May.

Hello May.

Ten lovely things.

The quiet edit.
1. A beautiful bedroom.
2. Mikanu, a lovely on-line discovery shared by Milk.
3. The colours and those collars.
4. My Etsy find of the week. Artist Rachel Card.
5. I have this thing with really really pretty ribbons.
6. I have this thing with really really lovely cups.
7. My artist crush of the week. Mackenzie Palma.
8. Just talking to my plants and waiting for the sunshine.
9. *rushes out to buy all the café au lait dahlia's she can find*
& oh hello rhubarb, it's so lovely to have you back.

Have a happy day.

April.

Hello April.

Ten lovely things.

The Easter edit.

1. Chocolate hot cross buns. The best of Easter all in one bun.

2. This is all of us after eating all those chocolate hot cross buns.

3. Do chairs get much cuter than these?

4. So much 🖤for this.

5. If chocolate eggs aren't your thing, how about these marble and gold ones.

6. *swoon*.

7. So much 🖤for this.

8. Wise words for the week. Be a good one.

9. When flower seeds come in really pretty packets, and you want one of everything.

& possibly the prettiest pastel easter cakes *rushes off to try and recreate them*.

Have a happy day.

A spring to-do list.

1  2  3

    4  5

6      7

Ten things you could do this spring.

    make, and then feast, on hot cross buns.

    fill the house with jam jars filled with daffodils.

    wander along the Blossom Trail.

    spring clean the greenhouse and plant seeds for summer blooms.

    read 'The language of Flowers' by Vanessa Diffenbaugh.

    visit and explore somewhere new.

    weave a spring wreath from all the lovely seasonal flowers.

    spend time with people that make you feel happy. 

    watch On Chesil Beach.

    sit in the spring sunshine, drink tea, and just be.

    

 What things do you love to do in spring?

Have a happy day.

Ten lovely things.

The 'signs of spring' edit.

1. Birds busy building nests.

2. Giving the house a spring clean.

3. Pulling out your spring wardrobe.

4. Buying all the spring flowers.

5. Wondering about/planning trips to take.

6. Have I mentioned all the spring flowers?

7. Weekends spent wandering on woodland walks.

8. Dreaming of blossom and birkenstocks.

9. Planting seeds for summer blooms.

& enjoying the first of the year's rhubarb. All be it on a comforting bowl of porridge, because it is still so fricking cold!

Have a happy day.

Hello spring.

No matter how long the winter

spring is sure to follow.

Ten lovely things.

1. Weekend goals right here.

2. So many lovely ceramics from Susan Simonini. But these bunnies stole my heart 🖤

3. So many lovely dresses from Popelin. But it's this dress I want in my size!

4. Who's in need of a floral pick me up?

5. And a little more floral loveliness.

6. Etsy find of the week. Concrete Alphabet. One of these in every size please?

7. The loveliest lithographs by Pamela Grace.

8. So believe you're something special.

9. The wonderful whimsical work of Julie Arkell 🖤

& wondering if it's too early to 'practice' baking these for Easter?

Have a happy day.

Ten lovely things.

The snow-day edit

1. '. . . there is really no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather.'

    John Ruskin. Beautiful image by Circle of Pines.

2. Running wild and dreaming free. 

    Our Free Tribe, reconnecting children with nature through visual storytelling.

3. A snowy city, beautifully illustrated by the O'Hara sisters.

4. A snowy city, captured by Melanee Kate Thomas for Junior Style.

5. Read about the folklore of snowdrops on Creative Countryside.

6. Knitting and crochet inspiration from tipsy tessie. *pops onto my to-knit list*

7. A compendium of inspiration from Sibella Court. *pops onto my to-read list*

8. Support your sisters. Loving Holly&Co's fabulous new theme for March.

9. The sweetest snow scene from Jam and Ginger.

& lets just stay inside and perfect our pastry skills by baking these comforting Danish Pastries.

Stay cosy and have a happy day.

March.

Hello March.

A seasonal shift.

