Flying the nest.

Today has felt like a huge milestone in our lives. The first of my children has left home. Ben has moved out to share a flat in London with three of his friends from University. It is a wonderful and exciting time for him. Even though they've all lived away at various times, this somehow feels different. His room is empty and all his things are gone. The journey through life that we have with our children is full of ups and downs, happy times and sad times but ultimately you hope you do a good job and they can go off and make their way in the world as confident, independent and happy adults.

This is me 26 years ago (younger than Ben is today!) decorating what was to be a nursery, when Ben was a barely visible bump!

They start out as this tiny new person
.

They grow up and become fun companions.


Somone to laugh and joke about with.

You send them out to school, into the big wide world... their early steps in independence! Difficult as many of you have found this week.

And before you know it they've grown up and made you immensely proud.

Ben seemed to go off today a confident, independent and happy adult.

It's just me that feels a bit sad!

So this afternoon I've sat on the Sofa and watched the 1959 film "Our Man in Havana" which made me laugh, and finished off a few more of these characters.

They have yet to be named, and I'm a bit concerned about this last one's feet (not to mention his eyes) but it's kept me occupied.

And if I still feel sad this evening there is always the ultimate comfort food... bread and butter pudding! This one made was with a left over Panatonne.

I've just realised that I need to change my profile... as I only live with five men now!!!

More books!

I love my postcard book from Little Paper Bird so much that curiosity started to get the better of me. I looked a little closer and started to unfold the pages to see how they were made. Then I thought about Sarah's comment that I should try some book making and that was it - I was away....


I found a sheet of beautiful marbled paper that we'd brought back from Florence... and not being one to mess about with a rough model first... I cut it up and started folding!

And a few hours later I had my own little postcard book!

I didn't quite get my measurements right so a standard postcard is a little too big to fit in the pages.

And my folding isn't anything like as neat and accurate as Sarah's.

But I was really pleased with my little book and now I want to make more!

This isn't my first attempt at book making and I've made quite a few small books following a brilliant weekend course a couple of years ago with Heather Power, who is primarily a printmaker but makes books too. These two are about 4 x 6 cm each.

And this one is about 9 cm square.

Did I mention that I love books?

I Love Books

I love all sorts of books.

I love to read cook books and imagine all manner of feasts we might eat.

I love children's picture books with their bold and bright illustrations. I still have a large collection from when the boys were small.

Old favourites.

I love travel books with their promise of exotic places to visit.

And old books with their musty smell and yellowing pages.

I'm a recent convert to Persephone books with their elegant exterior, beautiful end papers and wonderful stories within.

But most of all I can't resist blank sketchbooks and I have far more of these than I will ever fill. There is something about the empty pages waiting to be coloured in or written on that pulls me in every time.

So when I discovered Little Paper Bird I knew resistance was futile! Today I became the owner of this gorgeous little postcard book. It has a subtle printed cover.

And inside there are magically folded pages that hold postcard sized bits of paper in which I can put postcards or paintings or both.

I love my new book!

Another irresistible book was this small sketchbook with a gold leather cover and recycled paper pages which came from the Klimt exhibition. Jude and I were very restrained in the Tate shop and had limited ourselves to pack of postcards each... then I spotted this little book.

I feigned resistance... I couldn't possibly justify another blank book. Jude suggested I could embroider a cover for it inspired by Klimt. She picked one up too... perhaps she could embroider a Klimt style cover. Then I suggested we could both embroider covers and then exchange them as Christmas* presents. And so the gauntlet was thrown and we had ourselves a little challenge... and the perfect excuse to buy another blank book. Come back in four months and you might see the results!

* Apologies for using the C word in September!

Season of Mists

Walking with the dog this morning I was met with mist and damp - a sure sign that Autumn is on its way. But I don't mind - I like autumn. There's none of the disappointment we get with a British summer - full of promise that never quite fulfils. Instead we know it will be misty, the leaves will turn to beautiful colours, the hedgerows will be full of fruits, there will will be bonfires - it is truely a "Season of Mists and Mellow Fruitfulness." I can even put up with the spiders... almost!

