Grace Kelly

I can't get enough of this woman; stunning, sophisticated, stylish. Grace Kelly is a design classic. 

I'm so excited about seeing some of her wardrobe at,

 'Grace Kelly: Style Icon' exhibition at the V&A.

17th April - 26th September 

Kettle Corn

It's SWEET, it's SALTY, it's.... AMAZING! 

Designer Pumpkins

How great would lots of these be for a Halloween window display. 

A Chanel pumpkin patch.

Pirate Boots

I can't help but find Vivienne Westwood's pirate boots slightly appealing. In the north pirate boots are abundant and have become the moniker of 'would be trendies' and 'try hards' who go to Vivienne Westwood in their droves to buy style (think David from last years Big Brother).

However the pirate boot is quintessentially classic. Westwood has been making them forever under the Gold Label and they are kind of perfect; they go with dresses, shorts, skirts, look fine when they've been worn to death, are super comfy (or so i've been told, most Vivienne Westwood footwear is) and can be worn all year round.

I don't know, now I no longer live in the north I think it would be okay for me to own a pair but NEVER admit to it when in mixed company. 

Scrabble

I'm going to have a little bit of a geek moment now... Scrabble HQ recently announced that proper nouns (places, peoples names, brands) would be acceptable in the game. They did it to get young people interested or something.
I am an absolute Scrabble geek. I play the game about once a week with my friend Greg, we have Spotify playlists for the occasion (that's dedication for you). I also play online, i'm locked in two games as i type...

I might just check on those....

Ok....

I'm back...

I try and have an open mind so yesterday I tried to play the game only using proper nouns, I was intrigued. Long story made as short as the game was, it really didn't work. It's too ambiguous what can and can't be used in a world with so many names and variations of name spellings etc; i have a cousin called Norzika, is that allowed even though it was made up by her parents?
So if you like Scrabble try the new way, realise it doesn't work and go back to the old way.

 It's for the best! 

Cheese Souffle

This was the first souffle I ever made and the first souffle I ever tasted. Since I have become big fan. This  recipe is really easy to follow and produces tasty results.

Ingredients:
2 tbsp butter 
1 1/2 tbsp plain flour
6 eggs (separated into 4 yolks and 6 whites)
200ml milk 
170g grated gruyere or any cheese will do. 
50g finely grated parmesan
2 tbsp dijon mustard
salt

Get lots of bowls out before you start, you'll need them!!!

Method:

•  Pre-heat the oven to 190C. Butter a large (1.8l) ovenproof souffle dish and dust with flour
•  Separate the eggs; whites into a large bowl, yolks into small one
• On a medium-high heat, melt the butter in a large saucepan; add the flour with either wooden fork or small whisk and blend, stirring all the time for two minutes so that the mix doesn’t form lumps. It should make an elastic goop.
• Add the milk and continue to stir or whisk for about four minutes until the mixture forms a dense creamy mass – the bechamel
• Using a flexible rubber spatula or baking spoon, fold the cheese-mustard mix into the egg whites (or vice versa, it really doesn’t matter). What does matter is that you fold, not beat or aggressively stir. It’s always much better to undermix, it's about putting air into the mixture.
• When the mixture is nicely married, pour into buttered, flour-dusted souffle dish. It should fill all but 1cm below the lip. With a knife cut a circle in the top of the mix – to create a crown – and sprinkle the finely grated parmesan.

Do not leave to stand before cooking, you'll lose air and it won't rise as much!!!

• Set the souffle dish in the oven and turn the heat down immediately to 175C
• Bake for 25 minutes. Test doneness with a clean knife. It won’t collapse. If skewer comes away cleanly and, depending on whether you want a runny centre or a drier souffle, stop right there or cook for another four minutes.

Best served with a mixed leaf salad.

Wedding Dresses

I'd like to get married in one of these dresses... Maybe I will have to get married 3 times so I can wear them all. I know it sounds crazy to talk about it but I know we all think about it!

This Dress is probably my favorite, Grace Kelly looks stunning. Her waist looks tiny due to the voluminous skirt, tight waist and fitted lace top. 

Loved this vintage lace gown I saw in a boutique in Brighton. This picture does the dress little justice, it was covered in applique flowers and was tiered- Unfortunately I don't have a picture of the whole dress. Very few dresses have these little turned up cap sleeves and covered buttons up the front. This is the perfect dress for a summer wedding.

The way the charmeuse silk moves on this Bottega Veneta dress is beautiful. I love the way the fabric billows.

Latch Hook Rugs

My Grandma has been making rugs for years! Labour intensive but really satisfying, making rugs takes a while (as long as you want it to) but ultimately you end up with an item you'll have for years or a great gift.

What you need:
A latch hook
Wool pieces (5cm long+)
Grid frame

My Grandma showing me the steps

Sweet Potato Muffins