware this blog has been "all about the bake(ing)" recently, not sure why, I've just been enjoy cake, and why not?! I'm sure they'll be more variety soon. * </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">On with the cake...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I am going to give you a step by step guide this time, as I've put a few recipes together so you don't need to go anywhere else...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-small;"><u>Ingredients</u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i>For the cake...</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">175g unsalted butter</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">175g soft light brown sugar</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">250g self-raising flour</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">1 tsp ground cinnamon</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">3 medium eggs (beaten)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">100g chopped walnuts</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">350g peeled and grated carrots</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">26 x 16cm tray-bake tin lined with greaseproof paper</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i>For the topping...</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i>300g cream cheese</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i>2tbsp icing sugar</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i>zest of 1 lemon</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i>1 packet of orange ready to roll icing</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i>1 packet of green ready to roll icing </i></span></div>
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<i style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">(you could make your own icing but this stuff is cheap and easy)</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2iGwIml5Jp9ndIW51IKjD1Lq0SyM69-GdxkLd_GfGWUhS3aTJPXgoZgMJ936qVDJTaESmMG5o_6sPWXiJNmVHcUkfFmlGuEIIL4aJxv0p-lfkpWdZyS69rT8TtmBDDyw0SdiJfJf9xq7I/s1600/P1011475.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2iGwIml5Jp9ndIW51IKjD1Lq0SyM69-GdxkLd_GfGWUhS3aTJPXgoZgMJ936qVDJTaESmMG5o_6sPWXiJNmVHcUkfFmlGuEIIL4aJxv0p-lfkpWdZyS69rT8TtmBDDyw0SdiJfJf9xq7I/s1600/P1011475.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><u>What to do</u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">1. Cream the butter and the sugar together until smooth and slowly add the 3 beaten eggs to the mixture.</span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-small;"> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2iGwIml5Jp9ndIW51IKjD1Lq0SyM69-GdxkLd_GfGWUhS3aTJPXgoZgMJ936qVDJTaESmMG5o_6sPWXiJNmVHcUkfFmlGuEIIL4aJxv0p-lfkpWdZyS69rT8TtmBDDyw0SdiJfJf9xq7I/s1600/P1011475.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2iGwIml5Jp9ndIW51IKjD1Lq0SyM69-GdxkLd_GfGWUhS3aTJPXgoZgMJ936qVDJTaESmMG5o_6sPWXiJNmVHcUkfFmlGuEIIL4aJxv0p-lfkpWdZyS69rT8TtmBDDyw0SdiJfJf9xq7I/s1600/P1011475.JPG" height="112" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">2. Next,</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> fold in the flour until well combined and then add the cinnamon</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">, walnuts and carrots. Before you add the carrots, your mixture may seem a little drier then normal cake mix but the carrots add a lot of moisture so don't worry about that. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">3. Once everything has been mixed together and the walnuts and carrots have been evenly distributed, pour your mix into your tray.</span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-small;"> </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZBGTHeANNNpN8w6fomjKR5PC3trWWn0dknUA7RIHCbyx0XmMEe-_JwF2R5bM8rXYsIL6zaCzeRAAZBPKlDw7oBiYzJgj8s2cARtKYXSc8G8aer8IjtAoFBdbQQysX3ztwa5VlBeMt1tEM/s1600/P1011479.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZBGTHeANNNpN8w6fomjKR5PC3trWWn0dknUA7RIHCbyx0XmMEe-_JwF2R5bM8rXYsIL6zaCzeRAAZBPKlDw7oBiYzJgj8s2cARtKYXSc8G8aer8IjtAoFBdbQQysX3ztwa5VlBeMt1tEM/s1600/P1011479.JPG" height="112" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">N.B I have no idea why I didn't cut the paper out and line the tray (greasing the sides) but you should. </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">4. Bake the carrot cake at 160 degrees c for around 45 mins - 1hr. Check your cake is ready by popping a knife or chopstick into the centre of the cake, if it comes out clean your cake is baked.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">5. Allow you're cake to cool for 10 mins and then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. This cake will be very crumbly so please do allow it to cool before you handle it too much.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8tPgwfVnJyB-s9DWrCwvzwyCuLUjJWQwtl_h3Ualn4l7I70MORUxHb_P9_3emxyEZKksDFI1ciXdYTso07ramCtyve7lchG_eOWWSABOKwS1FMrrGSp1xoUvjeUh-PU_efbLd5OapgR2w/s1600/P1011494.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8tPgwfVnJyB-s9DWrCwvzwyCuLUjJWQwtl_h3Ualn4l7I70MORUxHb_P9_3emxyEZKksDFI1ciXdYTso07ramCtyve7lchG_eOWWSABOKwS1FMrrGSp1xoUvjeUh-PU_efbLd5OapgR2w/s1600/P1011494.JPG" height="112" width="200" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSCrKh48k67JaP_v0zqTRDpzo9_KRF0o5Cb49XmugbeaYNtwTVd1WSpSLxryInVEVRkop6C-ikpW90n4YKdbuY0B1vlOVO6tE20_GjjbFyilKF6ufGC1wFHU_OGpLkXWCyiovrYKP8cPs8/s1600/P1011480.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSCrKh48k67JaP_v0zqTRDpzo9_KRF0o5Cb49XmugbeaYNtwTVd1WSpSLxryInVEVRkop6C-ikpW90n4YKdbuY0B1vlOVO6tE20_GjjbFyilKF6ufGC1wFHU_OGpLkXWCyiovrYKP8cPs8/s1600/P1011480.JPG" height="112" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">6. Whilst the cake is cooling you can start </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">to make the carrots.</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> You could make your </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">own fondant icing at this point but I </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">cheated with this stuff...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">... it was only £1.50 and just too easy to resist.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Start by rolling a small piece of the orange icing into a ball and then shape it into a cone. Score lines across the carrot with a knife or tooth pick. Next make a hole at the top of the carrot with a chopstick. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">7. Next you will use the green icing to make the leaves. You have to make a really small tear-drop shape. Pop the pointy bit into the hole you put at the top of the carrot and then make two snips, in the green icing, to form 3 leaves.</span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-small;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">8. Once you have prepared 15 mini fondant carrots, it's time to make the frosting. This part is really simple, you just need to put the cream cheese, lemon zest and icing sugar into a bowl and mix. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">9. When the cake is completely cool you can spread the cream cheese frosting all over the top of the cake.</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: x-small;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">10. To finish, place your fondant carrots on top of the cake, imagining where the slices will be and then slice your cake into 15 pieces.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">And you're done! 15 lovely little slices of Carrot Cake, perfect for an Easter treat. If there was a tradition of leaving something out for the Easter Bunny this is what I would leave him. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I hope you all have a restful Easter weekend. Here's to Spring and here's to too many chocolate eggs!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Amy x</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-small;"></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685040943590463299.post-59577269649789578752015-03-29T02:15:00.000-07:002015-03-29T02:15:35.853-07:00Lemon Drizzle Cake (with a twist...)<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">I've never made a Lemon Drizzle Cake before...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">... and when toying with a Victoria Sponge recipe for a Sunday afternoon treat, I came across a </span><a href="http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/fruit-recipes/my-nan-s-lemon-drizzle-cake/#RWki6hRtXLLABSw5.97" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;" target="_blank">Jamie Oliver Lemon Drizzle Cake</a><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> recipe which also used up a few ingredients that I had in the cupboard. Decision made...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; text-align: start;">I've cooked a few Jamie Oliver dishes but I'm not sure I have ever baked any of his cakes before. Just like his savoury dishes, this cake was simple and really taste (really really tasty). The good thing about Lemon Drizzle Cake is that you don't have to worry about a dry sponge, the syrup does the work for you. I urge you to give this recipe a go.