February Newsletter...

Hello dear friends.
I am just making the finishing touches on this months newsletter, and for those of you who have subscribed it shall be in your mail boxes tomorrow evening (fingers crossed).
If you'd like to receive one too please complete the box over on the right hand column and I will make sure you are on the list to get one.
Have a great day... I am out tonight with some very lovely ladies... tapas and plenty of wine.  I cannot wait.
x

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Nature in the home... a series

Good morning.

The sun is actually shining here today, and my mood is lifting.. it doesn't fail to surprise me how my mood is effected by the weather.  

I am really feeling I want to start a spring clean... give new energy to some of my rooms. Shake it up a bit.

Do you ever feel like that?

I feel like pulling everything off the shelves, moving things around and discovering new arrangements and precious things.  Importantly to love what I have and not to buy anything.

I think I have spoken before about my love for the blog LeDansla.  Stunning photography, interiors styling and home, it is dreamy.  This image above just shows the simplicity of form and a muted colour pallet can just look so wonderful. I love the architectural shape of the branches and the Eucalyptus stems.

So... taking inspiration from this wonderful French blog - I am going to have a little play at home today.

Have a lovely Wednesday!

x

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Kitchen shelves...

Hello dear friends!

Brrr it's a cold wet day here... wind and rain are hammering against my window.  I am not looking forward to picking the boys up from school in a moment.  Not fun.

This weekend Dan and I re-tiled our kitchen.  We had white metro tiles there already from when we renovated it 5 years ago.  But stupidly we used a white grout and over time it had become stained and grimy.   So on Sunday, whilst my parents had the boys, we added 3 more rows of metro tiles, took out the old grout and re-grouted using a charcoal colour.  It looks lovely!  I promise to show you a picture once we've finished it.

My mind has now wandered on to shelves.  We did have shelves originally there, but now we've tiled higher, the brackets and shelves are too high for me to reach - yes I am vertically challenged!

I love the shelves in these two images.  Just simple lengths of plain wood.  Dan has an idea of using some thick ply wood and making an L shape, a back on the wall and a shelf.  I think it might look great.

What do you think?

More images of kitchen inspiration over here.

x

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4/52...

A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2013

Charlie: My boy you have grown! Now 7 years old, and learning the guitar.  I want to hold on to these years and not let them go.

Rufus: Any chance to make someone laugh he will be there. My funny face.

It feels like Charlie has grown overnight.  His young years are slipping from my fingers and I desperately want to cling hold to them.  But at the back of my mind there is a voice saying 'cut the apron strings a little mama, let him fly'.  But it is so hard.

This week Rufus told me he wanted to sit next to Amelie at school lunch time, 'But, she is NOT my girlfriend!'. (He has never mentioned her before, it's like he's just noticed this pretty little girl). 

Playing along with Jodi and the 52 portraits.

x

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House love...

Sometimes you can stumble across a blog and you know instantly that you love it and will ALWAYS follow it... well for me, Sandra Juto's blog is one of those blogs.  I first came across it two years ago.

Sandra lives in Berlin and loves to document her day through images of cups of coffee, food she eats and her busy life in this stunning city.

Her photography is mind blowingly awesome.  She is also a talented illustrator and is a whizz with a crochet hook too - her wrist worms are a must in the cold winters we are having.

Anyway.. earlier this week I was wandering through the interviews on another favourite of mine Freunde von Freunden when I discovered Sandra's own interview and house tour.

Lovely isn't it?

That bare plaster wall is rather brave, but really works with their artwork and collections.  It's certainly a beautiful and unique apartment.  It just goes to show, that you don't have to have a sparkling newly decorated home, it's how you display your beloved things and how you live there makes the space.

Please read Sandra's interview over here.

x

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Warming breakfasts...

image and recipe via Joy the Baker

With Pancake day coming up in a couple of weeks (Tuesday 12th February), I am thinking of trying something a little different to the usual lemon and a sprinkle of sugar.

Recently I have been looking on-line for pancake day recipes for some inspiration.  As a family we tend to have pancakes for breakfast at the weekend - a nice leisurely Saturday morning.  My boys will spread a thick layer of Nutella on their pancake and then roll it up to eat with their hands.  Sticky and chocolatey just how they like it.  That is ok for them, but I'm looking for something a little more special, and healthier!

