Thursday 25 March 2010

One fing and anuvver



Oooohhh, I checked out some other bloggers. They do have some pretty pretty layouts and blogs. Well I'm new to this, I have tons of my own photos too so I'll be working on this blog as and when I get the time.

So many projects on the go and much to blog about..... hmmm where to start? Let's start with food as it's one of my favourite subjects!

I found a recipe for beer bread and I'm such a convert I make a loaf at least once a week. It's so simple and so delicious but I must add here that it is much better as toast or used as an open sandwich or as a huge slice with lashings of spread/butter and home made soup. (We just had same for lunch!) Here we go:

Ingredients/method/and all the other bits:

5+ 1/3 cup of SR flour. The original recipe said not to use bread flour but I do, in fact I use half and half. I use Allinson seed and grain bread flour and white SR and add 2 teaspoons of baking powder. Add to this 18 fluid ounces beer and half teaspoon salt. Mix all ingredients. Pour/dollop into a pre-greased large loaf tin and spread. Smooth out the top. Bake in the oven gas mark 4, for 50 - 55 mins. That's it, it's that easy! 45 to 50 mins into the baking I take it out, brush beaten egg over the top and sprinkle pumpkin seeds and/or poppy seeds and/or sunflower seeds and pop it back in for the last 5 mins. As to the beer, I've tried it with a light Belgian lager, a french lager and Newcastle brown. I must admit the best was the french lager! Next time I am thinking of adding caramelised onions, garlic, olives and walnuts to the mixture. Mmmmmmmmmm very artisan!
Here's the one we ate for lunch this afternoon.












I have a dark blue carpet inherited with the house I'm afraid so there wasn't an awful lot I could do about it except and until I thought about making my own rag rugs! I looked through YouTube and came across an American sculptress and archaeologist who posted instructions on how to make ones own hand loom for weaving rugs, just as the indigenous peoples of North America used to and, I have no doubt, my very own English and Irtish ancestors once did too. Of course when my husband arrived home for lunch, I immediately bounced him out of the door to the local DIY store (I love that place. It's a family run business, mother, son and grandson are all behind the counter and there isn't anything that they don't know about DIY which is a godsend to me and my SO to be truthful.) and we bought four lots of wood to make the frame, plus 2 pieces of dowelling and 'L' bracket metal joiner thinggys, (LOL, I don't know what their official title is!! I'll post images soon when we put it all together) Needless to say I'm so excited about this and cannot wait to get started. My husband is thrilled to think that at long last the attic which is practically full of all my unused or discarded scraps and rolls of materials and clothes (and that will now find a new lease of life as rugs), will be emptied of same. Of course we shall soon be falling over rugs and there will be sack loads of ready ripped rags and finished rugs in the attic instead!! Watch this space.....










I have to share these flowers with you. They were looking very limp and forlorn at the supermarket in the bargain bucket and they were simply crying out to be brought home. I already had that florists powder one adds to the water so mixed that up and they soon perked up. I adore the colours. It wasn't until I had placed them in the glass vase on the table in the living room that I remembered I had a galvanised steel jug somewhere waiting to be painted and shabby chic'ed and cottage eclectic'ed to within and inch of it's life. Next stop the big DIY superstore B&Q to find some paint for it. I wonder, can I paint it with acrylics? (I am a wannabe artist, I should know these things shouldn't I? LOL)

2 comments:

  1. Hey, I'm the first to follow your blog! I am looking forward to more posts and to seeing your current projects all finished and looking gorgeous.
    I think I'll have a go at making the bread - mmmmm... I can smell it cooking already!
    As for finding your way around Blogger - it takes a while but it is quite fun finding out. It still takes me an age to post a blog.

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  2. YAY, my first 'follower' Thank you so much for signing up and your comment and I am very honored that you would do so as I adore your 'work'
    Have a glorious spring :)

    Debbie

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