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><u>Ingredients</u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><u><br /></u></span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 13px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; line-height: 18px;"><i>For the cake:</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 13px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; line-height: 18px;">115 g unsalted butter, softened</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 13px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; line-height: 18px;">115 g caster sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 13px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; line-height: 18px;">4 large free-range eggs</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn0fvZZbT0Z8Hx2t7Hz70i58B_ACVHIVRFwE06fYHC2JS0lygnRsrqz_fn9j8ELZHVbh8ySavm9GYpKMYh-fHXWunL9GmJwRHhAAAFp79mp1DhgKOFpG4Bg0Lo_TCVRBhr6piAwmyuvcK8/s1600/IMG_0989+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn0fvZZbT0Z8Hx2t7Hz70i58B_ACVHIVRFwE06fYHC2JS0lygnRsrqz_fn9j8ELZHVbh8ySavm9GYpKMYh-fHXWunL9GmJwRHhAAAFp79mp1DhgKOFpG4Bg0Lo_TCVRBhr6piAwmyuvcK8/s1600/IMG_0989+(2).jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 13px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; line-height: 18px;">180 g ground almonds</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 13px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; line-height: 18px;">30 g poppy seeds</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 13px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; line-height: 18px;">zest and juice of 2 lemons</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 13px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; line-height: 18px;">125 g self-raising flour, sifted</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 13px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; line-height: 18px;"><i>For the lemon syrup:</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 13px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; line-height: 18px;">100g caster sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 13px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; line-height: 18px;">90g lemon juice</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 13px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; line-height: 18px;">(The twist) Splash of gin number 1</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 13px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; line-height: 18px;"><i>For the lemon icing:</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 13px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; line-height: 18px;">225g icing sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 13px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; line-height: 18px;">zest and juice of 1 lemon</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 13px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; line-height: 18px;">(Another twist) Splash of gin number 2</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; letter-spacing: 0.5px; line-height: 18px;">As usual, I'm not going to give you a step by step guide, Jamie does that better then me in the link above. I'm just going to show you a few pictures and tell you about "the twist!"</span><br />
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<span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">This recipe really isn't complicated at all. Once you have creamed the sugar and butter together and <i>slowly </i>added the four eggs, it's just a case of adding all of the dry (cake) indigents and folding them together. Add cake mix to your lined cake tin and bake. Mine baked at 180 degrees for around 40 minutes. Leave your cake to cool slightly and then make the syrup. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; text-align: start;"> For the syrup you just have to melt the sugar over a low heat with the lemon juice... and now time for "The Twist!"</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Goes together like a horse and carriage...</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Now it's not rocket science but what do you (I) think of when you think of lemon? Gin and tonic surely?? No, just me! Well, I thought it would be a good idea to add a splash of gin to the lemon juice just before you melt the lemon juice and the sugar together. You know what, it worked!!!</span><br />
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Once your cake has cooled slightly (but still warm) you have to prick small holes in the cake and then pour your syrup (with "The Twist") all over your cake.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Next up your icing... again, add a little splash of gin to your lemon juice and once your cake is cool, pour the runny lemon and gin icing all over your cake. Use a knife to help spread the icing and let it "drizzle" over the sides of the cake.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">So there you have it, a alternative, more grown up, version of Jamie Oliver's Nan's Lemon Drizzle Cake. Maybe she'd prefer this version! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">This cake is great with a cuppa but even better with a G & T, but then, aren't most things?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Amy x</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685040943590463299.post-10031434094014744762015-03-17T14:14:00.002-07:002015-03-17T14:14:30.790-07:00Where my heart is...<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Oh Cornwall, you're grand!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I've been a bit slow on the old blog front these past few weeks. No particular reason why, I just haven't been crafting very much and haven't had too much to say over here. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Anyway, I'm back this week and although this won't be a crafty or homely post it will be a hearty one. I've chosen to have a little chat with you about my favourite place in the whole wide world...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"> ...Cornwall.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">If you know me, you know this already, I talk (and day dream) about Cornwall A LOT! If you don't know me you might've already guessed, I also post on Instagram and feel inspired by Cornwall A LOT!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I'm not particularly fussy about where in Cornwall, I only have to pass the 'Welcome to Cornwall' sign and I feel all fuzzy inside but there is a corner of that amazing county that holds a very special place in my heart and that's Cape Cornwall...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiz8ReBd-MCIpawe2oQ3Fv_6k3nGnChOnH_G1LdqCmEE0WLfMDNZGMs53PfNhqZpiW3UFkjEK83dJejC2AOGkVhNHK2vAmTpzIp1xtW8C_EozYfOwLC06zySY8VjpgUFgWb4amw_QWCNg5/s640/blogger-image--410900004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiz8ReBd-MCIpawe2oQ3Fv_6k3nGnChOnH_G1LdqCmEE0WLfMDNZGMs53PfNhqZpiW3UFkjEK83dJejC2AOGkVhNHK2vAmTpzIp1xtW8C_EozYfOwLC06zySY8VjpgUFgWb4amw_QWCNg5/s320/blogger-image--410900004.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">My love affair with Cornwall began when I was a child. I'm sure we didn't but it felt like every summer holiday me, mom and dad would load up the car to spend a week in Cornwall. The majority of the time in a caravan, sometimes a tent or even (if we felt fancy) a hotel, although camping was always my favourite way to spend the holidays. I used to get so excited cruising down the M5, especially when we got to (what is now known as) "my favourite bit of the motorway", you know the bit after Bristol where the southbound carriageway takes off?! Well that's how it felt to me!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">My mom was always scared of flying and as a child, I never had the experience of being on a plane, so I used to pretend that we were flying to Cornwall at this point! You had to keep yourself entertained on a 5 hour car journey, especially as an only child!!!! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I'm aware this post is turning into a bit of a "This is Your Life" moment! Anyway... to sum up... Cornwall has always been special and even more so in recent years. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i>It was mom who loved this place the most, she would dream of retiring down there one day, but unfortunately that wasn't to happen as she lost her battle with breast cancer aged 52. </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">There wasn't one moment of doubt as to where she needed to be. We chose one, out of many, of her favourite places in Cornwall (to scatter her ashes) and Cape Cornwall it was. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I never got to visit this special place with my mom, we tried once but the dreaded Cornish mizzle was too bad, we couldn't see our hands in front of our faces and had to turn back!!! It's just so dramatic down there and although my mom was way more spiritual then I've ever been, I totally feel like I "get it" whenever I'm there. It feels like it holds magic powers somehow! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Anyway, every April, the family makes the pilgrimage down to that magical place and we spend the week visiting all of our favourite spots; Mousehole, St Ives, Treen... and even discover new places, which mom would of loved. We spend lots of time reminiscing over our most fondest memories of "one of the kindest ladies you have ever met". It's special.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">This year we will be marking the 6th anniversary of loosing my mum, crazy. Somehow this trip doesn't make me dread the date but look forward to it. I'm sure she planned it this way.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I'll leave you with some pictures of my most favouritest place in all the land...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I've chosen to post about Cornwall this week as these four weeks of the year are always pretty tough. My mom's birthday, Mother's Day and the anniversary all come at once. Thankfully it finishes off with the most soothing therapy, a week in the place that holds</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"> my heart and her's. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Amy x</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685040943590463299.post-89639724509837360692015-03-01T10:28:00.000-08:002015-03-01T10:45:59.579-08:00A bathroom transformation<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Turning two small spaces into one big space...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Hello guys and gals, how are we all this week?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I've been looking back through pictures of the house again, pictures from when we first viewed it, and I still can't believe how far we've come with it! This week I'm going to share the bathroom refit with you. This was one of the first rooms we (the builders) tackled and one of the rooms I was most excited about...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">We had previously refurbished a flat before this house but made do with how the bathroom was, one of the only rooms we didn't touch in that place. Therefore I couldn't wait to turn ideas that had been whirling around in my head into reality.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">So here are some before pictures...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuL-o85UumYAQ6Qd4QHOC30d8b9uXToHjVachdxLgGuDk1Vb8vZxOQNFN8sZNya77QVImWTwrUlVitNOP0lSrmtzsBdfFzsPqn0chXNzbrpvdEyPOrDjNjhvQXAXndHYXJz8aKHXOcZALa/s1600/P1070446.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuL-o85UumYAQ6Qd4QHOC30d8b9uXToHjVachdxLgGuDk1Vb8vZxOQNFN8sZNya77QVImWTwrUlVitNOP0lSrmtzsBdfFzsPqn0chXNzbrpvdEyPOrDjNjhvQXAXndHYXJz8aKHXOcZALa/s1600/P1070446.