I've come across some great recipes like this one:

Lemon Poppy Seed Pancakes - (makes a lot of pancakes.  enough for four.  about 24 small pancakes)

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 tablespoons fresh lemon zest

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups buttermilk

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

2 tablespoons poppy seeds

butter, shortening, or vegetable oil for frying

maple syrup for serving

In a small bowl combine granulated sugar and lemon zest.  Rub together with your fingers until sugar is fragrant.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Stir in the lemon sugar.  Set aside.

In a separate bowl (or you can use a large liquid measuring cup), whisk together buttermilk, eggs, vanilla extract, lemon juice, and melted butter.  Pour the wet ingredients all at once into the dry ingredients.  Add the poppy seeds and stir to combine.  If a few lumps remain, that’s no problem.  Let the batter rest for 10 minutes while the griddle heats.

Place a griddle, or a nonstick saute pan over medium heat.  Add a bit of butter, shortening, or vegetable oil to the pan.  A teaspoon of fat will do for a n0nstick saute pan, a bit more fat may be necessary for a griddle.  Dollop batter onto hot pan.  For small pancakes, I use about 2 tablespoons for each pancake.  For larger pancakes, I use about 1/4 cup of batter.  Cook until golden brown on the bottom and and bubbling on top.  Flip once and cook until golden brown on each side.

Place cooked pancakes on an oven-proof plate and place in a warm (about 150 degrees F) oven until all pancakes are cooked and ready to serve.  Serve with

butter and warm maple syrup.

Doesn't that sound wonderful!  Although I may replace the buttermilk for soya and fry in a small amount of olive oil.  If you don't like the sound of this just a plain one will do.  For information on how to make pancakes there are some great tutorials out there too.

Yum - roll on the weekend!

x

this is a sponsored post.

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Nature in the home - a series..

Gosh these weeks are zipping past so fast, does anyone else feel it?.  It's Wednesday again and time for another post in this series, where do the weeks go?!

I love this image.  The white metro tiles and the emerald green Tolix chairs are so beautiful and fresh, almost minty.

On top of the worn wooden table sits a simple glass jar containing an arrangement of leafy foliage and the odd bloom.  The colours of which just highlight the room in which it sits.  Beautiful.

More images of this wonderful cafe in Melbourne over here.

x

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Etsy love...

StudioRobinPie... $79.00	bperrino $145.00	tastesorangey $45.00	antiqueprintst... $25.00	amyawalters $20.00
bubbo $5.00	Hellomarine $14.00	GiftShopBrookl... $62.00	nativebear $10.00	LilBostonPrint... $18.00
backroad $50.00	ellolovey $19.00	BranchandOlive $4.75	theblackbirdsi... $35.00	BoxyJewellery $35.00

The snow is slowly melting here lovely friends.  Outside there is a steady drip, drip as the snow is defrosting from the roof.

I have a poorly Rufus home with me at the moment.  He is currently snuggled under a blanket on the sofa, eating an apple, wearing his fluffy bear slippers.  During the day he is ok, it's the night when his temperature rages, and he talks non-sense.  It's is so sad seeing him feeling unwell.  I hope this bug doesn't go to his ears again.. it always does.  Ah well... a few days of cuddles and drawing will see him right.

So whilst, he was watching a Ninjago Lego Dvd, I had a chance to make a little treasury of pretties for you.  If you click on each image above it should take you to the Etsy shop. A little monochrome treasury of  loveliness.

Have a great day!

x 

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7

My boy turned 7 today.

7 years of being a parent, a mama to this wonderful, thoughtful, kind and sensitive soul.

He asked for a climbing party with his bestest friends.

Undercover Rock is such a cool place to experience rock climbing, inside an old church spire.

The boys walked in with mouths agap.  Led Zeppelin was blaring and the place was buzzing with adrenalin, jam packed with people climbing the rafters.  After a de-briefing they were led through the building to the training walls where they were soon helping each other to climb up to the roof.

After an hour or so of climbing they sat and wolfed down a party tea - finished off with a Ninja cake (decorated by Nana - thanks Mum!).

x

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3/52

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2013."