(Picture from Google - I didn't have the camera with me this morning!)

And so with the feeling that autumn was on its way I took to the kitchen today to make an autumnal meal. Slow braised pork with fennel and shallots. The photograph does not make this look good but it smelled divine - almost good enough to make me eat meat!

But I don't, so Sam and I had a tart with red onions, butternut squash and tomatoes.

And we finished off with a seasonal apple and blackberry crumble with thick cream! I don't miss summer and salads!

Perhaps that is why when I did some embroidery on this felt made with my stash bag from Helen Suzanne...

Although it was meant to be a hot summer scene - the colours seem quite Autumnal!

Tomatoes or cookies?

This year I thought I would try growing plum tomatoes for a change. It has not exactly been a bumper crop. In fact so far this is it...

But I did think I might at least make a small salad to accompany my lunch. Turned my back for two minutes and some litle b****r has has eaten them!

Oh well... might as well have cookies instead. For years I tried various recipes for chocolate chip cookies but could never quite get that chewiness that makes a good cookie until I discovered these...

Chewy and chocolatey every time! Just in case you would like to try them:

Beat together 225g soft butter and 225g of soft brown sugar. Into this beat a round tablespoon of golden syrup, a teaspoon of vanilla essence and 1 large egg. Stir in 400g plain flour and 1 teaspoon of baking powder. Finally stir in 200g chopped chocolate (I used toblerone this time).

Put well spaced blobs (approx a heaped tablespoon) onto greased baking trays and bake for about 12-14 minutes at 170 deg C. This makes about 24 large cookies... if you want to make half the recipe (why?) just half all the ingredients and use just the egg yolk.

Other good things today - Jenny has sent me several old copies of Embroidery magazine as a thank you for sending her one of the dressing up outfits. I certainly didn't expect anything for being able to get rid of my old stuff but it was very much appreciated. They totally fascinating so thank you Jenny - it was really kind of you! ( There are still several outfits left so if you already have one but would like another... just say so!)

And also today, although I received these fabrics quite a few days ago, they were so beautifully packaged I haven't been able to bring myself to open them until this afternoon. The Paper Lace (cue song?) is so beautiful!

But then so are the fabrics! A lovely selection by Anna Maria Horner and Heather Bailey from Sew Love Fabrics. Now I've just got to decide what to do with them!

And then there were more

The next installment of my dressing up box give away - leave a comment if a small member of your family (or even a large member of your family) might like one of these and it will be first come first served (and that includes my prettiest blog reader too). Again all made by me and all freshly washed!

1. Zorro Cape

This is a semi circular cape (very dashing!) with the Zorro logo appliqued on the back. Mask, hat and sword never stood the test of time - well the sword was probably confiscated! I did say they were all freshly laundered but I never mentioned ironing....

2. Dracula Cape

Like the Zorro cape (not quite semi circular but still quite sweeping) but without the logo and with a red lining. Fangs not included!

3. Bee

This is really an over sized jumper made from stripey fun fur. Once upon a time it had net wings and a balaclava with antennae but they are sadly long gone. But I'm sure this has potential! One size fits all!

This is a "Ben Bee" looking for flowers!

4.Wizard

There are two of these. The one above has stencilled moons and stars and the one modelled below has appliqued decorations which are starting to fall off and look a bit tired if I'm being honest. But in the right hands that could be fixed! Both come with battered wizard hats.

5. Daredevil

Had you fooled there...

Okay... I didn't quite manage the skin tight PVC effect modelled by Ben Affleck but Jacob rather liked his Daredevil costume!

And I was rather pleased with the mask which is now a bit tight on Jacob but he very gamely modelled!

This will probably fit a 7-8 year old or bigger but the arms and legs could be easily shortened.

And that's all folks... well it's not actually but it's the end of the giveaway because I can see this getting a bit tedious for all concerned!