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZCql7aN-O17nJaW6Skz8__Vrui8ZQlZtFpPJv6VUKh_xfadkcoxkFec8cOZXngeSSu5mSoyk1WMgZjmys6UaX5DmcZcdFZqyanfJGRFbsdyv7quHUAnC-W3MA7qCJJziSCB1plZGetQc8/s1600/P1070445.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZCql7aN-O17nJaW6Skz8__Vrui8ZQlZtFpPJv6VUKh_xfadkcoxkFec8cOZXngeSSu5mSoyk1WMgZjmys6UaX5DmcZcdFZqyanfJGRFbsdyv7quHUAnC-W3MA7qCJJziSCB1plZGetQc8/s1600/P1070445.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Again, like the kitchen refit, as soon as I saw the bathroom I knew exactly how I would like it to be. In these pictures it shows how the toilet and bathroom were separate and although it is handy to have a separate toilet, I thought the space could be used so much more effectively. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">My other half is a bit of a giant and he always wanted to have a separate shower, rather then a shower over the bath and to do this (and not loose the bath altogether) it made perfect sense to knock the two rooms into one. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">So that is what happened.... Looking at the picture on the left you can</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> see the door to the bathroom and to the right of that was the very small toilet...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">And on the picture to the right you can see how the doorway to the bathroom was bought forward into the landing, to the edge of the stairs. Although we only gained a small amount of space it meant, once the wall between the two rooms had gone, that there would be room for a bath and a sshower unit. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">So walls came down, old bathroom suits where ripped out and walls were plastered. We didn't live in the house when all of these bit was being done and looking back at these pictures now, thank goodness!!! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Where the shower unit ended up being placed is where the toilet room used to be. I remember feeling so happy at this point, seeing it all in place. Neil (the other half) had pretty much let me tell the builder where I wanted everything, because he just couldn't imagine where it would all go. Pressure!!! So I was pleased and relieved when it all ended up fitting into place just as I had imagined. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I wanted the suit, fixtures and fittings to be traditional to suit the style of the house. I actually wanted to keep the old sink and the toilet as the style was perfect but they were broken when they were ripped out and the builder helped us to source pieces that were not to dissimilar. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">So it was all in! Time to make it look less Swedish sauna and more... elegant, I guess!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I took a very long time deciding what colours to paint this room and ended up colour matching with a Dulux paint to Farrow and Ball's Cornforth White on the panelling and Blackened on the walls. I always said I didn't want a blue bathroom in case it felt too cold and I remember really panicking that it was too blue when we first painted it. In the end, with the warmth of the dark wood flooring, toilet seat and picture frames it ended up feeling classic and warm, not cold in the slightest. Anyway, I can't see the blue in it any more but I think you always have a moment of dread after you have spent hours painting a room. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">On to the favourite parts of the room...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-_i32-Ch01twbAllK4pS_RDnkkwSQxMSWN5SRIydDF_LFFHZ_FO7bmWhgZo92Y4B4gNNu0-Anb78hFElWYywtE_updYuyXHtFl91eLcXQ_xmyvhB6yqhrjxc_LTmWenJDQtArdtp_Hvpb/s1600/P1011441.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"> </span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: white;"> </span> </span><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-_i32-Ch01twbAllK4pS_RDnkkwSQxMSWN5SRIydDF_LFFHZ_FO7bmWhgZo92Y4B4gNNu0-Anb78hFElWYywtE_updYuyXHtFl91eLcXQ_xmyvhB6yqhrjxc_LTmWenJDQtArdtp_Hvpb/s1600/P1011441.JPG" height="320" width="180" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWlPxBqu_fEhoYW7tyJj5hEsH9Uz4AHBQDuOSdICzCrknRM-0g7rwn0sMkMGTllcfIp6fuqO4rnaY2lCScWYa1LwEFCBHwPOLjh_56OKsGU8ah3FmNMWgHC6o4M2IeT1oMz2oEXonWypTa/s1600/P1011451.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWlPxBqu_fEhoYW7tyJj5hEsH9Uz4AHBQDuOSdICzCrknRM-0g7rwn0sMkMGTllcfIp6fuqO4rnaY2lCScWYa1LwEFCBHwPOLjh_56OKsGU8ah3FmNMWgHC6o4M2IeT1oMz2oEXonWypTa/s1600/P1011451.JPG" height="320" width="180" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Well, I didn't know you could be in love with a radiator before this bathroom (dramatic much?!?) and I know how much Neil loves the shower. Apparently this is the first shower that he can actually stand fully under, the builder measured how tall he was so he could make sure that could happen! It's all in the details. </span><span style="text-align: center;"> </span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcsYRNoJDOAQv9QMdazaH7Y-3CU1PLV3AjOiNHzM2u1zjDImuyMqSsBTe7KJuHrLnn5PSUoaPBMovqDu8r_HGPUGWIl79ipVep0n2VK7AHkGYML35Ps5RxTgq_QKLPxsHBLXEpwRBQMWLK/s1600/P1011454.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcsYRNoJDOAQv9QMdazaH7Y-3CU1PLV3AjOiNHzM2u1zjDImuyMqSsBTe7KJuHrLnn5PSUoaPBMovqDu8r_HGPUGWIl79ipVep0n2VK7AHkGYML35Ps5RxTgq_QKLPxsHBLXEpwRBQMWLK/s1600/P1011454.JPG" height="112" width="200" /><span style="color: white; text-align: center;"> </span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioBRNMeX_5i6yf2ZKu8BLLmpPL1G1tR8QtIqzwjd9P4nkLkJ5W9dZqXBWyYPvWAKNtidNRZOvi0jmauRJy9RMonYpCpBvkFI5tfH40m17-KZZQ62CE_sdwxeC-dW0lp0pb6znvWNcRAgyp/s1600/P1011461.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioBRNMeX_5i6yf2ZKu8BLLmpPL1G1tR8QtIqzwjd9P4nkLkJ5W9dZqXBWyYPvWAKNtidNRZOvi0jmauRJy9RMonYpCpBvkFI5tfH40m17-KZZQ62CE_sdwxeC-dW0lp0pb6znvWNcRAgyp/s1600/P1011461.JPG" height="112" width="200" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir3euuz6vrCWlqnhPtLH-RBlt3tJ5FLzN6qF1A0dQ66Dy4aVemBEmehHHsV8eH_OhQAZRaiNAPtTDUnerOzO1A00s_dAZoVAuSgfCuDh9ePd7a4tP8CEMvNyGEhp02V4R4YYEzhR8fGakL/s1600/P1011455.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir3euuz6vrCWlqnhPtLH-RBlt3tJ5FLzN6qF1A0dQ66Dy4aVemBEmehHHsV8eH_OhQAZRaiNAPtTDUnerOzO1A00s_dAZoVAuSgfCuDh9ePd7a4tP8CEMvNyGEhp02V4R4YYEzhR8fGakL/s1600/P1011455.JPG" height="112" width="200" /></a> <br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I don't think </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I've ever lived in a house where I have filled the walls of the bathroom with pictures and I really think it brings more to the room. The bathroom is often a place that can be neglected when it comes to displays but it can really turn it into a much more cosy place to be. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The floor was another big success of the room. We ended up going for a dark laminate but it has rubber seals through the joins. It is from Quick Step and is called ship deck laminate you can read about it <a href="http://www.quick-step.co.uk/Articles/ship-deck-laminate-floor-perfect-fit-for-your-bathroom" target="_blank">here</a> our builder recommend it to us and I really love it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">So there's the bathroom. I hope that might of given you some ideas for your own bathroom. Now if you don't mind I'm off to have a bubble bath. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Amy x</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Howdy! I didn't blog last week, I wanted to but I attempted to bake gluten free biscuits for my gluten free friend and it went sooooo wrong. You would've laughed! Anyone else have trouble with gluten free baking? I've attempted a few things for my friend but it never goes to plan, maybe it's just me... Oh well, back to what I'm (fairly)good at.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Every year, we have a week in February, where three of our friends have birthdays on three consecutive days. (What are the chances?!) We're all heading out for Sunday grub today and although the desserts, at the place we are heading to, have come highly recommended, you can't have a birthday gathering without a birthday cake... enter 'The Chocolate Beast!"</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I discovered this recipe through the blog <a href="http://whatjessicabakednext.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">What Jessica Baked Next</span></a> and have had my eye on it for a while, I just needed to find an excuse to make such a chocolate dream! I found Jessica through Instagram. Her recipes are so straight forward, go and check her out. I highly recommend the Ferrero Rocher cheesecake, deeeeelicious. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">On with the bake...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><u>You will need</u></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i>For the cake...</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>(</i>I used a 9 inch cake tin)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">220g Plain Flour</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">450g Caster Sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">2 tsp Bicarb of Soda</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">1 tsp Baking Powder</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">1 tsp Salt</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">85g (good quality) Cocoa Powder</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">2 medium eggs</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">250ml Buttermilk</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">125ml Vegetable Oil</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">250ml Fresh Strong Coffee</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i>To decorate...</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">450g Chocolate Fudge Icing</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Pack of 16 (2 finger) Kit Kat Bar's</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Large sharing bag of chocolate M&M's</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i>What to do...</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i>1. </i>Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C and line your cake tins with greaseproof paper and grease the sides with butter. Sift all of your dry ingredients(flour, sugar, bicarb, baking powder, salt, cocoa powder) into a large bowl. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Mix with a wooden spoon until well combined.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">2. Next, add the wet ingredients (eggs, buttermilk, oil and coffee) and mix in an electric mixer until well combined and it is a smooth mixture (no lumps)! <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mmmm, chocolate...</td></tr>