Charlie: Turned 7 today.  Loves Lego, life and learning.  My little big boy. Happy Birthday darling.

Rufus: Wrote a perfect sentence in school 'In the snow I will meke a snow lion' - and he did.  Sitting here so proud.

A whirlwind of a week, such contrast in these two images to last weeks, when it was full winter sunshine.  Since then we have had snow, and a 7th Birthday Party - Rock climbing.  Playing along with the 52 project.  

x

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Total white out...

This morning our wishes were answered.
Bristol was covered in a thick blanket of crisp white snow.  The kinda snow that crunches under foot, makes great snowmen, snow that you want to roll around in!  Yes, we did it all.

Once we heard school was closed for the day, we quickly threw on every warm layer we had ready for an Arctic adventure.  Finally, when we had wrestled our boots on over too many pairs of socks, Dan and I pulled the boys on their sledges to the local park.  Snow was so thick we could sledge the entire way there, down the paths, through the snow covered streets, across roads - all around us we saw other families trudging to the park with the obligatory red plastic sledge in tow.

The excitement was contagious.

There were flung ourselves down short, steep slopes, built snow castles and a snow Aslan.  Played angels in the snow and had a wild time with friends.

Soon fingers turned blue so off to the local cafe for hot chocolate and hot chips.
A perfect morning.
x

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Oliver Jeffers

Oliver Jeffers Author Film 2013 from Oliver Jeffers on Vimeo.

I possibly might love him.
My kids do, he is pretty great yes?
Here his books are the most requested at bed time, that and Julia Donaldson.
They are charming, funny and very very magical.
Every home needs one...
x

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mumuration...

Murmuration from Islands & Rivers on Vimeo.

Now this is winter.
Time to go and see Nature at it's best....
Incredible.
Enjoy.
x

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Nature in the Home...

Hello... brrrrr it is so cold here today!
Last night we had the hardest frost this winter so far ... I had to look twice out of the window this morning as I thought all the white was snow, but sadly no, just Jack Frost up to no good!

So to warm us all up, today's Nature in the Home features the brightest of tulips.  I bought these beautiful flowers from my local green grocers last week and they cheered up my dining room no end.  I love the colour contrast against my blue/grey wall and in the sunshine the colours just sing!  Sadly, they are over now and have been re-placed by the tiniest Narcissus, the smell is divine.

Have you started to fill your home with Spring blooms, or do you have flowers in your home all year round?
x

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House love...

Hello!
How are you doing?
No snow here in Bristol yet... I know a lot of people around the country have had some. The boys and I would LOVE a little to make a snowman in.  Come on January do your stuff!  Saying that the weather is very cold (possibly a bit too cold to snow!).

Today I helped with Rufus' class on their school trip to @Bristol - it was both immense fun and at the same time exhausting!  I was in charge of six 4/5 year olds... as they explored the science centre.  Talk about herding cats!

So I am home, cosied up now, ready for bed.  But first I wanted to show you this cosy, colourful home.
I LOVE that blue on the panelling on the walls - such a fresh, spring like colour.  Sometimes just a change of colour in the home brings in new energy to the space.
Lovely isn't it?
x

More images of this home can be found over here.

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January Newsletter...

Hello!

Yesterday I clicked send on my very first newsletter.

Held my breath as it winged it's way across the net and landed in your mail boxes.

I hope you liked it?

Just a little one this time... I could do with some feedback though.

Would you like more on me, the shop or things that I am in to... i.e. interiors, art, food etc.

Please let me know!

If you haven't signed up yet - there is still time.

Just fill in your email address in the form over there top right ------>

Where it says 'subscribe to Littlegreenshed mailing list' and I will get January's newsletter off to you!

x

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New stockist...

Hello!

Happy Monday to you all.

I have been meaning to talk about Landbaby for a while now, what with the Christmas rush I just didn't find the time.  So I am now.

As from November last year, the most beautiful shop Landbaby in Liverpool have been stocking a range of my prints.

Landbaby is such a treasure of a shop, stocking superb designers and makers work.  I am going to have to make a trip Northwards just to see it some time.

Please follow Claire and her team on their facebook page - where it is updated regularly with offers and events.  They are always super busy!

If you are in the Liverpool area... please do pop in and say hi from me!

x

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