'Winter teetered on the verge of succumbing to the returning sun,

but today the breeze still preferred the touch of snowflakes'

 from left to right and top to bottom

1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6 // 7 // 8

Never has an Instagram hashtag been more appropriate than #aseasonalshift is at the moment. Behind the clouds the sky is a bright blue, the clouds dotted here and there with pockets of silver grey, from which the snow is falling, slowly, gently, and appropriately, onto the snowdrops and crocus that have just begun to show. I'm still sitting huddled in layers of knits, hands wrapped around comforting mugs of hot chocolate, yet keeping me company as I work are daffodils, just beginning to open, and I'm wondering how I'll enjoy the first of this year's rhubarb. If the snow continues, the rhubarb might be baked slowly under an indulgent coating of crumble, eaten with an equally indulgent topping of custard, whilst reading the seed catalogues which have just popped through the door.

'I hear the sounds of melting snow outside my window every night

and with the first faint scent of spring, I remember, life exists'

Whilst it may be easy to wish winter away, I'm enjoying this mingling of seasons; in some ways it feels we have the best of both. The lingering cold and light snow make for the perfect winter walk, yet also give the perfect excuse for cosying up at home still. And those first signs of spring encourage the making of plans; for the garden, for the home, for all the months ahead.

'Because it's still winter' shopping

// Flint Gotland Wool Blanket, from the future kept

// Daydreamer Soy Candle, from the future kept

// Jasmine Scarf, from Purl Soho

// Fingerless Gloves, from Laurimuks

'Because it's nearly spring' shopping

// Copper plated gardening tools, from Cox & Cox

// Gardenista, by Michelle Slatalla

// Green cardoc twine, from Petersham Nurseries

// Amber blown vase, from The Forest & Co.

Have a happy day.

{ happy friday }

{ 1 } 'And I would have the fairies lead the children to feel the beauty of the flowers'. MG Hill.

{ 2 } Pinterest pick of the week. The sweetest playhouse.

{ 3 } This reminds me of me as a child, sitting reading, and my sister, whispering, 'come play'.

{ 4 } Happy Birthday to The People Shop.  Celebrating this weekend with cake, drinks, and tunes.

{ 5 } Every dad deserves a 'Best Dad' trophy, particularly one as lovely as these from RE.

{ 6 } Celebrate the sunshine by being silly with some homemade bubbles.

{ 7 } Etsy find of the week. Reker Drees Design.  Beautiful botanical drawings.

{ 8 } Every moment matters. After events this week this is especially true. You can donate here.

{ 9 } The most beautiful paintings emulating the loveliness of embroidery. By Kirstin Lamb.

{ + } It's apricot season. Which means it's also Apricot Shortcake season. Obviously!

{ have a happy day }

{ happy friday }

{ 1 } Cute little Clover bunny with her pink cheeks embroidered so beautifully by Posy+Petal.

{ 2 } So many things about this room I'd like to borrow for my room.

{ 3 } So many things from this collection by So Sense I'd like in my size.

{ 4 } Oh, and ditto this collection by Annice.

{ 5 } Is Peggy Porschen's the prettiest, and the pinkest, bakery in London?

{ 6 } Strawberry picking plans on hold due to weather.  Consoling myself with this sweet print.

{ 7 } How much do I think I'd like The Old Haberdashery?  Quite a lot I think.

{ 8 } Thought for today. Just be kind.

{ 9 } How much do I love this dreamy botanical print by Danse De Lune?  Quite a lot I think.

{ + } Weekend baking goals; gluten, dairy, egg, and sugar free Beetroot & Chocolate Cake.

{ have a happy day }

{ happy friday }

{ 1 } Etsy find of the week.  Snowdon Prints.  Loving her latest botanical print. 

{ 2 } Gorgeous on-trend volume sleeve blouse that begs the question 'Does it come in my size?'

{ 3 } Perfect for Summer layering, in the prettiest shade of Rhubarb Juice ♥︎

{ 4 } A little in love with everything Désuet, an on-line vintage store you'll lose yourself for hours in.

{ 5 } A lovely review of Anita Brookner's Hotel du Lac on Toast *pops on To-Read list*

{ 6 } And a lovely chair for curling up and reading away the day, from Rockett St George.