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3. You are now going to split your mixture between the two cake tins. I ended up with around 1500ml of cake mix so I poured approximately 750ml of cake mix into each tin. Bake your cakes for around 35-40 minutes, until your cakes have risen and a knife comes out clear when gently pushed into the middle of the cake. <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Don't forget to lick the bowl ;-)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">4. Allow your cakes to be completely cool before you begin to decorate. You need to spread a thin layer of the fudge icing on to the top of one of your cakes and then place the other cake on top like a sandwich. Next spread the rest of the fudge icing all around the top and sides of the cake.</span></td></tr>
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5. Next, you are going to place (single) Kit Kat Bar's all around the outside edge of your cake. Then, sprinkle M&M's on top of your cake. Tie a colourful ribbon around the outside of the cake and you are done. </div>
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I'm so excited to present this to my friends later, I think they're going to love it. It really is so simple but I think it looks super effective. A real fun cake for the kids or the grown ups in your life! I'll let you know how it goes down over on Instagram later.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Oh, and a big Happy Birthday to my wonderful friends! I hope you have a great day, love you all lots!</span></div>
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Amy x</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685040943590463299.post-26905670791028500732015-02-08T12:39:00.000-08:002015-02-08T12:55:03.477-08:00Blueberry Bakewell Tarts Recipe<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><b>Has spring sprung?</b></span><br>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">What a wonderful day! Well here in Birmingham town it feels as if it was the first day of spring. Hope it isn't just teasing us, because I've really enjoyed feeling the sun on my old bones. I even popped to the shops without "the big coat" on today, although I think I got a little carried away because I</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> came home a little chilly. </span><br>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Anyway... The blue skies made me feel motivated to take part in my summer sport today, baking. I've never really thought about it until today but baking cakes and desserts is definitely something I do more of when the sun is shining, I wonder why that is? The bake of choice today were some Blueberry Bakewell Tarts, a recipe I found in one of the first Bake Off books. </span><br>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">And I bought my first bunch of fresh flowers for the year...</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I am going to try and give you a step by step guide in how to bake these sweet treats as I adapted it a little as I baked.</span><br>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">You will need:</span><br>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><u>To make the jam...</u></span><br>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-small;">200g blueberries</span><br>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-small;">2 tbsp caster sugar</span><br>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-small;">A squeeze of lemon juice</span><br>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><u>To make the pastry...</u></span><br>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-small;">200g of plain flour (and extra for dusting or if your dough is a bit wet to begin with)</span><br>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-small;">100g unsalted butter</span><br>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-small;">40g icing sugar</span><br>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-small;">1 large egg (super market large is fine - xl will make your dough too wet.)</span><br>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><u>For the frangipane...</u></span><br>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-small;">55g unsalted butter</span><br>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-small;">55g caster sugar</span><br>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-small;">1 large egg</span><br>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-small;">40g ground almonds</span><br>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-small;">15g plain flour</span><br>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><u>For decoration...</u></span><br>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-small;">Runny icing, made from icing sugar</span><br>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-small;">Fresh blueberries</span><br>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">1. You need to start by making some jam. This may come as a surprise to some but I have NEVER MADE JAM! (Shock horror!)But the recipe called for something very basic indeed so I thought "what could go wrong?!" </span><br>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">You just pop all of the ingredients for the jam into a saucepan and let it bubble away, stirring every so often until it is thick and looses its wateriness. Push it through a sieve to loose the skin and leave the jam to set. </span><br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpgmsC_hQXOsTejl1Bx85-k8rnldXT_Dkm1uLZA9VGpBh1TZZIPWMwrDuL1KUEgMT3YKQPkaf-c9cf98YE4cjyySYMCAazjhvAYFsuRxzUiY_R8rCtTDWxwIUZN6Ju34qyXARD28ENI4MO/s1600/P1011285.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpgmsC_hQXOsTejl1Bx85-k8rnldXT_Dkm1uLZA9VGpBh1TZZIPWMwrDuL1KUEgMT3YKQPkaf-c9cf98YE4cjyySYMCAazjhvAYFsuRxzUiY_R8rCtTDWxwIUZN6Ju34qyXARD28ENI4MO/s1600/P1011285.JPG" height="112" width="200"> </a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtWHoA1f9f3KLwGxclaSnuSQ13cW6L3X52YbqoEmVdlgBLR4swwUU6RSJ-nmjQk8IXEk4ZhDtobRq8ub1mnf2HVG2Oh8YYI3hobwFsv-Yz_zFQ-fhwjWLzO6MHwl0vpJ3IKcxcmb3zraHo/s1600/P1011287.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="display: inline !important; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtWHoA1f9f3KLwGxclaSnuSQ13cW6L3X52YbqoEmVdlgBLR4swwUU6RSJ-nmjQk8IXEk4ZhDtobRq8ub1mnf2HVG2Oh8YYI3hobwFsv-Yz_zFQ-fhwjWLzO6MHwl0vpJ3IKcxcmb3zraHo/s1600/P1011287.JPG" height="112" width="200"></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-small;">Set your jam to one side to let it cool.. your boyfriend will then come in to tidy up around you, and pour the jam you just made down the sin</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: x-small;">k!!!! So do that first step all over again... or is that just my bad luck?!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">2. Next up is the pastry... this was less eventful. You need to put the flour and butter into a bowl and rub it, with your fingertips, until it forms breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar, then stir the beaten egg into the mixture. You then need to stir and mould the mixture, again using your hands, until it forms a dough. At this point you may need to add (a lot) more flour. My mixture was very wet at this point and I think it was due to the size of the eggs. Just keep adding flour until it holds together and doesn't stick to your hands. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Let the dough chill for at least 30 minutes. </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">3. Role the pastry out, until it is 3mm thick and cut out circles with a 5cm cutter. Line the base of a muffin tray with the circles. Then cut strips of dough that are 1cm x 15cm long and line the edges of the muffin tray with the strips. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"> 4. At this point pre heat your oven to 170c. Next up you're going to make the frangipane. Just put all of the ingredients into an electric mix and give it a good whirl until it is all combined. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">5. Take the pastry cases out of the fridge and prick the bases. Put a small amount of jam into the bottom of the cases and then top with the frangipane mixture. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">6. Place the muffin tray in the preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes or until the golden in colour. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">7. Allow the tarts to cool on a wire rack before decorating with runny icing a fresh blueberries. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">8. Make a cuppa and you're done...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">A super simple recipe to help mark the start of Spring (I hope!) </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI-U_h72ST5MksDNuMkvua46kBmN3QsffyTlEs6MXmtPxA0oEic3sOVkWByGWqHwFaL8uLHjcpug1bw2lvvtR1ffDSXhq9AUHkJfVzyfHcRLSHHYJ0bFJd9B6kLRbL4uLcJRyDdm6uOdTx/s1600/P1011319.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI-U_h72ST5MksDNuMkvua46kBmN3QsffyTlEs6MXmtPxA0oEic3sOVkWByGWqHwFaL8uLHjcpug1bw2lvvtR1ffDSXhq9AUHkJfVzyfHcRLSHHYJ0bFJd9B6kLRbL4uLcJRyDdm6uOdTx/s1600/P1011319.JPG" height="225" width="400"></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Enjoy x</span></div>
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<!-- Blogger automated replacement: "https://images-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com/gadgets/proxy?url=http%3A%2F%2F2.bp.blogspot.com%2F-kQuUDSoD2ks%2FVNe_MYGbPjI%2FAAAAAAAAAkc%2FXC7th6qAnlk%2Fs1600%2FP1011285.JPG&container=blogger&gadget=a&rewriteMime=image%2F*" with "https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpgmsC_hQXOsTejl1Bx85-k8rnldXT_Dkm1uLZA9VGpBh1TZZIPWMwrDuL1KUEgMT3YKQPkaf-c9cf98YE4cjyySYMCAazjhvAYFsuRxzUiY_R8rCtTDWxwIUZN6Ju34qyXARD28ENI4MO/s1600/P1011285.JPG" -->Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685040943590463299.post-42385601756789158142015-02-01T07:38:00.000-08:002015-02-03T13:00:25.403-08:00A Japanese Style Apron Tutorial<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Japanese utility wear is a current trend right?!</span><br>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Because if it isn't I'm about to start the trend myself(even if I do say so myself!!!)</span><br>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I have been on the hunt for a tutorial on one of these aprons for a while now. If you follow me on Pintrest you'll see I've pinned a few pictures for inspiration over the past few months but couldn't find a tutorial for what I thought would be an easy make. </span><br>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmultlgdhNkqRrEzbswZHS8QLGBUFyf2FRzkhqiGbiLAiGA9VmPNEgFBvkHksnbwaxEScwwJNUvxo53wjDZsZOBggsrQ3au-5JPNBWBhcaRay_2MpaCeAjeoxXDLpazuiNsDt7taH2wP_V/s1600/japanese-washed-linen-apron-light-gray-mottled.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmultlgdhNkqRrEzbswZHS8QLGBUFyf2FRzkhqiGbiLAiGA9VmPNEgFBvkHksnbwaxEScwwJNUvxo53wjDZsZOBggsrQ3au-5JPNBWBhcaRay_2MpaCeAjeoxXDLpazuiNsDt7taH2wP_V/s1600/japanese-washed-linen-apron-light-gray-mottled.jpg" height="320" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-small;"> Both imagines found some where on Pintrest. </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ_yl1Nmh0iuRstSsw5y7jYuU_knT355CZeopalKqJW7K3vCj61gAqNWebxRtvnFAJHZ8xt_w32SawHdDYx12DyVl-3QSS4nBt7KzwcFXP8K1dituJ9udcN2gl0cV0HMC0to24tbeldN0C/s1600/traditional-aprons.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ_yl1Nmh0iuRstSsw5y7jYuU_knT355CZeopalKqJW7K3vCj61gAqNWebxRtvnFAJHZ8xt_w32SawHdDYx12DyVl-3QSS4nBt7KzwcFXP8K1dituJ9udcN2gl0cV0HMC0to24tbeldN0C/s1600/traditional-aprons.jpg" height="200" width="200"></a></td></tr></tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Maybe I couldn't find a tutorial because it turns out they're so darn tootin easy to make. You probably won't need this tutorial but you've got it if you want it.. </span><br>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">So this is the picture from Pintrest I used for my inspiration....</span><br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6HbslJHVwuy-cuiQJVQdMXfiEoPb7wr491M07XTjA183SuvoNU3H4A9zG6xy7YsLpa3BwavfbPfqC4WX0pjSeGMq8kgDj7C624EiZBRIt3f1mzY2BKPOpVmUdMbmBSjb2elzpByaN0-R7/s1600/Japanese+apron4,jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6HbslJHVwuy-cuiQJVQdMXfiEoPb7wr491M07XTjA183SuvoNU3H4A9zG6xy7YsLpa3BwavfbPfqC4WX0pjSeGMq8kgDj7C624EiZBRIt3f1mzY2BKPOpVmUdMbmBSjb2elzpByaN0-R7/s1600/Japanese+apron4,jpg.jpg" height="250" width="320"></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">There was some suggestion of measurements with this picture but I just measured myself and made it off those measurements instead.</span><br>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">First of all I'm a size UK12 (34" Chest) use these measurements if you wish but it is super simple to measure yourself so I'd just do that if I were you.</span><br>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Oh and fabric choices. This was the hardest part, probably because I didn't know what I wanted (just a tip; it is always best to know what you're looking for before you go fabric shopping.)I ended up with a really basic polyester/viscose in charcoal grey and at £3.99 per metre from the Fancy Silk Store in Birmingham, I was most impressed! I wanted something linen(esq) but it's so expressive so this was a perfect substitute. </span><br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaXF8iZTb4ON6xG4a3TKem9N0p8vIPhxtyZRACckQcnpHSTgGqiETiYPj9Ba777HmBG4oSq10JgIAdbeY26MX-NFxFvMtjMuuE5xCCRTJWpvVDWHNc42NiolcmpSlo8w0darlQcvWOunlT/s1600/P1011202.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaXF8iZTb4ON6xG4a3TKem9N0p8vIPhxtyZRACckQcnpHSTgGqiETiYPj9Ba777HmBG4oSq10JgIAdbeY26MX-NFxFvMtjMuuE5xCCRTJWpvVDWHNc42NiolcmpSlo8w0darlQcvWOunlT/s1600/P1011202.JPG" height="180" width="320"></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">On with the tutorial... I cut my fabric 120cm by 100cm. The 120cm was the length that would wrap around my chest and the 100cm the width. <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfhYG9PGdVidpvW5tuz6kO-NyTa4hXHCg3nGFEXHCj1hAb8lPLOYx61SQyBHnoM7zfb6sk5g9kw28ODFZTGjzYFwz539UU5KEAHg3QC0X6f-qYB09BsRwTcfHpCbSaySYxETCd5kY8db-o/s1600/P1011205.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfhYG9PGdVidpvW5tuz6kO-NyTa4hXHCg3nGFEXHCj1hAb8lPLOYx61SQyBHnoM7zfb6sk5g9kw28ODFZTGjzYFwz539UU5KEAHg3QC0X6f-qYB09BsRwTcfHpCbSaySYxETCd5kY8db-o/s1600/P1011205.JPG" height="112" width="200"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lazy for not cutting off the selvedges, tut!<br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtwnC-_XHEUt76hq6cBm2KIxOw7s1CYvN35LoXPU8QJJECUlLL4dYtdgjnNOJ2JS-VP3vOTeGXV0N2Z9yWB_4-RtQ-UIsuiG4Eyr5RQjSHs7Nqdby3YNIw_vS-2_ZuJmzeFN-tRn9XxDNB/s1600/P1011206.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtwnC-_XHEUt76hq6cBm2KIxOw7s1CYvN35LoXPU8QJJECUlLL4dYtdgjnNOJ2JS-VP3vOTeGXV0N2Z9yWB_4-RtQ-UIsuiG4Eyr5RQjSHs7Nqdby3YNIw_vS-2_ZuJmzeFN-tRn9XxDNB/s1600/P1011206.JPG" height="112" width="200"></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; text-align: left;">I started off by hemming what would be the top of the apron. I folded it over by 1/2" and pressed. I then folded it over again, so that wrong sides were together, by 5". This will be the facing of the apron. You could maybe put on some interface at this point </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; text-align: left;">to make it stiffer but I didn't have any and now I have the finished product I really don't think it is necessary</span><span style="font-size: small; text-align: left;">. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">I then double stitched (is that what I mean?!) along the hem. I think the parallel stitching just adds a bit of detail and denim </span><span style="font-size: small;">is always stitched like this. It just looks a little more professional don't ya think?? </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTDsyniLluyaD88MIdJw1wwRq3CLzNMIL1cZIhUINwPUXsLrmpXD0uOjMMNzJ4EriigZn-6JWBDESJe3E05xKLH2D9XWScF1BWWZH8QlCMoLYGRRk1mibMTP6LgJFF0MBftvdo9foASPtP/s1600/P1011211.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTDsyniLluyaD88MIdJw1wwRq3CLzNMIL1cZIhUINwPUXsLrmpXD0uOjMMNzJ4EriigZn-6JWBDESJe3E05xKLH2D9XWScF1BWWZH8QlCMoLYGRRk1mibMTP6LgJFF0MBftvdo9foASPtP/s1600/P1011211.JPG" height="179" width="320"></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Next up, you have to hem the sides. I didn't hem the bottom of the apron at this point. Like most (all) projects you leave this bit till the end so that you can sew it to the desired length.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Now on to the straps. I cut two pieces of fabric, on the fold that measure 6 cm by 55 cm. (When opened up they would measure 12cm). </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg74SQaPZH0ZAemUKy4RBATGT5v2RtIcKhHRmciXW0-WFKEoOeW29xbX4AsUyRpxT0KjQpdnq5enuMBQKuB0HAdno2ZvJLmiCEScbZzOm0nP8BvhfgEEqvrhGC20hPWgu5CEOv9RfR2XktZ/s1600/P1011214.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg74SQaPZH0ZAemUKy4RBATGT5v2RtIcKhHRmciXW0-WFKEoOeW29xbX4AsUyRpxT0KjQpdnq5enuMBQKuB0HAdno2ZvJLmiCEScbZzOm0nP8BvhfgEEqvrhGC20hPWgu5CEOv9RfR2XktZ/s1600/P1011214.JPG" height="320" width="180"></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvJI_8Z7iKyWC2Mt9j5sWG9glQm5UTeMmPHIlFlkXGbYQxMnCmD-u4cIxSI0iiFr3zrH-XeMtc4tacQwHkKbJ4kwWpGLnlFCXcLRejdE1cbGl311gi-K1aenxd1Z8SOdzXCSrln1IXEQnc/s1600/P1011213.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvJI_8Z7iKyWC2Mt9j5sWG9glQm5UTeMmPHIlFlkXGbYQxMnCmD-u4cIxSI0iiFr3zrH-XeMtc4tacQwHkKbJ4kwWpGLnlFCXcLRejdE1cbGl311gi-K1aenxd1Z8SOdzXCSrln1IXEQnc/s1600/P1011213.JPG" height="112" width="200"></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Hopefully these pictures will help with my </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">description of how to cut the straps.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuSwa34x6LqiG4bbHV3QHjmyXTWdN0V2GSJkpK5ziYI4yAd4G-13YczpYbqWXpHx8CALLjQD49Zx4G0i9trmMD1RWl4YYP3FMoLEznun-vFQilr43_3qqy4dhO3wygqDEgTCDNdW7hZIM4/s1600/P1011217.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuSwa34x6LqiG4bbHV3QHjmyXTWdN0V2GSJkpK5ziYI4yAd4G-13YczpYbqWXpHx8CALLjQD49Zx4G0i9trmMD1RWl4YYP3FMoLEznun-vFQilr43_3qqy4dhO3wygqDEgTCDNdW7hZIM4/s1600/P1011217.JPG" height="112" width="200"></a>And to add a little detail to the straps I just cut them into points. </div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"> I then made sure that my straps where folded in half lengthways with right sides together and stitched along the long sides and around the pointy ends of each strap (leave the short straight end open). When you do this bit make sure your stitching along the pointy ends is perfect, or else when you turn your straps the right side out they will look wonky and that just won't do. </span><br>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ7vBjqg42Hhv5TL5_kRkCsbSl-CEDsXIbxjAGVvBMH_ycUEj1vR1izE8TJN10xkY4IvodQ1Mob4C5GlLXszH6EYhzjFmu7xb2dlmniSu_14Jeo5WCd0XPTDhTMTCBI_Lo5JYOfc_374Mt/s1600/P1011220.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ7vBjqg42Hhv5TL5_kRkCsbSl-CEDsXIbxjAGVvBMH_ycUEj1vR1izE8TJN10xkY4IvodQ1Mob4C5GlLXszH6EYhzjFmu7xb2dlmniSu_14Jeo5WCd0XPTDhTMTCBI_Lo5JYOfc_374Mt/s1600/P1011220.JPG" height="180" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Enter wonkyness that needed to be corrected. </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Turn your straps right way out, a chopstick is my niffty tool for this, and press each strap.</span><br>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi372Sai3jmV9FYus3V0SskIJj5niSOus8HCipD2Z9vd0nSiGbdH5lKdk6p2kbWyFMx1UfTAhfuNwdy1R86z-5pdIHPS4vOuLJZXcxIJPNGge0LFx3FrkB4MVZtZRp40sNIXsKB0IR8vj8F/s1600/P1011224.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi372Sai3jmV9FYus3V0SskIJj5niSOus8HCipD2Z9vd0nSiGbdH5lKdk6p2kbWyFMx1UfTAhfuNwdy1R86z-5pdIHPS4vOuLJZXcxIJPNGge0LFx3FrkB4MVZtZRp40sNIXsKB0IR8vj8F/s1600/P1011224.JPG" height="225" width="400"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Next I pinned the straps to the top of the large piece of fabric...</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"> I did this by marking the half way point across the top of the fabric and then estimating where the straps would need to go. I then wrapped the apron around me as I would expect it to fit and with a bit of jiggery pokery moved the straps to where they should go. Then I stitched along one long side of the straps, around the pointy bit and then up along the other long side. </span><br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxLkI8raxOmDtmhtxOY-uDXwGTjMpr-IVQYecV5PhlZplxcXb9eCYd1rrFcJ_hfQwVkku_UFuHYl_kmQ76Fxb2DQSw5g_PCId7_HYssYLiANNkpQ6Ryier04buf-cTe9nEF-oJinXyeSVN/s1600/P1011212.