{ 7 } A look behind the scenes of taking that perfect IG shot, with The Bookish Baker.

{ 8 } Kindness is the noblest of weapons to conquer with ♥︎

{ 9 } A lovely review of The Pig Hotel from Wuthering Bites *pops on To-Visit list*

{ + } Celebrate strawberry season with The Kitchen McCabe's Lilac Scented Strawberry Shortcake.

{ have a happy day }

{ hello June }

. hello june .

{ have a happy day }

{ my may }

Reading back over my goodbye April post, it feels my thoughts on June might have been somewhat prophetic.  My diary stayed quite quiet, and the month did indeed lead to much knitting, reading, and gardening.  This month I proved myself very much a homebody, in fact if you took a look at my IG feed, I look as if I've barely left the house.  

{ knitting }

So my promise to share a little more of my knitting on the blog this month didn't quite happen, though I did share a little look at the mood board I've been putting together, and some of the very very lovely yarn I've been ordering.  Some sneaky doubts have crept into my mind this month, and although plenty of knitting has got done, it doesn't feel it's got me to the point I'd hoped to be at.  And with the distraction of a little paid work I've found myself procrastinating over the To-Do list I'd set myself this month.  But writing this, and looking back on that mood board, has given me the impetus to re-focus a little, remember the simplicity of those images I pinned, and remember the excitement I felt when I decided to start knitting again.

Oh, and I promise to share a little more in a post or two next month, starting with the finished blanket you can see partly knitted above.

{ baking }

The beginning of the month did see me venture away from home, for a little clandestine cake eating. A small group of bakers gathered to say a belated Happy Birthday to the Queen, with a Best of British theme.  A wonderfully classic Victoria Sandwich was joined by an equally classic Parkin, and I made the Queen's favourite chocolate biscuit cake, adorned with a very chocolately Union Jack. Another lovely Clandestine Cake Club event full of coffee, cake and chit chat.

I had been dreaming of another British classic, Madeira Cake, when as luck would have it { thank you Cake Gods } a recipe from Donna Hay popped up, and it just seemed rude not to.  This is a super easy cake to make, but I do have mixed feelings about it.  On the one hand it is just so lovely, light, tasty, and my addition of a yogurt drizzle added a wonderful fresh tanginess to it.  But, I'm not sure I'd call it a Madeira Cake as I know a Madeira Cake.  Which, now I think about it, gives me the perfect excuse to make a classic Madeira Cake.

And speaking of perfect excuses, Real Bread Week gave me a whole week of reasons to bake bread, but the highlight was definitely this Fig & Walnut Loaf, which was devoured enjoyed for breakfast topped with ricotta, pear, pecans and honey.

{ reading }

I think I could sum up May as a month of quietly sitting reading, or as the pictures above show, quietly sitting reading and eating. Three Agatha Christie's have been enjoyed this month, The Secret of Chimney's, the incredibly clever Murder of Roger Ackroyd, and the slightly silly, though not intentionally so, The Big Four. The interesting thing about reading these in the order that she wrote them, is you can see that The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, lauded as her best work, was then followed up by a 'less than best' Big Four, which though enjoyable, is best described by this review on Goodreads;

" Once upon a time, Agatha Christie stayed up way too late, drank her way through three bottles of Chardonnay and watched a Sean Connery James Bond film.  As she was going to bed, some time about 3am, her eyes rested for a moment on her typewriter.  I would not be in the least surprised if that was all she remember about this book.  For shame, Agatha.  This is exactly the same reason I'm not allowed whisky and Twitter on the same evening any more. " Fiona 

In addition Ms Christie, I read Raffaella Barker's From a Distance, a story which moves between Post-War Cornwall, and present day Norfolk, revealing family secrets which knit together the two strands.  Rather like The Muse, the second novel from Jessie Burton, which tells the story of a painting through the eyes of Odelle, an immigrant living in London in 1967, and through Olive Schloss, living in Italy in 1936.  This was also the first book read by The Little Book Club, a newly formed book club in Harborne, and another of my few ventures out of the house this month.  I've been wanting to join a book club for a long time, but have felt intimidated by the larger, more established groups in Birmingham.  To be able to join one from the start, with such a lovely group of people was a Saturday morning well spent, and I'm already looking forward to reading our next book, The Little Paris Bookshop, before meeting to mull over our thoughts and feelings once more.