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxLkI8raxOmDtmhtxOY-uDXwGTjMpr-IVQYecV5PhlZplxcXb9eCYd1rrFcJ_hfQwVkku_UFuHYl_kmQ76Fxb2DQSw5g_PCId7_HYssYLiANNkpQ6Ryier04buf-cTe9nEF-oJinXyeSVN/s1600/P1011212.JPG" height="320" width="180"></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkxCNzGCIgQpFPz9CDZRatLHLqZbQlxqdAdqMtVxrz4-WfwiMj57XQKsBl6aTG8q0druiZ1iAv49Ck1885LnKXwVXKQfcaYSh6Suk1sMnHicG0Xty9oDaJEpcUXuWL0omoSfNLDUPBXfrN/s1600/P1011229.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkxCNzGCIgQpFPz9CDZRatLHLqZbQlxqdAdqMtVxrz4-WfwiMj57XQKsBl6aTG8q0druiZ1iAv49Ck1885LnKXwVXKQfcaYSh6Suk1sMnHicG0Xty9oDaJEpcUXuWL0omoSfNLDUPBXfrN/s1600/P1011229.JPG" height="225" width="400"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Next up, I attached the end of the straps to the back of the apron. </td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Ok, I know I'm not going to describe this next step very well so hopeful the picture above will help. You have to take one strap and pin the end to the opposite side of the back of the apron and then take the other strap and pin that end to the opposite side of the back of the apron. The straps will cross over each other, as the picture above shows. </span><br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFRoRKhzk4pXvytXWSsAeLi2NXv0sxg-4grf1z_23V98Ctxtzse5nHQdQ0JDVwoAj0m8DBqIjJOZSl7xdtm_6bWl0mupYU1ZIpRsW6Zvs0R4nBsj15Z-tWzDMfusdgPnWUkCPKXBXemI-T/s1600/P1011267.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFRoRKhzk4pXvytXWSsAeLi2NXv0sxg-4grf1z_23V98Ctxtzse5nHQdQ0JDVwoAj0m8DBqIjJOZSl7xdtm_6bWl0mupYU1ZIpRsW6Zvs0R4nBsj15Z-tWzDMfusdgPnWUkCPKXBXemI-T/s1600/P1011267.JPG" height="180" width="320"></a><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"></span><br>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg-dlPioPnM5oM7uNMHexyHRWLSDDRQK72vvtQQ4jHWMDuQLZ89ZgVPEG0LeTiTdwamlBryIlDcRey__M1h3xwB6Zx2qH6qNjoKYqnnUSmTls61vDhzwpqFDJePkq7OV3CBsJwmiLje_KX/s1600/P1011247.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg-dlPioPnM5oM7uNMHexyHRWLSDDRQK72vvtQQ4jHWMDuQLZ89ZgVPEG0LeTiTdwamlBryIlDcRey__M1h3xwB6Zx2qH6qNjoKYqnnUSmTls61vDhzwpqFDJePkq7OV3CBsJwmiLje_KX/s1600/P1011247.JPG" height="180" width="320"></a>Now to stitch them in place. I decided to stitch right around the top of the apron, I felt it would look more finished. If you decide to do this then may I suggest you stop when you get to the tabs at the front of the apron. Just don't stitch across the front of the tabs, I think it looks nice and tidy the way I did it...</span><br>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Next up, hemming the bottom of the apron...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I cut my apron at the bottom so that it would be 85cm long. I hemmed it by folding and pressing it up by 1/2" and then 1/2" again. I then double stitched, as I did on the facing, along the bottom of the apron.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">So the main part of the apron is complete... you could leave it there but I decided to add a little (actually turned out pretty big!!) patch pocket. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">And we're done....</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo7xg7SGqVwsPFM7_M3BaFlKEGepvx-creR7uRBGpWcVrOCIZNVotk1uAJE3W0B4WrBUFLtOd-lbJHd3MLSarmOLFBxIEx9RiqQq095NOV-fGWisKHn4y3yQuLU_h2v55zA0Q_LieEcryw/s1600/P1011252.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo7xg7SGqVwsPFM7_M3BaFlKEGepvx-creR7uRBGpWcVrOCIZNVotk1uAJE3W0B4WrBUFLtOd-lbJHd3MLSarmOLFBxIEx9RiqQq095NOV-fGWisKHn4y3yQuLU_h2v55zA0Q_LieEcryw/s1600/P1011252.JPG" height="320" width="180"> </a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6mghrTmhUpYB8S9jGxKEGYiVHNECUFeUS2Ad5YFzlgJerLf8IT6DzbkNGzU-xzO5osEImaYJHXwRVQZFwoDUBKY60uCuojdrfYJa4oe5bDAPxpMrFSRon63MrzLYuQ5KusPq64PsdryyO/s1600/P1011253.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6mghrTmhUpYB8S9jGxKEGYiVHNECUFeUS2Ad5YFzlgJerLf8IT6DzbkNGzU-xzO5osEImaYJHXwRVQZFwoDUBKY60uCuojdrfYJa4oe5bDAPxpMrFSRon63MrzLYuQ5KusPq64PsdryyO/s1600/P1011253.JPG" height="320" width="180"></a><br>
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I'm so happy with this super simple make, really happy. I'm sure people will look at me in the street and think "Why is that crazy lady wearing her apron out and about?" and I'm not sure I really care all that much! Handmade Japanese Utility Wear is the next big thing, you heard it here first ;-)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Hope my first tutorial makes sense!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Enjoy,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Amy x</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo7xg7SGqVwsPFM7_M3BaFlKEGepvx-creR7uRBGpWcVrOCIZNVotk1uAJE3W0B4WrBUFLtOd-lbJHd3MLSarmOLFBxIEx9RiqQq095NOV-fGWisKHn4y3yQuLU_h2v55zA0Q_LieEcryw/s1600/P1011252.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo7xg7SGqVwsPFM7_M3BaFlKEGepvx-creR7uRBGpWcVrOCIZNVotk1uAJE3W0B4WrBUFLtOd-lbJHd3MLSarmOLFBxIEx9RiqQq095NOV-fGWisKHn4y3yQuLU_h2v55zA0Q_LieEcryw/s1600/P1011252.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I posted a picture on Instagram last week showing a Roman blind I made for my bathroom and it got a whole lotta love (likes)! I was very appreciative of this, as I always am but particularly this one as it has been something I have been very nervous about making. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">First of all I was tempted by the tutorial in 'The Great British Sewing Bee' book but it wanted you to put the channels for the dowels into the blind by sewing pin tucks into the lining. The maths worried me and I needed a super simple tutorial to start me off so, after a lot of time on Pintrest, I went for this one on the </span><a href="http://www.33shadesofgreen.com/2011/01/tutorial-how-to-sew-roman-shade.html" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;" target="_blank">33 Shades of Green Blog</a><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">This one suggested making separate pockets, that you stitch on afterwards, for the dowels and I thought this would take away the scary maths calculations. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I'm not sure I would do the pockets again, for various reasons. I'll get to that later... </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: xx-small;">If in doubt, stripe it out...</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">So I have the tutorial I want, I have the measurements, now for the fun part, choosing the fabric. I knew I wanted a stripe (I always want a stripe) and after a little nosey around old faithful, Dunelm, I decided on <a href="http://www.dunelm-mill.com/shop/bay-stripe-fabric-286707?cm_mmc=elp-_-Striped%20fabric-_-1-_-1" target="_blank">the one in the picture above.</a> At £11.99 per metre I was happy with the quality and the price. The total cost of this blind (with some old bits of wood from the garage for fixtures) came to around £40, which considering the cost of custom made Roman blinds I thought was pretty reasonable. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">So, on with the make. As usual I'm not going to do a step by step guide as the tutorial I have linked is great but I hope you will read this before you do it and learn from my mistakes.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu09pXL6dV7TxBUbKAQ6NxhSI_cFJgQ4EDFfz6OZPw7O0HEFv5gC1JEe9x2Q9JWtaxGs6W6tq6Ylw9zsEZQI051K8mPm0XFqZibtwfLXcV1Gy6jRJdOji7u8ZoMwvDmm5H9PZ-d1PFii_h/s1600/P1011172.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu09pXL6dV7TxBUbKAQ6NxhSI_cFJgQ4EDFfz6OZPw7O0HEFv5gC1JEe9x2Q9JWtaxGs6W6tq6Ylw9zsEZQI051K8mPm0XFqZibtwfLXcV1Gy6jRJdOji7u8ZoMwvDmm5H9PZ-d1PFii_h/s1600/P1011172.JPG" height="320" width="180" /></a><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">After measuring my fabric to the required </span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">length </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">the tutorial asks you to iron a </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">2 inch hem along the sides and bottom of </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">both the front (patterned) fabric and the lining...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">... what I particularly liked about this tutorial was these mitred corners. I had never seen this before and I'm not sure when else you could use this method and what for but look how neat and tidy these corners are! </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivBuriCo0L8QcIq2zRn7hepDAT8gK0xVdL7UCzTMDKpWLlBVVUgYxmO15z5n-v4WyWjq4K0NNhpujN7OBs26jWoTxCTn-TLCQk_Pthk_H6i93Esqanj2rV4wQRvjP3toaZyLWEshrBiI7q/s1600/P1011173.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivBuriCo0L8QcIq2zRn7hepDAT8gK0xVdL7UCzTMDKpWLlBVVUgYxmO15z5n-v4WyWjq4K0NNhpujN7OBs26jWoTxCTn-TLCQk_Pthk_H6i93Esqanj2rV4wQRvjP3toaZyLWEshrBiI7q/s1600/P1011173.JPG" height="179" width="320" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"> </span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Later on in the project you will use these tidy corners as little envelopes for a weighty piece of wood for the bottom of the blind. I didn't realise this until that point in the instructions and I'm not sure why, but I thought it was really neat! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Once you have ironed down 2 inch hems along the </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">sides and bottom of the two pieces of fabric </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">lay them on top of each other, wrong sides together.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Little tip here; lay them out and pin them. Corners first, then the middle of each side. Make sure you pull the lining fabric pretty taut. I think my lining was a little saggy. This wasn't really a problem but I think if the lining was tighter it would look more professional. Now, pin pin pin, and when you think you have pinned enough pin some more. I'm a lazy pinner and this was not a good trait to have on this project, I'll get to that in a little while. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Now you are at the point where you have to make long pockets for your dowels. There are some clever measurements that you need to follow for this part and the linked tutorial tells you all of that. But this is where I made some mistakes and after this I'm sure I would think again about whether to make the channels through the pin tuck method rather than these pockets. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The major issue with this method is the ability to stitch in a straight line. I thought I was pretty good at this but lazy pinitus got me again. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">So the pockets look all lovely and straight here but...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I didn't pin enough (again!!!!) and I went a bit skewiff :-(</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Now, this isn't the biggest problem for these blinds, as I do not intend to have them drawn and I only went wonky on the last pocket. As you have to stitch through both pieces of material you can see the top stitching on the front of the blind. Therefore, if you intend to draw the blinds, take my advice and pin pin and pin again so that your channels are super duper straight!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The tutorial gives you some suggestions about how to fit the blind to a baton. I didn't have a staple gun so I used drawing pins, not perfect but fine. It also suggests that you fit the blind to the baton above the window with Velcro but the blind was far too heavy so it ended up being drilled. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">So here it is in situ and as I said previously you can't see the wonky stitching when it is open but when it's closed it doesn't look so great. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Next time I would definitely go with the pintuck option. For 1. If my top stitching is poor it doesn't matter so much and 2. The maths isn't as scary now I look at it again. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I'm hoping to make another one of these blinds for the landing window in the near future. That window is much bigger than this one so I'm glad I had a practice run first. I'll no doubt blog about that project and hopefully you will see an improvement. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">All in all I am very happy with the finished result and I am glad that I took the plunge into the scary world of window dressing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Do it! I'm sure you'll be fine.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Amy x</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">A little black dress...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Hi guys! Just before I get started on this weeks post I just wanted to say, I know it's early days, but I'm really enjoying this new little hobby and thank you for all the lovely things you've been saying, it means a lot. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">So on with the post...</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Take one Delphine Skirt and one Pinafore dress...</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I've been after a little black pinafore dress for a while now but never got round to buying one. Then for Christmas one of my lovely auntie's bought me 'The Great British Sew Bee' 2nd book. I really loved the first one so I was eager to see what was going on in this one. I was instantly drawn to the guidelines on how to make a pinafore dress and couldn't wait to use the guide for my next make.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Just whilst I'm on the subject of this book I just wanted to say how great it is. I think the first one in the series presumed you had some basic sewing skills but this one, along with the great patterns, has a big old section on all the ins and out of sewing. I'm still fairly new to dress making, I had my first sewing machine only 2 years ago, and apart from one little lesson from a friend a while ago I am pretty much self taught. Therefore, I will always find books like this useful as I am still learning. So if you're just starting out or thinking about sewing I'd say put this book in your wish list, I think it would be a great help. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Anyway, the pattern asked for you to start by making up your favourite A-line mini skirt. No hesitation there, it had to be Tilly and the Buttons Delphine skirt. Just so you know I love love LOVE Tilly and the Buttons patterns!!! Not only are they super duper stylish, they are, by far, the clearest patterns I have come across. I made one a while ago and completely copied the way Tilly styled hers...</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: small;">Well, if it ain't broke don't fix it ay?!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"> Again, this book is brilliant for newbies (for the hints and tips) or the more experienced, just for the absolutely beautiful wears you could make. You must go and check out <a href="http://www.tillyandthebuttons.com/" target="_blank">Tilly and the Buttons</a> website. The blog posts are a great read and the step by step instructions she provides, for some of her other patterns, never fail to produce super neat, super cute items of clothing. I honestly love this site! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">So I chose a black denim look fabric that had a bit of stretch for the dress and on I went with the skirt. I particularly like the chunky waistband on this skirt and I think it works well with the bib of the pinafore because looks like a belt. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">In the Sewing Bee book it asks you to get to the point on your skirt before you attach the waistband and then attatch the bib of the pinafore but I just couldn't fathom how this would work. I dunno, maybe I was being silly but I just couldn't see it. So I fully completed the skirt then attached the bib... It also suggests you put two pieces of fabric together so you would have a seam up the front of the bib but I didn't have a seam up the front of the skirt so I thought it would look a little disjointed, so I just used one piece of fabric (measuring 12 x 14in)sewn with a 5/8in seam allowance. I then attached two cute anchor buttons, which you can't really see to clearly on the pictures. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-small;">Always have to have a bit of nautical(ness) involved!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The straps where measured at 6 x 14in each, which was a little long but easy to fix after your have put your buttons holes in. I really like how the straps cross over at the back. When you sew them at the back of the skirt put them at a bit of an angle so they follow how they will go over your back (does that make sense?!?) </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">So here is the finished article...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfHyeLYpwxAXJUnkcziyRpYpNwL0YyEkiA-eKioaPlDmiTBigongKJrKGqKaeDDYJFUZeIFd4Jp4EZbFOoQpVV8IKdNCDd68lFncqpF9FSoOE_vKsjgGQYDrMCr4nSwHDXGbT9BTxcm-ZV/s1600/P1011145.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfHyeLYpwxAXJUnkcziyRpYpNwL0YyEkiA-eKioaPlDmiTBigongKJrKGqKaeDDYJFUZeIFd4Jp4EZbFOoQpVV8IKdNCDd68lFncqpF9FSoOE_vKsjgGQYDrMCr4nSwHDXGbT9BTxcm-ZV/s1600/P1011145.JPG" height="640" width="360" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I love love love this dress! I wore it last night for my dad's birthday celebration and a stranger asked where she could get it from, result! (But my dad thought I was a waitress at one point, tut!)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I'm already planning on making a denim one, maybe even a light denim for the summer. This could be so versatile. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I love to see if any of you try out this little pattern hack. </span><br /></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Thanks for reading!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Amy x</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685040943590463299.post-24221345190220939052015-01-10T06:43:00.000-08:002015-01-10T06:43:05.443-08:00Kitchen Transformation<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b>The Heart of the home...</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">If you know me, or follow me on Instagram, you will know that over the past 18 months we have been ripping our house apart and putting it back together again. I am about to share my favourite part of the project and probably the biggest transformation of the whole house, the kitchen. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">When we first viewed the house I fell in love with it and one of the main reasons (other then the hallway, which I'll probably share with you when it's complete) was the kitchen. That last statement may surprise you when you see some of the before pictures...</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /><span style="font-size: small;">The kitchen was very small and hadn't had any work done to it in about 20 years but I could see huge potential. Throughout this whole renovation I've always been able to visualise the exact end result, something which my partner in crime struggles with. I can honestly say on the first viewing I could see how it would look today.</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">This picture of the dining room was taken on the day we moved in. This room had always been used as a living room by the previous owner but I've never lived with the lounge at the back of house and it wouldn't of made any sense with the plans I had in mind.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">So what happened first? We toyed with the idea of extending the kitchen out into the garden but a similar thing was done at my dad's house and the dining room became redundant so I really didn't feel it was necessary. I wanted to make sure we were using all of the space downstairs efficiently before we added any extra space and I think living with it how it was originally for 9 months, really helped us to visualise how we would use the space best. So... no walls were built but walls sure came down!!!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">When I look back at these particular pictures<br /> I can't believe how far we have come!!!</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieZ7LbLEDd5DbwZ7EcfA6zUz-XsodRRqn43XmZKN8iwqRhfBGrtKwbcvx4HeCvMZ6vnHRWoxyhF82M09wfRdZhmPkXSBKK6VrHjHP__anIUEuunuYi_IcEs6TFGBc3winqObRKfHtewNLJ/s1600/IMG_4887.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieZ7LbLEDd5DbwZ7EcfA6zUz-XsodRRqn43XmZKN8iwqRhfBGrtKwbcvx4HeCvMZ6vnHRWoxyhF82M09wfRdZhmPkXSBKK6VrHjHP__anIUEuunuYi_IcEs6TFGBc3winqObRKfHtewNLJ/s1600/IMG_4887.JPG" height="149" width="200" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCbDHqv_VOkLEO8yOnizQDJLiPXkN3__vYDGYJ1p7mStN0oLEtmBb8Btoz17EegLLRhajzJl_leuC5cdXCxXt_QOAxMpuHzs18PspHoDn3coObXcfD9t0jUBRyn6kKzQwcav45pQiVua8H/s1600/IMG_4904.