{ foraging }

May has been a month of flowers, admiring the gardens at the Chelsea Flower Show, all be it from afar, and watching my IG feed fill up with the most fabulous flora and fauna. A little foraging of my own has allowed me to fill up my window sills with May posies, dotted all around the house. Outside the pots have been tidied and planted and are coming into bloom. Elsewhere in the garden wild flowers are proving a haven for the bees, or so I tell myself, and that will continue to be my excuse reasoning, until I can find the time to tidy up a little more.

And so tomorrow will be June, bringing with it the first of the Summer Markets, a second Book Club, and at the end of the month, just after we say hello to Summer, another cake club, in a city centre Secret Garden, of which I'm a little excited about.

{ have a happy last day of May }

{ edible blooms }

1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5

I'm doing my best to ignore the rain falling outside and instead surrounding myself with as much flora and fauna as I can.  Vases of flowers sit in front of me as I type, and I'm drinking a wonderful fruity infusion, brewed with elderflower and hibiscus.  I wish I could also say that I had spent the day baking elderflower and honey cake, and crystallising petals to adorn rose scented shortbread, but sadly, that isn't the case.  But the next best thing, or so I am telling myself, to actually baking said floral cake, is compiling a lovely mood board of floral bakes to inspire you all.

And there's no shortage of inspiration out there.  I've found the prettiest guides to which florals are safely edible, here and here, and everything from the simplest floral ice cubes, to the prettiest floral popsicles, recipes for homemade elderflower cordial, and a very pretty in pink rose and earl grey latte, but I couldn't resist sharing the gorgeous baking recipes I'd found.  Almost too pretty to eat, but thankfully also far too yummy too resist.

For lots more edible floral inspiration, take a look at my Pinterest board { edible . flowers }.

{ have a happy day }

{ happy friday }

{ 1 } Such cuteness all in white.

{ 2 } Such loveliness By Niné.
{ 3 } Happy Garden.  Delightful flowers by delighted patterns.
{ 4 } Happy shoes.  Cute flower shoes by AMuse Leather Co.
{ 5 } Etsy find of the week.  May Contain Glitter.  The loveliest paper blooms.
{ 6 } Happy journal. And a lovely, happy quote too.
{ 7 } "Gardens are not made by singing 'oh how beautiful' and sitting in the shade"
        Sadly you are correct Rudyard Kipling, but oh how lovely if they were?
{ 8 } Note to self.  Make the most of all this lovely sunshine.
{ 9 } The loveliest image for last weekend's hashtag project #whpreflections.
{ + } The prettiest flowerfetti cake.
        The perfect treat whilst watching the highlights from this weeks Chelsea Flower Show.

{ have a happy day }

{ Bloom & Grow }

dress // wallpaper // print // dress // quote

This year's RHS Chelsea Flower Show open's tomorrow, and once again I will feel that dull ache of regret, of once again not having bought tickets.  Thankfully the coverage on tv, and undoubtedly on Instagram will provide oodles of floral inspiration.  In the meantime I'm creating a little floral inspiration of my own with a Monday moodboard, before popping out to buy armfuls of flowers to make me feel a little less regretful.

{ have a Blooming day }

{ happy friday }

{ 1 } Dolls with their own dolls are just the most darling.

{ 2 } Rabbits & Racoons.

{ 3 } 'Dancing is like dreaming for your feet'.

{ 4 } Poplin. And a collection inspired by Degas and dance.

{ 5 } Oh. But to be little again ♥︎

{ 6 } Etsy find of the week. ebenotti. Pretty pots for pretty plants.

{ 7 } So I may be a little too old for the pram. But these look just my size.

{ 8 } Sunshine on my mind.  So that's where it's disappeared to?

{ 9 } The first meeting of The Little Book Club happens tomorrow #brunchandbooks

{ + } A rainy day calls for cookies.  And chocolate.  Or just chocolate cookies.

{ have a happy day }