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCbDHqv_VOkLEO8yOnizQDJLiPXkN3__vYDGYJ1p7mStN0oLEtmBb8Btoz17EegLLRhajzJl_leuC5cdXCxXt_QOAxMpuHzs18PspHoDn3coObXcfD9t0jUBRyn6kKzQwcav45pQiVua8H/s1600/IMG_4904.JPG" height="149" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">When that wall came down it just flooded the rooms with light. The house is south facing so we get sun on this part of the house all day long and I just love it!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">We worked really hard with the builder to make sure he understood what we wanted from the space... a nice big open plan space, a social space! We had new windows and french doors fitted. The doors open up into the garden and they are never closed during the warmer days.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja6aMsFv2iri-2FD2OjuHXr_8-WKSLtopkCTQzhCF-PeRUoxgyg2HazflPj0gD2FhbgMI9GqJeU8AW_E5s2EtduJ2yWCXcygSOlW0wlZ36h0Ax3q9h5N-v2wv6MAIRFMSANS6tV_Z-aLXo/s1600/IMG_5494.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja6aMsFv2iri-2FD2OjuHXr_8-WKSLtopkCTQzhCF-PeRUoxgyg2HazflPj0gD2FhbgMI9GqJeU8AW_E5s2EtduJ2yWCXcygSOlW0wlZ36h0Ax3q9h5N-v2wv6MAIRFMSANS6tV_Z-aLXo/s1600/IMG_5494.JPG" height="149" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRZsKoNDlODaeN3hr4yy6tKn48W9HjnDkJi0tSV5E4MwjapNEHas_686R3dn2pDLkzZaq6T7EnfyY8FPujg28FWYXbVtznqHp1dRMdGA7adpb1Li7JQZ1gD_ddGIxo6woMM0_cwN8IMn5z/s1600/IMG_5495.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRZsKoNDlODaeN3hr4yy6tKn48W9HjnDkJi0tSV5E4MwjapNEHas_686R3dn2pDLkzZaq6T7EnfyY8FPujg28FWYXbVtznqHp1dRMdGA7adpb1Li7JQZ1gD_ddGIxo6woMM0_cwN8IMn5z/s1600/IMG_5495.JPG" height="149" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Next came the units. Our builder advised us really well with regard to units and fixtures and we ended up with a kitchen from a company called <a href="http://www.fourseasonskitchens.co.uk/">Four Seasons</a>. The quality of the units are really great and I just love the colour. The builder tried to talk us out of a wooden worktop due to the maintenance they require but I wasn't having anything else and who minds oiling it every so often when it looks so beautiful. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">So here is the finished product....</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxaXNbxaodCzm1YbZyIn89CA69g0fadLfjfmS5zgoo8zaQYZQkEpr_UZFMaxyQfcLcfkqLrVeKQq9ezcTstd8NgT75Foi2qv4LPwEOooeVo0V3Vsh90tslcM5CxQ7fFGzFRqbp2G8qMzhq/s1600/P1011115.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxaXNbxaodCzm1YbZyIn89CA69g0fadLfjfmS5zgoo8zaQYZQkEpr_UZFMaxyQfcLcfkqLrVeKQq9ezcTstd8NgT75Foi2qv4LPwEOooeVo0V3Vsh90tslcM5CxQ7fFGzFRqbp2G8qMzhq/s1600/P1011115.JPG" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I love it so much!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">It really is a dream space and exactly what I thought we could achieve on that first viewing. It looks so much bigger then it was even though nothing has been extended. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I especially love the details that have been added afterwards, that was the fun part. Like the <a href="http://www.gardentrading.co.uk/lighting/all-indoor-lighting/paris-pendant-light-30cm.html#.VLEzWyusX4s" target="_blank">Garden Trading</a> pendant lighting above the breakfast bar. The dresser and the table (which I'll blog about in the future) tie the two rooms together so beautifully. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I also love this modern take on a Belfast sink...</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">I have a bit of an obsession with Emma Bridgewater, you may have noticed.</span> </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">We couldn't have a real Belfast sink due to the location of the dishwasher but I think this is a great alternative.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoMvZxEOc4q3D5tB-VIP-adRigAW2vHYSsLCs-wENcqN8AuJiTYboAQ3BUGwUJfb5Jz2BqyC9tYAm79QVBma_Qs2nehpEUMg_TgWhzs6W-TJFoP7hj56rfMabuwiqtkogXjI8IpDAXM6Rs/s1600/P1011118.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoMvZxEOc4q3D5tB-VIP-adRigAW2vHYSsLCs-wENcqN8AuJiTYboAQ3BUGwUJfb5Jz2BqyC9tYAm79QVBma_Qs2nehpEUMg_TgWhzs6W-TJFoP7hj56rfMabuwiqtkogXjI8IpDAXM6Rs/s1600/P1011118.JPG" height="320" width="179" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Oh and not forgetting my cute little pantry, which I had to work really hard at </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">saving, (the other half didn't have the vision for it) is </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">one of my favourite features of our 1920's house. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">So that's it, the heart of the home all done! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Sorry if that was a bit of a long post and you lost interest, but it one of our proudest achievements throughout the whole renovation as it is such a great space to use. We both love it to bits. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I hope you find some inspiration if you're about to tackle a kitchen refit, and I'm happy to answer any questions if you think I maybe able to advise you on your project.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Amy x </span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685040943590463299.post-4241612861431756922015-01-04T10:09:00.001-08:002015-01-04T10:09:58.600-08:00Marmalade and Whisky Bread and Butter Pudding <h3>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: small;">What to do with all these jars?...</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: small;">First of all, welcome to my first proper blog post. I decide to start with something simple and show you how I made this Bread and Butter pudding...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: xx-small;"> http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/251622/marmalade-and-whisky-bread-and-butter-pudding</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">So Christmas is over and if you're anything like me you are willing the first daffodils</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> to pop up out the ground... but whilst you're waiting, let's carry on eating some hearty grub and enjoy these cosy evenings just for a little while longer.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvxZBiqZMwCVnaJQJyQ_ksdhGHYsuBDP_4gFq8FpDeGfWxwtF-XvtF427TXw2hbZcMMtp24CMetVWVC1bL4VTxtewcvSPRD_Hnxs-oPfdlN5Ng14IFzY8GZ6oaBH7olv6XwNII8ZuSyYxv/s1600/P1011084.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvxZBiqZMwCVnaJQJyQ_ksdhGHYsuBDP_4gFq8FpDeGfWxwtF-XvtF427TXw2hbZcMMtp24CMetVWVC1bL4VTxtewcvSPRD_Hnxs-oPfdlN5Ng14IFzY8GZ6oaBH7olv6XwNII8ZuSyYxv/s1600/P1011084.JPG" height="180" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: small;">For some reason, this Christmas, lots of gifts that were given to us were chutneys, jams and other preserves. I do like a nice bit of preserve(!!), maybe I've mentioned it to a few people, I'm not sure... Anyway, we ended up with tons of marmalade!</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> I'm not the biggest fan of old marmalade but after a bit of searching on the net I decided to use the orange jam to help me make Marmalade and Whisky Bread and Butter Pudding. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: x-small;">I'm not going to do a step by step guide as I think the link above is best for that but here is how I got on.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"> Making little marmalade sandwiches <br />(SANS CRUSTS!)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Start by making little marmalade sandwiches with day old bread. Do try and use older bread as I used a mixture of new and old and I could tell a difference. The fresher bread was more stodgy in the finished product. Oh, and don't forget to cut off the crusts!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">The custard that the recipe asks you to make is so delicious and really simple, just stick it all in a bowl and mix. The marmalade I used already had whisky in and the recipe asks for 1 table spoon of whisky, I think you could probably but a little more in there then that, but I do like boozy puds. Next time I'd also think about using one of those honey whiskies, I think that would add an extra bit of sweetness.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">It's recommended that the dish is cooked for 45mins-1hr, I went for the whole hour as there was a lot of</span> <span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">custard in there and I wanted to make sure it was cooked through. When I bake this again I'd probably cook it for another 15 minutes. My dish was pretty deep and I think the custard could have thickened up even more. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">So what do I think of this recipe? So easy! Seriously easy. Also I think it could be quite adaptable, like the honey whisky I mentioned earlier, or add some extra dried fruit if you fancy. I think I would add an extra bit of caster sugar to the top of the pudding too, just to help it all caramelise. I will definitely be whipping this one up again before Spring arrives. Enjoy! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Amy x </span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685040943590463299.post-55365495680170126132015-01-01T10:27:00.002-08:002015-01-01T10:33:28.221-08:00New Year, New Thing...<h2><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 17px;">So I thought about it for a while and I've decided to give it a go. Let's see what all this blogging fuss is about. </span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">If you're reading this you've probably made your way here from Instagram. First up I LOVE INSTAGRAM! Since learning to sew, a couple of years ago, I have been using Instagram as a tool to share and gain ideas for all sorts of sewing projects and what a tool it is! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Anyway, through Instagram I've stumbled across lots of inspiring people in the sewing/crafting/interiors mini community that's going on over there and I though why not go a little bit further (like lots of other folk on there) and start documenting it here in this blog.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">So what can you expect? I'm hoping it's going to be a place where you might pick up some ideas for interiors or maybe feel like giving that sewing pattern a go or perhaps testing out a cake I've baked. Let's just see how it goes. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">So welcome to 'The Hearty Home', I hope you find something here that interests you. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Amy x</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1Birmingham Birmingham52.441339 -1.887927